Full text of "The History of McLean County, Illinois; portraits of early settlers and prominent men"

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THE

HI8T0EY

McLean County.

iLHiiiisrois,

CONTAINING

A History of the County— its Cities, Towns, &c. ; Portraits of Early
Settlers and Prominent Men; General Statistics; Map of
McLean County; History of Illinois, Illustrated;
History of the Northwest, Illustrated;
Constitution of the United States,
Miscellaneous Matters,
&c., &c.

» < ♦ » 4

tXjI:jTjste,.a.tex3.

) CO

CHICAGO :
WM. LE BARON, Jr., & CO., 186 DEARBORN STREET.

1879.

PREFACE

TN presenting our History of McLean County, we deem a few prefatory words
necessary. We have spared neither pains nor expense to fulfill our engagement with
our patrons and make the work as complete as possible. We have acted upon the
principle that justice to those who have subscribed, be they few or many, requires that
the work should be as well done as if it was patronized by every citizen in the county.
We do not claim that our work is entirely free from errors ; such a result could not be
attained by the utmost care and foresight of ordinary mortals. The General History of
the County was compiled by Prof. Merriman, of Bloomington, and the Township His-
tories of Bloomington, Normal and White Oak, by Capt. J. H. Burnham, and the balance
of the Townships by our historians, H. H. Hill and A. W. Kellogg. Some of the Town-
ship Histories are indeed longer than others, as the townships are older, containing
larger cities and towns, and have been the scenes of more important and interesting
events. While fully recognizing this important difference, the historians have sought to
write up each township with equal fidelity to the facts and information within their
reach. We take this occasion to present our thanks to all dur numerous subscribers
for their patronage and encouragement in the publication of the work. In this confident
belief, we submit it to the enlightened judgment of those for whose benefit it has been
|)repared. believing that it will be received as a most valuable and complete work.

.•;.'.

• •, • ••••
• • •

*..

> • • • •
• • •• ■

THE PUBLISHERS.

Foun(<afions

CHIOAOO:

ri'I.VRK. PAGE, IIOYNE A CO., PRlNTJCRfc,

118 >Bd ISO MoDrix Btntl.

CONTENTS.

HI.STORI€AI>.

Page.

History Northwest Territory 19

Geographical 19

Early Exploration 20

Discovery of the Ohio 32 \

English Explorations and Settle- '

ments 34

American Settlements 59

Division of the Northwest Terri-
tory 65

Tecumseh and the war of 1812 79

Page.

Black Hawk and the Black Hawk
War 73

Present Condition of the North-
west 79

History of Illinois 88

Coal 1(13

Compact of 1787 95

History of Chicago 110

Early Discoveries 88

Earlv Settlements 94

Page.

Education 107

First French Occupation 91

Genius of La Sale 92

Material Resources 1U2

Massacre of Fort Dearborn 117

Physical Features 99

Progress of Development 101

Religion and Morals 106

War Record ot Illinois lOf^

Page.

Source of the Mississippi 22

Mouth of the Mississippi 31

La Salle Landing on the Shore of

Green Bay 24

Buffalo Hunt 26

Trapping 28

Pontiac, the Ottawa Chieftain 42

Indians Attacking Frontiersmen... 55
A Pioneer Dwelling fiO

IIiL,lTSTR.4TIOXS.

Lake Bluff 62

Tecumseh, the Shawnee Chieftain... 68

Indians Attacking a Stockade 71

Black Hawk, the Sac Chieftain 74

Kinzie House 87

Lincoln Monument, Springfield, 111. 80

A Pioneer School House 81

High Bridge and Lake Bluff 33

Page.
Hunting Prairie Wolves at an

Early Day , 85

Starved Rock, on the Illinois River,

La Salle County, 111 89

Chicago in 1833 82

Old Fort Dearbron in 1830 79

Present site of Lake Street Bridge,

Chicago, in 1833 58

Shabbona 121

McLiKAN I'OrXTY HISTORY.

Page.
General History of McLean County. 189 Dauvers
Arrowsmith Township 671 Dry Grove

Page.
Township 564 I

Allin

Anchor

Bloomington

Bellelliiwer

Blue Mound

Cropsey

Cheney's Grove

Chenoa

Downs

.716 ^ale

.747
.299
.735
.723
.739
.536
.498
.701

Empire
Funk's Grove '
Grid ley
Hudson '

Lawndale '
Lexington '
Martin

Page.

Mount Hope Township 577

695

4:^5

li-lh

G48

459 -

589

G80

0-9

T-M^

686

Money Creek

Glio-

Normal

sis

Old Town

018

Padua

552

Randolph

599

Towanda

636

AVhite Oak

483

West

753

Yates

L.lTHOGRAPHI€ PORTRAITS.

Page.

Adams, W. H. H 547

Bishop, James 781

Barnura, S. F 873

Barnett, T. J 799

Benjamin, D. C 979

Carlvl, John 98

Cheney, W. H 691

Carlock, A W 1033

Dimniitt, Wm 205

Elder, W. A 511

Ewins, John A 835

Flagg, W. F 223

Funk, Isaac 637

Ferre, L 601

Franklin, Noah 745

Fisher, T. D 889

Freeman, G. W 50

Gridley. A 277

Page.

Gregory, John 457

Greenman, E. E 763

Gildersleeve, James T 961

Hayes, James W .''67

Hewett, E. C 565

Havens. H 997

Keenan, J 925

Lewis, Samuel H 943

Moore, A. H 619

Mahan, J. C 702

Mitchell, T. F 475

McCullough, William 295

Ogden, B 055

Orme, W. W .313

Parke, Charles R 493

Parke, George W 403

Parkhurst, H 853

Rogers. Elihu 66

Page.

Rogers, Thomas P 439

Riebsame, C KtuI

Smith, Giles A 331

Stetson, Albert 583

Scbroeder, H 421

Soldiers' Slonument 187

Stokes, George W 1015

Trimmer. Jesise 673

Tipton, Thomas F 385

Van Schoick, Wm 529

Van Dolah, D. H 727

Withers, Allen 349

Wakefield, C 259

Whitmer, P 241

West, Henry 817

Wcedman, John 907

Wheeler, G. W 114

CONTENTS.

BIOnKAPHlCAL. SKKTCIIK^i.

Page.

Arrowfmith 951

Allin 1008

Anchor 1056

BIoomingtoD 761

Belleflower 1014

Blue Mound 1023

Cropsev 1059

Cheney's Grove 897

Chenoa 859

Downs 957

Page.

Dan vers 1035

Dry Grove 1046

Dale 1027

Empire 869

Funk's Grove 985

Gridley 906

Hudson 94^

Lawndale 1043

Lexington 850

Martin 1062

Page.

Mount Hope 934

Money Creek '. 1020

Normal 831

Old Town 995

Padua 914

Randolph 840 .

Towaiida 989

White Oak 1053

West 918

Yates 106O

ABSTRACT OF lLL.INOI!i^ STATE I.AWS.

Page.

Adoption of Children 132 |

Bills of E.xchango and Promissory

Notes 123

County Courts 127 |

Conveyances 136 i

Church Organizations 157 '

Descent 123

Deeds and Mortgages 129

Drainage 135

Damagfs from Trespass 139

Definition of Commercial Terms 143

Exemptions from Forced Sale 128

Estrays 129

Fences 138

Forms :

Articles of Agreement 145

Bills of Purchase 144 |

Bills of Sale 146

Bonds 146

Page.
Forms :

Chattel Mortgages 147

Codicil 157

Lease of Farm and Build-
ings 149

Lease of House 150

Landlord's Agreement 150

Notes 144

Notice Tenant to Quit 151

Orders 144

Quit Claim Deed 153

Receipt 144

Real Estate IMortgaged to Secure

Payment of Money 151

Release 154

Tenant's Agreement 150

Tenant's Notice of Leaving 151

Warranty Deed 1.52

Will .". 1.55

Page.

Game 130

Interest 123

Jurisdiction of Courts 126

Limitation of Action 127

Landlord and Tenant 139

Liens 142

Married Women 127

Millers 131

Marks and Brands 131

Paupers 136

Roads and Bridges 133

Surveyors and Surveys 132

Suggestions to Persons Purchasing

Books by Subscription 158

Taxes 126

Wills and Estates 124

Weights and Measures 130

Wolf .Scalps 136

Page.

Map of McLean County Front

Constitution of the U. S 160

Electors of President and Vice Pres-
ident 172

Practical Rules for Every Day U30.173
0. S. Government Land MeiDiure.;.176
Agricultural Productions of Illi-
nois by Counties, 1870 186 I

Surveyors" Measure 177 I

How to Keep Accounts 177 I

MISlEIiliANKOUK.

Page.

Interest Table 178

Miscellaneous Tables 178

Names of the States of the Union

and their Signification 179

Population of the United States 180

Population of Fifty Principal Cities

of the United States 180

Population and Area of the United

States 181

Page.
Population of the Principal Coun-
tries in the World 181

Population of Illinois 182-183

State Laws Relating to Interest 184

State Laws Relating to Limitations

of Actions 185

Population of McLean Co 1064

Business Directory 1065

Errata 831

The Northwest Territory.

GEOGRAPHICAL POSITION.

When the Northwestern Territory was ceded to the United States
by Virginia in 1784, it embraced only the territory lying between the
Ohio and the Mississippi Rivers, and north to the northern limits of the
United States. It coincided with the area now embraced in the States
of Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Wisconsin, and that portion of
Minnesota lying on the east side of the Mississippi River. The United
States itself at that period extended no farther west than the Mississippi
River ; but by the purchase of Louisiana in 1803, the western boundary
of the United States was extended to the Rocky Mountains and the
Northern Pacific Ocean. The new territory thus added to the National
domain, and subsequently opened to settlement, has been called the
*' New Northwest," in contradistinction from the old " Northwestern
Territory."

In comparison with the old Northwest this is a territory of vast
magnitude. It includes an area of 1,887,850 square miles ; being greater
in extent than the united areas of all the Middle and Southern States,
including Texas. Out of this magnificent territory have been erected
eleven sovereign States and eight Territories, with an aggregate popula-
tion, at the present time, of 13,000,000 inhabitants, or nearly one third of
the entire population of the United States.

Its lakes are fresh-water seas, and the larger rivers of the continent
flow for a thousand miles through its rich alluvial valleys and far-
stretching prairies, more acres of which are arable and productive of the
highest percentage of the cereals than of any other area of like extent
on the globe.

For the last twenty years the increase of population in the North-
west has been about as three to one in any other portion of the United
States.

(19)

20 THE NORTUWEST TERRITORY.

EARLY EXPLORATIONS.

In the year 1541, DeSoto first saw the Great West in the New
World. He, however, penetrated no farther north than the 35th parallel
of latitude. The expedition resulted in his death and that of more than
half his army, the remainder of whom found their way to Cuba, thence
to Spain, in a famished and demoralized condition. DeSoto founded no
settlements, produced no results, and left no traces, unless it were that
he awakened the hostility of the red man against the white man, and
disheartened such as might desire to follow up the career of discovery
for better purposes. The French nation were eager and ready to seize
upon any news from this extensive domain, and were tlie first to profit by
DeSoto's defeat. Yet it was more than a century before an}^ adventurer
took advantae^e of these discoveries.

In 1616, four 3'ears before the pilgrims " moored their bark on the
wild New England shore," Le Caron, a French Franciscan, had pene-
trated through the Iroquois and Wyandots (Hurons) to the streams which
run into Lake Huron ; and in 1634, two Jesuit missionaries founded the
first mission among the lake tril)es. It was just one hundred years from
the discovery of the Mississippi by DeSoto (1541) until the Canadian
envoys met the savage nations of the Northwest at the Falls of St. Mary,
below the outlet of Lake Superior. This visit led to no permanent
result; yet it was not until 1659 that any of the adventurous far traders
attempted to spend a Winter in the frozen wilds about the great lakes,
nor was it until 1660 that a station was established upon their borders by
Me>nard, who perished in the woods a few months after. In 1665, Claude
Allouez built the earliest lastiufj habitation of the white man amonof the
Indians of the Nortliwest. In 1668, Claude Dablon and James Marquette
founded the mission of Sault Ste. Marie at the Prills of St. Mary, and two
years afterward, Nicholas Perrot, as agent for M. Talon, Governor Gen-
eral of Canada, explored Lake Illinois (Michigan) as far south as the
present City of Chicago, and invited the Indian nations to meet him at a
grand council at Sault Ste. Marie the following Spring, where they were
taken under the protection of the king, and formal possession was taken
of the Northwest. This same year Marquette established a mission at
Point St. Ignatius, where was founded the old town of Michillimackinac.

During M. Talon's explorations and Marquette's residence at St.
Ignatius, tliey learned of a great river away to the west, and fancied
— as all others did then — that upon its fertile banks whole tribes of God's
cliildren resided, to whom the sound of the Gospel had never come.
Filled with a wisli to go and preach to them, and in compliance with a

THE NORTHWEST TERRITG.xY. 21

request of M. Talon, who earnestly desired to extend the domain of his
king, and to ascertain whether the river flowed into the Gulf of Mexico
or the Pacific Ocean, Marquette with Joliet, as commander of the expe-
dition, prepared for the undertaking.

On the 13th of May, 1673," the explorers, accompanied by five assist-
ant French Canadians, set out from Mackinaw on their daring voyage of
discovery. The Indians, who gathered to witness their departure, were
astonished at the boldness of the undertaking, and endeavored to dissuade
them from their purpose by representing the tribes on the Mississippi as
exceedingly savage and cruel, and the river itself as full of all sorts of
frightful monsters ready to swallow them and their canoes together. But,
nothing daunted by these terrific descriptions, Marquette told them he
was willing not only to encounter all the perils of the unknown region
they were about to explore, but to lay down his life in a cause in which
the salvation of souls was involved ; and having prayed together they
separated. Coasting along the northern shore of Lake Michigan, the
adventurers 6ntered Green Bay, and passed thence up the Fox River and
Lake Winnebago to a village of the Miamis and Kickapoos. Here Mar-
quette was delighted to find a beautiful cross planted in the middle of the
town ornamented with white skins, red girdles and bows and arrows,
which these good people had offered to the Great Manitou, or God, to
thank him for the pity he had bestowed on them during the Winter in
giving them an abundant " chase." This was the farthest outpost to
which Dablon and Allouez had extended their missionary labors the
3'ear previous. Here ]\Iarquette drank mineral waters and was instructed
in the secret of a root which cures the bite of the venomous rattlesnake.
He assembled the chiefs and old men of the village, and, pointing to
Joliet, said: " My friend is an envoy of France, to discover new coun-
tries, and I am an ambassador from God to enlighten them with the truths
of the Gospel." Two Miami guides were here furnished to conduct
them to the Wisconsin River, and they set out from the Indian village on
the 10th of June, amidst a great crowd of natives who had assembled to
witness their departure into a region where no white man had ever yet
ventured. The guides, having conducted them across the portage,
returned. The explorers launched their canoes upon the Wisconsin,
which they descended to the Mississippi and proceeded down its unknown
waters. What emotions must have swelled their breasts as they struck
out into the broadening current and became conscious that they were
now upon the bosom of th3 Fathet of Waters. The mystery was about
to be lifted from the long-sought river. The scenery in that locality is
beautiful, and on that delightful seventeenth of June must have been
clad in all its primeval loveliness as it had been adorned by the hand of

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

Nature. Drifting rapidly, it is said that the bold bluffs on either hand
" reminded them of the castled shores of their own beautiful rivers of
France." By-and-by, as they drifted along, great herds of buffalo appeared
on the banks. On going to the heads of the valley they could see a
country of the greatest beauty and fertility, apparently destitute of inhab-
itants vet presenting the appearance of extensive manors, under the fas-
tidious cultivation of lordly proprietors.

SOURCE OF THE MISSISSIPPI.

On June 25, they went ashore and found some fresh traces of men upon
the sand, and a path which led to the prairie. The men remained in the
boat, and Marquette and Joliet followed tlie path till they discovered a
village on the banks of a river, and two other villages on a hill, within a
half league of the first, inhabited by Indians. They were received most
hospitably by these natives, who had never before seen a white person.
After remaining a few days they re-eml)arked and descended the river to
about latitude 33°, where they found a village of the Arkansas, and being
satisfied that the river flowed into the Gulf of Mexico, turned their course

THE NORTHWEST TERKTTORY. ' £3

up the river, and ascending the stream to the mouth of the Illinois,
rowed up that stream to its source, and procured guides from that point
to the lakes. " Nowhere on this journey," says Marquette, *' did we see
such grounds, meadows, woods, stags, buffaloes, deer, wildcats, bustards,
swans, ducks, parroquets, and even beavers, as on the Illinois River."
The party, without loss or injury, reached Green Bay in September, and
reported their discovery — one of the most important of the age, but of
which no record was preserved save Marquette's, Joliet losing his by
the upsetting of his canoe on his way to Quebec. Afterward Marquette
returned to the Illinois Indians by their request, and ministered to them
until 1675. On the 18th of May, in that year, as he was passing the
mouth of a stream — going with his boatmen up Lake Michigan — he asked
to land at its mouth and celebrate Mass. Leaving his men with the canoe,
he retired a short distance and began his devotions. As much time
passed and he did not return, his men went in search of him, and found
him upon his knees, dead. He had peacefull}'- passed away while at
prayer. He was buried at this spot. Charlevoix, who visited the place
fifty years after, found the waters had retreated from the grave, leaving
the beloved missionary to repose in peace. The rivei; has since been
called Marquette.

While Marquette and his companions were pursuing their labors in
the West, two men, differing widely from him and each other, were pre-
paring to follow in his footsteps and perfect the discoveries so well begun
by him. These were Robert de La Salle and Louis Hennepin.

After La Salle's return from the discovery of the Ohio River (see
the narrative elsewhere), he established himself again among the French
trading posts in Canada. Here he mused long upon the pet project of
those ages — a short way to China and the East, and was busily planning an
expedition up the great lakes, and so across the continent to the Pacific,
when Marquette returned from the Mississippi. At once the vigorous mind
of LaSalle received from his and his companions' stories the idea that by fol-
lowing the Great River northward, or by turning up some of the numerous
western tributaries, the object could easily.be gained. He applied to
Frontenac, Governor General of Canada, and laid before him the plan,
dim but gigantic. Frontenac entered warmly into his plans, and saw that
LaSalle's idea to connect the great lakes bv a chain of forts with the Gulf
of Mexico would bind the country so wonderfully together, give un-
measured power to France, and glory to himself, under whose adminis-
tration he earnestly hoped all would be realized.

LaSalle now repaired to France, laid his plans before the King, who
warmly approved of them, and made him a Chevalier. He also receivad
from all the noblemen the warmest wishes for his success. The Ghev-

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

alier returned to Canada, and busily entered upon his work. He at
once rebuilt Fort Frontenac and constructed the first ship to sail on
these fresh-water seas. On the 7th of August, 1670, having been joined
by Hennepin, he began his voyage in the Griffin up Lake Erie. He
passed over this lake, through the straits beyond, up Lake St. Clair and
into Huron. In this lake they encountered heavy storms. They were
some time at Mieliillimackinac, where LaSalle founded e fort, and passed
on to Green Bay, the '' Baie des Puans" of the French, where he found
a large quantity of furs collected for him. He loaded the Griffin with
these, and placing her under the care of a pilot and fourteen sailors,

LA SALLE LANDING ON THE SHORE OF GREEN BAY.

started her on her return voyage. The vessel "vvas never afterward heard
of. He remained about these parts until early in the AVinter, when, hear-
ing nothing from the Griffin, he collected all tlie men — thirty Avorking
men and three monks — and started again upon his great undertaking.

By a short portage they passed to tlic Illinois or Kankakee, c.dled by
the Indians, '•Tiicukeke," ivolf, because of the tribes of Indians called
by that name, commonly known as the Mahingans, dwelling there. The
Frencli pronounced it Kiakiki, which became corrupted to Kankakee.
"Falling down the said river by easy journeys, the better to observe the
country," about the last of Deceml)er they reached a village of the Illi-
nois Indians, containing some five hundred cabins, but at that moment

THE NORTHWEST TERRIIORY. 25

no inhabitants. The Seur de LaSalie biding in want of some breadstuffs,
took advantage of the absence of the Indians to help himself to a suffi-
ciency of maize, large quantities of which he found concealed in holes
under the wigwams. This village was situated near the present village
of Utica in LaSalle County, Illinois. The corn being securely stored,
the voyagers again betook themselves to the stream, and toward evening,
on the 4th day of January, 1680, they came into a lake which must have
been the lake of Peoria. This was called by the Indians Pim-i-te-wi, that
is, a place where there are many fat beasts. Here the natives were met
with in large numbers, but they were gentle and kind, and having spent
some time with them, LaSalle determined to erect another fort in that
place, for he had heard rumors that some of the adjoining tribes were
trying to disturb the good feeling which existed, and some of his men
were disposed to complain, owing to the hardships and perils of the travel.
He called this fort " Crevecoeur''' (broken-heart), a name expressive of the
very natural sorrow and anxiety which the pretty certain loss of his ship.
Griffin, and his consequent impoverishment, the danger of hostility on the
part of the Indians, and of mutiny among his own men, might well cause
him. His fears were not entirely groundless. At one time poison was
placed in his food, but fortunately was discovered.

While building this fort, the Winter wore away, the prairies began to
look green, and LaSalle, despairing of any reinforcements, concluded to
return to Canada, raise new means and new men, and embark anew in
the enterprise. For this purpose he made Hennepin the leader of a party
to explore the head waters of the Mississippi, and he set out on his jour-
ney. This journey was accomplished with the aid of a few persons, and
was successfully made, though over an almost u iknown route, and in a
bad season of the year. He safely reach'jd Cana ia, and set out again for
the object of his search.

Hennepin and his party left Fort Crevecoeur on the last of February,
1680. When LaSalle reached this place on his return expedition, he
found the fort entirely deserted, and he was obliged to return again to
Canada. He embarked the third time, and succeeded. Seven days after
leaving the fort, Hennepin reached the Mississippi, and paddling up the
icy stream as best he could, reached no higher than the Wisconsin River
by tlie 11th of April. Here he and his followers were taken prisoners by a
band of Northern Indians, who treated them with great kindness. Hen-
nepin's comrades were Anthony Auguel and Michael Ako. On this voy-
age they found several beautiful lakes, and " saw some charming prairies."
Their captors were the Isaute or Sauteurs, Chippewas, a tribe of the Sioux
nation, who took them up the river until about the first of May, when
they reached some falls, which Hennepin christened Falls of St, Anthony

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

in honor of his patron yaint. Here they took the land, and traveling
nearly two hundred miles to the northwest, brought them to their villages.
Here they were kept about three months, were treated kindly by their
captors, and at the end of that time, were met by a band of Frenchmen,

BUFFALO HUNT.

headed by one Seur de Luth, wlio, in pursuit of trade and game, had pene-
trated thus far by the route of Lake Superior; and with these fellow-
countrymen Hennepin and his companions were allowed to return to the
borders of civilized life in NovemV)er, 1680, just after LaSalle had
returned to the wilderness on his second trip. Hennepin soon after went
to France, where he published an account of his adventures.

THE MORTHWEST TERRITORY. 27

The Mississippi was first discovered by De Soto in April, 1541, in his
vain endeavor to find gold and precious gems. In the following Spring,
De Soto, weary with hope long deferred, and worn out with his wander-
ings, he fell a victim to disease, and on the 21st of May died. His followers,
reduced by fatigue and disease to less than three hundred men, wandered
about the country nearly a year, in the vain endeavor to rescue them-
selves by land, and finally constructed seven small vessels, called brigan-
tines, in which they embarked, and descending the river, supposing it
would load them to the sea, in July they came to the sea (Gulf of
Mexico), and by September reached the Island of Cuba.

They were the first to see the great outlet of the Mississippi ; but,
being so weary and discouraged, made no attempt to claim the country,
and hardly had an intelligent idea of Avhat they had passed through.

To La Salle, the intrepid explorer, belongs the honor of giving the
first account of the mouths of the river. His great desire was to possess
this entire country for his king, and in January, 1682, he and his band of
explorers left the shores of Lake Michigan on their third attempt, crossed
the portage, passed down the Illinois River, and on the 6th of February,
reached the banks of the Mississippi.

On the 13th they commenced their downward course, which they
pursued with but one interruption, until upon the 6th of March they dis-
covered the three great passages by which the river discharges its waters
into the gulf. La Salle thus narrates the event :

" We landed on the bank of the most western channel, about three
leagues (nine miles) from its mouth. On the seventh, M. de LaSalle
went to reconnoiter the shores of the neighboring sea, and M. de Tonti
meanwhile examined the great middle channel. They found the main
outlets beautiful, large and deep. On the 8th we reascended the river, a
little above its confluence with the sea, to find a dry place beyond the
reach of inundations. The elevation of the North Pole was here about
twenty-seven degrees. Here we prepared a column and a cross, and to
the column were affixed the arms of France with this inscription :

Louis Le Grand, Roi De France et de Navarre, regne ; Le neuvieme Avril, i632.

The whole party, under arms, chanted the Te Deum, and then, after
a salute and cries of " Vive le Roi," the column Avas erected by M. de
La Salle, who, standing near it, proclaimed in a loud voice the authority of
the King of France. LaSalle returned and laid the foundations of the Mis-
sissippi settlements in Illinois, thence he proceeded to France, where
another expedition was fitted out, of which he was commander, and in two
succeeding voyages failed to find the outlet of the river by sailing along
the shore of the gulf. On his third voyage he was killed, through the

■28

THE NOiiTHWEST TERRITORY,

treachery of his followers, and the object of his expeditions was not
accomplished until 1699, when D"Iberville, under the authority of the
crown, discovered, on the second of March, by way of the sea, the mouth
of the " Hidden River." This majestic stream was called by the natives
*■' Malbouchia,'' and by the Spaniards, " Zd Falissade," from the great

t'l .Mm\i^^,

^^'^:m^m&^%j^''

TRAPPING.

number of trees about its mouth. After traversing the several outlets,
and satisfying liimsclf as to its certainty, he erected a fort near its western
outlet, and returned to France.

An avenue of trade was now opened out which was fully improved.
Jn 1718, New Orleans was laid out and settled by some European colo-
nists. In 17<)2, the colony Avas made over to Spain, to be regained by
France under the consulate of Napoleon. In 1803, it was purchased by

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 29

the United States for the sum of fifteen million dollars, and the territorv
of Louisiana and commerce of the Mississippi River came under the
charge of the United States. Although LaSalle's labors ended in defeat
and death, he h:id not worked and suffered iu vaiu. He had thrown
open to France and the world an immense and most valuable country ;
had established several ports, and laid the foundations of more than one
settlement there. " Peoria, Kaskaskia and Cahokia, are to this day monu-
ments of LaSalle's labors ; for, though he had founded neither of them
(unless Peoria, which was built nearly upon the site of Fort Crevecoeur,)
it was by those whom he led into the West that these places were
peopled and civilized. He was, if not the discoverer, the first settler of
the Mississippi Valley, and as such deserves to be known and honored."

The French early improved the opening made for them. Before the
year 1698, the Rev. Father Gravier began a mission among the Illinois,
and founded Kaskaskia. For some time this was merely a missionary
station, where none but natives resided, it being one of three such vil-
lages, the other two being Cahokia and Peoria. What is known of
these missions is learned from a letter written by Father Gabriel Marest,
dated " Aux Cascaskias, autrement dit de ITuimaculate Conception de
la Sainte Vierge, le 9 Novembre, 1712." Soon after the founding of
Kaskaskia, the missionary, Pinet, gathered a flock at Cahokia, while
Peoria arose near the ruins of Fort Crevecoeur. This must have been
about the year 1700. The post at Vincennes on the Oubaclie river,
(pronounced Wa-ba, meaning summer cloud moving swiftly^ was estab-
lished in 1702, according to the best authorities.* It is altogether prob-
able that on LaSalle's last trip he established the stations at Kaskaskia
and Cahokia. In Jul}', 1701, the foundations of Fort Ponchartrain
were laid by De la Motte Cadillac on the Detroit River. These sta-
tions, with those established further north, were the earliest attempts to
occupy the Northwest Territory. At the same time efforts were being-
made to occupy the Southwest, which finally culminated in the settle-
ment and founding of the City of New Orleans by a colony from England
in 1718. This was mainly accomplished through the efforts of the
famous Mississippi Company, established by the notorious John Law,
who so quickly arose into prominence in France, and who with his
scheme so quickly and so ignominiously passed away.

From the time of the founding of these stations for fifty years the
French nation were engrossed with the settlement of the lower Missis-
sippi, and the war with the Chicasaws, who had, iu revenge for repeated

* Tliere is considerable dispute about tliis date, some asserting it was founded as late as 1743. "Wli^n
the new court lio\ise at Vincennes was erected, all authorities 0:1 the suljject were carefully examined, ami
>iQ-Z fixed upon as the correct date. It was accordingly engraved on the corner-stone of the court house.

3) THE NOUTHWEST TEllKITORY.

injuries, cut off the entire colony at Natchez. Although the company
did little for Louisiana, as the entire West was then called, yet it opened
the trade through the Mississippi River, and started the raising of grains
indigenous to that climate. Until the year 1750, but little is known of
the settlements in the Northwest, as it was not until this time that the
attention of the English was called to the occupation of this portion of the
New World, which they then supposed they owned. Vivier, a missionary
among the Illinois, writing from " Aux Illinois," six leagues from Fort
Chartres, June 8, 1750, says: "We have here whites, negroes and
Indians, to say nothing of cross-breeds. There are five French villages,
and three villages of the natives, within a space of twenty-one leagues
situated between the Mississippi and another river called the Karkadaid
(Kaskaskias). In the five French villages are, i)erhaps, eleven hundred
whites, three hundred blacks and some sixty red slaves or savages. The
three Illinois towns do not contain more than eight hundred souls all
told. Most of the French till the soil; they raise wheat, cattle, pigs and
horses, and live like princes. Three times as much is produced as can
be consumed; and great quantities of grain and flour are sent to New
Orleans." This city was now the seaport town of the Northwest, and
save in the extreme northern part, where only furs and copper ore were
found, almost all the products of the country foimd their way to France
by the mouth of the Father of Waters. In another letter, dated Novem-
ber 7, 1750, this same priest says : " For fifteen leagues above the
mouth of the Mississippi one sees no dwellings, the ground being too low
to be habitable. Thence to New Orleans, the lands are only partially
occupied. New Orleans contains black, white and red, not more, I
think, than twelve hundred persons. To this jjoint come all lumber,
bricks, salt-beef, tallow, tar, skins and bear's grease ; and above all, pork
and flour from the Illinois. These things create some commerce, as forty
vessels and more have come hither this year. Above New Orleans,
plantations are again met with ; the most considerable is a colony of
Germans, some ten leagues up the river. At Point Coupee, thirty-five
leagues above the German settlement, is a fort. Along here, within five
or six leagues, are not less than sixty habitations. Fifty leagues farther
up is the Natchez post, where we have a garrison, who are kept prisoners
through fear of the Chickasaws. Here and at Point Coupee, they raise
excellent tobacco. Another hundred leagues brings us to the Arkansas,
where we have also a fort and a garrison for the benefit of the river
traders. * * * From the Arkansas to the Illinois, nearly five hundred
leagues, there is not a settlement. There should be, however, a fort at
the Oubache (Ohio), the only path by which the English can reach the
Mississippi. In Ihe Illinois country are numberless mines, but no one to

THE NORTHWEST TERRITOKY.

work them as they deserve." Father Marest, writnig from the post at
Vincennesin 1812, makes the same observation. Vivier also says : " Some
individuals dig lead near the surface and supply the Indians and Canada.
•Two Spaniards now here, who claim to be adepts, say that our mines are
like those of Mexico, and that if we would dig deeper, we should find
silver under the lead ; and at any rate the lead is excellent. There is also
in this country, beyond doubt, copper ore, as from time to time large
pieces are found in the streams."

MOUTH OF THE MISSISSIPPI.

At the close of the year 1750, the French occupied, in addition to the
lower Mississippi posts and those in Illinois, one at Du Quesne, one at
the Mauinee in the country of the Miamis, and one at Sandusky in what
may be termed the Ohio Valley. In the northern part of the Northwest
they had stations at St. Joseph's on the St. Joseph's of Lake Michigan,
at Fort Ponchartrain (Detroit), at Michillimackanac or Massillimacanac,
Fox River of Green Bay, and at Sault Ste. Marie. The fondest dreams of
LaSalle were now fully realized. The French alone were possessors of
this vast realm, basing their claim on discovery and settlement. Another
nation, however, was now turning its attention to this extensive country,

32 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

and hearinc: of its wealth, began to lay plans for occupying it and for
securing the great profits arising therefrom.

The Frencii, however, had another claim to this country, namely, the

DISCOVERY OF THE OHIO.

This '' Beautiful"' river was discovered by Robert Cavalier de La-
Salle in 1669, four years before the discovery of the Mississippi by Joliet
and Marquette.

While LaSalle was at his trading post on the St. Lawrence, he found
leisure to study nine Indian dialects, the chief of which was the Iroquois.
He not only desired to facilitate his intercourse in trade, but he longed
to travel and explore the unknown regions of the West. An incident
soon occurred which decided him to fit out an exploring expedition.

While conversing with some Senecas, he learned of a river called the
Ohio, which rose in their country and flowed to the sea, but at such a
distance that it required eight months to reach its mouth. In this state-
ment the Mississippi and its tributaries were considered as one stream.
LaSalle believing, as most of the French at that period did, that the great
rivers flowing west emptied into the Sea of California, was anxious to
embark in the enterprise of discovering a route across the continent to
the commerce of China and Japan.

He repaired at once to Quebec to obtain the approval of the Gov-
ernor. His eloquent appeal prevailed. The Governor and the lutendant,
Talon, issued letters patent authorizing the enterprise, but made no pro-
vision to defray the expenses. At this juncture the seminary of St. Sul-
pice decided to send out missionaries in connection with the expedition,
and LaSalle offering to sell his improvements at LaChine to raise money,
the offer was accepted by the Superior, and two thousand eight hundred
dollars were raised, with which LaSalle purchased four canoes and the
necessary supplies for the outfit.

On the 6th of Jul}', 1669, the party, numbering twenty-four persons,
embarked iu seven canoes on the St. Lawrence; two additional canoes
carried the Indian guides. In three days they were gliding over the
bosom of Lake Ontario. Their guides conducted them directly to the
Seneca village on tlie bank of the Genesee, in the vicinity of the present
City of Rochester, New York. Here they expected to procure guides to
conduct them to the Ohio, but in this they were disappointed.

The Indians seemed unfriendly to the enterprise. LaSalle suspected
that the Jesuits had prejudiced their minds against his plans. After
waiting a month in the iiope of gaining their object, they met an Indian

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

i-^

from the Iroquois colony at the head of Lake Ontario, who assured them
that they could there find guides, and offered to conduct them thence.

On their way they passed the mouth of the Niagara River, when they
heard for the first time the distant thunder of the cataract. Arriving

IllfJU BltlDGE, LAKK BLUFF, LAKE COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

among the Iroquois, they met with a friendly reception, and learned
from a Shawanee prisoner that they could reach the Ohio in six weeks.
Delighted with the unexpected good fortune, they made ready to resume
their journey ; but just as they were about to start they heard of the
arrival of two Frenchmen in a neighboring village. One of them proved
to bs Louis Joliet, afterwards famous as an explorer in the West. Ks

34 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

had been sent by tlie Canadian Government to explore the copper mines
on Lake Superior, but had failed, and was on his way back to Quebec.
He gave tlie missionaries a map of the country he had explored in the
lake region, togetlier with an account of the condition of the Indians in
^hat quarter. This induced the priests to determine on leaving the
expedition and going to Lake Superior. LaSalle Avarned them that the
Jesuits were probably occupying that field, and that they would meet
with a cold reception. Nevertheless they persisted in their purpose, and
after worship on the lake shore, parted from LaSalle. On arriving at
Lake Superior, they found, as LaSalle had predicted, the Jesuit Fathers,
Marquette and Dablon, occupying tlie field.

These zealous disciples of Loyola informed them that they wanted
no assistance from St. Sulpice, nor from those who made him their patron
saint ; and thus repulsed, they returned to Montreal the following June
without having made a single discovery or converted a single Lidian.

After parting with the priests, LaSalle went to the chief Iroquois
village at Onondaga, where he obtained guides, and passing thence to a
tributary of the Ohio south of Lake Erie, he descended the latter as far
as the falls at Louisville. Thus was the Ohio discovered by LaSalle, the
persevering and successful French explorer of the West, in 1669.

The account of the latter part of his journey is found in an anony-
mous paper, which purports to have been taken from the lips of LaSalle
himself during a subsequent visit to Paris. Li a letter written to Count
Frontenac in 1667, shortly after the discovery, he himself says that he
discovered the Ohio and descended it to the falls. This was reofarded as
an indisputable fact by the French authorities, who claimed the Ohio
Valley upon another ground. When Washington was sent by the colony
of Virginia in 1753, to demand of Gordeur de St. Pierre why the French
had built a fort on the Monongahela, the haughty commandant at Quebec
replied : " We claim the country on the Ohio by virtue of the discoveries
of LaSalle, and will not give it up to the English. Our orders are to
make prisoners of every Englishman found trading in the Ohio Valley."

ENGLISH EXPLORATIONS AND SETTLEMENTS.

When the new year of 1750 broke in upon the Father of Waters
and the Great Northwest, all was still wild save at the French posts
already described. In 1749, when the English first began to think seri-
ously about sending men into the West, the greater portion of the States
of Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota were yet
under the dominion of the red inon. The English knew, however, pretty

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 35

conclusively of the nature of the wealth of these wilds. As early as
1710, Governor Spotswood, of Vii-ginia, had commenced movements to
secure the country west of the Alleghenies to the English crown. In
Pennsylvania, Governor Keitli and James Logan, secretary of the prov-
ince, from 1719 to 1731, represented to the powers of England the neces-
sity of securing the Western lands. Nothing was done, however, by that
power save to take some diplomatic steps to secure the claims of Britain
to this unexplored wilderness.

England had from the outset claimed from the Atlantic to the Pacific,
on the ground that the discovery of the seacoast and its possession was a
discovery and possession of the country, and, as is well known, her grants
to the colonies extended " from sea to sea." This was not all her claim.
She had purchased from the Indian tribes large tracts of land. This lat-
ter was also a strong argument. As early as 1684, Lord H oward. Gov-
ernor of Virginia, held a treaty with the six nations. These were the
great Northern Confederacy, and comprised at first the Mohawks, Onei-
das, Onondagas, Cayugas, and Senecas. Afterward the Tuscaroras were
taken into the confederacy, and it became known as the Six Nations.
They came under the protection of the mother country, and again in
1701, they repeated the agreement, and in September, 1726, a formal deed
was drawn up and signed by the chiefs. The validity of this claim has
often been disputed, but never successfully. In 1744, a purchase was
made at Lancaster, Pennsylvania, of certain lands within the " Colony of
Virginia," for which the Indians received <£200 in gold and a like sum in
goods, with a promise that, as settlements increased, more should be paid.
The Commissioners from Virginia were Colonel Thomas Lee and Colonel
William Beverly. As settlements extended, the promise of more pay was
called to mind, and Mr. Conrad Weiser was sent across the mountains with
presents to appease the savages. Col. Lee, and some Virginians accompa-
nied him with the intention of sounding the Indians upon their feelings
regarding the English. They were not satisfied with their treatment,
and plainly told the Commissioners why. The English did not desire the
cultivation of the country, but the monopoly of the Indian trade. In
1748, the Ohio Company was formed, and petitioned the king for a grant
of land beyond the Alleghenies. This was granted, and the government
of Virginia was ordered to grant to them a half million acres, two hun-
dred thousand of which were to be located at once. Upon the 12th of
June, 1749, 800,000 acres from the line of Canada north and west was
made to the Loyal Company, and on the 29th of October, 1751, 100,000
acres were given to the Greenbriar Company. All this time the French
were not idle. They saw that, should the British gain a foothold in the
West, especially upon the Ohio, they might not only prevent the French

3iJ THE NOUTIIWEST TERRITORY.

settling upon it, but in time would come to the lower posts and so gain
possession of the whole country. Upon the 10th of May, 1774, Vaud-
reuil, Governor of Canada and the French possessions, well knowing the
consequences that must arise from allowing the English to build trading-
posts in the Northwest, seized some of their frontier posts, and to further
secure the c«aim of the French to the West, he, in 1719, sent Louis Cel-
eron witli a party of soldiers to plant along the Ohio River, in the mounds
and at the mouths of its principal tributaries, plates of lead, on which
were inscribed the claims of France. These were heard of in 1752, and
within the memory of residents now living along the '' Oyo," as the
beautiful river was called by the French. One of these plates was found
with the inscription partly defaced. It bears date August 16, 1749, and
a copy of the inscription with particular account of the discovery of the
plate, was sent by DeWitt Clinton to the American Antiquarian Society,
among whose journals it may now be found.* These measures did not,
however, deter the English from going on with their explorations, and
though neither party resorted to arms, yet the conflict was gathering, and
it was onl}^ a question of time when the storm Avould burst upon the
frontier settlements. In 17")0, Christopher Gist was sent by the Ohio
Company to examine its lands. He went to a village of the Twigtwees,
on the Miami, about one hundred and fifty miles above its mouth. He
afterward spoke of it as very populous. From there he went down
the Ohio River nearly to the falls at the present City of Louisville,
and in November he commenced a survey of the Company's lands. Dur-
ing the Winter, General Andrew Lewis performed a similar vv'ork for the
Greenbriar Company. Meanwhile the French were busy in preparing
their forts for defense, and in opening roads, and also sent a small party
of soldiers to keep the Ohio clear. This party, having heard of the Eng-
lish post on the Miami River, early in 1652, assisted by the Ottawas and
Chippewas, attacked it, and, after a severe battle, in which fourteen of
the natives were killed and others wounded, captured the garrison.
(They were probably garrisoned in a block house). The traders were
carried away to Canada, and one account says several were burned. This
fort or post was called by the English Pickawillany. A memorial of the
king's ministers refers to it as " Pickawillanes, in the center of the terri-
tory between the Ohio and the Wabash. The name is probably some
variation of Pickaway or Picqu^i in 1773, written by Rev. David Jones
Pickaweke."

■•The following Is a translation of the Inscription on the platr: "In the year 1749. reign of Louis XV.,
KiiiK<'f Franco, \vc, Celeron, commandant of a (U'taohment by Alonslenr the JIarquis of (Jallisoiiiere, com-
mander-ln-clilef of New Krance, to estahlish tranqnility In certain Indian villuKes of these cantons, have
bnrled this plate at the fonnncnce of the Toradakoln, this twenty- ninth of July, near the river Ohio, otherwise
neautlfnl River, as a monument of renewal of possession which we have taken of the said river, and all its
trIliutnrleH; Inasmuch as the jnecedlntf Kings of France have enjoyed it, and maintained it by their arms and
treaties; especially by those of Uyswlck, Utrecht, and Alx La Chapelle."

THE NORTHWEST TERRITOEZ. 37

This WHS the first blood shed between the French and English, and
occurred near the present City of Piqua, Ohio, or at least at a point about
forty-seven miles north of Dayton. Each nation became now more inter-
ested in the progress of events in the Northwest. The English deter-
mined to purchase from the Indians a title to the lands they wished to
occupy, and Messrs. Fry (afterward Commander-in-chief over Washing-
ton at the commencement of the French War of 1775-1 T'OS), Lomax and
Patton were sent in the Spring of 1752 to hold a conference with the
natives at Logstown to learn what they objected to in the treaty of Lan-
caster already noticed, and to settle all difficulties. On the 9th of June,
these Commissioners met the red men at Logstown, a little village on the
north bank of the Ohio, about seventeen miles below the site of Pitts-
burgh. Here had been a trading point for many years, but it was aban-
doned by the Indians in 1750. At first the Indians declined to recognize
the treaty of Lancaster, but, the Commissioners taking aside Montour,
the interpreter, who was a son of the famous Catharine Montour, and a
chief among the six nations, induced him to use his influence in their
favor. This he did, and upon the 13th of June they all united in signing
a deed, confirming the Lancaster treaty in its full extent, consenting to a
settlement of the southeast of the Ohio, and guaranteeing that it should
not be disturbed by them. These were the means used to obtain the first
treaty with the Indians in the Ohio Valley.

Meanwhile the powers beyond the sea were trying to out-manceuvre
eacli other, and were professing to be at peace. The English generally
outwitted the Indians, and failed in many instances to fulfill their con-
tracts. They thereby gained the ill-will of the red men, and further
increased the feeling by failing to provide them with arms and ammuni-
tion. Said an old chief, at Easton, in 1758 : " The Indians on the Ohio
left you because of your own fault. When we heard the French were
coming, we asked you for help and arms, but we did not get them. The
French came, they treated us kindly, and gained our affections. The
Governor of Virginia settled on our lands for his own benefit, and, when
we wanted help, forsook us."

At the beginning of 1653, the English thought they had secured by
title the lands in the West, but the French had quietly gathered cannon
and military stores to be in readiness for the expected blow. The Eng=
lish made other attempts to ratify these existing treaties, but not until
the Summer could the Indians be gathered together to discuss the plans
of the French. They had sent messages to the French, warning them
away ; but they replied that they intended to complete the chain of forts
already begun, and would not abandon the field.

Soon after this, no satisfaction being obtained from the Ohio regard-

38 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

ing the positions and purposes of the French, Governor Dinwiddie of
Virc^inia determined to send to them another messenger and learn from
them, if possible, tlieir intentions. For this purpose he selected a young
man, a surveyor, who, at the earl}' age of nineteen, had received the lank
of major, and who was thoroughly posted regarding frontier life. This
personage was no other than the illustrious George Washington, who then
held considerable interest in Western lands. He was at this time just
twenty-two years of age. Taking Gist as his guide, the two, accompanied
by four servitors, set out on their perilous march. They left Will's
Creek on the 10th of November, 1753, and on the 22d reached the Monon-
gahela, about ten miles above the fork. From there they went to
Logstown, wliere Washington had a long conference Avith the chiefs of
the Six Nations. From them he learned the condition of the French, and
also heard of their determination not to come down the river till tlie fol-
lowing Spring. The Indians were non-committal, as they were afraid to
turn either way, and, as far as they could, desired to remain neutral.
Washington, finding nothing could be done with them, went on to
Venango, an old Indian town at the mouth of French Creek. Here the
French had a fort, called Fort Machault. Through the rum and flattery
of the French, he nearly lost all his Indian followers. Finding nothing
of importance here, he pursued his way amid great privations, and on the
11th of December reached the fort at the head of French Creek. Here
he delivered Governor Dinwiddle's letter, received his answer, took his
observations, and on the 16th set out upon his return journey with no one
but Gist, his guide, and a few Indians who still remained true to him,
notwithstanding the endeavors of the French to retain them. Their
homeward journey was one of great peril and suffering from the cold, yet
they reached home in safety on the 6th of January, 1754.

From the letter of St. Pierre, commander of the French fort, sent by
Washington to Governor Dinwiddie, it was learned that the French would
not give up without a struggle. Active preparations were at once made
in all the English colonies for the coming conflict, while the French
finished the fort at Venango and strengthened their lines of fortifications,
and gathered their forces to be in readiness.

The Old Dominion was all alive. Virginia was the center of great
activities ; volunteers were called for, and from all the neighboring
colonies men rallied to the conflict, and everywhere along the Potomac
njfii were enlisting under the Governor's proclamation — which promised
two hundred thousand acres on the Ohio. Along this river they were
gathering as far as Will's Creek, and far beyond this point, whither Trent
had come for assistance for his little band of forty-one men, who were

THE NORTHWEST TEREITOIIY. 39

working away in hunger and want, to fortify that point at the fork of
the Ohio, to which botli parties were looking with deep interest.

" The first birds of Spring filled the air with their song ; the swift
river rolled by the Allegheny hillsides, swollen by the melting snows of
Spring and the April showers. The leaves were appearing ; a few Indian
scouts were seen, but no enemy seemed near at hand ; and all was so quiet,
that Frazier, an old Indian scout and trader, who had been left by Trent
in command, ventured to his home at the mouth of Turtle Creek, ten
miles up the Monongahela. But, though all was so quiet in that wilder-
ness, keen eyes had seen the low intrenchment rising at the fork, and
swift feet had borne the news of it up the river ; and upon the morning
of the 17th of April, Ensign Ward, who then had charge of it, saw
upon the Allegheny a sight that made his heart sink — sixty batteaux and
three hundred canoes filled with men, and laden deep with cannon and
stores. * * * That evening he supped with his captor, Contrecoeur,
and the next day he was bowed off by the Frenchman, and with his men
and tools, marched up the Monongahela."

The French and Indian war had begun. The treaty of Aix la
Chapelle, in 1748, had left the boundaries between the French and
English possessions unsettled, and the events already narrated show the
French were determined to hold the country watered by the Mississippi
and its tributaries ; while the English laid claims to the country by virtue
of the discoveries of the Cabots, and claimed all the country from New-
foundland to Florida, extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific. The
first decisive blow had now been struck, and the first attempt of the
English, through the Ohio Company, to occupy these lands, had resulted
disastrously to them. The French and Indians immediately completed
the fortifications begun at the Fork, which they had so easily captured,
and when completed gave to the fort the name of DuQuesne. Washing-
ton was at Will's Creek when the news of the capture of the fort arrived.
He at once departed to recapture it. On his way he entrenched him-
self at a place called the " Meadows," where he erected a fort called
by him Fort Necessity. From there he surprised and captured a force of
French and Indians marchinof asrainst him, but was soon after attacked
in his fort by a much superior force, and was obliged to yield on the
morning of Jaly 4th. He was allowed to return to Virginia.

The English Government immediately planned four campaigns ; one
against Fort DuQuesne ; one against Nova Scotia ; one against Fort
Niagara, and one against Crown Point. These occurred during 1755-6,
and were not successful in driving the French from their possessions.
The expedition against Fort DuQuesne was led by the famous General
Braddock, who, refusing to listen to the advice of Washington and those

40 -iHli >;oitTH\VEST TERRITORY.

acquainted -with Indian warfare, suffered such an inglorious defeat. This
occurred on the morning of Jul}^ 9th, and is generally known as the battle
of Mononirahela, or " Braddock's Defeat." The war continued with
various vicissitudes through the years 1756-7 ; when, at the commence-
ment of 1758, in accordance with the plans of William Pitt, then Secre-
tary of State, afterwards Lord Chatham, active preparations were made to
cany on the war. Three expeditions were planned for this year : one,
under General Amherst, against Louisburg ; another, under A.bercrombie,
against Fort Ticonderoga ; and a third, under General Forbes, against
Fort DuQuesne. On the 26th of July, Louisburg surrendered after a
desperate resistance of more than forty days, and the eastern part of the
Canadian possessions fell into the hands of the British. Abercrombie
captured Fort Frontenac, and when the expedition against Fort DuQuesne,
of which Washington had the active command, arrived there, it was
found in flames and deserted. The English at once took possession,
rebuilt the fort, and in honor of their illustrious statesman, changed the
name to Fort Pitt.

The great object of the campaign of 1759, was the reduction of
Canada. General Wolfe was to lay siege to Quebec ; Amherst was to
reduce Ticonderoga and Crown Point, and General Prideaux was to
capture Niagara. This latter place was taken in July, but the gallant
Prideaux lost his life in the attempt. Amherst captured Ticonderoga
and Crown Point without a blow ; and Wolfe, after making the memor-
able ascent to the Plains of Abraham, on September 13th, defeated
Montcalm, and on the 18th, the city capitulated. In this engagement
Montcolm and Wolfe l)oth lost their lives. De Levi, Montcalm's successor,
marched to Sillery, three miles above the city, with the purpose of
defeating the English, and there, on the 28tli of the following April, was
fought one of the bloodiest battles of tlie French and Indian War. It
resulted in the defeat of the French, and the fall of the City of Montreal.
The Governor signed a capitulation l)y which the whole of Canada was
surrendered to the English. This practically concluded the war, but it
was not until 1763 that the treaties of peace between France and England
were signed. This was done on the 10th of February of that year, and
under its provisions all the country east of the Mississippi and north of
the Il>erville River, in Louisiana, were ceded to England. At the same
time Spain ceded Florida to Great Britain.

On the 13th of September, 1760, Major Robert Rogers was sent
from Montreal to take cliarg^ of Detroit, the only remaining French post
in the territory. He arrived there on the 19th of November, and sum-
moned the place to surrender. At first the commander of the post,
Beletrc; refused, but on the 29th, hearing of the continued defeat of the

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 41

French arms, surrendered. Rogers remained there until December 23d
under the personal protection of the celebrated chief, Pontiac, to whom,
no doubt, he owed his safety. Pontiac had come here to inquire the
purposes of the English in taking possession of the country. He was
assured that they came simply to trade with the natives, and did not
desire their country. This answer conciliated the savages, and did much
to insure the safety of Rogers and his party during their stay, and while
on their journey home.

Rogers set out for Fort Pitt on December 23, and was just one
month on the way. His route was from Detroit to Mauraee, thence
across the present State of Ohio directly to the fort. This was the com-
mon trail of the Indians in their journeys from Sandusky to the fork of
the Ohio. It went from Fort Sandusky, where Sandusky City now is,
crossed the Huron river, then called Bald Eagle Creek, to " Mohickon
John's Town" on Mohickon Creek, the northern branch of White
Woman's River, and thence crossed to Beaver's Town, a Delaware town
on what is now Sandy Creek. At Beaver's Town were probably one
hundred and fifty warriors, and not less than three thousand acres of
cleared land. From there the track went up Sandy Creek to and across
Big Beaver, and up the Ohio to Logstown, thence on to the fork.

The Northwest Territory was now entirely under the English rule.
New settlements began to be rapidly made, and the promise of a large
trade was speedily manifested. Had the British carried out their promises
with the natives none of those savage butcheries would have been perpe-
trated, and the country would have been spared their recital.

The renowned chief, Pontiac, was one of the leading spirits in these
atrocities. We will now pause in our narrative, and notice the leading
events in his life. The earliest authentic information regarding this
noted Indian chief is learned from an account of an Indian trader named
Alexander Henrj^, who, in the Spring of 1761, penetrated his domains as
far as Missillimacnac. Pontiac was then a great friend of the French,
but a bitter foe of the English, whom he considered as encroaching on his
hunting grounds'. Henry was obliged to disguise himself as a Canadian
to insure safety, but was discovered by Pontiac, who bitterly reproached
him and the English for their attempted subjugation of the West. He
declared that no treaty had been made with them; no presents sent
them, and that he would resent any possession of the West by that nation.
He was at the time about fifty years of age, tall and dignified, and was
civil and military ruler of the Ottawas, Ojibwas and Pottawatamies.

The Indians, from Lake Michigan to the borders of North Carolina,
were united in this feeling, and at the time of the treaty of Paris, ratified
February 10, 1763, a general conspiracy was formed to fall suddenly

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

rONTIAC, THE OTTAWA CHIEFTAIN.

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 4J

upon the frontier British posts, and with one blow stril^e every man dead.
Pontiac was the marked leader in all this, and was the commander
of the Chippewas, Ottawas, Wyandots, Miamis, Shawanese, Delawares
and INIingoes, who had, for the time, laid aside their local qmirrels to unit^
in this enterprise.

The blow came, as near as can now be ascertained, on May 7, 176^.
Nine Bi-itish posts fell, and the Indians drank, " scooped up in the hollow
of joined hands," the blood of many a Briton.

Pontiac's immediate field of action was the garrison at Detroit.
Here, however, the plans were frustrated by an Indian Avoman disclosing
the plot the evening previous to his arrival. Everything was carried out,
however, according to Pontiac's plans until the moment of action, when
Major Gladwyn, the commander of the post, stepping to one of the Indian
chiefs, suddenly drew aside his blanket and disclosed the concealed
musket. Pontiac, though a brave man, turned pale and trembled. He
saw his plan was known, and that the garrison were prepared. He
endeavored to exculpate himself from any such intentions ; but the guilt
was evident, and he and his followers were dismissed with a severe
rejirimand, and warned never to again enter the walls of the post.

Pontiac at once laid siege to the fort, and until the treaty of peace
between the British and the Western Indians, concluded in August, 1764,
continued to harass and besiege the fortress. He organized a regular
commissariat department, issued bills of credit written out on bark^
which, to his credit, it may be stated, were punctually redeemed. At
the conclusion of the treaty, in whicli it seems he took no part, he went
further south, living many years among the Illinois.

He had given up all hope of saving his country and race. After a
time he endeavored to unite the Illinois tribe and those about St. Louis
in a war with the whites. His efforts were fruitless, and only ended in a
quarrel between himself and some Kaskaskia Indians, one of whom soon
afterwards killed him. His death was, however, avenged by the northern
Indians, who nearly exterminated the Illinois in the wars which followed.

Had it not been for the treachery of a few of his followers, his plan
for the extermination of the whites, a masterly one, would undoubtedly
have been cari-ied out.

It was in the Spring of the year following Rogers' visit that Alex-
ander Henry went to Missilliraacnac, and everywhere found the strongest
feelings against the English, who had not carried out their promises, and
were doing nothing to conciliate the natives. Here he met the chief,
Pontiac, who, after conveying to him in a speech the idea that their
French father would awake soon and utterly destroy his enemies, said :
'' Englishman, although you have conquered the French, you have not

44 THJfi NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

yet conquered us ! We are not your slaves! These lakes, these woods,
these mountains, were left us by our ancestors. They are our inheritance,
and we will part with them to none. Your nation supposes that we, like
the white people, can not live without bread and pork and beef. But you
ought to know that He, the Great Spirit and Master of Life, has provided
food for us upon these broad lakes and in these mountains."

He then spoke of the fact that no treaty had been made with them,
no presents sent them, and that he and his people were yet for war.
Such were the feelings of the Northwestern Indians immediately after
the English took possession of their country. These feelings were no
doubt encouraged by the Canadians and French, who hoped that yet the
French arms might prevail. The treaty of Paris, however, gave to the
English the right to this vast domain, and active preparations were going
on to occupy it and enjoy its trade and emoluments.

In 1762, France, by a secret treaty, ceded Louisiana to Spain, to pre-
vent it falling into the hands of the English, who were becoming masters
of the entire West. The next year the treaty of Paris, signed at Fon-
tainbleau, gave to the English the domain of the country in question.
Twenty years after, by the treaty of peace between the United States
and England, that part of Canada lying south and west of the Great
Lakes, comprehending a large territory which is the subject of these
sketches, was acknowledged to be a portion of the United States ; and
twenty years still later, in 1803, Louisiana was ceded by Spain back to
France, and by France sold to the United States.

In the half century, from the building of the Fort of Crevecoeur by
LaSalle, in 1680, up to the erection of Fort Chartres, many French set-
tlements had been made in that quarter. These have already been
noticed, being those at St. Vincent (Vincennes), Kohokia or Cahokia,
Kaskaskia and Prairie du Rocher, on the American Bottom, a large tract
of rich alluvial soil in Illinois, on the Mississippi, opposite the site of St.
Louis.

^y the treaty of Paris, the regions east of the Mississippi, including
all these and other towns of the Northwest, were given over to England;
but they do not appear to have btsn taken possession of until 1765, when
Captain Stirling, in the name of the Majesty of England, established him-
self at Fort Chartres bearing with him the proclamation of General Gaoe,
dated Decemljer 30, 1764, which promised religious freedom to all Cath-
olics who worshiped here, and a right to leave the country with their
effects if they wished, or to remain with the privileges of Englishmen.
It was shortly after the occupancy of the West by the British that the
war with Pontiac opened. It is already noticed in the sketch of that
chieftain By it many a Briton lost his life, and many a frontier settle-

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 45

ment in its infancy ceased to exist. This was not ended until the year
1764, when, failing to capture Detroit, Niagara and Fort Pitt, his confed-
eracy became disheartened, and, receiving no aid from the French, Pon-
tiac abandoned the enterprise and departed to the Illinois, among whom
he afterward lost his life.

As soon as these difficulties were definitely settled, settlers began
rapidly to survey the country and prepare for occupation. During the
year 1770, a number of persons from Virginia and other British provinces
explored and marked out nearlv all the valuable lands on the Monongra-
hela and along the banks of the Ohio as far as the Little Kanawha. This
was followed by another exploring expedition, in which George Washing-
ton was a party. The latter, accompanied by Dr. Craik, Capt. Crawford
and others, on the 20th of October, 1770, descended the Ohio from Pitts-
burgh to the mouth of the Kanawha ; ascended that stream about fourteen
miles, marked out several large tracts of land, shot several buffalo, which
were then abundant in the Ohio Valley, and returned to the fort.

Pittsburgh was at this time a trading post, about which was clus-
tered a village of some twenty houses, inhabited by Indian traders. This
same year, Capt. Pittman visited Kaskaskia and its neighboring villages.
He found there about sixty-five resident families, and at Cahokia only
forty-five dwellings. At Fort Chartres was another small settlement, and
at Detroit the garrison were quite prosperous and strong. For a year
or two settlers continued to locate near some of these posts, generally
Fort Pitt or Detroit, owing to the fears of the Indians, who still main-
tained some feelings of hatred to the English. The trade from the posts
was quite good, and from those in Illinois large quantities of pork and
flour found their way to the New Orleans market. At this time the
policy of the British Government was strongly opposed to the extension
of the colonies west. In 1763, the King of England forbade, by royal
proclamation, his colonial subjects from making a settlement beyond the
sources of the rivers which fall into the Atlantic Ocean. At the instance
of the Board of Trade, measures were taken to prevent the settlement
without the limits prescribed, and to retain the commerce within easy
reach of Great Britain.

The commander-in-chief of the king's forces wrote in 1769 : " In the
course of a few years necessity will compel the colonists, should they
extend their settlements west, to provide manufactures of some kind for
themselves, and when all connection upheld by commerce with the mother
country ceases, an independency in their government will soon follow."

In accordance with this policy. Gov. Gage issued a proclamation
in 1772, commanding the inhabitants of Vincennes to abandon their set-
tlements and join some of the Eastern English colonies. To this they

4G THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

strenuously objected, giving good reasons therefor, and were allowed to
remain. The strong opposition to this policy of Great Britain led to its
change, and to such a course as to gain the attachment of the French
population. In December, 1773, influential citizens of Quebec petitioned
the king for an extension of the boundary lines of that province, which
was granted, and Parliament passed an act on June 2, 1774, extend-
ing the boundary so as to include the territory lying within the present
States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Michigan.

In consequence of the liberal policy pursued by the British Govern-
ment toward the French settlers in the West, they were disposed to favor
that nation in the war which soon followed with the colonies ; but the
early alliance between France and America soon brought them to the side
of the war for independence.

In 1774, Gov. Dunmore, of Virginia, began to encourage emigration
to the Western lands. He appointed magistrates at Fort Pitt under the
pretense that the fort was under the government of that commonwealth.
One of these justices, John Connelly, who possessed a tract of land in the
Ohio Valle}-, gathered a force of men and garrisoned the fort, calling it
Fort Dunmore. This and other parties were formed to select sites for
settlements, and often came in conflict with the Indians, who yet claimed
portions of the valley, and several battles followed. These ended in the
famous battle of Kanawha in July, where the Indians were defeated and
driven across the Ohio.

Dtiring the years 1775 and 1776, by the operations of land companies
and the perseveranceof individuals, several settlements were firmly estab-
lished between the Alleghanies and the Ohio River, and western land
speculators were busy in Illinois and on the Wabash. At a council held
in Kaskaskia on July 5, 1773, an association of English traders, calling
themselves the '' Illinois Land Company,'* obtained from ten chiefs of the
Kaskaskia, Cahokia and Peoria tribes two large tracts of land lying on
the east side of the Mississippi River south of the Illinois. In 1775, a mer-
chant from the Illinois Country, named Viviat, came to Post Vincennes
as the agent of the association called the •' Wabash Land Company." On
the 8th of October he obtained from eleven Piankeshaw chiefs, a deed for
37,497,600 acres of land. This deed was signed by the grantors, attested
by a number of the inhabitants of Vincennes, and afterward recorded in
the office of a notary public at Kaskaskia. This and other land com-
panies had extensive schemes for the colonization of the West ; but all
were frustrated by the breaking out of the Revolution. On the "20th of
April, 1780, the two companies named consolidated under the name of the
" United Illinois and Wabash Land Company."' They afterward made

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 47

strenuous efforts to have these grants sanctioned by Congress, but all
siunally failed.

When the War of the Revolution commenced, Kentucky Avas an unor-
ganized country, though there were several settlements within her borders.

In Hutchins' Topography of Virginia, it is stated thar at that time
" Kaskaskia contained 80 houses, and nearly 1,000 white and black in-
habitants — the whites being a little the more numerous. Cahokia con-
tains 50 houses and 300 white inhabitants, and 80 negroes. There were
east of the Mississippi River, about the year 1771 " — when these observa-
tions were made — '• 300 white men capable of bearing arms, and 230
negroes."

From 1775 until the expedition of Clark, nothing is recorded and
nothing known of these settlements, save what is contained in a report
made by a committee to Congress in June, 1778. From it the following
extract is made :

"Near the mouth of the River Kaskaskia, there is a village which
appears to have contained nearly eighty families from the beginning of
the late revolution. There are twelve families in a small village at la
Prairie du Rochers, and near fifty families at the Kahokia Village. There
are also four or five families at Fort Chartres and St. Philips, which is five
miles further up the river."

St. Louis had been settled in February, 1764, and at this time con-
tained, including its neighboring towns, over six hundred whites and one
hundred and fifty negroes. It must be remembered that all the country
west of the Mississippi was now under French rule, and remained so until
ceded again to Spain, its original owner, who afterwards sold it and the
country including New Orleans to the United States. At Detroit there
were, according to Capt. Carver, who was in the Northwest from 1766 to
1768, more than one hundred houses, and the river was settled for more
than twenty miles, although poorly cultivated — the people being engaged
in the Indian trade. This old town has a historv, which we will here
relate.

It is the oldest town in the Northwest, having been founded by
Antoine de Lamotte Cadillac, in 1701. It was laid out in the form of an
oblong square, of two acres in length, and an acre and a half in width.
As described by A. D. Frazer, who first visited it and became a permanent
resident of the place, in 1778, it comprised within its limits that space
between Mr. Palmer's store (Conant Block) and Capt. Perkins' house
(near the Arsenal building), and extended back as far as the public barn,
and was bordered in front by the Detroit River. It was surrounded by
oak and cedar pickets, about fifteen feet long, set in the ground, and had
four gates — east, west, north and south. Over the first thi-ee of these

4g THE NOKTHWEST TERRITORY.

gates were block houses provided with four guns apiece, each a six-
pounder. Two six-gun batteries were phinted fronting the river and in a
parallel direction with the block houses. There were four streets running
east and west, the main street being twenty feet wide and the rest fifteen
feet, while the four streets crossing these at right angles were from ten
to fifteen feet in width.

At the date spoken of by Mr. Frazer, there was no fort within the
enclosure, but a citadel on the ground corresponding to the present
northwest corner of Jefferson Avenue and Wayne Street. The citadel was
inclosed by pickets, and within it were erected barracks of wood, two
stories high, sufiBcient to contain ten officers, and also barracks sufficient
to contain four hundred men, and a provision store built of brick. The
citadel also contained a hospital and guard-house. The old town of
Detroit, in 1778, contained about sixty houses, most of them one story,
with a few a story and a half in height. They were all of logs, some
hewn and some round. There was one building of splendid appearance,
called the " King's Palace," two stories high, which stood near the east
gate. It was built for Governor Hamilton, the first governor commissioned
by the British. There were two guard-houses, one near the west gate and
the other near the Government House. Each of the guards consisted of
twenty-four men and a subaltern, who mounted regularly every morning
between nine and ten o'clock, Each furnished four sentinels, who weie
relieved every two hours. There was also an officer of the day, who pjr-
formed strict duty. Each of the gates was shut regularly at sunset;
even wicket gates were shut at nine o'clock, and all the ke^'s were
delivered into the hands of the commanding officer. They were opened
in the morning at sunrise. No Indian or squaw was permitted to enter
town with any weapon, such as a tomahawk or a knife. It was a stand-
ing order that the Indians should deliver their arms and instruments of
every kind before they were permitted to pass the sentinel, and they were
restored to them on their return. No more than twenty-five Indians were
allowed to enter the town at any one time, and they were admitted only
at the east and west gates. At sundown the drums beat, and all the
Indians were required to leave town instantly. There was a council house
near the water side for the purpose of holding council with the Indians.
The population of the town was about sixty families, in all about two
hundred males and one hundred females. This town was destroyed by
fire, all except one dwelling, in 1805. After which the present " new "
town was laid out.

On the breaking out of the Revolution, the British held every post of
importance in the West. Kentucky was formed as a component part of
Virginia, and the sturdy pioneers of the West, alive to their interests,

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 49

and recognizing the great benefits of obtaining the control of the trade in
this part of the New World, held steadily to their purposes, and those
within the commonwealth of Kentucky proceeded to exercise their
civil privileges, by electing John Todd and Ricliard Gallaway,
burgesses to represent them in the Assembly of the parent state.
Early in September of that year (1777) the first court was held
in Harrodsburg, and Col. Bowman, afterwards major, who had arrived
in August, was made the commander of a militia organization which
had been commenced the March previous. Thus the tree of loyalty
was growing. The chief spirit in this far-out colony, who had represented
her the year previous east of the mountains, was now meditating a move
unequaled in its boldness. He had been watching the movements of the
British throughout the Northwest, and understood their whole plan. Ht
saw it was through their possession of the posts at Detroit, Vincennes,
Kaskaskia, and other places, which would give them constant and easy
access to the various Indian tribes in the Northwest, that the British
intended to penetrate the country from the north and soutn, ana annihi-
late the frontier fortresses. This moving, energetic man was Colonel,
afterwards General, George Rogers Clark. He knew the Indians were not
unanimously in accord with the English, and he was convinced that, could
the British be defeated and expelled from the Northwest, the natives
might be easily awed into neutrality ; and by spies sent for the purpose,
he satisfied himself that the enterprise against the Illinois settlements
might easily succeed. Having convinced himself of the certainty of the
project, he repaired to the Capital of Virginia, which place he reached on
November 5th. While he was on his way, fortunately, on October 17th,
Burgoyne had been defeated, and the spirits of the colonists greatly
encouraged thereby. Patrick Henry was Governor of Virginia, and at
once entered heartily into Clark's plans. The same plan had before been
agitated in the Colonial Assemblies, but there was no one until Clark
came who was sufficiently acquainted with the condition of affairs at the
scene of action to be able to guide them.

Clark, having satisfied the Virginia leaders of the feasibility of his
plan, received, on the 2d of January, two sets of instructions — one secret,
the other open — the latter authorized him to proceed to enlist seven
companies to go to Kentucky, subject to his orders, and to serve three
months from their arrival in the West. The secret order authorized him
to arm these troops, to procure his powder and lead of General Hand
at Pittsburgh, and to proceed at once to subjugate the country.

With these instructions Clark repaired to Pittsburgh, choosing rather
to raise his men west of the mountains, as he well knew all were needed
in the colonies in the conflict there. He sent Col. W. B. Smith to Hoi-

50 TBE NORTHWEST TEUUiTOKY.

stou for the same purpose, but neither succeeded in raising the required
nuniher of men. The settlers in these parts were afraid to leave their
own firesides exposed to a vigilant foe, and but few could be induced to
join the proposed expedition. With three companies and several private
volunteers, Clark at length commenced his descent of the Ohio, which he
navigated as far as the Falls, where he took possession of and fortified
Corn Island, a small island between the present Cities of Louisville,
Kentucky, and New Albany, Indiana. Remains of this fortification may
yet be found. At this place he appointed Col. Bowman to meet him
with such recruits as had reached Kentucky by the southern route, and
as many as could be spared from the station. Here he announced to
the men their real destination. Having completed his arrangements,
and chosen his party, he left a small garrison upon the island, and on the
'24:th of June, during a total eclipse of the sun, which to them augured
no good, and which fixes beyond dispute the date of starting, he with
his chosen band, fell down the river. His plan was to go by water as
far as Fort Massac or Massacre, and thence march direct to Kaskaskia.
Here he intended to surprise the garrison, and after its capture go to
Cahokia, then to Vincennes, and lastlv to Detroit. Should he fail, he
intended to march directly to the Mississippi River and cross it into the
Spanish country. Before his start he received two good items of infor-
mation : one that the alliance had been formed between France and the
United States ; and the other that the Indians throughout the Illinois
country and the inhabitants, at the various frontier posts, had been led to
believe by the British that the " Long Knives" or Virginians, were the
most fierce, bloodthirsty and cruel savages that ever scalped a foe. With
tliis impression on their minds, Clark saw that proper management would
cause them to stibmit at once from fear, if stirprised, and then from grati-
tude would become friendly if treated with unexpected lenienc3^

The march to Kaskaskia was accomplished throtigh a hot July sun,
and the town reached on the evening of July 4. He captured the fort
near the village, and soon after the village itself b}^ surprise, and without
tiie loss of a single man or by killing any of the enemy. After sufficiently
working upon the fears of the natives, Clark told them they were at per-
fect lii)erty to worship as they pleased, and to take whichever side of the
great conflict they would, also he would protect them from any barbaritv
from British or Indian foe. This had the desired effect, and the inhab-
itants, so unexpectedly and so gratefully surprised by the unlooked
for turn of affiiirs, at once swore allegiance to the American arms, and
when Clark desired to go to Cahokia on the 6th of Jul}^, they accom-
panied him, and through their influence the inhabitants of the place
surrendered, and gladly placed tliemselves under his protection. Thus

jar

^■^'

y^^/^//lA^.eje''-*^i-^^!i-^

RANDOLPH m

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 51

the two important posts in Illinois passed from the hands of the English
into the possession of Virginia.

In the person of the priest at Kaskaskia, M. Gibault, Clark found a
powerful ally and generous friend. Clark saw that, to retain possession
of tlae Northwest and treat successfully with the Indians within its boun-
daries, he must establish a government for the colonies he had taken.
St. Vincent, the next important post to Detroit, remained yet to be taken
before the MississipjDi Valley was conquered. M. Gibault told him that
he would alone, by persuasion, lead Vincennes to throw off its connection
with England. Clark gladly accepted his offer, and on the 14th of July,
in company with a fellow-townsman, M. Gibault started on his mission of
peace, and on the 1st of August returned with the cheerful intelligence
that the post on the " Oubache " had taken the oath of allegiance to
the Old Dominion. During this interval, Clark established his courts,
placed garrisons at Kaskaskia and Cahokia, successfully re-enlisted his
men, sent word to have a fort, which proved the germ of Louisville,
erected at the Falls of the Ohio, and dispatched Mr. Rocheblave, who
had been commander at Kaskaskia, as a prisoner of war to Richmond.
In October the County of Illinois was established by the Legislature
of Virginia, John Todd appointed Lieutenant Colonel and Civil Governor,
and in November General Clark and his men received the thanks of
the Old Dominion through their Legislature.

In a speech a few days afterward, Clark made known fully to the
natives his plans, and at its close all came forward and swore alle-
giance to the Long Knives. While he was doing this Governor Hamilton,
having made his various arrangements, had left Detroit and moved down
the Wabash to Vincennes intending to operate from that point in reducing
the Illinois posts, and then proceed on down to Kentucky and drive the
rebels from the West. Gen. Clark had, on the return of M. Gibault,
dispatched Captain Helm, of Fauquier County, Virginia, with an attend-
ant named Henry, across the Illinois prairies to command the fort.
Hamilton knew nothing of the capitulation of the post, and was greatly
surprised on his arrival to be confronted by Capt. Helm, who, standing at
the entrance of the fort by a loaded cannon ready to fire upon his assail-
ants, demanded upon what terms Hamilton demanded possession of the
fort. Being granted the rights of a prisoner of war, he surrendered to
the British General, who could scarcely believe his eyes when he saw the
force in the garrison.

Hamilton, not realizing the character of the men with whom he was
contending, gave up his intended campaign for the Winter, sent his four
hundred Indian warriors to prevent troops from coming down the Ohio,

52 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

and to annoy the Americans in all ways, and sat quietly down to pass the
Winter. Information of all these proceedings having reached Clark, he
saw that immediate and decisive action was necessary, and that unless
he captured Hamilton, Hamilton would capture him. Clark received the
news on the 29th of January, 1779, and on February 4th, having suffi-
ciently garrisoned Kaskaskia and Cahokia, he sent down the Mississippi
a " battoe," as Major Bowman writes it, in order to ascend the Ohio and
Wabash, and operate with the land forces gathering for the fray.

On the next day, Clark, with his little force of one hundred and
twenty men, set out for the post, and after incredible hard marching
through much mud, the ground being thawed by the incessant spring-^
rains, on the 22d reached the fort, and being joined by his " battoe," at
once commenced the attack on the post. The aim of the American back-
woodsman was unerring, and on the 24th the garrison surrendered to the
intrepid boldness of Clark. The French were treated with great kind-
ness, and gladly renewed their allegiance to Virginia. Hamilton was
sent as a prisoner to Virginia, where he was kept in close confinement.
During his command of the British frontier posts, he had offered prizes
to the Indians for all the scalps of Americans they would bring to him,
and had earned in consequence thereof the title " Hair-buyer General,"
by which he was ever afterward known.

Detroit was now without doubt within easy reach of the enterprising
Virginian, could he but raise the necessary force. Governor Henry being
apprised of this, promised him the needed reinforcement, and Clark con-
cluded to wait until he could capture and sufficiently garrison the posts.
Had Clark failed in this bold undertaking, and Hamilton succeeded in
uniting the western Indians for the next Spring's campaign, the West
Avould indeed have been swept from the Mississippi to the Allegheny
Mountains, and the great blow struck, which had been contemplated from
the commencement, by the British.

" But for this small army of dripping, but fearless Virginians, the
union of all the tribes from Georgia to Maine against the colonies might
have been effected, and the whole current of our history changed."

At this time some fears were entertained by the Colonial Govern-
ments that the Indians in the North and Northwest were incliniuG: to the
British, and under the instructions of Washington, now Commander-in-
Chief of the Colonial army, and so bravely fighting for American inde-
pendence, armed forces were sent against the Six Nations, and upon the
Ohio frontier. Col. Bowman, acting under the same general's orders,
marched against Indians within the present limits of that State. These
expeditions were in the main successful, and the Indians were compelled
to sue for peace.

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 53

During this same year (1779) the famous "Land Laws" of Virginia
were passed. The passage of these laws was of more consequence to the
pioneers of Kentucky and the Northwest than the gaining of a few Indian
conflicts. These laws confirmed in main all grants made, and guaranteed
to all actual settlers their rights and privileges. After providing for the
settlers, the laws provided for selling the balance of the public lands at
forty cents per acre. To carry the Land Laws into effect, the Legislature
sent four Virginians westward to attend to the various claims, over many
of which great confusion prevailed concerning their validity. These
gentlemen opened their court on October 13, 1779, at St. Asaphs, and
continued until April 26, 1780, when they adjourned, having decided
three thousand claims. They were succeeded by the surveyor, who
came in the person of Mr. George May, and assumed his duties on the
10th day of the month whose name he bore. With the opening of the
next year (1780) the troubles concerning the navigation of the Missis-
sippi commenced. The Spanish Government exacted such measures in
relation to its trade as to cause the overtures made to the United States
to be rejected. The American Government considered they had a right
to navigate its channel. To enforce their claims, a fort was erected below
the mouth of the Ohio on the Kentucky side of the river. The settle-
ments in Kentucky were being rapidl}^ filled by emigrants. It was dur-
ing this year that the first seminary of learning was established in the
West in this young and enterprising Commonwealth.

The settlers here did not look upon the building of this fort in a
friendly manner, as it aroused the hostility of the Indians. Spain had
been friendly to the Colonies during their struggle for independence,
and though for a while this friendship appeared in danger from the
refusal of the free navigation of the river, yet it was finally settled to the
satisfaction of both nations.

The Winter of 1779-80 was one of the most unusually severe ones
ever experienced in the West. The Indians always referred to it as the
"Great Cold." Numbers of wild animals perished, and not a few
pioneers lost their lives. The following Summer a party of Canadians
and Indians attacked St. Louis, and attempted to take possession of it
in consequence of the friendly disposition of Spain to the revolting
colonies. They met with such a determined resistance on the part of the
inhabitants, even the women taking part in the battle, that they weie
compelled to abandon the contest. The}^ also made an attack on the
settlements in Kentucky, but, becoming alarmed in some unaccountable
manner, they fled the country in great haste.

About this time arose the question in the Colonial Congress con-
cerning the western lands claimed by Virginia, New York, Massachusetts

54 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

and Connecticut. The agitation concerning this subject finally led New
York, on the 19th of February, 1780, to pass a law giving to the dele-
gates of that State in Congress the power to cede her western lands for
the benefit of the United States. This law was laid before Congress
during the next month, but no steps were taken concerning it until Sep-
tember 6th, when a resolution passed that body calling upon the States
claiming western lands to release their claims in favor of the whole body.
This basis formed the union, and was the first after all of those legislative
measures \vhich resulted in the creation of the States of Ohio, Indiana,
Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin and Minnesota. In December of the same
year, the plan of conquering Detroit again arose. The conquest might
have easily been effected by Clark had the necessary aid been furnished
him. Nothing: decisive was done, vet the heads of the Government knew
that the safety of the Northwest from British invasion lay in the capture
and retention of that important post, the only unconquered one in the
territory.

Before the close of the j^ear, Kentucky was divided into the Coun-
ties of Lincoln, Fayette and Jefferson, and the act establishing the Town
of Louisville was passed. This same year is also noted in the annals of
American history as the year in which occurred Arnold's treason to the
United States.

Virginia, in accordance with the resolution of Congress, on the 2d
day of January, 1781, agreed to yield her western lands to the United
States upon certain conditions, which Congress would not accede to, and
the Act of Cession, on the part of the Old Dominion, failed, nor was
anything farther done until 1783. During all that time the Colonies
were busily engaged in tlie struggle with the mother country, and in
consequence thereof but little heed was given to the western settlements.
Upon the IGth of April, 1781, the first birth north of the Ohio River of
American parentage occurred, being that of Mary Heckewelder, daughter
of the widely known Moravian missionary, whose band of Christian
Indians suffered in after years a horrible massacre by the hands of the
frontier settlers, who had been exasperated by the murder of several of
their neighbors, and in their rage committed, without regard to humanity,
a deed which forever afterwards cast a shade of shame upon their lives.
For tliis and kindred outrages on the part of the whites, the Indians
committed many deeds of cruelty which darken the years of 1771 and
1772 in the history of the Northwest.

During the year 1782 a number of battles among the Indians and
frontiersmen occurred, and ])etween the Moravian Indians and the Wyan-
dots. In tlicse, horrilde acts of cruelty were practised on the captives,
many of such dark deeds transpiring under the leadership of the notorious

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

frontier outlaw, Simon Girty, whose name, as well as those of his brothers,
was a terror to women and children. These occurred chiefly in the Ohio
valleys. Cotemporary with them were several engagements in Kentucky,
In which the famous Daniel Boone engaged, and who, often by his skill
and knowledge of Indian warfare, saved the outposts from cruel destruc-

INDIANS ATTACKING FRONTIEltSMEN.

tion. By the close of the year victory had perched upon the American
banner, and on the 30th of November, provisional articles of peace had
been arranged between the Commissioners of England and her uncon-
querable colonies. Cornwallis had been defeated on the 19th of October
preceding, and the liberty of America was assured. On the 19th of
April following, the anniversary of the battle of Lexington, peace was

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

While Dr. Cutler, one of the agents of the compciny, was pressing
its claims before Congress, that bod}- was bringing into form an ordinance
for the political and social organization of this Territory. When the
cession was made by Virginia, in 1784, a plan was offered, but rejected.
A motion had been made to strike from the proposed plan the prohibition
of slavery, which prevailed. The plan was then discussed and altered,
and finally passed unanimously, with the exception of South Carolina.
By this proposition, the Territory was to have been divided into states

PRESKXT SITK 01' J.AKE SillKKT lilUDGi;, CHICAGO, i:s' 1833.

by parallels and meridian lines. This, it was thought, would make ten
states, which were to have been named as follows — beginning at the
northwest corner and going southwardly : Sylvania, Michigania, Cher-
sonesus, Assenisi[)ia, Metropotamia, Illenoia, Saratoga, Washington, Poly-
potamia and Pelisipia.

There was a more serious objection to this plan than its category of
names, — the boundaries. The root of the difficulty was in the resolu-
tion of Congress passed in October, 1780, which fixed the boundaries
of the ceded lands to be from one hundred to one hundred and fifty miles

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 59

square. These resolutions being presented to the Legislatures of Vir-
ginia and Massachusetts, they desired a change, and in July, 1786, the
subject was taken up in Congress, and changed to favor a division into
not more than five states, and not less than three. This was approved by
the State Legislature of Virginia. The subject of the Government was
again taken up by Congress in 1786, and discussed throughout that year
and until July, 1787, when the famous "Compact of 1787" was passed,
and the foundation of the government of the Northwest laid. This com-
pact is fully discussed and explained in the history of Illinois in this book,
and to it the reader is referred.

The passage of this act and the grant to the New England Company
was soon followed by an application to the Government by John Cleves
Symmes, of New Jersey, for a grant of the land between the Miamis,
This gentleman had visited these lands soon after the treaty of 1786, and,
being greatly pleased with them, offered similar terms to those given to the
New England Company. The petition was referred to the Treasury
Board with power to act, and a contract was concluded the following
year. During the Autumn the directors of the New England Company
were preparing to occupy their grant the following Spring, and upon the
23d of November made arrangements for a party of forty-seven men,
under the superintendency of Gen. Rufus Putnam, to set forward. Six
boat-builders were to leave at once, and on the first of January the sur-
veyors and their assistants, twenty-six in number, were to meet at Hart-
ford and proceed on their journey westward ; the remainder to follow as
soon as possible. Congress, in the meantime, upon the :^)d of October,
had ordered seven hundred troops for defense of the western settlers, and
to prevent unauthorized intrusions ; and two days later appointed Arthur
St. Clair Governor of the Territory of the Northwest.

AMERICAN SETTLEMENTS.

The civil organization of the Northwest Territory was now com-
plete, and notwithstanding the uncertainty of Indian affairs, settlers from
the East began to come into the country rapidly. The New England
Company sent their men during the Winter of 1787-8 pressing on over
the Alleghenies by the old Indian path which had been opened into
Braddock's road, and which has since been made a national turnpike
from Cumberland westward. Through the weary winter days they toiled
on, and by April were all gathered on the Yohiogany, where boats had
been built, and at once started for the Muskingum. Here they arrived
on the 7th of that month, and unless the Moravian missionaries be regarded
as the pioneers of Ohio, this little band can justly claim that honor.

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY,

Gen. St. Clair, the appointed Governor of the Northwast, not having
yet arrived, a set of hiws were passed, written out, and published by
being nailed to a tree in the embryo town, and Jonathan Meigs appointed
to administer them.

Washington in writing of this, the first American settlement in the
Northwest, said : " No colony in America was ever settled under
such favorable auspices as that which has just commenced at Muskingum.
Information, property and strength will be its characteristics. I know
many of its settlers personally, and there never were men better calcu-
lated to promote the welfare of such a community.''

*4^*:v*:

A PIONEER PAVEIXING.

On the 2d of July a meeting of the directors and agents was held
on the banks of liie Muskingum, " for the jnirpose of naming the new-
born city and its squares." As j'^et the settlement was known as the
"Muskingum," but that was now changed to the name Marietta, in honor
of Marie Antoinette. The square upon which the block -houses stood
was called '-'■ Campus Martius ;'' square number 19, '•'- Capitol iuin ;'" square
number 61, '■'•Cecilia T !>"d the great road through the covert way, " Sacra
Via.'' Two days after, an oration was delivered by James M. Varnum,
who with S. H. Parsons and John Armstrong had been apjjointed to the
judicial bench of the territory on the l(3th of October, 1787. On July 9,
Gov. St. Clair arrived, and the colony began to assume form. The act
of 1787 provided two district grades of government for the Northwest,

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 61

under the first of which tlie whole power was invested in the hands of a
governor and three district judges. This was immediately formed upon
the Governor's arrival, and the first laws of the colony passed on the 25th
of July. These provided for the organization of the militia, and on the
next day appeared the Governor's proclamation, erecting all that country
that had been ceded by the Indians east of the Scioto River into the
County of Washington. From that time forward, notwithstanding the
doubts yet existing as to the Indians, all Marietta prospered, and on the
2d of September the first court of the territory was held with imposing
ceremonies.

The emigration westward at this time was very great. The com-
mander at Fort Harmer, at the mouth of the Muskingum, reported four
thousand five hundred persons as having passed that post between Feb-
ruary and June, 1788 — many of whom would have purchased of the
"Associates," as the New England Company was called, had they been
ready to receive them.

On the 26th of November, 178^, Symmes issued a pamphlet stating
the terms of his contract and the plan of sale he intended to adopt. In
January, 1788, Matthias Denman, of New Jersey, took an active interest
in Symmes' purchase, and located among other tracts the sections upon
which Cincinnati has been built. Retaining one-third of this locality, he
sold the other two-thirds to Robert Patterson and John Filson, and the
three, about August, commenced to lay out a town on the spot, which
was designated as being opposite Licking River, to the moulh of which
they proposed to have a road cut from Lexington. The naming of the
town is thus narrated in the "Western Annals " : — " Mr. Filson, who had
been a schoolmaster, was appointed to name the town, and, in respect to
its situation, and as if with a prophetic perception of th'e mixed race that
were to inhabit it in after days, he named it Losantiville, which, being-
interpreted, means : ville, the town ; anti^ against or opposite to ; os^ the
mouth ; L. of Licking." ,

Meanwhile, in July, Symmes got thirty persons and eight four-horse
teams under way for the West. These reached Limestone (now Mays-
ville) in September, where were several persons from Redstone. Here
Mr. Symmes tried to found a settlement, but the great freshet of 1789
caused the " Point," as it was and is yet called, to be fifteen feet under
water, and the settlement to be abandoned. The little band of settlers
removed to the mouth of the Miami. Before Symmes and his colony left
the " Point," two settlements had been made on his purchase. The first
was by Mr. Stiltes, the original projector of the Avhole plan, who, with a
colony of Redstone people, had located at the mouth of the Miami,
whither Symmes went with his Maysville colony. Here a clearing had

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

been made by the Indians owing to the great fertility of the soil. Mr.
Stiltes with his colony came to this place on the 18th of November, 1788»
with twenty-six persons, and, building a block-house, prepared to remain
through the Winter. They named the settlement Columbia. Here they
were kindly treated l)y the Indians, but suffered greatly from the flood

of 1789.

On the 4th of March, 1789, the Constitution of the United States
went into operation, and on April 30, George Washington was inaug-
urated President of the American people, and during the next Summer,
an Indian war was commenced by the tribes north of the Ohio. The
President at first used pacific means ; but these failing, he sent General
Harmer against the hostile tribes. He destroyed several villages, but

LAKE BLTTT.
The frontage of Lake Bluff Grounds on Lake Michigan, with one hundred and seventy feet of gradual ascent.

was defeated in two battles, near the present City of Fort Wayne,
Indiana. From this time till the close of 1795, the principal events were
the wars with the various Indian tribes. In 1796, General St. Clair
was appointed in command, and marched against the Indians ; but while
he was encamped on a stream, the St. Mary, a branch of the Maumee,
he was attacked and defeated with the loss of six hundred men.

General Wayne was now sent against the savages. In August, 1794,
he met them near the rapids of the Maumee, and gained a complete
victory. This success, followed by vigorous measures, compelled the
Indians to sue for peace, and on the 30th of July, the following year, the
treaty of Greenville was signed by the principal chiefs, by which a large
tract of country was ceded to the United States.

Before proceeding in our narrative, we will pause to notice Fort
Washington, erected in the early part of this war on the site of Cincinnati.
Nearly all of the great cities of the Northwest, and indeed of the

THE NORTHWEST TERRITOKY. 63

whole country, have had their nuclei in those rude pioneer structures,
known as forts or stockades. Thus Forts Dearborn, Washington, Pon-
chartrain, mark the original sites of the now proud Cities of Chicago,
Cincinnati and Detroit. So of most of the flourishing cities east and west
of the Mississippi. Fort Washington; erected by Doughty in 1790, was a
rude but highly interesting structure. It was composed of a number of
strongly-built hewed log cabins. Those designed for soldiers' barracks
were a story and a half high, while those composing the officers quarters
were more imposing and more conveniently arranged and furnished.
The whole were so placed as to form a hollow square, enclosing about an
acre of ground, with a block house at each of the four angles.

The logs for the construction of this fort were cut from the ground
upon which it was erected. It stood between Third and Fourth Streets
of the present city (Cincinnati) extending east of Eastern Row, now
Broadway, which was then a narrow alley, and the eastern boundary of
of the town as it was originally laid out. On the bank of the river,
immediately in front of the fort, was an appendage of tlie fort, called the
Artificer's Yard. It contained about two acres of ground, enclosed by
small contiguous buildings, occupied by workshops and quarters of
laborers. Within this enclosure there was a large two-story frame house,
familiarly called the " Yellow House," built for the accommodation of
the Quartermaster General. For many years this was the best finished
and most commodious edifice in the Queen Cit}'. Fort Washington was
for some time the headquarters of both the civil and military governments
of the Northwestern Territory.

Following the consummation of the treaty various gigantic land spec-
ulations were entered into by different persons, who hoped to obtain
from the Indians in Michigan and northern Indiana, large tracts of lands.
These were generally discovered in time to prevent the outrageous
schemes from being carried out, and from involving the settlers in war.
On October 27, 1795, the treaty between the United States and Spain
was signed, whereby the free navigation of the Mississippi was secured.

No sooner had the treat}" of 1795 been ratified than settlements began
to pour rapidly into the West. The great event of the year 1796 was the
occupation of that part of the Northwest including Michigan, which was
this year, under the provisions of the treaty, evacuated by the British
forces. The United States, owing to certain conditions, did not feel
iustified in addressing;' the authorities in Canada in relation to Detroit
and other frontier posts. When at last the British authorities were
called to give them up, they at once complied, and General Waj'ne, who
had done so much to preserve the frontier settlements, and who, before
the year's close, sickened and died near Erie, transferred his head-

gl THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

quarters to the neighborhood of the hikes, where a county named after
him was formed, which included the northwest of Ohio, all of Michigan^
and the northeast of Indiana. During this same year settlements were
formed at the present City of Chillicothe, along the Miami from Middle-
town to Piqua, while in the more distant West, settlers and speculators
began to appear in great numbers. In September, the City of Cleveland
was laid out, and during the Summer and Autumn, Samuel Jackson and
Jonathan Sharpless erected the first manufactory of paper — the " Red-
stone Paper Mill" — in the West. St. Louis contained some seventy
houses, and Detroit over three hundred, and. along the river, contiguous
to it, were more than three thousand inhabitants, mostly French Canadians,
Indians and half-breeds, scarcely any Americans venturing yet into that
part of the Northwest.

The election of representatives for the territory had taken place^
and on the 4th of February, 1799, they convened at Losantiville — now
known as Cincinnati, having been named so by Gov. St. Clair, and
considered the capital of the Territory — to nominate persons from whom
the members of the Legislature were to be chosen in accordance with
a previous ordinance. This nomination being made, the Assembly
adjourned until the 16th of the following September. From those named
the President selected as members of the council, Henry Vandenburg,
of Vincennes, Robert Oliver, of Marietta, James Findlay and Jacob
Burnett, of Cincinnati, and David Vance, of Vanceville. On the 16th
of September the Territorial Legislature met, and on the 24th the two
houses were duly organized, Henry Vandenburg being elected President
of the Council.

The message of Gov. St. Clair was addressed to the Legislature
September 20th, and on October 13th that body elected as a delegate to
Congress Gen. Wm. Henry Harrison, who received eleven of the votes
cast, being a majority of one over his opponent, Arthur St. Clair, son of
Gen. St. Clair.

The whole number of acts passed at this session, and approved by
the Governor, were thirty-seven — eleven others were passed, but received
his veto. The most important of those passed related to the militia, to
the administration, and to taxation. On the 19th of December this pro-
tracted session of the first Legislature in the West was closed, and on the
30th of December the President nominated Charles Willing Bryd to the
office of Secretary of the Territory vice Wm. Henry Harrison, elected to
Congress. The Senate confirmed his nomination the next day.

THE NOKTHWEST TERRITORY. 65

DIVISION OF THE NORTHWEST TEERITORY.

. The increased emigration to the Northwest, the extent of the domain,
and the inconvenient modes of travel, made it very difficult to conduct
the ordinary oiDerations of government, and rendered the efficient action
of courts almost impossible. To remedy this, it was deemed advisable to
divide the territory for civil purposes. Congress, in 1800, appointed a
committee to examine the question and report some means for its solution.
This committee, on the 3d of March, reported that :

" In the three western countries there has been but one court havings
cognizance of crimes, in five years, and the immunity which offenders
experience attracts, as to an asylum, the most vile and abandoned crim-
inals, and at the same time deters useful citizens from making settlements
in such society. The extreme necessity of judiciary attention and assist-
ance is experienced in civil as well as in criminal cases. * * * * To
minister a remedy to these and other evils, it occurs to this committee
that it is expedient that a division of said territory into two distinct and
separate governments should be made ; and that such division be made
by a line beginning at the mouth of the Great Miami River, running
directly north until it intersects the boundary between the United States
and Canada."

The report was accepted by Congress, and, in accordance with its
suggestions, that body passed an Act extinguishing the Northwest Terri-
tory, which Act was approved May 7. Among its provisions were these :

" That from and after July 4 next, all that part of the Territory of
the United States northwest of the Ohio River, which lies to the westward
of a line beginning at a point on the Ohio, opposite to the mouth of the
Kentucky River, and running thence to Fort Recovery, and thence north
until it shall intersect the territorial line between the United States and
Canada, shall, for the purpose of temporary government, constitute a
separate territory, and be called the Indiana Territory."

After providing for the exercise of the civil and criminal powers of
the territories, and other provisions, the Act further provides :

" That until it shall otherwise be ordered by the Legislatures of the
said Territories, respectively, Chillicothe on the Scioto River shall be the
seat of government of, the Territory of the United States northwest of the
Ohio River ; and that St. Vincennes on the Wabash River shall be the
seat of government for the Indiana Territory."

Gen. Wm. Henry Harrison was appointed Governor of the Indiana
Territory, and entered upon his duties about a year later. Connecticut
also about this time released her claims to the reserve, and in March a law

6C THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

■was passed accepting this cession. Settlements had been made upon
thirty-five of the townships in the reserve, mills had been built, and seven
hundred miles of road cut in various directions. On the 3d of Novembei-
the General Assembly met at Chillicothe. Near the close of the year,
the first missionary of the Connecticut Reserve came, who found no
township containing more than eleven families. It was upon the first of
October that the secret treaty had been made between Napoleon and the
King of Spain, whereby the latter agreed to cede to France the province
of Louisiana.

In January, 1802, the Assembly of the Northwestern Territory char-
tered the collecre at Athens. From the earliest dawn of the western
colonies, education was promptly provided for, and as early as 1787,
newspapers were issued from Pittsburgh and Kentucky, and largely read
throughout the frontier settlements. Before the close of this year, the
Congress of the United States granted to the citizens of the Northwestern
territor}' the formation of a State government. One of the provisions of
the " compact of 1787" provided that whenever the number of inhabit-
ants within prescribed limits exceeded 45,000, they should be entitled to
a separate government. The prescribed limits of Ohio contained, from a
census taken to ascertain the legality of the act, more than that number,
and on the 30th of April, 1802, Congress passed the act defining its limits,
and on the 29th of November the Constitution of the new State of Ohio,
so named from the beautiful river forming its southern boundar}^ came
into existence. The exact limits of Lake Michigan were not then known,
but the territory now included within the State of Michigan was wholly
within the territory of Indiana.

Gen. Harrison, while residing at Vincennes, made several treaties
•with the Indians, thereby gaining large tracts of lands. The next year is
memorable in the history of the West for the purchase of Louisiana from
France l>y the United States for -115,000,000. Tlius by a peaceful mode,
the domain of the United States was extended over a large tract of
country west of the Mississippi, and was for a time under the jurisdiction
of the Northwest government, and, as has been mentioned in the early
part of this narrative, was called the "New Northwest." The limits
of this history will not allow a description of its territory. The same year
large grants of land were obtained from the Indians, and the House of
Representatives of the new State of Oliio signed a bill respecting the
College Township in the district of Cincinnati.

Before the close of the year, Gen. Harrison obtained additional
grants of lands from the various Indian nations in Indiana and the present
limits of Illinois, and on the 18tli of August, 1804, completed a treaty at
St. Louis, whereby over 51,000,000 acres of lands were obtained from the

BLOOMINGTON

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 67

aborigines. Measures were also taken to learn the condition of affairs in
and about Detroit.

C. Jouett, the Indian agent in Michigan, still a part of Indiana Terri-
tory, reported as follows upon the condition of matters at that ]30st :

" The Town of Detroit. — The charter, which is for fifteen miles
square, was granted in the time of Louis XIV. of France, and is now,
from the best information I have been able to get, at Quebec. Of those
two hundred and twenty-five acres, only four are occupied by the town
and Fort Lenault. The remainder is a common, except twenty-four
acres, which were added twenty years ago to a farm belonging to Wm.
Macomb. * * * A stockade incloses the town, fort and citadel. The
pickets, as well as the public houses, are in a state of gradual decay. The
streets are narrow, straight and regular, and intersect each other at right
angles. The houses are, for the most part, low and inelegant."

During this year, Congress granted a township of land for the sup-
port of a college, and began to offer inducements for settlers in these
wilds, and the country now comprising the State of Michigan began to
fill rapidly with settlers along its southern borders. This same year, also,
a law was passed organizing the Southwest Territory, dividing it into two
portions, the Territory of New Orleans, which city was made the seat of
government, and the District of Louisiana, which was annexed to the
domain of Gen. Harrison.

On the 11th of January, 1805, the Territory of Michigan was formed,
Wm. Hull was appointed governor, with headquarters at Detroit, the
chano-e to take effect on June 30. On the 11th of that month, a fire
occurred at Detroit, which destroyed almost every building in the place.
When the officers of the new territory reached the post, they found it in
ruins, and the inhabitants scattered throughout the country. Rebuild-
ing, however, soon commenced, and ere long the town contained more
houses than before the fire, and many of them much better built.

While this was being done, Indiana had passed to the second grade
of government, and through her General Assembly had obtained large
tracts of land from the Indian tribes. To all this the celebrated Indian,
Tecumthe or Tecumseh, vigorously protested, and it was the main cause
of his attempts to unite the various Indian tribes in a conflict with the
settlers. To obtain a full account of these attempts, the workings of the
British, and the signal failure, culminating in the death of Tecumseh at
the battle of the Thames, and the close of the war of 1812 in the Northwest,
we will step aside in our story, and relate the principal events of his life,
and his connection with this conflict.

THE NOKTHWEST TERRITORY,

TECUMSEH, THE SHAWANOE CHIEFTAIN.

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 69

TECUMSEH, AND THE WAR OF 1812.

This famous Indian chief was born about the year 1768, not far from
the site of the present City of Piqua, Ohio. His father, Puckeshinwa,
was a member of the Kisopok tribe of the Swanoese nation, and his
mother, Methontaske, was a member of the Turtle tribe of the same
people. They removed from Florida about the middle of the last century
to the birthplace of Tecumseh. In 1774, his father, who had risen to be
chief, was slain at the battle of Point Pleasant, and not long after Tecum-
seh, by his bravery, became the leader of his tribe. In 1795 he was
declared chief, and then lived at Deer Creek, near the site of the
present City of Urbana. He remained here about one year, when he
returned to Piqua, and in 1798, he went to White River, Indiana. In
1805, he and his brother, Laulewasikan (Open Door), who had announced
himself as a prophet, went to a tract of land on the Wabash River, given
them by the Pottawatomies and Kickapoos. From this date the chief
comes into prominence. He was now about thirty-seven years of age,
was five feet and ten inches in height, was stoutly built, and possessed of
enormous powers of endurance. His countenance was naturally pleas-
ing, and he was, in general, devoid of those savage attributes possessed
by most Indians. It is stated he could read and write, and had a confi-
dential secretary and adviser, named Billy Caldwell, a half-breed, who
afterward became chief of the Pottawatomies. He occupied the first
house built on the site of Chicago. At this time, Tecumseh entered
upon the great work of his life. He had long objected to the grants of
land made by the Indians to the whites, and determined to unite all the
Indian tribes into a league, in order that no treaties or grants of land
could be made save by the consent of this confederation.

He traveled constantly, going from north to south ; from the south
to the north, everywhere urging the Indians to this step. He was a
matchless orator, and his burning words had their effect.

Gen. Harrison, then Governor of Indiana, by watching the move-
ments of the Indians, became convinced that a grand conspiracy was
forming, and made preparations to defend the settlements. Tecumseh's
plan was similar to Pontiac's, elsewhere described, and to the cunning
artifice of that chieftain was added his own sagacity.

During the year 1809, Tecumseh and the prophet were actively pre-
paring for the work. In that year. Gen. Harrison entered into a treaty
with the Delawares, Kickapoos, Pottawatomies, Miamis, Eel River Indians
and Weas, in which these tribes ceded to the whites certain lands upon
the Wabash, to all of which Tecumseh entered a bitter protest, averring

YO THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

as one principal reason that he did not want the Indians to give up any
lands north and west of the Ohio River.

Tecumseh, in August, 1810, visited the General at Vincennes and
held a council relating to the grievances of the Indians. Becoming unduly
angry at this conference he was dismissed from the village, and soon after
departed to incite the southern Indian tribes to the conflict.

Gen. Harrison determined to move upon the chiefs headquarters at
Tippecanoe, and for this purpose went about sixty-five miles up the
Wabash, where he built Fort Harrison. From this place he went to the
prophet's town, where he informed the Indians he had no hostile inten-
tions, provided they were true to the existing treaties. He encamped
near the village early in October, and on the morning of November 7, he
was attacked by a large force of the Indians, and the famous battle of
Tippecanoe occurred. The Indians were routed and their town broken
up. Tecumseh returning not long after, was greatly exasperated at his
brother, the prophet, even threatening to kill him for rashly precipitating
the war, and foiling his (Tecumseh's) plans.

Tecumseh sent word to Gen. Harrison that he was now returned
from the South, and was ready to visit the President as had at one time
previously been proposed. Gen. Harrison informed him he could not go
as a chief, which method Tecumseh desired, and the visit was never
made.

Ill June of the following year, he visited the Indian agent at
Fort Wayne. Here he disavowed any intention to make a war against
the United States, and reproached Gen. Harrison for marching against his
people. The agent replied to this ; Tecumseh listened with a cold indif-
ference, and after making a few general remarks, with a haughty air drew
his blanket about him, left the council house, and departed for Fort Mai-
den, in U[)per Canada, where he joined the British standard.

He remained under this Government, doing effective work for the
Crown while engaged in the war of 1812 which now opened. He was,
however, always humane in his treatment of the prisoners, never allow-
ing his warriors to ruthlessly mutilate the bodies of those slain, or wan-
tonly murder the captive.

In the Summer of 1813, Perry's victor}'- on Lake Erie occurred, and
shortly after active preparations were made to capture Maiden. On the
27th of September, tlie American army, under Gen. Harrison, set sail for
the shores of Canada, and in a few hours stood around the ruins of Mai-,
den, from which the British army, under Proctor, had retreated to Sand-
wich, intending to make its way to the heart of Canada by the Valley of
the Thames. On the 29th Gen. Harrison was at Sandwich, and Gen,
McArthur took possession of Detroit and the territory of Michigan.

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

On the 2d of October, the Americans began their pursuit of Proctor,
whom they overtook on the 5th, and. the battle of the Thames followed.
Early in the engagement, Tecumseh who was at the head of the column
of Indians was slain, and they, no longer hearing the voice of their chief-
tain, fled. The victory was decisive, and practically closed the war in
th.e Northwest.

INDIANS ATTACKING A STOCKADE.

Just who killed the great chief has been a matter of much dispute ;
but the weight of opinion awards the act to Col. Richard M. Johnson,
who fired at him with a pistol, the shot proving fatal.

In 1805 occurred Burr's Insurrection. He took possession of a
beautiful island in the Ohio, after the killing of Hamilton, and is charged
by many with attempting to set up an independent government. His
plans were frustrated by the general government, his property confiscated
and he was compelled to flee the country for safety.

72 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

In January, 1S07, Governor Hull, of Michigan Territory, made a
treaty with the Indians, whereby all that peninsula was ceded to the
United States. Before the close of the year, a stockade was built about
Detroit. It was also during this year that Indiana and Illinois endeavored
to obtain the repeal of that section of the compact of 1787, whereby
slavery was excluded from the Northwest Territory. These attempts,
however, all signally failed.

In 1809 it was deemed advisable to divide the Indiana Territory.
This was done, and the Territory of Illinois was formed from the^estern
part, the seat of government being fixed at Kaskaskia. The next year,
the intentions of Tecumseh manifested themselves in open hostilities, and
then began the events already narrated.

While this war was in progress, emigration to the West went on with
surprising rapidity. In 1811, under Mr. Roosevelt of New York, the
first steamboat trip was made on the Ohio, much to the astonishment of
the natives, many of whom fled in terror at the appearance of the
" monster." It arrived at Louisville on the 10th day of October. At the
close of the first week of January, 1812, it arrived at Natchez, after being
nearl}^ overwhelmed in the great earthquake which occurred while on its
downward trip.

The battle of the Thames was fought on October 6, 1813. It
effectually closed hostilities in the Northwest, although peace was not
fully restored until July 22, 1814, when a treaty was formed at Green-
ville, under the direction of General Harrison, between the United States
and the Indian tribes, in Avhich it was stipulated that the Indians should
cease hostilities against the Americans if the war were continued. Such,
happily, was not the case, and on the 24th of December the treaty
of Ghent was signed by the representatives of England and the United
States. This treaty was followed the next year by treaties with various
Indian tribes throughout the West and Northwest, and quiet was again
restored in this part of the new world.

On the 18th of March, 1816, Pittsburgh was incorporated as a city.
It then had a population of 8,000 people, and was already noted for its
manufacturing interests. On April 19, Indiana Territory was allowed
to form a state government. At that time there were thirteen counties
organized, containing about sixty-three thousand inhabitants. The first
election of state officers was held in August, when Jonathan Jennings
was chosen Governor. The officers were sworn in on November 7, and
on December 11, the State was formally admitted into the Union. For
some time the seat of government was at Corydon, but a more central
location being desirable, the present capital, Indianapolis (City of Indiana),
was laid out January 1, 1825.

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 73

On the 28th of December the Bank of Illinois, at Shawneetown, was
chartered, with a capital of $300,000. At this period all banks were
under the control of the States, and were allowed to establish branches
at different convenient points.

Until this time Chillicothe and Cincinnati had in turn enjoyed the
privileges of being the capital of Ohio. But the rapid settlement of the
northern and eastern portions of the State demanded, as in Indiana, a
more central location, and before the close of the year, the site of Col-
umbus was selected and surveyed as the future capital of the State.
Banking had begun in Ohio as early as 1808, when the first bank was
chartered at Marietta, but here as elsewhere it did not bring to the state
the hoped-for assistance. It and other banks were subsequently unable
to redeem their currency, and were obliged to suspend.

In 1818, Illinois was made a state, and all the territory north of her
northern limits was erected into a separate territory and joined to Mich-
igan for judicial purposes. By the following year, navigation of the lakes
was increasing with great rapidity and affording an immense source of
revenue to the dwellers in the Northwest, but it was not until 1826 that
the trade was extended to Lake Michigan, or that steamships began to
navigate the bosom of that inland sea.

Until the year 1832, the commencement of the Black Hawk War,
but few hostilities were experienced with the Indians. Roads were
opened, canals were dug, cities were built, common schools were estab-
lished, universities were founded, many of which, especially the Michigan
University, have achieved a world wide-reputation. The people were
becoming wealthy. The domains of the United States had been extended,
and had the sons of the forest been treated with honesty and justice, the
record of many years would have been that of peace and continuous pros-
perity.

BLACK HAWK AND THE BLACK HAWK WAR.

This conflict, though confined to Illinois, is an important epoch in
the Northwestern history, being the last war with the Indians in this part
of the United States.

Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiah, or Black Hawk, was born in the principal
Sac village, about three miles from the junction of Rock River with the
Mississippi, in the year 1767. His father's name was Py-e-sa or Pahaes ;
his grandfather's, Na-na-ma-kee, or the Thunderer. Black Hawk early
distinguished himself as a warrior, and at the age of fifteen was permitted
to paint and was ranked among the braves. About the year 1783, he
Went on an expedition against the enemies of his nation, the Osages, one

THE NORTHWEST TEKRITORY.

BLACK HAWK, THE SAC CHIEFTAIN.

THE NORTHWEST TERKITORY. 75.

of whom he killed and scalped, and for this deed of Indian bravery he was
permitted to join in the scalp dance. Three or four years after he, at the
head of two hundred braves, went on another expedition against the
Osages, to avenge the murder of some women and children belonging to
his own tribe. Meeting an equal number of Osage warriors, a fierce
battle ensued, in whicli the latter tribe lost one-half their number. The
Sacs lost only about nineteen warriors. He next attacked the Cherokees
for a similar cause. In a severe battle with them, near the present City
of St. Louis, his father was slain, and Black Hawk, taking possession of
the " Medicine Bag," at once announced himself chief of the Sac nation.
He had now conquered the Cherokees, and about the year 1800, at the
head of five hundred Sacs and Foxes, and a hundred lowas, he waged
war against the Osage nation and subdued it. For two years he battled
successfully with other Indian tribes, all of whom he conquered.

Black Hawk does not at any time seem to have been friendly to
the Americans. When on a visit to St. Louis to see his " Spanish
Father," he declined to see any of the Americans, alleging, as a reason^
he did not want two fathers.

The treaty at St. Louis was consummated in 1804. The next year the
United States Government erected a fort near the head of the Des Moines
Rapids, called Fort Edwards. This seemed to enrage Black Hawk, who
at once determined to capture Fort Madison, standing on the west side of
the Mississippi above the mouth of the Des Moines River. The fort was
garrisoned by about fifty men. Here he was defeated. The difficulties
with the British Government arose about this time, and the War of 1812
followed. That government, extending aid to the Western Indians, by
giving them arms and ammunition, induced them to remain hostile to the
Americans. In August, 1812, Black Hawk, .at the head of about five
hundred braves, started to join the British forces at Detroit, passing on
his way the site of Chicago, where the famous Fort Dearborn Massacre
^■■^ ^ a few days before occurred. Of his connection with the British
'-^. L . ernment but little is known. In 1813 he with his little band descended
the Mississippi, and attacking some United States troops at Fort Howard
was defeated.

In the early part of 1815, the Indian tribes west of the Mississippi
were notified that peace had been declared between the United States
and England, and nearly a]l hostilities had ceased. Black Hawk did not
sign any treat}-, however, until May of the following year. He then recog-
nized the validity of the treaty at St. Louis in 1804. From the time of
signing this treaty in 1816, until the breaking out of the war in 1832, he
and his band passed their time in the common pursuits of Indian life.

Ten years before the commencement of this war, the Sac and Fox

76 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

Indians were urged to join the lowas on the west bank of the Father of
AVaters. All were agreed, save the band known as the British Band, of
which Black Hawk was leader. He strenuously objected to the removal,
and was induced to comply only after being threatened with the power of
the Government. This and various actions on the part of the white set-
tlers provoked Black Hawk and his band to attempt the capture of his
native village now occupied by the whites. The war followed. He and
his actions were undoubtedly^ misunderstood, and had his wishes been
acquiesced in at the beginning of the struggle, much bloodshed would
have been prevented.

Black Hawk was chief now of the Sac and Fox nations, and a noted
warrior. He and his tribe inhabited a village on Rock River, nearly three
miles above its confluence with the Mississippi, where the tribe had lived
many generations. When that portion of Illinois was reserved to them,
they remained in peaceable possession of their reservation, spending their
time in the enjoyment of Indian life. The fine situation of their village
and the quality of their lands incited the more lawless white settlers, who
from time to time began to encroach upon the red men's domain. From
one pretext to another, and from one step to another, the crafty white
men gained a foothold, until through whisky and artifice the}^ obtained
deeds from many of the Indians for their possessions. The Indians were
finally induced to cross over the Father of Waters and locate among the
lowas. Black Hawk was strenuously opposed to all this, but as the
authorities of Illinois and the United States thought this the best move, he
was forced to comply. Moreover other tribes joined the whites and urged
the removal. Black Hawk would not agree to the terms of the treaty
made with his nation for their lands, and as soon as the military, called to
enforce his removal, had retired, he returned to the Illinois side of the
river. A large force was at once raised and marched against him. On
the evening of May 14, 1832, the first engagement occurred between a
band from this army and Black Hawk's band, in which the former were
defeated.

This iittack and its result aioused the whites. A large force of men
was raised, and Gen. Scott hastened from the seaboard, by way of the
lakes, with United States troops and artillery to aid in the subjugation of
the Indians. On the 24th of June, Black Hawk, with 200 warriors, was
repulsed l)y Major Demont between Rock River and Galena. The Ameri-
can army continued to move up Rock River toward the main body of
the Indians, and on the 21st of July came upon Black Hawk and his band,
and defeated them near the Blue Mounds.

Before this action, Gen. Henry, in command, sent word to the main
army by whom he was immediately rejoined, and the v/hole crossed the

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 77

Wisconsin in pursuit of Black Hawk and his band who were fleeing to the
Mississippi. They were overtaken on the 2d of August, and in the battle
which followed the power of the Indian chief was completely broken. He
fled, but was seized by the Winnebagoes and delivered to the whites.

On the 21st of September, 1832, Gen. Scott and Gov. Reynolds con-
cluded a treaty with the Winnebagoes, Sacs and Foxes by which they
ceded to the United States a vast tract of country, and agreed to remain
peaceable with the whites. For the faithful performance of the provi-
sions of this treaty on the part of the Indians, it was stipulated that
Black Hawk, his two sons, the prophet Wabokieshiek, and six other chiefs
of the hostile bands should be retained as hostages during the pleasure
of the President. They were confined at Fort Barracks and put in irons.

The next Spring, by order of the Secretary of War, they were taken
to Washington. From there they were removed to Fortress Monroe,
"there to remain until the conduct of their nation was such as to justify
their being set at libert3\" They were retained here until the 4th of
June, when the authorities directed them to be taken to the principal
cities so that they might see the folly of contending against the white
people. Everywhere they were observed by thousands, the name of the
old chief being extensively known. By the middle of August they
reached Fort Armstrong on Rock Island, where Black Hawk was soon
after released to go to his countrymen. As he passed the site of his birth-
place, now the home of the white man, he was deeply moved. His village
where he was born, where he had so happily lived, and where he had
hoped to die, was now another's dwelling place, and he was a wanderer.

On the next day after his release, he went at once to his tribe and
his lodge. His wife was yet living, and with her he passed the remainder
of his days. To his credit it may be said that Black Hawk always re-
mained true to his wife, and served her with a devotion uncommon among
the Indians, living with her upward of forty years.

Black Hawk now passed his time hunting and fishing. A deep mel-
ancholy had settled over him from which he could not be freed. At all
times when he visited the whites he was received with marked atten-
tion. He was an honored guest at the old settlers' reunion in Lee County,
Illinois, at some of their meetings, and received many tokens of esteem.
In September, 1838, while on his way to Rock Island to receive his
annuity from the Government, he contracted a severe cold which resulted
in a fatal attack of bilious fever which terminated his life on October 3.
His faithful wife, who was devotedly attached to him, mourned deeply
during his sickness. After his death he was dressed in the uniform pre-
sented to him by the President while in Washington. He was buried in
a grave six feet in depth, situated upon a beautiful eminence. " The

78 THE NORTHWEST TEIilUTORY.

body was placed in tlie middle of the grave, in a sitting posture, upon a
seat constructed for the purpose. On his left side, the cane, given him
by Henry Cla}', was placed upright, with his right hand resting upon it.
Many of the old w-arrior's trophies were placed in the grave, and some
Indian garments, together with his favorite weapons.""

No sooner was the Black Hawk war concluded than settlers began
rapidly to pour into the northern parts of Illinois, and into Wisconsin,
now free from Indian depredations. Chicago, fi»om a trading post, had
grown to a commercial center, and was rapidly coming into prominence.
In 1835, the formation of a State Government in Michigan was discussed,
but did not take active form until two years later, when the State became
a part of the Federal Union.

The main attraction to that portion of the Northwest lying west of
Lake Michigan, noAv included in the State of Wisconsin, was its alluvial
wealth. Copper ore was found about Lake Superior. For some time this
region was attached to Michigan for judiciary purposes, but in 183f) was
made a territory, then including Minnesdta and Iowa. The latter State
was detached two jenvs later. In 1848, Wisconsin was admitted as a
State, Madison being made the capital. We have now traced the various
divisions of the Northwest Territory (save a little in Minnesota) from
the time it was a unit comprising this vast territory, until circumstances
compelled its present division.

TKE liTOETHWEST TERRITORY.

PRESENT CONDITION OF THE NORTHWEST

Preceding chapters have brought us to the close of the Black Hawk
war, and we now turn to the contemphxtion of the growth and prosperity
of the Northwest under the smile of peace and the blessings of our civili-
zation. The pioneers of this region date events back to the deep snow

OLD FOET DEARBOKN, 1830.

of 1831, no one arriving here since that date taking first honors. The
inciting cause of the immigration which overflowed the prairies early in
the '30s was the reports of the marvelous beauty and fertility of the
region distributed tlirough the East by those who had participated in the
Black Hawk campaign with Gen. Scott. Chicago and Milwaukee then
had a few hundred inhabitants, and Gurdon S. Hubbard's trail from the
former city to Kaskaskia led almost through a wilderness. Vegetables
and clothing were largely distributed through the regions adjoining the

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

lakes by steamers from the Ohio towns. There are men now living in
Illinois who came to tlie state when barel}' an acre was in cultivation,
and a man now prominent in the business circles of Chicago looked over
the swampy, cheerless site of that metropolis in 1818 and went south-
ward into civilization. Emigrants from Pennsylvania in 1830 left behind

LINCOLN MONUMENT, SPIilNGFIELD, ILLINOIS.

them but one small railway in the coal regions, thirty miles in length,
and made their way to the Northwest mostly with ox teams, finding in
Northern Illinois petty settle-ments scores of miles apart, although the
southern portion of the state was fairly dotted with farms. The
water courses of the lakes and rivers furnished transportation to the
second great army of immigrants, and about 1850 railroads were
pushed to that extent that the crisis of 1837 was precipitated upon us,

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

from the effects of which the Western country had not fully recovered
at the outbreak of the war. Hostilities found the colonists of the prairies
fully alive to the demands of the occasion, and the honor of recruiting

k¥''&J.

'illlliiirt^^^^^^^^^^^^

the vast armies of the Union fell largely to Gov. Yates, of Illinois, and
Gov. Morton, of Indiana. To recount the share of the glories of the
campaign won "by eux Western troops is a needless task, except to
mention the fact that Illinois gave to zLe nation the President who save']

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

it, and sent out at the head of one of its regiments tne general who led
ts armies to the final victory at Appomattox. The struggle, on the

ffl'l ■il'li' I, 'liVII/' I': M\>' il'""'

whole, had a marked effect for the Letter on the new Northwest, gi fing
it an impetus whicli twenty years of peace would not have produced.
In a large degree this prosperity was an infl:ited one, and with the rest
of the Union we have since been coiapelled to atone therefor by four

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 83

years of depression of values, of scarcity of employment, and loss of
fortune. To a less degree, however, than the manufacturing or mining
regions has the West suffered during the prolonged panic now so near its
end. Agriculture, still the leading feature in our industries, has been
quite prosperous through all these dark years, and the farmers have
cleared away many incumbrances resting over them from the period of
fictitious values. The population has steadily increased, the arts and
sciences are gaining a stronger foothold, the trade area of the region is
becoming daily more extended, and we have been largely exempt from
the financial calamities which have nearly wrecked communities on the
seaboard dependent wholly on foreign commerce or domestic manufacture.

At the present period there are no great schemes broached for the
Northwest, no propositions for government subsidies or national works
of improvement, but the capital of the world is attracted hither for the
purchase of our products or the expansion of our capacity for serving the
nation at large. Anew era is dawning as to transportation, and we bid
fair to deal almost exclusively with the increasing and expanding lines
of steel rail running through every few miles of territory on the prairies.
The lake marine will no doubt continue to be useful in the warmer
season, and to serve as a regulator of freight rates; but experienced
navigators forecast the decay of the system in moving to the seaboard
the enormous crops of the "West. Within tlie past five years it has
become quite common to see direct shipments to Europe and the West
Indies going through from the second-class towns along the Mississippi
and Missouri.

As to popular education, the standard has of late risen very greatly,
and our schools would be creditable to any section of the Union.

More and more as the events of the war pass into obscurity will the
fate of the Northwest be linked with that of the Southwest, and the
next Congressional apportionment will give the valley of the Mississippi
absolute control of the legislation of the nation, and do much toward
securing the removal of the Federal capitol to some more central location.

Our public men continue to wield the full share of influence pertain-
ing to their rank in the national autonomy, and seem not to forget that
for the past sixteen years tliey and their constituents have dictated the
principles which should govern the country.

In a work like this, destined to lie on the shelves of the library for
generations, and not doomed to daily destruction like a newspaper, one
can not indulge in the same glowing predictions, the sanguine statements
of actualities that fill the columns of ephemeral publications. Time may
bring grief to the pet projects of a writer, and explode castles erected on
a pedestal of facts. Yet there are unmistakable indications before us of

g4 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

the same radical chanue in our sjreat Northwest which characterizes its
history for the past thirty years. Our domain has a sort of natural
geographical horder, save Avhere it melts away to the southward in the
cattle raising" districts of the southwest.

Our prime interest will for some years doubtless be the growth of
the food of the workl, in which branch it has already outstripped all
competitors, and our great rival in this duty will naturally be the fertile
plains of Kansas, Nebraslva and Colorado, to say nothing of the new
empire so rapidly growing np in Texas. Over these regions there is a
continued progress in agriculture and in railway building, and we must
look to our laurels. Intelligent observers of events are fully aware of
the strides made in the way of shipments of fresh meats to Europe,
many of these ocean cargoes being actually slaughtered in the West and
transported on ice to the wharves of the seaboard cities. That this new
enterprise will continue there is no reason to doubt. There are in
Chicago several factories for the canning of prepared meats for European
consumption, and the orders for this class of goods are already immense.
English capital is becoming daily more and more dissatisfied with railway
loans and investments, and is gradually seeking mammoth outlays in
lands and live stock. The stock yards in Chicago, Indianapolis and East
St. Louis are yearly increasing their facilities, and their plant steadily
grows more valuable. Importations of blooded animals from the pro-
gressive countries of Europe are destined to greatly improve the quality
of our beef and mutton. Nowhere is there to be seen a more enticing-
display in this line than at our state and county fairs, and the interest
in the matter is on the increase.

To attempt to give statistics of our grain production for 1877 would
be useless, so far have we surpassed ourselves in the quantity and
quality of our product. We are too liable to forget that we are giving
the world its first article of necessity — its food supply. An opportunity
to learn this fact so it never can be forsj^otten was afforded at Chicaoo at
tlie outbreak of the great panic of 1878, when Canadian purchasers,
fearing the prostration of business mightbring about an anarchical condition
of affairs, went to that city willi coin in bulk and foi'cign drafts to secure
their sui)plies in ihcii- own cui'rency at first hands. It may be justly
claimed by the agricultural community that their combined efforts gave
the nation its first impetus toward a restoiation of its crippled industries,
and tlicir labor brought tiie gold premium to a lower depth than the"
tjovernment was able; to reach b^; its most intense efforts of lesrislation
and compulsion. The hundreds of millions about to be disbursed for
farm products liave already, by the anticipation common to all commercial

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

nations, set the wheels in motion, and will relieve us from the perils so
long shadowing our efforts to return to a healthy tone.

Manufacturing has attained in the chief cities a foothold which bids
fair to render the Northwest independent of the outside world. Nearly

TIirXTTXf; PRAIRIE WOLVES IX AX EARLY DAY.

our whole region has a distribution of coal measures which ^ ill in time
support the manufactures necessary to our comfort and prosperity. As
to transportation, the chief factor in the production of all articles excep"
food, no section is so magnificently endowed, and our facilities are yearly
increasing beyond those of any other region.

86 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

The period from a central point of the war to the outbreak of the
panic was marked by a tremendous growth in our railway lines, but the
de^jression of tlie times caused almost a total suspension of operations.
Now that prosperity is returning to our stricken country we witness its
anticipation by the railroad interest in a series of projects, extensions,
and leases which bid fair to largely increase our transportation facilities.
The process of foreclosure and sale of incumbered lines is another matter
to be considered. In the case of the Illinois Central road, which formerly
transferred to other lines at Cairo the vast burden of freight destined for
the Calf region, we now see the incorporation of the tracks connecting
through to New Orleans, every mile co-operating in turning toward the
northwestern metropolis the weight of the inter-state commerce of a
tliousand miles or more of fertile plantations. Three competing routes
to Texas have established in Chicago their general freight and passenger
agencies. Four or five lines compete for all Pacific freights to a point as
as far as the interior of Nebraska. Half a dozen or more splendid bridge
structures have been thrown across the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers by
the railways. The Chicago and Northwestern line has become an aggre-
gation of over two thousand miles of rail, and the Chicago, Milwaukee
and St. Paul is its close rival in extent and importance. The three lines
running to Cairo via Vincennes form a through route for all traffic with
the states to the southward. The chief projects now under discussion
are the Chicago and Atlantic, which is to unite with lines now built to
Charleston, and the Cliicago and Canada Southern, which line will con-
nect with all tlie various branches of that Canadian enterprise. Our
latest new road is the Chicago and Lake Huron, formed of three lines,
and entering the city from Valparaiso on the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne
and Chicago track. The trunk lines being mainly in operation, the
progress made in the way of shortening tracks, making air-line branches,
and running extensions does not show to the advantage it deserves, as
this process is constantly adding new facilities to the established order
of things. The panic reduced the price of steel to a point where the
railways could hardly afford to use iron rails, and all our northwestern
lines report large relays of Bessemer track. The immense crops now
being moved have given a great rise to the value of railway stocks, and
theii- transportation must result in heavy pecuniary advantages.

Few are aware of the importance of the wholesale and jobbing trade
of Chicago. One leading firm has since the panic sold $24,000,000 of
dry goods in one year, and they now expect most confidently to add
seventy per cent, to the figures of their last year's business. In boots
and shoes and in clothing, twenty or more great firms from the east have
placed here their distributing agents or their factories ; and in groceries

THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.

Chicago supplies the entire Northwest at rates presenting advantages
over New York.

Chicago has stepped in between New York and the rural banks as a
financial center, and scarcely a banking institution in the grain or cattle
regions but keeps its reserve funds in the vaults of our commercial insti-
tutions. Accumulating here throughout the spring and summer months,
they are summoned home at pleasure to move the products of the
prairies. This process greatly strengthens the northwest in its financial
operations, leaving home capital to supplement local operations on
behalf of home interests.

It is impossible to forecast the destiny of this grand and growing
section of the Union. Figures and predictions made at this date might
seem ten years hence so ludicrously small as to excite only derision.

KTNZIE HOirSE.

Early History of Illinois.

The name of this beautiful Prairie State is derived from IlUm, a
Delaware word signifying Superior Men. It has a French termination,
and is a sjnnbol of how the two races — the French and the Indians —
were iiitermixed during the early history of the country.

The appellation was no doubt well applied to the primitive inhabit-
ants of the soil whose prowess in savage warfare long withstood the
combined attacks of the fierce Iroquois on the one side, and the no less
savage and relentless Sacs and Foxes on the other. The Illinois were
once a powerful confederacy, occupying the most beautiful and fertile
region in the great Valley of the Mississippi, which their enemies coveted
and struggled long and hard to wrest from them. By the fortunes of
war they were diminished in numbers, and finally destroyed. " Starved
Rock," on the Illinois River, according to tradition, commemorates their
last tragedy, where, it is said, the entire tribe starved rather than sur-
render.

EARLY DISCOVERIES.

The first European discoveries in Illinois date back over two hun-
dred years. The}^ are a part of that movement which, from the begin-
ning to the middle of the seventeenth century, brought the French
Canadian missionaries and fur traders into the Valley of the Mississippi,
and which, at a later period, established the civil and ecclesiastical
authority of France from the Gulf of St. Lawrence to the Gulf of Mexico,
and from the foot-hills of the Alleghanies to the Rocky Mountains.

The great river of the West had been discovered by DeSoto, the
Spanish conqueror of Florida, three quarters of a century before the
French founded Quebec in 1608, but tlie Spanish left the country a wil-
'lerness, without further exploration or settlement within its borders, in
which condition it remained until the Mississippi was discovered by the
agents of the French Canadian government, Jolietand Marquette, in 1673.
These renowned explorers were not the first white visitors to Illinois,
In 1671 — two years in advance of them — came Nicholas Perrot to Chicago
He had been sent by Talon as an agent of the Canadian government tc

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

90 HISTORY OF THE STATE OP ILLINOIS.

ciill a great peace convention of Western Indians at Green Bay, prepara-
tory to the movement for the discovery of the Mississippi. It was
deemed a good stroke of policy to secure, as far as possible, the friend-
ship and co-operation of the Indians, far and near, before venturing ujion
an enterprise which their hostility might render disastrous, and which
their friendship and assistance would do so much to make successful ;
and to this end Perrot was sent to call together in council the tribes
throughout the Northwest, and to promise them the commerce and pro-
tection of the French government. He accordingly arrived at Green
Bay in 1671, and procuring an escort of Pottawattamies, proceeded in a
bark canoe upon a visit to the Miarais, at Chicago. Perrot was there-
fore the first European to set foot upon the soil of Illinois.

Still there were others before Marquette. In 1672, the Jesuit mis-
sionaries. Fathers Claude Allouez and Claude Dablon, bore the standard
of the Cross from their mission at Green Bay through western Wisconsin
and northern Illinois, visiting the Foxes on Fox River, and the Masquo-
tines and Kickapoos at the mouth of the Milwaukee. These missionaries
penetrated on the route afterwards followed by Marquette as far as the
Kickapoo village at the head of Lake Winnebago, where Marquette, in
his journey, secured guides across the portage to the Wisconsin.

The oft-repeated story of Marquette and Joliet is well known.
They were the agents employed by the Canadian government to discover
the Mississippi. Marquette was a native of France, born in 1637, a
Jesuit priest by education, and a man of simple faith and of great zeal and
devotion in extending the Roman Catholic religion among the Indians.
Arriving iu Canada in 1666, he was sent as a missionary to the far
Nortliwest, and, iu 1668, founded a mission at Sault Ste. Marie. The
following year he moved to La Pointe, in Lake Superior, where he
instructed a branch of the Hurons till 1670, when he removed south, and
founded the mission at St. Ignace, on the Straits of Mackinaw. Here
he remained, devoting a portion of liis time to the study of the Illinois
language under a native teacher who had accompanied him to the mission
from La Pointe, till he was joined by Joliet in the Spring of 1673. By
the way of Green Bay and the Fox and Wisconsin Rivers, they entered
the Mississippi, wiiich they explored to the mouth of the Arkansas, and
returned by the way of the Illinois and Chicago Rivers to Lake Michigan.

On his way up the Illinois, Marquette visited the great village of
the Kaskaskias, near what is now Utica, in the county of LaSalle. The
following year he returned and established among them the mission of
the Immacnlato Virgin Mary, whicii was the first Jesuit mission founded
in Illinois and in tlie Mississippi Valley. The intervening winter he
had spent in a hut which his comjianions erected on the Chicago River, a
few leagues from its mouth. The founding of this mission was the last

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 91

act of Marquette's life. He died in Michigan, on his way back to Green
Bay, May 18, 1675.

FIRST FRENCH OCCUPATION.

The first French occupation of the territory now embraced in Illi-
nois was effected by LaSalle in 1680, seven years after the time of Mar-
quette and Joliet, LaSalle, having constructed a vessel, the " Griffin,"
above the falls of Niagara, which he sailed to Green Bay, and having
passed thence in canoes to the mouth of the St. Joseph River, by which
and the Kankakee he reached the Illinois, in January, 1680, erected Fort
Crevecoeur, at tlie lower end of Peoria Lake, where the city of Peoria is
now situated. The place where this ancient fort stood may still be seen
just below the outlet of Peoria Lake. It was destined, however, to a
temporary existence. From this point, LaSalle determined to descend
the Mississippi to its mouth, but did not accomplish this purpose till two
years later — in 1682. Returning to Fort Frontenac for the purpose of
getting materials with which to rig his vessel, he left the fort in charge of
Touti, his lieutenant, who during his absence was driven off by the Iro-
quois Indians. These savages had made a raid upon the settlement of
the Illinois, and had left nothing in their track but ruin and desolation.
Mr. Davidson, in his History of Illinois, gives the following graphic
account of the picture that met the eyes of LaSalle and his companions
on their return :

" At the great town of the Illinois they were appalled at the scene
which opened to their view. No hunter appeared to break its death-like
silence with a salutatory whoop ot welcome. The plain on which the
town had stood was now strewn with charred fragments of lodges, which
had so recently swarmed with savage life and hilarity. To render more
hideous the picture of desolation, large numbers of skulls had been
placed on the upper extremities of lodge-poles which had escaped the
devouring flames. In the midst of these horrors was the rude fort of
the spoilers, rendered frightful by the same ghastly relics. A near
approach showed that the graves had been robbed of their bodies, and
swarms of buzzards were discovered glutting their loathsome stomachs
on the reeking corruption. To complete the work of destruction, the
growing corn of the village had been cut down and burned, while the
pits containing the products of previous years, had been rifled and their
contents scattered with wanton waste. It was evident the suspected
blow of the Iroquois had fallen with relentless fury."

Tonti had escaped LaSalle knew not whither. Passing down the
lake in search of him and his men, LaSalle discovered that the fort had
been destroyed, but the vessel which he had partly constructed was still

92 HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

on the stocks, and but slightly injured. After further fruitless search,
failing to find Tonti, he fastened to a tree a painting representing himself
and party sitting in a canoe and bearing a pipe of peace, and to the paint-
ing attached a letter addressed to Tonti.

Tonti had escaped, and, after untold privations, taken shelter among
the Pottawattamies near Green Bay. These were friendly to the French.
One of their old chiefs used to say, " There were but three great cap-
tains in the world, himself, Tonti and LaSalle."

GENIUS OF LaSALLE.

We must now return to LaSalle, whose exploits stand out in such
bold relief. He was born in Rouen, France, in 1643. His father was
wealthy, but he renounced his patrimony on entering a college of the
Jesuits, from which he separated and came to Canada a poor man in 1666.
The priests of St. Sulpice, among whom he had a brother, were then the
proprietors of Montreal, the nucleus of which was a seminary or con-
vent founded by that order. The Superior granted to LaSalle a large
tract of land at LaChine, where he established himself in the fur trade.
He was a man of daring genius, and outstripped all his competitors in
exploits of travel and commerce with the Indians. In 1669, he visited
the headquarters of the great Iroquois Confederacy, at Onondaga, in the
heart of New York, and, obtaining guides, explored the Ohio River to
the falls at Louisville.

In order to understand the genius of LaSalle, it must be remembered
that for many years prior to his time the missionaries and traders were
obliged to make their way to the Northwest by the Ottawa River (of
Canada) on account of the fierce hostility of the Iroquois along the lower
lakes and Niagara River, which entirelj^ closed this latter route to the
Upper Lakes. Tlie}^ carried on their commerce chiefly by canoes, pad-
dling them through the Ottawa to Lake Nipissing, carrying them across
tiie portage to French River, and descending that to Lake Huron. This
being the route by wliich they reached the Northwest, accounts for the
fact that all the earliest Jesuit missions were established in the neighbor-
liood of the Upper Lakes. LaSalle conceived the grand idea of opening
the route by Niagara River and the Lower Lakes to Canadian commerce
by sail vessels, connecting it with the navigation of the Mississippi, and
thus opening a magnificent water communication from the Gidf of St.
Lawrence to the Gulf of Mexico. This truly grand and comprehensive
purpose seems to have animated him in all his wonderful achievements
and the matchless difficulties and liardships he surmounted. As the first
.step in the accomplishment of this object he established himself on Lake
Ontario, and biiik and garrisoned Fort Frontenac, the site of the present

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 93

city of Kingston, Canada. Here he obtained a grant of land from the
French crown and a body of troops by which he beat back the invading
Iroquois and cleared the passage to Niagara Falls. Having by this mas-
terly stroke made it safe to attempt a hitherto untried expedition, his
next step, as we have seen, was to advance to the Falls with all his
outfit for building a ship with which to sail the lakes. He was success-
ful in this undertaking, though his ultimate purpose was defeated by a
strange combination of untoward circumstances. The Jesuits evidently
hated LaSalle and plotted against him, because he had abandoned them
and c(i-operated with a rival order. The fur ti'aders were also jealous of
his superior success in opening new channels of commerce. At LaChine
he had taken the trade of Lake Ontario, which but for his presence there
would have gone to Quebec. While they were plodding with their barK
canoes through the Ottawa he was constructing sailing vessels to com-
mand the trade of the lakes and tlie Mississippi. These great plans
excited the jealousy and envy of the small traders, introduced treason and
revolt into the ranks of his own companions, and finally led to the foul
assassination by which his great achievements were prematurely ended.

In 1682, LaSalle, having completed liis vessel at Peoria, descended
the Mississippi to its confluence with the Gulf of Mexico. . Erecting a
standard on which he inscribed the arms of France, he took formal pos-
session of the whole valle}^ of the mighty river, in the name of Louis
XIV., then reigning, in honor of whom he named the country Louisiana.

LaSalle tlien went to France, was appointed Governor, and returned
with a fleet and immigrants, for the purpose of planting a colony in Illi-
nois. They arrived in due time in the Gulf of Mexico, but failing to
find the mouth of the Mississippi, up which LaSalle intended to sail, his
supply ship, with the immigrants, was driven ashore and wrecked on
Matagorda Bay. With the fragments of the vessel he constructed a
stockade and rude huts on the shore for the protection of the immigrants,
calling the ]30st Fort St. Louis. He then made a trip into New Mexico,
in search of silver mines, but, meeting with disappointment, returned to
find his little colony reduced to forty souls. He then resolved to travel
on foot to Illinois, and, starting with his companions, had reached the
valley of the Colorado, near the mouth of Trinity river, when he was
shot by one of his men. This occurred on the 19th of March, 1687.

Dr. J. W. Foster remarks of him : " Thus fell, not far from the banks
of the Trinity, Robert Cavalier de la Salle, one of the grandest charac-
ters that ever figured in American history — a man capable of originating
the vastest schemes, and endowed with a will and a judgment capable of
carrying them to successful results. Had ample facilities been placed by
the King of France at his disposal, the result of the colonization of this
continent might have been far different from what we now behold."

94 HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

EARLY SETTLEMENTS.

A teraporarv settlement was made at Fort St. Louis, or the old Kas-
kaskia village, on the Illinois River, in what is now LaSalle County, in
1682. In 1690, this was removed, with the mission connected with it, to
Kaskaskia, on the river of that name, emptying into the lower Mississippi
in St. Clair County. Cahokia was settled about the same time, or at
least, both of these settlements began in the year 1690, though it is now
pretty well settled that Cahokia is tlie older place, and ranks as the oldest
permanent settlement in Illinuis, as well as in the Mississippi Valley.
The reason for the removal of the old Kaskaskia settlement and mission,
was probably because the dangerous and difficult route by Lake Michigan
and the Chicago portage had been almost abandoned, and travelers and
traders passed down and up the Mississippi by the Fox and Wisconsin
River route. They removed to the vicinity of the Mississippi in order
to be in the line of travel from Canada to Louisiana, that is, the lower
part of it, for it was all Louisiana then south of the lakes.

During the period of French rule in Louisiana, the population prob-
ably never exceeded ten thousand, including whites and blacks. Within
that portion of it now included in Indiana, trading posts were established
at the principal Miami villages which stood on the head waters of the
Maumee, the Wea villages situated at Ouiatenon, on the Wabash, and
the Piankeshaw villages at Post Vincennes ; all of which were probably
visited by French traders and missionaries before the close of the seven-
teenth century.

In the vast territory claimed by the French, many settlements of
considerable importance had sprung up. Biloxi, on Mobile Bay, had
been founded by DTberville, in 1699; Antoine de Lamotte Cadillac had
founded Detroit in 1701 ; and New Orleans had been founded by Bien-
ville, under the auspices of the Mississippi Company, in 1718. In Illi-
nois also, considerable settlements had been made, so that in 1730 they
embraced one hundred and forty French families, about six hundred " con^
verted Indians," and many traders and voyageurs. In that portion of the
country, on the east side of the Mississippi, there were five distinct set-
tlemetits, witli their respective villages, viz. : Cahokia, near the mouth
of Cahokia Creek and about five miles below the present city of St.
Louis ; . St. Philip, about forty-five miles below Cahokia, and four miles
above Fort Chartrcs ; Fort Chartres, twelve miles above Kaskaskia ;
Kaskaskia, situated on the Kaskaskia River, five miles above its conflu-
ence with the Mississippi ; and Prairie du Rocher, near Fort Chartres.
To these must be added St. Genevieve and St. Louis, on the west side
of the Mississippi. These, with the exception of St. Louis, are among

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 95

the oldest French towns in the Mississippi Valley. Kaskaskia, in its best
days, was a town of some two or three thousand inhabitants. After it
passed from the crown of France its population for many years did not
exceed fifteen hundred. Under British rule, in 1773, the population had
decreased to four hundred and fifty. As early as 1721, the Jesuits had
established a college and a monastery in Kaskaskia.

Fort Chartres was first built under the direction of tlie Mississippi
Company, in 1718, by M. de Boisbraint, a military officer, under command
of Bienville. It stood on the east bank of the Mississippi, about eighteen
miles below Kaskaskia, and was for some time the headquarters of the
military commandants of the district of Illinois.

In the Centennial Oration of Dr. Fowler, delivered at Philadelphia,
by appointment of Gov. Beveridge, we find some interesting facts with
regard to the State of Illinois, which we appropriate in this history:

In 1682 Illinois became a possession of the French crown, a depend-
ency of Canada, and a part of Louisiana. In 1765 the English flag was
run up on old Fort Chartres, and Illinois was counted among the treas-
ures of Great Britain.

In 1779 it was taken from the English by Col. George Rogers Clark.
This man was resolute in nature, wise in council, prudent in policy, bold
in action, and heroic in danger. Few men who have figured in the his-
tory of America are more deserving than this colonel. Nothing short of
first-class ability could have rescued Vincens and all Illinois from the
English, And it is not possible to over-estimate the influence of this
achievement upon the republic. In 1779 Illinois became a part of Vir-
ginia. It was soon known as Illinois County. In 1781 Virginia ceded
all this territory to the general government, to be cut into States, to be
republican in form, with " the same right of sovereignty, freedom, and
independence as the other States."

In 1787 it was the object of the wisest and ablest legislation found
in any. merely human records. No man can study the secret history of

THE "COMPACT OF 1787,"

and not feel tliat Providence was guiding with sleepless eye these unborn
States. The ordinance that on July 13, 1787, finally became the incor-
porating act, has a most marvelous history. Jefferson had vainly tried
to secure a system of government for the northwestern territory. He
was an emancipationist of that day, and favored the exclusion of slavery
from the territory Virginia had ceded to the general government; but
the South voted him down as often as it came up. In 1787, as late as
July 10, an organizing act without tlie anti-slavery clause was pending.
This concession to the South was expected to carry it. Congress was in

06 HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

session in New York City. On July 5, Rev. Dr. Manasseh Cutler, of
Massachusetts, came into New York to lobby on the northwestern terri-
tory. Evervthino; seemed to fall into his hands. Events were ripe.

The state of the public credit, the growing- of Southern prejudice,
the basis of his mission, his personal cliaracter, all combined to complete
one of those sudden and marvelous revolutions of public sentiment that
once in five or ten centuries are seen to sweep over a country like the
breath of the Almighty. Cutler was a graduate of Yale — received his
A.M. from Harvard, and his D.D. from Yale. He had studied and taken
degrees in the three learned professions, medicine, law, and divinity. He
had thus America's best indorsement. He had published a scientific
examination of the plants of New England. His name stood second only
to that of Franklin as a scientist in America. He was a courtly gentle-
man of the old style, a man of commanding presence, and of inviting
face. The Southern members said they had never seen such a gentleman
in the North. He came representing a company that desired to purchase
a tract of land now included in Ohio, for the purpose of planting a colony.
It was a speculation. Government money was worth eighteen cents on
the dollar. This Massachusetts company had collected enough to pur-
chase 1,500,000 acres of land. Other speculators in New York made
Dr. Cutler their agent (lobbyist). On the 12th he represented a demand
for 5,500,000 acres. This would reduce the national debt. Jefferson
and Virginia were regarded as authority concerning the land Virginia
had just ceded. Jefferson's policy wanted to provide for the public credit,
and this was a good opportunity to do something.

Massachusetts then owned the territory of Maine, which she was
crowding on the market. She was opposed to opening the northwestern
region. This fired the zeal of Virginia. The South caught the inspira-
tion, and all exalted Dr. Cutler. The English minister invited him to
dine with some of the Southern gentlemen. He was the center of interest.

The entire South rallied round him. Massachusetts could not vote
against him, because many of the constituents of her members were
interested personally in the western speculation. Tlius Cutler, making-
friends with the South, and, doubtless, using all the arts of the lobb}^.
was enabled to command the situation. True to deeper convictions, he
dictated one of the most compact and finished documents of wise states-
manship that has ever adorned any human law book. He borrowed from
Jefferson the term " Articles of Compact," which, preceding the federal
constitution, rose into tlie most sacred cliaracter. He then followed very
closely the constitution of Massachusetts, adopted three years before.
Its most marked points were :

1. The exclusion of shivei'y from tiie territory forever.

2. Provision for public schools, giving one township for a seminary,

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 97

and every section numbered 16 in each township ; that is, one-thirty-sixth
of all the land, for public schools.

3. A provision prohibiting the adoption of any constitution or the
enactment of any law that should nullify pre-existing contracts.

Be it foreyer remembered that this compact declared that " Religion,
morality, and knowledge being necessary to good government and the
happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall always
be encouraged."

Dr. Cutler planted himself on this platform and would not yield.
Giving his unqualified declaration that it was that or nothing — that unlet^s
they could make the land desirable they did not want it — he took his
horse and buggy, and started for the constitutional convention in Phila-
delphia. On July 13, 1787, the bill was put upon its passage, and was
unanimously adopted, every Southern member voting for it, and only one
man, Mr. Yates, of New York, voting against it. But as the States voted
as States, Yates lost his vote, and the compact was put beyond repeal.

Thus the great States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wis-
consin — a vast empire, the heart of the great valley — were consecrated
to freedom, intelligence, and honesty. Thus the great heart of the nation
was prepared for a year and a day and an hour. In the light of these eighty-
nine years I affirm that this act was the salvation of the republic and the
destruction of slavery. Soon the South saw their great blunder, and
tried to repeal the compact. In 1803 Congress referred it to a committee
of which John Randolph was chairman. He reported that this ordinance
was a compact, and opposed repeal. Thus it stood a rock, in the way
of the on-rushing sea of slavery.

With all this timely aid it was, after all, a most desperate and pro-
tracted struggle to keep the soil of Illinois sacred to freedom. It Avas
the natural battle-field for tlie irrepressible conflict. In the southern end
of -the State slavery preceded the compact. It existed among the old
French settlers, and was hard to eradicate. The southei-n part of the
State was settled from the slave States, and this population brought their
laws, customs, and institutions with them. A stream of population from
the North poured into the northern part of the State. These sections
misunderstood and hated each other perfectly. The Southerners regarded
the Yankees as a skinning, tricky, penurious race of peddlers, filling tlie
country with tinware, brass clocks, and wooden nutmegs. The North-
erner thought of the Southerner as a lean, lank, lazy creature, burrowing
in a hut, and rioting in whisky, dirt and ignorance. These causes aided
in making the struggle long and bitter. So strong was the sympathy
with slavery that, in spite of the ordinance of 1787, and in spite of the
deed of cession, it was determined to allow the old French settlers to
retain their slaves. Plantei:s from the slave States might bring their

98 HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ELLIXOIS.

slaves, if the}' would give them a chance to choose freedom or jeavs
of service and bondage for their children till they should become
thirty years of age. If they chose freedom they must leave the State
in sixtv days or be sold as fugitives. Servants were whipped for offenses
for wliich white men are fined. Each lash paid forty cents of the fine. . A
negro ten miles from home without a pass was whipped. These famous
laws were imported from the slave States just as they imported laws for
the inspection of flax and wool when there was neither in the State.

These Black Laws are now wiped out. A vigorous effort was made
to protect slavery in the State Constitution of 1817. It barely failed.
It was renewed in 1825, when a convention was asked to make a new
constitution. After a hard fight the convention was defeated. But
slaves did not disappear from the census of the State until 1850. There
were mobs and murders in tlie interest of slavery. Lovejoy was added
to the list of martyrs — a sort of first-fruits of that long life of immortal
heroes who saw freedom as the one supreme desire of their souls, and
were so enamored of her that they preferred to die rather than survive her.

The population of 12,282 that occupied the territory in A.D. 1800,
increased to 45,000 in A.D. 1818, when the State Constitution was
adopted, and Illinois took her place in the Union, with a star on the flag
and two votes in the Senate.

Shadrach Bond was the first Governor, and in his first message he
recommended the construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal.

The simple economy in those days is seen in the fact that the entire
bill for stationery for the first Legislature was only $13.50. Yet this
simple body actually enacted a very superior code.

There was no money in the territory before the war of 1812. Deer
skins and coon skins were the circulating medium. In 1821, the Legisv
lature ordained a State Bank on the credit of the State. It issued notes
in the likeness of bank bills. These notes were made a legal tender for
every thing, and the bank was ordered to loan to the people flOO on per-
sonal security, and more on mortgages. They actually passed a resolu-
tion requesting the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States to
receive these notes for land. The old French Lieutenant Governor, Col.
Menai-d, put the resolution as follows: *' Gentlemen of the Senate : It is
moved and seconded dat de notes of dis bank be made land-office money.
All in favor of dat motion say aye ; all against it say no. It is decided
in de affirmative. Now, gentlemen, I bet you one hundred dollar he
never be land-office money ! " Hard sense, like hard money, is always
above par.

This old Frenchman presents a fine figure up against the dark back-
ground of most of his nation. They made no progress. They clung to
their earliest and simplest implements. They never wore hats or cap?

BELLEFLOWER TP. i^

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 99

They pulled their blankets over their heads in the winter like the Indians,
with whom they freely intermingled.

Demagogism had an early development. One John Grammar (only
in name), elected to the Territorial and State Legislatures of 1816 and
1836, invented the policy of opposing every new thing, saying, " If it
succeeds, no one will ask who voted against it. If it proves a failure, he
could quote its record." In sharp contrast with Grammar was the char-
acter of D. P. Cook, after whom the county containing Chicago was
named. Such was his transparent integrity and remarkable ability that
his will was almost the law of the State. In Congress, a young man,
and from a poor State, he was made Chairman of the Ways and Means
Committee. He was pre-eminent for standing by his committee, regard-
less of consequences. It was his integrity that elected John Quincy
Adams to the Presidency. There were four candidates in 1824, Jackson,
Clay, Crawford, and John Quincy Adams. There being no choice by the
people, the election was thrown into the House. It was so balanced that
it turned on his vote, and that he cast for Adams, electing him ; then
went home to face the wrath of the Jackson party in Illinois. It cost
him all but character and greatness. It is a suggestive comment on the
times, that there was no legal interest till 1830. It often reached 150
per cent., usually 50 per cent. Then it was reduced to 12, and now to
10 per cent.

PHYSICAL FEATURES OF THE PRAIRIE STATE.

In area the State has 55,410 square miles of territory. It is about
150 miles wide and 400 miles long, stretching in latitude from Maine to
North Carolina. It embraces wide variety of climate. It is tempered
on the north by the great inland, saltless, tideless sea, which keeps the
thermometer from either extreme. Being a table land, from 600 to 1,600
feet above the level of the sea, one is prepared to find on the health
maps, prepared by the general government, an almost clean and perfect
record. In freedom from fever and malarial diseases and consumptions,
the three deadly enemies of the American Saxon, Illinois, as a State,
stands without a superior. She furnishes one of the essential conditions
of a great people — sound bodies. I suspect that this fact lies back of
that old Delaware word, Illini, superior men.

The great battles of history that have been determinative of dynas-
ties and destinies have been strategical battles, chiefly the question of
position. Thermopylae has been the war-cry of freemen for twenty-four
centuries. It only tells how much there may be in position. All this
advantage belongs to Illinois. It is in the heart of the greatest valley in
the world, the vast region between the mountains — a valley that could

100 HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

feed mankind for one thousand years. It is well on toward the center of
the continent. It is in the great temperate belt, in Avhich have been
found nearly all the aggressive civilizations of history. It has sixty-five
miles of frontage on the head of the lake. With the Mississippi forming
the western and southern boundary, with the Ohio running along the
southeastern line, with the Illinois River and Canal dividing the State
diagonally from the lake to the Lower Mississippi, and with the Rock and
Wabash Rivers furnishing altogether 2,000 miles of water-front, con-
necting with, and running through, in all about 12,000 miles of navi-
gable water.

But this is not all. These waters are made most available by the
fact that the lake and the State lie on the ridge running into the great
valley from the east. Within cannon-shot of the lake the water runs
away from the lake to the Gulf. The lake now empties at both ends,
one into the Atlantic and one into the Gulf of Mexico. The lake thus
seems to hang over the land. This makes the dockage most serviceable ;
there are no steep banks to damage it. Both lake and river are made
for use.

The climate varies from Portland to Richmond ; it favors every pro-
duct of the continent, including the tropics, with less than half a dozen
exceptions. It produces every great nutriment of the world except ban-
anas and rice. It is hardly too much to say that it is the most productive
spot known to civilization. With the soil full of bread and the earth full
of minerals ; with an upper surface of food and an under layer of fuel ;
with perfect natural drainage, and abundant springs and streams and
navigable rivers ; half way between the forests of the North and the fruits
of the South ; within a day's ride of the great deposits of iron, coal, cop-
per, lead, and zinc ; containing and controlling the great grain, cattle,
pork, and lumber markets of the world, it is not strange that Illinois has
the advantage of position.

This advantage has been supplemented by the character of the popu-
lation. In the early days when Illinois was first admitted to the Union,
her population were cliiefly from Kentucky and Virginia. But, in the
conflict of ideas concerning slavery, a strong tide of emigration came in
from the East, and soon changed this composition. In 1870 her non-
native population were from colder soils. New York furnished 133,290 ;
Ohio gave 162,623; Pennsylvania sent on 98,352; the entire South gave
us only 206,734. In all her cities, and in all her German and Scandina-
vian and other foreign colonies, Illinois has only about one-fifth of her
people of foreign birth.

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. IQl

PROGRESS OF DEVELOPMENT.

One of the greatest elements in the early development of Illinois is
the Illinois and Michigan Canal, connecting the Illinois and Mississippi
Rivers with the lakes. It was of the utmost importance to the State.
It was recommended by Gov. Bond, the first governor, in his first message.
In 1821, the Legislature appropriated $10,000 for surveying the route.
Two bright young engineers surveyed it, and estimated the cost at
1600,000 or $700,000. It finally cost $8,000,000. In 1825, a law was
passed to incorporate the Canal Company, but no stock was sold. In
1826, upon the solicitation of Cook, Congress gave 800,000 acres of land
on the line of the work. In 1828, another law — commissioners appointed,
and work commenced with new survey and new estimates. In 183-1—35,
George Farquhar made an able report on the whole matter. This was,
doubtless, the ablest report ever made to a western legislature, and it
became the model for subsequent reports and action. From this the
work went on till it was finished in 1818. It cost the State a large
amount of money; but it gave to the industries of the State an impetus
that pushed it up into the first rank of greatness. It was not built as a
speculation any more than a doctor is employed on a speculation. But
it has paid into the Treasary of the State an average annual net sum of
over $111,000.

Pending the construction of the canal, the land and town-lot fever
broke out in the State, in 1884-35. It took on the malignant type in
Chicago, lifting the town up into a city. The disease spread over the
entire State and adjoining States. It was epidemic. It cut up men's
farms without regard to locality, aiid Jut up the purses of the purchasers
without regard to consequences. It is estimated that building lots enough
were sold in Indiana alone to accommodate every citizen then in the
United States.

Towns and cities were exported to the Eastern market by the ship-
load. There was no lack of buyers. Every up-ship came freighted with
speculators and their money.

This distemper seized upon the Legislaiure in 1836-37, and left not
one to tell the tale. They enacted a system of internal improvement
without a parallel in the grandeur of its conception. They ordered the
construction of 1,300 miles of railroad, crossing the State in all direc-
tions. This was surpassed by the river and canal improvements.
There were a few counties not touched by eith^r railroad or river or
canal, and those were to be comforted and compensated by the free dis-
tribution of $200,000 among them. To inflate this balloon beyond cre-
dence it was ordered that work should be commenced on both ejids of

102 HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

each of these railroads and rivers, and at each river-crossing, all at the
same time. The approj^riations for these vast improvements were over
812,000,000, and commissioners were appointed to borrow the money on
the credit of the State. Remember that all this was in the early days of
railroading, when railroads were luxuries ; that the State had whole
counties with scarcely a cabin ; and that tlie population of the State was
less than 400,000, and you can form some idea of the vigor with which
these brave men undertook the work of making a great State. In the
light of history I am compelled to say that this was only a premature
throb of the power that actually slumbered in the soil of the State. It
was Hercules in the cradle.

At this juncture the State Bank loaned its funds largely to Godfre}^
Gilman & Co., and to other leading houses, for the purpose of drawing
trade from St. Louis to Alton. Soon they failed, and took down the
bank with tliem.

In 1840, all hope seemed gone. A population of 480,000 were loaded
with a debt of $14,000,000. It had only six small cities, really only
towns, namely : Chicago, Alton, Springfield, Quincy, Galena, Nauvoo.
This debt was to be cared for when there was not a dollar in the treas-
ury, and when the State had borrowed itself out of all credit, and when
there was not good money enough in the hands of all the people to pay
the interest of the debt for a single year. Yet, in the presence of all
these difficulties, the young State steadily refused to repudiate. Gov.
Ford took hold of the problem and solved it, bringing the State through
in triumph.

Having touched lightly upon some of the more distinctive points in
the history of the development of Illinois, let us next briefly consider the

MATERIAL RESOURCES OF THE STATE.

It is a garden four hundred miles long and one hundred and fifty
miles wide. Its soil is chiefly a black sandy loam, from six inches to
sixty feet thick. On the American bottoms it has been cultivated for
one hundred and fifty years without renewal. About the old French
towns it has yielded corn for a century and a half without rest or help.
It produces nearly everything green in the temperate and tropical zones.
She leads all other States in the number of acres actually under plow.
Her products from 25,000,000 of acres are incalculable. Her mineral
wealth is scarcely second to her ai»ricultural power. She has coal, iron,
lead, copper, zinc, many varieties of building stone, fire clay, cuma claj-,
common l)rick clay, sand of all kinds, gravel, mineral paint — every thing
needed for a high civilization. Left to herself, she has the elements of
all greatness. The single item of coal is too vast for an appreciative

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 103

handling in figures. We can handle it in general terms like algebraical
signs, but long before we get up into the millions and billions the human
mind drops down from comprehension to mere symbolic apprehension.

When I tell you that nearly four-fifths of the entire State is under-
laid with a deposit of coal more than forty feet thick on the average (now
estimated, by recent surveys, at seventy feet thick), you can get some
idea of its amount, as you do of the amount of the national debt. There
it is ! 41,000 square miles — one vast mine into which you could put
any of the States ; in which you could bury scores of European and
ancient empires, and have room enough all round to work without know-
ing that they had been sepulchered there.

Put this vast coal-bed down by the other great coal deposits of the
world, and its importance becomes manifest. Great Britain has 12,000
square miles of coal; Spain, 3,000; France, 1,719; Belgium, 578; Illinois
about twice as many square miles as all combined. Virginia has 20,000
square miles ; Pennsylvania, 16,000 ; Ohio, 12,000. Illinois has 41,000
square miles. One-seventh of all the known coal on this continent is in
Illinois.

Could we sell the coal in this single State for one-seventh of one cent
a ton it would pay the national debt. Converted into power, even with
the wastage in our common engines, it would do more work than could
be done by the entire race, beginning at Adam's wedding and working
ten hours a day through all the centuries till the present time, and right
on into the future at the same rate for the next 600,000 years.

Great Britain uses enough mechanical power to-day to give to each
man, woman, and child in the kingdom the help and service of nineteen
untiring servants. No wonder she has leisure and luxuries. No wonder
the home of the common artisan has in it more luxuries than could be
found in the palace of good old King Arthur. Think, if you can conceive
of it, of the vast army of servants that slumber in the soil of Illinois,
impatiently awaiting the call of Genius to come forth to minister to our
comfort.

At the present rate of consumption England's coal supply will be
exhausted in 250 years. When this is gone she must transfer her dominion
either to the Indies, or to British America, which I would not resist ; or
to some other people, which I would regret as a loss to civilization.

COAL IS KING.

At the same rate of consumption (which far exceeds our own) the
deposit of coal in Illinois will last 120,000 years. And her kingdom shall
be an everlasting kingdom.

Let us turn now from this reserve power to the annual products of

104 HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

the State. We shall not be humiliated in this field. Here we strike the
secret of our national credit. Nature provides a market in the constant
appetite of the race. Men must eat, and if we can furnish the provisions
we can command the treasure. All that a man hath will he give for his
Hfe.

According to the last census Illinois produced 30,000,000 of bushels
of wheat. That is more wheat than was raised by any other State in the
Union. She raised In 1875, 130,000,000 of bushels of corn — twice as
much as any other State, and one-sixth of all the corn raised in the United
States. She harvested 2,747,000 tons of hay, nearl}^ one-tenth of all the
hay in the Republic. It is not generally appreciated, but it is true, that
the hay crop of the country is worth more than the cotton crop. The
hay of Illinois equals the cotton of Louisiana. Go to Charleston, S. C,
and see them peddling handfuls of hay or grass, almost as a curiosity,
as we regard Chinese gods or the cryolite of Greenland ; drink your
coffee and condeyised milk ; and walk back from the coast for many a
league through the sand and burs till you get up into the better atmos-
phere of the mountains, without seeing a waving meadow or a grazing
herd ; then you will begin to appreciate the meadows of the Prairie State,
where the grass often grows sixteen feet high.

The value of her farm implements is $211,000,000, and the value of
her live stock is only second to the great State of New York. in 1875
she had 25,000,000 hogs, and packed 2,113,845, about one-half of all that
were packed in the United States. This is no insignificant item. Pork
is a growing demand of the old world. Since the laborers of Europe,
have gotten a taste of our bacon, and we have learned how to pack it dry
in boxes, like dr}'^ goods, the world has become the market.

The hog is on the march into the future. His nose is ordained to
uncover the secrets of dominion, and his feet shall be guided by the star
of empire.

Illinois marketed $57,000,000 worth of slaughtered animals — more
than any other State, and a seventh of all the States.

Be patient with me, and pardon my pride, and I will give you a list
of some of the things in which Illinois excels all other States.

Depth and richness of soil ; per cent, of good ground ; acres of
improved land ; large farms — some farms contain from 40,000 to 60,000
acres of cultivated land, 40,000 acres of corn on a single farm ; number of
farmers ; amount of wheat, corn, oats and honey produced ; value of ani-
mals for slaughter; numljer of hogs; amount of pork; number of horses
— three times as many as Kentucky, the horse State.

Illinois excels all other States in miles of railroads and in miles of
postal service, and in money orders sold per annum, and in the amount of
lumVjer sold in licr markets.

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 105

Illinois is only second in many important matters. This sample list
comprises a few of the more important : Permanent school fund (good
for a young state) ; total income for educational purposes ; number of pub-
lishers of books, maps, papers, etc.; value of farm products and imple-
ments, and of live stock ; in tons of coal mined.

The shipping of Illinois is only second to New York. Out of one
port during the business hours of the season of navigation she sends forth
a vessel every ten minutes. This does not include canal boats, which go
one every five minutes. No wonder she is only second in number of
bankers and brokers or in physicians and surgeons.

She is third in colleges, teachers and schools; cattle, lead, hay,
flax, sorghum and beeswax.

She is fourth in population, a'u children enrolled in public schools, in
law schools, in butter, potatoes and carriages.

She is fifth in value of real and personal property, in theological
seminaries and colleges exclusively for women, in milk sold, and in boots
and shoes manufactured, and in book-binding.

She is only seventh in the production of wood, while she is the
twelfth in area. Surely that is well done for the Prairie State. She now
has much more wood and growing timber than she had thirty years ago.

A few leading industries will justify emphasis. She manufactures
$205,000,000 worth of goods, which places her well up toward New York
and Pennsylvania. The number of her manufacturing establishments
increased from 1860 to 1870, 300 per cent.; capital employed increased 350
per cent,, and the amount of product increased 400 per cent. She issued
5,500,000 copies of commercial and financial newspapers — only second to
New York. She has 6,759 miles of railroad, thus leading all other States,
worth $636,458,000, using 3,245 engines, and 67,712 cars, making a train
long enough to cover one-tenth of the entire roads of the State. Her
stations are only five miles apart. She carried last year 15,795,000 passen-
gers, an average of 36|^ miles, or equal to taking her entire population twice
across the State. More than two-thirds of her land is within five miles of
a railroad, and less than two per cent, is more than fifteen miles away.

The State has a large financial interest in the Illinois Central railroad.
The road was incorporated in 1850, and the State gave each alternate sec-
tion for six miles on each side, and doubled the price of the remaining
land, so keeping herself good. The road received 2,595,000 acres of land,
and pays to the State one-seventh of the gross receipts. The State
receives this year 1350,000, and has received in all about $7,000,000. It
is practically the people's road, and it has a most able and gentlemanly
management. Add to this the annual receipts from the canal, $111,000,
and a large per cent, of the State tax is provided for.

106 mSTOKY OF THE STATE OF ILLlNOiS.

THE RELIGION AND MORALS

of the State keep step with her productions and growth. She was born
of the missionary spirit. It was a minister who secured for her the ordi-
nance of 1787, by which she has been saved from slavery, ignorance, and
dishonesty. Rev. Mr. Wiley, pastor of a Scotch congregation in Randolph
County, petitioned the Constitutional Convention of 1818 to recognize
Jesus Christ as king, and the Scriptures as the only necessary guide and
book of law. The convention did not act in the case, and the old Cove-
nanters refused to accept citizenship. They never voted until 1824, when
the slavery question was submitted to the people; then they all voted
against it and cast the determining votes. Conscience has predominated
whenever a great moral question has been submitted to the people.

But little mob violence has ever been felt in the State. In 1817
regulators disposed of a band of horse-thieves that infested the territory.
The Mormon indignities finally awoke the same spirit. Alton was also
the scene of a pro-slavery mob, in which Lovejoy was added to the list of
martyrs. The moral sense of the people makes the law supreme, and gives
to the State unruffled peace.

With $22,300,000 in church property, and 4,298 church organizations,
the State has that divine police, the sleepless patrol of moral ideas, that
alone is able to secure perfect safety. Conscience takes the knife from
the assassin's hand and the bludgeon from the grasp of the highwayman.
We sleep in safety, not because we are behind bolts and bars — these only
fence against the innocent ; not because a lone officer drowses on a distant
corner of a street; not because a sheriff may call his posse from a remote
part of the county ; but because conscience guards the very portals of the
air and stirs in the deepest recesses of the public mind. This spirit issues
within the State 9,500,000 copies of religious papers annually, and receives
still more from without. Thus the crime of the State is only one-fourth
that of New York and one-half that of Pennsjdvania.

Illinois never had but one duel between her own citizens. In Belle-
ville, in 1820, Alphonso Stewart and William Bennett arranged to vindi-
cate injured honor. The seconds agreed to make it a sham, and make
them shoot blanks. Stewart was in the secret. Bennett mistrusted some-
thing, and, unobserved, slip})ed a bullet into his gun and killed Stewart.
He then fled the State. After two years he was caught, tried, convicted,
and, in spite of friends and political aid, was hung. This fixed the code
of honor on a Christian basis, and terminated its use in Illinois.

The early preachers were ignorant men, who were accounted eloquent
according to the strength of their voices. But they set the style for all
public speakers. Lawyers and political speakers followed this rule. Gov.

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, 107

Ford says: "Nevertheless, these first preachers were of incalculable
benefit to the country. They inculcated justice and morality. To them
are we indebted for the first Christian character of the Protestant portion
of the people."

In education Illinois surpasses her material resources. Tlie ordinance
of 1787 consecrated one thirty-sixth of her soil to common schools, and
the law of 1818, the first law that went upon her statutes, gave three per
cent, of all the rest to

EDUCATION.

The old compact secures this interest forever, and by its yoking
morality and intelligence it precludes the legal interference with the Bible
in the public schools. With such a start it is natural that we should have
11,050 schools, and that our illiteracy should be less than New York or
Pennsylvania, and only about one-half of Massachusetts. We are not to
blame for not having more than one-half as many idiots as the great
States. These public schools soon made colleges inevitable. The first
college, still flourishing, was started in Lebanon in 1828, by the M. E.
church, and named after Bishop McKendree. Illinois College, at Jackson-
ville, supported by the Presbyterians, followed in 1830. In 1832 the Bap-
tists built Shurtleff College, at Alton. Then the Presbyterians built Knox
College, at Galesburg, in 1838, and the Episcopalians built Jubilee College,
at Peoria, in 1847. After these early years colleges have rained down,
A settler could hardly encamp on the prairie but a college would spring
up by his wagon. The State now has one very well endowed and equipped
university, namely, the Northwestern University, at Evanston, with six
colleges, ninety instructors, over 1,000 students, and $1,500,000 endow-
ment.

Rev. J. M. Peck was the first educated Protestant minister in tne
State. He settled at Rock Spring, in St. Clair County, 1820, and left his
impress on the State. Before 1837 only party papers were published, but
Mr. Peck published a Gazetteer of Illinois. Soon after John Russell, of
Bluffdale, published essays and tales showing genius. Judge James Hall
published The Illinois Monthly Magazine with great ability, and an annual
called The Western Souvenir^ which gave him an enviable fame all over the
United States. From these beginnings Illinois has gone on till she has
more volumes in public libaaries even than Massachusetts, and of the
44,500,000 volumes in all the public libraries of the United States, she
has one-thirteenth. In newspapers she stands fourth. Her increase is
marvelous. In 1850 she issued 5,000,000 copies; in 1860, 27,590,000 ; in
1870, 113,140,000. In 1860 she had eighteen colleges and seminaries ; in
1870 she had eighty. That is a grand advance for the war decade.

This brings us to a record unsurpassed in the history of any age,

108 HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

THE WAR RECORD OF ILLINOIS.

I hardly know where to begin, or how to advance, or what to say. 1
can at best give you only a broken synopsis of her deeds, and you must
put them in the order of glory for yourself. Her sons have always been
foremost on fields of danger. In 1832-33, at the call of Gov. Reynolds,
her sons drove Blackhawk over the Mississippi.

When the Mexican war came, in May, 1846, 8,370 men offered them-
selves when only 3,720 could be accepted. The fields of Buena Vista and
Vera Cruz, and the storming of Cerro Gordo, will carry the glory of Illinois
soldiers along after the infamy of the cause they served has been forgotten.
But it was reserved till our day for her sons to find a field and cause and
foemen that could fitly illustrate their spirit and heroism. Illinois put
into her own regiments for the United States government 256,000 men,
and into the army through other States enough to swell the number to
290,000. This far exceeds all the soldiers of the federal government in
all the war of the revolution. Her total years of service were over 600,000.
She enrolled men from eighteen to forty -five 3'ears of age when the law
of Congress in 1864 — the test time — only asked for those from twenty to
forty-five. Her enrollment was otherwise excessive. Her people wanted
to go, and did not take the pains to correct the enrollment. Thus the
basis of fixing the quota was too great, and then the quota itself, at least
in the trying time, was far above any other State.

Thus the demand on some counties, as Monroe, for example, took every
able-bodied man in the county, and then did not have enough to fill the
quota. Moreover, Illinois sent 20,844 men for ninety or one hundred days,
foi- whom no credit was asked. When Mr. Lincoln's attention was called
to the inequality of the quota compared with other States, he replied,
*' The country needs the sacrifice. We must put the whip on the free
horse." In spite of all these disadvantages Illinois gave to the country
73,000 years of service above all calls. With one-thirteenth of the popu-
lation of the loyal States, she sent regularly one-tenth of all the soldiers,
and in the jjeril of the closing calls, when patriots were few and weary,
yhe then sent one-eighth of all that were called for by her loved and hon-
ored son in the white house. Her mothers and daughters went into the
fields to raise the grain and keep the children together, while the fathers
and older sons went to the harvest fields of the world. I knew a father
and four sons who agreed that one of them must stay at home ; and they
pulled straws from a stack to see who might go. The father was left.
The next day he came into the camp, saying : " Mother says she can get
tlie crops in, and I am going, too." I know large Methodist churches
from which every male member went to the army. Do you want to know

HISTOEY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 109

what these heroes from Illinois did in the field ? Ask any soldier with a
good record of his own, who is thus able to judge, and he will tell you
that the Illinois men went in to win. It is common history that the greater
victories were won in the West. When everything else looked dark Illi-
nois was gaining victories all down the river, and dividing the confederacy.
Sherman took with him on his great march forty-live regiments of Illinois
infantry, three companies of artillery, and one company of cavalry. He
could not avoid

GOING TO THE SEA.

If he had been killed, I doubt not the men would have gone right on.
Lincoln answered all rumors of Sherman's defeat with, " It is impossible ;
there is a mighty sight of fight in 100,000 Western men." Illinois soldiers
brought home 300 battle-flags. The first United States flag that floated
over Richmond was an Illinois flag. She sent messengers and nurses to
every field and hospital, to care for her sick and wounded sons. She said,
*• These suffering ones are my sons, and I will care for them."

When individuals had given all, then cities and towns came forward
with their credit to the extent of many millions, to aid these men and
their families.

Illinois gave the country the great general of the war — Ulysses S.
Grant — since honored with two terms of the Presidency of the United
States.

One other name from Illinois comes up in all minds, embalmed in all
hearts, that must have the supreme place in this story of our glory and
of our nation's honor ; that name is Abraham Lincoln, of Illinois.

The analysis of Mr. Lincoln's character is difficult on account of its
symmetry.

In this age we look with admiration at his uncompromising honesty.
And well we may, for this saved us. Thousands throughout the length
and breadth of our country who knew him only as " Honest Old Abe,"
voted for him on that account ; and wisely did they choose, for no other
man could have carried us through the fearful night of the war. When
his plans were too vast for our comprehension, and his faith in the cause
too sublime for our participation ; when it was all night about us, and all
dread before us, and all sad and desolate behind us ; when not one ray
shone upon our cause ; when traitors were haughty and exultant at the
South, and fierce and blasphemous at the North ; when the loyal men heie
seemed almost in the minority ; when the stoutest heart quailed, the bravest
cheek paled ; when generals were defeating each other for place, and
contractors were leeching out the very heart's blood of the prostrate
republic : when every thing else had failed us, y\e looked at this calm,
patient man standing like a rock in the storm, and said : " Mr. I^incoln

110 HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.'

is honest, and we can trust him still." Holding to this single point with
the energy of faith and despair we held together, and, under God, he
brought us through to victory.

His practical wisdom made him the wonder of all lands. With such
certainty did Mr. Lincoln follow causes to their ultimate effects, that his
foresight of contingencies seemed almost prophetic.

He is radiant with all the great virtues, and his memory shall shed a
glory upon this age that shall fill the eyes of men as they look into his-
tor}^ Other men have excelled him in some point, but, taken at all
points, all in all, he stands head and shoulders above every other man of
6,000 years. An administrator, he saved the nation in the perils of
unparalleled civil war. A statesman, he justified his measures by their
success. A philanthropist, he gave liberty to one race and salvation to
another. A moralist, he bowed from the summit of human power to the
foot of the Cross, and became a Christian. A mediator, he exercised mercy
under the most absolute abeyance to law. A leader, he was no partisan.
A commander, he was untainted with blood. A ruler in desperate times,
he was unsullied with crime. A man, he has left no word of passion, no
thought of malice, no trick of craft, no act of jealousy, no purpose of
selfish ambition. Thus perfected, without a model, and without a peer,
he was droppea into these troubled years to adorn and embellish all that
is good and all that is great in our humanity, and to present to all coming
time the representative of the divine idea of free government.

It is not too much to say that away down in the future, when the
republic has fallen from its niche in the wall of time ; when the great
war itself shall have faded out in the distance like a mist on the horizon ;
when the Anglo-Saxon language shall be spoken only by the tongue of
the stranger ; then the generations looking this way shall see the great
president as the supreme figure in this vortex of historv

CHICAGO.

It is impossible in our brief space to give more than a meager sketch
of such a city as Chicago, which is in itself the greatest marvel of the
Prairie State. This mysterious, majestic, mighty city, born first of water,
and next of fire; sown in weakness, and raised in power; planted among
the willows of the marsh, and crowned with the glory of the mountains ;
sleeping on the bosom of the prairie, and rocked on the bosom of the sea ,
the youngest city of the world, and still the eye of the prairie, as Damas-
cus, the oldest city of the world, is the eye of the desert. With a com-
merce far exceeding that of Corinth on her isthmus, in the highway to
the East; with the defenses of a continent piled around her by the thou-
sand miles, making her far safer than Rome on the banks of the Tiber ;

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. ill

with schools eclipsing Alexandria and Athens ; with liberties more con-
spicuous than those of the old republics ; with a heroism equal to the first
Curtilage, and with a sanctity scarcely second to that of Jerusalem — set
your thoughts on all this, lifted into the eyes of all men by the miracle of
its growth, illuminated by the flame of its fall, and transfigured by the
divinity of its resurrection, and you will feel, as I do, the utter impossi-
bility of compassing this subject as it deserves. Some impression of her
importance is received from the shock her burning gave to the civilized
world.

When the doubt of her calamity was removed, and the horrid fact
was accepted, there went a shudder over all cities, and a quiver over all
lands. There was scarcely a town in the civilized world that did not
shake on the brink of this opening chasm. The flames of our homes red-
dened all skies. The city was set upon a hill, and could not be hid. Ali
eyes were turned upon it. To have struggled and suffered amid the
scenes of its fall is as distinguishing as to have fought at Thermopylae, or
Salamis, or Hastings, or Waterloo, or Bunker Hill.

Its calamity amazed the world, because it was felt to be the common
property of mankind.

The early history of the city is full of interest, just as the early his-
tory of such a man as Washington or Lincoln becomes public property,
and is cherished by every patriot.

Starting with 560 acres in 1833, it embraced and occupied 23,000
acres in 1869, and, having now a population of more than 500,000, it com-
mands general attention.

The first settler — Jean Baptiste Pointe au Sable, a mulatto from the
West Indies — came and began trade with the Indians in 1796. John
Kinzie became his successor in 180-1, in which year Fort Dearborn was
erected.

A mere trading-post was kept here from that time till about the time
of the Blackhawk war, in 1832. It was not the city. It was merely a
cock crowing at midnight. The morning was not yet. In 1833 the set-
tlement about the fort was incorporated as a town. The voters were
divided on the propriety of such corporation, twelve voting for it and one
against it. Four years later it was incorporated as a city, and embraced
660 acres.

The produce handled in this city is an indication of its power. Grain
and flour were imported from the East till as late as 1837. The first
exportation by way of experiment was in 1839. Exports exceeded imports
first in 1842. The Board of Trade was organized in 1848, but it was so
weak that it needed nursing till 1855. Grain was purchased by the
wagon-load in the street.

I remember sitting with my father on a load of wheat, in the long

112 HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

line of wagons along Lake street, while the buyers came and untied the
bags, and examined the grain, and made their bids. That manner of
business had to cease with the day of small things. Now our elevators
will hold 15,000,000 bushels of grain. The cash value of the produce
handled in a year is 1215,000,000, and the produce weighs 7,000,000
tons or 700,000 car loads. This handles thirteen and a half ton each
minute, all the year round. One tenth of all the wheat in the United
States is handled in Chicago. Even as long ago as 1853 the receipts of
grain in Chicago exceeded those of the goodly city of St. Louis, and in
1854 the exports of grain from Chicago exceeded those of New York and
doubled those of St. Petersburg, Archangel, or Odessa, the largest grain
markets in Europe.

The manufacturing interests of the city are not contemptible. In
1873 manufactories employed 45,000 operatives ; in 1876, 60,000. The
manufactured product in 1875 was worth $177,000,000.

No estimate of the size and power of Chicago would be adequate
that did not put large emphasis on the railroads. Before they came
thundering along our streets canals were the hope of our country. But
who ever thinks now of traveling by canal packets ? In June, 1852,
there Avere only forty miles of railroad connected with the city. The
old Galena division of the Northwestern ran out to Elgin. But now,
who can count the trains and measure the roads that seek a terminus or
connection in this city ? The lake stretches away to the north, gathering
in to this center all the harvests that might otherwise pass to the north
of us. If you will take a map and look at the adjustment of railroads,
you will see, first, that Chicago is the great railroad center of the world,
as New York is the commercial city of this continent ; and, second, that
the railroad lines form the iron spokes of a great wheel whose hub is
this city. The lake furnishes the only break in the spokes, and this
seems simply to have pushed a few spokes together on each shore. See
the eighteen trunk lines, exclusive of eastern connections.

Pass round the circle, and view their numbers and extent. There
is the great Northwestern, with all its branches, one branch creeping
along the lake shore, and so reaching to the north, into the Lake Superior
regions, away to the right, and on to the Northern Pacific on the left,
swinging around Green Bay for iron and copper and silver, twelve months
in the year, and reaching out for the wealth of the great agricultural
belt and isothermal line traversed by the Northern Pacific. Another
branch, not so far north, feeling for the heart of the Badger State.
Anotiier pushing lower down the Mississippi — all these make many con-
nections, and tapping all the vast wheat regions of Minnesota, Wisconsin,
Iowa, and all the regions this side of sunset. There is that elegant road,
the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy, running out a goodly number of

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 113

branches, and reaping the great fields this side of the Missouri River.
I can only mention the Chicago, Alton & St. Louis, our Illinois Central,
described elsewhere, and the Chicago & Rock Island. Further around
we come to the lines connecting us with all the eastern cities. The
Chicago, Indianapolis & St. Louis, the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne &
Chicago, the Lake Shore & Michigan Southern, and the Michigan Cen-
tral and Great Western, give us many highways to the seaboard. Thus we
reach the Mississippi at five points, from St. Paul to Cairo and the Gulf
itself by two routes. We also reach Cincinnati and Baltimore, and Pitts-
burgh and Philadelphia, and New York. North and south run the water
courses of the lakes and the rivers, broken just enough at this point to
make a pass. Through this, from east to west, run the long lines that
stretch from ocean to ocean.

This is the neck of the glass, and the golden sands of commerce
must pass into our hands. Altogether we have more than 10,000 miles
of railroad, directly tributary to this city, seeking to unload their wealth
in our coffers. All these roads have come themselves by the infallible
instinct of capital. Not a dollar was ever given by the city to secure
one of them, and only a small per cent, of stock taken originally by her
citizens, and that taken simply as an investment. Coming in the natural
order of events, they will not be easily diverted.

There is still another showing to all this. The connection between
New York and San Francisco is by the middle route. This passes inevit-
ablv through Chicago. St. Louis wants the Southern Pacific or Kansas
Pacific, and pushes it out through Denver, and so on up to Cheyenne.
But before the road is fairly under way, the Chicago roads shove out to
Kansas City, making even the Kansas Pacific a feeder, and actually leav-
ing St. Louis out in the cold. It is not too much to expect that Dakota,
Montana, and Washington Territory will find their great market in Chi-

cago.

But these are not all. Perhaps I had better notice here the ten or
fifteen new roads that have just entered, or are just entering, our city.
Their names are all that is necessary to give. Chicago & St. Paul, look-
ing up the Red River country to the British possessions ; the Chicago,
Atlantic & Pacific ; the Chicago, Decatur & State Line; the Baltimore &
Ohio; the Chicago, Danville & Vincennes; the Chicago & LaSalle Rail-
road ; the Chicago, Pittsburgh & Cincinnati ; the Chicago and Canada
Southern ; the Chicago and Illinois River Railroad. These, with their
connections, and with the new connections of the old roads, already in
process of erection, give to Chicago not less than 10,000 miles of new
tributaries from the richest land on the continent. Thus there will be
added to the reserve power, to the capital within reach of this city, not
less than $1,000,000,000.

11-1 HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

Add to all this transporting power the ships that sail one every nine
minutes of the business hours of the season of navigation ; add, also, the
canal boats that leave one every five minutes during the same time — and
you will see something of the business of the city.

THE COMMERCE OF THIS CITY

has been leaping along to keep pace with the growth of the country
around us. In 1852, our commerce reached the hopeful sum of
§!20,000,000. In 1870 it reached -$100,000,000. In 1871 it was pushed
up above $150,000,000. And in 1875 it touched nearly double that.

One-half of our imported goods come directly to Chicago. Grain
enough is exported directly from our docks to the old world to employ a
semi-weekly line of steamers of 3,000 tons capacity. This branch is
not likely to be greatly developed. Even after the great Welland Canal
is completed we shall have only fourteen feet of water. The great ocean
vessels will continue to control the trade.

The banking capital of Chicago is $21,431,000. Total exchange in
1875, .$659,000,000. Her wholesale business in 1875 was $291,000,000.
The rate of taxes is less than in au}^ other great city.

The schools of Chicago are unsurpassed in America. Out of a popu-
lation of 300,000 there were only 186 persons between the ages of six
and twenty-one unable to read. This is the best known record.

In 1831 the mail system was condensed into a half-breed, who went
on foot to Niles, Mich., once in two weeks, and brought back what papers
and news he could find. As late as 1846 there was often only one mail
a week. A post-office was established in Chicago in 1833, and the post-
master nailed up old boot-legs on one side of his shop to serve as boxes
for the nabobs and literary men.

It is an interesting fact in the growth of the young city that in the
active life of the business men of that day the mail matter has grown to
a daily average of over 6,500 pounds. It speaks equally well for the
intelligence of the people and the commercial importance of the place,
that the mail matter distributed to the territory immediately tributary to
Chicago is seven times greater than that distributed to the territory
immediately tributary to St. Louis.

The improvements that have characterized the city are as startling
as the city itself. In 1831, Mark Beaubien established a ferry over the
river, and put himself under b(jnds to carry all the citizens free for the
privilege of charging strangers. Now there are twenty-four large bridges
and two tunnels.

In 1833 the government expended $30,000 on the harbor. Then
commenced that series of manoeuvers with the river that has made it one

*' ■ an I mni/veR TR

BEUEFLOWER TP

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 115

of the world's curiosities. It used to wind around in the lower end of
the town, and make its way rippling over the sand into the lake at the
foot of Madison street. They took it up and put it down where it now
is. It was a narrow stream, so narrow that even moderately small crafts
had to go up through the willows and cat's tails to the point near Lake
street bridge, and back up one of the branches to get room enough in
which to turn around.

In 1844 the quagmires in the streets were first pontooned by plank
roads, which acted in wet weather as public squirt-guns. Keeping you
out of the mud, they compromised by squirting the mud over you. The
wooden-block pavements came to Chicago in 1857. In 1840 water was
delivered by peddlers in carts or by hand. Then a twenty-five horse-
power engine pushed it through hollow or bored logs along the streets
till 1854, when it was introduced into the houses by new works. The
first fire-engine was used in 1835, and the first steam fire-engine in 1859.
Gas was utilized for lighting the city in 1850. The Young Men's Chris-
tian Association was organized in 1858, and horse railroads carried them
to their work in 1859. The museum was opened in 1863. The alarm
telegraph adopted in 1864. The opera-house built in 1865. The city
grew from 560 acres in 1833 to 23,000 in 1869. In 1834, the taxes
amounted to $48.90, and the trustees of the town borrowed $60 more for
opening and improving streets. In 1835, the legislature authorized a loan
of $2,000, and the treasurer and street commissioners resigned rather than
plunge the town into such a gulf.

Now the city embraces 36 square miles of territory, and has 30 miles
of water front, besides the outside harbor of refuge, of 400 acres, inclosed
by a crib sea-wall. One-third of the city has been raised up an average
of eight feet, giving good pitch to the 263 miles of sewerage. The water
of the city is above all competition. It is received through two tunnels
extending to a crib in the lake two miles from shore. The closest analy-
sis fails to detect any impurities, and, received 35 feet below the surface,
it is always clear and cold. The first tunnel is five feet two inches in
diameter and two miles long, and can deliver 50,000,000 of gallons per
day. The second tunnel is seven feet in diameter and six miles long,
running four miles under the city, and can deliver 100,000,000 of gal-
ions per day. This water is distributed through 410 miles of water-
mains.

The three grand engineering exploits of the city are : First, lifting
the city up on jack-screws, whole squares at a time, without interrupting
the business, thus giving us good drainage ; second, running the tunnels
under the lake, giving us the best water in the world ; and third, the
turning the current of the river in its own channel, delivering us from the
old abominations, and making decency possible. They redound about

116 HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

equally to the credit of the engineering, to the energy of the people, and
to the healtli of the city.

That which really constitutes the city, its indescribable spirit, its soul,
the way it lights up in every feature in the hour of action, has not been
touched. In meeting strangers, one is often surprised how some homely
^vomen marry so well. Their forms are bad, their gait uneven and awk-
ward, their complexion is dull*, their features are misshapen and mismatch-
ed, and when we see them there is no beauty that we should desire them.
But when once they are aroused on some subject, they put on new pro-
portions. They light up into great power. The real person comes out
from its unseemly ambush, and captures us at will. They have power.
They have ability to cause things to come to pass. We no longer wonder
why they are in such high demand. So it is with our city.

There is no grand scenery except the two seas, one of water, the
other of prairie. Nevertheless, there is a spirit about it, a push, a breadth,
a power, that soon makes it a place never to be forsaken. One soon
ceases to believe in impossibilities. Balaams are the only prophets that are
disappointed. The bottom that has been on the point of falling out has
been there so long that it has grown fast. It can not fall out. It has all
the capital of the world itching to get inside the corporation.

The two great laws that govern the growth and size of cities are,
first, the amount of territory for which they are the distributing and
receiving points ; second, the number of medium or moderate dealers that
do this distributing. Monopolists build up themselves, not the cities.
They neither eat, wear, nor live in proportion to their business. Both
these laws help Chicago.

The tide of trade is eastward — not up or down the map, but across
the map. The lake runs up a wingdam for 500 miles to gather in the
business. Commerce can not ferry up there for seven months in the year,
and the facilities for seven months can do the work for twelve. Then the
great region west of us is nearly all good, productive land. Dropping
south into the trail of St. Louis, you fall into vast deserts and rocky dis-
tricts, useful in holding the world together. St. Louis and Cincinnati,
instead of rivaling and hurting Chicago, are her greatest sureties of
dominion. They are far enough away to give sea-room, — farther off than
Paris is from London, — and yet they are near enough to prevent the
springing up of any other great city between them.

St. Louis will be helped by the opening of the Mississippi, but also
hurt. That will put New Orleans on her feet, and with a railroad running
over into Texas and so West, she will tap the streams that now crawl up
the Texas and Missouri road. The current is East, not North, and a sea-
port at New Orleans can not permanently help St. Louis.

Chicago is in the field almost alone, to handle the wealth of one-

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 117

fourth of the territory of this great republic. This strip of seacoast
divides its margins between Portland, Boston, New York, Philadelphia,
Baltimore and Savannah, or some other great port to be created for the
South in the next decade. But Chicago has a dozen empires casting their
treasures into her lap. On a bed of coal that can run all the machinery
of the world for 500 centuries ; in a garden that can feed the race by the
thousand years ; at the head of the lakes that give her a temperature as a
summer resort equaled by no great city in the land ; with a climate that
insures the health of her citizens ; surrounded by all the great deposits
of natural wealth in mines aud forests and herds, Chicago is the wonder
of to-day, and will be the city of the future.

MASSACRE AT FORT DEARBORN.

During the war of 1812, Fort Dearborn became the theater of stirring
events. The garrison consisted of fifty-four men under command of
Captain Nathan Heald, assisted by Lieutenant Helm (son-in-law of Mrs.
Kinzie) and Ensign Ronan. Dr. Voorhees was surgeon. The only resi-
dents at the post at that time were the wives of Captain Heald and Lieu-
tenant Helm, and a few of the soldiers, Mr. Kinzie and his family, and
a few Canadian voyageurs, with their wives and children. The soldiers
and Mr. Kinzie were on most friendly terms with the Pottawattamies
and Winnebagos, the principal tribes around them, but they could not
win them from their attachment to the British.

One evening in April, 1812, Mr. Kinzie sat playing on his violin and
his children were dancing to the music, when Mrs. Kinzie came rushing
into the house, pale with terror, and exclaiming : " The Indians ! the
Indians!" "What? Where?" eagerly inquired Mr. Kinzie. "Up
at Lee's, killing and scalping," answered the frightened mother, who,
when the alarm was given, was attending Mrs. Barnes (just confined)
living not far off. Mr. Kinzie and his family crossed the river and took
refuge in the fort, to which place Mrs. Barnes and her infant not a day
old were safely conveyed. The rest of the inhabitants took shelter in the
fort. This alarm was caused by a scalping party of Winnebagos, who
hovered about the fort several days, when they disappeared, and for several
weeks the inhabitants were undisturbed.

On the 7th of August, 1812, General Hull, at Detroit, sent orders to
Captain Heald to evacuate Fort Dearborn, and to distribute all the United
States property to the Indians in the neighborhood — a most insane order.
The Pottawattamie chief, who brought the dispatch, had more wisdom
than the commanding general. He advised Captain Heald not to make
the distribution. Said he : " Leave the fort and stores as they are, and
let the Indians make distribution for themselves ; and while they are
engaged in the business, the white people may escape to Fort Wayne."

118 HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLIXOIS.

Captain Heald held a council with the Indians on the afternoon or
the 12th, in which his officers refused to join, for they had been informed
that treachery was designed — that the Indians intended to murder the
white people in the council, and then destro}^ those in the fort. Captain
Heald, however, took the precaution to open a port-hole displaying a
cannon pointing directly upon the council, and by that means saved
his life.

Mr. Kinzie, who knew the Indians well, begged Captain Heald not
to confide in their promises, nor distribute the arms and munitions among
them, for it would only put power into their hands to destroy the whites.
Acting upon this advice, Heald resolved to withhold the munitions of
war ; and on the night of the 13th, after the distribution of the other
property had been made, the powder, ball and liquors were thrown into
the river, the muskets broken up and destroyed.

Black Partridge, a friendly chief, came to Captain Heald, and said :
" Linden birds have been singing in my ears to-day: be careful on the
march you are going to take." On that dark night vigilant Indians had
crept near the fort and discovered the destruction of their promised booty
going on within. The next morning the powder was seen floating on the
surface of the river. The savages were exasperated and made loud com-
plaints and threats.

On the following day when preparations were making to leave the
fort, and all the inmates were deeply impressed with a sense of impend-
ing danger, Capt. Wells, an uncle of Mrs. Heald, was discovered upon
the Indian trail among the sand-hills on the borders of the lake, not far
distant, with a band of mounted Miamis, of whose tribe he was chief,
having been adopted by the famous Miami warrior. Little Turtle. When
news of Hull's surrender reached Fort Wayne, he hall started with this
force to assist Heald in defending Fort Dearborn. He was too late.
Every means for its defense had been destroyed the night before, and
arrangements were made for leaving the fort on the morning of the 15th.

It was a warm bright morning in the middle of August. Indications
were positive that the savages intended to murder the white people ; and
when they moved out of the southern gate of the fort, the march was
like a funeral procession. The band, feeling the solemnity of the occa-
sion, struck up the Dead March in Saul.

Capt. Wells, who had blackened his face with gun-powder in token
of his fate, took the lead with his band of Miamis, followed by Capt.
Heald, with his wife by his side on horseback. Mr. Kinzie hoped by his
personal influence to avert the impending blow, and therefore accompanied
them, leaving his family in a boat in charge of a friendly Indian, to be
taken to his trading station at the site of Niles, Michigan, in the event ol
his death.

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 110

The procession moved slowly along the lake shore till they reached
the sand-hills between the prairie and the beach, when the Pottawattamie
escort, under the leadership of Blackbird, filed to the right, placing those
hills between them and the white people. Wells, with his Miamis, had
kept in the advance. They suddenly came rushing back, Wells exclaim-
ing, " They are about to attack us ; form instantly." These words were
quickly followed by a storm of bullets, which came whistling over the
little hills which the treacherous savages had made the covert for their
murderous attack. The white troops charged upon the Indians, drove
them back to the prairie, and then the battle was waged between fifty-
four soldiers, twelve civilians and three or four women (the cowardly
Miamis having fled at the outset) against five hundred Indian warriors.
The white people, hopeless, resolved to sell their lives as dearly as possible.
Ensign Ronan wielded his weapon vigorously, even after falling upon his
knees weak from the loss of blood. Capt. Wells, who was by the side of
his niece, Mrs. Heald, when the conflict began, behaved with the greatest
coolness and courage. He said to her, " We have not the slightest chance
for life. We must part to meet no more in this world. God bless you."
And then he dashed forward. Seeing a young warrior, painted like a
demon, climb into a wagon in which were twelve children, and tomahawk
them all, he cried out, unmindful of his personal danger, " If that is your
game, butchering women and children, I will kill too." He spurred his
horse towards the Indian camp, where they had left their squaws and
papooses, hotly pursued by swift-footed young warriors, who sent bullets
whistling after him. One of these killed his horse and wounded him
severely in the leg. With a yell the young braves rushed to make him
their prisoner ^nd reserve him for torture. He resolved not to be made
a captive, and by the use of the most provoking epithets tried to induce
them to kill him instantly. He called a fiery young chief a squaiv, when
the enraged warrior killed Wells instantly with his tomahawk, jumped
upon his body, cut out his heart, and ate a portion of the warm morsel
with savage delight !

In this fearful combat women bore a conspicuous part. Mrs. Heald
was an excellent equestrian and an expert in the use of the rifle. She
fought the savages bravely, receiving several severe wounds. Though
faint from the loss of blood, vshe managed to keep her saddle. A savage
raised his tomahawk to kill her, when she looked him full in the face,
and with a sweet smile and in a gentle voice said, in his own language,
" Surely you will not kill a squaw ! " The arm of the savage fell, and
the life of the heroic woman was saved.

Mrs. Helm, the step-daughter of Mr. Kinzie, had an encounter with
a stout Indian, who attempted to tomahawk her. Springing to one side,
she received the glancing blow on her shoulder, and at the same instant

120 HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

seized the savage round the neck with her arms and endeavored to get
hokl of his scalping knife, whicli hung in a sheath at his breast. While
she was thus struggling she was dragged from her antagonist by anothei
j)owerful Indian, who bore her, in spite of her struggles, to the margin
of the lake and plunged her in. To her astonishment she was held by
him so that she would not drown, and she soon perceived that she was
in the hands of the friendly Black Partridge, who had saved her life.

The wife of Sergeant Holt, a large and powerful woman, behaved as
bravely as an Amazon. She rode a fine, high-sj)irited horse, which the
Indians coveted, and several of them attacked her with the butts of their
guns, for the purpose of dismounting her ; but she used the sword which
she had snatched from her disabled husband so skillfully that she foiled
them ; and, suddenly wheeling her horse, she dashed over the prairie,
followed by the savages shouting. " The brave woman ! the brave woman !
Don't hurt her ! " They finally overtook her, and while she was fighting
them in front, a powerful savage came up behind her, seized her by the
neck and dragged her to the ground. Horse and woman were made
captives. Mrs. Holt was a long time a captive among the Indians, but
was afterwards ransomed.

In this sharp conflict two-thirds of the white people were slain and
wounded, and all their horses, baggage and provision were lost. Only
twenty-eight straggling men now remained to fight five hundred Indians
rendered furious b}'" the sight of blood. They succeeded in breaking
through the ranks of the murderers and gaining a slight eminence on the
prairie near the Oak Woods. The Indians did not pursue, but gathered
on their flanks, while the chiefs held a consultation on the sand-hills, and
showed signs of willingness to parley. It would have been madness on
the part of the whites to renew the fight ; and so Capt. Heald went for-
ward and met Blackbird on the open prairie, where terms of surrender
were soon agreed upon. It was arranged that the white people should
give up their arms to Blackbird, and that the survivors should become
prisoners of war, to be exchanged for ransoms as soon as practicable.
With this understanding captives and captors started for the Indian
camp near the fort, to which Mrs. Helm had been taken bleeding and
suffering bj' Black Partridge, and had met her step-father and learned
that her husband was safe.

A new scene of horror was now opened at the Indian camp. The
wounded, not being included in the terms of surrender, as it was inter-
preted by the Indians, and the British general. Proctor, having offered a
liJ)eral Ijounty for American scalps, delivered at Maiden, nearly all the
wounded men were killed and scalped, and the price of the trophies was
afterwards paid by the British government.

HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

121

SHABBONA.

[This was engraved from a daguerreotype, taken when Shabbona was 83 years old.]

This celebrated Indian chief, whose portrait appears in this work, deserves
more than a passing notice. Although Shabbona was not so conspicuous as
Tecumseh or Black Hawk, yet in point of merit he was superior to either
of them.

Shabbona was born at an Indian village on the Kankakee River, now in
Will County, about the year 1775. While young he was made chief of the
band, and went to Shabbona Grove, now DeKalb County, where they were
found in the early settlement of the county.

In the war of 1812, Shabbona, with his warriors, joined Tecumseh, was

122 HISTORY OF THE STATE OF n.LTXOlS.

aid to tliut great chief, and stood by liis side when he fell at the battle of
the Thames. At the time of the Winnebago war, in 1827, he visited almost
every village among the Pottawatomies, and by his persuasive arguments
l)revented them from taking part in the Avar. By request of the citizens
of Chicago, Sliabbona, accompanied l)y Billy Caldwell (Sauganash), visited
Big Foot's village at Geneva Lake, in order to pacify the warriors, as fears
were entertained that they were about to raise the tora9.hawk against tlie
whites. Here Shabbona was taken prisoner by Big Foot, and his life
threatened, but on the following day was set at liberty. From that time
the Indians (througli reproach) styled him " the white man's friend,'^
and many limes his life was endangered.

Before the Black Hawk war, Shabbona met in council at two differ-
ent times,-and b}^ his influence prevented his people from taking part with
the Sacs and Foxes. After the death of Black Partridge and Senachwine,
no chief among the Pottawatomies exerted so much influence as Shabbona.
Black Hawk, aware of this influence, visited him at two different times, in
order to enlist him in his cause, but was unsuccessful. While Black Hawk
was a prisoner at Jefferson Barracks, he said, had it not been for Shabbona
the whole Pottawatomie nation would have joined his standard, and he
could have continued the war for years.

To Shabbona many of the early settlers of Illinois owe the pres-
ervation of their lives, for it is a well-known fact, had he not notified the
people of their danger, a large portion of them would have fallen victims
to the tomahawk of savages. By saving the lives of whites he endangered
his own, for the Sacs and Foxes threatened to kill him, and made two
attempts to execute their threats. They killed Pypeogee, his son, and
Pyps, his nephew, and hunted him down as though he was a wild beast.

Shabbona had a reservation of two sections of land at his Grove, but
by leaving it and going west for a short time, the Government declared
the reservation forfeited, and sold it the same as other vacant land. On
Shabbona's return, and finding his possessions gone,. he was very sad and
broken down in spirit, and left the Grove for ever. The citizens of Ottawa
raised money and bought him a tract of land on the Illinois River, above
Seneca, in Grundy County, on which they built a house, and supplied
him with means to live on. He lived here until his death, which occurred
on the 17th of July, 1859, in the eighty-fourth year of his age, and was
buried with great pomp in the cemetery -at Morris. His squaw, Pokanoka,
was drowned in Mazen Creek, Grundy County, on the 30th of November,
1864, and was buried by his side.

In 1861 subscriptions were taken up in many of the river towns, to
erect a monument over the remains of Shabbona, but the war breaking
out, the enterprise was abandoned. Only a plain marble slab marks the
resting-place of this friend of the white man.

Abstract of Illinois State Laws.

BILLS OF EXCHANGE AND PROMISSORY NOTES.

No promissory note, check, draft, hill of exchange, order, or note, nego-
tiable instrument payable at sight, or on demand, or on presentment, shall
be entitled to days of grace. All other bills of exchange, drafts or notes are
entitled to three days of grace. All the above mentioned paper falling
due on Sunday, Netv Years' Day, the Fourth of July, Christmas, or any
day appointed or recommended by the President of the United States or
the Governor of the State as a day of fast or thanksgiving, shall be deemed
as due on the day previous, and should two or more of these days come
together, then such instrument shall be treated as due on the day previous
to the first of said days. No defense can be made against a negotiable
instrument (^assigned before due} in the hands of the assignee without
notice, except fraud was used in obtaining the same. To hold an indorser,
due diligence must be used by suit, in collecting of the maker, unless suit
would have been unavailing. Notes payable to person named or to order,
in order to absolutely tratisfer title, must be indorsed by the payee. Notes
payable to bearer may be transferred by delivery, and when so payable
every indorser thereon is held as a guarantor of payment unless otherwise
expressed.

In computing interest or discount on negotiable instruments, a month
shall be considered a calendar month or tivelfth of a year, and for less
than a month, a day shall be figured a thirtieth part of a month. Notes
only bear interest when so expressed, but after due they draw the legal
interest, even if not stated.

INTEREST.

The legal rate of interest is six per cent. Parties may agree in writ-
ing on a rate not exceeding ten per cent. If a rate of interest greater
than ten per cent, is contracted for, it works a forfeiture of the whole of
said interest, and only the principal can be recovered.

DESCENT.

When no ivill is made, the property of a deceased person is distrib-
uted as follows :

123

124 ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.

First. To his or her children and their descendants in equal parts ;
the descendancs of the deceased child or grandchild taking the share of
their deceased parents in equal parts among them.

Second. Where there is no child, nor descendant of such child, and
no widow or surviving husband, then to the parents, brothers and sisters
of the deceased, and their descendants, in equal parts, the surviving
parent, if either be dead, taking a double portion ; and if there is no
parent living, then to the brothers and sisters of the intestate and their
descendants.

Third. When there is a widow or surviving husband, and no child or
children, or descendants of the same, then one-half of the real estate and
the whole of the personal estate shall descend to such widow or surviving
husband, absolutely, and the other half of the real estate shall descend as
in other cases where there is no child or children or descendants of the
same.

Fourth. When there is a widotv or surviving husband and also a child
or children, or descendants of the latter, then one third of all the personal
estate to the widow or surviving husband absolutely.

Fifth. If there is no child, parent, brother or sister, or descendants of
either of them, and no widow or surviving husband, then in equal parts
to the next of kin to the intestate in equal degree. Collaterals shall not
be represented except with the descendants of brothers and sisters of the
intestate, and there shall be no distinction between kindred of the whole
and the half blood.

Sixth. If any intestate leaves a tvidoiv or surviving husband and no
kindred, then to such tvidow or surviving husband ; and if there is no such
widow or surviving husband, it shall escheat to and vest in the county
where the same, or the greater portion thereof, is situated.

WILLS AND ESTATES OF DECEASED PERSONS.

No exact form of words are necessar}^ in order to make a will good at
law. Every male person of the age of twenft/-one years, and evevy female
of the age of eighteen years, of sound mind and memory, can make a valid
will ; it must be in writing, signed by the testator or by some one in his
or her presence and by his or her direction, and attested by two or more
credible ivitnesses. Care should be taken that the witnesses are not inter-
ested in the will. Persons knowing themselves to have been named in the
will or appointed executor, must within thirty days of the death of
deceased cause the will to be proved and recorded in the proper county,
or present it, and refuse to accept; on failure to do so are liable to forfeit
the sum of tioenty dollars per month. Inventory to be made by executor
or administrator within three months from date of letters testamentary or

ABSTiiACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS. l25

•of administration. Executors' and administrators' compensation not te
exceed six per cent, on amount of personal estate, and three per cent,
on money realized from real estate, with such additional allowance a?
shall be reasonable- for extra services. Appraisers' compensation $2 pei
day.

Notice requiring all claims to be presented against the estate shall b^
given by the executor or administrator within six months of being quali-
fied. Any person having a claim and not presenting it at the time fixed
by said notice is required to have summons issued notifying the executor
or administrator of his having filed his claim in court ; in such cases the
costs have to be paid by the claimant. Claims should be filed within two
years from the time administration is granted on an estate, as after that
time they a,ve forever barred, unless other estate is found that was not in-
ventoried. Married women, infants, persons insane, imprisoned or without
the United States, in the employment of the United States, or of this
State, have two years after their disabilities are removed to file claims.

Claims are classified and paid out of the estate in the following manner :

First. Funeral expenses.

Second. The widow's award, if there is a widow ; or children if there
are children, and no widow.

Third. Expenses attending the last illness, not including physician's
bill.

Fourth. Debts due the common school or township fund .

Fifth. All expenses of proving the tvill and taking out letters testa-
mentarj^ or administration, and settlement of the estate, and the physi-
cian s bill in the last illness of deceased.

Sixth. Where the deceased has received money in trust for any pur-
pose, his executor or administrator shall pay out of his estate the amount
received and not accounted for.

Seventh. All other debts and demands of whatsoever kind, without
regard to quality or dignity, which shall be exhibited to the court within
two years from the granting of letters.

Award to Widow and Children, exclusive of debts and legacies or be-
quests, except funeral expenses :

First. The family pictures and wearing apparel, Jewels and ornaments
of herself and minor children.

Second. School books and the family library of the value of $100.

Third. One sewing machine.

Fourth. Necessary beds, bedsteads and bedding for herself and family.
Fifth. The stoves and ^:>«pe used in the family, with the necessary
booking utensils, or in case they have none, 850 in money.

Sixth. Household and kitchen furniture to the value of $100.

Seventh. One milch cow and calf for every four memhers of her family.

12G ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.

Eighth. Two sheep for each member of her family, and the fleeces
taken from the same, and one horse., saddle and bridle.

Xinth. Provisions for herself and family for one year.

Tenth. Food for the stock above specified for six months.

Eleventh. Fuel for herself and family for three months.

Twelfth. One hundred dollars loorth of other property suited to her
condition in life, to be selected by the widow.

The ividow if she elects may have in lieu of the said award, the same
personal property or money in place thereof as is or may be exempt from
execution or attachment against the head of a family.

TAXES.

The owners of real and personal property, on the first day of May in
each year, are liable for the taxes thereon.

Assessments should be completed before the fourth Monday in June.,
at which time the town board of review meets to examine assessments,
hear objections., and make such changes as ought to be made. The county
board have also power to correct or change assessments.

The tax books are placed in the hands of the town collector on or
before tl e tenth day of December, who retains them until the tenth day
of March following, when he is required to return them to the county
treasurer, who then collects all delinquent taxes.

No costs accrue on real estate taxes till advertised, which takes place
the first day of April, when three weeks' notice is required before judg-
ment. Cost of advertising, twenty cents each tract of land, and ten cents
each lot.

Judgment is usually obtained at May term of County Court. Costs
six cents each tract of land, and five cents each lot. Sale takes place in
June. Costs in addition to those before mentioned, twenty-eight cents
each tract of land, and twenty-seven cents each town lot.

Real estate sold for taxes may be redeemed any time before the expi-
ration of two years from the date of sale, by payment to the County Clerk
of the amount for which it was sold and twenty-five per cent, thereon if
redeemed within six months, fifty per cent, if between six and twelve
months, if between twelve and eighteen months seventy-five per cent.,
and if between eighteen months and two years one hundred per cent.,
and in addition, all subsequent taxes paid by the purchaser, with ten per
cent, interest thereon, also one dollar each tract if notice is given by the
purchaser of the sale, and a fee of twenty-five cents to the clerk for his
certificate.

JURISDICTION OF COURTS.

Justices have jurisdiction in all civil cases on contracts iov the recovery
of moneys for damages for injury to real property., or taking, detaining, or

ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS. 127

injuring personal property ; for rent; for all cases to recover damages done
real or personal property by railroad companies, in actions of replevin, and
in actions for damages for fraud in the sale, purchase, or exchange of per-
gonal property, when the amount claimed as due is not over $200. They
have also jurisdiction in all cases for violation of the ordinances of cities,
towns or villages. A justice of the peace may orally order an officer or a
private person to arrest any one committing or attempting to commit a
criminal offense. He aUo upon complaint can issue his warrant for the
arrest of any person accused of having committed a crime, and have him
brought before him for examination.

COUNTY COURTS

Have jurisdiction in all matters of probate (except in counties having a
population of one hundred thousand or over), settlement of estates of
deceased perso7is, appointment of guardians and conservators, and settle-
ment of their accounts ; all matters relating to apprentices ; proceedings
for the collection of taxes and assessments, and in proceedings of executors,
administrators, guardiaiis and conservators for the sale of real estate. In
law cases they have concurrent jurisdiction with Circuit Courts in all
cases where justices of the peace now have, or hereafter may have,
jurisdiction when the amount claimed shall not exceed $1,000, and in all
criminal offenses where the punishment is not imprisonment in the peni-
tentiary, or death, and in all cases of appeals from justices of the peace
and police magistrates; excepting when the county judge is sitting as a
justice of the peace. Circuit Courts have unlimited jurisdiction.

LIMITATION OF ACTION.

Accounts jive years. Notes and written contracts ten years. Judg-
ments ttventy years. Partial payments or new promise in writing, within
or after said jperiod, will revive the debt. Absence from the State deducted,
and when the cause of action is barred bv the law of another State, it has
the same effect here. Slander and libel, one year. Personal injuries, two
years. To recover land or make entry thereon, tiventy years. Action to
foreclose mortgage or trust deed, or make a sale, 'within ten years.

All persons in possession of land, and paying taxes for seven consecu-
tive years, with color of title, and all persons paying taxes for seven con-
secutive years, with color of title, on vacant land, shall be held to be the
legal owners to the extent of their paper title.

MARRIED WOMEN

May sue and be sued. Husband and tvife not liable for each other'' s debts,
either before or after marriage, but both are liable for expenses and edu-
cation of the family.

128 ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.

She may contract the same as if unmarried, except that in a partner-
ship business she can not, without consent of her husband, unless he has
abandoned or deserted her, or is idiotic or insane, or confined in peniten-
tiary ; she is entitled and can recover her own earnings, but neither hus-
band nor wife is entitled to compensation for any services rendered for the
other. At the death of the husband, in addition to widow's award, a
married woman has a dower interest (one-third) in all real estate owned
by her husband after their marriage, and wliich has not been released by
her, and the husband has the same interest in the real estate of the wife
at her death.

EXEMPTIONS FROM FORCED SALE.

Home ivorth $1,000, and the folloiving Personal Property : Lot of ground
and buildings thereon, occupied as a residence by the debtor, being a house-
holder and having a family, to the value of $1,000. Exemption continues
after the death of the householder for the benefit of widow and family, some
one of them occupying the homestead until youngest child shall become
twenty-one years of age, and until death of ividow. There is no exemption
from sale for taxes, assessments, debt or liability incurred for the purchase
or improvement of said homestead. No release or waiver of exemption is
valid, unless in writing, and subscribed by such householder and wife (if
he have one), and acknowledged as conveyances of real estate are required
to be acknowledged. The following articles of personal property owned
by the debtor, are exempt from execution, writ of attachment, and distress
for rent : The necessary wearing apparel, Bibles, school books and family
pictures of every person ; and, 2d, one hundred dollars worth of other
property to be selected by the debtor, and, in addition, when the debtor
is the head of a family and resides with the same, three hundred dollars
worth of other property to be selected by the debtor ; provided that such
selection and exemption shall not be made by the debtor or allowed to
him or her from any money, salary or wages due him or her from any
person or persons or corporations whatever.

When the head of a family shall die, desert or not reside with the
same, the family shall be entitled to and receive all the benefit and priv-
ileges which are by this act conferred upon the head of a family residing
with the same. No personal property is exempt from execution when
judgment is obtained for the wages of laborers or servants. Wages of a
laborer who is the head of a family can not be garnisheed, except the sum
due him be in excess of $25.

ABSTEACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS. 129

DEEDS AND MORTGAGES.

To he valid there must he a valid consideration. Special care slioiild
be taken to have them signed, sealed, delivered, and properly acknowl-
edged, with the proper seal attached. Witnesses are not required. The
acknoivledgement must be made in this state, before Master in Chancery^
Notary Puhlic, United States Commissioner, Circuit or County Clerk, Justice
of Peace, or any Court of Record having a seal, or any Judge, Justice, or
Clerk of any such Court. When taken before a Notary Public, or United
States Commissioner, the same shall be attested by his official seal, when
taken before a Court or the Clerk thereof, the same shall be attested by
the seal of such Court, and when taken before a Justice of the Peace resid-
ing out of the county where the real estate to be conveyed lies, there shall
be added a certificate of the County Clerk under his seal of office, that he
was a Justice of the Peace in the county at the time of taking the same.
A deed is good without such certificace attached, but can not be used in
evidence unless such a certificate is produced or other competent evidence
introduced. Acknowledgements made out of the state must either be
executed according to the laws of this state, or there should be attached
a certificate that it is in conformity with the laws of the state or country
where executed. Where this is not done the same may be proved by any
other legal way. Acknowledgments where the Homestead rights are to
be waived must state as follows : " Including the release and waiver of
the right of homestead."

Notaries Puhlic can take acknowledgements any where in the state.

Sheriffs, if authorized by the mortgagor of real or personal jDroperty
in his mortgage, may sell the property mortgaged.

In the case of the death of grantor or holder of the equity of redemp-
tion of real estate mortgaged, or conveyed by deed of trust where equity
of redemption is waived, and it contains power of sale, must be foreclosed
in the same manner as a common mortgage in court.

ESTRAYS.

JETorses, mules, asses, neat cattle, swine, sheep, or goats found straying
at any time during the year, in counties where such animals are not allowed
to run at large, or between the last day of October and the 15th day of
April in other counties, the owner thereof being unknown, may be taken up
as estrays.

No person not a householder in the county where estray is found can
lawfully take up an estray, and then only upon or about his farm or place
of residence. Estrays should not be used before advertised, except animals
giving milk, which may be milked for their benefit.

130 ABSTRACT OP ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.

Notices must be posted up within five (5) days in tliree (3) of the
most pubhe places in the town or precinct in which estray was found, giv-
ing the residence of the taker uj), and a particular description of tlie
estray, its age, color, and marks natural and artificial, and stating before
what justice of the peace in such town or precinct, and at what time, not
less than ten (10) nor more than fifteen (15) days from the time of post-
ing such notices, he will apply to have the estray appraised.

A copy of such notice should be filed by the taker up with the town
clerk, whose duty it is to enter the same at large, m a hook kept by him
for that purpose.

If the owner of estray shall not have appeared and proved ownership,
and taken the same away, first paying the taker up his reasonable charges
for taking up, keeping, and advertising the same, the taker up shall apjDear
before the justice of the peace mentioned in above mentioned notice, and
make an affidavit as required by law.

As the affidavit has to be made before the justice, and all other steps as
to appraisement, etc., are before him, who is familiar therewith, they are
therefore omitted here.

Any person taking up an estray at any other place than about or
upon his farm or residence, or ivithout complyi7ig ivith the law, shall forfeit
and pay a fine of ten dollars with costs.

Ordinary diligence is required in taking care of estrays, but in case
they die or get away the taker is not liable for the same.

GAME.

It is unlauful for any person to kill, or attempt to kill or destroy, in
any manner, any prairie hen or chicken or woodcock between the 15th day
of January and the 1st day of September ; or any deer, fawn, wild-turkey,
imrtridge or pheasant between the 1st day of February and the 1st day
of October ; or any quail between the 1st day of February and 1st day of
November ; or any wild goose, duck, snipe, brant or other water fowl
between the 1st day of May and 15th day of August in each year.
Penalty: Fine not less than $5 nor more than $25, for each bird or
animal, and costs of suit, and stand committed to county jail until fine is
l)aid, but not exceeding ten days. It is unlauful to hunt with gun, dog
or net within the inclosed grounds or lands of another without jjermission.
Penalty: Fine not less than $3 nor more than $100, to be paid into
school fund.

WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.

Whenever any of the following articles shall be contracted for, or
sold or delivered, and no special contract or agreement shall be made to
the contrary, the weight per bushel shall be as follows, to-wit :

ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS. 131

Pounds.

Stone Coal,

- 80

Buckwheat, -

- 52

Unslacked Lime,

- 80

Coarse Salt,

- 50

Corn ill the ear,

- 70

Barley, - - -

- 48

"Wiieat, _ = -

- 60

Corn Meal,

- 48

Irish Potatoes,

- 60

Castor Beans,

- 46

Wliite Beans,

- 60

Timothy Seed, -

- 45

Clover Seed, -

- 60

Hemp Seed, -

- 44

Onions, _ = -

- 57

Malt, - - - -

- 38

Shelled Corn,

- 56

Dried Peaches,

- 33

Rye, - - - -

- 56

Oats, - - - -

- 32

Flax Seed,

- 56

Dried Apples,

- 24

Sweet Potatoes, -

- 55

Bran, - - - -

- 20

Turnips,

- 55

Blue Grass Seed, -

- 14

Pine Salt, - - -

- 55

Hair (plastering).

Penalty for giving less than the above standard is double the amount
of property wrongfully not given, and ten dollars addition thereto.

MILLERS.

The owner or occupant of every public grist mill in this state shall
grind all grain brought to his mill in its turn. The toll for both steam
and water mills, is, for grinding and bolting wheats rye, or other grain, one
eighth part; for grinding Indian corn, oats, barley and buckwheat not
required to be bolted, one seventh part; for grinding malt, and chopping all
kinds of grain, one eighth part. It is the duty of every miller when his
mill is in repair, to aid and assist in loading and unloading all grain brought
to him to be ground, and he is also required to keep an accurate half
hushel measure, and an accurate set of toll dishes or scales for weighing
the grain. The penalty for neglect or refusal to comply with the law is
$b, to the use of any person to sue for the same, to be recovered before
any justice of the peace of the county where penalty is incurred. Millers
are accountable for the safe keeping of all grain left in his mill for the
purpose of being ground, with bags or casks containing same (except it
results from unavoidable accidents), provided that such bags or casks are
distinctly marked with the initial letters of the owner's name.

MARKS AND BRANDS.

Owners of cattle, horses, hogs, sheep or goats may have one earmark
and one brand, but which shall be different from his neighbor's, and may
be recorded by the county clerk of the county in which such property is
kept. The/ee for such record is fifteen cents. The record of such shall
be open to examination free of charge. In cases of disputes as to marks
o.v brands, such record is vrima facie evidence. Owners of cattle, horses,
hogs, sheep or goats that may have been branded by the former owner,

132 ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.

may be re-branded in presence of one or more of his neighbors, who shall
certify to the facts of the marking or branding being done, when done,,
and in what brand or mark they were re-branded or re-marked, which
certificate may also be recorded as before stated.

ADOPTION OF CHILDREN.

Children may be adopted by any resident of this state, by filing a
petition in the Circuit or County Court of the county in which he resides,
asking leave to do so, and if desired may ask that the name of the child
be changed. Such petition, if made by a person having a husband or
wife, will not be granted, unless the husband or wife joins therein, as the
adoption must be by them jointly.

The petition shall state name, sex, and age of the child, and the new
name, if it is desired to change the name. Also the name and residence
of the parents of the child, if known, and of the guardian, if any, and
whether the parents or guardians consent to the adoption.

The court must find, before granting decree, that the parents of the
child, or the survivors of them, have deserted his or her family or such
child for one year next preceding the application, or if neither are living,,
the guardian ; if no guardian, the next of kin in this state capable of giving
consent, has had notice of the presentation of the petition and consents,
to such adoption. If the child is of the age of fourteen years or upwards,,
the adoption can not be made without its consent.

SURVEYORS AND SURVEYS.

There is in every county elected a surveyor known as county sur-
veyor, who has power to appoint deputies, for whose official acts he is
responsible. It is the duty of the county surveyor, either by himself or
his deputy, to make all surveys that he may be called upon to make within
his county as soon as may be after application is made. The necessary
chainmen and other assistance must be employed by the person requiring
the same to be done, and to be by him paid, unless otherwise agreed ; but
the chainmen must be disinterested persons and approved by the surveyor
and sworn by him to measure justly and impartially.

The County Board in each county is required by law to provide a copy
of the United States field notes and plats of their surveys of the lands
in the county to be kept in the recorder's office subject to examination
by the public, and the county surveyor is required to make his surveys
in conformity to said notes, plats and the laws of the United States gov-
erning such matters. The surveyor is also required to keep a record
of all surveys made by hiin, which shall be subject to inspection by any
one interested, and shall be delivered up to his successor in office. A.

ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS. 13

certified copy of the said surveyor's record shall be prima facie evidence
of its contents.

The fees of county surveyors are six dollars per day. The county
surveyor is also ex officio inspecto?' of mines, and as such, assisted by some
practical miner selected by him, shall once each year inspect all the
mines in the county, for which they shall each receive such compensa-
tion as may be fixed by the County Board, not exceeding $5 a day, to
be paid out of the county treasury.

ROADS AND BRIDGES.

Where practicable from the nature of the ground, persons traveling
in any kind of vehicle, must turn to the right of the center of the road, so
as to permit each carriage to pass without interfering with each other.
The peyialty for a violation of this provision is $5 for every offense, to
be recovered by the party injured ; but to recover, there must have
occurred some injury to person or property resulting from the violation.
The owners of any carriage traveling upon any road in this State for the
conveyance of passengers who shall employ or continue in his employment
as driver any person who is addicted to drunkenness, or the excessive use of
spiritous liquors, after he has had notice of the same, shall forfeit, at the
rate of $5 per day, and if any driver while actually engaged in driving
any such carriage, shall be guilty of intoxication to such a degree as to
endanger the safety of passengers, it shall be the duty of the owner, on
receiving ivritten notice of the fact, signed by one of the passengers, and
certified by him on oath, forthwith to discharge such driver. If such owner
shall have such driver in his employ within three months after such notice,
he is liable for §5 per day for the time he shall keep said driver in his
employment after receiving such notice.

Persons driving any carriage on any public highway are prohibited
from ru7ining their horses upon any occasion under a penalty of a fine not
exceeding -$10, or imprisonment not exceeding sixty days, at the discre-
tion of the court. Horses attached to any carriage used to convey passen-
gers for hire must be properly hitched or the lines placed in the hands of
some other person before the driver leaves them for au}^ purpose. For
violation of this provision each driver shall forfeit twenty dollars, to be
recovered by action, to be commenced within six months. It is under-
stood by the term carriage herein to mean any carriage or vehicle used
for the transportation of passengers or goods or either of them.

The commissioners of highways in the different tov/ns have the care
and superintendence of highways and bridges therein. They have all
the powers necessary to lay out, vacate, regulate and repair all roads^
build and repair bridges. In addition to the above, it is their duty to
erect and keep in repair at the forks or crossing-placQ of the most

134 ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.

important roads post and guide boards with plain inscriptions, giving
directions and distances to the most noted places to which such road may
lead ; also to make provisions to prevent thistles, burdock, and cockle
burrs, mustard, yellow dock, Indian mallow and jimson weed from
seeding, and to extirpate the same as far as practicable, and to prevent
all rank growth of vegetation on the public highways so far as the same
may obstruct public travel, and it is in their discretion to erect watering
places for public use for watering teams at such points as may be deemed
advisable.

The Commissioners, on or before the 1st day of May of each year,
shall make out and deliver to their treasurer a list of all able-bodied men
in their town, excepting paupers, idiots, lunatics, and such others as are
exempt by law, and assess against each the sum of two dollars as a poll
tax for highway purposes. Within thirty days after such list is delivered
they shall cause a written or printed notice to be given to each person so
assessed, notifying him of the time when and place where such tax must
be paid, or its equivalent in labor performed ; they may contract with
persons owing such poll tax to perform a certain amount of labor on any
road or bridge in payment of the same, and if such tax is not paid nor
labor performed by the first Monday of July of such year, or within ten
days after notice is given after that time, they shall bring suit therefor
against such person before a justice of the peace, who shall hear and
determine the case according to law for the offense complained of, and
shall forthwith issue an execution, directed to any constable of the county
where the delinquent shall reside, who shall forthwith collect the moneys
therein mentioned.

The Commissioners of Highways of each town shall annually ascer-
tain, as near as practicable, how much money must be raised by tax on real
and personal property for the making and repairing of roads, only, to any
amount they may deem necessary, not exceeding forty cents on each one
hundred dollars' worth, as valued on the assessment roll of the previous
year. The tax so levied on property lying within an incorporated village,
town or city, shall be paid over to the corporate authorities of such town,
village or city. Commissioners shall receive $1.50 for each day neces-
sarily employed in the discharge of their duty.

Overseers. At the first meeting the Commissioners shall choose one
of their number to act General Overseer of Highways in their township,
whose duty it shall be to take charge of and safely keep all tools, imple-
ments and machinery belonging to said town, and shall, by the direction
of the Board, have general supervision of all roads and bridges in their
town.

ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS. 135

As all township and county officers are familiar with their duties, it
is only intended to give the points of the law that the public should be
familiar with. The manner of laying out, altering or vacating roads, etc.,
will not be here stated, as it would require more space than is contem-
plated in a work of this kind. It is sufficient to state that, the first step
is by petition, addressed to the Commissioners, setting out what is prayed
for, giving the names of the owners of lands if known, if not known so
state, over which the road is to pass, giving the general course, its place
of beginning, and where it terminates. It requires not less than twelve
freeholders residing within three miles of the road who shall sign the
petition. Public roads must not be less than fifty feet wide, nor more
than sixty feet wide. Roads not exceeding two miles in length, if peti-
tioned for, may be laid out, not less than forty feet. Private roads
for private and public use, may be laid out of the width of three rods, on
petition of the person directly interested ; the damage occasioned thereby
shall be paid by the premises benefited thereby, and before the road is
opened. If not opened in two years, the order shall be considered
rescinded. Commissioners in their discretion may permit persons who
live on or have private roads, to work out their road tax thereon. Public
roads must be opened in five days from date of filing order of location,
or be deemed vacated.

DRAINAGE.

Whenever one or more owners or occupants of land desire to construct
I drain or ditch across the land of others for agricultural, sanitary or
miniyig purposes, the proceedings are as follows :

File a petition in the Circuit or County Court of the county in which
the proposed ditch or drain is to be constructed, setting forth the neces-
sity for the same, with a description of its proposed starting point, route
and terminus, and if it shall be necessary for the drainage of the land or
coal mines or for sanitary purposes, that a drain, ditch, levee or similar
work be constructed, a description of the same. It shall also set forth
the names of all persons owning the land over which such drain or ditch
shall be constructed, or if unknown stating that fact.

No private property shall be taken or damaged for the purpose of
constructing a ditch, drain or levee, without compensation, if claimed by
the owner, the same to be ascertained by a jury ; but if the construction
of such ditch, drain or levee shall be a benefit to the owner, the same
shall be a set off against such compensation.

If the proceedings seek to affect the property of a minor, lunatic or
married woman, the guardian, conservator or husband of the same shall
be made party defendant. The petition may be amended and parties
made defendants at any time when it is necessary to a fair trial.

136 ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.

"When the petition is presented to the judge, he shall note therein
when he will hear the same, and order the issuance of summonses and
the publication of notice to each non-resident or unknown defendant.

The petition may be heard by such judge in vacation as well as in
term time. Upon the trial, the jury shall ascertain the just compensation
to each owner of the property sought to be damaged by the construction
of such ditch, drain or levee, and truly report the same.

As it is only contemplated in a work of this kind to give an abstract
of the laws, and as the parties who have in charge the execution of the
further proceedings are likely to be familiar with the requirements of the
statute, the necessary details are not here inserted.

WOLF SCALPS.

The County Board of any county in this State may hereafter alliiW
such bounty on icolf scalps as the board may deem reasonable.

Any person claiming, a bounty shall produce the scalp or scalps with
the ears thereon, within sixty days after the wolf or wolves shall have
been caught, to the Clerk of the County Board, who shall administer to
said person the following oath or affirmation, to-wit: "You do solemnly
swear (or affirm, as the case may be), that the scalp or scalps here pro-
duced by you was taken from a wolf or wolves killed and first captured
by yourself within the limits of this county, and within the sixty days
last past."

CONVEYANCES.

When the reversion expectant on a lease of any tenements or here-
ditaments of any tenure shall be surrendered or merged, the estate which
shall for the time being confer as against the tenant under the same lease
the next vested right to the same tenements or hereditaments, shall, to
the extent and for the purpose of preserving such incidents to and obli-
gations on the same reversion, as but for the surrender or merger thereof,
would have subsisted, be deemed the reversion expectant on the same
lease.

PAUPERS.

Every poor person who shall be unable to earn a livelihood in conse-
quence of any bodily infirmity^ idiocy^ lunacy or unavoidable cause^ shall
be supported by the father, grand-father, mother, grand-mother, children,
grand-children, brothers or sisters of such poor person, if they or either
of them be of sufficient ability; but if any of such dependent class shall
\ have become so from intemperance or other bad conduct^ they shall not be
entitled to support from any relation except parent or child.

ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS. 137

The children shall first be called on to support their parents, if they
are able ; but if not, the parents of such poor person shall then be called
on, if of sufficient ability ; and if there be no parents or children able,
then the brothers and sisters of such dependent person shall be called
upon ; and if there be no brothers or sisters of sufficient ability, the
grand-children of such person shall next be called on ; and if they are
not able, then the grand-parents. Married females, while their husbands
live, shall not be liable to contribute for the support of their poor relations
except out of their separate property. It is the duty of the state's
(county) attorney, to make complaint to the County Court of his county
against all the relatives of such paupers in this state liable to his support
and prosecute the same. In case the state's attorney neglects, or refuses, to
complain in such cases, then it is the duty of the overseer of the' poor to
do so. The person called upon to contribute shall have at least ten days'
notice of such application by summons. The court has the power to
determine the kind of support, depending upon the circumstances of the
parties, and may also order two or more of the different degrees to main-
tain such poor person, and prescribe the proportion of each, according to
their ability. The court may specify the time for which the relative shall
contribute — in fact has control over the entire subject matter, with power
to enforce its orders. Every county (except those in which the poor are
supported by the towns, and in such cases the towns are liable) is required
to relieve and support all poor and indigent persons Imvfully resident
therein. Residence means the actual residence of the party, or the place
where he was employed ; or in case he was in no employment, then it
shall be the place where he made his home. When any person becomes
chargeable as a pauper in any county or town who did not reside at the
commencement of six months immediately preceding his becoming so,
but did at that time reside in some other county or town in this state,
then the county or town, as the case may be, becomes liable for the expense
of taking care of such f)erson until removed, and it is the duty of the
overseer to notify the proper authorities of the fact. If any person shall
bring and leave any pauper in any county in this state where such pauper
had no legal residence, knowing him to be such, he is liable to a fine of
ilOO. In counties under township organization, the supervisors in each
town are ex-officio overseers of the poor. The overseers of the poor act
under the directions of the County Board in taking care of the poor and
granting of temporary relief; also, providing for non-resident persons not
paupers who may be taken sick and not able to pay their way, and in case
of death cause such person to be decently buried.

The residence of the inmates of poorhouses and other charitable
institutions for voting purposes is their former place of abode.

138 ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.

FENCES.

In counties under township organization, the toivn assessor and com-
missioner of highways are the fence-viewers in their respective towns.
In other counties the County Board appoints three in eacli precinct annu-
ally. A Imcful fence is four and one-lialf feet liigli^ in good repair, con-
sisting of rails, timber, boards, stone, hedges, or whatever the fence-
viewers of the town or precinct where the same shall lie, shall consider
equivalent thereto, but in counties under township organization the annual
town meeting may establish any other kind of fence as such, or the County
Board in other counties may do the same. Division fences shall be made
and maint;rined in just proportion by the adjoining owners, except when
the owner shall choose to let his land lie open, but after a division fence is
built by agreement or otherwise, neither party can remove his part of such
fence so long as he may crop or use such land for farm purposes, or without
giving the other party one year's notice in writing of his intention to remove
his portion. When any person shall enclose his land upon the enclosure
of another, he shall refund the owner of the adjoining lands a just pro-
portion of the value at that time of such fence. The value of fence and
the just proportion to be paid or built and maintained by each is to be
ascertained by two fence-viewers in the town or precinct. Such fence-
viewers have power to settle all disputes between different owners as to
fences built or to be built, as well as to repairs to be made. Each party
chooses one of the viewers, but if the other party neglects, after eight
days" notice in writing, to make his choice, then the other party may
select both. It is sufficient to notify the tenant or party in possession^
when the owner is not a resident of the town or precinct. The two
fence-viewers chosen, after viewing the premises, shall hear the state-
ments of the parties , in case they can't agree, they shall select another
fence-viewer to act with them, and the decision of any two of them is
final. The decision must be reduced to writing, and should plainly set
out description of fence and all matters settled by them, and must be
filed in the office of the town clerk in counties under township organiza-
tion, and in other counties with the county clerk.

Where any person is liable to contribute to the erection or the
repairing of a division fence, neglects or refuses so to do, the party
injured, after giving sixty days notice in writing when a fence is to be
erected, or ten days when it is only repairs, may proceed to have the
work done at the expense of the party whose duty it is to do it, to be
recovered from him with costs of suit, and the party so neglecting shall
also be liable to the party injured for all damages accruing from such
neglect or refusal, to be determined by any two fence-viewers selected
as before provided, the ap])raisement to be reduced to writing and signed.

ABSTEACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS. 139

Where a person shall conclude to remove his part of a division fence,
and let his land lie open, and having given the year's notice required, the
adjoining owner may cause the value of said fence to be ascertained by
fence-vi^wers as before provided, and on payment or tender of the
amount of such valuation to the owner, it shall prevent the removal, A
party removing a division fence without notice is liable for the damages^
accruing thereby.

Where a fence has been built on the land of another through mis-
take, the owner may enter upon such premises and remove his fence and
material within oix months after the division line has been ascertained.
Where the material to build such a fence has been taken from the land
on which it was built, then before it can be removed, the person claiming
must first pay for such material to the owner of the land from which it
was taken, nor shall such a fence be removed at a time when the removal
will throw open or expose the crops of the other party ; a reasonable
time must be given beyond the .six months to remove crops.

The compensation of fence-viewers is one dollar and fifty cents a
day each, to be paid in the first instance by the party calling them, but
in the end all expenses, mcluding amount charged by the fence-viewers,
must be paid equally by the parties, except in cases where a party neglects
or refuses to make or maintain a just proportion of a division fence, when
the party in default shall pay them.

DAMAGES FROM TRESPASS.

Where stock of any kind breaks into any person's enclosure, the
fence being good and sufficient, the owner is liable for the damage done ;
but where the damage is done by stock mnning at large, contrary to law,
the owner is liable where thti^re is not such a fence. Where stock is
found trespassing on the enclosure of another as aforesaid, the owner oi
occupier of the premises may take possession of such stock and keep the
same until damages, with reasonable charges for keeping and feeding and
all costs of suit, are paid. Any person taking or rescuing such stock so
held without his consent, shall be liable to a fine of not less than three
nor more than five dollars for each animal rescued, to be recovered by
suit before a justice of the peace for the use of the school fund. Within
twenty-four hours after taking such animal into his possession, the per-
son taking it up must give notice of the fact to the owner, if known, or
if unknown, notices must be posted in some public place near the premises.

LANDLORD AND TENANT.

The owner of lands, or his legal representatives, can sue for and
recover rent therefor, in any of the following cases :

First, When rent is due and in arrears on a lease for life or lives.

140 ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.

Second. When lands are held and occupied by an}- person without
any siDecial agreement for rent.

Third. When possession is obtained under an agreement, written
or verbal, for the purchase of the j^remises and before deed given, the
right to possession is terminated by forfeiture on con-compliance with the
agreement, and possession is wrongfully refused or neglected to be giver
upon demand made in writing by the party entitled thereto. Provided
that all payments made by the vendee or his representatives or assigns,
may be set off against the rent.

Fourth. When land has been sold upon a judgment or a decree of
court, Avhen the party to such judgment or decree, or person holding under
him, wrongfully refuses, or neglects, to surrender possession of the same,
after demand in writing by the person entitled to the possession.

Fifth. When the lands have been sold upon a mortgage or trust
deed, and the mortgagor or grantor or person holding under him, wrong-
fully refuses or neglects to surrender possession of the same, after demand
in writing by the person entitled to the possession.

If any tenant, or any person who shall come into possession from or
under or by collusion with such tenant, shall willfully hold over any lands,
etc., after the expiration the term of their lease, and after demand made
•in writing for the possession thereof, is liable to pay double rent. A
tenancy from 5^ear to year requires sixty days notice in writing, to termi-
nate the same at the end of the year ; such notice can be given at any
time within four months preceding the last sixty days of the year.

A tenancy by the month, or less than a year, where the tenant holds
over without any sj)ecial agreement, the landlord may terminate the
tenanc}^ by thirty days notice in writing.

When rent is due, the landlord may serve a notice upon the tenant,
stating that unless the rent is paid within not less than five days, his lease
will be terminated ; if the rent is not paid, the landlord may consider the
lease ended. When default is made in any of the terms of a lease, it
shall not be necessary to give more than ten days notice to quit or of the
termination of such tenancy ; and the same may be terminated on giving
such notice to quit, at any time after such default in any of the terms of
such lease ; which notice may be substantially in the following form, viz:

To , You are hereby notified that, in consequence of your default

in (^here insert the character of the default), of the premises now occupied
by you, being etc. (here describe the premises), I have elected to deter-
mine your lease, and you are hereby notified to quit and deliver up pos-
session of the same to me witliin ten days of this date (dated, etc.)

The above to be signed by the lessor or his agent, and no other notice
or demand of possession or termination of such tenancy is necessary.

Demand may be made, or notice served, by delivering a written or

ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS. 141

pnnted, or partly either, copy thereof to the tenant, or leaving the same
with some person above the age of twelve years residing on or in posses-
sion of the premises ; and in case no one is in the actual possession of the
said premises, then by posting the same on the premises. When the
tenancy is for a certain time, and the term expires by the terms of the
lease, the tenant is then bound to surrender possession, and no notice
to quit or demand of possession is necessar3\

Distress for rent. — In all cases of distress for rent, the landlord, by
himself, his agent or attorney, may seize for rent any personal property of
his tenant that may be found in the county where the tenant resides ; the
property of any other person, even if found on the premises, is not
liable.

An inventory of the property levied upon, with a statement of the
amount of rent claimed, should be at once filed with some justice of the
peace, if not over $200 ; and if above that sum, with the clerk of a court
of record of competent jurisdiction. Property may be released, by the
party executing a satisfactory bond for double the amount.

The landlord may distrain for rent, any time within six months after
the expiration of the term of the lease, or when terminated.

In all cases where the premises rented shall be sub-let, or the lease
assigned, the landlord shall have the same right to enforce lien against
such lessee or assignee, that he has against the tenant to whom the pre-
mises were rented.

When a tenant abandons or removes from the premises or any part
thereof, the landlord, or his agent or attorney, may seize upon any grain
or other crops grown or growing upon the premises, or part thereof so
abandoned, whether the rent is due or not. If such grain, or other crops,
or any part thereof, is not fully grown or matured, the landlord, or his
agent or attorney, shall cause the same to be properly cultivated, harvested
or gathered, and may sell the same, and from the proceeds pay all his
labor, expenses and rent. The tenant may, before the sale of such pro-
perty, redeem the same by tendering the rent and reasonable compensation
for work done, or he may replevy the same.

Exemption. — The same articles of personal property which are bylaw
exempt from execution, except the crops as above stated, is also exempt
from distress for rent.

If any tenant is about to or shall permit or attempt to sell and
remove from the premises, without the consent of his landlord, such
portion of the crops raised thereon as will endanger the lien of the land-
lord upon such crops, for the rent, it shall be lawful for the landlord to
distress before rent is due.

142 ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.

LIENS.

Any person who shall by contract, express or implied, or partly both^
with the owner of anv lot or tract of land, furnish labor or material, or-
services as an architect or superintendent, in building, altering, repairing
or ornamenting any house or other building or appurtenance thereto on
such lot, or upon any street or alley, and connected with such improve'
ments, shall have a lien upon the whole of such lot or tract of land, an(i
upon such house or building and appurtenances, for the amount due to
him for such labor, material or services. If the contract is expressed, and
the time for the completion of the work is beyond three years from the com-
mencement thereof; or, if the time of payment is beyond one year from
the time stipulated for the completion of the work, then no lien exists.
If the contract is implied, then no lien exists, unless the work be done or
material is furnished within one year from the commencement of the work
or delivery of the materials. As between different creditors having liens,
no preference is given to the one whose contract was first made ; but each
shares pro-rata. Incumbrances existing on the lot or tract of the land at
the time the contract is made, do not operate on the improvements, and
are only preferred to the extent of the value of the land at the time of
making the contract. The above lien can not be enforced unless suit is
commenced within six months after the last payment for labor or materials
shall have become due and payable. Sub-contractors, mechanics, workmen
and other persons furnishing any material, or performing any labor for a
contractor as before specified, have a lien to the extent of the amount due
the contractor at the time the following notice is served upon the owner
of the land who made the contract:

To , You are hereby notified, that I have been employed by

(here state whether to labor or furnish material, and substantially the
nature of the demand) upon your (here state in general terms description
and situation of building), and that I shall hold the (building, or as the
case may be), and your interest in the ground, liable for the amount that

may (is or may become) due me on account thereof. Signature,

Date,

If there is a contract in writing between contractor and sub-contractor»
a copy of it should be served with above notice, and said notice must be
served within forty days from the completion of such sub-contract, if there
is one ; if not, then from the time payment should have been made to the
person performing the labor or furnishing the material. If the owner is
not a resident of the county, or can not be found therein, then the above
notice must be filed with the clerk of the Circuit Court, with his fee, fifty
cents, and a copy of said notice must be published in a newspaper pub-
lished in the county, for four successive weeks.

ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS. 143

When the owner or agent is notified as above, he can retain any
money due the contractor sufficient to pay such claim ; if more than one
claim, and not enough to pay all, they are to be paid pro rata.

The owner has the right to demand in writing, a statement of the
contractor, of what he owes for labor, etc., from time to time as the work
13rogresses, and on his failure to comply, forfeits to the owner $50 for
every offense.

The liens referred to cover any and all estates, whether in fee for
life, for years, or any other interest which the owner may have.

To enforce the lien of sub-contractors, suit must be commenced within
three months from the time of the performance of the sub-contract, or
during the work or furnishing materials.

Hotel, inn and boarding-house keepers, have a lien upon the baggage .
and other valuables of their guests or boarders, brought into such hotel,
inn or boarding-house, by their guests or boarders, for the proper charges
due from such guests or boarders for their accommodation, board and
lodgings, and such extras as are furnished at their request.

Stable-keepers and other persons have a lien upon the horses, car-
riages and harness kept by them, for the proper charges due for the keep-
ing thereof and expenses bestowed thereon at the request of the owner
or the person having the possession of the same.

Agisters (persons who take care of cattle belonging to others), and
persons keeping, yarding, feeding or pasturing domestic animals, shall
have a lien upon the animals agistered, kept, yarded or fed, for the proper
charges due for such service.

All persons who may furnish any railroad corporation in this state
with fuel, ties, material, supplies or any other article or thing necessary
for the construction, maintenance, operation or repair of its road by con-
tract, or may perform work or labor on the same, is entitled to be paid as
part of the current expenses of the road, and have a lien upon all its pro-
perty. Sub-contractors or laborers have also a lien. The conditions and
limitations both as to contractors and sub-contractors, are about the same
as herein stated as to general liens.

DEFINITION OF COMMERCIAL TERMS.

$ means dollars, being a contraction of U. S., which was formerly

placed before any denomination of money, and meant, as it means now,
United States Currency.

£ means pounds, English money.

@ stands for at or to. lb iov pound, and bbl. for barrel; '^ for joer or
by the. Thus, Butter sells at 20® 30c f lb, and Flour at $8@12 f bbl.

% for per cent and # for number.

May 1. — Wheat sells at |)1.20@1.25, "seller June." Seller June

144 ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.

means that the person -who sells the wheat has the privilege of delivering
it at anv time durinor the month of June.

Selling shorty is contracting to deliver a certain amount of grain or
stock, at a fixed price, within a certain length of time, when the seller
has not the stock on hand. It is for the interest of the person selling
"short," to depress the market as much as possible, in order that he may
buy and fill his contract at a profit. Hence the " shorts " are termed
" bears."

Buying long, is to contract to purchase a certain amount of grain or
shares of stock at a fixed price, deliverable within a stipulated time,
expecting to make a profit by the rise of prices. The "longs" are
termed "bulls," as it is for their interest to "operate" so as to "toss"
the prices upward as much as possible.

NOTES.

Form of note is legal, worded in the simplest way, so that the
amount and time of payment are mentioned.

$100. Chicago, 111., Sept. 15, 1876.

Sixty days from date I promise to pay to E. F. Brown^
or order, One Hundred dollars, for value received.

L. D. LowKY.
A note to be payable in any thing else than money needs only the
facts substituted for money in the above form.

ORDERS.

Orders should be worded simply, thus :

Mr. F. H. Coats: Chicago, Sept. 15, 1876.

Please pay to H. Birdsall, Twenty-five dollars, and charge to

F. D. SiLVA.

RECEIPTS.

Receipts should always state when received and what for, tlius :

$100. Chicago, Sept. 15, 1876.

Received of J. W. Davis, One Hundred dollars, for services
rendered in grading his lot in Fort Madison, on account.

Thomas Brady.
If receipt is in full it should be so stated.

BILLS OF PURCHASE.

W. N. Mason, Salem, Illinois, Sept. 15, 1876.

Bought of A. A. Graham.
4 Bushels of Seed Wheat, at $1.50 - . . . |6.00

2 Seamless Sacks " .30 - - .60

Received payment, ' $6.60

A. A. Graham.

ABSTRACT OF ILLESTOIS STATE LAWS. 145

ARTICLES OF AGREEMENT.

An agreement is where one party promises to another to do a certain
thing in a certain time for a stipulated sum. Good business men always
reduce an agreement to writing, which nearly always saves misunder-
standings and trouble. No particular form is necessary, but the facts must
be clearly and explicitly stated, and there must, to make it valid, be a
reasonable consideration.

GENERAL FORM OF AGREEMENT.

This Agreement, made the Second day of October, 1876, between
John Jones, of Aurora, County of Kane, State of Illinois, of the first part,
and Thomas Whiteside, of the same place, of the second part —

WITNESSETH, that the said John Jones, in consideration of the agree-
ment of the party of the second part, hereinafter contained, contracts and
agrees to and with the said Thomas Whiteside, that he will deliver, in
good and marketable condition, at the Village of Batavia, 111., during the
month of November, of this year. One Hundred Tons of Prairie Hay, in
the following lots, and at the following specified times ; namely, twenty-
five tons by the seventh of November, twenty-five tons additional by the
fourteenth of the month, twenty-five tons more by the twenty -first, and
the entire one hundred tons to be all delivered by the thirtieth of
November.

And the said Thomas Whiteside, in consideration of the prompt
fulfillment of this contract, on the part of the party of the first part,
contracts to and agrees with the said John Jones, to pay for said hay five
dollars per ton, for each ton as soon as delivered.

In case of failure of agreement by either of the parties hereto, it i&
hereby stipulated and agreed that the party so failing shall pa}^ to the
other. One Hundred Dollars, as fixed and settled damages.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands the day and
year first above written. John Jones,

Thomas Whiteside.

AGREEMENT WITH CLERK FOR SERVICES.

This Agreement, made the first day of May, one thousand eight
hundred and seventy-six, between Reuben Stone, of Chicago, County
of Cook, State of Illinois, party of the first part, and George Barclay, of
Englewood, County of Cook, State of Illinois, party of the second part —

WITNESSETH, that said George Barclay agrees faithfully and dili-
gently to work as clerk and salesman for the said Reuben Stone, for
and during the space of one year from the date hereof, should both
live such length of time, without absenting himself from his occupation;

14 G ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.

during which time he, the said Barclay, in the store of said Stone, of
Chicago, will carefully and honestly attend, doing and performing all
duties as clerk and salesman aforesaid, in accordance and in all respects
as directed and desired by the said Stone.

In consideration of which services, so ,to be rendered by the said
Barclay, the said Stone agrees to pay to said Barclay the annual sum of
one thousand dollars, payable in twelve equal monthly payments, each
upon the last day of each month ; provided that all dues for days of
absence from business by said Barclay, shall be deducted from the sum
otherwise by the agreement due and payable by the said Stone to the said
Barclay.

Witness our hands. Reuben Stone.

George Barclay.

BILLS OF SALE.

A bill of sale is a written agreement to another party, for a consider-
ation to convey his right and interest in the personal property. The
purchaser must take actual possession of the property. Juries have
power to determine upon the fairness or unfairness of a bill of sale.

COMMON FORM OF BILL OF SALE.

Know all Men by this instrument, that I, Louis Clay, of Princeton,
Illinois, of the first part, for and in consideration of Five Hundred
and Ten dollars, to me paid by John Floyd, of the same place, of the
second part, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, have sold, and
by this instrument do convey unto the said Floyd, party of the second
part, his executors, administrators, and assigns, my undivided half of
ten acres of corn, now growing on the farm of Thomas Tyrrell, in the
town above mentioned ; one pair of horses, sixteen sheep, and five cows,
belonging to me, and in my possession at the farm aforesaid ; to have and
to hold the same unto the party of the second j^art, his executors and
assigns, forever. And I do, for myself and legal representatives, agree
with the said party of the second part, and his legal representatives, to
warrant and defend the sale of the afore-mentioned property and chattels
unto the said party of the second part, and his legal representatives,
against all and every person whatsoever.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my hand, this tenth day
of Octoljer, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-six.

Louis Clay.
BONDS.

A bond is a written admission on the part of the maker in which he
pledges a certain sum to another, at a certain time.

ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS. 147

COMMON FORM OF BOND.

Know all Men by this instrument, that I, George Edgerton, of
Watseka, Iroquois Countjs State of Illinois, am firmly bound unto Peter
Kirchofi", of the place aforesaid, in the sum of five hundred dollars, to be
paid to the said Peter Kirchoff, or his legal representatives ; to which
payment, to be made, I bind myself, or my legal representatives, by this
instrument.

Sealed with my seal, and dated this second day of November, one
thousand eight hundred and sixty-four.

The condition of this bond is such that if I, George Edgerton, my
heirs, administrators, or executors, shall promptly pay the sum of two
hundred and fifty dollars in three equal annual pa^yments from the date
hereof, with annual interest, then the above obligation to be of no effect ;
otherwise to be in full force and valid.
Sealed and delivered in

presence of George Edgerton. [l.s.]

William Turner.

CHATTEL MORTGAGES.

A chattel mortgage is a mortgage on personal property for payment
of a certain sum of money, to hold the property against debts of other
creditors. The mortgage must describe the property, and must be
acknowledged before a justice of the peace in the township or precinct
where the mortgagee resides, and entered upon his docket, and must be
recorded in the recorder's office of the county.

GENERAL FORM OF CHATTEL MORTGAGE.

This Indenture, made and entered into this first day of January,
in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy-five,
between Theodore Lottinville, of the town of Genesee in the County
of Henry, and State of Illinois, party of the first part, and Paul Henshaw,
of the same town, county, and State, part}^ of the second part.

Witnes^eth, that the said party of the first part, for and in consider-
ation of the sum of one thousand dollars, in hand paid, the receipt whereof
is hereby acknowledged, does hereby grant, sell, convey, and confirm unto
the said party of the second part, his heirs and assigns forever, all and
singular the following described goods and chattels, to wit :

Two three-year old roan-colored horses, one Burdett organ. No. 987,
one Brussels carpet, 15x20 feet in size, one marble-top center table, one
Home Comfort cooking stove. No. 8, one black walnut bureau with mirror
attached, one set of parlor chairs (six in number), upholstered in green
rep, with lounge corresponding with same in style and color of upholstery,
now in possession of said Lottinville, at No. 4 Prairie Ave., Geneseo, 111.;

148 ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.

Together with all and singular, the appurtenances thereunto \)elong-
ing, or in any wise appertaining ; to have and to hold the above described
goods and chattels, unto the said party of the second part, his heirs and
assigns, forever.

Provided, always, and these presents are upon this express condition,
that if the said Theodore Lottinville, his heii's, executors, administrators,
or assigns, shall, on or before the first day of Januar}^ A.D., one thousand
eight hundred and seventy-six, pay, or cause to be paid, to the said Paul
Ranslow, or his lawful attorney or attorneys, heirs, executors, adminis-
trators, or assigns, the sum of One Thousand dollars, together with the
interest that may accrue thereon, at the rate of ten per cent, per annum,
from the first day of January, A.D. one thousand eight hundred and
seventy-five, until paid, according to the tenor of one promissory note
bearing even date herewith for the payment of said sum of money, that
then and from thenceforth, these presents, and everything herein con-
tained, shall cease, and be null and void, anything herein contained to the
contrary notwithstanding.

Provided, also, that the said Theodore Lottinville may retain the
possession of and have the use of said goods and chattels until the day
of payment aforesaid ; and also, at his own expense, shall keep said goods
and chattels; and also at the expiration of said time of payment, if said
sura of money, together with the interest as aforesaid, shall not be paid,
shall deliver up said goods and chattels, in good condition, to said Paul
lianslow, or his heirs, executors, administrators, or assigns.

And provided, also, that if default in payment as aforesaid, by said
party of the first part, shall be made, or if said party of the second part
shall at any time before said promissory note becomes due, feel himself
unsafe or insecure, that then the said party of the second part, or his
attorney, agent, assigns, or heirs, executors, or administrators, shall have
the right to take possession of said goods and chattels, wherever they
may or can be found, and sell the same at public or private sale, to the
highest bidder for cash in hand, after giving ten days' notice of the time
and place of said sale, together with a description of the goods and chat-
tels to be sold, by at least four advertisements, posted up in public places
in the vicinity where said sale is to take place, and proceed to make the
sum of money and interest promised as aforesaid, together with all reason-
able costs, charges, and expenses in so doing ; and if there shall be any
overplus, shall pay the same without delay to the said party of the first
part, or his legal representatives.

In testimony whereof, the said party of the first part has hereunto
set liis hand and affixed his seal, the day and year first above written.
Signed, sealed and delivered in

presence of Theodour Lottinville. [l.s.]

Samcel J. Tilden.

ABSTRACT OF ILLLNOIS STATE LAWS. 149

LEASE OF FARM AND BUILDINGS THEREON.

This Indenture, made this second day of June, 1875, between David
Patton of the Town of Bisbee, State of Illinois, of the first part, and John
Doyle of the same place, of the second part,

Witnesseth, that the said David Patton, for and in consideration of
the covenants hereinafter mentioned and reserved, on the part of the said
John Doyle, his executors, administrators, and assigns, to be paid, kept,
and performed, hath let, and by these presents doth grant, demise, and
let, unto the said John Doyle, his executors, administrators, and assigns,
all that parcel of land situate in Bisbee aforesaid, bounded and described
as follows, to wit :

[Here describe the land.^

Together with all the appurtenances appertaining thereto. To have
and to hold the said premises, with appurtenances thereto belonging, unto
the said Doyle, his executors, administrators, and assigns, for the term of
five years, from the first day of October next following, at a yearly rent
of Six Hundred dollars, to be paid in equal payments, semi-annually, as
long as said buildings are in good tenantable condition.

And the said Doyle, by these presents, covenants and agrees to pay
all taxes and assessments, and keep in repair all hedges, ditches, rail, and
other fences ; (the said David Patton, his heirs, assigns and administra-
tors, to furnish all timber, brick, tile, and other materials necessary for
such repairs.)

Said Doyle further covenants and agrees to apply to said land, in a
farmer-like manner, all manure and compost accumulating upon said
farm, and cultivate all the arable land in a husbandlike manner, accord-
ing to the usual custom among farmers in the neighborhood ; he also
agrees to trim the hedges at a seasonable time, preventing injury from
cattle to such hedges, and to all fruit and other trees on the said premises.
That he will seed down with clover and timothy seed twenty acres yearly
of arable land, ploughing the same number of acres each Spring of land
now in grass, and hitherto unbroken.

It is further agreed, that if the said Doyle shall fail to perform the
whole or any one of the above mentioned covenants, then and in that
case the said David Patton may declai^e this lease terminated, by giving
three months' notice of the same, prior to the first of October of any
year, and may distrain any part of the stock, goods, or chattels, or other
property in possession of said Doyle, for sufficient to compensate for the
non-performance of the above written covenants, the same to be deter-
mined, and amounts so to be paid to be determined, by three arbitrators,
chosen as follows: Each of the parties to this instrument to choose one,

150 ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.

and the two so chosen to select a third ; the decision of said arbitrators
to be final.

In witness whereof, we have hereto set our hands and seals.
Signed, sealed, and delivered

in presence of David Pattox. [l.s.]

James Waldron. John Doyle. [l.s.]

FORM OF LEASE OF A HOUSE.

This Instrument, made the first day of October, 1875, witnesseth
that Amos Griest of Yorkville, County of Kendall, State of Illinois, halh
rented from Aaron Young of Logansport aforesaid, the dwelling and lot
No, 13 Ohio Street, situated in said City of Yorkville, for five years
from the above date, at the yearly rental of Three Hundred dollars, pay-
able monthly, on the first day of each month, in advance, at the residence
of said Aaron Young.

At the expiration of said above mentioned term, the said Griest
agrees to give the said Young peaceable possession of the said dwelling,
in as good condition as when taken, ordinary we^r and casualties excepted.

In witness wliereof, we place our hands and seals the day and year
aforesaid.

Signed, sealed and delivered Amos Griest. [l.s.]

in presence of

NickolAs Sghutz, Aaron Young, [l.s.]

Notary Public.

LANDLORD'S AGREEMENT.

This certifies that I have let and recited, this first day of January,
1876, unto Jacob Schmidt, my house and lot. No. 15 Erie Street, in the
City of Chicago, State of Illinois, and its appurtenances ; he to have the
free and uninterrupted occupation thereof for one year from this date, at
the yearly rental of Two Hundred dollars, to be paid monthly in advance ;
rent to cease if destroyed by fire, or otherwise made untenantable.

Peter Funk.
TENANT'S AGREEMENT.

This certifies that I have hired and taken from Peter Funk, his
house and lot. No. 15 Erie Street, in the City of Chicago, State of Illi-
nois, with appurtenances thereto belonging, for one year, to commence
this day, at a yearly rental of Two Hundred dollars, to be paid monthly
in advance ; unless said house becomes untenantable from fire or other
causes, in which case rent ceases ; and I further agree to give and yield
said premises one year from this first day of January 1876, in as good
condition as now, ordinary wear and damage by the elements excepted.

Given under my hand this day. Jacob Schmidt.

ABSTEACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS. 151

NOTICE TO QUIT.

To F. W. Arlen,

Sir : Please observe that the term of one year, for which the house

and land, situated at No. 6 Indiana Street, and now occupied by you,

were rented to you, expired on the first day of October, 1875, and as I

desire to repossess said premises, you are hereby requested and required

to vacate the same. Respectfully Yours,

P. T. Barnum.
Lincoln, ISeb., October 4, 1875.

TENANT'S NOTICE OF LEAVING.

Dear Sir:

The premises I now occupy as your tenant, at No. 6 Indiana Street,
I shall vacate on the first day of November, 1875. You will please take
notice accordingly.

Dated this tenth day of October, 1875. F. W. Arlen.

To p. T. Barnum, Esq.

REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE TO SECURE PAYMENT OF MONEY.

This Indenture, made this sixteenth day of May, in the year of
our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, between William
Stocker, of Peoria, County of Peoria, and State of Illinois, and 011a, his
wife, party of the first part, and Edward Singer, party of the second part.

Whereas, the said party of the first part is justly indebted to the said
party of the second part, in the sum of Two Thousand dollars, secured
to be paid by two certain promissory notes (bearing even date herewith)
the one due and payable at the Second National Bank in Peoria, Illinois,
with interest, on the sixteenth day of May, in the year one thousand eight
hundred and seventy-three ; the other due and payable at the Second
National Bank at Peoria, 111., with interest, on the sixteenth day of May,
in the year one thousand eight hundred and seventj^-four.

Now, therefore, this indenture witnesseth, that the said party of the
first part, for the better securing the payment of the money aforesaid,
with interest thereon, according to the tenor and effect of the said two
promissory notes above mentioned ; and, also in consideration of the fur-
ther sum of one dollar to them in hand paid by the said party of the sec-
ond part, at the delivery of these presents, the receipt whereof is hereby
acknowledged, have granted, bargained, sold, and conveyed, and by these
presents do grant, bargain, sell, and convey, unto the said party of the
second part, his heirs and assigns, forever, all that certain parcel of land,
situate, etc.

[Descj'ibing the premises.^

To have and to hold the same, together with all and singular the
Tenements, Hereditaments, Privileges and Appurtenances thereunto

152 ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.

belonging or in any wise appertaining. And also, all the estate, interest,
and claim whatsoever, in law as well as in equity which the party of
the first part have in and to the premises hereby conveyed unto the said
party of the second part, his heirs and assigns, and to their only proper
use, benefit and behoof. And the said William Stocker, and 011a, his
wife, party of the first part, hereby expressly waive, relinquish, release,
and convey unto the said party of the second part, his heirs, executors,
administrators, and assigns, all right, title, claim, interest, and benefit
whatever, in and to tlie above described premises, and each and every
l)art thereof, which is given bj' or results from all laws of this state per-
taining to the exemption of homesteads.

Provided always, and these presents are upon this express condition,
that if the said party of the first part, their heirs, executors, or adminis-
trators, shall well and truly pay, or cause to be paid, to the said party of
the second part, his heirs, executors, administrators, or assigns, the afore-
said sums of money, with suoli interest thereon, at the time and in the
manner specified in the above mentioned promissory notes, according to
the true intent and meaning thereof, then in that case, these j)resents and
every thing herein expressed, shall be absolutely null and void.

In witness whereof, the said party of the first part hereunto set their
hands and seals the day and year first above written.
Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of

James Whitehead, William Stocker. [l.s.]

Fred. Samuels. Olla Stocker. [l.s.]

WARRANTY DEED WITH COVENANTS.

This Indenture, made this sixth day of April, in the year of oui
Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, between Henry Best
of Lawrence, County of Lawrence, State of Illinois, and Belle, his wife,
of the first part, and Charles Pearson of the same place, of the second part,

Witnesseth, that the said party of the first part, for and in consideration
of the sum of Six Thousand dollars in hand paid by the said party of the
second part, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, have granted,
bargained, and sold, and by these presents do grant, bargain, and sell,
unto the said party of the second part, liis heirs and assigns, all the fol-
lowing described Iol, piece, or parcel of land, situated in the City of Law-
rence, in the County of Lawrence, and State of Illinois, to wit ;

\_Here describe the property .^

Together with all and singular the hereditaments and appurtenances
thereunto ])elonging or in any wise appertaining, and the reversion and
reversions, remainder and remainders, rents, issues, and profits thereof;
and all the estate, rignt, title, interest, claim, and demand whatsoever, of
the said party of the nrst part, either in law or equity, of, in, and to th«»

ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS. 153

above bargained premises, with the hereditaments and appurtenances.
I'o have and to hokl tlie said premises above bargained and described,
with the appurtenances, unto the said party of the second part, his heirs
and assigns, forever. And the said Henry Best, and Belle, his wife, par-
ties of the first part, hereby expressly waive, release, and relinquish unto
the said party of the second part, his heirs, executors, administrators, and
assigns, all right, title, claim, interest, and benefit whatever, in and to the
above described premises, and each and every part thereof, which is given
by or results from all laws of this state pertaining to the exemption of
homesteads.

And the said Henry Best, and Belle, his wife, party of the first
part, for themselves and their heirs, executors, and administrators, do
covenant, grant, bargain, and agree, to and with the said party of the
second part, his heirs and assigns, that at the time of the ensealing and
delivery of these presents they were well seized of the premises above
conveyed, as of a good, sure, perfect, absolute, and indefeasible estate of
inheritance in law, and in fee simple, and have good right, full power,
and lawful authority to grant, bargain, sell, and convey the same, in
manner and form aforesafd, and that the same are free and clear from all
former and other grants, bargains, sales, liens, taxes, assessments, and
encumbrances of what kind or nature soever ; and the above bargained
premises in the quiet and peaceable possession of the said party of the
second part, his heirs and assigns, against all and every person or persons
lawfully claiming or to claim the whole or any part thereof, the said party
of the first part shall and will warrant and forever defend.

In testimony whereof, the said parties of the first part have hereunto
set their hands and seals the day and year first above written.
Signed, sealed and delivered

in presence of Henry Best, [l.s.]

Jerry Linklater. Belle Best. [l.s.]

QUIT-CLAIM DEED.

This Indenture, made the eighth day of June, in the year of our
Lord one thousand eight hundred and seventy-four, between David Tour,
of Piano, County of Kendall, State of Illinois, party of the first part,
and Larry O'Brien, of the same place, party of the second part,

Witnesseth, that the said party of the first part, for and in considera-
tion of Nine Hundred dollars in hand paid by the said party of the sec-
ond part, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, and the said party
of the second part forever released and discharged therefrom, has remised,
released, sold, conveyed, and quit-claimed, and by these presents does
remise, release, sell, convey, and quit-claim, unto the said party of the
second part, his heirs and assigns, forever, all the right, title, interest,

154 ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.

claim, and demand, which the said party of the first part has in and to
the following described lot, piece, or parcel of land, to wit :

l^ITere describe the land.li
To have and to hold the same, together with all and singular the
appurtenances and privileges thereunto belonging, or in any wise there-
unto appertaining, and all the estate, right, title, interest, and claim
whatever, of the said party of the first part, either in law or equity, to
the only proper use, benefit, and behoof of the said party of the second
part, his heirs and assigns forever.

In witness whereof the said party of the first part hereunto set his
hand and seal the day and year above written.

>Signed, sealed and delivered David Tour, [l.s.]

ill presence of
Tho.mas Ashley.

The above forms of Deeds and Mortgage are such as have heretofore
been generally used, but the following are much shorter, and are made
equally valid by the laws of this state.

WARRANTY DEED.

The grantor (here insert name or names and place of residence), for
and in consideration of (here insert consideration) in hand paid, conveys
and warrants to (here insert the grantee's name or names) the following
described real estate (here insert description), situated in the County of
in the State of Illinois.

Dated this day of A. D. 18 .

QUIT CLAIM DEED.

The grantor (here insert grantor's name or names and place of resi-
dence), for the consideration of (here insert consideration) convey and
quit-claim to (here insert grantee's name or names) all interest in the
following described real estate (here insert description), situated in the
County of in the State of Illinois.

Dated this day of A. D. 18 .

MORTGAGE.

The mortgagor (here insert name or names) mortgages and warrants
to (here insert name or names of mortgagee or mortgagees), to secure the
payment of (here recite the nature and amount of indebtedness, showing
when due and the rate of interest, and whether secured by note or other-
wise), the following described real estate (here insert descrijDtion thereof),
situated in the County of in the State of Illinois.

Dated this day of A. D. 18 .

RELEASE.

• Know all Men by these presents, that I, Peter Ahlund, of Chicago,
of the County of Cook, and State of Illinois, for and in consideration of
One dollar, to me in hand paid, and for other good and valuable considera-

ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS. 15G

tions, the receipt whereof is hereby confessed, do hereby grant, bargain,
remise, convey, release, and quit-claim unto Joseph Carlin of Chicago,
of the County of Cook, and State of Illinois, all the right, title, interest,,
claim, or demand whatsoever, I may have acquired in, through, or by a
certain Indenture or Mortgage Deed, bearing date the second day of Jan-
uary, A. D. 1871, and recorded in the Recorder's office of said county,
in book A of Deeds, page 46, to the premises therein described, and which
said Deed was made to secure one certain promissory note, bearing even
date with said deed, for the sum of Three Hundred dollafs.

"Witness my hand and seal, this second day of November, A. D. 1874.

Peter Ahlund. [l.s.]
State of Illinois, )
Cook County. \ I, George Saxton, a Notary Public in

and for said county, in the state aforesaid, do hereby

certify that Peter Ahlund, personally known to me

as the same person whose name is subscribed to the

foregoing Release, appeared before me this day in

[ ''^sriL.^ - ] person, and acknowledged that he signed, sealed, and

delivered the said instrument of writing as his free

a.id voluntary act, for the uses and purposes therein

set forth.

Giv,an under my hand and seal, this second day of

November, A. D. 1874.

George Saxton, N. P.

GENERAL FOh-M OF WILL FOR REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY.

I, Charles Mansfield, of the Town of Salem, County of Jackson,.
Srate of Illinois, being aware of the i.ncertainty of life, and in failing-
health, but of sound mind and memory, do make and declare this to be
my last will and testament, in manner folio (ving, to wit:

First. I give, devise and bequeath unto my oldest son, Sidney H.
Mansfield, the sum of Two Thousand Dollars, cf bank stock, now in the
Third National Bank of Cincinnati, Ohio, and the farm owned by myself
in the Town of Buskirk, consisting of one hundred and sixty acres, with
all the houses, tenements, and improvements thereunto belonging ; to
have and to hold unto my said son, his heirs and assign**, forever.

Second. I give, devise and bequeath to each of my daughters, Anna
Louise Mansfield and Ida Clara Mansfield, each Two Thousand dollars in
bank stock, in the Third National Bank of Cincinnati, Ohio, and also each
one quarter section of land, owned by myself, situated in the Town of
Lake, Illinois, and recorded in my name in the Recorder's officvi in the
county where such land is located. The north one hundred and sixty
acres of said half section is devised to my eldest daughter, Anna Louise.-
6

15G ABSTBACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.

Third. I give, devise and bequeath to my son, Frank Alfred ^lans-
field, Five shares of Railroad stock in the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad,
iind my one hundred and sixty acres of land and saw mill thereon, situ-
ated in Manistee, Michigan, with all the improvements and appurtenances
thereunto belonging, which said real estate is recorded in my name in the
•county where situated.

Fourth. I give to my wife, Victoria Elizabeth Mansfield, all my
household furniture, goods, chattels, and personal property, about my
Jiome, not hitherto disposed of, including Eight Thousand dollars of bank
stock in the Third National Bank of Cincinnati, Ohio, Fifteen shares in
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, and the free and unrestricted use, pos-
session, and benefit of the home farm, so long as she may live, in lieu of
■dower, to which she is entitled by law ; said farm being my present place
■of residence.

Fifth. I bequeath to m}^ invalid father, Elijah H. Mansfield, the
income from rents of my store building at 145 Jackson Street, Chicago,
Illinois, during the term of his natural life. Said building and land there-
with to revert to my said sons and daughters in equal proportion, upon
the demise of my said father.

Sixth. It is also my will and desire that, at the death of my wife,
Victoria Elizabeth Mansfield, or at any time when she may arrange to
relinquish her life interest in the above mentioned homestead, the same
may revert to my above named children, or to the lawful heirs of each.

And liutly. I nominate and appoint as executors of this my last will
.and testament, my wife, Victoria Elizabeth Mansfield, and my eldest son,
Sidney H. Mansfield.

I further direct that my debts and necessary funeral expenses shad
be paid from moneys now on deposit in the Savings Bank of Salem, the
residue of such moneys to revert to my wife, Victoria Elizabeth Mansfield,
for her use forever.

In witness whereof, I, Charles Mansfield, to this my last will and
testament, have hereunto set my hand and seal, this fourth day of April,
eighteen hundred and seventy-two.

.Signed, sealed, and declared by Charles
Mansfield, as and for his last will and
testament, in the presence of us, who,
at his request, and in his presence, and
in the presence of each other, have sub- )>
scribed our names hereunto as witnesses
thereof.

Peter A. Schenck, Sycamore, Ills.

Frank E. Dext, Salem, Ills.

Charles Mansfield, [l.s.]

ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS. 157

CODICIL.

Whereas I, Charles Mansfield, did, on the fourth day of April, one
thousand eight hundred and seventy-two, make my last will and testa-
ment, I do now, by this writing, add this codicil to my said will, to be
taken as a part thereof.

Whereas, by the dispensation of Providence, my daughter, Anna
Louise, has deceased November fifth, eighteen hundred and seventy-three,
and whereas, a son has been born to me, which son is now christened
Richard Albert Mansfield, I give and bequeath unto him my gold watch,
and all right, interest, and title in lands and bank stock and chattels
bequeathed to my deceased daughter, Anna Louise, in the body of this will.

In witness whereof, I hereunto place my hand and seal, this tenth
day of March, eighteen hundred and seventy-five.

Signed, sealed, published, and declared to^

us by the testator, Charles Mansfield, as

and for a codicil to be annexed to his

last will and testament. And we, at

his request, and in his presence, and in

the presence of each other, have sub-
scribed our names as witnesses thereto,

at the date hereof.
Frank E. Dent, Salem, Ills.
John C. Shay, Salem, Ills.

CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS

May be legally made by electing or api^ointing^ according to the usages
or customs of the body of which it is a part, at any meeting held for that
purpose, two or more of its members as trustees, wardens or vestrymen, and
may adopt a corporate name. The chairman or secretary of such meeting
shall, as soon as possible, make and file in tlie office of the recorder of
deeds of the county, an affidavit substantially in the following form :

State of Illinois, \

County. \

I, , do solemnly swear (or affirm, as the case may be),

that at a meeting of the members of the (here insert the name of the
church, society or congregation as known before organization), held at

(here insert place of meeting), in the County of , and State of

Illinois, on the day of , A.D. 18 — , for that purpose, the fol-
lowing persons were elected (or appointed) \here insert their names~\
trustees, wardens, vestrymen, (or officers by whatever name they may
choose to adopt, with powers similar to trustees) according to the rules
and usages of such Tchurch, society or congregation), and said

158 ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.

adopted as its corporate name (here insert name), and at said meeting-
this affiant acted as (chairman or secretary, as the case may be).

Subscribed and sworn to before me, this day of , A.D.

18—. Name of Affiant

which affidavit must be recorded by the recorder, and shall be, or a certi-
fied copy made by the recorder, received as evidence of such an incorpo-
ration.

No certificate of election after the first need he filed for record.

The term of office of the trustees and the general government of the
society can be determined by the rules or by-laws adopted. Failure to
elect trustees at the time provided does not work a dissolution, but the
old trustees hold over. A trustee or trustees may be removed, in the
same manner by the society as elections are held by a meeting called for
that purpose. The property of the society vests in the corporation. The
corporation may hold, or acquire by purchase or otherwise, land not
exceeding ten acres, for the purpose of the society. The trustees have
the care, custody and control of the property of the corporation, and can,
ivhen directed by the society, erect houses or improvements, and repair
and alter the same, and may also when so directed by the society,
mortgage, encumber, sell and convey any real or personal estate belonging
to the corporation, and make all proper contracts in the name of such
corporation. But they are prohibited b}^ law from encumbering or inter-
fering with any property so as to destroy the effect of any gift, grants
devise or bequest to the corporation ; but such gifts, grants, devises or
bequests, must in all cases be used so as to carry out the object intended
by the persons making the same. Existing societies may organize in tlie
manner herein set forth, and have all the advantages thereof.

SUGGESTIONS TO THOSE PURCHASING BOOKS BY SUBSCRIPTION.

The business of publishing books by subscription having so often been
brought into disrepute by agents making representations and declarations
not authorized by the publisher ; in order to prevent that as much as possi-
ble, and that there may be more general knowledge of the relation such
agents bear to their principal, and the law governing such cases, the fol-
lowing statement is made :

A subscription is in tlie nature of a contract of mutual promises, by
which the subscriber agrees to pay a certain sum for the work described ;
the consideration is concurrent that the publisher shall publish the book
named^ and deliver the same, for which the subscriber is to pay the price
named. Tlie nature and character of the ivork is described in the prospectus
and by the sample shoivn. These should be carefully examined before sub-
scribing^ as they are the basis and consideration of the promise to pay,

ABSTRACT OF I1.LINOIS STATE LAWS. 159

and not the too often exaggerated statements of the agent^ who is merely
employed to solicit subscriptions, for which he is usually jyaid a commission
for each subscriber, and has no authority to change or alter the conditions
upon which the subscriptions are authorized to be made by the publisher.
Should the agent assume to agree to make the subscription conditional or
modify or change the agreement of the publisher, as set out by prospectus
and sample, in order to bind the p>rincipal, the subscriber should see that
sucli conditions or changes are stated over or in connection ivith his signa-
ture, so that the publisher maj^ have notice of the same.

All persons making contracts in reference to matters of this kind, or
any other business, should remember that the laiv as to written contracts is,
that they can not be varied, altered or rescinded verbally, but if dojie at all,
must be done in writing. It is therefore important that all persons contem-
plating subscribing should distinctly understand that all talk before or after
the subscription is made, is not admissible as evidence, and is no part of the
contract.

Persons employed to solicit subscriptions are known to the trade as
canvassers. They are agents appointed to do a particular business in a
prescribed mode, and have no authority to do it in any other way to the
prejudice of their principal, nor can they bind their principal in ?iny other
matter. They cannot collect money, or agree that payment may be made
in anything else but money. They can not extend the time of payment
beyond the time of delivery, nor bind their jjriticipal for the payinent of
expenses incurred in their buisness.

It would save a great deal of trouble, and often serious loss, if persons,
before signing their names to any subscription book, or any written instru-
ment, would examine carefully what it is ; if they can not read themselves,
should call on some one disinterested who can.

160 CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES

CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

AND ITS AMENDMENTS.

We, the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union,
establish justice, insure domestic tranquillity^ provide for the common
defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty
to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution
for the United States of America.

Article I.

Section 1. All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in
a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and
Mouse of Representatives.

Sec. 2. The House of Representatives shall be composed of mem-
bers chosen every second year by the people of the several states, and the
electors in each state shall have the qualifications requisite for electors of
the most numerous branch of the State Legislature.

No person shall be a representative who shall not have attained to the
age of twenty-five years, and been seven years a citizen of the United
States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that state in
which he shall be chosen.

Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the sev-
eral states which may be included within this Union, according to their
respective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole
number of free persons, including those bound to service for a term of
years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three-fifths of all other persons.
The actual enumeration shall be made within three years after the first
meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subse-
quent term of ten years, in such manner as they shall by law direct. The
number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every thirty thousand,
but each state shall have at least one Representative ; and until such
enumeration shall be made the State of New Hampshire shall be entitled
to choose three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode Island and Providence Plan-
tations one, Connecticut five. New York six, New Jersey four, Pennsylva-
nia eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia ten. North Carolina five,
and Georgia three.

When vacancies happen in the representation from any state, the
Executive authority thereof shall issue writs of election to fill such
vacancies.

The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker and other
officers, and shall have the sole power of impeachment.

Sec. 3. The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two
Senators from each state, chosen by the Legislature thereof for six years ;
and each Senator shall have one vote.

Immediately after they shall be assembled in consequence of the first
election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three classes.
The seats of the Senators of the first class shall be vacated at the expira-

AND ITS AMENDMENTS. 161

tion of the second year, of the second class at the expiration of the fourth
year, and of the third class at the expiration of the sixth year, so that
one-third may be chosen every second year; and if vacancies happen by
resignation or otherwise, during the recess of the Legislature of any state,
the Executive thereof may make temporary appointments until the next
meeting of the Legislature, which shall then fill such vacajcies.

No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the age
of thirty years and been nine years a citizen of the United States, and
who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that state for which he
shall be chosen.

The Vice-President of the United States shall be President of the
Senate, but shall have no vote unless they be equally divided.

The Senate shall choose their other officers, and also a President j?ro
tempore, in the absence of the Vice-President, or when he shall exercise
the office of President of the United States.

The Senate shall have the sole powder to try all impeachments. When
sitting for that purpose they shall be on oath or affirmation. When the
President of the United States is tried the Chief Justice shall preside.
And no person shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds
of the members present.

Judgment, in cases of impeachment, shall not extend further than to
removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office of
honor, trust, or profit under the United States; but the party convicted
shall nevertheless be liable and subject to indictment, trial, judgment,,
and punishment according to law.

Sec. 4. The times, places and manner of holding elections for Sen-
ators and Representatives shall be prescribed in each state by the Legis-
lature thereof; but the Congress may at any time by law make or alter
such regulations, exc^t as to the places of choosing Senators.

The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such
meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by
law appoint a different day.

Sec. 5. Each house shall be the judge of the election, returns, and
qualifications of its own members, and a majority of each shall constitute
a quorum to do business ; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to
day, and may be authorized to compel the attendance of absent members
in such manner and under such penalties as each house/ may provide.

Each house may determine the rules of its proceedings, punish its
members for disorderly behavior, and, with the concurrence of two-thirdsj,
expel a member.

Each house shall keep a journal of its proceedings, and from time to
time publish the same, excepting such parts as may, in their judgment,
require secrecy ; and the yeas and nays of the members of either house
on any question shall, at the desire of one-fifth of those present, be entered
on the journal.

Neither house, during the session of Congress, shall, without the
consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any other
place than that in which the two houses shall be sitting.

Sec. 6. The Senators and Representatives shall receive a compen-
sation for their services, to be ascertained by law, and paid out of the
treasury of the United States. They shall in all cases, except treason.

102 CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES

felony, and l)reach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their
attendance at the session of their respective houses, and in going to and
returning from the same ; and for any speech or debate in either house
the}' shall not be questioned in any other place.

No Senator or Representative shall, during the time for which he was
elected, be appointed to any civil office under the authority of the United
States, which shall have been created, or the emolument's whereof shall
have been increased during such time ; and no person holding any office
under the United States, shall be a member of either house during his
continuance in office.

Sec. 7. All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of
Representatives ; but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments
as on other bills.

Every bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and
the Senate, shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the President
the United States ; if he approve he shall sign it ; but if not he shall
return it, with his objections, to that house in which it shall have origi-
nated, who shall enter the objections at large on their journal, and
proceed to reconsider it. If, after such reconsideration two-thirds of that
house shall agree to pass the bill, it shall be sent, together with the objec-
tions, to the other house, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if
approved by two-thirds of that house, it shall become a law. But in all
such cases the votes of both houses shall be determined by } eas and nays,
and the names of the persons voting for and against the bill shall be entered
on the journal of each house respectively. If an}' bill shall not be returned
by the President within ten days (Sundays excepted), after it shall have
been presented to him, the same shall be a law, in like manner as if he
had signed it, unless the Congress, by their adjournment, prevent its
return, in which case it shall not be a law.

Every order, resolution, or vote to which the concurrence of the
Senate and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a
question of adjournment), shall be presented to the President of the
United States, and before the same shall take effect shall be approved by
him, or, being disapproved by him, shall be re-passed by two -thirds of
the Senate and House of Representatives, according to the rules and lim-
itations prescribed in the case of a bill.

Sec. 8. The Congress shall have power —

To lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts,
and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United
States ; but all duties, imposts, and excises shall be uniform throughout
the United States ;

To borrow money on the credit of the United States ;

To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several
Str.tes, and with the Indian tribes;

To establish a uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform laws on
the subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States ;

To coin money, regulate the value thereof, and of foreign coin, and
fix the standard of weights and measures ;

To provide for tiie punishment of counterfeiting the securities and
current coin of the United States;

To establish post offices and post roads ;

AND ITS AMENDMENTS. 163

To promote the progress of sciences and useful arts, by securing,
for limited times, to authors and inventors, the exclusive right to their
respective writings and discoveries ;

To constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court ;

To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high
seas, and offenses against tlie law of nations ;

To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules
concerning captures on land and water ;

To raise and support armies, but no appropriation of money to that
use shall be for a longer term than two years ;

To provide and maintain a navy ;

To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and
naval forces ;

To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the
Union, suppress insurrections, and repel invasions ;

To provide for organizing, arming and disciplining the militia, and
for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of the
United States, reserving to the states respectively the appointment of the
officers, and the authority of training the militia according to the disci'
pline prescribed by Congress ;

To exercise legislation in all cases whatsoever over such district (not
exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular states, and the
acceptance of Congress, become the seat of the government of the United
States, and to exercise like authority over all places purchased by the
consent of the Legislature of the state in which the same shall be, for
the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dock yards, and other needful
buildings ; and

To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying
into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this
Constitution in the government of the United States, or in any depart-
ment or officer thereof.

Sec. 9. The migration or importation of such persons as any of the
states now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be prohibited
by the Congress prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and eight,
but a tax or duty may be imposed on such importation, not exceeding ten
dollars for each person.

The privilege of the writ of habeas corpus shall not be suspended,
unless when in cases of rebellion or invasion the public safety may
require it.

No bill of attainder or ex post facto law shall be passed.

No capitation or other direct tax shall be laid, unless in proportion
to the census or enumeration hereinbefore directed to be taken.

No tax or duty shall be laid on articles exported from any state.

No preference shall be given by any regulation of commerce or rev-
enue to the ports of one state over those of another; nor shall vessels
bound to or from one state be obliged to enter, clear, or pay duties in
another.

No money shall be drawn from the Treasury, but in consequence of
appropriations made by law ; and a regular statement and account of
the receipts and expeditures of all public money shall be published from
time to time.

154 CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES

No title of nobilit}' shall be granted by the United States : and no
person holding any office of profit or trust under them, shall, without the
consent of the Congress, accept of any present, emolument, office, or title
of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign state.

Sec. 10. No state shall enter into any treaty, alliance, or confeder-
ation ; grant letters of marque and reprisal ; coin money ; emit bills of
credit ; make anything but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of
debts ; pass any bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law impairing the
obligation of contracts, or grant any title of nobility.

No state shall, without the consent of the Congress, lay any imposts
or duties on imports or exports, except what may be absolutely necessary
for executing its inspection laws, and the net produce of all duties and
imposts laid by any state on imports or exports, shall be for the use of the
Treasury of the United States ; and all such laws shall be subject to the
revision and control of the Congress.

No state shall, without the consent of Congress, lay any duty on
tonnage, keep troops or ships of war in time of peace, enter into any
agreement or compact with another state, or with a foreign power, or
engage in war, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent danger as wiU
not admit of delay.

Article II.

Section 1. The Executive power shall be vested in a President of
the United States of America. He shall hold his office during the term
of four years, and, together with the Vice-President chosen for the same
term, be elected as follows :

Each state shall appoint, in such manner as the Legislature thereof
may direct, a number of Electors, equal to the whole number of Senators
and Representatives to which the state may be entitled in the Congress ;
but no Senator or Representative, or person holding an office of trust or
profit under the United States, shall be appointed an Elector.

[ * The Electors shall meet in their respective states, and vote by
ballot for two persons, of whom one at least shall not be an inhabitant of
the same state with themselves. And they shall make a list of all the
persons voted for, and of the number of votes for each ; which list they
shall sign and certify, and transmit, sealed, to the seat of the government
of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The Pres-
ident of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House of Rep-
resentatives, oj)en all the certificates, and the votes shall then be counted.
The person having the greatest number of votes shall be the President,
if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed ;
and if there be more than one who have such majority, and have an equal
number of votes, then the House of Representatives shall immediately
choose by ballot one of them for President ; and if no person have a ma-
jority, then from the five highest on the list the said House shall in like
manner choose the President. But in choosing the President, the vote
shall be taken by states, the representation from each state having one
vote ; a quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members
from two-thirds of the states, and a majority of all the states shall be
necessary to a choice. In every case, after the choice of the President,

*TliU clause between.brackets bas been superseded and annulled by the Twelfth. amendment.

AND ITS AMENDMENTS. 165

the person having the greatest number of votes of the Electors shall be
the Vice-President. But if there should remain two or more who have
equal votes, the Senate shall choose from them by ballot the Vice-Presi-
dent.]

The Congress may determine the time of choosing the Electors, and
the day on which the}'' shall give their votes ; which day shall be the same
throughout the United States.

No person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United
States at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible
to the office of President ; neither shall any person be eligible to that
office who shall not have attained the age of thirty-five years, and been
fourteen years a resident within the United States.

In case of the removal of the President from office, or of his death,
resignation, or inability to discharge the powers and duties of the said
office, the same shall devolve on the Vice-Pnesident, and the Congress
may by law provide for the case of removal, death, resignation, or inabil-
ity, both of the President and Vice-President, declaring what officer shall
then act as President, and such officer shall act accordingly, until the dis-
ability be removed, or a President shall be elected.

The President shall, at stated times, receive for his services a com-
pensation which shall neither be increased nor diminished during the
period for which he shall have been elected, and he shall not receive
within that period any other emolument from the United States or any of
them.

Before he enters on the execution of his office, he shall take the fol-
lowing oath or affirmation :

" I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the
office of President of the United States, and will, to the best of my ability,
preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Sec. 2. The President shall be commander in chief of the army and
navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several states, when
called into the actual service of the United States; he may require the
opinion, in writing, of the principal officer in each of the executive
departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective
offices, and he shall have power to grant reprieves and pardon for offenses
against the United States, eX'Cept in cases of impeachment.

He shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the
Senate, to make treaties, provided two-thirds of the Senators present con-
cur; and he shall nominate, and by and with the advice of the Senate,
shall appoint ambassadors, other public ministers and consuls, judges of
the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United States whose
appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and which shall be
established by law ; but the Congress may by law vest the appointment
of such inferior officers as they think proper in the President alone, in
the courts of law, or in the heads of departments.

The President shall have power to fill up all vacancies that may
happen during the recess of the Senate, by granting commissions which
shall expire at the end of their next session.

Sec. 3. He shall from time to time give to the Congress information
of the state of the Union, and recommend to their consideration such mea-
sures as he shall judge necessary and expedient ; he may on extraordinary

16G CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES

occasions convene both houses, or either of them, and in case of disagree-
ment between them, with respect to the time of adjournment, he may
adjourn them to such time as he shall think proper ; he shall receive
ambassadors and other public ministers ; he shall take care that the laws be
faithfully executed, and shall commission all the officers of the United
States.

Sec. 4. The President, Vice-President, and all civil officers of the
United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and con-
viction of, treason, bribery, or other high crimes and misdemeanors.

Article III.

Section I. The judicial power of the United States shall be vested
in one Supreme Court, and such inferior courts as the Congress may from
time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the Supreme and
inferior courts, shall hold their offices during good behavior, and shall, at
stated times, receive for their services a compensation, which shall not be
diminished during their continuance in office.

Sec. 2. The judicial power shall extend to all cases, in law and
equity, arising under this Constitution, the laws of the United States, and
treaties made, or which shall be made, under their authority ; to all cases
affecting ambassadors, other public ministers, and consuls ; to all cases of
admiralty and maritime jurisdiction ; to controversies to which the United
States shall be a party ; to controversies between two or more states ;
between a state and citizens of another state ; between citizens of differ-
ent states ; between citizens of the same state claiming lands under grants
of different states, and between a state or the citizens thereof, and foreisfn
states, citizens, or subjects.

In all cases affecting ambassadors, other public ministers, and consuls,
and those in which a state shall be a party, the Supreme Court shall have
original jurisdiction.

In all the other cases before mentioned, the Supreme Court shall
have appellate jurisdiction, both as to law and fact, with such exceptions
and under such regulations as the Congress shall make.

The trial of all crimes, except in cases of impeachment, shall be by
jury ; and such trial shall be held in the state where the said crimes shall
have been committed ; but when not committed within aii}'^ state, the
trial shall be at such place or places as the Congress may by law have
directed.

Sec. 3. Treason against the United States shall consist only in levy-
ing war against them, or in adhering to their enemies, giving them aid
and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the tes-
timony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in open
court.

The Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of treason,
but no attainder of treason shall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture,
except during the life of the person attainted.

Article IV.

Section 1. Full faith and credit shall be given in each state to the
public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other state. And

AND ITS AMENDMENTS. 167

the Congress may, by general laws, prescribe the manner in which such
acts, records, and proceedings shall be proved, and tlie effect thereof.

Sec. 2. The citizens of each state shall 'be entitled to all privileges
and immunities of citizens in the several states.

A person charged in any state with treason, felony, or other crime,
who shall flee from justice and be found in another state, shall, on demand
of the executive authority of the state from which he fled, be delivered
up, to be removed to the state having jurisdic1"-on of the crime.

No person held to service or labor in one state, under the laws thereof
escaping into another, shall, in consequence of any law or regulation
therein, be discharged from such service or labor, but shall be delivered
up on the claim of the party to Avhom such service or labor may be due.

Sec. 3. New states may be admitted by the Congress into this Union ;
but no new state shall be formed or erected within the jurisdiction of any
other state ; nor any state be formed by the junction of two or more states,
or parts of states, without the consent of the Legislatures of the states
concerned, as well as of the Congress.

The Congress shall have power to dispose of and make all needful
rules and regulations respecting the territory or other property belonging
to the United States ; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed
as to prejudice any claims of the United States or of any particular state.

Sec. 4. The United States shall guarantee to every state in this
Union a republican form of government, and shall protect each of them
against invasion, and on application of the Legislature, or of the Execu-
tive (when the Legislature can not be convened), against domestic vio-
lence.

Article V.

The Congress, whenever two-thirds of both houses shall deem it
necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, or, on the ap-
plication of the Legislatures of two-thirds of the several states, shall call
a convention for proposing amendments, which, in either case, shall be
valid to all intents and purposes as part of this Constitution, when rati-
fied by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several states, or by con-
ventions in three-fourths thereof, as the one or the other mode of ratifi-
cation may be proposed by the Congress. Provided that no amendment
which may be made prior to the year one thousand eight hundred and
eisfht shall in anv manner affect the first and fourth clauses in the ninth
section of the first article ; and that no state, without its consent, shall
be deprived of its equal suffrage in the Senate.

Article VL

All debts contracted and engagements entered into before the adop-
tion of this Constitution shall be as valid against the United States under
this Constitution as under the Confederation.

This Constitution, and the laws of the United States which shall be
made in pursuance thereof, and all treaties made, or which shall be made,
under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the
land ; and the Judges in every state shall be bound thereby, anything in
the Constitution or laws of any state to the contrary notwithstanding.

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the mem-

168

CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES

bers of the several state Legislatures, and all executive and judicial offi-
cers, both of the United States and of the several states, shall be bound
by oath or affirmation to support this Constitution ; but no religious test
shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under
the United States.

Article VII.

The ratification of the Conventions of nine states shall be sufficient
for the establishment of this Constitution between the states so ratifying
the same.

Done in convention by the unanimous consent of the states present, the
seventeenth day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand
seven hundred and eighty-seven, and of the independence of the
United States of America the twelfth. In witness whereof we have
hereunto subscribed our names.

GEO. WASHINGTON,

President and Dej^uty from Virginia.

Neiv Hampshire.
John Langdon,
Nicholas Oilman.

Massachusetts.
Nathaniel Goeham,
RuFus King.

Connecticut.
Wm. Sam'l Johnson,
Roger Sherman.

Delaware.
Geo. Read,
John Dickinson,
Jaco, Broom,
Gunning Bedford, Jr.,
Richard Bassett.

Maryland.
James M' Henry,
Danl. Carroll,
Dan. of St. Thos. Jenifer.

I^eiv York.
Alexander Hamilton.

New Jersey.
WiL. Livingston,
Wm. Paterson,
David Brearley,
JoNA. Dayton.

Pennsylvania.
B. Franklin,
Robt. Morris,
Thos. Fitzsimons,
James Wilson,
Thos. Mifflin,
Geo. Clymer,
Jared Ingersoll,
Gouv. Morris.

Virginia.
John Blair,
James Madison, Jr.

North Carolina.
Wm. Blount,
Hu. Williamson,
Rich'd Dobbs Spaight.

South Carolina.
J. Rutledge,
Charles Pinckney,
Chas. Cotesworth Pinckney,
Pierce Butler.

Georgia.
William Few,
Abr. Baldwin.

WILLLVM JACKSON, Secretary.

AliD ITS AMENDMENTS. 169

Articles in Addition to and Amendatory of the Constitution
OF THE United States of America.

Proposed hy Congress and ratified hy the Legislatures of the several states,
pursuant to the fifth artiole of the original Constitution.

Article I.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of
speech, or of the press ; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble,
and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Article II.

A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free
state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

Article III.

No soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any house without
the consent of the owner, nor in time of war but in a manner to be pre-
scribed by law.

Article IV.

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers,
and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be vio-
lated ; and no warrants shall issue but upon probable cause, supported by
oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched
and the persons or things to be seized.

Article V.

No person shall be held to answer for a capital or otherwise infamous
crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in
cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia when in actual
service in time of war or public danger ; nor shall any person be subject
for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb ; nor shall
be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness against himself, nor be
deprived of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law ; nor '
shall private property be taken for public use, without just compensation.

Article VI.

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a
speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the state and district
wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have
been previously ascertained by law, and to be informed of the nature and
cause of the accusation ; to be confronted with the witnesses against him ;
to have compulsory j)rocess for obtaining witnesses in his favor; and to
have the assistance of counsel for his defense.

Article VII.

In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed
twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact

170 CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES

tried by a jury shall be otherwise re-examined in any court of the United
States than according to the rules of the common law.

Article VIII.

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed,
nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.

Article IX.

The enumeration, in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be
construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Article X.

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution,
nor prohibited by it to the states, are reserved to the states respectively,
or to tJie people.

Article XI.

The judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to
extend to any suit in law or equity commenced or prosecuted against one
of the United States by citizens of another state, or by citizens or sub-
jects of any foreign state.

Article XII.

The Electors shall meet in their respective states and vote by ballot
for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not be an
inhabitant of the same state with themselves ; they shall name in their
ballots the person to be voted for as president, and in distinct ballots the
person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make distinct lists of
all persons voted for as President, and of all persons voted for as Vice-
President, and of the number of votes for each, which list they shall sign
and certify, and transmit sealed to the seat of the government of the United
States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the
Senate shall, in presence of the Senate and House of Representatives,
open all the certificates, and the votes shall then be counted. The person
having the greatest number of votes for President shall be the President,
if such number be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed ;
and if no person have such majority, then from the persons having the
highest number not exceeding three on the list of those voted for as
President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately, by
ballot, the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall be
taken by States, the representation from each state having one vote; a
quorum for this purpose shall consist of a member or members from two-
thirds of the states, and a majority of all the states shall be necessary to
a choice. And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a Presi-
dent whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before the
fourth day of March next following, then the Vice-President shall act as
President, as in the case of the death or other constitutional disability of
the President. The person having tlie greatest number of votes as Vice-
President, shall be the Vice-President, if such number be the majority
of the whole number of electors appointed, and if no person have a major-

AND ITS AMENDMENTS. 171

ity, then from the two highest numbers on the list, the Senate shall choose
the Vice-President ; a quorum for the purpose shall consist of two-thirds
of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number
shall be necessary to a choice. But no person constitutionally ineligible
to the office of President shall be eligible to that of Vice-President of the
United States.

Aeticle XIII.

Section 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a
punishment for crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted,
shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their juris-
diction.

Sec. 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appro-
priate legislation.

Aeticle XIV.

Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States and
subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States, and
of the state wherein they reside. No state shall make or enforce any law
which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United
States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty, or property,
without due process of law, nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction
the equal protection of the laws.

Sec. 2. Representatives shall be appointed among the several states
according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of per-
sons in each state, excluding Indians not taxed ; but when the right ta
vote at any election for the choice of Electors for President and Vice-
President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the execu-
tive and judicial officers of a state, or the members of the Legislature
thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of such state, being
twenty-one years of age and citizens of the United States, or in any way
abridged except for participation in rebellion or other crimes, the basis of
representation therein shall be reduced in the proportion which the num-
ber of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male citizens
twenty-one years of age in such state.

Sec. 3. No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress,
or Elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil or
military, under the United States, or under any state, who, having previ-
ously taken an oath as a Member of Congress, or as an officer of the
United States, or as a member of any state Legislature, or as an execu-
tive or judicial officer of any state to support the Constitution of the
United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the
same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress mav
by a vote of two-thirds of each house, remove such disability.

Sec. 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States author-
ized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and boun-
ties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall not be ques-
tioned. But neither the United States nor any state shall pay any debt
or obligation incurred in the aid of insurrection or rebellion against the
United States, or any loss or emancipation of any slave, but such debts,
obligations, and claims shall be held illegal and void.

172

CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.

Sec. 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate
legislation, the provisions of this act.

Article XV.

Section 1. The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall
not be denied or abridged by the United States, or by any state, on
account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.

Sec. 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appro-
priate legislation.

ELECTORS OF PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENT.

November 7, 1876.

COUNTIES.

Hayes and

Wheeler,
Republican.

Tilden and
Hendricks,
Ueniocrat.

-■5

4) V

c
<

COUNTIES.

Hayes and

Wheeler,
Republican.

Tilden and
Hendricks,
Democrat.

02 a-

Ji.

a
<

4953
1219
1520
1965

944
3719

441
2231
1209
4530
2501
1814
1416
1329
2957
36548
1355
1145
3679
1928
1631
2129
2715

970
1145
1881
1601

966
4187

703
1695
1996

627
3496

330
1315
4177
3768
2040

6308
1280
1142

363
1495
2218

900

918
1618
3103
3287
2197
1541
1989
2822
39240
1643
1407
1413
1174
1357
1276
2883

466
2265
2421

742
1.302
4669
1140
3160
1142
1433
4207

611
1015
1928
2578
2071

....

Livingston

3550
2788
3120
3567
4554
2009
1553
1566
1231
2952
3465
6363
1115
2209

845
2486
3069
1245
3833
4665
1319
1541
1807
3055
1043

646
2357
1410
3912

980
4851
1522

910
2069
1140
4708
3198
2850

978
4372

650
2795
1911
1570
1297
3851
4770
1672
4505
1733

2134
2595
2782
4076
4730
2444
1430
1939

793
2811
1874
4410
1657
1428
1651
3013
3174
1672
1921
5443

800
1383
1316
4040

772

459
2589
1552
2838
1081
5847
1804
1269
3553

786
5891
2758
3171
2155
3031

936
1984
1671
,1751
2066
2131
3999
1644
1568
2105

1170

37
268
114

39
209
135

20
347

34
518

201

109

28
104

95
5

48
117

"16

■3

■'8

Logan

Bond

183

145

■"2

1
2

"li

Macon

Macoupin

Madison

lirowu

Marlon

Marshall..

Mason

Carroll

111

604

207

236

112

132

102

277

129

746

161

204

391

282

108

770

1
7

"i
16

3
"i

6
9

■ "3
3

Massac

Chrmn&icrn

McDonoiigh

....

McHenry

Clark

McLean

Clav

Menard

Mercer

Coles

Monroe

Cook . .

Montgomery

Crawford

Morgan

Moultrie

DeKalb

Ogle

DeWitt

Peoria

Pope

Perry

Piatt

Pike

Kftiiicriiaiii

Pulaski

Putnam

641

115

182

341

288

207

138

482

469

133

677

237

P'oru,

Randolph

Fronklin

Richland

Fulton

Rock Island

-^Tallatin

S.allne

Greene

Sangamon

Schuyler

^Jruiidv

Scott

Hanoofk

Shelby

Stark

Hardin

134

1
340
249
106

""4

"6
1

Henderson

St. Clair

■"8

■13

Stephenson

I ro(j u"o is

Tazewell

Union

Jackson

Vermilion

Jelierson

1346
1345
2907
1367
5398
2627
1869
.5235
2619
6277
119H
3087

1667
2166
2276

893
2850
1363

.524
2632
1647
6001
1329
2080

647

"uo

61
172

26
309
141

55
514

27
100

■Y2
2

'■'2

■■■3

"5
2

■"i
1

15
"6

Wabash

Jersey

Warren

4I0I111S011

Wayne

Kane

White

Whltesi<le

Kendall

Will

Knox

Williamson

I^ake

Winnebago

LaSalle

Woodford

Total

Ivce

275958

257099

16951

130

157

Practical Rules for Every Day Use.

Hoiv to find the gain or loss per cent, when the cost and selling price
are given.

Rule. — Find the difference between the cost and selling price, which
will be the gain or loss.

Annex two ciphers to the gain or loss, and divide it by the cost
price ; the result will be the gain or loss per cent.

How to change gold into currency.

Rule. — Multiply the given sum of gold by the price of gold.

ITow to change currency into gold.

Divide the amount in currency by the price of gold.

ffow to find each partner's share of the gain or loss in a copartnership
business.

Rule. — Divide the whole gain or loss by the entire stock, the quo-
tient will be the gain or loss per cent.

Multiply each partner's stock by this per cent., the result will be
each one's share of the gain or loss.

How to find gross and net iveight and price of hogs.

A short and simple method for finding the net weight, or price of hogs.,
whe7i the gross weight or price is given, and vice versa.

Note.— It is generally assumed that the gross weight of Hogs diminished by 1-5 or 20 per cent
of itself gives the net weight, and the net weight increased by K or 25 per cent, of itself equals the
gross weight.

To find the net iveight or gross price.
Multiply the given number by .8 (tenths.)

To find the gross iveight or net price.
Divide the given number by .8 (tenths.)

How to find the capacity/ of a granary, bin, or ivagon-hed.

Rule. — Multiply (by short method) the number of cubic feet by
6308, and point off one decimal place — the result will be the correct
answer in bushels and tenths of a bushel.

For only an approximate ansioer, multiply the cubic feet by 8, and
point off one decimal place.

Hoiv to find the contents of a corn-crib.

Rule. — Multiply the number of cubic feet by 54, short method, or

(173)

174 MISCELLAXEOUS INFORMATION.

by 4i ordinary method, and point off one decimal i^lace — the result wil'j
be the answer in bushels.

jjOTE.— In estimating corn in the ear, tlie quality and the time it lias been cribbed must be taken
into conshlcration. since corn will shrink considerably during the Winter and Spring. This rule generally holdi
good for corn measured at the time it is cribbed, provided it is sound and clean.

Hoiv to find the contents of a cistern or tank.

Rule. — Multiply the square of the meau diameter by the depth (all
m feet) and this product by 5681 (short method), aud point off one
decimal place — the result will be the contents in barrels of 311 gallons.

How to find the contents of a barrel or cask.

Rule. — Under the square of the mean diameter, write the length
(all in inches) in reversed order, so that its units will fall under the
TENS ; multiply by short method, and this product again by 430 ; point
off one decimal place, and the result will be the answer in wine gallons.

Hoiv to measure boards.

Rule. — Multiply the length (in feet) by the width (in inches) and
divide the product by 12 — the result will be the contents in square feet.

How to measure scantlings., joists, planks, sills, etc.

Rule. — Multiply the width, the thickness, and the length together
(the width and thickness in inches, and the length in feet), and divide
the product by 12 — the result will be square feet.

Hoiv to find the number of acres in a body of land.

Rule. — Multiply the length by the width (in rods), and divide the
product by 160 (carrying the division to 2 decimal places if there is a
remainder) ; the result will be the answer in acres and hundredths.

When the opposite sides of a piece of land are of unequal length,
add them together and take one-half for the mean length or width.

How to fiyid the number of square yards in a floor or irall.
Rule. — Multiply the length by the width or height, (in feet), and
divide the product by 9, the result will be square yards.

How to find the number of bricks required in a building.

Rule. — Multiply the number of cubic feet by 22^.

The number of cubic feet is found by multiplying the length, height
and thickness (in feet) together.

Bricks are usually made 8 inches long, 4 inches wide, and two inches
thick ; hence, it requires 27 bricks to make a cubic foot without mortar,
but it is generally assumed that the mortar fills 1-6 of the space.

How to find the number <f shingles required in a roof.

Rule. — Multiply the numl)er of square feet in the roof by 8, if the
shingles are exposed 4.V inches, or by 7 1-5 if exposed 5 inches.

To find the number of stpiare feet, multiply the length of the roof by
twice the length of the rafters.

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION. 1T5

To find the length of the rafters, at one-fourth pitch, multiply the
width of the building by .56 (hundredths) ; at one-third pitch, by .6
(tenths) ; at two-fifths pitch, by .6-1 (hundredths) ; at one-half
pitch, by .71 (hundredths). This gives the length of the rafters from
the apex to the end of the wall, and whatever they are to project must be
taken into consideration.

Note.— By X or H pitch is meant that the apex or comb of the roof is to be X or K the width of the
building higher than the walls or base of the rafters.

IIoiv to reckon the cost of hay.

Rule. — Multiply the number of pounds by half the price per ton,
and remove the decimal point three places to the left.

How to measure grain. ^

Rule. — Level the grain ;. ascertain the space it occupies in cubic

feet ; multiply the number of cubic feet by 8, and point off one place to

the left.

Note.— Exactness requires the addition to every three hundred bushels of one extra bushel.

The foregoing rule may be used for finding the number of gallons, by
multiplying the number of bushels by 8.

If the corn in the box is in the ear, divide the answer by 2, to find
the number of bushels of shelled corn, because it requires 2 bushels of eai
corn to make 1 of shelled corn.

Rapid rules for measuring land tvithout instruments.

In measuring land, the first thing to ascertain is the contents of any
given plot in square yards ; then, given the number of yards, find out the
number of rods and acres.

The most ancient and simplest measure of distance is a step. Now,
an ordinary-sized man can train himself to cover one yard at a stride, on
the average, with sufficient accuracy for ordinary purposes.

To make use of this means of measuring distances, it is essential to
walk in a straight line ; to do this, fix the eye on two objects in a line
straight ahead, one comparatively near, the other remote ; and, in walk-
ing, keep these objects constantly in line.

Farmers and others hy adopting the following simple and ingenious con-
trivance., may always carry with them the scale to construct a correct yard
measure.

Take a foot rule, and commencing at the base of the little finger of
the left hand, mark the quarters of the foot on the outer borders of the
left arm, pricking in the marks with indelible ink.

To find how many rods in length will make an acre., the width being given.
Rule. — Divide 160 by the Avidth, and the quotient will be the answer.

176 jnSCELLANEOUS INFORMATION.

Hoiv to find the number of acres in any plot of land^ the number of rods
being given.

Rule. — Divide the number of rods by 8, multiply the quotient by 5,
and remove the decimal point two places to the left.

The diameter being given^ to find the circumference.

Rule. — Multiply the diameter by 3 1-7.

How to find the diameter., when the circumference is given.

Rule. — Divide the circumference by 3 1-7.

To find hoic matig solid feet a round stick of timber of the same thick-
ness throughout tvill contain when squared.

Rule. — Square half the diameter in inches, multiply by 2, multiply
by the length in feet, and divide the product by 144.

General rule for measuring timber., to find the solid contents in feet.

Rule. — Multiply the depth in inches by the breadth in inches, and
then multiply by the length in feet, and divide by 144.

To find the fiumber of feet of timber in trees with the bark on.

Rule. — Multiply the square of one-fifth of the circumference in
inches, by twice the length, in feet, and divide by ^44. Deduct 1-10 to
1-15 according to the thickness of the bark.

Hoicard' s 7ieiv ride for computing interest.

Rule. — The reciprocal of the rate is the time for which the interest
on any sum of money will be shown by simply removing the decimal
point two places to the left ; for ten times that time, remove the point
one place to the left; for 1-10 of the same time, remove the point three
places to the left.

Increase or diminish the results to suit the time given.

Note.— The reciprocal of the rate isfouiiil by inverting the rate; tliiis 3 per cent, per month, in-
verted, becomes % of a month, or 10 days.

When the rate is expressed by one figure, always write it thus: 3-1,
three ones.

Rule for converting English into American currency.
Multiply the pounds, with the shillings and pence stated in decimals,
by 400 plus the premium in fourths, and divide the product by 90.

U. S. GOVERNMENT LAND MEASURE.

A township — 36 sections each a mile square.
A section — 640 acres.

A quarter section, half a mile square — 160 acres.
An eightii section, lialf a mile long, north and south, and a quarter
of a mile wide — 80 acres.

A sixteenth section, a quarter of a mile square — 40 acres.

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION.

177

The sections are all numbered 1 to 36, commencing at tlie north-east
corner.

The sections are divided into quarters, which are named by the
cardinal points. The quarters are divided in the same way. The de-
scription of a forty acre lot would read : The south half of the west half of
the south-west quarter of section 1 in township 24, north of range 7 west,
or as the case might be ; and sometimes will fall short and sometimes
overrun the number of acres it is supposed to contain.

The nautical mile is 795 4-5 feet longer than the common mile.

SURVEYORS' MEASURE.

7 92-100 inches make 1 link,

25 links '* 1 rod.

4rods " 1 chain.

80 chains " 1 mile.

Note. — A chain is 100 links, equal to 4 rods or 66 feet.

Shoemakers formerly used a subdivision of the inch called a barley-
corn ; three of which made an inch.

Horses are measured directly over the fore feet, and the standard of
measure is four inches — called a hand.

In Biblical and other old measurements, the term span is sometimes
used, which is a lei'.gth of nine inches.

The sacred cubit of the Jews was 24.024 inches in length.

The common cubit of the Jews was 21.704 inches in length.

A pace is equal to a yard or 36 inches.

A fathom is equal to 6 feet.

A league is three miles, but its length is variable, for it is strictly
speaking a nautical term, and should be three geographical miles, equal
to 3.45 statute miles, but when used on land, three statute miles are said
to be a league.

In cloth measure an aune is equal to li yards, or 45 inches.

An Amsterdam ell is equal to 26.796 inches.

\ Trieste ell is equal to 25.284 inches.

A Brabant ell is equal to 27.116 inches.

HOW TO KEEP ACCOUNTS.

Every farmer and mechanic, whether he does much or little business,
should keep a record of his transactions in a clear and systematic man-
ner. For the benefit of those who have not had the opportunit}' of ac-
quiring a primary knowledge of the principles of book-keeping, we here
present a simple form of keeping accounts which is easily comprehended,
and well adapted to record the business transactions of farmers, mechanics
and laborers.

178

MISCELLAISEOUS INFORMATION.

1875.

A. 11. JACKSON.

Dr.

Cr.

Jan.
Feb.
^larch

April

.May

July

10, To 7 bushels Wheat at $1.25

17 Bv shoeing span of Horses..

4 To 14 bushels Oats at I .45

4 To 5 lbs. Butter at .25

8 By new Harrow

8 By sharpening- 2 Plows.

13 By new Double-Tree.

27 To Cow and Calf

9 To half ton of Hay

9 By Cash \

6 By repairing Corn-Planter

24 To one Sow with Pigs ........

By Cash, to balance account ..

' 2

, 25
4

$88

188

00
40
25

00
75

1875.

CASS A MASON.

I>r.

Cr.

Maich

May

((

June

((

July

((

Aug.

Sept. 1

By 3 days' labor. . . . .at $1.25

To 2 Slioats at 3.00

To 18 bushels Corn. _ . at .45

By 1 month's Labor .

To Cash

Bv 8 days' Mowing at $1.50

To 50 lbs. Flour

To 27 lbs. Meat ...at$ .10

By 9 days' Harvesting at 2.00

By 6 days' Labor .... at 1.50

To Casii

To Cash to balance account

$l3

18
9

$67

00
00

INTEPtEST TABLE.

A SiMPLis RuLa Foa accuhaticlv Computing Inteukst at Anv Givkx Peu Ck

Length nv Timk.

Multiply the j)r(»i.C(/5'if (ainoiiiit of nionoy aC interest) b.v the time reduci'd to d(iys\ then d
toy the (yuofifdf ol)t!iine(l by (livi(liiiK3H0 ' the number of days in the interest year) bv the pc
auiXlhe quotient thus obtained will be the rciniired interest.

ILI.fSTllATlON.

llequlre the interest of $462.50 for i)!ie month and eighteen days at 6 percent. An
Interest month is .jOdays; one month and eighteen tlavs ennal 48 ilays. $462.50 multi-
)>ll''d liv ,48 1,'ives .«;222 0000; 360 divided bv 6 (the per cent, of iiitei-ost ) givtvs 60, and
5222.0000 divided by 60 will tjivc yon III'! e\:i'',t interest, which is i|!:^.70. 1 1 1 lie rare of
Interest in the above exampl" were 12 per cent., we would divide the $222.0000 by 30 6)360

(because 360 <livlded by 12 gives 30); it 4 per cent., we would divide by90;if8])er

cent., by 45; and In like manner for any other per cent. tjO

NT. Foil Any

ivide this#rofiitct
r cent, of ijiterest.

Solution.

$462.50
.48

370000
185000

\ 1H5I)'
/ $222.0

'$222.0000($3.70
180

420
420

"oo

.\I ISCELLANEOUS TxVBLE.

12 units, or things, 1 Dozen.
12 dozen, 1 Gross.
20 things, 1 Score.

196 poumls, 1 l$;irrel of Flour.

200 pounds, 1 Haricd of I'ork.

56 iionnds, 1 rirUinof IJutter.

24 sheets of paper. 1 Quire.

20 (in ires paj)er 1 Keam.

4 ft. wide, 4 ft. high, and 8 ft. long, 1 Cord Wood.

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION. 179

NAMES OF THE STATES OF THE UNION, AND THEIR SIGNIFICATIONS.

Vir'ginia. — The oldest of the States, was so called in honor of Queen
Elizabeth, the "Virgin Queen," in whose reign Sir Walter Raleigh made
his first attempt to colonize that region.

Florida. — Ponce de Leon landed on the coast of Florida on Easter
Sunday, and called the country in commemoration of the day, which was
the Pasqua Florida of the Spaniards, or " Feast of Flowers."

Louisiana was called after Louis the Fourteenth, who at one time
owned that section of the country.

Alabama was so named by the Indians, and signifies " Here we Rest."

Mississippi is likewise an Indian name, meaning " Long River."

Arkansas^ from Kansas, the Indian word for " smoky water." Its
prefix was really arc, the French word for " bow."

The Carolinas were originally one tract, and were called "Carolana,"
after Charles the Ninth of France.

G-eorgia owes its name to George the Second of England, who first
established a colony there in 17-32.

Tennessee is the Indian name for the " River of the Bend," ^'. e., the
Mississippi which forms its western boundary.

Kentucky is the Indian name for "• at the head of the river."

Ohio means " beautiful ; " Iowa, " drowsy ones ; " Minnesota, " cloudy
water," and Wisconsin, " wild-rushing channel."

Illinois is derived from the Indian word illini, men, and the French
suffix ois, together signifying "tribe of men."

Michigayi was called by the name given the lake, fish-weir, which was
so styled from its fancied resemblance to a fish trap.

Missouri is from the Indian word " muddy," which more properly
applies to the river that flows through it.

Oregon owes its Indian name also to its principal river.

Cortes named California.

Massachusetts is the Indian for " The country around the great hills."

Connecticut, from the Indian Quon-ch-ta-Cut, signifying "Long
River."

Maryland, after Henrietta Maria, Queen of Charles the First, of
England.

New York was named by the Duke of York.

Peniisyhiania means " Penn's woods," and was so called after William
Penn, its orignal owner.

180

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION.

Delaware after Lord De La Ware.

mxv Jersey, so called in honor of Sir George Carteret, who was
Governor of the Island of Jersey, in the British Channel.

:^laine was called after the province of Maine in France, in compli-
ment of Queen Henrietta of England, who owned that province.

Vermont, from the French word Vert Mont, signifying Green
Mountain.

New Hampshire, from Hampshire county in England. It was
formerly called Laconia.

The little State of RJiode Island owes its name to the Island of
Rhodes in the Mediterranean, which domain it is said to greatly
resemble.

Texas is the American word for the Mexican name by which all that
section of the country was called before it was ceded to the United States.

POPULATION OF THE
UNITED STATES.

States and Territories.

Alabama

Arkansas

California

Connecticut

Delaware

Florida ■

Georgia

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massailiusetts....

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire.

NewJersey

New York

North Carolina..

Ohio

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Khode I.sland ....

South Carolina...

Tennessee

Texas

Vermont

Virginia

West Virginia...

Wisconsin

Total States.,

Toral
Poimlation.

996.992
484,471
560,247
537,454
12.5,015
187,748
1.184,109
2,539,891
1,680,637
1,191,792
364.399
1,321,011
726,915
626.915
780.894
1,457,351
1,184,059
439.706
827,922
1,721,295
122,993
42,491
318,300
906.096
4,382.759
1,071,361
2,665.260
90,923
3,,52 1,791
217,3.53
705,606
1,258, .520
818,579
330,551
1,22.5,163
442,014
1,054,670

38.113,253

POPULATION OF FIFTY
PRINCIPAL CITIES.

Cities.

Arizona

Colorada

Dakota

district of CoUimbla.

Idaho

Montana

New Mexico

Uuh

A's^hinKton

Wyoming

Total Territories

Total United States 38.555,983

9,658
39,864
14,181
131.700
14,999
20,595
91,874
86.786
23,955
9.118

T42.73O

New York, N. Y

Philadelphia, Pa

Brooklyn, N. Y

St. Louis, Mo

Chicago, 111

Baltimore, Md

Boston, Mass

Cincinnati, Ohio

New Orleans, La

San Francisco, cal....

Buffalo, N. Y

Washington, D. C

Newark. N. J

Louisville, Ky

Cleveland, Ohio

Pittsburg, Pa

Jersey Citv, N. J

Detroit, Mich

Milwiiukee, Wis

Albany, N. Y

Providence, R. I

Rochester, N. Y

Allegheny, Pa

Richmond, Va

New Haven, Conn...
Charleston, S. C

Indianapolis, Ind —

Troy, N. Y

Syracuse, N. Y

Worcester, Mass

Lowell, Mass

Memphis, Tenn

Cambridge, Mass —

Hartford, Conn

Scranton, Pa

Reading, Pa

Paterson. N. J

Kansas City, Mo

Mohile, Ala

Toledo. Ohio

Portland, Me

Columbus, Ohio

Wilmington. Del....

Dayton, Ohio

Lawrence, Mass

Utica, N. Y

Cliarlestown, Mass.

Savannah, (la

Lynn. Mass

Fall River, Mass.

Aggregate
Population.

942,292
674,022
396,099
310,864
298.977
267,354
250,526
216,239
191,418
149.473
117,714
109,199
105,059
100,753
92,829
86,076
82,546
79,577
71,440
69,422
68,904
62,386
53,180
51,038
50,840
48,956
48,244
46,465
43,051
41,105
40,928
40,226
39,634
37,180
35,092
33,930
33,579
32,260
32,034
31,684
31,413
31,274
30,841
30,473
28,921
28,804
28,323
28,235
28,233
26,766

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION.

181

POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES.

States and
Territories.

States.

Alabama 50,

Arkansas 52,

California 188,

Connecticnt 4.

Delaware 2,

Florida 59,

Georgia 58,

Illinois 55,

Indiana 33,

Iowa 55,

Kansas 81,

Kentucky 37,

Louisiana 41,

Maine 31,

Maryland 11,

Massachusetts... 7,

Michigan* 56,

Minnesota 83,

Mississippi 47,

Missouri 65,

Nebraska 75,

Nevada lia,

New Hampshire. 9,

New Jersey 8,

New York 47,

North Carolina.. 50,

Ohio 39,

Oregon 95,

* Last Census of

Area in
sciuare
Miles.

722

198
981
674
120
268
000
410
809
045
318
600
346
776
184
800
.451
531
,156
,350
,9P5
,090
,280
,320
,000
,704
,964
,244

Population.

1870.

996,992

484.471

560,247

537,454

125,015

187,748,

1,184,109'

2,539,891

1,680,637

1,191.792

364,399

l,.321,0n

726,915

626,915

780,894

1.457,351

1,184,059

439,706

827,922

1,721,295

123,993

42,491

318,300

906,096

4,382.759

1,071,361

2,665,260

90,923

1375.

1,350,544
528,349

857,039

1,651,912

1,334.031

598,429

246,280
52,540

1,026,502
4,705,208

Miles
R. R.

1872.

671
25
013
820
227
466
108
904
529
160
760
123
539
871
820
,606
,235
,612
990
,580
828
593
790
,265
,470
,190
,740
lo9

Michigan taken in 1874.

States and
Territories.

States.

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

South Carolina...

Tennessee

Texas

Vermont

Virginia

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Total States.

Territories.

Arizona

Colorado

Dakota

Dist. of Columbia.

Idaho

Montana

New Mexico

Utah

Washington

Wyoming

Total Territories.

Area in

square
Miles.

Population.

1870.

46,000
1,306
29,385
45,600
237,504
10,212
40,904
23,000
53,924

1,950,171

113,916

104,500

147,490

90,93

143,776

121,201

80,056

69.944

93,107

965,032

3,521,791
217,353
705,606

1,258,520
818.579
330,551

1,225,163
442,014

1,054,670

38,113,253

9,658
39,864
14,181
131,700
14,999
20,595
91,874
86,786
23,955
9,118

442,730

1875.

258,239
925,145

1,236,729

Miles
R. R.

1872.

5,113
136

1,201

1,520
865
675

1,490
485

1,725

59,587

392

375

"498

1,265

Aggregateof U.S.. '2,915,203 38,555,983 60,852

• Included in the Railroad Mileage of Maryland.

PRINCIPAL COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD;

l^OPULATION AND AeEA.

Countries.

Population.

China

British Empire

Russia

United States with Alaska

Krance

Austria and Hungary

Japan

Great Britain and Ireland

German Empire

Italy

Spain

Brazil

Turk ey

Mexico

Sweden and Norway

Persia

Belgium

Bavaria

Portugal

Holland

J'" ew Grenada

Chili

Switzerland

Peru

Bolivia

Argentine Republic

Wurtemburg

Denmark

Venezuela

Baden

Greece

Guatemala

Ecuador

. Paraguay

Hesse

Liberia

San Salvador

Hayti

Nicaragua

Uruguay

Honduras

San Domingo

Costa Rica

Hawaii

446,

226

81,

38,

29,

27,

16,

10,

16,

500,000
817,108
92,5,400
925,600
469.800
9(14,400
785,300
817,100
906,092
439,921
642,000
000.000
463.000
173.000
921.500
000,000
021,300
861,400
995,200
688,300
000,000
000,000
669,100
,500,000
,000,000
,812,000
818,500
,784,700
500,000
461,400
457,900
; 180, 000
300,000
,000,000
823,1.38
718,000
600,000
572,000
350,000
300,000
350,000
136,000
165.000
62.9.50

Date of
Census.

1871
1871
1871
1870
1866
1869
1871
1871
1871
1871
1867

1869
1870
1870
1869
1871
1868
1870
1870
1869
1870
1871

'1869
1871
1870

'1871
1870
1871

'isVi
'isVi

1871

1871
1871
1871

'isVo

Area In
Square
Miles.

.3,741,846

4,677,432

8,003,778

2,603,884

204,091

240.348

149,399

121,315

160,207

118,847

195.775

3,253,029

672,621

761,526

292,871

635,964

11,373

29,292

34,494

12,680

357,157

132,616

15,992

471,838

497,321

871,848

7,533

14,753

368,238

5,912

19,353

40,879

218,928

63,7§7

2,969

9,576

7.335

10,205

58,171

66,722

47,092

17,827

21,505

7,633

Inhabitants

to Square

Mile.

119.3

48.6

10.2

7.78

178.7

149.4

232.8

262.3

187.

230.9

85.

3.07
24.4

20.
7.8
441.5
165.9
115.8
290.9
8.4
15.1
166.9
5.3
4.
2.1
241.4
120.9
4.2
247.
75.3
28.9
5.9
15.6
277.
74.9
81.8
56.
6.
6.5
7.4
7.6
7.7
80.

Capitals.

Pekin

London

St. Petersburg...

Washington

Paris

Vienna

Yeddo

London

Berlin

Rome

Madrid

Rio Janeiro

Constantinople ..

Mexico

Stockholm

Teheran

Brussels

Munich

Lisbon

Hague

Bogota

Santiago

Berne

Lima

Chuquisaca

Buenos Ayres...

Stuttgart

Copenhagen

Caraccas

Carlsruhe

Athens

Guatemala

Quito

Asuncion

Darmstadt

Monrovia

Sal Salvador

Port au Prince.

Managua

Monte Video

Comayagua

San Domingo

San Jose

Honolulu

Population.

648,800

251,800

667,000

109,199

825,300

833,900

554,900

251,800

825,400

244,484

332,000

420,000

075,000

2 10. .300

136,900

120,000

314,100

169,500

224,063

90,100

45,000

115,400

36,000

160,100

25,000

177.800

91,600

162.042

47,000

36,600

43,400

40,000

70,000

48,000

30,000

3,000

15,000

20,000

10,000

44,500

12,000

20,000

2,000

7,633

182

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION

POPUIATION OF ILLINOIS,
By Counties.

COUNTIES.

Adams

Alexander. -

Bond

Boone

Brown

Bureau

Calhoun

Carroll

Cass -

Champaign.
Christian . .

Clark

Clay

Clinton

Coles

Cook

Crawford

Cumberland
De Kalb...
De Witt...

Douglas

Du Page

Edgar

Edwards

Effingham. .

Fayette

Ford

Franklin

Fulton

Gallatin

Greene

Grundy .

Hamilton ..

Hancock

Hardin

Henderson .

Henry

Iroquois

Jackson

Jasper

Jefferson

Jersey

Jo Daviess.

Johnson

Kane

Kankakee. .

Kendall

Knox .

Lake

La Salle

Lawrence

Lee

Livingston .
Logan

AGGREGATE.

1870.

56362
10564
13152
12942
12205

32415

6562

16705

II580

32737
20363
18719

15875
16285

25235
349966

13889
12223
23265
14768

13484
16685
21450

7565
15653
I963S

9103
12652
38291

III34
20277

14938
13014

35935
5113
12582
35506
25782

19634
11234

17864

15054
27S20
11248
39091

24352
12399
39522
21014
60792

12533
27171

31471
23053

I860. 1850. 1840. 1830

41323
4707
9815

I167S

9938
26426

5144
"733
11325
14629
10492
14987
9336
10941
14203
144954

11551
83H
19086
10820
7140
14701
16925

5454
7816

III 89
1979
9393

33338
8055

16093

10379

9915

29061

3759

9501

20660

12325

9589

8364

12965

12051

27325

9342

30062

15412

13074
28663
18257
48332
9214
17651
11637
14272

26508
2484
6144
7624
7198
8841

3231
4586

7253
2649
3203
9532
4289

5139
9335

43385

7135

3718
7540
5002

9290
10692
3524
3799
8075

5681

22508

5448

12429

3023

6362

14652

2887

4612

3807

4149

5862

3220

8109

7354
18604

4114
16703

7730

13279
14226

17815

6lEl

5292

1553
5128

14476

3313
5060

1705
4183
3067

1741
1023
2981

1475

1878

7453
3228
3718
9616
1 020 1

4422

1697
3247

3535
8225
3070
1675
6328

3682
13142
10760
11951

3945
9946

1378

1260

1695
3566
1472
5762

4535
6180
3626
6501

7060
2634
9348
709
2035
759
2333

1830.

2186
1390
3124

1090

3940

755
2330

3117

4071
1649

2704

4083
1841
7405
7674

2616

483

1828

2555

2111
1596

274

366S

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION.

183

POPULATION OF ILLINOIS— Concluded.

COUNTIES.

Macon

Macoupin...

Madison

Marion

Marshall

Mason

Massac

McDonough.
McHenry ..
McLean ...v

Menard

Mercer

Monroe

Montgomery

Morgan

Moultrie

Ogle

Peoria

Perry

Piatt

Pike

Pope

Pulaski

Putnam

Randolph

Richland ...
Rock Island

Saline

Sangamon ..

Schuyler

Scott ,

Shelby

Stark'.

St. Clair

Stephenson.

Tazewell

Union

Vermilion- .

Wabash

Warren

Washington

Wayne

White

Whitesides .

Will.

Williamson .
Winnebago.
Woodford . .

Total. .

AGGREGATE.

1870.

26481
32726

44131
20622
16950
16184
9581
26509
23762
53988

II735
18769

12982

25314
2S463
IO3S5
27492
47540
13723
10953
30708

II437

875^

62S0

20859

12803

29783
12714

46352
17419
10530
25476
IO75I

51068
30608
27903
16518
30388
8841
23174

17599
19758
16846

27503
43013
17329
29301
18956

2539891

I860. 1850. 1840. 1830. 1820

13738
24602
31251

12739
13437
IO931

6213
20069
22089
28772

9584
15042

12832

13979
22II2

6385
2288S
36601

9552
6127

27249
6742

3943

5587
17205

9711
21005

9331
32274
14684

9069
14613

9004

37694
25112
21470
11181
19800

7313
18336

13731
12223
12403

18737
29321
12205

24491
13282

1711951

3988

12355

20441

6720

5180

5921

4092

7616

14978

10163

6349
5246

7679

6277

16064

3234
10020

17547
5278
1606

18819

3975
2265

3924

1 1079

4012

6937
5588
19228
10573
7914
7807
3710

20180
1 1666
12052

7615

11492

4690

8176

6953
6825
8925
5361

16703
7216

11773
4415

851470

3039
7926
14433
4742
1849

5308
2578
6565
4431
2352

4481
4490

19547

3479
6153
3222

11728
4094

2131
7944

2610

14716
6972
6215

6659
1573

13631
2800
7221
5524
9303
4240

6739
4810

5133

7919

2514

10167

4457
4609

476183

1122
1990
6221
2125

(^)

2000

2953
12714

1215

2396
3316

/:I3IO
4429

12960
/^2959

2972

7078

4716

3239
5836
2710
308
1675
2553
6091

1574^5

13550

*2I
I516

2610

3492

5248

2362

1517
III4

4828

*49
55162

184

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION.

STATE LAWS

Relating to Rates of Interest and Penalties for Usury.

States and Territories.

Legal I Rate al-
Rate of, lowed by
Interest.' Contract.

Alabama

Arizona

Arkansas

California

Colorado

Connecticut

Dakota

Delaware

District of Columbia .

Florida

Georgia

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Mai#.'lan d

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi ...

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

Ontario, Canada

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Quebec, Canada

Rhode Island

South Carolini

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington Territory

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

per cent

lO
lO

7
7
6
6
8
7

6
6
6
8
6

5
6

7
7
6
6
lo

lO
lO

7
6

7
6
6
6

6
6
6

7
6
8

6
6

per cent.

8
Any rate.

lo
Any rate.
Any rate,

Any rate.

24
lO

Any rate,

6
Any rate

lo
Any rate

Any rate
6

7
Any rate,

7
8
8
Any rate

Any rate
Any rate.
Any rate.
Any rate,
lo

Any rate.
6
6*

Any rate.
6*
lo

Any rate.

Penalties for Usury.

Forfeiture of entire interest.
Forfeiture of principal and interest.

Forfeiture of excess of interest.
Forfeiture of entire interest.
Forfeiture of principal.
Forfeiture of entire interest. '

Forfeiture of entire interest.

Fine and imprisonment.

Forfeiture of entire interest. •

Forfeiture of excess of interest.

Forfeiture of entire interest.

Forfeiture of ex. of in. above 12 per cent.

Forfeiture of entire interest.

Forfeiture of excess of interest.

Forfeiture of ex. of in. above 7 per cent.
No Usury Law in this State.
Forfeiture of excess of interest.
Forfeiture of entire interest.

Forfeiture of entire interest.

Forfeiture of thrice the excess and costs.
Forfeiture of entire interest.

Forfeiture of contract.
Forfeiture of entire interest.
Forfeiture of excess above 6 per cent.

Forfeiture of excess of interest.
Forfeiture of excess of interest.

Forfeiture of excess of interest.
Forfeiture of entire interest.

Forfeiture of excess of interest
Forfeiture of entire interest.

• Except in cases defined by statutes of the State.

MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION.

185

STATE LAWS

Relating to Limitations of Actions : Showing Limit of Time in which
Action may be Brought on the following :

States and Tbreitories.

Alabama

Arkansas

California,

Colorado

Connecticut

Dakota

Delaware

District of Columbia .

Florida

Georgia

Idaho

Illinois

Indiana

Iowa

Kansas

Kentucky

Louisiana

Maine

Maryland

Massachusetts

Michigan

Minnesota

Mississippi

Missouri

Montana

Nebraska

Nevada

New Hampshire

New Jersey

New Mexico

New York

North Carolina

Ohio

Ontario (U. Canada)..

Oregon

Pennsylvania

Quebec (L. Canada)..

Rhode Island

South Carolina

Tennessee

Texas

Utah

Vermont

Virginia

Washington Territory

West Virginia

Wisconsin

Wyoming

Assault

slander,

&c.

Open
AcctB.

Notes.

Judg-
ments.

Sealed and
witnessed
Instru-
ments.

Years.

6
6
6

4
6
6
6

5
3

20
20

2
I

4
4

5
6

20
7

20
20

2
I
2

5
6

20
2o

10
20

I
I
I
2

3
6

5
20

15
10
20

15
15
20
20

2
2

3
6

• 6

20
6

12
20
10

I
2

3
5

6
10

7
20

7
10

2
2

5
4
6

4
20

3
I

3
6
6

15
6

IS
20

15
20

I
I

5
6

30
20

6
6

20
10

20
6

I
I

2
2

4
4

5
8

5
7
8

5
3

5
6

10
6

20
6

PRODUCTIONS OF AGRICULTURE, STATE OF ILLINOIS, BY COUNTIES.— 1870.

OOUNTIES.

Totnl ..

Adiilll!)

Alexander

lloiid..".

ISooiie ,

isrowii

Bureau

<;ulliouii

Carroll

Cass

ChaniiJaiKii

Christian

Clark

Clay

Clinton

Coles

Cook

Crawford

Cuinl>ei'laud

DeKall) ,

DeWitt

Douglas

DuPage

Edgar

Edwards

Effingham

Fayette

Koid

Franklin

Fulton

Gallatin

Greene

Grundy..

Hamilton

Hancock

Hardin

Henderson

Henry

Iroquois. .... .

Jackson

Jaspei- ,

Jeltersou .. ,

Jersey . ..

JoDaviess

lohnson .

Kane

fCankakee

Kendall ..

Knox

T^ake

LaSalle

Lawrence

Lee

Livingston

Logan

Macon

]\lacoui)in

Madison

Marion

Marshall

Mason

Massac

McDoiiougli

Mc Henry

McLean

Menard

Mercer

Monroe

Montgomery

Morgan

Moulti'ie

Ogle

i'eoria

I'erry

I'latt

I'Ike

Pope

Pulaski

Putnam

Randolph

Uiclilaiid

Koclc Island

Saline

Sangamon

Schuyler

Sco I

Slielliy

Stark

St. Clair

Stephenson

Tazewell

Union

V<?rmillon

Wai>ash

W.irrcn

Washington

Wayne

Whlre

Wliitciides

Will

Willlainsou

Wliinehago

V/oodford

Improved

Land. Woodl'nd

Number.
19 3-29. 9.52

Numl)ei .
.5.061.578

oilier UM -
improved

Xuinher.
1.491.331

Spring
Wheat.

liusliels.
10.133.207

Winter
Wheat.

Rye.

Husliels. bushels. lUishels.
19 99.5.198 2.456.578 129.921.395

Indian
Corn.

Oats.

Uushels.
12.780.851

287.92b

13.836
145,045
137,30^

57,062
398,611

37,684
186,864

92.90
419,368
241.472
118.594
146.92i
ISO-U";
208.33";
348.824
105,505

75,34;;
334.502
168.539
147.633
164.874
~'65,458

58,912
120,343
187.196
141. 22H

80,749
228.13

49.57:
175,408
193,999

88,996
311,517

28.117
140,954
265,904
322,510

78,548

90,867
118,951

94,147
156. Sn

57,820
240,120
312,18-,J
164,001
330,829
207.779
533,724

87,828
322,212
377.505
321,70^.
205.25t)
231.059
257,032
173 081
166,057
209,453

25.151
261,635
230,51)6
494.978
134.17:-.
222 801)

92.81(1
276,682
2,^3,450
144,220
316,88::!
170,72i(

9:1754

91.454
233 785

55.980

19,319

37.271
140 764

75,07!)
155.214

72,:W9
421,748

96,195

85,331
310.179
138.129
231,117
251,857
2211,126

75.832
3!iO,251

51,063
266.187
177 592
147.3,52

9-.'.398
2S9 809
419.442
128,448
211.373
22.5,504

112,576
17.761
42,613
29,886
35,491
41,866
63.443
29,793
33,493
16,789
19,803

102,201
80,612
48,868
45,214
19,635
78,350
40,334
17,722
29,548
11,89';
17,243
66,803
57.585
56,330
93,460
2,996
3,994

123,823
68,750
9:3,24v
6,256
93,878
43,385
44,771
34,705
12,620
22,478
87,642
67,023
94,888
51,427
82,07*.
3
34,646
10,978
14,244
41,566
21,072
48,117
72,738
12.071
12,462
17,394
18,153
81,224
89,450
61,579
r8,26i
31,739
33,396
52,54-,
5;i29:i
40,36li
34.931
45,977
83,369
47,801
60,217
24.783
4:1,643
48.666
68.47(1
5.978

128,953
87,754
12.516
17,184

162.274
.50,618
31.239
70 393
51,085
62,47'
44,633
74,908
12 375
76,591
43.167
45.268
83 606
53,078
37 558
27 294
55.852

1 16, 194
78.167
21.823
24.261

116.949
;17.238
2,").217

19,370

1,915

2,658

25,608

1.5,803

2,754

33,;i02

6.604

58.502

19,173

.5,420

5,225

8,722

:i,274

17,337

27,185

5,604

6,551

17,633

7,316

3.851

14,282

830

26,206

16,786

6:i,976

86,710

4,076

2,565

29.653

4,505

3,343

18,480

107

14,243

31,459

6:i,498

5,991

12,250

778

1.363

45,779

79,141

399

10,598

2,283

2,5.155

24,399

2,356

3,273

7,409

41,788

408

9,115

7,343

13,675

4,142

2,976

31,013

3(t

14,035

57,998

49,087

13,9,52

22,588

666

8,495

1,376

13,112

14,913

2,516

220

13,897

9,302

4.174
1,170
2 025

20,755
809

19,932

21,294
1,610
9,314
2,783
2,016

13,701

14.846
5,300

31,122
509

14,583
1,931

10,486
869

37.310
6,335
1,618

1.5,237

2.3,135

16,191

700
241.04

i;i,276

465,236

418,073

12,165

102,577

18,360

1,894

500

2.651

144,296

550

398,059

106,493

7,683

106,096

13 283

42,571

365

193,669

21,700

129

181,378

161,112

462,379

57,160

890

282,758

188,826
10:5,466
90.681
267,764
168,914
271,181

450,79:1

120,206

198,056

55,239

160

550

106,129
73,261

27:3,871
401,790
211.801
36,152
289,291

18,196

17,128

497,038

92,361

26,382
130

28,137
450

243,541

200

89,304

56,221

It-

15,526

124,6:^0

2.550

527,394

1)2,417

4 4,806
"l'86;296
266

457.455
195,286
176
408,606
178,139

947.616

42,658

368.625

599

117,502

724

221,298

260

127,054

12:3,091

504,041

195.118

85,737

610.888

154.485

4,904

212,924

84,697

190

11,695

65,461

693

247,360

122,703

19,5,716

351,310

1,008

111.324

223,930

8:3,093

577,400

1511

92,347

232,75(1

32,306

69,062

445

10,48(1

329.036

87.808

100 55 !

558,367

555

92,191

325

480

1.249

7,654

221

2,19:i

264,134

2,260

1,339

40,96;i

196.613

861,398

1,207,181

17:3,65^

90(1

125,628

72. 3 K)
36,146

270

10,955

45,793

1:3,203

651.767

744.891

357.523

196.436

5,580

31 843

350,446

39.762

1 057,497

70.4 5;
44,922

79('

1,031,022

150,21)8

2.279

83.011

247.658

165.721

266.105

452,015

1,562 621

2,118

72410

180 231

249.558

202.201

5.712

672,486

161,689

181,321

264

1,996
170.787

2,468
108,307

20,989

6,240

35,871

4,742

43,811

186

25,721

2,772

45.752

10,722

7,308

3,221

1,619

8,825

20,171

15,497

14.798

21,018

11 540

9,017

7,532

37,.508

528

19,759

25,328

11,577

5.195

131,711

512

415

4,931

11.672

133,533

865

96,430

35,766

23,259

524

9,165

5,934

7.185

2,468

23,618

12,935

5,16:;

113,547

5.87(

48,30(-

1,121

14,829

26,16;^

37.232

29,22;i

2.401

3,685

r4,517

36,135

49,182

544

52.401

29.26-1

39.824

4,28::

40,77!-

1,42.^

3,29t

5,53.'

6,670

157,504

99,50i'

1,016

9.24,s

2.5.303

2,309

■'2"

7,70;

3,23.':

3.401

30,003

568

23,073

20,841

930

23.686

30 534

1,008

135.302

59,027

1,737

52,476

72,212

2,576

8,665

418

31,658

8,030

6.228

137,985

20.426

1,452,90,

244,220

1,064,05.

466,985

337.769

3,0:30,404

234,041

1,367 965

1,146,980

3,924,720

1,88.3,336

614,582

1,019,994

813,257

2,133,111

570,427

581,964

403,075

1,023,849

1,311,635

1,680,225

331,981

2,107,615

352,371

620,247

962,525

565,671

653,209

1,508,763

509,491

1,051,313

295,971

735,252

1,510,401

172,651

1,712,901

2,541,68:3

799,81(1

611,951

461,345

887,981

519,120

1,286,326

34:3,29!-

674,33:;

637,39!

681.26';

2,708,3U

517. 35:1

3,077,021-

656,36::

1,656,97^

1,182,691

4,221,641)

2,214,46S

1,051,544

2,127,549

1,034,05';

l,182,90:i

2,648,726

13:3.126

1,362,490

1,145.005

:3,723.37i<

1,97:3. 881 ■

2,054,962

543,71!-

1,527,898

3,198,835

1,753.141

1,787,066

969,224

384,446

1,029,725

1,399,188

31.5,958

195.73.''-

334,25!:

510,08(

482.59-!

1,459,65:1

531,516

4,388,763

440,975

752,771

2,082,578

1,149 878

1,423.121

1,615,679

2,062,053

679.753

2,818.027

421,361

2,982,853

836.115

1,179.291

8 70,, 521

2,162,943

1,131,458

655,710

1,237,406

2,154.185

759,074

21,627
461,097

579.127
' 70,852
987.426

26,231
775,100

168,784
721,375
383,821
212,628
269,945
446,;324
315.954
1,584,225
136,255
171,880
1,087,074
216,756
225,074
860.809
290,679
129.152
386.073
497,395
154.'^ '^9
22~, ij
261,390

27,164

64,029
269.332
203,464
579,599

26,991
229,286
668,367
430,746
149,931
149,214
285,949

71.770
874,016

74,525
785,608
772,408
468,890
787,952
699,069
1,509,642
131,386
90:3,197
659,300
490,226
454,648
459,417
475,252
389,446
362,604
272,660

22,097
280,717
910.397
911,127
235,091
452,889
152,251
668,424
198,724
263,992
141,540
334,892
338,760
1:30,610
161,419

67,886

16,511

86,519
414,487
204.634
276,575

69.793
397,718
119.3.59

13.462
637.812
316,726
476,851
960,620
.505,841
124,473
436,051
110,793
601,054
533,398
404,482
119.652
880 838
1,868,682
180,986
868,903
744, 5M

-^^w-.

SOLDIERS MONUMENT

BLOOMINGTON

HISTORY OF MoLEAN COUNTY.

By prof. C. p. MERRIMAN.

In many respects, McLean County is one of the finest in the State, and, in some par-
ticulars, it has no rival. We will here notice several of the causes that have produced
this result.

It is now the largest county in the State, and there are but few acres of waste land
in its whole surface. Being situated in the central portion of the State, it is free from
the severities of winter which visit some of the northern counties, and equally free from
the summer heats experienced in some of the southern ones, as well as from the malarial
influences of the rivers in the western, southern and southeastern portion of it.

About one-ninth of its surface is covered with groves, most happily located in the
southern, western and central portion, protecting its prairies from the rough visitations
of violent winds, and furnishing grateful shade and shelter to stock in the changing sea-
sons. In these groves may be found some of the finest timber-lands in the country, pro-
ducing white oak, red oak, maple, hickory, black walnut, white ash, black ash,
elm, butternut, buckeye, sassafras, and a variety of smaller growths cdmmon in the
country.

In common with this portion of the Mississippi Valley, the surface inclination and
the drainage of this county are toward the southwest. It is moderately rolling, compar-
ing favorably with its adjoining counties, being free from extreme flatness, and from
abrupt changes, [ts summit elevation is about 220 feet above Lake Michigan, 545
feet above the water at the junction of the Ohio and the Mississippi at Cairo, and
795 above the ocean. That it is more elevated than the surrounding country is evident
from the fact that it is well supplied with running water by the incipient streams that
contribute to the formation of the Vermilion, Sugar Creek, the Mackinaw, the
Kickapoo and the Sangamon River, running south, southwest, west, northwest and
northeast. Good water is found in all parts of the county by digging, and in the north-
eastern portion there are many natural springs of excellent water. Such are the physical
features of its surface, and the happy location of its large and small groves that, in the
leafy season of the year, it presents many scenes of quiet and picturesque beauty
which are scarcely surpassed in any country.

While the most of its surface is available as arable land, much of it is, happily,
adapted to stock-raising, and is largely devoted to that business. Belleflower, in the
southeastern corner of the county, is probably the finest township of land in the State ;
and, perhaps, the finest in any State. Much of its natural turf has been broken with a
team of two horses, while in other portions of the county a team of four and even of six
oxen has been required for the purpose. Its deep, rich soil is mixed with black sand,

190 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

rendering it sensitive to the influences of the sun, very easy of cultivation, and largely
productive. r>.uch of that portion of it that was sold as swamp lands at prices varying
from §4.50 to §5.50 per acre, on being properly drained, proves to be the most valuable
in the country, as at some feet below the rich surface there is a substratum of pebbles,
which retains moisture in dry seasons, and receives the excess of water in wet
seasons.

This county may also challenge comparison with any one in the State as to
the character of its inhabitants for energy, enterprise, public spirit, industry and liber-
ality, especially of its early settlers. These (jualities have chiefly contributed to place
the county in its present highly prosperous and influential position. It has furnished
many members of the State Legislature, Circuit Judges, Representatives to Congress, a
State Superintendent of Instruction, a State Treasurer, a Territorial Governor, a Lieu-
tenant Governor, a Judge of the Supreme Court of the State, and a Judge of the
Supreme Court of the United States, as well as several Generals, and numerous other
oflicers of distinction ; but what is vastly better, it has furnished many thousands of
excellent citizens, male and female, in all the walks of life.

This is not the appropriate place for a discussion of various theories on the origin
of the prairies, yet a brief reference to the subject may not be improper to show why
this section of the country is now, and will permanently remain, among the most desira-
ble and important in the whole Union.

" One theory is that the soil resulted from the decomposition of vegetable matter
under water, and that the attending conditions were incompatible with the growth of
timber." Another theory is that the prairies are the results of the scarcity of moisture
in the atmosphere of the interior of continents. It is well known that the quantity of
water which annually falls in this country diminishes as the center of the continent is
approached from the Atlantic and the Pacific, and that the amount of timber-lands
diminishes in about the same ratio, resulting in a wide central waste. But be this as it
may, the fact remains the same, that we are here located in the midst of happy
surroundings, made up of lovely vales, gentle slopes, wide fields ^and grateful forest
groves.

It is well known that the pioneers of Illinois suff"ered much less in opening up its soil
than did those of Ohio, Indiana and Michigan, from malarious diseases. This is
undoubtedly owing to the sparsoness of forests and large groves. The changeableness
of our climate, and the great difference of temperature between our winters and our
Bummers, have been made the grounds of objection to this section of the country. But
these very extremes contribute very largely to the productiveness of the country. Our
rich, deep, heavy soil is mellowed up by the frosts of winter, and so quickened by the
heats of summer as to produce a greater variety and richness of vegetable productions
than any other country within the same extent of surface. This result is greatly attrib-
utable to the effects of the very cold north winds from the regions of the great lakes,
and the hot winds coming up the Mississippi Valley, about which some are disposed to
complain.

Tradition says that our great staple production, Indian corn, was brought from the
South, where it originally grew very tall and slim, but produced very little grain. But its
excessive growtli of stalk was checked by our cool climate, and yet its grain brought to
perfection by our short hot summers, and the productiveness greatly increased. Owing

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUHTY. 191

to the same influences, we can successfully produce here the hardy vegetables of a north-
ern climate, and many of the delicious productions of a semi-tropical one Being thus
located in the very center of the corn-producing region, as surely as efiects fv/llow causes, we
are in the midst of animal development — having near us the greatest grain, beef and
pork market in the world. This fortunate state of things is simply the result of natural
and permanent causes. One of our geologists says, in speaking of our soil : " This
splendid soil-forming deposit is destined to make Illinois the great center of American
wealth and population. Perhaps no other country of the same extent on the face of
the globe can boast a soil so ubiquitous in its distribution, and so universally pro-
ductive. Enriched by all the minerals in the crust of the earth, it necessarily contains
a great variety of constituents. Since plants difi"er so widely in the elements of which
they are composed, this multiplicity of composition is the means of growing a great
diversity of crops, and the amount produced is correspondingly large."

This paragraph, in a few words, states with much felicity the character of our soil,
and suggests possible improvements in the direction of the introduction of new and
valuable vegetables and fruits, of which we at present have no adequate idea. The soil
is here, and the climate is here, and the necessary science and skill will develop this
section of the West into the richest agricultural country in the world. Other countries
have their specialties ; but here we can have in great perfection and in wonderful pro-
fusion all the essentials and many of the luxuries of life.

When to these facts and considerations we add that this county is in the midst of
the most magnificent coal-measures known to the world — extending over no less than
thirty-seven thousand square miles — sufficient to supply fuel for economical and manu-
facturing purposes for all time to come ; that our railroad connections are excellent ;
that our educational facilities, our social, moral and religious privileges are inferior to
none in the country, we may well be proud of old McLean.

Not much needs here to be said of the geology of this county. Its features, in
this respect, are so similar to those of much of the surrounding country, and now so
well known to the general reader, that we shall notice only a very few of them.

Speaking in reference to this county, the State Geologist says : " The soil is gener-
ally a rich, brown mold, varying somewhat, in difi"erent localities, in the proportion of
clay, etc., which it contains, some portions being more argillaceous than others. In the
timber, however, the soil is of somewhat different character ; the lighter colored and
more argillaceous subsoil, appearing at or near the surface. The geological forma-
tions appearing at the surface, consist almost entirely of the Drift and later formations.
The underlying rock, as far as can be ascertained, consists entirely of the different beds
of the coal-measure series.

The two shafts at Bloomington afford us the most satisfactory section of any of the
excavations in the district, enabling us to identify the two seams of coal which they
penetrate, with Nos. 4 and 6 of the general Illinois River section. The following sec-
tion, made up from records afforded by both shafts, illustrates well the variation of the
strata of the middle coal-measures in this region. This section commences at the base
of the Drift, and its upper portion, from 1 to 4 inclusive, was afforded by the Blooming-
ton Coal Company's shaft, and the remainder by that of the McLean County Coal-
Mining Company, which has struck a lower coal at the depth of 513 feet 8 inches
below the surface.

192

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

1.
2.

9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.

Feet. Inches

Clay shale 16

Sandstone 32

Clay sliale 1

Coal No. 6 4

Fire-cl ay 13

Limestone 2 7

Fire-clay 10

Clay shale 8.

Fire-clay 15

Shale 5 C

Soft blue slate 22 7

Black slate 5

Coal No. 4 4

Feet. luchea.

15. Slate 3

10. Fire-clay 4 6

17. Sand Rock 20 6

18. Soapstone 62 5

19. Black Slate 2 7

20. Fire-clay 1 7

21. Sulphurous rock 1 2

22. Gray slate 11 1

23. Shale 1 2

24. Hard lime rock 2 1

25. Gray slate 2 8

26. Soapstone 6 8

27. Coal 3 8

Fire-clay, 10

In the northern and eastern portions of McLean County, we have only the records
of several borings, which afford but few particulars as to the character of the underly

i°g ^^^^- INDIANS.

When this section of the State began to be settled by the white people, the Kicka-
poo and the Pottawatomie Indians were in possession of the country between the
Wabash and the Illinois Rivers. The two tribes seemed to be so promiscuously inter-
mixed with each other, and with the fragments of some other tribes, as scarcely to be
distinguishable, on the part of the early settlers. Although they had confessedly dis-
posed of their title to the country to the United States Government, they manifested
some hostility of feeling when the pioneers came to take actual possession of their
former hunting-grounds, and of the homes of themselves and of their fathers. They
seemed to feel that their leaving the country was yielding to an inevitable necessity,
brought upon them by the unwelcome encroachments of the white man, rather than
complying with the terms of a voluntary cession of the territory. The old Kickapoo
chief, Machina, even threatened unpleasant consequences to the first installment of set-
tlers in this county if they did not leave. But there were no evil results. In fvct,
the intei course between these Indians and the early settlers, was, in this section of the
country, of the most friendly character, as a general thing. They would sometimes
steal necessaries from those whom they hated ; but the lives and the property of those
who treated them kindly, and with whom they were on friendly terms, were as safe as
among any other people. If they wanted a pig, or something of the kind, from a white
neighbor, they were told to help themselves, and, on the other hand, if a friendly house-
wife wanted some game for food, it would soon be forthcoming from the red man. There
is no record, nor yet tradition, that any white person was ever killed by the Indions
within the limits of this county, unless, perchance during the war of 1812.

These Indians had their head((uarters near Old Town Timber, near the center of
the county, their fort covering several acres, surrounded by a palisade and an embankment
on each side of it. Pleasant Hill, another of their stations, a few miles north, was with
them a favorite place for the cultivation of the few vegetables which they raised. In
the summer, many of them liked to stay about the southeast end of Blooming Grove,
the scene of the earliest settlements in this county.

This section of the country was evidently a great favorite with the Indians. Here
game of all kinds was abundant, wild fruits were plenty and excellent, the climate waa

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 193

genial, the range for their ponies was inexhaustible, the groves and the streams were
conveniently frequent, and the scenery was unsurpassable in its quiet beauty. Here
were the graves of their fathers, and here were the scenes of. their own exploits and
their homes. But they seemed to feel that they were a doomed people, and to antici-
pate their fate. Some of them were very intelligent people ; and in their intimate inter-
course with friendly whites, they would sometimes indulge in sad rehearsals of the many
wrongs which their tribes had suifered from the hands of the white man, as they had
been successively crowded from one portion of the country to another, westward, ever
westward !

The Indians remained in this section of the country until the Black Hawk war ;
and during that conflict, they seemed to flit about, equally desirous of avoiding contact
with the whites and the Indians engaged therein. These Indians afterward emigrated
to Northwestern Iowa, to fade from the memory of the early settlers in this State, and,
eventually, from the face of the earth.

In reference to them, we may adapt the lines of the poet, and say :

* " Full many a one was born to die unseen,

And waste his fierceness on the desert air."

ORIGIN.

In 1781, Virginia ceded to the United States the territory northwest of the Ohio
River, which was deeded to the United States in 1784, the deed being signed on the
part of Virginia by her illustrious citizens, Thomas Jefierson, Samuel Hardy, Arthur
Lee and James Monroe. In 1787, Congress passed an act establishing the North-
western Territory and authorizing the organization of a territorial government, the Terri-
tory embracing all northwest of the Ohio River to which Virginia held any claim. In
1789, Congress passed another act, putting the government of said Territory in opera-
tion. In 1800, by another act of Congress, the said Territory was divided ; the western
portion of it, embracing all west of a line beginning at the Ohio, opposite the mouth of
the Kentucky River, and running thence to Fort Recovery ; and thence north until inter-
secting the territorial line between the United States and Canada, which was to be
called the Territory of Indiana.

Again, in 1809, Congress passed an act dividing Indiana Territory into two separate
governments, and constituting the portion of it lying west of the Wabash River and
a direct line drawn from the said Wabash River and Post Vincennes, due north to the
territorial line between the United States and Canada, a Territory, thus separated, and to
be called Illinois. In 1818, an act of Congress enabled the people of Illinois to form a
Constitution and a State Government, the State being admitted into the Union the same
year, and the boundaries being thus defined : Beginning at the mouth of the Wabash
River; thence up the same, and with the line of Indiana to the northwest corner of
said State ; thence east with the line of the same State to the middle of Lake Michigan;
thence north, along the middle of said lake, to north latitude forty-two degrees and
thirty minutes ; thence west to the middle of the Mississippi River ; and thence down
along the middle of that river to its confluence with the Ohio River ; and thence up
the latter river along its northwestern shore to the beginning.

Under the territorial government, the State was divided into fourteen counties, as
follows : Bond, Madison, St. Clair, Monroe, Randolph, Jackson, Johnson, Pope,
Gallatin, White, Edwards, Crawfoi-d, Union, Washington and Franklin. In 1809, the

194 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. -

territory now embraced in McLean County was included in St. Clair County ; the Ter-
ritory of Illinois being divided into two counties, Randolph and St. Clair, the former
embracing all the southern portion of the Territory, and the latter all the northern por-
tion. In 1812, McLean County was embraced in Madison County. In 1814, McLean
formed part of the counties of Madison and Edwards ; that portion of it lying west of
the Third Principal Meridian being in Madison ; and that portion lying east of it being
in Edwards. In 1817, it formed part of Bond and Crawford Counties ; that portion of
it lying west of said Meridian being in Bond County ; and that east of it in Crawford.
In 1819, McLean County formed part of Clark and Bond Counties; that portion of it
west of the Meridian being in Bond, and the eastern portion in Clark. In 1821, the
portion of McLean County west of the Meridian was included in Sangamon County,
and the eastern portion in Fayette County. In 1826, Vermilion County was created,
and all that portion of what is now McLean County, formerly part of Fayette, was
attached to Vermilion for county purposes ; the western portion remaining in Sangamon.
In 1827, that portion of McLean west of the Meridian belonged to Tazewell County ;
the eastern portion remaining in Vermilion. In 1829, the boundaries of Tazewell
County were re-adjusted, but McLean remained as before, divided between Tazewell and
Vermilion.

In 1830, McLean County was created with the following boundaries : Beginning
at the southwest corner of Township 21 north. Range 1 west of the Third Principal
Meridian ; thence north between Ranges 1 and 2 west of said Meridian, to the north-
west corner of Township 28 north ; thence east between Ranges 28 and 29, to the
northeast corner of Township 28, Range 6 east of the Third Principal Meridian ; thence
south between Ranges 6 and 7 east of said Meridian, to the southeast corner of Town-
ship 21 north. Range 6 east of the Third Principal Meridian ; thence west to the place
of beginning. This territory lay wholly within the counties of Tazewell and Vermilion ;
the latter not within the county proper, but lands attached for county purposes. The
original boundaries of McLean County, as will be seen by the above description, com-
prised eight townships north and south, and seven ranges east and west, being in extent
42 by 48 miles, and in regular form — a perfect rectangle — containing fifty-six townships.

In 1837, Livingston County was created, and 9i townships were taken from
the northeast corner of McLean. In 1839, DeWitt County was created, taking 4f
townships from the south end of McLean ; and in 1841, Woodford County was created,
taking, in a zigzag direction, from west to northeast about 9 townships from the north-
west corner of McLean, and reducing it to its present shape and dimensions, but still
leaving it the largest county in the State.

REPRESENTATION.

At the time McLean County was organized, Tazewell and McLean were together
entitled to one Representative and one Senator in the State Legislature ; and the Clerks
of the County Commissioners' Courts of the two counties were required to meet at
Bloomington to compare the election returns of Senator and Representative. At the
same time, the counties of Peoria, Jo Daviess, Putnam, La Salle and Cook were enti-
tled to one Senator and one Representative. This indicates a remarkable change in the
relative population in the middle and the northern portion of the State, though the
increase here has itself been remarkable for its steadiness and rapidity.

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 195

AN ACT CEEATING McLBAN COUNTY.

Section 1. Be it enacted hy the People of the State of Illinois^ repi-esented in
the General Assembly^ That all that tract of country lying within the following bound-
aries, to wit : Beginning at the southwest corner of township numbered twenty-one
north, of range numbered one, west of the third principal meridian, thence north between
ranges numbered one and two, west of said meridian, to the northwest corner of town-
ship numbered twenty-eight north ; thence east, between townships numbered twenty-
eight and twenty-nine, to the northeast corner of township numbered twenty-eight, of
range numbered six, east of the third principal meridian ; thence south, between ranges
numbered six and seven, east of said meridian, to the southeast corner of township
numbered twenty-one north, of range numbered six, east of said meridian ; thence west
to the place of beginning, shall constitute a new county, to be called McLean.

Sec. 2. For the purpose of fixing the permanent seat of justice of said county,
the following-named persons are appointed Commissioners, viz. : Lemuel Lee, of Fay-
ette County ; Isaac Pugh and Elisha Freeman, of Macon County, which Commis-
sioners, or a majority of them, shall meet at the house of James Allen, in said county,
on the second Monday of February next, or within five days thereafter, and, being
first duly sworn by some Justice of the Peace of the State, faithfully and impartially to
take into view the convenience of the people, the situation of the present settlement,
with a strict view to the population and settlements which will hereafter be made, and
the eligibility of the place, shall proceed to explore and carefully examine the country,
determine on and designate the place for the permanent seat of justice of the same ;
provided, that the proprietor or proprietors of the land shall give and convey, by deed
of general warranty, for the purpose of erecting public buildings, a quantityof land, in
a square form, or not more than twice as long as wide, not less than twenty acres ; but
should the proprietor or proprietors of the land refuse or neglect to make the donation
aforesaid, then said Commissioners shall fix the said county seat (having in view
the interest of the county) upon the land of some person who will make the donation
aforesaid. If the Commissioners shall be of opinion that the proper place for the seat
of justice is, or ought to be, on lands belonging to Government, they shall so repoit, and
the County Commissioners shall purchase one-half quarter section, the tract set forth,
in their name, for the use of said county. The Commissioners aforesaid, so soon as
they decide on a place, shall make a clear report to the County Commissioners' Court,
and the same shall be recorded at length in their record-book. The land donated, or
purchased, shall be laid out into lots and sold by the County Commissioners to the best
advantage, and the proceeds applied to the erection of public buildings and such other
purposes as the Commissioners shall direct, and good and sufficient deeds shall be made
for the lots sold.

Sec. 3. An election shall be held at the several places of holding elections as now
laid ofi" by Tazewell County, in the said county of McLean, on the second Monday of
March next, for one Sheriif, one Coroner and three County Commissioners, who shall
hold their offices until the next general election, and until their successors be qualified ;
and the Justices of the Peace and Constables who are now in office and residing within
the limits of said county of McLean, shall continue in office until the next quadrennial
election for Justices of the Peace and Constables, and until their successors be qualified.
And it shall be the duty of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of said county, and if there

196 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

be none acting, tlien tlie Eecordcr or Judge of Probate, shall give at least fifteen days'
notice previous to said election, and who shall appoint the judges and clerks of said elec-
tion, who shall be legal voters ; and the returns of the election shall be made to the
Clerk, Recorder, or Judge of Probate Court, as the case may be, who gave the notice
aforesaid, and by him, in the presence of one or more Justices of the Peace, shall be
opened and examined, and they jointly shall give to the persons elected Commissioners,
certificates of their election, and like certificates to the persons elected Sherifi" and Cor-
oner, to forward to the Governor ; which election shall in all other respects be conform-
able to law.

Sec. 4. All courts for said county shall be held at the house of James Allen until
public buildings are erected, unless changed to some other place by order of the County
Commissioners' Court, who shall make the same a matter of record.

Sec. 5. The Commissioners herein appointed to locate the county seat shall be
allowed two dollars per day each, for every day by them necessarily employed in
making said location, to be paid by said county.

Sec. 6. The seat of justice of said county of McLean shall be called and known
by the name of Bloomington.

(Approved December 25, 1830.)

OFFICIAL HISTORY.

After the creation of McLean County, as herein previously stated, by act of the
State Legislature, in 1831, the First Judicial Circuit of the State consisted of Pike,
Calhoun, Greene, Morgan, Sangamon, Tazewell, Macon, McLean and Macoupin
Counties ; and the first term was to be legally held in this county at the house of Mr.
James Allen, in Bloomington, on the first Thursday after the first Monday after the
fourth Monday in April in 1831. The Circuit Courts were then presided over by the
Judges of the Supreme Court of the State, and the Circuit Judge of the Fifth Judicial
Circuit. The Hon. Samuel D. Lockwood presided in the court, in this circuit, from
1831 till 1835 ; Hon. Stephen T. Logan presided from 1835 till 1837 ; Hon. Jesse B.
Thomas, from 1837 till 1839; Hon. William Thomas, from 1839 till 1840 ; Hon.
Samuel H. Treat, from 1840 till 1849.

The Circuit Judges then becoming elective, Hon. David Davis was elected, and
presided in this circuit from 1849 till 1863; then Hon. John M. Scott, from 1863 till
1870; Hon. Thomas F. Tipton, from 1870 till 1877, and then Hon. Owen T. Reeves,
the present incumbent, became his successor.

At the first term of the Court in this county, Mr. James Allen was the Clerk pro
tempore. In September, 1832, Gen. Meritt L. Covell was appointed Clerk, who held
the office till 1845 ; then Mr. James T. Gilderslceve held it till 1849; then Mr. Will-
iam H. Allen was elected to the office, and held it till 1853 ; then Mr. William McCul-
lough, till 1863; then Dr. E. R. Roe, till 1868; then Rev. Robert E. Guthrie, till
1872 ; then Mr. Samuel F. Dolliff", till 1876, who was succeeded by Mr. James C.
McFarland, the present incumbent.

David ii. Campbell, Escj., was Prosecuting Attorney in this circuit from 1849 till
1854. In 1855 and 1856, A. McWilliams, Esq., held the office ; in 1857 and till 1860,
it was held by Ward H. Lemon, Esq. ; in 1861 and 1862, by William H. Young, Esq.;
in 1863 and till 1867, by Henry S. Greene, Esq.; in 1867 and 1868, by Hon. Thomas

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 197

F. Tipton; in 1869, 1870 and 1871, by Jonathan Rowell, Esq. Since that time, it
has been held by J. W. Fifer, Esq., the present incumbent.

GRAND JURORS.

The first grand jury summoned together in this county, in 1832, was composed of
the following-named persons : John Houchins, Robert Turner, Thomas Glenn, Gard-
ner Randolph, Jesse Funk, John Buckles, James Merrifield, Asahel Gridley, Nathan
Low, Ephraim Myers, John Hendrix, John Cox, Reuben Oarlock, William Herford,
Henry Buckner, Ephraim Stout, Jr., John Doudy, WiUiam Patrick, Elbert Dickerson,
Aaron Foster, Benjamin Downey and Jacob Ellis.

RELATIVE POPULATION.

It may be of interest to some of our readers to learn that when this, the First
Judicial Circuit, in 1832, was composed of nine counties, including McLean, the other
eight all lying south of it, except Tazewell, the Fifth Circuit was composed of fifteen
counties, as follows : Cook, La Salle, Putnam, Peoria, Fulton, Schuyler, Adams, Han-
cock, McDonough, Knox, Warren, Jo Daviess, Mercer, Rock Island and Henry. This
shows very plainly from what direction came mostly the early settlers of the State, and
in what direction the incoming population moved. Now, the relative population is
reversed, the then insignificant county of Cook, at present containing something like
one-sixth of the entire population of the State.

PETIT JURORS.

The first petit jury called together in this county, in the spring of 1832, was com-
posed as follows : Andrew Brock, Gabriel Watt, Thomas Cuppy, John Moore, Esq.,
David Noble, Silas Waters, Amos Conaway, Henry Ball, Eli Frankerberger, Benjamin
Hains, John Kimler, John H. S. Rhodes, John Maxwell, Sr., James Canada, Henry
Hains, John Durley, Lewis Soward, Patrick Hopkins, Jacob Spawr, Absalom Funk,
John Dixon, David Wheeler, James Toliver, Mathew Robb.

COUNTY COURT.

The first Commissioners of the County Court, for the transaction of county busi-
ness, Hons. Jonathan Cheney, Timothy B. Hoblitt and Jesse Havens, held the first
session of their court in Bloomington, May 16, 1831.

Their successors in office have been, in 1832, Mr. Seth Baker and Mr. Andrew
McMillan; in 1838, William Orondorff, Esq.; in 1839, Mr. James R. Dawson; in
1840, Mr. Henry R. Clark; in 1841, Messrs. Nathan Low and William Conaway; in
1842, Mr. Israel W. Hall ; in 1843, Mr. Jesse Funk ; in 1844, Mr. William Bishop ;
in 1845, Mr. Henry Vansickle ; in 1847, Mr. Ezekiel Arrowsmith ; in 1848, Mr.
James Vandolah.

At the December term, 1849, the form of the Court was changed, the county
business being transacted by a Presiding Judge and two Associate Judges, and the
probate business by the Presiding Judge. Hon. John E. McClun had been elected
Presiding Judge, and Messrs. Silas Waters and Joseph H. Moore, Associate Judges.
In 1853, Hon, John M. Scott became Presiding Judge, and Hiram Buck, Esq., Asso-
ciate Judge, Associate Moore being re-elected. In 1854, Hon. B. H. Coffey became
Presiding Judge, and Milton Smith, Esq., became Associate in 1855. In 1856, Hon.
A. J. Merriman was elected County Judge, and, by re-elections, held the oflBce sixteen

198 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

jears, till 1872. The jurisdiction of the Court was then greatly extended, and Hon.
R. M. Benjamin, the present incumbent, was elected to that office.

At the organization of the Commissioners' Court, in 1831, Dr. Isaac Baker was
Clerk, and he acted also as Surveyor. In 1839, B. H. CoiFey became County Clerk,
and served till 1854. His successor, E. H. Rood, served till 1857, and he was suc-
ceeded by Dr. W. C. Hobbs, who served till 1861 ; then Reuben L. Davis was Clerk
till 186(5, and then Robert S. Mclntyre till 1870. His successor was Johnson W.
Straight, till 1874 ; then Reuben L. Davis was again Clerk till 1878, when Charles W.
Atkinson, the present incumbent, was elected to that office.

The first County Treasurer was Mr. Thomas Orondorif, in 1831. In 1833, Mr.
David Wheeler was appointed Treasurer. In 1836, James Rains became Treasurer,
and Richard Edwards in 1837. In 1838, G. B. Larrison was appointed Treasurer pro
tern., and Gen. Asahel Gridley was appointed to that office in 1839. In 1841, Gen.
Gridley resigned the Treasurership, and was succeeded by W. P. Brown, Esq. In 1842,
William H. Temple was elected Treasurer, and became Assessor in 1845, and the two
offices were held by the same person for several terms. In 1853, Mr. William Thomas
became Treasurer and Assessor, and served till 1858, in both capacities, when the
Supervisors' Court was established, and Township Assessors were employed ; but Mr.
Thomas served as County Treasurer till 1862. He was succeeded by Mr. Thomas
Fell, who was Treasurer till 1866; then Col. John L. Routt served till 1870; then
Mr. Lewis E. Ijams, till 1872; then Mr. Joseph Dennison, till 1876; then Mr. Isaac
Stroud, till 1878 ; then Mr. Dennison. who is the present incumbent, again became
Treasurer.

Cheney Thomas, Esq., appears to have been, in 1832, the first Sheriif and County
Collector in this county. In 1835, Mr. Martin Scott became his successor, and served
till 1840, when Mr. G. B. Larlson succeeded to the office of Sheriff. In 1842, Mr.
Richard Edwards was Sheriff. In 1844, Mr. William McCullough was elected Sheriff
and Collector, and served till 1850, and was then succeeded by Mr. Jonathan Glimpse
in 1851 and 1852; by Mr. George Parke in 1853 and 1854; by Mr. John J. Price
in 1855 and 1856 ; by J. H. Moore, Esq., in 1857 and 1858 ; by Mr. William P.
Withers in 1859 till 1862 ; then by Mr. Normal Dixon in 1863 and 1864; by Henry
A. Ewing, Esq., in 1865 and 1866; by Mr. Edward M. Pike in 1867 and 1868 ; by
Mr. Richard Osborn in 1869 and 1870 ; by Mr. Gustave Lange in 1871 and 1872 ;
by Mr. Henry Honscheitin 1873 and 1875; by James Goodheart in 1875 till 1878;
then by Mr. Joseph Ator, the present incumbent.

In 1832, James Latta, Esq., was appointed Commissioner of School Lands, and
was succeeded by Jesse W. Fell, Esq., in 1834. In 1836, Mr. Cheney Thomas was
elected School Commissioner. In 1844, Mr. James B. Price became School Commi.s-
sioner, and was succeeded in 1850 and 1851 by John M. Scott, Esq., and he was suc-
ceeded by Mr. C. P. Merrlman in 1852 till 1858; then by Mr. Daniel Wilkins in 1859
till 1862; then by Mr. C. P. Merriman again in 1862 and 1863; and by Mr. Daniel
Wilkins again in 1864 till 1868; then by Mr. John Hull from 1869 till 1875, and
then by Mr. William H. Smith, the present incumbent.

In 1831, Samuel Durley, P]sq., was appointed Assessor and Recorder. In 1835,
Dr. Isaac Baker became County Assessor. In 1839, Mr. William H. Hodge was
appointed County Collector, and again in 1840, Mr. R. C. Cowden being Assessor. In

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 199

1841, Zera Patterson, Esq., became County Assessor, and again in 1842. In 1843, Mr.
Isaac Smalley became Assessor, and Mr. William Creel, Collector. The offices of Sheriff
and Collector, and those of Treasurer and Assessor were then united till 1858, when the
Supervisors' Court came into the control of the county business.

In 1831, Dr. Isaac Baker seems to have been appointed Surveyor, by the County
Commissioners' Court, or, at least, to have been employed as such, till 1835, when Mr. ■
Elbert Dickason was Surveyor, who served till 1839 ; then Dr. Harrison Noble till
1847; then Mr. Nelson Buck till 1849; then Mr. James T. Swartz till 1851 ; then Mr.
Peter Folsome till 1857 ; then Mr. William T. Horr till 1859 ; then Mr. Peter Folsome
again till 1861 ; then Mr. John P. Hely till 1863; then Mr. J. M. Spaulding till 1865;
then Mr. George P. Ela till 1869 ; then Mr. William P. Anderson till 1875; then Mr.
George P. Ela, the present incumbent, was again elected.

PROBATE JUSTICES.

Samuel Durley, Esq., was appointed Probate Justice, and held the office from 1831
till 1835 ; Cheney Thomas, Esq., succeeded him, and served till 1837 ; then W. P.
Brown, Esq., served till 1839; then Wells Colton, Esq., till 1843; then Zera Patter-
sou, Esq., till 1850, when the form of the Commissioners' Court was changed, and the
Probate business passed into the hands of the County Judge.

In 1836, Mr. Elijah Rockhold was elected Coroner. Mr. William Matthews
served several terms. In 1868 and 1869, Mr. Mark Boss was Coroner; then Mr. Luke
Nevin till 1872 ; then Mr. William H. Hendrix till 1878, and then Dr. D. M. Foster,
the present incumbent, came into office.

supervisors' court.
At the first meeting of the Supervisors' Court, May 17, 1858, the members present
were as follows : From Mount Hope, Daniel Winsor ; Mosquito Grove, Presley T.
Brooks ; Danvers, James Wilson ; Funk's Grove, William S. Allin ; Dale, Richard
Howell ; Dry Grove, Elias Yoder ; White Oak, Benjamin F. Rowell ; Randolph, Alfred
M. Stringfield ; Bloomington, David Simmons and Hon. John E. McClun ; Nor-
mal, William G. Thompson ; Hudson, James H. Cox ; Savanna, Sylvester Peasley ;
Old Town, Scammon Rodman ; Towanda, N. S. Sunderland ; Money Creek, William F.
Johnson ; Gridley, Taylor Loving ; Lee, Josiah Horr ; Blue Mound, James A. Doyle ;
Lexington, Jacob C. Mahan ; Chenoa, J. B. Graham; Kickapoo, Henry West; Pleas-
ant, Ezekiel Arrowsmith. Hon. John E. McClun was chosen Chairman, and the Court

proceeded to business.

circuit courts.

In 1839, the Eighth Judicial Circuit of the State was composed of Sangamon,
Tazewell, McLean, Livingston, Macon, Dane, Logan and Menard Counties.

In 1841, the circuit consisted of Menard, Sangamon, Christian, Logan, Shelby
Macon, DeWitt, McLean, Champaign, Tazewell, Mason, Piatt and Livingston.

In 1850, the circuit consisted of Piatt, Sangamon, Tazewell, Woodford, Logan,
McLean, DeWitt, Champaign, Vermilion, Edgar, Shelby, Moultrie, Macon and Chris-
tian Counties.

In 1861, the circuit consisted of McLean, Logan and DeWitt Counties.

In 1871, the circuit was composed of McLean, DeWitt and Logan Counties.

In 1873, it was changed to McLean and Ford, and it has remained the same.

200 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

APPORTIONMENT.

In 1S31, at its creation, McLean County was entitled, conjointly with Tazewell, to
one Representative and one Senator in the State Legislature.

In 1836, McLean County was entitled to two Representatives and one Senator con-
jointly with Macon County.

In 1841, the State being redistricted, McLean County was entitled to one Repre-
sentative by itself, and one conjointly with Livingston, and to one Senator conjointly
with Livingston, Piatt, DeWitt and Macon.

In 1848, Tazewoll, McLean, Logan, DeWitt and Macon Counties constituted the
Eleventh Senatorial District and it was entitled to one Senator ; and McLean and DeWitt
constituted the Twenty-ninth Representative District, and it was entitled to one Rep-
resentative.

In 1861, McLean and DeWitt constituted the Thirty-eighth Representative District
and were entitled to two Representatives ; and McLean, DeWitt, Piatt, Moultrie and
Macon constituted the Tenth Senatorial District and were entitled to one State Senator.

In 1871, McLean became, by itself, the Twenty-eighth Senatorial District of the
State, and is entitled to one Senator and three Representatives.

CONGRESSIONAL.

In 1831, the State was divided into three Congressional Districts, the Third Dis-
trict consisting of Greene, Morgan, Sangamon, Tazewell, Macon, McLean, La Salle, Cook,
Putnam, Peoria, Henry, Knox, Jo Daviess, Mercer, Warren, Hancock, McDonough,
Fulton, Schuyler, Adams, Pike and Calhoun Counties.

In 1841, the State was divided into seven districts, and the Fifth District consisted
of Lake, McHeury, Boone, Cook, Kane, De Kalb, Du Page, Kendall, Grundy, La Salle,
Will, Iroquois, Livingston, McLean, Champaiga, Vermilion and Bureau Counties.

In 1852, the State was redistricted into nine districts, the Fourth District being
composed of Will, Kendall, Grundy, La Salle, Putnam, Bureau, Livingston, Iroquois,
Vermilion, Champaign, McLean and DeWitt Counties.

In 1861, our Congressional District consisted of Sangamon, Logan, DeWitt,
McLean, Tazewell, Woodford and Livingston Counties.

In 1871, this District, the Thirteenth Congressional, became composed of Mason,
Tazewell, McLean, Logan and DeWitt, and remains the same.

In the Constitutional Convention of 1847, McLean County was entitled alone to
one member, and to one conjointly with Livingston County. Judge David Davis, now
United States Senator, and Hon. Samuel Lander were the said members.

In the Constitutional Convention of 1869, McLean County, conjointly with DeWitt,
was entitled to two members. Hon. R. M. Benjamin, of McLean, and Hon. C. H.
Moore, of DeWitt, were those two members.

liWAMP-LANDS.

McLean County obtained about twenty-seven thousand acres from the United States
in virtue of the Swamp-lands act. These lands have been sold for about $130,000,
and the proceeds have been devoted to educational purposes — $70,000 to the State
Normal University, and the rest has been distributed to the townships, for the benefit
of the common schools. The sale of these lands has been effected through the agency
of Judge A. J. Merriman, under the sanction of the Supervisors' Court.

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 201

REPRESENTATION.

The State of Illinois, up till 1831, constituted one Congressional District, and was
represented in Congress, from 1830, the year in which McLean County was created,
until 1832, by Hon, Joseph Duncan ; and the Third District, including McLean County,
was represented from 1832 till 1834 by the same gentleman.

From 1831 to 1838, the Third District was represented by Hon. William L. May.
From 1838 to 1842, the Third District was represented by Hon. John T. Stuart.

In 1841, the State was divided into seven districts, and the Fifth District, includ-
ing McLean County, was represented, from 1842 to 1850, by Hon. John Wentworth.

In 1851 and 1852, the district was represented by Dr. Richard T. Molony.

In 1852, the State was redistricted, and the Fourth District, including McLean
County, was represented by Hon. Jesse 0. Norton, in 1853, 1854, 1855 and 1856.

In 1857, 1858, 1859, 1860, 1861 and 1862 it was represented by Hon. Owen
Lovejoy.

In 1861, the District, including McLean County, was changed, taking effect at
the November election in 1862. In 1863 and 1864, the new district was represented
by Hon. John T. Stuart. In 1865, 1866, 1867, 1868, 1869 and 1870, it was repre-
sented by Hon. Shelby M. CuUom. In 1871 and 1872, it was represented by Hon.
James C. Robinson.

In 1871, the State was again redistricted, to take effect at the November election
in 1872, and McLean County was embraced in the Thirteenth Congressional District,
which was. represented, in 1873 and 1874, by Hon. John McNulta. In 1875 and 1876,
it was represented by Hon. Adlai E. Stevenson. In 1877 and 1878, it was represented
by Hon. Thomas F. Tipton. The district is again represented by Hon. Adlai E. Stev-
enson, the present incumbent.

STATE LEGISLATURE.

Until 1872, McLean County was represented in the State Legislature by Repre-
sentative and Senatorial Districts ; since that date it has constituted a Senatorial Dis-
trict by itself — the Twenty-eighth. The Senators have been as follows :

In 1832, Hon. James Bird ; 1834, Hon. Benjamin Mitchell ; 1836 and 1838, Hon..
James Allen; 1840, Hon. John Moore; 1842, Hon. R. F. Barnett; 1844 and 1846,
Hon. George W. Powers ; 1849, Hon. E.O.Smith; 1851 and 1853, Hon. Asahel
Gridley; 1857 and 1859, Hon. Joel S. Post; 1861, Hon Richard J. Oglesby ; 1863
and 1865, Hon. Isaac Funk ; 1867, Hon. W. H. Cheney ; 1869, Hon. John McNulta ;
1871, Hons. John McNulta and Michael Donahue ; 1873 and 1875, Hon. John Cusey;
1877 and 1878, Hon. John M. Hamilton.

REPRESENTATIVES.

In 1832, Hon. Benjamin Briggs ; 1834, Hon. William Brown; 1836, Hons. John
Moore and John Hinshaw ; 1838, Hons. John Moore and Thomas Cheney; 1840,
Hon. Asahel Gridley; 1842, Hon, Andrew McMillan ; 1844, Hon. David Davis ; 1846,
Hon. James Robeson ; 1849 and 1851, Hon. James B. Price; 1853 and 1855, Hon.
John E. McClun ; 1857, Hon. J. H. Wickizer ; 1859, Hon. Leonard Swett ; 1861,
Hon. Harvey Hogg; 1863, Hon. Harrison Noble; 1865, Hons. Harrison Noble and
John Warner ; 1867, Hons. William M. Smith and H. S. Greene; 1869, Hons. Will-
iam M. Smith and J. Swigart ; 1871, Hons. William M. Smith, W. C. Watkins, E. R.

202 HISTORY OF McLean county.

Roe and G. H. Funk ; 1873, Hons. A. E. Stewart, T. F. Rogers and John Cassedy ; 1875,
Hons. A. E. Stewart, T. P. Rogers and John F. Winter; 1877, Hons. T. F. Mitchell,
T. P. Rogers and John F. Winter ; 1879, Hons. T. P. Rogers, T. F. Mitchell and H. A.
Ewing.

/ COUNTY BIBLE SOCIETY.

At a meeting held in the Presbyterian Church in this city in September, 1852, the
McLean County Bible Society was re-organized, and the following Constitution adopted r

CONSTITUTION.

Article 1. This Society shall be called the McLean County Bible Society, the object of
which shall be to promote the circulation of the Scriptures without note or comment.

Art. 2. This Society shall be auxiliary to the American Bible Society, and, after supply-
ing the destitute within its own limits, shall pay over its surplus funds to that Society to aid in
supplying other places.

Art. 3. Tiie payment of any sum annually shall constitute membership. Those contrib-
uting $5 at one time shall be members for life, and entitled to one common Bible annually for
distribution.

Art. 4. The officers of this Society shall consist of a President, Vice President, Secretary,
Treasurer and Depositary, and three Directors who, together, shall constitute an Executive Com-
mittee, for the transaction of business; and Pastors co-operating shall be Vice Presidents, and
each Church shall be entitled to one Director.

Art. 5. It shall be the duty of this committee to meet as occasion may require, to appoint
local and traveling agents, to see that funds are remitted and books procured, to make arrangements
for raising funds and circulating books annually in all parts of the county, and to perform any
other acts in accordance with this Constitution which they may deem calculated to promote the
usefulness of the Society.

Art. 6. Any branch organization agreeing to purchase its books of this Society and place
its surplus funds at its disposal shall be recognized as an auxiliary, and its members shall be
considered as also members of the County Society.

Art. 7. There shall be an annual meeting of the Society on call of the officers, when an
address shall be delivered, reports presented by the Secretary and the Treasurer, officers
elected and such other business transacted as may be necessary. Immediately after this meeting,
the Secretary shall transmit an account of it, together with an abstract of the reports', and the
names and post offices of the officers to the Secretaries of the parent society at New York, and
to the agent of said society for this State, and also offer the same for publication in the county
newspapers.

Art. 8. This Constitution may be altered at any annual meeting by a vote of a majority
of the members present.

The Society then elected Rev. F. N. Ewing, President ; Hon. J. E. McClun, Vice
President ; Prof. D. Wilkins, Secretary ; Mr. John Magoun, Treasurer ; Mr. John
Ewing and Mr. Coleman, Directors.

At the annual meeting of the Society, September, 1853, very little business seems
to have been done other than the election of officers and listening to addresses.

At the annual meeting, December 3, 1854, at the .Methodist Episcopal Church,
the Society was addressed by Rev. Mr. Lord, State Agent, and by other gentlemen.
The reports of the Secretary and the Treasurer are not attainable just at present; but
we learn, incidentally, that about $100 were raised and expended annually by the
Society until 1857, when an agent was employed, and the Society commenced to employ
more efficient means to effi;ct its purposes. Substantially, the same officers were con-
tinued for the current year, except that Mr. Linas Graves was chosen Secretary. At a

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 20S

subsequent meeting of the Executive Committee, the same month, quite a number of
local agents were appointed to solicit aid for the Society.

At the annual meeting, November 4, 1855, the usual devotional exercises were had,
there were some interesting discussions, and about the same officers chosen, except that
Mr. 0. T. Reeves was made Treasurer, who resigned, and was succeeded by Mr. 0.
Rugg before the close of the current year. At a subsequent meeting of the Executive
Committee, June 9, held at the request of the State Agent, Rev. Mr. Lord, the Treas-
urer was authorized to procure a sufficient supply of Bibles and Testaments for the
county, and Mr. Lord was authorized to procure an agent to canvass the county the next
year.

At the annual meeting of the Society December 7, 1856, an eloquent address was
delivered by Rev. A. Eddy, the Treasurer made his report, Hon. John E. McClun was
chosen President, and the other officers were continued.

At the fifth anniversary of the Society, at the Methodist Church, December 7,
1857, Rev. F. N. Ewing presided in the absence of the President, Hon. J. E. McClun.
The County Agent, Rev. Joseph Messer, made his report as follows : During the cur-
rent year, he had labored eighty-five days, and held annual meetings of branch societies
at Randolph Grove, Le Roy, Cheney's Grove, St. Clairville, Old Town Timber, Money
Creek, Pleasant Hill, Lexington, Hudson, Concord, White Oak Grove and Johnson's
Precinct. He had lectured 35 times, and visited 1,048 families. He had received
from the county depository books to the amount of $157.08; had deposited with the
branch societies, sold, donated and returned books to the same amount. He had
received from the branch societies $412.66, and paid to the County Treasurer $250.62,
and the balance paid his own wages and expenses. He had obtained new subscriptions
to the amount of $228.71, there remaining $588.09 due on old subscriptions; books
now in branch societies, $620.03 ; receipts of societies the past year, $466.72, and books
circulated during the year, $249.34. He had found 40 families destitute of the Script-
ures. The report of the agent was received with the thanks of the Society. The same
officers were rechosen, except that Mr. John Magoun was made Treasurer. Twenty
German Bibles were donated to Rev. Mr. Andre for the benefit of his Bible class ;
the agent was instructed to forward the surplus funds to the parent society in New
York, and measures taken to canvass more thoroughly the city of Bloomington.

At the annual meeting, in December, 1858, the weather was very severe, and but
few were present. The reports of the Treasurer and Agent were adopted, and the
officers of the Society retained.

The seventh anniversary was'^held at the Methodist Church, December 18, 1859.
The new Agent, Rev. Mr. Ansley, and the Treasurer, Mr. Magoun, made acceptable
reports ; Mr. L. W. Capen was chosen Tresident, and the other officers retained. The
Society was addressed very interestingly by Rev. Mr. Price and Rev. Mr. Knowlton.

At the annual meeting, December 30, 1860, in the Presbyterian Church, the old offi-
cers were retained, the reports of the Agent and the Treasurer approved, and the Society
ably addressed by Rev. Messrs. Pitner, Clark and Eddy. At a meeting of the Execu-
tive Committee, $30 were appropriated to each of the following individuals, to make
them life-members of the American Bible Society : Rev. A. Eddy, Rev. H. R. Price,
Rev. L. Taylor, Rev. S. W. Knowlton, Rev. Mr. Clark, Messrs. James C. McFarland,^
Daniel Sill. Francis Smith and Miss Ann Gastman.

204 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

The County Agent, Rev. J. Ansley, reported that he had received during the year,
from the County Society, 8101, and from the branch societies, $484.46, making
S5S5.46 ; and that the disbursements amounted to the same — $408.14 of it being sent
to the American Bible Society at New York. During the year, 823 families had been
visited; new subscriptions raised, $219.10; families found without the entire Bible,
38 ; children under sixteen years of age, able to read, without Testaments of their own,
70 ; books sold in the county, $177.14 ; books given and drawn in the county, $77.36 ;
total, $254.50. Books now on hand in county and branch societies, $653.92. Three
§30-pledges were also obtained to make life-members of the American Bible Society.

The ninth anniversary of the Society was held at the Methodist Church, Decem-
ber 17, 1861. Spirited addresses were made by Revs. Gr. R. Moore, Rucker and Price.
The old officers were continued. The County Agent, Rev. J. Ansley, made his annual
report substantially as follows : Cash received from the County Society,'$335.50 ; from
the branch societies, $419.11 ; total, $754.61. Disbursements for the year, the same,
of which $524.04 were sent to the American Bible Society, New York ; $224.04 in pay-
ment for books, and $300 donation. Families visited, 1,019; new subscriptions
obtained, $202.38 ; books sold in the county, $237.67 ; books given in the county
(largely to our soldiers), $132.51 ; total, $370.18. Books now on hand'in the county
and branch societies, $756.38.

At a meeting of the Executive Committee, December 30, 1859 (not previously
reported), by a donation of $30, the following-named gentlemen were made life-members
of the American Bible Society ; Messrs. John Magoun, John E. McClun, 0. Rugg,
D. Wilkins and Rev. F. N. Ewiog. At another meeting of said Committee, December
17, 1861, the following-named gentlemen were made members for life of the same
Society : Mr. L. W. Capen and Revs. L. C. Pitner, L. B. Kent, M. L. Moore, R. Con-
over, A. Bowen, J. Ansley, William E. Johnson, C. H. D. Harris and A. J. Thomas.

The tenth annual meeting of the Society was held in the Presbyterian Church,
February 8, 1863. The old officers were retained. Interesting speeches were made by
Rev. Mr. Button, Chaplain in the army, and Rev. Dr. Porter, Rev. J. Ansley, County
Agent, reported : Cash received from the County Society, $443.88 ; from the branch
societies, $645.45; total, $1,089.33. Disbursements amounting to the same, of which
$829.66 were paid to the American Bible Society, $458.91 for books, and $370.75
donation. Families visited during the year, 1,174; new subscriptions obtained,
$268.32 ; books sold in the county, $346.30 ; books given and drawn in the county,
$152.13 ; embracing 853 volumes given to the soldiers. Books circulated in the county,
$498.43 ; books on hand in County Society and branches, $748.20.

At a subsequent meeting of the Executive Committee, by a donation of $30 to
each, the following gentlemen and ladies were made life-members of the American Bible
Society : Revs. William T. Lowe, J. Gr. Evans ; Mrs. 0. Rugg, Mrs. J. E. McClune,
Mrs. Bradner, Mrs. Maxwell, Messrs. George Hill, Isaac S. Mahan, George Bradford,
S. Conkling and Rev. Mr. Berry.

At the eleventh animal meeting of the Society, at the Methodist Church, January
10, 1864, Mr. Henry Richardson was chosen President. The Society was ably addressed
by Judge John M. Scott, and also by Prof Knowlton, H. H. Hatch, Esq., and the
Agent. At a subsequent meeting of the Executive Committee, Rev. Mr. Andrus was
employed as an agent of the Society, at $500 a year, and Revs. Elburk and Hayes,

■"^^a^^t^B^"-^**^'

^^'^^

«%-^.

BLOOMINGTON

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 207

and Mr. Danley, at $25 per month. Rev. Mr. Young was appointed to visit the
Grerman population. The usual reports were not ready.

At the twelfth annual meeting of the Society, January 5, 1865, at the Presby-
terian Church, Mr. J. W. Maxwell was chosen Treasurer and Depositary of the Society;
the other officers were retained. The meeting was highly entertained by speeches from
Kevs. Dr. Porter, Bailey, Andrus and Price. The usual reports were not in readiness.

At the thirteenth annual meeting of the Society, the old officers were retained,
except that Mr. 0. Rugg was chosen President, December 17, 1865, at the Methodist
Church. The meeting was entertained by speeches from Revs. Rutledge, Lowe, Ellis
and Bailey. Mr. J. W. Maxwell, Treasurer, made his report, which was referred to
Auditing Committee. Rev. Mr. Mayers, County Agent, made a partial report.

The fourteenth annual meeting of the Society was held in Shroeder's Hall, Decem-
ber 23, 1866. The old officers were retained. Mr. J. W. Maxwell, Treasurer, and
Mr. Ira Bristol, County Agent, made their reports. The meeting was entertained by
addresses from Revs. Hartshorn, State Agent, Rabe, Ellis and Jacques.

The fifteenth annual meeting of the Society was held in the Methodist Church,
December 22, 1867. The old officers were retained. The Secretary's report covered
those of the Treasurer and the Agent. Meeting addressed by Revs. McElroy, McDougal,
and the State Agent, Hartshorn.

The sixteenth annual meeting of the Socdety was held in the Presbyterian Church
March 14, 1879. The old officers were re-elected. The reports of Mr. J. W. Maxwell,
Treasurer, and of Mr. C. K. Daniels, County Agent, were read and referred to com-
mittee. Very interesting addresses were delivered by President Edwards, of the Nor-
mal University, and Judge Culver, of Pontiac.

The seventeenth anniversai*y of the Society was held in Schroeder's Opera-House,
April 8, 1870. Mr. W. H. Winegardner was chosen President, and the other officers
substantially retained. Mr. J. W. Maxwell, Treasurer, and Rev. Mr. Daniels, County
Agent, presented their reports, which were read and approved. Rev. Dr. Reed de-
livered a very fine address, which was well appreciated by the audience.

The eighteenth anniversary of the Society was held in the Academy of Music,
April 9, 1871. The old officers were rechosen. The audience was very large, and
listened with much interest to the addressess delivered by Rev. Mr. Pilcher, R. R.
Williams, Esq., and Mr. Jackman, Superintendent of machine shops, Chicago & Alton
Railroad. From the report of the County Agent, Mr. C. K. Daniels, we select the follow-
ing items. During the year, he had addressed 38 public meetings, obtained
new subscriptions amounting to $819.82, collected on subscriptions and notes, $1,048.98,
received from local agents and branch societies, $582.46, and from sale of books, $315.20,
making the entire receipts $1,946.64. He had traveled 1,100 miles, visited, with assist-
ance of local agents, 1,400 families. Number of books circulated, 1,400, to the value
of about $900 ; number of branch societies, 27, having in their depositories
books to the value of $716.81, and $694.42 worth in the county depository, amounting
to $1,411.23. There are 220 local agents, and 33 pastors co-operating in the
county. The Treasurer's report shows receipts to be $1,946.64, and disbursements and
$175.92 on hand, amounting to the same, $1,200 of which was sent to parent society,
New York. Books left over and purchased during the year, $1,643.39 ; books on hand
and distributed to the same amount.

208 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

The nineteenth anniversary of the Society was a very interesting occasion. The
former oflScers were retained. The meeting, April 21, 1872, in Schroeder's Opera-
House, was very large, and most ably addressed by Dr. E. 0. Haven, President of the
Northwestern University, at Evanston. The substance of the reports was : Books in the
depository at the commencement of the current year, and purchases, $1,621.65 ; books
delivered to branch societies, sold, and on hand, the same. Cash received from sales
and branch societies, §2,089.51 ; disbursements and balance in Treasury, the same, of
which §1,10G were sent to parent society, New York. The resources of the Society
amount to $1,816.02. The County Agent, Mr. C. K. Daniels, had delivered 47
addresses ; obtained by subscriptions, S 1 ,430 ; secured 4 life-members to par-
ent society ; made cash collections, $1,789.04; traveled 2,700 miles ; visited 2,179
families; circulated 1,600 Bibles and Testaments; found 48 families destitute of the
Bible ; supplied 24, and did much other labor in the cause.

The twentieth anniversary of the Society was held in the Opera-House, July 27,
1878. Rev. John Ansley was chosen President, and the other officers retained. The
hall was packed, and many could not gain admittance. The meeting was eloquently ad-
dressed by Rev. Mr. Barnes. Measures were taken to supply the cars of the Chicago
& Alton Railroad with Bibles and Testaments. The Treasurer's report shows $2,514.60
in books held over, in receipts from branches through agent, and sales at depository.
The disbursements were the same, except $365.80 in treasury. Sent to parent society,
$1,444.24. Books in the county depository, and in those of the branch societies^
$1,370.20. The County Agent had addressed 32 public meetings, and obtained
$725 in subscriptions ; had traveled 2,000 miles ; 2,824 families were visited, 39
found without Bibles and supplied ; about 180 books were circulated, and much
other labor done.

The twenty-first anniversary of the Society was held at Durley Hall, June 7, 1874.
The meeting was immense. The former officers were retained. The audience was ad-
dressed by Mrs. Jennie Willing, Dr. Edwards, of Normal, and Rev. Dr. Fallows. The
Treasurer's report shows that $797.38 were received for books sold, and $829.45 for col-
lections and donations. To the parent society, $1,066.77 were sent, the expenses paid,
and $352.54 in the treasury. Value of books received during the year, $1,293.32;
value of books donated to supply Chicago & Alton Railroad cars, $207.47 ; value of
books in the chief and branch depositories, $1,317.37. Protestant Churches co-operat-
ing, 77 ; branch societies, 29 ; families visited, 1 ,696 ; destitute families supplied
with Scriptures, 12.

The twenty-second anniversary of the Society was held in Durley Hall, May 16,
1875. Mr. William Bone was chosen President, and Mr. J. A. Willson, Secretary.
The immense audience was addressed by Dr. Edwards, of Normal. From the Treas-
urer's report, we learn that the receipts from books sold were $674.55 ; from collections
and donations, $775. 6(> ; paid to the parent society $1,222.16 ; and, after paying the
expenses, $185.55 cash in the treasury. The value of books received during the year
was $900.21 ; the value of books sold, $674.75 ; and the value of books remaining in
the depositories, $1,441.14.

The twenty-third anniversary of the Society was held Aug. 27, 1876, at the Meth-
odist Church. The audience was large, and was addressed very satisfactorily by Rev.
A. I. Hobbs. The old officers were continued. At a previous meeting of the Executive

HISTORY OF McLean COUNTY. 209

Committee, the following persons were constituted life-members of the County Soci-
ety : Miss May Bedell, of Lawndale ; Mr. William Morris, of West ; Mr. William
Baldridge, of White Oak, and Mr. J. M. Mitchell, of Gridley. As reported by the
Treasurer, there had been received from the County Agent $892.32, from the branch
societies, $221.75, and from sale of books in county depository, $570.40. The expenses
were paid, $663.92 sent to the parent society, and $719.36 remained in the treasury.
Books delivered to branches, $330.19 ; remaining in depository, $602.15. County
Agent had spoken publicly 42 times ; 1,736 families were visited ; 70 destitute families
supplied with Bibles; 1,280 miles traveled; 2,000 books circulated, and much other
labor was performed for the Society.

The twenty-fourth anniversary of the Society was held in the Presbyterian Church,
September 16, 1877. The old officers were retained, and the meeting addressed by Dr.
W. H. H. Adams. The Treasurer reported $1,933.72 receipts from all sources, with
what was on hand at the previous report. Expenses were paid, $1,044.30 sent to parent
society and $335,41 remained in treasury. Amount of books received from New York,
$1,065.35 ; books sold at depository, $530.45 ; books on hand, $750.21. Rev. James
Ferguson assisted the County Agent in canvassing. Families visited in the county,
4.000 ; number of destitute families and individuals supplied with Bibles, 183 ; miles
traveled, 1,800 ; value of books donated, $164.07 ; value of books sold, $739.03 ; value
of books on hand in the county, $1,600.

The twenty-fifth anniversary of the Society was held at the Methodist Church,
June 9, 1878. The old officers were retained. Meeting addressed by Revs. A. I.
Hobbs, J. A. Kumler and J. M. Baugh. The report of the Treasurer shows : Cash
from all sources, $1,127.07 ; disbursements show expenses paid, sent to American Bible
Society, $491.47, and remaining in treasury, $391.61. Books sold, $398.82 ; books
purchased, $314.60 ; books on hand, $641.64 in the county depository, and $818.98
in those of the branch societies. Miles traveled by the County Agent, 1,150; addresses
delivered, 25; families visited, 1,000; local agents, 150; branch societies 32; value of
books circulated, sold and donated, $448.42.

The Society has been in operation twenty-five years. It has sent to the American
Bible Society from $12,000 to $15,000, in payment for books or as donations, $1,000 hav-
ing been recently transmitted to it from the estate of the late Mr. T. C. Humphrey, of this
county. Many thousands of Bibles and Testaments have been put into the hands of
the people of this county through its agency, and incalculable good done by its many
incidental influences. The Society is in a healthy condition, and in hopeful spirits in
reference to its future successes, when the present financial embarrassments shall have
subsided.

PHYSICAL FEATURES.

As will be seen in another place, while speaking of its origin, McLean County
assumed its present form and dimensions in 1841, on the formation of Woodford
County. The main body of it is forty-two miles east and west, and thirty-two north
and south, the northeast and the northwest corners having been cut off". There is no stream
of water of any considerable size within its limits. In the northeastern portion of the
county there are several creeks, as Bray's Creek, Henline Creek, Turkey Creek, Patton
Branch,- Money Creek, Crooked Creek and Buck Creek ; and in the northwestern por-
tion, Denman's Creek, Rock Creek, Six-Mile Creek and many smaller ones all running

210 HISTORY OF McLean county.

northwest, and combining to form the Mackinaw, which runs west, leaving the county
near the northwest corner of Township 25 north, Range 2 east, and passing into Taze-
well County. In the northeast corner, llock Creek and some other small creeks run
north, into the Vermilion.

In the western portion of the county are several branches of Sugar Creek, running
southwest, and leaving the county on the west side of Townships 22 and 23 north,
Range 1 west of the Third Principal Meridian. In the southwestern portion is Kick-
poo Crock, with its many branches, running southwest and leaving the county in the
northeastern part of Township 21 north, Range 1 east, and entering De Witt County.
In the southeastern portion are the branches of Salt Creek, running south into De Witt
County, in Township 21 north, Ranges 4 and 5 east ; and in the eastern part of the
county are the incipient waters of the Sangamon River, running east and south, and
leaving the county near the the southeastern corner of Township 23 north, Range 6 east^

This all shows very clearly that the middle portion of McLean County is a gentle
swell of country, higher than the surrounding counties ; it shows, also, how generally
and impartially all parts are supplied with running water.

Nor are the distribution and the size of its forest groves less admirable. In the
northwest is White Oak Grove ; in the north, Mackinaw Timber ; in the west, Stout's
Grove ; in the center, Blooming Grove and Old Town Timber ; in the south, Funk's
Grove, Randolph Grove and Buckle's Grove, and in the east, Cheney's Grove. As a
whole, this distribution ot streams and groves could scarcely be improved for agricult-
ural pursuits and for stock-raising, as well as for convenience, health and beauty. In
the southeastern portion of the county, more timber-land may seem desirable ; but there
is compensation in the fact that West and Belleflower are two as fine townships of land
as the sun shines upon in his daily course.

EARLY TIMES.

As will be seen elsewhere, the territory now comprising McLean County was, in
1821, embraced in two other counties, that portion of it lying west of the Third Prin-
cipal Meridian being in Sangamon County, and the rest in Fayette, and the capital of
the State was Vandal ia, the county seat of the latter county.

At that time, there were no white settlers within the present limits of the county.
Although the Indians had, sometime previously, bargained away this section of the
West to the United States Government, they were still in full possession of the country
and roamed over it at will, enjoying all its advantages, as formerly.

The first surveying on the territory now composing this county was done in April,
1821, by Mr. John F. McCullum, who ran the Third Principal Meridian from the
standard line, on the south side of Town 21, as far north as the north line of Town 25.
The standard line on the south side was run also in April, 1821, by Mr. Joseph
Borough ; and the line north of Town 25 was surveyed in March, 1822, by Mr. Enoch
Stein. These lines were the bases of the survey of the county. Ranges 1 and 2 east
were surveyed in October and November, 1823, by Messrs. A. M. and P. M. Ham-
trameck. Range 3 east was surveyed in January and February, 1824, by Mr. Beal
Greenup. Ranges 4 and 5 east were surveyed in April, 1824, by Mr. John Barcroft.'
R:mg(! (>ast was surveyed by Mr. E. Recton, probably in 1824; and Range 1 west
of the Third Principal Meridian, by Mr. P. M. January, in June, 1823.

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 211

In their notes, these surveyors speak of there being a settlement of white people
on Section 15, in Randolph Township, in 1823. There was a camp of Delaware Indi-
ans on the northwest quarter of Section 36, in Lexington Township, near which was
their corn-field, consisting of a few acres. There was also a town of the Kickapoo
Indians near the present village of Pleasant Hill. Their corn-field, of about twenty
acres, was on the line between Sections 17 and 20. Mr. Patrick Hopkins, still living
in the vicinity, saw corn growing in that field, on the 25th of May, 1830, which the
Indians had planted, and which was at that time twenty inches high — the biggest corn
ever seen in this section of country so early in the year.

There was another noted Indian town at the head of Old Town Timber — hence
the name — on the line between Sections 31 and 32, in Arrowsmith Township. At the
time of the survey, this town was apparently abandoned. The outlines of their
intrenchments were seen as late as in 1863. On breaking up the turf, in 1864, bullets,
gun-barrels and many bones were thrown up; and numerous arrow-points are found,
even unto the present day.

The main trail of the Indians through this section of the State was southeast and
northwest, from Post Vincennes, on the Wabash, to Fort Clarke (Peoria), up the Wabash
and the Vermilion, in the direction of Danville ; thence across to the Sangamon, to the
northwest part of Champaign County; thence to the east end of Old Town Timber;
thence northwest, to Smith's Grove, in Towanda Township ; thence to the south end of
Haven's Grove, and thence westward, crossing the Mackinaw at Farnisville. From
this route, it will be seen that the Indians in those times, like the early settlers, were
very friendly to the groves, and liked to be as near them as practicable. Traces of this
trail can still be seen in the hills near the Mackinaw, cut by the feet of the Indian
ponies, in th^ir passing to and fro. This was the main trail through the county, and
other lighter trails were seen in different directions. Indians were quite common in
the vicinity of Indian Grove, in Livingston County, as late as in 1835. In those
times, the Indians, and the early settlers after them, made considerable quantities of
sugar from the maple-trees in these groves, especially in Blooming Grove, Randolph
Grove, Dry Grove and Stout's Grove, and some is still made in favorable seasons.

FIRST SETTLEMENTS.

The first settlers in what is now McLean County were Mr. John W. Dawson and
Mr. John Hendrix, who came with their families to Blooming Grove in the
spring of 1822, and settled near its east end. They came from Sangamon County)
which, at that time, included the portion of this county west of the Third Principal
Meridian, and this portion of it, in which they settled, was in Fayette County. In the
summer of the same year, Mr. John Dawson came to join his family in the new home.
In the spring of 1823, the Orendorffs came to the Grove. In 182-1, came the Rhodes
family, and Mr. William H. Hodge, Mr. William R. Goodheart, Mr. William Evans
and Mr. William Dimmitt in 1825. In 1826, came the Guthries, Mr. David Cox and
Mr. William McCullough. In 1827, Dr. Isaac Baker, and, in 1829, the Allen family
came to cast their lot with the pioneers. A fuller account of the early settlement of
Blooming Grove will be found elsewhere in this work.

It is said that Mr. Gardner Randolph came to Randolph Grove in 1822, and Mr.
Alfred M. Stringfield in 1823. In fact, the surveyors of the county, in their noten

212 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

speak of there being a settlement in that Grrove in 1823. In 1824:, the Rutledges and
Mr. Jesse Funk came there ; in 1830, the Passwaters family, Mr. Jacob Bishop and
Mr. Coverdale; in 1830, the Stewarts and the Nobles ; and, in 1834, the Rusts. In

1823, the Bensons came to White Oak Grove and made permanent settlements. In

1824, the Funks and the Stubblcfields came to Funk's Grove and to Mount Hope and
made settlements. In 1825, the Cheneys settled at Cheney's Grove, and the Dicker-
sons at Le Roy, and Mr. E. B. Mitchell at Stout's Grove. In 1826, Mr. Jesse Trim-
mer settled at Money Creek; and, in 1827, Mr. Matthew Robb and the McClures and
the Hudges settled in Stout's Grove. The Spawrs settled in Lexington in 1826 and
1827. In 1828, Mr. Robert H. Johnson came to Dale Township, and the Beelers in
1830. In 1829, Mr. Lawson Downs settled in Downs Township; and, in 1826, came
Mr. Henry Vansickle to Dry Grove, followed by Mr. Stephen Webb and Mr. George
M. Hinshaw in 1827. In 1827, Mr. William M. McCord settled in Gridley Township,
and Mr. John B. Messer in 1829, followed by Mr. John Sloan and the Coons, in after
years. In 1829, Mr. Joseph Messer and the Havenses settled in Hudson, followed, the
next year, by Mr. Benjamin Wheeler and Mr. John Smith — the veritable John Smith.
In 1828, the Henlines settled in Lawndale Township. In 1825, Mr. William
Evans, Jr., settled in Padua, followed by Mr. Daniel Jackson in 183(^, and Mr.
Jeremiah Greenman in 1831. In 1828, Mr. Jesse Walden settled in Towanda Town-
ship.

Such were the chief initial settlements in this county in former times. In 1821,
the country between Blooming Grove and Lake Michigan was one of the grandest
specimens of the "unshorn fields of God" ever presented to the human eye. The
foot-prints of no white man contaminated its soil and tainted the air with his vicious
breath, fragrant of whisky and tobacco. The sole tenant of this vast region, big with
all the elements of future greatness, was one Mr. Lo. Even he was rather an erratic
body, with no fixed habitation, following after his equally erratic food — the champion
tramp of his day.

In those early times, the style of living was quite primitive, and somewhat difi'er-
ent from that of the present. Their dwellings were mostly of the composite style of
architecture, being made up of such material as could be most easily obtained. They
employed very little of the Corinthian style, but much of the Door-ic style. Their
pillars were taken from "God's first temples — the forests." They constructed their
buildings, so as to be adapted to a very economical system of self-ventilation and self-
heating. Being rather a hearty sort of people, they could tolerate the prairie breezes
and the sun's warm visitations. They were not of too delicate a mold to digest their
own food, instead of employing the contents of a drug store to carry on that necessary
process ; nor did they consider it disgraceful to gain their livelihood by personal industry
and constant labor. Very little do the young people of the present day know about the
privations and the hardships through which the first settlers in this county were obliged to
pass. The first settlers were obliged, sometimes, to go to the Wabash, or to Fox River,
to get their grinding d(me. It was not very uncommon to go a distance of fifty miles,
on horse-back, to get their plow-irons shar])ened. Sometimes they constructed sort of
mills, with millstones, cut from the lost rocks found on the prairies. They contrived,
by various means, to pound and crush the grain for their food. It is said that they also
used wooden grindstones, with sand worked into the circumference, to sharpen their

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 213

knives and implements. It was not infrequently, though game was plenty, that they
were out of meat when the preacher came to their houses, and a coon had to he caught.
But it was not always gloomy and sad with them. There was much of good feeling and
sociability among them. Their loves and their hates were demonstrative; and the
sparseness of the population, and the consequent mutual dependence upon each other,
as well in serious occupations as in their amusements, rendered them more helpful and
more hearty in their reciprocal deeds of kindness, and in their social intercourse. There
were not a few, even in this section of the country, whose hearts would respond to the
following, rather boisterous, but cheerful and expressive language of the poet :

" Oh ! to roam, like the i-ivers, through empires of woods,

Where the king of the eagles in majesty broods ;

Or, to ride the wild horse o'er the boundless domain,

And to drag the wild buffalo down to the plain ;

There to chase the fleet stag, and to track the huge bear,

And to face the lithe panther at bay in his lair.

Are a joy which, alone, cheers the pioneer's breast ;

For the only true hunting-ground lies in the West.

" Ho ! brothers, come hither and list to my story —

Merry and brief will the narrative be :
Here, like a monarch, I reign in qiy glory —

Master, am I, boys, of all that I see.
Where once frowned a forest, a garden is smiling —

The meadow and mooi-land are marshes no more ;
And there curls the smoke of my cottage, beguiling

The children, who cluster, like grapes, at the door.
Then enter, boys ; cheerly, boys, enter and rest ;
The land of the heart is the land of the West."

It may be true that the feelings and sentiments expressed in the above lines are
not the prevailing ones here at the present time ; that they are fast fading from the
hearts of the new population, and that their proper meridian is still moving west — ever
west. Yet there are some among us whose hearts still respond to the echoes of the
earlier and more demonstrative times of the past. Many of the early settlers, now
rapidly passing away, still linger among us ; and to them, and to those who have already
passed over, the present generation owes an immense debt of gratitude ; for bravely have
they met the difficulties incident to settling a new country ; and "broadly and well have
they laid the foundations of future prosperity in the county.

MATERIAL DEVELOPMENTS.

As will be seen elsewhere in this work, Tazewell County was created by the State
Legislature at its session of 1826 and 1827. An election was held in that county in
the following spring for county officers, McLean County being substantially embraced
therein. At that election, Messrs. James Latta. George Hittle and Benjamin Briggs
were elected County Commissioners ; Mr. James Benson, of Blooming Grove, was
elected County Treasurer, and Mr. William Orondorff and Mr. Absalom Funk were
securities ; Mr. William Orondorff' was elected Justice of the Peace ; Mr. William H.
Hodge, Sheriff", and Mr. Thomas Orondorff", Coroner.

On the 10th of April, 1827, the County Commissioners held their first court at
the bouse of Mr. William Orondorff. On April 25, of the same year, they held

214 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

their court at the house of Mr. Ephraim Stout, in Stout's Grove, and continued to hold
them there until the public buildings were finished at Mackinawtown, which had been
chosen for the county seat. At the court of the same Commissioners, held June 25,
1827. all that part of Tazewell County east of the Third Principal Meridian and
all north of Town 22 was formed into Blooming Grove Precinct ; and all south of Town
28 and east of Third Principal Meridian, including one range west of said meridian,
in Town 22, formed Kickapoo Precinct.

At the March term, 1829, a road was ordered to be laid out from Jonathan
Cheney's, in Cheney's Grove to the mouth of the Little Vermilion, at the Illinois River,
and the Road District Supervisor was ordered to make the road. The county revenue
of Tazewell County, for 1829, was SI, 061.89, and the expenses, $898.53.

At the first session of the County Commissioners' Court, held at the house of Hon.
James Allen, in Bloomington, for McLean County proper. May IG, 1831, the report
of Messrs. Lemuel Lee and Isaac C. Pugh, Commissioners appointed by the Legisla-
ture to locate the county seat, was received and ordered to be entered on record — said
report locating the said county seat on the land of Mr. James Allen, on the north end
of Blooming Grove. At the same session. Dr. Isaac Baker, Clerk of the Court, was
instructed to give notice, by written advertisements, that a sale of town lots in the town
of Bloomington, on the land donated by Mr. Allen for a county seat, would take place
on the 4th of July, of the same year.

At the June term of the Court, same year, the Commissioners thinking the tax on
land insufficient to defray the expenses of the county, ordered that a tax of one-half per
cent be levied on all property owned in the county. The Court then proceeded to lay
ofi" and designate the election precincts, as follows : All that territory included in Town-
ships 21 and 22 in Range 1 west, 21 and 22 in Range 1 east and 21 in Range 2 east
shall constitute Kickapoo Precinct, and the place of holding elections shall be at William
Murphey's mill; and James H. Scott, Walter McPherson and Frederick Barnett were
appointed Judges of Elections.

Townships 21, 22, 23 and 24 in Ranges 4, 5 and 6 east shall constitute Salt Creek
Precinct, and the place of holding elections shall be at the house of Nathan Britton,
Esq., Jesse Frankerburger, Amos Conaway and Daniel Crumbaugh being appointed
Judges of Elections.

Townships 23 in Range 1 west, 23 and 24 in Range 1 east, 22, 23 and 24 in
Ranges 2 and 3 east, and Sections from 12 to 36 in Town 25, Range 2 east, and
Sections from 16 to 36 in Town 25, Range 3 east shall constitute Bloomington Pre-
cinct, and the place of holding elections shall be in Bloomington; and the Court
appointed Peter McCullough, David Wheeler and Seth Baker Judges of Elections.

Townships 26, 27 and 28 in Ranges 2 and 3 east, Towns 25, 26, 27 and 28 in.
Ranges 4, 5 and 6 east, and Sections from 1 to 12 in Town 25, Range 2 east, and Sec-
tions from 1 to 16 in Town 25, Range 3 east, constituted Mackinaw Precinct, and the
place of holding elections was at John Patten's ; and John Haney, John Patten and
Coon rod Fleshcr were ap[)()inted Judges of Elections.

Townships 24 to 28 north in Range 1 west, and Townships from 25 to 28 in
Range 1 east, shall constitute Painter Creek Precinct, and the place of holding elec-
tions shall be at John Harbert's, and Mathew Robb, William Patrick and Mathew
Bracken are appointed Judges of Pjlections.

HISTORY OF McLean COUNTY. 215

The Cpurt then laid off the Road Districts as follows: Townships 21 and 22 in
Range 1 west shall be called District Number One, and Allen McCay is appointed
Supervisor.

Townships 21 and 22 of Range 1 east shall compose Road District Number Two,
and Jeremiah Greenman is appointed Supervisor.

Townships 21 and 22, Range 2 east, shall compose Road District Number Three,
and Gardner Randolph is appointed Supervisor.

Township 21, Ranges 3 and 4, and west half of Range 5 east, the southwest quarter
of Town 22, Range 5 east, and the south half of Town 22, Ranges 3 and 4 east, shall
compose Road District Number Four, and James Merrifield is appointed Supervisor.

The north half of Town 22, Ranges 3 and 4 east, and the northwest quarter of
Town 22, Range 5 east, the west half of Range 5, Town 23 east, and Town 23 in
Ranges 3 and 4 shall compose Road District Number Five, and James Vanscoyc is
appointed Supervisor. .

The east half of Towns 21, 22 and 23 in Range 5 east, and Townships 21, 22
and 23 in Range 6 east shall compose Road District Number Six, and Robert Cun-
ningham is appointed Supervisor.

Townships 23, 24 and 25 in Range 1 west shall compose Road District Number
Seven, aud Robert McClure is appointed Supervisor.

Townships 23, 24 and 25 in Range 1 east shall compose Road District Number
Eight, and Samuel Barker is appointed Supervisor.

Townships 23, 24 and 25 in Range 2 east, and Townships 24 and 25, Range 3
east, shall compose Road District Number Nine, and David Trimmer is appointed Super-
visor.

The townships beginning at the southwest corner of Town 24 in Range 4 east, and
extending east to the county line, shall compose Road District Number Ten, and John
Haner is appointed Supervisor.

Beginning at the southeast corner of Township 26, Range 3 east, and extending
north and west to the county line, shall compose Road District Number Eleven, and
Young Billberry is appointed Supervisor.

These divisions give a tolerable idea of the relative number of inhabitants in those
early times in different portions of the county, and show who many of them were.
At the same session, William Orondorff, Esq., paid into court a fine of $6, ofl&cially
collected by him from Thomas Wilson and Francis Evans, for assault and battery — the
first transaction of the kind on record in the county. At the same session, Mr. Henry
Miller applied for license to keep a tavern in Bloomington — the first application. The
amount paid was $2. At the July session, Messrs. Frederick and Samuel Troxell
applied for license to vend goods, wares and merchandise in the county of McLean for
one year. License granted for $5 — the first on record.

At the December term, Mr. Robert H. Johnson made application to the Court for
relief in behalf of Sarah Potter, an insane person in his care. Relief was granted —
the first in the county.

At the same term, a petition was presented signed by Jacob Spawr and others,
dated July 27. 1831, praying for a road to be located from Frederick Rook's, on the
Vermilion, thence to William Evans', on the Mackinaw, thence to Jacob Spawr's, on
Money Creek, thence south, crossing Sugar Creek at a point north of Bloomington, and

216 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

below the fork, through Main street, Bloomington, south through Randolph Grrove and
Long Point, to the south line of the county. The petition was granted, and Isaac
Baker, Elbert Dickason and Gardner Randolph appointed Viewers of the same. This
was the first important move of the kind in McLean County proper.

The Court appointed William H. Hodge, John Hendrix and William Orondorff
Trustees of school lands in Town 23 north, Range 2 east ; Ephraim Stout, Robert
Drain and Isaac Sample in Town 24 north. Range 1 west ; John Moore, Gardner Ran-
dolph and Elijah Hedrick in Town 22 north, Range 2 east ; James Murphey, Andrew
Biggs and Samuel Murphey in Town 22 north, Range 1 east ; Walter McPherson,
Benjamin Day and John Glenn, Esq., in Town 21 north, Range 1 east ; and William
Conaway, James Merrifield and Officer Rutledge in Town 22 north. Range 4 east.

At the January term, 1832, a petition was presented to the Court signed by David
Maxwell and others, praying for a road to be established, commencing at the west end of
Front street , in the town of Bloomington, thence to James Toliver's, John Maxwell's,
Samuel Rhodes', Timothy M. Gates', Nathan Low's, John Hougham's, and thence to
Funk's Grove. The petition was granted, and Isaac Baker, James Allen and James
Latta were appointed to view the same and report.

At the March term, a petition was presented to the Court praying to have a road
viewed and located leading from the east end of Front street, in the town of Blooming-
ton, running in nearly a southeast course to Buckles' Grove, on Salt Creek, thence to
the county line in a direction to intersect a road leading from Vermilion County to
Osburn's Grove, on the Sangamon River. The petition was granted, and Isaac Baker,
County Surveyor, Michael Dickerson and Reuben Clearwaters were appointed to view
and locate the road and report.

A petition was presented by Ephraim Stout, also, and others, praying for an altera-
tion of the county road from Decatur to Mackinawtown, commencing at Ephraim
Stout's bridge, and to run north side of David Stout's, thence in a direction to intersect
the old road opposite Jonathan Hodge's house. Petition granted, and Isaac Baker,
Isaac Sample and Isaac Gaskill appointed to review the same and report.

The Court appointed Road District Supervisors for the ensuing year, as follows :
District No. 1, Benjamin Shipley; No. 2, Benjamin Day; No. 3, Elijah Hedrick; No.
4, Alvin Barnett; No. 5, John W. Dawson; No. 6, William M. Riggs ; No. 7, James
Watson ; No. 8, Wolford Wyatt ; No. 9, Seth Baker ; No. 10, John B. Thomas ; No.
11, William C. Moore; No. 12, James Benson; No. 13, William Evans.

A petition was presented, signed by Owen Cheney and others, praying for a road
beginning at the county line opposite to a road leading through Vermilion County to
Osburn's Grove, on the Sangamon River ; thence on the nearest and best route to the
most suitable fording on Salt Creek, in the upper part of Buckles' Grove ; thence on the
nearest and best route to intersect the road leading from the Vermilion Salt Works to
Fort Clark, at William Maxwell's, on Kickapoo Creek ; thence with the said road to the
town of Bloomington. Prayer granted, and Isaac Baker, John Dawson and Daniel
Crumbaugh instructed to make report thereon at the next term.

The Court levied a tax of one-half per cent on the following-described property :
All horses, mulea (and their male parents), neat cattle three years old and over, town
lots, sheep one year old, pleasure carriages, wagons, household property, watches, and all
distilleries.

HISTORY OF McLean COUNTY. 217

At the June term, 1832, the Court established the previously-proposed road from
the Vermilion through Bloomington, on Main street, to the south line of the county at
fifty feet wide ; also the one from the east end of Front street, Bloomington, in a south-
easterly course to Buckles' Grove, at the same width.

The amount of the county revenue collected from taxes for the current year, as
reported to the County Court at the June term, 1832, was $2,313 ; and the amount
paid the County Assessor, Mr. Thomas OrondorfF, was $40.

At the December term, 1832, of the Court, Mr. John Scott, Mr. Ebenezer Barnes,
and Mr. William McGrhee came into Court and made application for the privilege of
proving themselves to have been Revolutionary soldiers. After due investigation, the
Court confirmed their declarations as true. The same was done in the case of Mr.
Thomas Sloan, and his declaration in the matter taken to be correct.

A petition was presented in Court, signed by John Benson and others, praying for
a road to be located from Bloomington to Painter Creek Mill, and thence to Walnut
•Grove, near John Oatman's, in McLean County. Petition granted, and Isaac Baker,
Robert McClure and Josiah Brown appointed as viewers of said road.

A petition was presented, also, signed by Lemuel Evans, Jesse Sutton, and others,
praying a road to be located, beginning at John Funk's farm, in Funk's Grove; thence to
the south to the crossing on Kickapoo, near A. Larison's ; thence through the town plat
of Waynesville, to the county line near Pilot Grove. Petition granted, and Isaac
Baker, Samuel Murphy and Runion Hougham appointed Viewers.

It will readily be inferred, from the districting of the county, the appointment of
township ofl&cers, the location of so many roads, and the frequent mention of so many
names in every direction, that the country, as well as Bloomington, was filling up rapidly
with immigrants. Such was the case. In 1830 and 1831, the prairie turf had been
broken in large quantities, and the decay of such masses of vegetable growth had filled
the atmosphere with malaria, and the fever and ague were very common and severe. In
the winter of 1831, occurred, also the great fall of snow, such as has never been wit-
nessed since. It caused great loss of stock, covered under the snow, and from starvation.
The inhabitants were themselves nearly buried in their dwellings, and intercourse
between the distant neighbors was suspended for weeks. The abundant game in the country
became worthless from starvation, and perished in great numbers from the severity of
the weather. Yet such were the energy and the perseverance of the early settlers, and
the goodly reports which they sent back to their friends of the fertility of the soil and
the magnificent prospects for acquiring good homes and future independence, that immi-
gration continued to pour in, and the material resources of the country were rapidly
developed.

For some years, the style of building was mostly one story high, and the walls
were of hewed logs, very substantial and comfortable. Some of such buildings are still
in use in the city and in the county, in very tolerable condition, some of them from forty to
fifty years old. The roofs were covered with long split shingles, and the chimneys made
up of stone, or sticks and clay. As the early settlers nearly all stuck closely around
the groves, that manner of building was tolerably convenient, and the immediate forest-
trees supplied an abundance of excellent fuel and of rail timber. One of the most
serious discouragements to be met in those days, in settling up this State, was the sickness
caused by malaria. Yet it was not nearly as severe in Illinois as in Indiana and Michigan.

218 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

This was unooubtedly owinir to the scarcity of forests. On this account, and owing to
its fortunate location in reference to rivers, and its elevation, McLean County was then,
as it is now, an exceptionally healthy one.

Later experiences show that the so-much-slighted open, wide prairies are more
healthy than the immediate vicinity of the groves. But the abundance of fuel and the
protection of the groves to man and beast decided the location of the early settlements.
In those days, people ridiculed the idea that the broad prairie, would be settled up for
generations. To obtain boards and plank, they were obliged to saw them by hand from
forest logs, a slow and laborious process ; and when saw-mills were afterward erected,
still the lumber was so expensive and heavy to handle that but little progress was made
on the prairies, for several years. When Chicago began to assume the characteristics
of a town, and became a lumber market, the process of transporting it on wagons a
hundred and fifty miles, the teams hauling up grain and pork, and bringing back boards,
was still too slow to encourage venturing out onto the grassy seas surrounding the
groves. That movement waited the advent of the iron horse, breathing fire and
steam.

Much timber was destroyed by the storm that passed across this county on the
23d of June, 1827. Though it visited Blooming Grove very roughly. Old Town Tim-
ber was the principal scene of destruction marking its pathway. The largest forest-
trees of the most sturdy kinds, were but as playthings in its grasp, as it seized them in
its might, hurling them headlong to the ground, and piling them in promiscuous heaps.
This was far the fiercest storm that has visited this county within the knowledge of the
white man. It is a subject of remark that this county has since been very fortunate in
escaping similar visitations, though they have passed repeatedly over the country several
times, quite near.

At the December term of the Commissioners' Court, Messrs. James Allen and M.
L. Covell, Messrs. John and Samuel Durleyand Mr. Benjamin Haines made application
for license to sell goods, wares and merchandise in the town of Bloomington. The style
of doing business in those days was quite difi'erent from the present one. Each store
was stocked with a miscellaneous assemblage of multitudinous articles then known and
recognized as necessary to meet the few wants and satisfy the simple tastes of earnest
and sensible people in a new country. The merchants and shopkeepers could not then,
as now, send an order on the swift-winged lightning, and receive a bill of goods on the
next day's train.

To replenish their miscellany of goods, wares and merchandise involved the neces-
sity of shinning around among their customers for two or three weeks, to raise the
necessary funds, suflScient at least to pay traveling expenses, and then a trip to Pekin,
by horse-power, and thence by a tub of a steamer, when one was luckily encountered in
its meanderings up and down the Illinois River, in search of sandbars, that were to be
avoided. By this process a replenishment of goods and wares could be obtained from
St. Louis in the short period of two or three weeks, involving, of course, the departure
and return of the swift wagon-train of Mr. Benjamin Depcw and his associates in that
line. We say St. Louis, for Chicago, in those days, knew not itself Or if any of the
business men of the time were bold enough to undertake a pilgrimage to Philadelphia,
for goods, their return was greeted with much welcome by those who still remembered
them.

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 219

As we have before said, the Commissioners' Court was held at the residence of Mr.
James Allen ; but at the January term, 1832, the Court resolved to have a Court House ;
it accordingly instructed its Clerk to give public notice that the erection of a building,
which was to be one story high, and 18x30 feet, comfortably finished off in the then
prevailing style, would be sold at public vendue, on the 6th day of March succeeding.
The erection of the building was bid oif by A. Gridley, Esq., for $339.75. The build-
ing was erected according to the contract, located on the west side of the public square,
and accepted by the Court in December of the same year. The Jail was built about the
same time, by Mr. William Dimmitt, at a cost of $321. So the Court House was not
very much ahead; in fact, the Jail was the more substantial building of the two, as
there seemed to be more anxiety about the stay of the prisoners than about that of the
Court.

At the December term, 1832, and at the February term, 1833, the County Com-
missioners' Court granted deeds to the following-named gentlemen, who had bought
town lots in Bloomington at the public sale of said lots on the 4th of July, 1831-
The record of the sale appears not to be obtainable ; but the following are believed to be
substantially the names of the purchasers: James Latta, Martin Scott, A. Gridley,
Nathan Low, William R. Roberson, John Maxwell, Ebenezer Rhodes, Cheney Thomas,
Solomon Dodge, Caleb Kimler, Jesse Frankerberger, Jesse Havens, Frederick Trimmer,
M. L. Covell, John W. Daw.>on, David Wheeler, Alvin Barnett, Jonathan Cheney,
Joseph B. Harbert, Eli Frankerberger, Hezekiah M. Harbert, Richard Gross, William
Harbert, Samuel Durley, Orman Roberson, Baily Kimler, Baily H. Coffey, Lewis
Soward, John W. Harbert, Isaac Baker and Absalom Funk. The sale is said to have
been quite lively and the bidding spirited — the lot on which the McLean County Bank
now stands, bringing the highest price — $52.

At the March term, 1833, a petition was presented signed by Samuel Hoblitt and
others for a road commencing at the county line of Mason and McLean County, near
Long Point, thence to Waynesville, to Napp's mill, thence over the line between Samuel
Hoblitt's and Shipley's, thence to intersect the road to be laid out in Tazewell County
by way of Orondorff's mill to Pekin. Petition granted, and Isaac Baker, Andrew
Brock and Benjamin Shipley appointed Viewers thereof.

So rapid had been the increase of population in the county that, at the same ses-
sion, the Court redivided the county into road districts as follows, which will give a very
good idea of the distribution of the population at that time, and also many of the
names of the early settlers and their location : District No. 1, to commence at the line
between the land of John Kimler and Benjamin Haines ; thence west to the west end of
the causeway near J. Toliver's land ; also on the road from Bloomington south to
the largest branch of Sugar Creek ; and also on the road from Bloomington north to the
middle of Town 24, Range 2 east, and the streets and alleys in Bloomington. John
Kimler was appointed Supervisor.

District No. 2, commencing at the west end of the causeway east of J. Toliver's,
on the county road leading to Funk's Grove, including the inhabitants near said road as
far as' the northwest corner of Isaac Hougham's fence, and those on the west side
of Blooming Grove as far south as Mr. Hinshaw's. James Toliver, Supervisor.

District No. 3, including all the inhabitants on the west side of Blooming Grove,
from Mr. Hinshaw's to Kickapoo Creek, between Seth Baker's and Omen Olney's

220 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

to labor on the road from Sugar Creek, near the north end of Section 16, south to Town
22 north, Range 2 east. J. B. Harbert appointed Supervisor.

District No. -t, to commence at Kickapoo Creek, between Seth Baker's and Omen
Olney's, thence, including all the inhabitants to work on the roads on the east side of the
grove in Town 23 north, as far as the north and west of Mr. Haines' land. William
OrondorflF appointed Supervisor.

District No. 5, the inhabitants of Funk's Grove, John Murphy's Grove, and of
William Johnson's Grove, to work that part of the road leading from Bloomington
to John Funk's, commencing at the northwest corner of Isaac Hougham's farm, thence
to Funk's Grove. John Funk appointed Supervisor.

District No. 6, all the inhabitants of that part of the big grove lying west of the
Third Principal Meridian, and thence west and south to the county line, to work on a road
intended to be opened. Samuel Hoblitt, Supervisor.

District No. 7, to be composed of all of that part of big grove lying east of the
Third Principal Meridian, including Town 21 north. Range 1 east. George Isham
appointed Supervisor.

District No. 8, commencing at Isaac Harrold's, thence westwardly so as to include
all the inhabitants living on the north side of the Vermilion, within the limits of
the county as far west as the county line crosses the south fork of the river Vermilion ;
thence up said stream, including all the inhabitants to the southeast end of the timber
called Epperd's Point, the inhabitants as before jnentioned to work on the road now
located, running from Frederick Rook's to Bloomington as far as the ten-mile post
on said road. Frederick Rook appointed Supervisor.

District No. 9, commencing at the southeast end of Indian Grove, near Martin
Darnell's, thence northeastwardly, following the said grove or creek, so as to include all
the inhabitants east of where Isaac Jordan now lives, on the north side of the Vermilion
River, and to include all the inhabitants living east of the two mentioned points.
Martin Darnell appointed Supervisor.

District No. 10, commencing at the west end of the claim or farm of Isaac Jordan,
where he now lives, on the Vermilion River, so as to include all the inhabitants on both
sides of the grove of timber on said river as far west as where Isaac Harrold now lives
on the said river. Uriah Blue appointed Supervisor.

District No. 11 shall comprehend all the road, and inhabitants to work the same,
from the ten-mile post, north of William Evans', southerly to the prairie south
of Mr. Young's, extending east to the center of Towns 24, 25 and 26 in Range 4,
and east to the junction of Mackinaw and Money Creek Timber. William Young,
Supervisor.

Di-strict No. 12, comprehending the inhabitants and roads commencing at the edge
of the prairie a little south of Mr. Young's, in Mackinaw Timber, thence southerly
through the Money Creek Timber to the center of Town 24 north, in Range 2 east, and
extending east so as to include the grove of Mr. Smith, and west to the junction
of Mackinaw and Money Creek Timber, thence southerly to the center ot Town 24
north, in Range 1 east. Jacob Spawr appointed Supervisor.

Di.strict No. 13, comprehending all the inhabitants in Painter Creek Timber
and Walnut Grove within the county to work on the roads running through their settle-
ments. William McCord, Supervisor.

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY, 221

District No. 14, comprehending all that territory in the county west of the follow-
ing line, to wit : Beginning at the center of Town 24 north, in Range 1 east, northerly
to the junction of Mackinaw and Money Creek Timber. Isaac Allen appointed Super-
visor.

District No. 15, comprehending all the inhabitants in Stout's Grove within the
county, to labor on the road from Mackinawtown to Bloomington, from the west line of
the county extending to Dry Grove. Robert McClure, Supervisor.

District No. 16, comprehending all the inhabitants of Dry Grove, Harbert's Grove,
Brow«'s Grove and Mosquito Grove, if in the county, to work the road from the Third
Principal Meridian eastwardly through Dry Grove, and on toward Bloomington to the
west bank of Sugar Creek. Elijah Dixon appointed Supervisor.

District No. 17, shall comprehend all the inhabitants of Long Point and Short
Point, to near Jesse Funk's, to labor on the roads leading south from the north part of
Town 21 , running southerly to the county line. John P. Glenn appointed Supervisor.

District No. 18, comprehending Town 22 north, Range 2 east, including Jesse
Funk, and to labor on roads from north part of Town 21, to the north of Town 22, in
Range 2 east. David Noble appointed Supervisor.

District No. 19, shall comprehend the Towns 22 and 23. Range 3 east. Henry
Manning appointed Supervisor.

District No. 20, comprehending all the inhabitants in Buckles' Grove on the north
and south forks of Salt Creek, in the county, to work the road from Town 22 north,
Range 3 east, to the county line near Osburn's Grove. Silas Waters appointed Super- '
visor.

District No. 21, comprehending all the inhabitants in Old Town Timber, east of
Range 3, except south side within a mile of road from Merrifield's to Dawson's, to work
the road from Range 3 east, eastward to four miles east of John Dawson's. Jeremiah
Greenman, Supervisor.

District No. 22. All the inhabitants in Cheney's Grove to work the road from
county line east of Jonathan Cheney's ; thence westerly to within four miles of John
Dawson's. Benjamin Thomas, Supervisor.

At the same session, on application, the Court granted license to Greenbury Larison
to keep tavern in the town of Bloomington one year, for the sum of $5. The Court
granted also the petition for a road round the southwest side of Bloomington ; a petition
for a road through Big Grove ; and a petition for the alteration of a road southerly
through Randolph Grove. A tax of one-half of one per cent was levied on stock,
animals, personal property and distilleries. The Court, acting as overseers of the poor,
bound Maryann King, a poor girl of eight years, to Gervis Gaylord, as apprentice in house-
wifery until she should be eighteen years of age. This is the first instance of the kind in
the county. License was granted to Benjamin Haines to vend goods, wares and mer-
chandise.

At the June term, on request of John Recob and others, the Court set off the fol-
lowing territory into a separate election precinct, to be called Vermilion Precinct, to wit :
Comprehending all the inhabitants and territory north of a line extending from the
southeasterly part of Indian Grove, westerly to Epperd's Point on Rook's Creek ; thence
northwestwardly, including all the inhabitants on said creek and timber to the county
line, shall constitute said precinct ; and the place of holding elections shall be at Uriah

222 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

Blue's, and Martin Darnell, William Popojoj and James C. M. Miller are appointed
Judges of Elections.

Edward F. Patrick and Charles Moore made application for the privilege of prov-
ing themselves Revolutionary soldiers, in order to obtain pensions. Application granted,
and their representations believed to be genuine. At the September term, the Court
executed a deed for Lots 13 and 14, to David Trimmer, being town lots in the town of
Bluomington. At the December term, William Vincent made application for the priv-
ilege of proving himself a Revolutionary soldier. Application granted, and his repre-
sentations believed to be genuine.

At the March term, 1834. an application by Charles Maltby for license to keep
a grocery in the town of Waynesville, McLean County, for one year, was granted. A
petition was presented for the location of a road, beginning at the termination of a
road leading from Shelbyville to the south boundary of this county, near Charles
McCord's ; thence, by the nearest and best route to the head of Mackinaw Timber ;
thence to the Vermilion Timber ; thence to the north boundary of the county, pursuing
the nearest and best route from the head of Mackinaw Timber in the direction of Chicago.
John W. Dawson, Daniel Crumbaugh and William McDowell, appointed Viewers.
William Durley, Esq., presented his report of the sale of Section 16, in Town 24 north,
Range 1 west, accompanied by his resignation as School Commissioner of the county ; and
and the Court thereupon appointed Jesse W. Fell, E.sq , School Commissioner in his stead.

A petition signed by M. L. Covell, Jonathan Hodge and others, for a road from
Bloomington, on the State road, through Dry Grove ; thence past Ephraim Stout's
mill, Jonathan Hodge's, to the county line, to intersect a road laid out in Tazewell
County, to the county line near Isaac Williams'. Petition granted, and Viewers ordered
to report. William Covell was granted license to keep a grocery in the town of Bloom-
ington, one year ; charge for license, $b.

John Toliday applied for the privilege of proving himself a Revolutionary soldier.
Application granted, and his proofs admitted as good and true.

A petition was received, signed by Moses Baldwin and others, for a road, beginning
at a point in the prairie north of Randolph's Grove ; thence through said grove, by way
of Gardner Randolph's, to Frederick Barnard's, in Short Point ; thence to Baker's
mill, on Kickapoo ; thence to Waynesville ; thence to meet a county road that is laid
out from Decatur, in Macon County, at the south line of McLean County. The Court
granted the petition, and appointed Jesse Sutton, Gardner Randolph and F. Barnard to
view and locate the road to Jesse Sutton's, where it may intersect a road to Waynes-
ville, and southwesterly to the county line, and established the road at forty feet in
width. Isaac Baker, Clerk of the Court, reports that the amount of sales of lots in the
town of Bloomington was $963. 92i. A petition, signed by James Weed and others,
for a road to be located from Bloomington to F. Trimmer's, Coonrod Flesher's, to
Epperd's Point, to Uriah Blue's, on the Vermilion ; thence to the county line in the
direction to Chicago. Petition granted, and Viewers appointed.

A petition, signed by Mat hew Robb and others, was presented for a view of a
road from the ford on the Mackinaw where the old Fort Clark trail crosses, known by
the name of Hugh's Ford ; thence to Samuel McClure's ; thence to intersect the State
road leading from Dry Grove U) Mackinawtown. Petition granted, and Samuel
McClure, Samuel McDaniel and Levi Danley appointed Viewers.

■ i

BLOOMINCTON

HISTORY OF McLean COUNTY. . 225

A petition signed by Alexander W. Breckenridge and others, praying for the
alteration of a county road from William Young's, on the road from Rook's Creek, to
Bloomington, by way of Benjamin Ogden's and Isaac Strowd's ; thence, along the main
leading road until intersecting the State road near Sugar Creek. Petition granted,
and George W. Wallis, Benjamin Ogden and Levi Strowd appointed Viewers, to make
report next term.

At the March term, 1835, Harrison Noble and others petition for an election
precinct, composed of Towns 21 and 22 north, Range 2 ease. The Court grant the
petition, organize the precinct under the name of Middle Precinct, order the elections to
be held at the house of Hiram Buck, and appoint David Noble, John P. Glenn and
George Hand Judges of Elections. Amount of revenue for the year 1833, besides
incidentals, reported to be $712.03.

The Court granted to George W. Wallis permission to erect, under proper
restrictions, a mill-dam and mills on the northeast quarter of the northwest quarter of
Section 1 1 , in Town 25 north, Range 3 east ; and to Tebulan G. Cantrill, and to Matthew
McElhiney, each to build a dam and mill, at different points, on the waters of the
Kickapoo. The Court authorize the Sheriff to rent the Court House, under specified
restrictions, as a schooihouse, for $3 per mouth.

The duplicate for tax of the county for 1835 is reported at $1,241,422.

A novelty appears on the records of the Court at the October term, 1835, to the
effect that the " Court directs that notice be given in the IlUnois Rejyuhlican that pro-
posals will be received by said Court on the first Monday in December next for build-
ing a Court House in Bloomington, McLean County, forty feet square, of brick, and
two stories high ; and order the expense to be paid out of the County Treasury for said
notice." This is the first official recognition of the press in McLean County as a
medium of communication between the people and their public servants ; and it con-
tains the very sensible provision for paying therefor.

At the December term, 1835, the Court accepted the report of the Reviewers, and
established the road that lies between Little Kickapoo Creek and Blooming Grove,
intersecting the road leading from Blooming Grove to Randolph Grove, near James B.
Price's, at forty feet in width.

On the same day, Messrs. James Allen and Timothy B. Hoblitt presented the
plat of the town of New Castle, which was approved and certified by the County Com-
missioners. Also, Messrs. A. Gridley and M. L. Covell presented a plat of the town
of Le Roy, which the Commissioners approved and certified.

The appearance of a public newspaper in Bloomington, and the enterprise of lay-
ing out new towns in different portions of the county on the part of its citizens, mark
a new era in the material development of the county, as well as of mental development. A
great influx of immigrants, about those times, had an important influence in inspiring the
former settlers with the idea that, to secure fortunes, all they had to do was to go in.

At the same session, Mr. John W. Baddely applied for license to sell goods, wares
and merchandise at the town of Le Roy (to be), and also to keep a tavern at the same
place ; also, Mr. David Duncan and Mr. R. Post make application to vend goods, wares
and merchandise in the town of Waynesville. Messrs. Allen Withers & Co., and Messrs.
Asahel Gridley, Ortagal Covell and Calvin Carpenter make application for license to
vend goods, wares and merchandise in the county of McLean.

226 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

All tli«se indications of very rapid development, at that time, are unmistakable.
There was no lack of enterprise among early settlers in this county, whatever one may
be disposed to say of their discretion.

At the same term, the Court appointed Thomas H. Haines their attorney, to effect
a loan of $5,0(10, for a term of years, at a rate of interest not to exceed 8 per cent
per annum. This was done preparatory to making arrangements to build a Court
House.

At a special term of the County Commissioners' Court, January 20, 1836, the
Court proceeded to make ax'rangements for contracting with Leander Munsell, of Edgar
County, in said State, for building a Court House for the county of McLean; when,
after taking the subject into careful examination, and hearing the proposition of the
said Leander Munsell, a wi'itten contract was agreed upon for a brick building, 40x45
feet square, two stories high, finished in five rooms, the court-room on the lower floor,
with a gallery and all other conveniences, particularly specified in said agreement, for
the sum of $6,375, with interest on $5,375, after the completion of said job, at 8 per
cent, until paid, and to be paid on or before the expiration of twenty years ; and other
particulars specified in said article of agreement, reference thereto being had. On the
next day, the articles of agreement were signed by the contracting parties.

At the March term, 1836, of the Commissioners' Court, there were numerous
applications for license to carry on business by various parties, and petitions for new
roads and amendments to old ones — all showing great activity. There were also several
applications for writs of ad quod damnum, in reference to how much dam each applicant
might employ in order sufficiently to raise the water to run a mill. Another unmistaka-
ble evidence of rapid improvement.

On settling with the County Treasurer, the amount coming into his hands during
the previous current year was found to be $1,303.88. The Court levied the usual rate,
one-half of one per cent tax on town lots, except in Bloomington, on cattle, carriages
and other personal property.

At the June session of the Court, a plat of the town of Versailles, in McLean
County, was presented, approved and certified. A. and I. M. Richardson make appli-
cation for license to keep a grocery in said town of Versailles, and Hopkins & Beatty
apply for license to sell goods, wares and merchandise in the said town. James O.
Barnard presented the plat of the town of Wilkesborough, as laid out by him, together
with the certificate accompanying the same, which was approved and certified by the
Court.

The town of Lexington was laid off by Messrs. Gridley and Brown, and the town
of Concord by Messrs. Isaac W. Hall and Mathew Robb. The town of Hudson was
laid out the same year by a company in which Mr. John Magoun and Mr. S. P. Cox
were interested. Mount Hope Colony, consisting of Rhode Island immigrants, entered
lands and commenced, the following year, to make settlements. The Hudson company
entered 12,600 acres, and the Mount Hope company 8,000 acres. Several additions
were made to the town of Bloomington, and the immigration showed that the town and
the surrounding country were appreciated.

It is believed by those who have reflected upon the subject that the population ol
the county, in the spring of 1832, was fully two thousand. From the incidental men-
tion of names in the districting of the county as just given, it will be seen that

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUIJTY. 227

settlements had been commenced in the near vicinity of most of the groves, and some of
them were pretty well surrounded by farms. The county seemed now to be fairly set
upon its feet, and to have nothing in its way to prevent its entering upon a course of
prosperity. Though there was really no market for the agricultural productions of the
farmers outside of the county, yet the people could raise plenty to eat, and their plain
and simple manner of life did not subject them to much expense ; and the rapid ingress
of immigrants consumed a portion of their surplus productions. When an excess of
animal propensities, for the time being, ruled individuals or collections of persons, they
had now places where they could get on a bender, plenty of room to fight, and no police
to interfere ; but they had Justices to assess fines upon them, when they chose to indulge
in such little pastimes, and Constables to collect them, and a Commissioners' Court,
through which such fines, if they should happen to be paid, would reach the county
treasury, where they would do the most good. But most persons were then too busy,
and had too much good sense to indulge in such luxuries.

In 1836, the population of Bloomiogton had increased from 150, in 1833, to 450 ;
and that of the county had increased, in the same time, from 2,000 to 5,000. The town
of Lytleville came into existence, also, this year, and an addition was made to it the fol-
lowing March, by Mr. John Baldwin. Like several of its kin, born in those days, it is
still a littleville, though it has mills, churches, schools and worthy citizens.

The people came into the country on steamboats, flatboats, on horse-back, on wagons
drawn by horses, mules, oxen and even cows ; and not a few patronized the foot and
walker line.

In December, 1836, after a warm spell of weather, with occasional rain, turning
the snow to slush, there came one evening the most sudden and severe change of weather
ever known in this country. All at once, the icy breath of a northwestern storm, mov-
ing with fearful rapidity, swept over the country and almost instantly turned to ice the
falling, the running and the standing water exposed to its touch. Its force and severity
were irresistible; and tradition tells of great and intolerable suffering to man and beast
from its fearful visitation.

About these times, several men settled in Bloomington, some of them afterward
removing into the country, who, with their hands as well as with their heads and their
means, greatly helped to develop the capabilities of this county. Hon. John Moore, after-
ward in the State Legislature, Lieutenant Grovernor and State Treasurer, was, in those
early times, the " wagon-maker '' of Bloomington, and subsequently a successful farmer.
Messrs. David Trimmer, Lewis Bunn, Joshua Fell and others plied the blacksmith art.
Thomas Williams, Thomas Fell and William F. Flagg built generally, and Abraham
Brokaw, then as now, incessantly built the plow.

The Court agreed with Leander Munsell to amend a former contract for his build-
ing a Court House, so that instead of a building 40x45 feet and 26 feet high, it
shall be 422 feet square and 32 feet high, with other alterations; and for the said
alterations, the Court promised to pay the said Leander Munsell the further sum of
$1,680.

Jesse W. Fell, Esq., resigned the School Commissionership of the county and the
Court appointed Cheney Thomas, Esq., his successor.

The Court appropriated $500 out of the county funds as part of the first payment
to L. Munsell on Court House contract.

228 HISTORY OF McLean county.

At the September terin, ISi^G, tlic Court accepted the Court House as finished
accordin"- to contract with Mr. Leander Munsell, and paid him the balance of the first
payment, §1,000.

The Court estabUshed the tarifi" for license to vend goods, wares and merchandise
in Bloomington, the ensuing year, at $15 ; to keep tavern, the same, and to keep a
o^rocery, S12. In Wayne.«ville, for similar license, $12 and $10 ; in all other towns in
the county, $9 and $8, and at other places in the county, $6, irrespectively.

The closing terms of the Court for 183l), were marked by many applications for
licenses to do business of various kinds, by petitions for new roads and alterations in
former ones, and for permission to construct dams and mills in all directions, in the
county, all showing great activity and enterprise.

At the first term of the Court, for 1837, a tax of one-half of one per cent was levied
on town lots, excepting Bloomington, and on cattle and other stock, wagons, carriages and
personal property.

Mr. M. Scott, Sheriff and Collector, reported the available revenue of the county
for 183G to be $1,425.95.

At the December term, the Court examined the condition of the County Jail, and
finding it unfit for use or repair, ordered the Clerk to have notice given in the Blooming-
ton Observer that proposals will be received at the March term, for the erection of a
jail for the county.

At the June term, 1838, the Court settled with the County Collector, M. Scott,
for the revenue for 1837, amounting to $1,863.82. During this year, there continued
to be many applications for licenses to do business, petitions for roads, and for permission
to construct dams and erect mills.

The amount of the tax, one-half per cent, for the year 1838, on lands and personal
property, was $1,983.34.

The tax levied by the Court in 1839 was one-fourth of one per cent. At the
December term, 1839, the Jail which Dr. Isaac Baker had contracted to build for $290,
to be completed by September, 1840, was so near completion, and such disposition shown
to finish it up as soon as possible, that the Court accepted the same for immediate
use.

At the June term, 1840, the Court appointed Jacob Spawr Commissioner to take
the enumeration of the inhabitants of McLean County, for 1840. The taxes for the
year 1839. amounted to $2,442.75. The amount of the taxes for the year 1840, for
the county, was $3,492.78. The amount of the taxes in the county for the year 1841
was $4,(i57.10.

At the December term, 1842, the Court appointed Davis and Colton to act as
agents on behalf of the county of McLsan, to demand from and receive of the County
Commissioners' Court of Woodford County the sum of $190, their portion of interest
now due from said county of Woodford to the county of McLean on the debt of the
McLean County Court House. It will be borne in mind that Woodford County was
created in 1841, and took a portion of the territory formerly belonging to McLean
County off the northwest corner thereof; hence, the ground for this demand. It may
a.s well be mentioned here, pi^rhaps, as in any other place, that the report formerly in
circulation in reference to the peculiar form of the piece of territory in ([uestion. that it
was 80 shaped for political purposes, is erroneous ; and tiie reason for the peculiarity

HISTORY OF McLean COUNTY. 229

must be sought in the provision that, in forming n^w counties, no county line shall be
within twelve miles of the Court House of any county seat.

The development of the material resources of the county was, during these years,
very slow ; in some respects it stood still, and even went backward. Violent changes in
financial policy, with temporary and silly expedients, and general and rash speculative
operations in real estate, had produced their inevitable results, and almost universal pros-
tration was experienced in all parts of the country, beginning earlier in the East, and
now falling upon the West with fearful effects. Credit was gone ; of money there was
little or none. No market for agricultural productions, manufactures at ruinous prices,
no adequate wages could be paid for labor, and continuous failures of business men,
from the impossibility of collections, turned to folly the wisdom of the wise, greatly
weakened the confidence of man in his fellow-men, and threatened the dissolution of the
social relations of society. Compared with those times, the present gloomy times are as
comparative prosperity. Although the state of aff"airs was improving in the East, and
something like cheerfulness and moderate prosperity returning, so great were the diffi-
culties and the expenses of getting the productions of the West into market, that there
was very little or nothing left to the producer, and as immigration had come nearly to a
stand-still, there was no home market.

That the county revenue for 1842 amounted to only $1,029.01 is a most conclu-
sive evidence of the fearful condition of the material interests of the people. City lots in
Bloomington were scarcely quotable at $5, and many of them were abandoned by East-
ern owners, rather than to pay the taxes on them.

As the territory of the county had been much reduced by the creation of sur-
rounding counties, the Court, at its March term (1843), reconstructed the county into
the following precincts :

Bloomington Precinct to be composed of and include the territory within the fol-
lowing limits, to wit : Commencing at the northeast corner of Section 24, Township
24 north, Range 3 east, thence west to the northwest corner of Section 22, Township
24 north. Range 1 east; thence south to the southwest corner of Section 15, Town-
ship 23 north. Range 1 east; thence east one mile; thence south to the town line
dividing 22 and 23 north ; thence east to range line dividing Ranges 2 and 3 east ;
thence north to town line dividing Towns 23 and 24 north ; thence east to range line
dividing Ranges 3 and 4 east ; thence north to the place of beginning ; and that
elections are to be held at the town of Bloomington.

Middle Precinct to be composed of and include the territory within the following
limits, to wit : Commencing at the southeast corner of Section 9, Township 21 north,
Range 3 east ; thence north to the northeast corner of Section 21, Township 22 north.
Range 3 east; thence west to the range line dividing Ranges 2 and 3 east; thence
north to the town line dividing 22 and 23 north ; thence west to the northwest corner
of Section 2, Township 22 north, Range 1 east; thence south to the county line ;
thence east to the place of beginning ; and that the place of holding elections in said
precinct be at the town of Lytleville, until otherwise altered by the Court.

Mackinaw Precinct to be composed of and include the territory within the fol-
lowing limits, to wit : Commencing at the southwest corner of Township 24 north,
Range 4 east ; thence north to the north side of Money Creek ; thence down said
Money Creek to Mackinaw Creek ; thence north to the middle of Township 26 north ;

230 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

thence west to the county line of Woodford County ; thence along the county line of
Woodford County to the northwest corner of Livingston County ; thence east to the
northeast corner of Township 26 north, Range 5 east ; thence south nine miles ; thence
east six miles to the county line ; thence south three miles to the southeast corner of
Township 25 north, 6 east; thence west to the southwest corner of the southeast
quarter of Section 32, Township 25 north. Range 4 east ; thence south to the town line
dividing Towns 23 and 24 north ; thence west to the range line dividing Ranges 3 and
4 east ; thence north to the place of beginning ; and that the place of holding elections
in said precinct shall be in the town of Lexington, until otherwise altered by the Court.

St. Clairville Precinct to be composed of and include the territory within the
following limits, to wit : Commencing at the southwest corner of the northeast quar-
ter of Section 8, Township 22 north, Range 4 east ; thence east to the county line ;
thence north to the northeast corner of Township 24 north, Range 6 east ; thence west
along the town line dividing Towns 24 and 25 north, to the northwest corner of the
northeast quarter of Section 5, Township 24 north. Range 4 east ; thence south to the
place of beginning ; and that the place of holding elections shall be in the town of
St. Clairville for said precinct, until otherwise altered by the Court.

Salt Creek Precinct to be composed of and include the territory within the follow-
ing limits, to wit : Commencing on the county line at the southwest corner of Section
10, Township 21 north. Range 3 east ; thence east on the county line to the southeast
corner of Section 12, Township 21 north. Range 6 east ; thence north to the northeast
corner of the southeast quarter of Section 12, Township 22 north, Range 6 east ;
thence west to the range line dividing Ranges 3 and 4 east ; thence south to the south-
west corner of Section 18, Township 22 north, Range 4 east; thence west to the north-
west corner of Section 22, Township 22 north. Range 3 east; thence south to the
place of beginning ; and that the place of holding elections in said precinct shall be
at Le Roy, until otherwise altered by the Court.

Price's Precinct to be composed of and include the territory within the following
limits, to wit : Commencing at the southwest corner of Section 18, Township 22
north, Range 3 east ; thence east to the range line dividing Ranges 3 and 4 east ;
thence north to the northeast corner of the southeast quarter of Section 12, Township
22 north. Range 3 east; thence east to the northeast corner of the southwest quarter
of Section 8, Township 22 north. Range 4 east ; thence north to the township line
dividing 23 and 24 north ; thence west to the range line dividing Ranges 2 and 3 east ;
thence south to the place of beginning ; and that the place of holding elections in
said precinct shall be at Price's Schoolhouse until otherwise altered by the Court.

Hudson Precinct to be composed of and include the territory within the following
limits, to wit: Commencing at the southeast corner of Section 13, Township 24 north,
Range 2 east ; thence north to Money Creek ; thence down said creek to Mackinaw
Creek ; thence north to the middle of Town 26 north ; thence west to the county line
of Woodford County ; thence in a southwesterly direction along the county line ot
Woodford County to the southwest corner of Section 20, Township 25 north, Range 1
ea«t; thence east to the southeast corner of Section 21, Township 25 north, Range 1
east ; thence south to the southwest corner of Section 15, Township 23 north. Range 1
east ; thence cast to the place of beginning ; and the place of holding elections in said
precinct sliall be at Hudson, until altered by the Court.

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 231

Concord Precinct to be composed of and include the territory within the follow-
ing limits to wit : Commencing at the southwest corner of Section 18. Township 2.3
north, Range 1 west; thence north to county line of Woodford County ; thence east on
the county line to the northwest corner of Section 29, Township 25 north, Range 1
east ; thence east to the northeast corner of Section 28, Township 25 north. Range 1
east; thence south to the southeast corner of Section 16, Township 23 north. Range 1
east; thence west to the place of beginning; and the place of holding elections in said
precinct shall be in Concord, until otherwise altered by the Court.

Johnston's Precinct to be composed of and include the territory within the follow-
ing limits, to wit : Commencing at the southwest corner of Section 7, Township 21 north.
Range 1 west; thence east on the county line to the southeast corner of Section 10,
Township 21 north. Range 1 east ; thence north to the northeast corner of Section 22
north. Range 1 east ; thence west to the county line ; thence south to the place of begin-
ning ; and that the place of holding elections in said precinct shall be at the house of
Lee Daniel, Esq., until otherwise altered by the Court.

The Court then appointed the following-named persons to serve as Judges of Elec-
tions in the several precincts, as follows: In Bloomington Precinct, James B. Price,
Benjamin Depew and James Miller ; in Johnston's Precinct, James Murphy, Daniel
Proctor and William Hougham ; in Concord Precinct, William Gilson, Jeremiah S. Hall
and Israel D. Janes; in Hudson Precinct, James T. Gildersleeve, Samuel P. Cox and
Isaac Hinthorn ; in Mackinaw Precinct, James Vandolah, James R. Dawson and Will-
iam Popejoy; in St. Clairsville Precinct, Jeremiah Greenman, Thomas D. Gilmore and
Ezekiel Arrowsmith ; in LeRoy Precinct, William Conaway, Silas Waters and Malan
Bishop ; in Price's Precinct, William Bishop, Elias H. Wall and Jesse Adams ; in Mid-
dle Precinct, Samuel Turman, Thomas 0. Rutledge and Charles Leeper.

At the June term, 1843, the Court paid on the interest due to the bondholders of
the Court House indebtedness, through Messrs. Davis & Colton, Agents, $1,100. A
portion of it was in State Bank of Illinois bills, at 40 per cent discount. The Court
levied for the current year a tax for county purposes of one-fifth of one per cent on the
taxable property of the county. The county revenue for 1843 was $2,440.95.

At the March term of the County Commissioners' Court, 1814, a bounty ordered
to be paid for each wolf killed in the county, known as the big wolf, was $2, and $1 for
each prairie wolf, of six months old. This was the first similar bounty offered in the
county. At the June term, the Court ordered the County Treasurer to pay $40(» on
the interest due on the Court House bonds. For the current year, the Court levied a
tax of two-fifths of one per cent, for county purposes, on the taxable property in the
county. The Court let out to the best bidders, the building of a bridge across Mackinaw
Creek, near Lexington; one across Kickapoo Creek, on the road from Bloomington to
Le Roy ; and one over Big Kickapoo Creek, iu Randolph Grove, on the road from
Bloomington to the south line of the county — the three bridges to cost $527.

At the March term, 1846, the Court awarded $50 to be paid to any person who
should pursue and apprehend any person guilty of stealing a horse within McLean
County, if apprehended outside of the county, upon his conviction. The Court levied
a tax of three-tenths per cent for county revenue ; also, that every able-bodied man
from twenty-one to fifty years of age, should work two days on the public roads for the
year 1846. The Court contracted with Mr. William F. Flagg, to build a bridge

232 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

according to specifications, across Sugar Creek, on the road leading from Bloomingt on-
to Peoria, for the sum of $2r)0, to be completed in June of the current year.

The county revenue, for the year 1844, amounted to $4,966.60. At the June
term, the Court ordered the Treasurer to pay the interest on the Court House bonds
then due, to the amount of $1,641.34. At the special July term, the Court contracted
with B. E. Dodson to build a bridge across Salt Creek, two miles east of Le Roy, on
the road leading from Bloomington to Danville, for $240. The county revenue, for
the year 1845, amounted to $3,7()6.5(i.

At the March term, 1847, the Court levied a tax, for county revenue, of three-
tenths per cent. The Court appropriated $50 for the building of a bridge on the road
leading from Bloomington to John Bishop's old place.

At a special term of the Commissioners' Court, April 29, 1848, the Court con-
tracted -with Mr. William F. Flagg to build, according to specifications, a County Jail in
Bloomington, for $2.0(i5, with a dwelling for Sheriff included, said building to be
completed by the 1st of December of the current year. The county revenue for the
year 1846, amounted to $3,897.96; and for the year 1847, the county revenue
amounted to $4,077.12.

At the March term, 1849, the Court made appropriations for building bridges in
McLean County, as follows: $15(( for the building of a bridge across the Mackinaw
at John Thompson's; $125 for repairing the bridge near Lexington across the Mack-
inaw ; $500 for building a bridge acrops the Mackinaw, on the road leading from
Bloomington to Hennepin and Ottawa; $100 for a bridge across Money Creek, on the
State road leading from Bloomington to Chicago; $150 for building a bridge across
Sugar Creek, on the road leading from Bloomington to Hennepin ; $150 for building a
bridge across the Kickapoo, on the road leading from Bloomington to Cheney's Grove ;
$1 50 for building a bridge across Sugar Creek, on the State road leading from Bloom-
ington to Springfield; $150 for building a bridge across Sugar Creek, in Johnston's
Precinct; and $150 for building a bridge across Little Kickapoo, on the road leading
from Bloomington to Le Roy.

The Court ordered that every able-bodied man, from twenty-one to fifty years of age
inclusive, shall work three days on the public roads in McLean County — the said men
being residents thereof — for the year 1849; and appropriated $75 for the building of a
bridge across the slough on the Waynesville road, near Martin L. Bishop's and Harri-
son Noble's. The records show that the actual cost of building the bridges above men-
tioned, owing to changes of conditions, jilans, and other causes, to much more than the
ap|)ropriations stated — from 25 to 100 per cent more.

At the December term, 1849, the County Commissioners' Court was succeeded by
the County Court, consisting of one Presiding Judge and two Associate Justices. At
the same term, the new Jail was accepted as far us finished, and $1,000 ordered to be
jiaid to Messrs. Flagg &; Ewing on their contract to build the said Jail and
dwelling. The county revenue tor the year 1849 amounted to $4,613.95. The
c<»unty revenue for the year 1850 and 1851 was $9,270.28. In 1852, the revenue was
$5,993.07.

in 184.'t, the Caliloriiia gold excitement was sufficiently strong to induce quite a
number ol" the citizens of McLean County t(» seek the favors of fickle Fortune in that
distant and wild country. The adventure was full of chances ; the joiu'ney was of

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 233

great length, beset with many difficulties, and not a few dangers ; and the prospect of
suddenly acquiring large amounts of the precious metal was very uncertain. But the
recent Mexican war, and the spirit of adventure natural in a new and vast country,
together with the recent several years of hard times, were sufficient to outweigh all
doubts and difficulties. Among the large number who went from this county, we
remember Messrs. G. B. Larison, Seth H. Adams, Maj. W. Packard, Daniel
Robinson, Dr. William Elder, Lyman Ferre, John H. Wickizer, John M. Lov-
ing and William H. Evans. Our recollection in the matter is, that' our fellow-citizens
brought back with them more experiences than they did gold ; and that none of them
made fortunes. Be this as it may, the influence of the golden stream that soon
began to flow East was sensibly felt, and helped to lift the gloom that pervaded the
country.

But the railroad enterprise that had begun to revive among the active and energetic
public men of the times contributed very largely to restore confidence among the citi-
zens of Illinois ; and in no county in the State more than in McLean. There was a
tradition among us that the Central Railroad, which had already an existence on paper,
if revived, would pass through this county ; so, that when the new charter was obtained
in 1850, and a strong company took hold of it, the feeling of coming prosperity and a
general appreciation of the great inducements to capital and emigrants to locate in
Illinois were no where more active than in McLean County. Within three years, the
cars were running through Bloomington on the Central and on the Chicago, Alton &
St. Louis Railroads. Real estate rose rapidly, building went on actively, business
revived, markets were brought within reach, lumber was plenty, immigration set in again,
and farmers began to venture out upon the ocean of fertile lands that everywhere sur-
rounded the island-like groves.

Though the prices of agricultural products were not high, they would, at least,
bring something, and that readily. When the farms on the prairies were comparatively
new, and the soil light and fresh from the recently-decayed turf, fine crops of excellent
wheat were raised, even white wheat of the best quality was quite common.

In procuring the charter of the Central Railroad — the father of several other roads
in the State — the people of Illinois are greatly and lastingly under obligations to the able
eff"orts of Senator Stephen A. Douglas, as well as in assisting to set it on its feet and
put it in motion. So, in reference to locating the route of the road so as to pass through
Bloomington, our citizens owe much to the efforts of Judge Davis, Gen. Gridley and
Jesse W. Fell, Esq. There was a disposition to run the road through this county some
seven or eight miles east of Bloomington, and to build up a rival business point to com-
pete with Bloomington, and possibly, in time, to change the location of the county seat.
But the eff"orts of the above-named gentlemen, assisted by others, prevented it. In
fact, it would have required a pretty strong leaning in that direction to have resisted the
ability and influence of Judge Davis, the ready talents and quick perception of Gen.
Gridley, and the shrewdness and indefatigable efforts of Jesse W. Fell, Esq., who seems
to have a universal genius for aiding all commendable enterprises. This latter gentle-
man took also a very active interest in the Chicago & Alton Railroad, which was not
very far behind the Central in penetrating the territory of the county. Any county is
fortunate in having among its citizens men of such abilities to labor in developing its
natural capabilities and securing its rights.

2M HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

A pretty good idea of the rapid improvement in the development of the material
resources of McLean County may be formed from the great increase in the county
revenue, and in the population. In 185li, the county revenue amounted to $5,993.07 ;
but, in 1853, it amounted to S15,299.38. In 184(1, the population of the county
amounted to 6,505 ; in 1850, it was 10,163, an increase of something more than one-
half, while the people were staggering under and recovering from the financial storm
and crash of the time. In 1800, the population of the county was 28,772, an increase
of something more than twice and two-thirds times that of 1850. This was the era of
railroad construction and of immigration consequent thereupon.

It may not be without interest to glance hastily at the diflPerent parts of the county
in former times. In 1850, the population of Brooks' Grrove was 135 ; of Blooming-
ton, 2,500 ; of Buckles' Grove, 755 ; of Cheney's Grove, 251 ; of Harley's Grove, 42 :
of Twin Grove, 252 ; of Stout's Grove, 839 ; of Diamond Grove, 42 ; of Dry Grove,
294; of Le Roy, 210; of Funk's Grove, 210 ; of Hudson, 336 ; of Money Creek,
377; of Randolph Grove, 1,176 ; of White Oak Grove, 252. Several of these places,
-and others not then in existence, have now grown to considerable towns, with churches,
schools, stores, offices and shops.

The county revenue for 1854 amounted to $17,486.22. The county revenue for
1855 amounted to $24,221.65.

NORMAL SCHOOL.

At the March term of the County Court, 1857, the following statement was put
upon the records :

In the matter of Appropriation for Normal University :

Whereas, By acts of Congress approved March the 2d, 1849, and September 28. 1850, aud
the various other acts amendatory thereto, the •' Swamp and Overflowed Lands " belonging to the
Government of the United States were granted to the several States in which they were respect
ively situated, under certain restrictions therein imposed, or, in lieu thereof, the proceeds aris-
ing from the sales of the same ; and

Whereas, By a further act of Congress, approved March 8, 1857, said swamp and over-
flowed lands selected under the acts aforesaid, so far as the same remain vacant and unappro-
priated, are confirmed to the several States in which they are situated ; and

Whereas, The Legislature of the State of Illinois has surrendered said lands or the pro-
ceeds arising from their sale to the counties, resjiectively, in which the same are situated, to be
applied, under the direction of the County Courts or Supervisors' Courts, to educational or such
other objects as they maj* deem proper ; and

Whereas, also, In pursuance of an act of the General Assembly of said State, a State
Normal University, endowed by a grant of the interest arising from the College and Seminary
funds, is about to be located at some suitable point that may otfer inducements thereto :

Therefore, Ordered, The County ("ourt of McLean County, do hereby appropriate $50,000 of
the first moneys received by this Court, under or by operation of the various acts above referred
to, in aid of said University ; saiil appropriation to be made ujion the following restrictions
only :

First — That the whole of said fund thus appropriated by said Court be expended in erect-
ing the necessary building or buildings for said " Noi-mal University," and to be paid over only
as needed for the ol*ject before specified, to the •' Board of Education of the State of Illinois,"
by orders signed by A. .J. Merrinian, or such other person or persons as this Court may there-
after designate.

Second — That said "Normal University" be located within the limits of the county of
McLean.

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 235

At a special term of said Court, held May 1, 1857, this further action was taken :

In the matter of an Appropriation for Normal University :

Whereas, Many citizens of the county having made application to the Court for a further
appropriation out of the "Swamp-Lands Fund," for the purpose of aiding in erecting suitable
buildings for said " Normal University ; "

Therefore, Ordered, That we, the County Court of McLean County, do hereby appropriate
1^20,000 out of the first moneys received by this county from said Swamp-Lands Fund, in aid of
said University ; said appropriation to be made upon the following restrictions only :

Fii-st — That the whole of said fund thus appropriated by said county be expended in erect-
ing the necessary building or buildings for said " Normal University," and to be paid over only
as needed for the object before specified, to the " Board of Education of the State of Illinois,"
by orders signed by A. J. Merriman, or such other person or persons as this Court may hereafter
designate.

Second — That said Normal University be located within the limits of the county of
jNIcLean.

The county revenue for the year 1856 amounted to $25,110.39. At the Decem-
ber term of the County Court, the report to the Court of the result of the vote on
township organization, at the previous November election, was, that the majority in
favor of such organization was 1,323 votes. At the same term, Messrs. James Gil-
more, Sr., Hadley J. Short and Silas Waters were appointed a committee to divide the
county into townships, according to law.

Exactly how McLean County came to get the " Normal University," at the last
moment, was known, at the time, to very few persons, and it is probably not known at
present to many. At the meeting held in Peoria in May, 1857, at which the bids were
to be opened, and the University was to be located where the largest and best induce-
ments were offered, Peoria was the most formidable rival of Bloomington. As may be
seen above, McLean County had offered, in addition to individual subscriptions, $50,000
toward the erection of the buildings. It seems that Peoria had prepared about equal
inducements ; and, by an ungentlemanly betrayal of confidence, the Peoria committee
had found out the amount of inducements proposed by the Bloomington committee, and
forthwith there was a stir among the Peoria men to raise additional amounts ; and they
intended to do so at any rate, even by putting in supposititious subscriptions. One of
the Bloomington men, learning the game, telegraphed the case to the writer of this
reminiscence. The circumstances were immediately communicated to A. J. Merriman,
Esq., County Judge, and, as the time would not admit of calling together the Asso-
ciate Justices of the county to take action. Judge Merriman, at his own personal risk,
had himself called to hold a special term of the County Court. He assembled himself
together, accordingly, and subscribed the additional $20,000. Meantime, the Bloom-
ington men managed to have the decision put off, at Peoria, until afternoon ; and, when
the proposals were finally announced from the different localities, the solid $70,000 of
McLean County came down upon the astonished conspirators and carried off the prize.

Of course, the transaction would have involved Judge Merriman in severe financial
embarrassment had his Associates repudiated his action ; but no such unpleasant con-
sequences resulted. This will do for an illustration of the spirit of the citizens of
McLean County, and of their confidence in each other ; and it will help to explain why
McLean County has not allowed itself to be rivaled, in private and in public enterprises,
by its sister-counties.

236 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

DIVISION OF COUNTY.

At the March term of the Court, the Committee on Division of the County into
Townships reported, and their report, afterward slightly changed as to names, was sub-
Btantially abopted by the Supervisors' Court, and is as follows, to wit :

Town No. 1. Sections from 1 to 12 inclusive, in Township 21, and all of Town-
ship 22 north, of Range 1 west of the Third Principal Meridian, and named Mount
Hope.

Town No. 2. All of Township 23 north, of Range 1 west of the Third Prin-
cipal Meridian, and named Allen.

Town No. 3. All of Township 24, and the southwest half of Sections 25, 26, 27,.
28, 29 and 30, together with all of Sections 31, 32, 33, 34, 35 and 36, in Township 25
north, of Range 1 west of the Third Principal Meridian, and named Danvers.

Town No. 4. Sections from 1 to 12, inclusive, in Township 21, and all of Town-
ship 22 north, of Range 1 east of the Third Principal Meridian, and named Funk's
Grove.

Town No. 5. All of Township 23 north, of Range 1 east of the Third Principal
Meridian, and named Dale.

Town No. 6. All of Township 24 north, of Range 1 east of the Third Principal
Meridian, and named Dry Grove.

Town No. 7. All of Township 25 north, of Range 1 east of the Third Principal
Meridian, which lies in the said county, and named White Oak.

Town No. 8. Sections from 1 to 12, inclusive of Township 21 and all of Township
22 north, of Range 2 east of the Third Principal Meridian, and named Randolph.

Town No. 9. All of Township 23 north, of Range 2 east of the Third Principal
Meridian, and named Bloomington.

Town No. 10 All of Township 24 north, of Range 2 east of the Third Principal
Meridian, and named Normal.

Town No. 1 1 . All of Township 25 north, of Range 2 east of the Third Principal
Meridian, and named Hudson.

Town No. 12. Sections from 1 to 12, inclusive of Township 21, and all of Town-
ship 22 north, of Range 2 east of the Third Principal Meridian, and named Downs.

Town No. 13. All of Township 23 north of Range 3 east of the Third Principal
Meridian, and named Old Town.

Town No. 14. All of Township 24 north, of Range 3 east of the Third Prin-
cipal Meridian, and named Towanda.

Town No. 15. All of Township 25 north, of Range 3 east of the Third Prin-
cipal Meridian, and named Money Creek.

Town No. 16. All of Township 26 north, of Range 3 east together with the
ea.st half of Township 26 north, of Range 2 east of the Third Principal Meridian, and
named Gridlcy.

Town No. 17. Sections from 1 to 12 inclusive, in Township 21, and all of Town-
ship 22 north, of Range 4 east of the Third Principal Meridian, and named Empire.

Town No. 18. All of Township 23 north, of Range 4 east of the Third Prin-
cijial Meridian, and named Padua.

Town No. 1 9. All of Tijwiiship 24 north, of Range 4 east of the Third Prin-
cipal Meridian, and named Blue Mound.

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 237

Town No. 20. All of Township 25 north, of Range 4 east of the Third Prin-
cipal Meridian, and named Lexington.

Town No. 21. All of Township 26 north, of Range 4 east of the Third Prin-
cipal Meridian, and named Chenoa.

Town No. 22. Sections from 1 to 12 inclusive, in Township 21, and all of
Township 22 north, of Range 5 east of the Third Principal Meridian, and named
West.

Town No. 2.3. All of Township 23 north, of Range 5 east of the Third Prin-
cipal Meridian, and named Arrowsrnith.

Town No. 24. All of Township 24 north, of Range 3 east of the Third Prin-
cipal Meridian, and named Martin.

Town No. 25. All of Township 25 north, of Range 5 east of the Third Prin-
cipal Meridian, and named Lawndale.

Town No. 26. All of Township 26 north, of Range 5 east of the Third Prin-
cipal Meridian, and named Yates.

Town No. 27. Sections from 1 to 12 inclusive of Township 21, together with all
of Township 22 north, of Range 6 east of the Third Principal Meridian, and named
Belleflower.

Town No. 28. All of Township 23 north, of Range 6 east of the Third Prin-
cipal Meridian, and named Cheney's Grove.

Town No. 29. All of Township 24 north, of Range 6 east of the Third Prin-
cipal Meridian, and named Anchor.

Town No. 30. All that portion of Township 25 north, of Range 6 east of the
Third Principal Meridian, belonging to McLean County, and named Cropsey.

supervisors' court.

In accordance with an act of the Legislature of Illinois, of April 1, 1851, and
-with the vote of the citizens of the county, on the previous November, the Supervisors'
Court of McLean County met at the Court House in Bloomington, on May 17, 1858,
and, after organizing, assumed the transaction of the county business.

On May 20, it was resolved by the Court that the surplus, if there should be any,
arising out of the proceeds of the sales of the swamp-lands granted to the county, after
the appropriation, previously made by the County Court, of $70,000 toward the build-
of the State Normal University, should have been paid, together with all incidental
expenses, be equally divided, geographically, among all the townships and fractional
townships, for the purpose of maintaining common schools, to be controlled in the same
manner as moneys arising from the sixteenth section, appropriated to each township by
the General Government. It may not be improper to remark that as the sales of the
baid swamp-lands amounted to about $130,000, there was, eventually, quite a handsome
•sum distributed to the townships for said purposes.

In the mean time, as may well be supposed, the county was gradually filling up
with active and industrious immigrants. New farms were opened on all the prairies, and
the face of the country was generally assuming a cheerful and cultivated appearance.
People were no longer afraid to sail out into the grassy sea before them, and cast anchor
on a forty, an eighty, or a quarter-section of the finest lands in any country. Occa-
.sionally, a town would be born at some railroad station, or be christened, at least ; and,

238 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

quite frequently, the christening occurred before the birth, and sometimes the birth
never came.

In 185-4, the town of Towanda was laid out on the Chicago, Alton & St. Louis
Railroad, about ten miles northeast of Bloomington ; and the hard times of 1857 laid
it out again. It still lies out on the prairie, a town of vast possibilities. In 1855,
Heyworth took a name, and assumed to have a " local habitation " as well, on the line
of the Central Eailroad, not for from the southern line of the county, about thirteen
miles from Bloomington. It has been a prosperous experiment from the start, growing
in its growth and strengthening in its strength, gradually and securely, until it has
become a nice town, with good prospects, as it has some excellent citizens and is sur-
rounded by a magnificent country.

In the same year, the town of McLean was laid out, on the line of the Chicago
it Alton Railroad, where it still stood, at the latest reports, about twelve miles southwest
uf Bloomington, well toward the southwest corner of the county. It*has prospered mod-
erately, and is quite a business place. The only insuperable diflBculty in its way to
becoming a large town is its proximity to Shirley, on the same road and in the same
direction. Though the surrounding country is very fine, it is not of suflBcient breadth
to sustain two large towns so near each other. In 1856, the town of Saybrook, at
Cheney's Grove, sprang into existence, and, by 1870, it had become so large a town
that the La Fayette, Bloomington & Mississippi Railroad was constructed to connect
New York and Bloomington with it. It is a good point, and has many very worthy
citizens. Several other prospective towns are now in their cradles, on the routes of the
different railroads in the county. Holder, Ellsworth and Arrowsmith, on the La Fayette
& Bloomington Railroad, are good grain-stations, and Downs Station, on the Indian-
apolis, Bloomington & Western Railroad, eight miles east of Bloomington, and Stanford,
twelve miles west, on the Jacksonville Branch of the Chicago & Alton road, are doing
well. Other towns will receive due attention in the appropriate places in this work.

During these years, new roads were laid out, old ones changed and improved, and
bridges and culverts of a permanent character, too numerous to notice individually,
were constructed over the creeks and sloughs in all parts of the county. Settlements
were made very rapidly in the eastern part of the county, where the splendid soil, the
low prices and the constantly-increasing facilities aff"orded by incoming railroads held
out special inducements.

At the May term of the Supervisors' Court, the Committee on Public Buildings
visited the new County Jail, and reported that they " found it to be one of the best
and most substantial buildings of the kind they ever saw, and fully believed said Jail
would answer the purposes for which it was designed." The Jail and dwelling for the
Sheriff" had been recently built, under contract with the County Court, at an expense of
$12,000. They are still in use for the purposes of their construction. The county
revenue for 1857 was $30,453.15.

At the March term of the Court, A. J. Merriman, Agent of the County Court,
reported that the sales of the swamp-lands, to date, amounted to $55,224.90. The
amount of the bills presented to the Court for keeping the poor during the current year
was, in round numbers, $1,100.

At the September term, 1859, the Court, upon the report and recommendation of
a Special Committee on Poor-farm, resolved to purchase the farm of John G. Myers,

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 239

lying about four miles south of Bloomington, and consisting of 220 acres, at $25 per
acre, amounting to $5,500; and appropriated $],000 for the erection of additional
buildings, appointing a committee to superintend the same. These arrangements have
since been carried out, the whole purchase and buildings paid for, and the Poor-farm,
one of the best of its kind in the country, has since been running harmoniously and
efficiently accomplishing its intended purpose. The expense of keeping the poor for
the current year, 1859, is reported at $4,784.45.

At the February term, 1860, Mr. David Simmons filed with the Court an approved
bond, and took charge of the County Poor-farm.

VOLUNTEERS.

At a called session of the Court on April 17, 1861, on the report and recommenda-
tion of a special committee, the Court appropriated, for the benefit of volunteers who
had already gone, or who might thereafter go, into the United States service, the sum
of $10,000, and appointed Messrs. Isaac Funk, Allen Withers aud John E. McClun a
committee to superintend the distribution of the same.

On May 30, the above committee reported as follows : " They entered upon the
discharge of the duties assigned them immediately on being notified of their appoint-
ment, and found the whole county in a state of most intense excitement. The procla-
mation of the President of the United States calling for volunteers had aroused our
whole population. Party differences were forgotten, and one sentiment alone seemed to
pervade the minds of the people ; and that was, that our Grovernment should be sus-
tained, and that McLean County, if need be, would pour out her blood freely to attain
that object." The subsequent action of the people of the county, on many trying-
occasions, proved the above statement to be literally true. The committee reported
that they had already expended lor the specified object in their appointment $4,076.72.

At the September term, same year, the Court adopted a resolution that, as Peter
Folsome, Esq., acting for the county, procured from the General Government the amount
of money to which the county is entitled on account of swamp-lands sold by the Gov-
ernment, he be authorized to settle with the Government as may seem fit, so the
amount paid to the School Treasurers of the diifererit towns does not fall below the sum
of $11,040. The arrangement was made and the money distributed.

At the July term, 1862, the Court passed a resolution that, for the purpose of aid-
ing in the enlistment of volunteers for the service of the United States in McLean
County, there be assessed upon said county a tax of $22,500, and that the sum of $50
be paid out of said sum to each volunteer who may have enlisted in said service in said
county, under the late call of the President of the United States, or who may enlist in
the same prior to the first day of September next. On motion, Messrs. Reeder, Thomas
and Funk were appointed a committee to negotiate the loan and disburse the fund pro-
vided for in said report.

At the next session, August 15, the Court passed another similar resolution, to
raise $37,500 more, under Hke restrictions, and for the same purpose as the one above
stated, to encourage volunteers to enlist in the service under another call by the Presi-
dent, and its distribution was intrusted to the same committee, making $70,000 in the
three appropriations of the Court for similar purposes. In the resolution was a pro-
vision for raising the funds on better terms, by resolving that the $60,000 be charged

240 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

upon the tax-lists of said county for the years 1862, 1863 and 1864. At the succeed-
ing September term, the committee on distribution reported that they had negotiated
loans to the amount of $55,775, and had paid the said bounty of S50 each to 939 vol-
unteers, amounting to §46,950, and, after paying some necessary expenses, there
remained in their hands 88,756.40.

At the February term, 1863, the committee to pay bounty to volunteers reported
satisfactorily, giving the amount received from the special war tax as $11,348.41, and
the amount by them paid on county bonds as $11,105.23.

MORE BOUNTIES.

At the December term of the Court, 1 863, the following gentlemen were appointed
a committee to take into consideration the propriety of paying a bounty to volunteers in
the army, to meet the new call for 300,000 more men, Messrs. Striugfield, Funk,
Thomas, Bishop, Kellogg, McMahan, Coman, Phillips and Johnston. On the next
day, the 23d, the committee reported ; and their report, after being amended, was
adopted by the Court, and reads as follows :

Section 1. That we have examined said matter, and believe it expedient to pay such
bounty, and, therefore, recommend the adoption of the following resolutions :

Sec. 2. Resolved, That this county will pay a bounty of one hundred and fifty dollars to
each volunteer from this county who may regularly enlist in the army of the United States for
the term of three years, or during the war, up to the fifth day of January next, and the sum of
fifty dollars to each volunteer from this county who has so enlisted in said army since the first
day of September, A. D. 18b2, up to this date.

(Section 3 omitted.)

Sec. 4. Resolved, That William Thomas, Isaac Funk and Samuel .J. Reeder be and they
are hereby appointed a War Fund Committee, to raise the sum of money required to pay such
bounty, and that they be authorized and instructed to pay the same to all such persons as may
be entitled to receive as above, as soon as they shall be satisfied that said volunteers have been
regularly mustered into the service of the United States. That, in case any such volunteer has
died since such enlistment, said bounty be paid to his widow or children, if any, and if not, then
to his father or mother, if living ; and that said Committee be authorized to charge only for their
necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.

Sec. o. That said Committee, in order to raise money to pay said bounty to volunteers a.s
aforesaid, be and they are hereby authorized and empowered to borrow such sum or sums of
money, from time to time, as may be necessary to meet the object of this appropriation, and that
the Clerk of the County Court of this county issue and deliver to said Committee county orders
or warrants in such sums and at such times as said Committee may direct and require for
si^id purpose, not to exceed in all the sum of forty-five thousand dollars, all payable out of the
revenue of the year A. D. 18f35, and each bearing ten per cent interest, payable annually, from
its date. That said order be countersigned by said committee, and sealed with the seal of said
County Court, and express on their face that they are payable out of the revenue of the
year 18G5.

(Section 6 omitted.)

Sec 7. Resolved, That, in order to raise money to pay said orders or warrants, there
shall be levied on the Collector's books or roll for the year 18(35, on all the taxable property of
this county, as a special war fund tax, a sufficient amount of tax to pay all the said orders or
warrants issued in accordance with these resolutions, with the interest thereon. That said tax,
when collected, be paid by the collectors thereof to the Committee named and appointed in this
report, or their successors, and shall then be by said Committee paid on the said orders or war-
rants as herein directed.

BLOOJV^'NGTON

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 243

Mr. Thomas offered the following resolution :

Resolved, That it is the intention of this Board, as an act of justice, to pay a bounty of
fifty dollars to each person from this county who has enlisted in the United States service for the
term of three years since the beginning of this war, and who has not heretofore received a
bounty from this county, and that they intend to make payment as soon as, in their judgment,
the pecuniary condition of the county will permit.

Resolution adopted.

Mr. Springer offered the following resolution :

Resolved, That the War Fund Committee be and they are hereby authorized to pay the
bounty offered by this Board to the wives or families of volunteers entitled to the same, in cases
where such volunteers cannot now be paid in person by the Committee, upon receiving from
said wives or families a receipt, order or power of attorney from said soldier authorizing said
Committee to pay such bounty to said wife or family.

At the March term, 1864, of the County Court, the Clerk reported that he had
issued and delivered to the War Fund Committee orders or warrants to the amount of
$203.70. At the June term, the Committee on Distribution of the Bounty Fund
reported, with the names of the recipients thereof, that they had paid out in bounties,
according to instructions, the sum of $31,273.07.

At the September term of the Supervisors' Court, on the 13th, a resolution was
adopted pledging the county to pay a bounty of $150 to each of the volunteers who had
enlisted since the 8th inst., or might hereafter enlist, and $50 to each volunteer who had
enlisted from the 9th day of March to the 8th day of September of the year 1864.

The special war tax of McLean County for 1863 was $28,660.23.

At the December term, 1864, the Commissioner for the sale of swamp-lands, A. J.
Merriman reported the receipts to amount to $97,251.31, and that the subscription of
$70,000 to the State Board of Education had been paid.

At the January term, 1865, the Board of Supervisors passed another resolution,
offering a bounty of $300 to each volunteer who should enlist under the last call of the
President for 300,000 men in order to prevent the disgrace of a draft in the county. We
speak of these resolutions of the Board of Supervisors to show the spirit of McLean
County, and that its citizens are ever ready to meet any demand upon their patriotism,
and to rise to the occasion, whatever it may be, on all subjects.

On January 31, 1865, the Board of Supervisors passed most honorable resolutions
in reference to the recent death of Hon. Isaac Funk, for years a very active and efficient
member of the Board, and also resolutions of sympathy with the family on the death of
Mrs. Funk, which occurred on the same day as that of her husband.

At the September term, 1865, on the 11th thereof, the Court received communi-
cations from Col. Bloomfield and Col. McNulta to surrender to its care the colors of the
Twenty-sixth and of the Ninety-fourth Regiment of Illinois Volunteers, which they had
respectively commanded. The communications were received and referred to special
■committee. At the same term, the war fund tax of the county amounted to $50,150.15
for the current year. Mr. William Thomas, agent of the war fund, reported that bonds
to pay bounties to soldiers had been issued to the amount of $189,400.

At the December term, the Clerk reported the amount of property taxed in the
county to be $8,443,165, and the amount of tax levied for the current year was $370,-
767.87.

244 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

The total war expenses of the county up to June 9, 1866, are reported to be $411,-
124.93.

The amount of wai- fund taxes for 1862, 1863, 1864 and 1865 was $240,275.93.

The amount of bonds for bounties redeemed in cash by the county up to June 9,
1864, was $208,103.39.

The amount of tax levied in McLean County in 1866 was $395,953.54.

The valuation of property for the year 1867 in McLean County amounted to
$9,627,990, and the amount of tax levied thereon for the same year was $407,133.99.

At the March term of the Board of Supervisors, 1868, the report of the cost of
ten iron bridges recently erected in the county was $27,095.50.

The contract for the erection of the soldiers' monument in Franklin Square was
taken at $15,000.

COURT HOUSE.

At the term of the Supervisors' Court for McLean County, March 3, 1868, Mr.
O. M. Colman, Chairman of the Special Committee on new Court House, submitted the
following Report :

To THE Honorable Board of Supervisors of McLean County.

Gentlemen : Your Committee appointed at the December term of your Court, to whom was
referred the matter of building a Court House for the county, beg leave to submit the following
report, to wit :

Having considered the pressing need of a Court House for the better accommodation of the
public offices of the county, and the greater security of the public records, and also the general
public feeling in favur of the erection of such a building, connected with the encouraging tinan-
cial condition of our county, entirely out of debt, we would recommend the erection of a good,
substantial fire-proof building, according to plans and specifications herewith submitted.

We have visited and examined some of the best buildings in the State, and have also been
in consultation with a number of the most eminent architects in the Northwest, for the purpose
of ascertaining the style, size and expense of building best suited to the present and future wants
of the people of the county.

• From among several beautiful designs that have been submitted for our adoption, we have
selected that of Messrs. Cochran & Piquenard, of Chicago.

Your Committee would recommend the public square, in the city of Bloomington, as the site
of such building.

For carrying into effect the foregoing provisions, your committee would recommend the
appointment of a Board of Commissioners to be styled Court House Commissioners; said Board
to consist of five persona, whose duties shall be the employment of an Architect and Superintend-
ent ; the advertising for all bids ; the awarding of all contracts, and the general supervision of
the erection of said Court House ; said Board to keep a complete and full account of all expend-
itures on the same, and report them and the progress of the work at each meeting of the
Board.

The committee woiild also recommend the issuing of County Bonds for the above purpose in
accordance with an act of the last Legislature providing therefor.

All of which is respectfully submitted,

O. M. COLMAN, Chairman.

On motion of .Mr. Sutherland, the Report was received, and made the special order for
Wednesday afternoon.

Wepnesuay, March 4.

The Special Order: The Report of the ('ourt House Committee was called up and the same
was read by the Clerk.

Mr Sutherland moved to strike out the word five, before the word Commissioners, and
insert " three."

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 245

Mr. Weedman moved to amend the amendment by inserting "seven."

Pending the question, Judge Scott, on invitation, addressed the Board on the main question,
and after remarks from Messrs. Sears, Bishop and others, the question was put on the amend-
ment to the amendment, which was decided in the negative. The vote was then taken on the
amendment, which was also decided in the negative.

Mr. Mahan then presented the following resolution, ami oifered it as an amendment to the
Report, viz.:

Resolved, That the question of building a Court House and issuing bonds in accordance with
the designs, specifications, and bids, as set forth in the report of the Court House Committee, be
submitted to the legal voters of McLean County, at their annual town meeting to be held in
April next.

The Chair decided the resolution out of order, on the ground that there was no law for sub-
mitting the building of a Court House to a vote of the people. Mr. Colman moved the previous
question, which was sustained ; and the main question was put. Whereupon Mr. Mahan called
for the ayes and nays, which resulted in the adoption of the report by 14 ayes and 13 nays.

Those voting aye are as follows: Messrs. Bishop, Cuvelt, Colman, Elliott, Elijah Horr,
Marquis, Newton, Rnwell, George W. Stubblefield, Sears, Weaver, Weedman, Warford and Chair-
man Ives — 14.

Those voting nay are as follows: Messrs. Cox, Ewins, Josiah Horr, Karr, Langstatf, Mahan,
John Stubblefield, Sutherland, Sailer, Jacob Smith, Shelton Smith, Vandolah and Wiley — 13.

Absent — Messrs. Lewis, Mitchell and Terpenning.

The Board selected the following Supervisors to act as Court House Commissioners :
0. M. Colman, Elijah Horr, Richard Rowell, Nathan L. Sears and John Stubblefield.

We have given the proceedings in full, by the Board, in passing the resolution upon
the question of building a Court House, for several reasons. It was an important meas-
ure, considering the great expense, and the very heavy burdens to which the people bad
recently been subjected. There had been much discussion, and considerable feeling on
the subject among the people, and the policy of erecting so expensive a building was
questioned by many. The vote of the Board, as has been seen, was very close. But
the result shows how ably the matter had been managed by a few resolute spirits ; and
the history of the enterprise has shown that the movement was all right.

But the best of it is to come yet. Keeping in mind the divided state of feeling at
the time, that a County Court House, with its surroundings, costing $420,000, should be
completed according to contract, in a very unfavorable year for building, and entirely
paid for, without a growl from any quarter, nor a single imputation of swindle by any-
body, we believe to be an occurrence without a parallel in the history of similar trans-
actions. Look at Chicago, for instance, a city claiming to have a population twenty
times that of Bloomington, quarreling for two years or more over the building of a
Court House, like dogs and cats. Scarcely a week passes but the papers of that city
denounce their incomplete, would-be Court House as an abortion, and the builders of it
as swindlers. Yet, according to the population of Cook County compared with that of
McLean County, its Court House, at a cost of more than $•4,000,000, should be com-
plete, and the finest in the Union. We might refer to other counties^ but such " com-
parisons are odious." We are too happy in the fortunate results in our own county to make
invidious comparisons with others. The whole subject may be justly regarded as a happy
illustration of the spirit, the enterprise, and the magnanimity of the citizens of McLean
County. They invite emulation, but they acknowledge no superiors in these respects.
The resolution authorizing the erection of a new Court House passed the Board of
Supervisors in March. In April, the old Court House was torn down, and as soon as

246 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

the almost incessant rains would permit, the erection of a new one was commenced, and
the mao-nificent structure, without a flaw, was pushed to completion. The amount of
county orders issued in McLean County from September, 1867, to September, 1868,
was §137,679.90.

The valuation of the property in McLean County, for county purposes, for the year
1868, was S10,2H5,918 ; and the amount of taxes levied for all purposes, the same yeari
was §441,876.93.

For the year 1869, the valuation of property in McLean County, for the purpose
of taxation, was §10,703,695 ; and the amount of taxes levied for the same year was
§578,805.41.

At the December term, the Board of Supervisors ordered the issue of County
Bonds to the La Fayette. Bloomington & Mississippi Railroad Company, to pay a pre-
vious subscription to the stock of that Company, amounting to §20,000.

The valuation of property in McLean County as listed and assessed for 1873,
amounted to §42,026,374 ; and the total amount of all taxes charged, §677,314.70.

The total amount of taxation levied in McLean County for the year 1874 w;is
§676,226.84.

But it is not our purpose here to give anything like a financial history of McLean
County. A few disconnected items only are given, to indicate, in some degree, the
extent of the material developments that have taken place in the county. When we
commenced this hasty sketch, the county was almost uninhabited, and for some years
the county revenue was about §1,000, more or less. The contract price for erecting the
fii'st Court House was three hundred and some odd dollars, and town lots in Blooming-
ton were, for some years, nominally worth §5 a piece.

The county is now thickly settled in many parts, and land is worth from §25 to
§50 per acre. In short, a county that has recently expended half a million of dollars
in war expenses, and another half a million in the erection of public buildings, bridges,
and other permanent improvements, besides heavy annual expenses paid, and yet is not
in debt a single dollar ; whose valuation of property for taxation purposes gDes up
into millions, and whose population can annually carry taxes amounting to more than
half a million dollars, is an illustration of material development of which its citizens
may well be proud.

REVIEW.

Thus have we taken a hasty glance at the material development of McLean County.
In 1821, it was exclusively the home of the Indian, of the dwellers in prairie and
grove, and of the fowls of the air. No echo responded to the blows of the woodman's
ax ; no waving fields of ripening grain swayed in the morning breezes ; no glad shout
of children just let loose from school ; no shout of harvest-home ; no grand and solemn
organ's peal ; no sweet and joyous tones of prayer and song, were borne upon the wings
of the wind to listening ears and responsive hearts. It was oppressive stillness all, save the
howl of the wolf, the scream of the eagle, or the still fiercer war-whoop of the red savages.

The changes in fifty-eight years are very striking. McLean County, now the
largest in the State, with a population of seventy thousand civilized inhabitants, preseuta
very diff'erent features from those which prevailed at the former period. The following
list (jf nativities, from the Census of 1870, will give a tolerably correct idea of the rela-
tive portions of the constituents in the composition of the present population :

HISTOR"i' OF McLEAN COUNTY. 247

Born in the State of Illinois, 22,964; in Ohio, 7,580 ; in New York, 2,598 ; in
Pennsylvania, 2,713 ; in Indiana, 2,215 ; in Kentucky, 2,296 ; in British America,
420 ; in England and Wales, 952 ; in Ireland, 2,949 ; in Scotland, 230 ; in Germany,
2,839 ; in France, 207 ; in Sweden and Norway, 50 ; in Switzerland, 153 ; in Bohemia,
1 ; in Holland, 41 ; and in Denmark, 24.

The surface of McLean County is now cut by nine distinct railroads. Across the
extreme southeast corner, runs the Chicago & Paducah Railroad, with Osman
Station on it within the county. Farther north, in the same corner of the county, runs
the Gilman, Clinton & Springfield road, in a northeasterly direction, cutting West Town-
ship in the southeast corner, and Belleflower Township centrally, having on its line Belle-
flower Station. Still farther north, and running in the same direction, is a narrow-gauge
road, now under construction from Le Roy to Saybrook, and cutting Empire, West and
Cheney's Grove Townships, with prospective stations on it. In the extreme northern
part of the county, running directly east and west, and cutting Gridley, Chenoa and
Yates Townships, is the Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw road, with Weston, Chenoa, Mead-
ows and Gridley Stations on it. Running diagonally through the county from southwest
to northeast, is the Chicago & Alton road, cutting Mount Hope, Funk's Grove, Dale,
Bloomington, Normal, Towanda, Money Creek, Lexington and Chenoa Townships, and
having on its line McLean, Funk's Grove, Shirley, Bloomington, Normal, Towanda,
Lexington and Chenoa Stations. Running nearly north and south through the county,
is the Central Railroad, cutting Hudson, Normal, Bloomington and Randolph Town-
ships, and having on its line Hudson, Normal, Bloomington, Randolph and Heyworth
Stations. Running east and west from Bloomington to the eastern line of the county,
is the La Fayette, Bloomington, Toledo, Wabash & Western road, cutting Blooming-
ton, Old Town, Padua, Arrowsmith and Cheney's Grove Townships, and having on its
line Bloomington, Holder, Ellsworth, Arrowsmith and Saybrook Stations. Running
diagonally across the county, northwest and southeast, cutting Empire, narrowly miss-
ing West, then Downs, Old Town, Bloomington, Dale, Dry Grove and Danvers Town-
ships, is the Indianapolis, Bloomington & Western road, having on its line Le Roy,
Downs, Bloomington, Twin Grove and Danvers Stations. Running west from Bloom-
ington to the western line of the county, is the Jacksonville Division of the Chicago &
Alton road, cutting Bloomington, Dale and Allen Townships, and having on its line
Bloomington, Co veil and Stanford Stations.

An inspection of the county map will show that these railroads, with their twenty-
five stations, are admirably located to accommodate all parts of the countj. They leave
only five townships without railroad stations. A road, of which therr? has been some
talk, running southeast and northwest, between Lexington and Saybrook, if properly
located, would accommodate four of those townships — Blue Mound, Lawndale, Martin
and Cropsey — with stations, leaving only one small fractional township — White Oak —
without a station, and there are already two stations, one on each side of it, only about
three miles distant from its limits.

Such a body of land, thus cut up by railroads, and dotted all over with stations,
embracing a charming variety of prairie and grove, covered with cultivated farms, with
comfortable homes, and thousands of domestic animals, is not to be surpassed in any country.
In addition, it must be borne in mind that the county seat, Bloomington, has a population
of over twenty thousand people, with one of the largest churches in the State and numerous

248 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

smaller ones ; with the shops and station-buildings of the Chicago & Alton Railroad,
covering forty acres; with the &nest pa uI-/or Court House in the State; with the Wes-
leyan University, accomuiodating several hundred students, and several very fine public
schoolhouses within its limits, and the State Normal University, and the Soldiers'
Orphans' Home, both stately buildings, in its near vicinity, and surrounded by several
large towns and numerous small ones, and a magnificent country, dotted all over with
churches, schoolhouses and mills — when one takes all these things into consideration,
the changes that have come over the face of McLean County within the memory of
many of its citizens are indeed wonderful, and they may well be the source of honest
pride and self-complacency to those who have had an active hand in bringing them
about. Other changes, too numerous to be mentioned, only heighten the wonder, and
induce a hearty thankfulness in the beholder.

POLITICAL HISTORY.

In early times in McLean County, there were only two distinctions in political
sentiments — Jacksonism and Whiggism. Jacksonism, or Democracy, seemed to be
the raw material of politics, and Whiggism the manufactured article ; and the raw
material seems to have been more prevalent than the manufactured article. Many of
the citizens then cared very little for education, and for current news and general
information. They seemed to take their politics as they did their measles — in the
natural way. Tradition was the chief source of their political preferences, and they were
born into their political party as into their church.

In 1832, there were seven Whig votes in Bloomington Precinct, and Gen. Grridley
cast one of them. A family tradition says that when, in 1828, Mr. John Dawson,
then living twelve miles east of Bloomington, was about to start to go and vote in the
fall election at Mackinawtown, then the county seat, Mrs. Dawson, who was for Jackson,
persuaded her husband that it was going to rain, and not to expose himself to a
two or three days' ride over the rough roads for the sake of casting a single vote for
men that did not know him, nor would ever thank him for it ; and that, in the evening,
when it was too late for Mr. Dawson to make the trip, with a mischievous smile, the old
lady said she had gained one vote for Jackson by preventing an Adams vote being cast.

Gen. Gridley claims that the instrumentality of the Bloomington Observer turned
a portion of the raw material of politics into the manufactured article, in its day, that
being the first newspaper published in Bloomington, and that McLean remained a Whig
county from that time. Be that as it may, it was a pretty close race in the county for
quite a number of years — the result, either way, depending more, in many instances,
upon personal influence than upon party majority.

For many years. Gen. Meritt L. Covell, a very clever gentleman, by the way,
seemed to be the leading spirit and the embodiment of Democracy in McLean County.
He was an active and able manager, and kept the politics of the county a good deal
mixed for years. In 1840, the political whirlwind that carried Gen. Harrison into
the Presidency passed over the country, and the Whigs elected Gen. Gridley to the
State Legislature. In 1834 and 183G, the Democrats elected Hon. William L. May to
Congress in this, then. Third District ; and in 1838 and 1840, the Whigs elected Hon.
John T. Stuart, carrying the district, in 1838, by a majority of seventeen votes. From
that time on, the Whigs were able, generally, by good management, to carry this county

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUIJTY. 249

in general and in local elections, the majority being from fifty to a hundred votes. Some-
times the majority was very small, and occasionally a Whig candidate was beaten.
This state of things continued for several years, the Whig majorities gradually increas-
ing as the feeling became more and more antagonistic among the people on the subject
of slavery. In those days, Illinois was always Democratic, and continued to be so,
though with decreasing majorities ; but McLean stood always true to the Whig party.
In 1855, in the county election, there was no opposition to the Whig ticket. In 1852,
the nomination of Gen. Scott by the Whigs, for the Presidency, was not popular in
McLean County ; but the Whig vote was out at the polls, yet with the expectation of
being beaten.

In 1854, came the times to try men's political souls. The compromises between
the two parties in Congress that year, in which it was agreed not to introduce any more
discussion on the slavery question, and to ignore the subject, gave dissatisfaction to
many people of both parties. Their attachment to party began to loosen, and there was
iineasiness on all sides. The feeling that there was approaching a breaking of political
ranks, and rallying on new issues and under new leaders, began to pervade the people
of McLean County. Properly speaking, the people of this county have never been
political Abolitionists. They were never in favor of disturbing the constitutional rights
of the people of the South, nor of clandestinely assisting their slaves to escape. They
were opposed to the violent and premature commotion that occasionally broke out on
the subject, hoping that some peaceful and legal way out of the difficulty might be
found.

But when the direct question of introducing slavery into the more northern and
free Territories, either by law, by indifference, or by violence, the people of this county
protested against such introduction.

In 1856, came the issue between allowing or preventing slavery in Nebraska, Kan-
sas, and indefinitely west ; and through the dodge of so many behind what they were
pleased to call Knownothiugism, Americanism, or Fillmoreism, that political abortion,
James Buchanan, was elected to the Presidency. His stolidity and cowardice, or some-
thing worse than either, assisted greatly to bring on the crisis of 1860. But through
all the changes and turmoil, the people of McLean County stood firmly by the Repub-
lican party after it succeeded the Whig party, by larger and larger majorities. In proof
of this statement, we need only to mention a few facts.

The first Repubhcan State Convention ever held, took place in Bloomington. The
first paper to run up the name of Mr. Lincoln for President was the Bloomington Pom-
tagraph. The citizens of McLean County did more to bring him before the people as
a candidate, and to secure his nomination at Chicago, than those of any other county in
the country. Conclusive evidence on these points is easily procurable. Messrs. Jesse
W. and Kersey H. Fell were the prime movers in getting Mr. Lincoln into the field,
and Judge David Davis did more to secure his nomination than any other living man.

In 1848, McLean County gave Gren. Taylor a moderate majority. In 1852, it
gave Gen. Scott a respectable majority, though there was no enthusiasm on the subject.
In 1856, it gave John C. Fremont a majority of 420. In 1860, it gave Abraham
Lincoln a majority of 985. In 1864, it gave Mr. Lincoln a majority of 1,419. In
1868, it gave U. S. Grant a majority of 2,037. In 1872, it gave Grant a majority of
2,510. In 1876, it gave Rutherford B. Hayes a majority of 1,953.

250 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

For several years past, owinir to difference in financial sentiments, and to per-
sonal influences, and inevitable disaffection at censurable uses of power and opportuni-
ties, the local issues have been somewhat mixed. But whenever there are straight
issues and harmony in the party, McLean County is decidedly Republican.

AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY.
An Act to Incorporate the McLean Counti/ Agricultural Society :

Section 1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois, represented in the General
A*sembly, That John E. McClun, Kdvvard H. Didlakc, William H. Allen, Isaac Funk, Edwin
Poston and Samuel Lander, and such persons as are or may hereafter become members of the McLean
County Agricultural Society, from and after the passage of this act, shall be and they are-
hereby constituted a body corporate and politic, by the name and style aforesaid, and by that
name they and their successors shall have succession, and shall, in law, be capable of contract-
ing and being contracted with, of suing and being sued, pleading and being impleaded, prosecuting
and defending, in all manner of actions in law or in equity, in all courts and places whatever where
legal proceedings are had ; and by that name and style be capable, in law, of purchasing and
receiving, by gift or otherwise, holding and conveying real estate, for the benefit of said corpo-
ration : Provided, That said corporation shall not, at any one time, hold real estate more than,
the amount of 160 acres.

Sec. 2. Said corporation shall have power to loan money belonging to the same, and take
promissory notes or other evidences for the money so loaned, which may be collected in their
corporate name aforesaid, in all courts and places whatever where judicial proceedings are
had ; and, in their corporate name, shall have power to sue for and collect all gratuitous sub-
scriptions that are or may hereafter be made to said corporation.

Sec. 3. A meeting of the members of this corporation shall be held on the first Mondaj^
in March, 1853, and forever thereafter on said day annually, for the purpose of making such
by-laws as may be necessary for the better government and regulation of the association, and
also for the purpose of electing a President, two Vice Presidents, a Secretary and Treasurer,
who shall respectively hold their office for one year and until their successors are elected ; and
the said officers so elected be a standing Board of Directors, with full power and authority to do
all acts and deeds necessary to promote the interest of the association, and to carry into etlect
the provisions and objects of this act.

Sec. 4. The Treasurer shall, before entering upon the duties of his office, give bond to said
corporation, to Vje kept by the Secretary of the same, with sufficient security for the faithful per-
formance of his duties.

Sec. 5. This act to take effect from and after its passage.

Approved February 12, 1853.

AN amendment to FOREGOING CHARTER.

An Act to amerid an Act entitled ''An Act tf) Incorporate the McLean County Agricultural
Society," approved February 12, 1853 :

Section 1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois, represented in General Assem-
bly, That the third section of the act to which this is an amendment be so amended that a meet-
ing of the members of said corporation, for the purpose therein mentioned, shall be annually
held on the Fair Grounds of said Society, at 1 o'clock P. M., on the second day of the Annual
Fair thereof.

This act to take effect and be in force from and after the first day of September next.

Approved February 13, 1801.

GENERAL LAWS.

An act piLssed Fel>ruary 15, 1857, appropriating $100 to each County Agricult-
ural Society, for the years 1857 and 1858, payable June 1, by State Treasurer, to the
Treasurer or fiscal agent of each County Agricultural Society.

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 251

February 21, 1861, said law revived, to be continued in force until otherwise pro-
vided by law. .

BY-LAWS

of the McLean County Agricultural Society, revised and adopted March 5, 1866.

CONSTITUTION.

Section 1. The Acts of Incorporation of this Society shall be the Constitution of the same.

OBJECT.

Sec. 2. The object of this Society shall be the promotion of the improvement of science
and art of agriculture, of stock, domestic manufactures, mechanic arts and horticulture.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE.

Sec 3. The President shall appoint an Advisory Committee of not less than four nor
more than seven, who, together with the Board of Control, shall transact all business of the
Society.

ADDITIONAL MEETINGS.

Sec. 4. There shall, in addition to the regular meetings of the Society, be one held of
the Board and Advisory Committee on the first Monday of November, annually.

DUTIES OF PRESIDENT.

Sec. 5. The duty of the President shall be to preside at the meetings of the Board or of
the stockholders, have power to call special meetings of either, and perform all duties pertain-
ing or usual to like offices, and in his absence one of the Vice Presidents shall perform said

duties.

duties of the secretary.

Sec. 6. It shall be the duty of the Secretary to keep in a book provided for that purpose,
a true account of the doings of the Board at their meetings or those of the stockholders, keep
a correct list of stockholders ; draw all orders or drafts on the Treasurer and keep an account
of the same ; advertise by public notice in the newspapers of the county, the time of holding
•^he meetings of the Society and such other duties usually devolving on such officer or directed
by the Board.

duties OF THE TREASURER.

Sec. 7. It shall be the duty of the Treasurer to receive all moneys due or belonging to
the Society, and disburse the same upon the order of the Secretary ; keep a correct account of
all receipts and disbursements, and make report of the same at each annual meeting, or at
such time as the Board may direct.

DUTIES OF THE BOARD.

Sec. 8. It shall be the duty of the Board, together with the Advisory Committee, to
exercise a general supervision over all the interests of the Society; shall appoint all committees
necessary for carrying out successfully, the objects of the Society ; they shall specify the arti-
cles for which premiums shall be awarded ; determine kind and value of the same ; fix the
time of holding the annual fair, and do such acts as they may believe for the beat interests of
the Society.

QUORUM.

Sec. 9. A quorum of the Board and Advisory Committee shall consist of five members,
and that of the stockholders, fifteen.

time OF FAIR.

Sec. 10. The annual fair shall be held between the 1st day of September and the 15th
day of October, each year.

appointing COMMITTEES.

Sec. 11. Appointing of Superintendents, Awarding Committees, and affixing premium-
lists, shall be made at the regular meeting of the Board held on the first Monday of November
of each year, or at an adjourned meeting for that purpose.

252 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

RULES AND REOrLATIONS.

Sec. 12. General rules and regulations shall be made at the regular meeting held in
November, or at an adjourned meeting as above (Sec. 11), for the government of ihe following
fair, which shall be published together with the premium-list.

AWARDING COMiMITTEE.

Sec. 1;1 There shall be not less than three nor more than seven, of an Asvarding Com-
mittee for each lot of stock or articles, none of whom shall act as such in any lot or articles in
which he is an exhibitor. In case of disagreement of the Awarding Committee or failure to
serve, the Board or Superintendents of respective departments shall appoint others.

IN THE RING.

Sec. 14. At the time the Awarding Committee are examining the stock, or other articles,
no persons are permitted in the ring, except the Board, Superintendents and grooms. One of
the Board, or Advisory Committee, or Superintendent of Department, shall accompany the Award-
ing Committee on examination of each class, and see that there is no violation of the rules of the
Society.

PREMIUM BADGE.

Sec. 15. A blue ribbon shall be attached to the stock or article which has been awarded
the first premium, and red to that of the second premium.

GROWING CROPS.

Sec. 16. Entriesof growing crops to be made as follows: Wheat and oats must be entered
on or before the first day of .July : and corn on or before the last day of the fair in each year.
Persons entering wheat or oats or corn for exhibition are required to have the ground surveyed
and produce accurately measured by two disinterested persons and their certificates of the same
handed in to the Secretary ; for wheat and oats by the November meeting, and corn by December
25th following. All entries or returns must be accompanied with statement of the mode and
manner of culture.

DISCRETIONARY PREMIUMS.

Sec. 17. No discretionary premiums shall be awarded except by the Board, or on their
order.

SUPERINTENDENT OF GROUNDS.

Sec. 18. The Board shall appoint a Superintendent of Grounds, whose duty it shall be to
superintend the general arrangement, assign stalls and locate stock and other articles to be
exhibited, and exercise a general oversight over same, and see that the articles and stock are
placed where designated for them.

MARSHALS.

Sec. 19 There may be also appointed one or more Marshals, whose duty it shall be to
superintend the exhibition of stock, and such other duties as may be directed by the President,
or officer presiding.

MARCH MEETING.

Sec 20. It is understood that on the first Monday of March shall be a regular meeting of
the Society.

REPEALING CLAUSE.

Sec. 21. All by-laws contrary to the foregoing are hereby repealed.

amendmp:nts.

Sec. 22. All propositions for amendments to these By-laws shall be made in writing at a
regular meeting of the Board or Society, and lie over until next regular meeting, when they may be
adopted by a two-thirds vote of those present ; or the propositions may be amended and be adopted
in like manner.

The foregoing By-laws were adopted unanimously by the regular meeting held at Engine-
house No. 2 (agreeable to public notice), March 5, 1866.

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 253

Sec. 2i. That the premiums awarded at any annual fair, if not called for before the 1st
day of November following, shall be considered donated to the Society; discretionary and other
premiums awarded at other times than at the time of the fair, within thirty days thereafter.

Adopted November 5, 186G.

.1. A. WILLSON, Secretari/.

TRANSACTIONS OP THE SOCIETY.

It will be seen by Section Third of the Act of Incorporation that the Society
was necessarily organized in March, 1853. Tradition says that the beginnings of the
Society were humble and quite limited in the number of its attendants, and in the magni-
tude of its operations, all of which is quite credible, and almost necessarily true from
the nature of the enterprise and its early date. Tradition saith furthermore that Time's
busy fingers, and the licking tongues of a fire have rendered the records of the proceed-
ings of the Society for several years intangible — )ion sunt.

The new records of the Society commence with the annual meeting, March
5, 1866, held in Bloomington, William L. Bosworth in the chair and J. H. Loehr,
Secretary.

A committee consisting of Cyrus Jones and W. R. Duncan was appointed to audit
the books of J. E. McClun, Treasurer. Books reported correct, and balance in Treas-
urer's hands, $473.98.

The President appointed a committee, consisting of A. J. Barnes and J. 0. Davis,
to examine the condition of the fair grounds, who reported that they had been damaged
to the amount of $50.

O. Barnard reported on one-fourth acre of potatoes, seventy-seven and a half
bushels. Premium allowed — $4.

The Board of the previous year having closed its business, R. H. Holder occupied
the chair, and Jesse A. Willson acted as Secretary. The retiring Secretary, John H.
Loehr, presented the minutes of the meeting, electing officers for the current year, as
follows: At a meeting of the McLean County Agricultural Society, held at their fair
grounds on the 13th day of September, 1865, the following-named persons were elected
officers for the ensuing year: R. H. Holder, President; George Funk, Vice Presi-
dent ; James Kennedy, Vice President; J. E. McClun, Treasurer; Jesse A. Willson,
Secretary.

On motion, the thanks of the Society were tendered President Bosworth for his
untiring effijrts in behalf of the Society.

The President then appointed the following Advisory Committee for the current
year : William P. Withers, George Parke, H. Spencer, Cyrus Jones, J. F. Humphreys,
W. R. Duncan and George W. Parke.

On motion, the President was directed to appoint delegates to the State Agricult-
ural Society. Thereupon the following-named gentlemen were appointed such dele-
gates: James Kennedy, Jesse A. Willson and William L. Bdswoi-th.

On motion, it was agreed as the sense of the meeting, that the premiums for the
next fair shall be paid in plate or money, at the option of the exhibitor.

At a subsequent meeting of the Board and Advisory Committee, March 13, it was
agreed to hold the next annual fair on September 4, 5, 6 and 7, with Monday, the 3d,
as a preparation day. The day was principally spent in reviewing and arranging the
premium-Hst for the next fair.

2rj4 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

m'lean county agricultural society.

Fair Grounds. September 5, 18G6. — The Society met at the fair grounds on the
second day of the annual fair, whereupon George Parke and James Allen, Jr., were
appointed tellers, and the following officers were then duly elected to serve the ensuing
year: R. H. Holder, President; William L. Bosworth, Vice President; James Ken-
nedy, Vice President ; Ralph E. Bnjwn, Treasurer ; John T. Didlake, Secretary.

The Board borrowed from John Geltmacher $1,000 for one year, with which to
pay for improvements on the fair grounds.

Pursuant to adjournment, the Society met at the (^ourt House in Bloomington,
October 13, 1866. On motion, it was ordered that T. P. Bryan and J. P. Shough
have duplicate stock issued to them for shares lost or destroyed.

On motion, a committee, consisting of Samuel Lander, George Hinshaw, A. J.
Barnes, R. H. Holder and Jesse A. Willson, were appointed a committee to draw up
an amendment to the charter, especially in regard to Section Third.

On motion, the President, R. H. Holder, was appointed to negotiate for additional
grounds south of the present grounds, and report to the next meeting.

Pursuant to adjournment, the Society met at the Court House, November 5,
1866. The President reported the proposal of Mr. J. Y. Calhoun to sell the Society
the ground south of the fair grounds and north of Washington street, supposed to be
from eight to ten acres, for the sum of $165 per acre. The proposal was accepted, and
the Board directed to purchase the same, and contract to pay therefor in three equal
annual payments.

The Board then held a meeting, at which the Secretary reported having issued
orders from March 5 to November 5, 1866, in detail, all amounting to $5,025.23. Of
this sum, $1,720.45 were paid in premiums, and there remained uncalled for $148 of
the premiums of the current year.

On motion, it was directed that diplomas be awarded as discretionary premiums on
articles where appropriate.

The President reported the following Advisory Committee, Marshals and Super-
intendent of Grounds:

Advisory Committee — J. A. Willson, W. R. Duncan, A. J. Barnes, Cyrus Jones,
W. W. Taylor, William H. Mann and George Parke.

Marshals — Leonard Bosworth, Nelson Nichols, Harvey Karr.

Superintendent of Grounds — John 0. Davis.

On motion, the Board rejected the proposition of J. Y. Calhoun to open a street
along the east side of their grounds. Adjourned. John T. Didlake, Secretary.

March 4, 1867. — Society met at Engine-house No. 2.

On motion, the fair grounds were put under the care of the President, who
appointed William B. Young as Assistant JMarshal.

At the meeting of the Board on the next day, it was agreed that the next fair
should be held on the 3d, 4th, 5th and 6th of September next, with Monday the 2d,
for making general arrangements. On the next day, it was resolved by the Society that
the fire company as a body should not be allowed on the grounds.

June 22, 1867. — At a special meeting of the Society, it was resolved that the
Society ratify the purchase of the land situated on the south side of the fair grounds,,
and known as the Catholic Grounds.

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 255

On motion, it was resolved that the Society issue sufficient stock to pay for the
recent purchase of land, and sell the same on the fair grounds at public sale, to the
highest bidder for cash, on Monday, September 2, at 2 o'clock P. M.

Fair Grounds, September 4, 1867. — The Society met this day, and Duncan Funk
and James Allen, Jr., were appointed tellers, and the following-named officers were duly
elected to serve the ensuing year ; W. L. Bosworth, President ; A. J. Barnes, Vice
President ; John O. Davis, Vice President ; Ralph E. Brown, Treasurer ; John T.
Didlake, Secretary.

At a meeting of the Board, October 14, 1867, the Secretary was authorized to
issue orders for discretionary premiums to the amount of |51.

On motion, A. J. Barnes was appointed a committee to examine hedges entered for
premiums, and report at the November meeting.

On motion, the Treasurer was authorized to borrow $5,000 for one year, to pay
premiums and claims against the Society.

At the annual meeting of the Society, November 4, the Treasurer made his report
showing an indebtedness of $3,500.

On motion of W. R. Duncan, the thanks of the Society were tendered President
Holder and his associates in office, for their untiring efforts in behalf of the Society.

The President appointed the following persons as Advisory Committee : John E.
McClun, E. Horr, Nelson Jones, W. H. Mann, James K. Orondorff and John Kelley.

Adjourned. John T. Didlake, Secretary.

At the meeting of the Society, January 20, 1868, it was resolved that the Treas-
urer pay the Secretary $150 per annum as compensation for his services. At the meet-
ino- of the Board the next day. the 21st, it was resolved that the Society hold their
next annual fair commencing on Tuesday, September 8, and continue four days, with
Monday, the 7th, as preparation day.

On the 22d, the Society elected W. L. Bosworth, Cyrus Jones and A. J. Barnes,
delegates to the State fair.

Fair Grounds, September 8, 1868. — On the 2d day of the annual fair, J. E.
McClun and Samuel Lander were appointed tellers, and the following-named officers
were elected to serve the ensuing year : W. S. Bosworth, President ; Elijah Horr,
James K. Orondorff, Vice Presidents ; R. E. Brown, Treasurer ; John T. Didlake,
Secretary.

On motion, resolved that both political parties be allowed the use of the Grounds
under control of the Society, during the present campaign.

At a meeting of the Society, October 3, it was resolved " That the officers of this
Society be authorized to borrow sufficient money to pay present indebtedness, and to
make the necessary improvements for the next annual fair, and if necessary, to mortgage
the grounds to secure payment."

On motion, resolved that if the sum of $5,000 can be raised by private sub-
scription, we make an effort to get the State fair for the next two years. For
that purpose, J. E. McClun, C. Toms, J. W. Fell, Elijah Horr and John Kelley
were appointed a committee to solicit subscriptions.

At the annual meeting of the Board, Noveaaber 2, the Secretary was directed to
issue a duplicate certificate of stock, $200, to Isaac M. Pearson, the original having
been lost.

256 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

The President appointed the following Advisory Committee : George Hinshaw,
John O. Davis, R. E. Strimple, John Kelley, Nelson Jones, William M. Loehr and L.
D. Haines.

Adjourned. John T. Didlake, Secretary.

January 11, 1869. — The Board resolved to send E. Horr and Cyrus Jones, as del-
egates to represent this Society before the State Board, at Springfield.

The Societv resolved, at its meetins on the 13th, to hold the next annual fair on
the 14th, loth, 16th and 17th of September next.

Resolved, that the Secretary shall receive $150 as compensation for the ensuing year.

Fair Grounds, September 15, 1869. — The Society met on the second day of the
annual fair, to elect officers. John Kelley was appointed teller, and the following-
named officers were duly elected for the ensuing year : William L. Bosworth, Pres-
ident ; Elijah Horr and James Boulware, Vice Presidents ; Ralph E. Brown, Treas-
urer ; Daniel Holder, Corresponding Secretary ; John T. Didlake, Secretary.

February 7, 1870. — Board met at call of the President, and, on motion, it was
resolved that the next annual fair commence on Tuesday, September 13, and continue
four days. The President appointed the following persons to serve the following year
as Advisory Committee: George W. Funk, R. E. Strimple, Nelson Jones, John Kel-
ley, James K. Orondorff, L. W. Betts and William M. Loehr.

On motion, Messrs. Funk, Horr and Kelley were selected as delegates to the next
State Fair at Decatur.

At the annual meeting of the stockholders, March, 1870, the Treasurer made his
annual report, showing a balance on hand of $1,372.25.

Fair Grounds, September 14, 1870. — At the annual fair of the Society, on the
second day, George Parke and G. W. Funk were appointed tellers, and the following
officers were elected for the ensuing year: W. L. Bosworth, President; E. Horr and
John Kelley, Vice Presidents ; W. M. Loehr, Treasurer ; John T. Didlake, Secretary.

November 7, 1870. — Premium on corn — five acres ��� awarded to John English.

November 26, 1870. — At the present meeting of the Board, the Treasurer made his
annual report as follows: Total amount of money on hand and receipts of the year,
87.574.67, of which the sale of tickets amounted to S4,759. The amount of pre-
miums paid, $2,356.50 ; and after paying the expenses, there remained on hand,
$3,438.99.

The President announced the following persons as the Advisory Committee for the
ensuing year: Nelson Jones, Duncan Funk, George Parke, James Boulware, Ellis
Dillon, 0. M. Coleman and Isaac Lash. Adjourned. John T. Didlake, Secretary.

Court House, February 7, 1871. — The Board fixed on September 12, to commence
the next annual fair, to continue five days.

February 14, 1871. — Board resolved to offer premiums for Alderney cattle, and
make premiums same as crosses. The Treasurer was authorized to issue original stock
to L. W. Betts, and certificate to George P. Davis.

Board met June 10, 1871, at fair grounds; and after looking around, resolved to
have built, fifty additional pens for sheep and swine. Being convinced that the dining-
hall was insufficient, the Chair appointed Messrs. Boulware, Funk, Kelley, Dillon,
Parke, and Secretary Didlake to be a committee to present plans and estimates for
building a new one near the same ])lacc, at the next meeting.

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 257

At a meeting of the Board, June 17, on motion, the President and Secretary were
appointed a committee to have dining-hall built and other improvements made.

At the annual meeting of the Society, at the fair, September 13, 1871, J. E.
McClun and Greorge W. Funk were appointed tellers, and the following officers were
elected for the ensuing year: John Kelley, President; James Kennedy and F. M.
Funk, Vice Presidents ; W. C. Watkins, Treasurer ; Daniel Holder, Corresponding
Secretary, and John T. Didlake, Secretary.

Court House, November 6, 1871. — At the annual meeting of the Board, the Sec-
retary reported having issued orders on the treasury to the amount of $6,070,18, the
amount paid for premiums at the fair, for the current year, being $3,709. On motion,
the premium of $20, for the best five acres of corn, and $10 for the best one-fourth acre
of potatoes, were awarded to Jesse Brainard. Adjourned. John T. Didlake, Secretary.

(^ourt House, January 9, 1872. — On motion, the Board fixed on Tuesday, Sep-
tember 10 next, to commence the next annual fiir, and continue four days.

Fair Grrounds, September 11, 1872. — On the second day of the fair, the annual
meeting of the stockholders was held on the grounds, and J. W. Funk and J. E.
McClun being appointed tellers, the following officers were elected for the ensuing year:
W. L. Bosworth, President ; Isaac Vanordstrand and J. L. Leckley, Vice Presidents ;
W. C. Watkins, Treasurer; John T. Didlake, Secretary.

At the meeting of the Board, December 16, the Secretary reported having issued
orders on the treasury to the amount of $5,319.27, of which $2,856 were paid for
premiums awarded at the fair of 1872. Adjourned. John T. Didlake, Secretary.

Court House, January 14, 1873. — Board met pursuant to call, and the following-
named persons were appointed as Advisory Committee: Daniel Holder, J. K. Orondorff,
J. L. Shorthose and Isaac Lash. The President and the Secretary were authorized to
execute a note to D. M. Funk, for $2,190, and give security on real estate of the
Society. On motion, the 9th. 10th, 11th and 12th of September were fixed upon as
the time for holding the next annual fair.

Fair Grounds, September 10, 1873. — At the annual meeting of the Board, on the
second day of the fair, F. M. Funk and Dr.W. A. Elder being appointed tellers, the fol-
lowing officers were elected for the ensuing year : W. L. Bosworth, President ; J. 0.
Davis, William Karr, Vice Presidents; E. B. Steere, Treasurer; John T. Didlake,
Secretary.

At the annual meeting of the Executive Board, the private premium offered by
Messrs. E. W. and A. M. Bakewell, for the best five acres of corn was awarded to
Abram Harrison. On motion, the President was allowed $150, and W. C. Watkins,
Treasurer, $100, for services rendered to the Society. The Secretary then made his
annual report, showing that he had issued orders on the treasury to the amount of
$-1,413.36, of which sum $2,513 had been paid in premiums at the fair.

The President then appointed the following persons as Advisory Committee for the
year : D. M. Funk, George P. Davis, Isaac Dillon. Daniel Holder, E. Horr, Isaac Lash
and James K. Orondorif. Adjourned. J. T. Didlake, Secretary.

Court House, January 27, 187-4. — Board met and adopted a resolution instructing
the President to borrow $6,158.23, and to execute notes for the same, giving real estate
security owned by the Society for the said amount, to pay off" the indebtedness of the
Society.

258 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

January 31, 1874. — On motion, the time for holding the next annual fair was fixed
for September 8, 9, 10 and 11. At the meeting of the Board, February U, the follow-
ing premiums were agreed upon : Stallion trotting in harness, best two in three, first
premium, S50 ; second premium, $25. Gelding or mare trotting in harness, best two
in three, first premium, $30 ; second, $20.

At the annual meeting of the stockholders, on the .second day of the annual fair,
September 9, 1874, Samuel Lander and D. M. Funk being appointed tellers, the fol-
lowing persons were elected for the current year: W. L. Bosworth, President; G. A.
Ross, J. A. Ewins,Vice Presidents ; Daniel Holder, Treasurer ; J. T. Didlake, Secretary.

On motion, the premium on flaxseed, ofiered by Waddle & Moore, was awarded
to Edward Wilson ; and premium on five acres best corn, $10, to Joshua Sells. The
Secretary was instructed to issue checks, as follows : To Ira Merchant, for surveying,
$14; to W. L. Bosworth, services as President, $150 ; to B. B. Steere, for official
services, $50 ; to D. M. Funk, to apply on note, $1,000.

The Treasurer made his annual report, showing orders issued on treasury to be
$4,9H6.95, of which sum $2,619.65 were paid for premiums. The President appointed
the following persons as Advisory Committee for the ensuing year: D. M. Funk, Daniel
Holder, George P. Davis, W. M. Smith, F. M. Jones, W. H. Oglevee and E. Horr.
Adjourned. J. T. Didlake, Secretary.

Board met at Court House January 12, 1875. Appointed J. Brewster, Treasurer,
to fill vacancy, and John Peck, Superintendent of Grounds. January 19, Board fixed
upon the 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th of September as the time of holding the annual fair
for 1875. Messrs. Funk and Davis appointed Committee on Finance. Trials of speed
to take place every day except Thursday ; gate fees, 50 cents, single.

Fair Grounds, September 8. — At the close of the polls, the Judges of the election for
officers, Thomas F. Mitchell, D. M. Funk and George P. Davis, declared the following
persons elected : W. L. Bosworth, President ; G. A. Ross, John A. Ewins, Vice Presi-
dents ; J. Brewster, Treasurer ; John T. Didlake, Secretary.

From the Treasurer's books we get the following item : Total amount of receipts
for the current year, $7,139.63 ; amount paid in premiums, $3,682.63. Adjourned.
J. T. Didlake, Secretary.

Court House, January 15, 1876. — Board met pursuant to adjournment. John
Peck was appointed Superintendent of Grounds.

On motion of Mr. Funk, a class was introduced for thorough-bred draught-horses, with
same premiums as other classes of horses. The time for holding the annual fair was
agreed upon — September 5, (!, 7 and 8.

Fair Grounds, September (5, 1876. — At the closing of the polls for the election of
officers, the Judges, Messrs. D. M. Funk, George P. Davis and Nelson Jones, declared
the following persons elected : T. D. Hartsen, President ; G. A. Ross, John A. Ewins,
Vice I'residents ; J. Brewster, Treasurer ; J. T. Didlake, Secretary.

At the annual meeting of the Board, November 6, the President and the Secre-
tary were instructed to execute a note, payable to D. M. Funk, for $8,300, for five
years, and to give security on the real estate of the Society, in order to borrow money
sufficient to pay off the entire indebtedness of the association.

From the Treasurer's books we learn that the receipts for the current year, it being
very rainy and disagreeable at the fair, were $3,3()9.39 ; the disbursements were

./Jr^cMj^u^

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 261

65,609.76, and the amount paid in premiums was $2,999.31. Adjourned. J. T. Did-
lake, Secretary.

Court House, January 9, 1877. — Board met pursuant to notice. The President
appointed as Advisory Committee W. M. Smith, F. M. Funk, E. Horr, John Stubble-
field, James Boulware and Isaac Lash. The time for holding the fair was fixed on
September -4, 5, () and 7. Messrs. Funk, Horr and Ross appointed Committee on Speed.
John Peck was appointed Superintendent of Grounds, B. F. Funk, Chief Marshal, and
the Treasurer, to solicit private premiums for ladies' equestrianship. Gate fees as last
year.

Fair Grounds, September 5, 1877. — After closing the polls, the Judges of the
election of officers for the current year declared the following-named persons elected :
President, T. D. Hartsen ; Vice Presidents, F. M. Funk, John O. Davis ; Treasurer,
Jabez Brewster ; Secretary, J. T. Didlake.

At the annual meeting of the Executive Board, the Treasurer presented his report,
showing the total receipts to have been $6,390.64:, of which sum 85,038.2-4 was for
tickets at the fair — the largest ever realized. The disbursements were $6,0-13.48, of
which sum $3,168.19 was paid in premiums, leaving on hand §347.16.

The President appointed as Advisory Committee, William Karr, Isaac Lash, 0.
Barnard ; I. G. Lane, EHas Brock, Ellis Dillon and Nelson Jones.

At the meeting of the Board, December 11, the time of holding the next fair was
fixed for September 3, 4, 5 and 6, 1878, J. L. Keckley was appointed Superintendent
of Grounds, and B. F. Funk, Chief Marshal, and Mr. Dillon appointed as delegate to
the State Agricultural Board at Springfield. Premium on speed and gate fees as usual.
Grounds leased to J. L. Peck for the season at $300. President's and Secretary's salary
fixed at $50 each for coming year. On motion, separate classes and premiums were
made out for Norman and Clyde draught-horses — the one to be classed as imported and
fidl-blood Norman horses, and the other as imported and full-blood Clyde, English draught
and Belgian horses. Adjourned. J. T. Didlake, Secretary.

x\t the annual meeting of the Board, March 4, 1878, the Secretary made hia
report for 1877, showing amount of orders issued on treasury to be $5,238.65;
amount of premiums ofi"ered, $3,637; amount paid, 83,216.25.

On motion, it was resolved as the sense of the meeting that every species of gambling
should be excluded from the grounds of the Society.

The polls being closed at an election held on the fair grounds, September 4, 1878,
the Judges, W. M. Loehr and Isaac Lash, declared the following persons to be elected
as officers of the Board for the ensuing year : President, T. D. Hartsen ; Vice Presi-
dents, B. F. Funk, John 0. Davis ; Treasurer, J. Brewster ; Secretary, J. T. Didlake.

The Treasurer made his report for the year 1878, showing the total receipts to
have been $5,296.90, and the premiums paid, $1,676.80. Adjourned. J. T. Didlake,
Secretary.

Court House, January 14, 1879. — Board met at call, and the President appointed
as Advisory Committee Elias Brock, John Stubblefield, I. G. Lane, Isaiah Dillon,
George Tryner. James Rayburn and Samuel H. Lewis.

At the meeting of the Board, January 17, 1879, the gate fees were fixed substan-
tially as last year, and the time of holding the next fair to be on the 23d, 24th, 25th
and 26th of September, 1879. Adjourned. J. T. Didlake, Secretary.

262 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

INFLUENCES.

We have thus given the form of the McLean County Agricultural Society, and a
hasty sketch of its skeleton history, as well as some idea of the persons who have taken
leading parts in its operations ; but its inner life and its influences, its purposes and its
claims ujion public recognition and patronage, have scarcely been noticed. Like other
institutions, the Society has been obliged to battle on its way, and to struggle, from
small beginnings, up to its present proportions, until it is now one of the few leading
associations of its kind in the State ; and it is pushing its rivals hard for the foremost
rank. In some features it has already taken the lead. Other counties have done nobly.
Some of them took prominent positions earlier in the field, but they have been obliged
to struggle manfully to retain their relative positions. In stock-raising, Morgan County
has been a noble rival. Logan County has taken the lead in corn-raising, and Greene
County in some kinds of fruit ; but in general cultivation and productions, they can
scarcely compete with McLean.

This Society now owns about fifty acres of beautiful grounds in the immediate
vicinity of the city, with good and convenient buildings and outstructures, a fine new
circus for trial of speed, all well inclosed and nicely arranged for the purposes of its
existence. These grounds and fixtures, even at the present nominal values of property,
cannot be worth less than $25,000. But as a financial speculation, the Society has
not been a success — that was not its motive ; it had in view a nobler purpose, and well has it
already accomplished much of that intended purpose. Several of its members have
already come to the front in the State, and even in the West, in their particular departments.

Many very fine cattle, sheep and swine have been imported directly from Scotland
and England, and splendid horses from those countries and Normandy, Belgium and
France, as well. Even while writing these lines, the crow and the cackle of imported
fowls are within hearing. Many of the members of this Society, and others under its
influence, have taken high premiums on fine stock of their own raising, in State Fairs
in this State, and in neighboring States.

The Dillons and the Stubblefields of this county have been for some time, and they
still are, importing direct from Europe as fine horses, of their kind — monsters in their
proportions — as can be found anywhere. Their stock has been purchased and raised in
every direction, and tney have thus been instrumental in improving the stock of horses
all over the country.

Mr. W. R. Duncan and Ryburn Brothers, of this county, have been prominent in
introducing and cultivating the finest breeds of foreign animals, especially of cattle, and
the best crosses. Their stock is spread all over the country, and the influence has been
incalculable. The Brothers Shorthose have taken many State premiums on their stock.
The Rayburns and Stewarts and Karrs and Funks have been very successful in this line,
as well as many others.

The influence of the Society has been felt, also, in other cultures, as grains, fruits of
several varieties, vegetabl(;s, .^niall fruits, fowls, domestic manufactures and flowers. It
has also contributed to the encouragement of excellence in several kinds ol manufactures,
as of carriages, wagons, plows, cultivators, and various implements and conveniences of
agricultural and domestic pursuit.^. Some of these articles, the products of McLean
County industry and enterprise, as well as chairs and stoves, are favorably known far
and wide in the country.

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 263

But the influences of this Society have been indirectly beneficial, also. The fre-
quent meetings on a common subject, and the free interchange of views and sentiments,
free from all political and theological biases, are always beneficial to those who partici-
pate in them. Then the great annual gatherings of the people at the fair tend to pro-
mote social and friendly relations among themselves. They break the monotony, to
some extent, inevitable to rural pursuits, and cultivate kindly feelings between the res-
idents in the country and those of the city. In short, we cannot enumerate, in special-
ties, all the beneficial influences of the McLean County Agricultural Society. They
are as numerous as human relations, and as precious as human interests.

HORTICULTURE.

Horticulture, in its broadest sense, is another branch of industry in which McLean
County acknowledges no rival in the State, scarcely one in the West. In early times,
Mr. Nelson Buck was the standard nurseryman in Bloomington, who carried on the
business here, in a small way, adapted to the demand for several years ; but a certain
widow lady opened another nursery in Pontiac, and he emigrated in that direction.
Mr. Buck was a man of many good qualities ; but his most prominent characteristic
was eccentricity. However, the people were under obligation to him for introducing
thus early among them much very tolerable fruit.

Since his day, there have been several candidates for public favor in the same line.
The Fell Brothers have always been active friends of tree and fruit culture. Blooming-
ton is largely indebted to Mr. Jesse W. Fell for its surnames, Evergreen City and Grove
City. But the latter appellation is now the more appropriate one, as evergreens are not
now so generally cultivated in this vicinity. Mr. Fell did also quite a business, for those
early times, in fruit-tree raising. He has since created quite a paradise in Normal, sur-
sounding his pleasant residence there with the finest assemblage of shrubbery in the
country, and filled it with fruit enough to tempt Eve to forfeit more paradises than
Mohammed ever claimed to have visited. Mr. Kersey H. Fell has more recently culti-
vated successfully an excellent and quite extensive grapery. The people ought to be
thankful to these gentlemen, and some of their relations, for their example in cultivating
nature, and developing the capabilities of our soil in good time.

The Messrs. Wills have also done a very good work for the locality in the same
line. Mr. C. Bell has had quite a grapery, for several years, in the immediate vicinity.
Everybody knows Dr. Schroeder, and his great and successful efforts to promote the culti-
vation of fruit-trees and of grapes, and of his own wealth. Mr. Lange, over on South
Hill, raises some of the finest grapes in the country. Many others have done well in
this line, and their labors have been worthy of imitation. Mr. James Robinson & Son,
and Mr. Ballard have done much for floriculture, and to cultivate in the community a
love for the beautiful children of nature — the flowers, the innocent, the lovely flowers.
Their efforts have been appreciated by the community.

But the horticulturist of McLean County, Mr. F. K. Phoenix, did not make his
appearance among us until 1852. He then purchased ten acres of land, just north of
the city, where the Wesleyan University buildings now stand, and commenced opera-
tions — experimenting upon soil and climate and the adaptations thereto of the different
varieties of fruit and shade trees, of vegetables, plants and flowers. He gradually
extended the area and the magnitude of his operations as means and demands increased,

264 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

and as experience and results gave him more assurance, until he worked, in a few years,
into an extensive and prosperous business.

It would require a book alone to name and describe all the flowering plants and
their varieties rnltivated by Mr. Phoenix. He has an acre under glass, and therein and
in the exttMi.sive surroundings may be found represented all the families of hardy and
hot-house plants that are cultivated elsewhere.

As the business prospered and the demands increased, Mr. Phoenix extended his
operations so as to embrace seven hundred acres of surface, and, as one may readily
suppose, the business assumed gigantic proportions. During the busy season, in fall and
spring, he has employed daily as many as three hundred hands ; and the daily shipment
of a car- load of trees in bulk, was a regular business; and this represented only about
one-tenth of the actual sales — immense quantities of the productions being delivered in
boxes and packages.

Some conception of the magnitude of these operations may be formed from the
fact that they have amounted annually from $275,000 to $300,000, involving the deliv-
ery of several thousand dollars worth daily during the busy season. The principal points
to which these shipments have been made are Chicago, St. Louis and Kansas City, and
occasionally Cincinnati — Kansas City being a very prominent point.

During these years, Mr. Phoenix has let many of his trees go to fruitage, as tests
and illusti-ations of their qualities and adaptations to soil and climate, the result being
the production of much excellent fruit. Like all other kinds of business, this particu-
lar branch has, of course, its incidental and periodical experiences. Mr. Phoenix lost,
in one season, by the severe frosts, $50,000 worth of sprouts, young trees and plants,
the loss being especially severe in incipient pear-trees.

As one may well suppose, Mr. Phoenix has severely felt the inevitable embarrass-
ments resulting from the derangements and partial suspension of business consequent
upon the financial storm that has swept over the country, and the money dry-rot that
has followed, carrying many a prosperous man to destitution and involving unspeakable
suffering. But he is still struggling on and hoping, under shortened sails.

EDUCATIONAL HISTORY.

McLean is an educational county. Tradition has handed down to these later times
the name of Delilah Mullen as that of the first school-teacher in McLean County.
She is spoken of as a good teacher and a good woman, though her discipline is said not
to have been as npplicahle as that of her successor, Mr. Green Hickory. She taught
the little hopefuls in the house of Mr. John Dawson, and afterward in the first school-
house in the county. It was built by Mr. Dawson in 1828, and was constructed of
logs and covered by a roof.

Mr. William H. Hodge and Mr. Amasa C. Washburn — the latter still living — were
model teachers in those days. What the boys did not get in lessons, at school, they got
in larruping., at home. The parents frequently took a hand in such matters, and it was
not seldom that the scholars got marks as higli as their shoulders on deportment. Vigor
rather than consideration seemed to be the characteristic in the administration of discipline.
For quite a number of years, the schools in the county were supported by the tuition
paid by the scholars for the privilege of attendance. The schools were generally kept
open for only a few months in the year.

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 265

The first official transaction on the subject of education in the county seems, from
the records, to have been the appointment, by the Commissioners' Court, of Messrs.
WilHam H. Hodge, John Hendrix and William Orondorfi" as Trustees of school lands
in Township 23 north. Range 2 east ; Ephraim Stout, Robert Drain and Isaac Sample,
in Town 24 north, Range 1 west; John Moore, Gardner Randolph and Elijah Hedrick,
in Town 22 north, Range 2 east ; James Murphy, Andrew Biggs and Samuel Murphey,
in Town 22 north. Range 1 east; Walter McPhearson, Benjamin Day and John Glenn,
Esq., in Town 21 north, Range 1 east; William Conaway, James Merrifield and Officer
Rutledge, in Town 22 north. Range 4 east.

The Court also appointed James Latta Commissioner of the school sections num-
bered 16 in the county. The appointments were made at the December term, 1831.

It seems now to be a great misfortune that such appointments were not delayed
twenty or thirty years, and the school lands entirely neglected for that length of time ;
for these lands, in those early times, brought prices so insignificant that the amounts of
their sales did the people very little good, and lands were so abundant and so cheap that
the sale of the sixteenth school sections was scarcely an accommodation to those who
wished to make purchases for actual occupation, and the sale of them to speculators
tended rather to retard than to hasten the settlement of the country.

The first report of the sale of school lands in the county was made to the Com-
missioners' Court at the March term, 1834, by William Durley, Esq., County Commis-
sioner of School Lands. It was for Township 24 north, Range 1 west. Among the
early teachers in the county were : Miss Charlotte Wheeler, Mr. John Greenman and
his daughter Lydia, in 1831. In 1835, Rev. Lemuel Foster erected a seminary build-
ing on South Main street, in which he taught for several years, and Rev. George W.
Minier, for some years, had a school in the same building. This was the first seminary-
building in the county, and it was standing but a few years since.

Gradually, schools were started at different points in the country, and the people
became more and more active and interested in the subject. But in 1854, 1855 and
1856, there was a general awakening in reference to common schools and to education
generally. The 2mill tax went into operation, which distributed a respectable sum
annually to the counties, which was to be exclusively employed in the support of com-
mon schools. This gave a new impetus to the movement and greatly encouraged the
people to enter actively into its promotion.

In 1853, the first Teachers' State Convention was held here, in Bloomington. It
is not too much to say that this Convention was set in motion by a few active individ-
uals who were residents of Bloomington. Especially may we refer to those who had
been active in starting the Wesleyan University in this city, an institution which, like
most similar enterprises in a new country, passed through many and trying experiences
in its early existence. It has now become a very successful institution, but it will be
more particularly noticed in another part of this work.

That same convention discussed several subjects of great educational interest,
and put on its feet the movement that has resulted in having a State Superintendent
of Schools, a Normal State University and the whole machinery that is now operating
one of the most magnificent systems of common schools in existence ; and the people
of McLean County have maintained their consistency of character for energy and
enterprising liberality in securing in their midst the location of the said Normal

266 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

University, by subscribing more largely to its cost of erection than those of any other
county in the State — $140,000 — one-half by the county and one-half by individuals.
There is also the Soldiers' Orphans' Home. Although the county did not officially
subscribe to the funds of that institution, yet such was the liberality of citizens of
McLean County, especially of Judge David Davis, that it was located in our midst.
Many hundreds of soldiers' orphans have been there educated, and no pen can tell
the amount of good that may eventually result from its erection and maintenance.
It is a monument of gratitude, nobly merited by the fathers of those children.

The County Superintendent's reports for several years furnish the following
general statistics, showing the condition of the common schools of the county, number
of scholars, etc. In looking over these statements it should be remembered that
Bloomington, containing fully one- third of the population in these latter years, has
city schools distinct from those of the county in general :

In 1865, the number of school districts in the county was 215 ; number of schools,
220 ; number of persons between six and twenty-one years of age, 11,693 ; number
of scholars in attendance, 10,337 ; number of teachers, 337 ; number of schoolhouses,
195; amount of State tax, $13,683; received from special school tax, $42,546;
total amount expended, $65,606 ; amount of principal of township fund, $88,834.

In 1866, the number of school districts was 255 ; the number of schools, 225 ; num-
ber of persons between six and twenty-one years of age, 14,390 ; number of scholars in
attendance, 10,716; number of teachers, 376 ; number of schoolhouses, 216; amount
of State tax, $15,456; received from special school tax, $77,160; total amount
expended, $108,974; amount of principal of township funds, $100,944.

In 1874, the number of persons between six and twenty-one years of age was
19,113 ; the number of pupils in schools, 14,299 ; the whole number of school districts,
253 ; number of schoolhouses, 258 ; number of teachers, 493 ; the principal of the
township funds, $157,541.55.

The Township Treasurer's reports show that the amount received from the
County Superintendent was $21,621.75; received interest on township funds to the
amount of $14,356.13 ; received from special district taxes, $153,158.72. The amount
paid teachers was $120,700.81 ; paid for new schoolhouses, $4,343.31 ; paid for repairs
and improvements, $9,332.77 ; paid for school furniture, $2,743.08 ; for fuel and
incidental expenses, paid $17,835.56 ; paid interest on bonds, $18,071.53; other items
make the whole amount paid out during the current year, $196,818.96.

Similar statistics for the previous year, 1873, areas follows: Number of school
districts, 252 ; number of pupils in school, 13,786 ; number of persons between twenty-one
and six years of age, 18,879 ; the whole amount expended for school purposes, $234,-
141.88; principal of township funds, $155,015.93 ; received from State, $22,397.29.
It seems to be a great pity that the school lands in this county, and in the State
generally, should have been sacrificed as they were in early times. In this county, many
of the school .scsctions were sold as low as $1.25 ; and even as late as in 1848 and 1849,
they sold at from $1.25 to $1.50 per acre. The very prices at which they sold, prove con-
clusively that there was no demand for them such as to justify their sale. The six-
teenth section in this township, lying in the center of Blooming Grove, was sold in
1834, while timber-land was still plenty. It was sold for four dollars and some cents
to thirteen dollars and some cents per acre ; and a large portion of the fund arising from

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 267

the sale has since been lost through the failure of the State Bank. Some of the same
lands have since sold for two hundred dollars per acre. Had their sale been delayed
until a proper time, the result would have been a handsome and permanent income for
the support of the public schools in the township.

It will be seen by the statistics given above, that the expenses of running the pub-
lic schools in this county are really assuming a respectable amount. Recent inquiry at
the proper sources of information shows that the amount of money annually expended
in McLean County on education is $350,000 — more than one-third of a million dollars,
saying nothing about the expenses of books, board of students and the like. Probably
not a parallel case can be found in the country.

We claim that this airay of facts puts McLean County in the lead among her sis-
ter-counties on education as well as in other matters. This proud position she still pro-
poses to maintain, not from love of invidious comparisons, but because her citizens see
their best interests to be promoted by favoring every enterprise that has a tendency to
make virtue and intelligence universal. Therefore she A'ould say to her neighbors, do
jour best and we will do better if we can.

MILITARY HISTORY.

The first military experiences of the citizens of McLean County occurred in the
Black Hawk war, which broke out in 1832. It is not the intention to give the causes in
full that brought about this war, nor the history of the war itself, but to speak as briefly as
may be of the scenes in which the volunteers from this county were engaged. It seems
that Black Hawk had figured extensively in the war of 1812, and always on the British
side ; so there could be expected, on his part, no very good feeling toward the Ameri-
cans fixed in his breast after the war was over. In 1830 and 1831, most of the Endians,
and the Sacs and the Foxes with the test, and Black Hawk, too, had passed to the west
side of the Mississippi, and had agreed, by treaties with the United States Government, to
remain on that side of the river. It is said that Keokuk, the principal chief of the Sacs
and Foxes insisted on remaining faithful to their agreements. But from various motives,
good or bad. Black Hawk determined to return to the old scenes of his former exploits
in Northern Illinois. Accordingly, he inspired the fiery spirits of his people with his
•own sentiments, and, in the spring of 1832, came over the Mississippi with six or
seven hundred warriors, and was joined by some fragments of other tribes. Upon his
appearing on Rock River and showing hostile intentions, the Governor of Illinois called
for volunteers to repel their invasion of surrendered territory.

Of the mounted volunteers, McLean County furnished one company. Gen. Meritt
L. Covel beijg Captain, and Gen. Asahel Gridley, Lieutenant. They joined other com-
panies from Tazewell, Peoria and Fulton Counties, and mustered, early in May, about
two hundred and seventy -five strong, under command of Maj. Stillman, at Dixon. There
seemed to be considerable dissatisfaction, as usual on such occasions among the volun-
teers, at the tardiness of the movements of the regular troops under the command of
Gen. Atkinson, who were moving up Rock River, and with whom they were to act in
concert.

These men had volunteered their services for thirty days to drive the redskins out
of the country, and they wanted to get about it and return to their own homes. This
feeling was so strong among the men that Maj. Stillman and Gov. Reynolds reluctantly

268 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

consented to make a reconnoitering excursion to hunt Indians, who were known to be
somewhere about at uo great distance. They started out accordingly on the 13th of
May. and were quite successful in finding the Indians, or being found by them — a point
that has not yet been settled even unto the present day. The various versions of the
movements of the hostile parties on the following day are considerably confused ; but
the members of the company from IMcLeau do not hesitate to say that they were
actively engaged in the battle of Stillman's Run, and that the scenes at the close of the
battle were considerably nearer Dixon than the opening ones. Some accounts say that
only about forty Indians were actually engaged in the fight, while others say that there
were more than forty and four hundred. Be this as it may, those who were engaged
in it agree that there were enough.

In reference to this unfortunate affair, we find the following remark in the History
of lUinois, by Stuve : •' Perhaps no better material for an army could be found than
Maj. Stillman and his men, and their defeat was not the lack of bravery, but the want
of experience and discipline. No body of men, under similar circumstances, would
have acted more efficiently ; yet for years afterward they were made the subject of
thoughtless merriment and ridicule, as undeserving as their expedition was disastrous."

Probably this presentation of the case is, in a few words, judicious and conclusive.
Military history furnishes many instances of incomprehensible panics that have at times
taken possession of even regular soldiers; and of those, too, who on previous and on sub-
sequent occasions gave examples of splendid qualities as reliable and brave men. It is
certain that the Illinois volunteers afterward, in this same war, showed themselves to
be fully equal to the emergency, and were among the foremost of those who acted
efficiently in driving Black Hawk and his murderous gang out of the State.

After this rout of the volunteers at Stillman's Run, the Indians immediately
spread over the country, and indulged in the most execrable and wanton murder, even
making themselves merry over their innocent and defenseless victims — women and
children — as their screams filled the air with unavailing cries for help, amid the smoke
and flames of their dwellings. Terror took possession of the minds of the people in all
the northern part of the State, as the infuriated brutes busied themselves in their work
of destruction, and the danger was undoubtedly greatly magnified ; and an efficient
re-enforcement of fresh volunteers and I'egular troops, not very long afterward, drove the
hostile gang into the Mississippi River.

There can be no reasonable doubt that the Indians had been cheated and crowded
by the white men of the time; but the circumstances before this war, and the manner
in which it was carried on by Black Hawk, show conclusively that the motive on his
part was revenge, pure and simple. They had bargained away their country on this side
of the Mississippi, and had left it. There was no possible chance for them to recover
it. nor to hold it for any length of time should they succeed in getting temporary
possession of it. In plain language, the motive of the war was revenge ; and dearly
did they pay for the madness of their conduct.

One thing quite remarkable in reference to this comparatively insignificant war is
the number of men taking an active part in it who became afterward very distinguished
in public life, both civil and military. Gen. Scott commanded the regular troops,
though he did not arrive in time to take any active part in the fighting. He was
Commander-in-Chief of the American army, afterward, fur many years, and a candidate

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 269>

for the Presidency. Gen. Robert Anderson, of Fort Sumter fame, was a young
Lieutenant at that time in the regular army. Col. Zachary Taylor commanded the-
regular troops actually engaged in the Black Hawk war, afterward the distinguished
commander in the Mexican war, and subsequently President of the United States.
Hon. John T. Stuart, of Springfield, who has been repeatedly in Congress, and ought
to have been in the Senate, was a private among the volunteers in that war. Capt.
Harney, of the re<iular army, was afterward a distinguished General in the Mexican war.

Edward Baker, Esq., then a private among the volunteers, became a distinguished
orator, a member of Congress, then United States Senator, and was killed only too soon
to prevent his becoming a distinguished commander in the recent war. Lieut. Albert
Sidney Johnson, then of the regular army, was a man of splendid abilities, who, for-
tunately for the Union army, was killed at the battle of Shiloh, his loss being felt by
the Confederate army to be almost irreparable. Lieut. Jefferson Davis, then of the
regular army, did good service as a Colonel in the Mexican war, afterward a United
States Senator, and President of that figment called the Southern Confederacy.

But last and greatest of them all was Abraham Lincoln, at first a private and after-
ward a Captain in the Black Hawk war. What he afterward became needs not to be
told in these pages. These coincidences are certainly very remarkable.

Among those who went on this expedition in the first company from McLean
County, were Capt. M. L. Covel, First Lieut. Asahel Gridley, Second Lieut. Moses
Baldwin, First Sergt. Bailey H. Coffey, Fourth Sergt. David Simmons, and William
McCullough, Thomas 0. Rutledge, Michael Gates, James Phillips, James K. Orondorff^
Isaac Murphey, Samuel Durley, Clement Oatraan, James Paul, Reuben Windham, John
Vittito, Jesse Vandolah, Mr. Harris, George Wiley, Benjamin Conger and Joseph Dra-
per, who was wounded at the fight at Stillman's Run. At the expiration of the
thirty days for which they enlisted, the McLean County men returned home. Capt.
Robert McClure, of Stout's Grove, raised another company ; but tradition says that
they did only guard duty in ranging over several counties to prevent the India,ns from
committing depredations upon the people.

The citizens of McLean County were so fortunate as to win no laurels in the Mor-
mon war of 1841 and 1842.

WAR WITH MEXICO.

As the leading men of the nation were at the time very much divided in their sen-
timents as to the sufficiency of the causes that brought on the war with Mexico, their
discussion seems not to be called for in this sketch. The magnificent territory of Texas
was, of course, the prize which Mexico wished to retain, and which the United States
had no objection to take in. Moved by such desires, it was quite easy for the parties
to find a pretext for the contest. The question of boundary was a sufficient one.
Although Mexico could have no rational expectation of ever recovering Texas, it cut
her to the heart to see so large a portion of her former territory annexed irrevocably to
her already too powerful neighbor.

As it was not necessary to raise a large force, each county was called on for but few
men. In June, 1846, a company of 100 men volunteered in McLean County.

This company went to Springfield on the 9th of June; but from some misunder-
standing about the time for which they were to enlist, about half the company refused
to be sworn in, and returned home, and the company was filled up from another county.

■270 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

Dr. J. Elkin, at that time a practicing physician in the county, was Captain ; James
Withers was First Lieutenant, and William Duncan, Second Lieutenant. Benjamin
Wyatt was Orderly Sergeant, and John W. Lander and Shorty Dukestine Sergeants.
The following names comprise those who were mustered into the Fourth Regiment of
Illinois Volunteers, as Company B, from McLean County :

Andrew Hodge, Andrew Mason, Henry Lash, William Lash, James A. Parke,
Preston Riemer, John Misner, John Ogden, Anderson Young, Isaac Brown, John Jones,
-James Depew, John Cranmer, Isaac N. Savage, William Baldwin, Mason Baker, Thomas
Johnson, John Johnson, William Van Horn, William Tophouse, John Crumbeau, Will-
iam Little, Robert Mclntyre, Andrew Newton, James Jenkins, John Walker, Eggman
Walker, John Cranmer, George Perry, Thomas Owens, Joseph Bozarth, John Good,
William Broomfield, James Miller, Allen Palmer, Ichabod Dodson, Julius Caesar Surrel,
William Harbert, Hardon Escue, Peter Withers, Ezra Ball, Sr., Ezra Ball, Jr., John
S. Johnson, Joseph Glympse.

The Fourth Regiment was under the command of that splendid specimen of a
man, an orator, an officer and a gentleman, Edward D. Baker. He was very ably sup-
ported by a strong and most reliable man in the person of Lieut. Col. John Moore, of
this county, who was afterward Lieutenant Governor of the State, and for eight years
State Trea.surer of Illinois. The worth of these two men was appreciated by the regi-
ment and by the people. The State voted Lieut. Col. Moore a splendid sword in
acknowledgment of his eminent services. The sword is still among the family treas-
ures, and has been admired by many of his fellow-citizens.

The regiment went first to Matamoras on its way to join Gen. Taylor, but was
ordered to join Gen. Scott, which it did at Vera Cruz. It was engaged in the siege of
that strongly-fortified place, and in the storming of Cerro Gordo. The time of its
enlistment expired soon after, and it then returned home. Mr. Andrew Hodge and
Mr. John Misner died of sickness before being under fire. The two instances above
mentioned were the only ones in which the company from this county was engaged in
severe fighting. They represent Cerro Gordo as a very strong place and difficult of
approach. If it had been as bravely defended as it was stormed, the result might have
been different. Yet the Mexicans fought as bravely as could be expected of men who
were facing an enemy that all experience told them they could not defeat.

The Americans suffered more from the climate than from the valor of the enemy
until they arrived ujton the elevated plateau of the central part of the country. Yet
it mu.st be admitted that in several instances, in their strongholds, the Mexicans fought
bravely. Nearly all the commanding officers from Illinois were strong men, and won
much honor to themselves and to the State.

THE CIVIL WAR.

When that fearful calamity, the civil war for the rending in twain this magnificent
country, this glorious union of States, burst upon the public with the vibrations of the
cannon thundering upon Fort Sumter, in the air, it did not find McLean County unj)re-
pared to meet the terrible rosponsil)ilities resting upon the friends of union and of
human liberty. This county had given in the previous November election, the largest
majority for the Republican ticket, with Mr. Lincoln at its head, that it had ever given
any party on any subject. McLean County was justly regarded as the political center

H [STORY OF McLean COUNTY. 271

of Illinois. Here in Bloomington, the Republican party was born in Major's Hall, on
Front street. Mr. Lincoln's name first appeared in the columns of a public newspaper
in this city as a candidate for the Presidency. The citizens of McLean County had
done more to place him before the American people than those of any other county,
East or West. Therefore, much was expected from her and nobly did she respond.

Whatever differences of political sentiments might have before divided her citizens,
when the one question of the hour arose — union or disunion — there was but one
response, "The Union must and shall be preserved." When the ninety-days volun-
teers were called for, more than men enough answered immediately, and they went on
answering as long as they were called for.

A little calculation will show whether the people of McLean County were worthy
of the great confidence which was reposed in them. The census of 1860 puts the
population of the county at 28,772, but as the war continued for some time we will
call it 30,000. Suppose one-half of the population to be female and one-half to be
children and aged persons, and we have 7,500 left. Well, McLean County sent over
4,000 men into the Union armies, showing quite evidently that the county sent more
than one-half of her able-bodied men into the field. Scarcely could more be expected
from any people.

The first company raised in the county, early in the summer of 1861, under the
call of the President for 75,000 men for ninety days, was that of Captain Harvey.
They mustered in at Springfield a full company, and joined the Eighth Illinois Regi-
ment. Quite a number of the boys shed tears at the disappointment in not getting
into the service — there were too many of them. They spent most of their time at
Cairo, and when at the expiration of their time the Eighth Illinois was re-organized,
nearly all of Capt. Harvey's company re-enlisted and remained with him in the Eighth.
The company sufiered severely at the battle of Pittsburg Landing, and Capt. Harvey,
already acting Lieutenant Colonel, was killed.

Under the call of the President for 300,000 men, in the summer of 1861,
when the light began to break upon the people of the Northern States as to
the kind of a job they had on their hands, the Thirty-Third Regiment of Illinois Vol-
unteers was raised. This regiment was largely made up of Normal students from all
parts of the State, with a large element, of McLean County boys in its composition.
Company A was made up of men from all parts of the State. As Normal students,
most of them had been under voluntary drill for some time. They became the first
company ready to make up the Thirty-Third, and the rallying center for other com-
panies. Prof. L. H. Potter, of the Normal University, was chosen Captain.

Company C was a McLean County company, with Dr. E. R. Roe for Captain.
But, being promoted to Major on the organization of the regiment. Dr. Roe was succeeded
by Captain Daniel B. Robinson, who resigned, and went into another regiment as
Lieutenant Colonel. Lieutenant John L. Burnham was promoted to Captain and
resigned. First Lieutenant Henry M. Kellogg became Captain, and was killed at
Vicksburg. First Lieutenant Edward J. Lewis became Captain, and was mustered out
with the regiment. Lieutenant George H. Fifer died from wounds. Lieutenants
Amandus L. Bush and George W. Jones were mustered out with the regiment.
Company G was mostly composed of McLean County men, with Prof Ira Moore,
of the Normal, for Captain, who resigned in 1864. First Lieutenant George P. Ela

272 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

resigned, and First Lieutenant John T. Russell became Captain, and mustered out with
the regiment. Lieutenant William Elbert resigned, and Lieutenant Russell Puntenney
mustered out with the regiment.

THE DEATHS.

The deaths of twenty-five members of this company occurred, as by the records of
the company, and it is known that several others died soon after their discharge, from
disease contracted in the service. The list of names is: Wilham M. Jones, Narcisso
Livernois, David Irish, Andrew J. Boyd, Samuel B. Oswalt, Samuel J. Fogle, Alex-
ander \V. Wood, William Turnipseed, Warner A. Blue, William H. Sizemore, Levcn
A. Moore, Isaac W. Shiner, Chapman Shores, David H. Mitchell, William D. Shoup,
William H. Hawkins, Peter D. Jones, John H. Childers, Charles S. Shinn, Francia
(^uvillier, James Stevenson, John Riley, William P. Lanphier, Isaac Oswalt, William
Trimmer, Charles S. Smith.

FIELD AND STAFF.

Colonel, Charles E. Hovey ; Lieutenant Colonel, William R. Lockwood ; Major,
Edward E. Roe ; Surgeon, George E. Rex ; Assistant Surgeons, N. W. Abbott,
H. T. Antis, P]dwin May, H. L. Wallace, Oliver Rex ; Adjutants, F. M. Crandal, E.
A. Gove, Duncan J. Ingraham ; Quartermasters, Simeon Wright, Richard B. Fulks ;
Chaplains, Herman J. Eddy, N. P. Coltrin.

Col. Hovey was promoted to Brigadier General, Maj. Roe became Lieutenant
Colonel, and Capt. Potter became Major.

This regiment passed through a variety of experinces. It was organized at Camp
Butler August 29, 1861, and, on the 19th of September, went on the cars to St. Louis.
A part of the regiment was soon sent out to guard bridges on the railroad leading south-
west, where they had their first experiences of the enemy, a few being wounded, and a
considerable number taken prisoners. Their first battle was at Fredericktown, soon
after, in which they did excellent service, and in which Jeff Thompson and Col. Lowe
were badly whipped with heavy loss, and Col. Lowe was killed. On the 1st of March,
the regiment went southward with Geu. Steele, and joined the main army in Arkansas.
In July, it assisted to defeat Rusk's heavy force at the battle of Cache Bayou. The
rest of the summer was spent at Helena. Early in 1863, the regiment went to Vicks-
burg, and participated in the battles at Port Gibson, Champion Hills, Black River
Bridge, and in the terrible assault on Vicksburg May 22. In the siege, Col. Roe was
wounded, and Capt. Kellogg was killed.

The regiment was present at the memorable surrender of Vicksburg. Soon after, it
participated in the capture of Jackson, and went thence to New Orleans. It participated
in Banks' expedition up the Teche, and, in November, went down the Texas coast, was
engaged in the fight at Matagorda Bay, and a part of the Thirty-third was the first ta
enter the deserted fort and raise the national flag on its walls. In January, 18G4, the regi-
ment re-enlisted in the veteran service. In the following spring, it was sent to Brashear
City, and was a long time employed as bridge and station guards. Early in 18G5, the
Thirty-third was ordered to join the Mobile (ixpedition. Just as it was starting on its way,
it met with the terrible railroad accident that resulted in the death of eleven men, and the
injury of seventy others. The regiment participated in the taking of Spanish Fort, Fort
Blakely, and the surrender of Mobile. It went thence to Montgomery, marched tO'

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 278

Selma ; thence it went to Meridian, Miss., and thence to Vicksburg, about the middle of
August. It beat about to various points until the middle of November, when the order
came to be mustered out. The regiment reached Camp Butler on the 30th of the month,
and early in December it was paid otf and discharged.

NINETY-FOURTH ILLINOIS VOLUNTEERS.

In the summer of 1862, the call for 600,000 men aroused the people of McLean
County to a more earnest determination tlian ever before to meet every demand upon
their devotion to the defease of the Union. 3Ien of position and of means, took hold
of the matter ; public and private liberality were not wanting, and it was determined to
raise an entire regiment complete of McLean County men.

In less than ten days, 1 ,200 men responded, and two companies were obliged to
join other regiments. The idea of a solid regiment of men, most of whom were per-
sonally acquainted with each other, was very popular ; and had the movement been taken
at its flood, probably two regiments could have been raised in a few days. The pride of
McLean was up, and such enthusiasm to enter the service is not often seen twice in a
life-time.

After the organization of the companies was complete, a meeting was held on the
14th of August, in Bloomington. and the " McLean County Regiment," the Ninety-
Fourth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, was completed. The result was as follows: Colonel,
W. W. Orme ; Lieutenant Colonel, John McNulta ; Major, R. G. Laughlin ; Adjutant,
Hudson Burr; Quartermaster, M. L. Moore; Chaplain, Robert E. Guthrie; Surgeon,
Joseph C. Ross; Assistant Surgeon, A. E. Stewart; Sergeant-Major, Henry C. Provost;
Quartermaster Sergeant, R. S. Mclntyre ; Commissary Sergeant, Carlton Goring ; Hos-
pital Steward, H. W. Boyd; Wagonmaster, Charles W. Lander. Company A — Captain,
A. T. Briscoe; First Lieutenant, Guy A. Carlton; Second Lieutenant, A. S. Lawrence.
Company B — Captain, J. C. McFarland ; First Lieutenant, Patrick Gorman ; Second
Lieutenant, W. W. Elder. Company C — Captain, John FrankUn ; First Lieutenant,
G. B. Okesou ; Second Lieutenant, James A. Elder. Company D — Captain, G. W.
Brown; First Lieutenant, Timothy Owens; Second Lieutenant, William Vangundy.
Company E — Captain, John L. Routt; First Lieutenant, W. H. Wright; Second Lieu-
tenant, J. B. Hopkins. Company F — Captain, A. W. Walden ; First Lieutenant,
Joseph Denison; Second Lieutenant, J. W. Beatty. Company G — Captain, Aaron
Buckles; First Lieutenant, Peter Vanatta; Second Lieutenant, M. B. Ferguson. Com-
pany H — Captain, J. P. Orme; First Lieutenant, L. S. Johnson; Second Lieutenant,
H. C. Steere. Company I — Captain, W. H. Mann; First Lieutenant, Osborn Barnard;
Second Lieutenant, S. P. Howell. Company K — Captain, J. M. Burch ; First Lieu-
tenant, George Hayes ; Second Lieutenant, W. J. Bowlby.

As the regiment was permitted to rendezvous at Bloomington, the men were dis-
missed until August 25 ; and on re-assembling on that day, they went on board the cars
for St. Louis, amidst great excitement in the assembled multitude.

The regiment tarried at Benton Barracks until the 10th of September ; then it
shipped for RoUa, and on the 16th set out on a hot, thirsty march for Springfield, Mo.,
arriving on the 24th, where it remained a few weeks, fortifying that town, and practicing
battalion drill. Here the I'egiment was brigaded in Gen. Herron's Division, Gen. Blunt
and Gen. Totten commanding the two other divisions in the Southwest.

274 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

Toward the last of November, Gen. Blunt moved to the front as far as Can&
Hill, Ark., and found himself almost in the presence of Gen. Hindman, with greatly
superior forces. There were some slight collisions between them, but no decisive actions.
Meantime, Hindman had been busy gathering up men in all directions, and was about
ready to surround, with his 80,000 men, the little force of Gen. Blunt, when the latter
got wind of the movements and sent to Gen. Herron for help. Blunt managed to avoid
being taken in by his enemy for the time being; and on receiving the message December 3,
Gen. Herrou immediately broke camp, and moved to his relief, the Second Division fol-
lowing closely behind. On the 7th, Gen. Herron's Division, after a forced march of
120 miles, was about ten miles southwest of Fayetteville, Ark., and half way between
that place and Cane Hill.

Hindman, heai'ing of the approaching re-enforcements, very shrewdly allowed the
Union cavalry, which was in advance, to pass through his lines, and then brought
around his main force, leaving enough to keep Blunt busy upon the road leading from
Fayetteville, and located his men very advantageously at Prairie Grove, on Illinois
Creek. He undoubtedly intended, and with excellent prospects of accomplishing his
purposes, to cut to pieces their re-enforcements, and then to make a short job of Blunt's
little army. But he lost the precious opportunity by not immediately assuming the
aggressive, instead of putting himself upon the defensive. A part of the First Arkan-
sas Cavalry, forming the advance guard of Herron's Division, having been driven back
and scattered by the enemy, in the forenoon of the 7th of December, came rushing
past the infantry in a decidedly demoralized condition.

Gen. Herron's forces numbered between four thousand and five thousand men,
being composed of six regiments of infantry and four batteries. But not in the least
expecting to meet five times their number in almost immediate action, without waiting
for the Second Division to arrive, the men prepared for any contingency, by ridding
themselves of their knapsacks, and forming a line across the road. Crossing Illinois
Creek, the cavalry of the enemy falling back, our army found themselves in front of
Hindman's main force, posted on high ground about a mile from the creek, soon after
noon. In front of their position was an open field, with a border of timber on the
creek sufiicient to allow the Union regiments, under at least partial cover, to fall into
line of battle as fast as they came up. When it is taken into consideration, that this
little army was excessively fatigued by a forced march of three days and nights, com-
posed, mostly, of men who had never seen a battle, and faced by a vastly superior force
in a strong position, and well acquainted with the surroundings, the only wonder is, that
it was not utterly defeated and taken captive. Why this did not occur, as everything
indicated that it must, may be discovered by closely watching the progress of the battle,
which lasted from 2 o'clock until dark. We have been thus particular in stating the
circumstances in general, that the reader may have a better chance to appreciate the
conduct of the McLean County Ilegiment — the Ninety-fourth — in this, the first and
the severest trial of its metal. While the artillery was vigorously shelling the enemy's
position, the Ninety-fourth holding the extreme left, advanced and exchanged volleys
with the enemy. This firing of artillery and musketry went on for about an hour,
with scarcely any change of position on either side, the Confederate army being in the
edge of the woods on the brow of the hill, and the Union forces lying on the opposite
side of the field, at the foot of the hill.

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 275>

About 3 o'clock commenced an inexplicable movement by the Nineteenth Iowa
and Twentieth Wisconsin, occupying a position toward the right. These two reg-
iments advanced into the field, swinging toward the left ; and the Twentieth Wis-
consin struck a battery on the bluff, and, driving away the gunners, shot the artillery
horses. But the blunder was dearly attoned for. An overwhelming concentration of
fire upon them broke their ranks and drove them from the field. The utter rout of these
two regiments left a gap in the Union line, cutting the Ninety-fourth with Foust's Bat-
tery ofi" from the rest of the army, with the road to their rear laying in the gap.

Seeing this opening, the enemy repeatedly sent heavy masses of men forward to
take possession of the opening and overwhelm the small remaining forces. But all their
efforts were in vain. Every time they left their cover, a withering fire of musketry and
grape drove them back with severe loss. But the situation was becoming critical. Am-
munition was giving out — cartridges were handed from man to man — all but two of the
guns of Foust's battery had withdrawn from want of ammunition, and still the battle
raged all along the line.

Under such circumstances, if the Ninety-fourth had committed a single error, with
an enemy ten to one in their front, eager and confident of victory; had it wavered for
a moment and taken fright at the fearful odds against it, all would have been lost ;
the little army would have been destroyed or scattered ; Blunt would have fallen an.
easy prey, and the Union forces would have been driven back into Missouri with heavy
losses.

But the fearful results of the rashness, in dashing so small a force against such an
army, were not experienced. Just as night was approaching, the joyful rattle of Union
musketry was heard away toward the setting sun on the right, and the shout. Blunt !
Blunt ! ran through the whole line, from right to left, and the scene was changed. As
soon as the roar of battle was heard, Gen. Blunt had burst through the thin guards
left behind by Hindman, and hurried to the rescue. He came in good time. The
decisive moment had arrived, and it looked desperate to the boys in blue. This blow,
struck so opportunely, carried confusion into the enemy's ranks. A part of the forces
that were pressing the Ninety-fourth so severely, were withdrawn to meet this new
movement, and the boys were able to maintain their ground, still fighting till darkness
ended the contest.

Gen. McNulta endeared himself to the regiment by his intrepid conduct during
that eventful day, and he was nobly seconded by Maj. Laughlin. Every member of
the regiment seemed to have done his duty promptly and well. They bivouacked upon
the battle-field that night, expecting to renew the contest in the morning. But
when the morning came, they were equally astonished to find that the enemy had fled,
and that, of their own numbers, only one had been killed and twenty-six wounded.
That a regiment should come out of such a battle with so light a loss looks like a par-
adox. But it can be readily explained.

It will be recollected that the Ninety-fourth changed its position but slightly during
the battle, and was not, therefore, exposed to fire while in motion. Again, the enemy
was posted on a bluff of considerable elevation, and the Ninety-fourth was located near
the foot of the hill, on the opposite side of the field; consequently, in firing down hill,
the enemy had almost uniformly overshot. But the best joke was, that the Ninety-
fourth had been carefully drilled in firing while lying down. To hit a man thus lying

27(5 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

head to is almost impossible in the smoke and confusion of a battle. It will also be
borne in mind that the enemy came out into the field in masses, and were thus exposed
to a fire which no volunteer troops can be brought to stand, and before which even reg-
ular troops would not last long.

The regiment went on the expedition which took Van Buren, about the last of
December ; was in Fayetteville in January, 1863, and after splashing around in the mud
and slush for a couple of months, it returned to Lake Spring. During these marches,
from exposure, a very fatal pneumonia, in February, took seventeen men out of the
regiment. In June, the Ninety-fourth was called to Vicksburg, as that place could not
be taken without its assistance. In that memorable siege, the regiment lost only one
man killed and five wounded, though it was employed in active service and was present
at the surrender of that place. During the summer, the regiment was around gener-
ally, and in October, it was sent down fooling around in Texas, where there was noth-
ing to do worthy of such a body of men. In July, 1864, they returned to New
Orleans. Went to Mobile in August, arriving just in time to witness the surrender of
Fort Gaines. Took a hand in the siege of Fort Morgan, and having been deprived of
vegetables for a long time, the men suifered from scurvy, and were greatly relieved by
a supply of vegetables taken down to them from old McLean by Lieut. Osborne Barnard.

The regiment had considerable experience on the tramp^ building bridges and cor-
duroy roads ; was at the siege and taking of Spanish Fort. The last severe service of
the regiment was in clambering over all obstructions of a warlike character at mid-
niglit, and taking possession of Fort Alexis. Mobile surrendered two days afterward,
April 11, and thus virtually ended the war. On the 18th of June, the regiment took
another apparently aimless trip down to the coast of Texas, and remained at Galveston
awhile. Thence, in July, it moved on Camp Butler ; took that place on the 2d of
August, and arrived in Bloomington on the 9th, having traveled 8,000 miles, been in
nine encounters with the enemy, served in six States, never been defeated nor repulsed,
and having seen the object of its mission accomplished.

CHANGES.

Col. W. W. Orme was promoted to Brigadier General in November, 1862; Lieut.
Col. McNulta became Colonel; Maj. Laughlin became Lieutenant Colonel ; Capt. Briscoe
was promoted to Major; Capt. McFarland became Major; Capt. Routt, Assistant Quar-
termaster; Adjt. Burr, Adjutant General; Capt. J. P. Orme, shot by accident; Capt.
Burch, Provost Marshal ; Lieuts, Okeson, Owen, Denison, Vanatta, Moore, Howell and
Hays became Captains. Seven deaths occurred in action, and forty-five were wounded.
The Ninety-Fourth served three years, and everywhere did honor to itself and to McLean
County. One hundred and fifty-seven died from various causes, 164 were discharged,
149 were recruits, and 26 were neither Allied, discharged, mustered out, nor did they
die in the service.

TWENTY-SIXTH ILLINOIS INFANTRY.

Company K, of the Twenty-sixth Illinois, was recruited in Bloomington, and
organized in December, 1861, Ira J. Bloomficld, Captain; Allen H. Dillon, First Lieu-
tenant, and John B. Bruner, Second Lieutenant. The company joined its regiment at
Hannibal, Mo., February 6, 1862. It participated in the battles and skirmishes attend-
ing the capture of New Madrid, Point }*leasant, Riddle's Point and Island No. 10.

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 279

The company with its regiment, in the summer, went down the Mississippi, then up the
Tennessee, and fought all over Northern Mississippi and Western Tennessee — at Farm-
ington, Corinth, luka. Holly Springs, Collierville, and around generally. In 1863, it
was at the siege of Vicksburg and Jackson ; thence it marched to Memphis, and went
with Sherman to Chattanooga, and suifered severely at the battle of Mission Ridge, one
third of the men and officers of the regiment being killed or wounded. They were then
hurried up to the relief of Knoxville ; thence to Marysville and to Scott3boro, Ala. In
these marches, the men sufiFei-ed severely for the want of clothes and shoes.

In 1864, the company figured in all the terrible and exciting scenes around Atlanta,
(xa., thence in the grand march to the sea ; soon after it appeared in South Carolina, then
in North Carolina ; was at the capitulation of Johnston, and moved thence through Rich-
mond to Washington ; participated in the grand review of Gen. Sherman,' tarried
awhile at Crystal Springs, D. C, and mustered out at Louisville July 20, 1865.

Capt. Bloomfield was promoted, in the mean time, to Lieutenant Colonel, and then
to Colonel ; and Lieutenant Bruner to Captain, and then to Major. Out of the com-
pany there were killed Second Lieut. Thomas E. Ludwig, Melville R. Haynie, Martin
Hanley, August Oker, Daniel Allison, Benjamin C. Hill, John D. Weaver and Edwin
S. Loveland. Died of disease, Robertson Grant, Mark F. Onion, William R. Beers,
William R. Cheney, John McKay and Timothy Crane.

FIRST ILLINOIS CAVALRY.

By admitting thirty men from Putnam County, Company A of the First Illinois
Cavalry, was formed at Bloomington, and mustered into the United States service July
5, 1861, with John McNulta, Captain; George F. Jannatt, First Lieutenant; and J.
B. Dent, from Putnam County, Second Lieutenant. The company soon passed over
into Missouri, and was ordered to report to Col. U. S. Grant, commanding at Mexico.
Capt. IMcNulta's company was employed to break up the organizations of rebels
around the country, and tci employ home-guards and friendly citizens to drive the enemy
out of the vicinity, and operate against an organizing force under Gen. Harris, in which
they were successful.

The company was then ordered to move on to Lexington via Jefi'erson City, with
the rest of the regiment, and there relieved a small garrison of men besieged by a greatly
superior force of the enemy. Soon after, the news came that the enemy, under Gen.
Price, was approaching with overwhelming numbers. Thegarrison at Lexington, under
command of Col. Mulligan, could muster only 2,300 efficient men, and the approaching
enemy numbered 25,000. From the 12th to the 20th of September, this little army did
everything that brave men could do to repel the enemy, fighting continually and losing
heavily, till it was compelled on that day to surrender, though just in the act of making
one more effijrt at resistance.

The company was re-organized at Benton Barracks, and employed in the spring
and early summer of 1862 in fighting small parties of the rebels in Southwest Missouri
until July 17, when it was mustered out, and returned to Bloomington bearing the flag
which the ladies had presented to it, having in its folds the marks of more than three
hundred musket-balls. The reception of the company was enthusiastic. Capt. Mc-
Nulta had received a wound in the breast, but was soon ready to enter the Ninety-fourth
Illinois Regiment.

280 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

EIGHTH REGIMENT.

McLean County furnished Company K in the Eighth Regiment of three months'
volunteers, who re-enlisted at the expiration of their time — Col. Oglesby's regiment.
Company officers : Captain, William H. Harvey ; First Lieutenant, Price Keith; Second
Lieutenant. Abram Vandenburg.

The regiment was organized April 25, and spent its three months at Cairo. On
July 25, it re-organized for three years. It remained at Cairo till October, then at
Bird's Point, Mo., with occasionjil excursions, till February 2, 1862, thence it went up
the Tennessee, drove the enemy back from Fort Henry on the 5th, and on the 11th
was in the advance in attacking Fort Donelson. On the 15th it had a very severe
engagement with the enemy who were trying to cut their way out of the fort, and sus-
tained their assaults for more than three hours, losing 57 men killed and 191 wounded.
10 missing.

In March the regiment went to Pittsburg Landing, and lost in the terrible battles
on the 6th and 7th of April in succession, its acting commander, Capt. Ashmore, and
Capt. Harvey, killed instantly. The regiment did splendid service, losing 26 men
killed, 95 wounded and 11 missing. The Eighth spent the rest of 1862 in Tennessee,
in hard service, and in May, 1863, at the battle near Raymond, its splendid charge on
the center of the enemy saved the day. It was at Champion Hill, at Jackson, Big
Black River and at Vicksburg, distinguishing itself on several occasions. It was in
nearly all the hard fights in Northern Mississippi and Tennessee in the latter part of
1863 and in 1864. January 1, 1865, it started for New Orleans, having previously vet-
eranized, and went thence to Mobile. It had the usual experiences of a hard-fighting
regiment among the forts around Mobile Bay, losing 10 men killed and 54 wounded in
a triumphant charge on the works at Blakely. In May, 1865, the Eighth returned
to New Orleans and was up the Red River and at Marshall, Texas, until fall. In May,
1866, it was discharged at Springfield.

TWENTIETH REGIMENT.

McLean County furnished Company C in the Twentieth Regiment, with John 0.
Pullen, Captain ; John W. Champion, First Lieutenant, and Andrew J. Taylor, Second
Lieutenant. The Twentieth was mustered into service June 13, 1861, at Joliet, for
three years. (Some stay longer.) It was at St. Louis Arsenal, at Bird's Point, Cape
Girardeau and Frodericktown, having a victorious brush with Jeff Thompson. In
1862, it was at Fort Henry, in the three-days fight at Donelson. The regiment was in
the battle at Shiloh, in April, and at Britton's Lane, in September. It was mostly in
Northern Mississippi and Tennessee. Mtistered out July 16, 1865, at Louisville, Ky.

TWENTY-FOURTH REGIMENT.

McLean County furnished Company B to the Twenty-fourth. Captain, George
Heinrichs; First Lieiitenant, Julius Fritsch ; Second Lieutenant, Otto W. Block. The
regiment was mustered into service July 8, 1861, at Chicago. It spent the summer in
Missouri, and the next winter and summer in Kentucky and Tennessee. It was in the
battle at Perry ville, October 8, 1862, losing 25 killed, 77 wounded, 8 prisoners and 2
missing. It was employed variously the next year in Kentucky, and mustered out July
31, 1865, at Louisville. The Perryvillc battle was its only severe experience.

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 281

THIRTY-NINTH REGIMENT.

McLean County furnished Companies B and H and part of I to the Thirty-ninth.
Company B — Captain, Isaiah W. Wilmeth ; First Lieutenant, David F. Sellards ; Sec-
ond Lieutenant, James Haldeman. Company H — Captain, Gasper S. F. Dericks ;
First Lieutenant, Charles J. Wilder ; Second Lieutenant, Charles Flickinger. Com-
pany I — Captain, Hiram M. Phillips; First Lieutenant, Emory L. Waller; Second
Lieutenant, Albert W. Fellows.

This regiment was called the " Yates Phalanx," and was much favored by the Gov-
ernor. Under command of Col. Austin Light, it reported at Camp Benton, St. Louis,
about the middle of October, 1861, and was soon ordered to Williamsport, Md. For
several months, the Thirty-ninth was employed on guard duty on the Baltimore & Ohio
Railroad, having occasional collisions with the enemy, and suffering, in the winter, very
severely from exposure and want of quarters. In March, it took a hand in the brilliant
fight at Winchester, and went down the Shenandoah Valley, and was afterward at Har-
rison's Landing and at the second battle of Malvern Hill.

The Thirty-ninth was in North and South Carolina in 1863, in active service, and
was the first to mount the walls at the capture of Fort Wagner. It re-enlisted, met a
splendid reception in Chicago, 450 strong, in January, 1864, and recruited to 7.^0. It
was in Gen. Butler's disastrous expedition up the James River, in May, 1864, and was
at one time completely surrounded by the enemy, but cut its way out, with a loss of
nearly two hundred men killed, wounded or missing. On the 2d of June, it was again
in battle near the same place, and lost forty men, Lieut. Albert W. Fellows being killed
and Lieut. Al. C. Sweetzer shot through both legs, losing one by amputation. On the
16th, 17th and 18th of June, the regiment fought day and night with Longstreet's
Corps, near Petersburg, losing thirty-five men, Captain 0. F. Rudd being one of
them.

On the 16th of August, the Thirty-ninth was in the charge upon the works of the
enemy at Deep Run, and lost 104 men — Capt. L. A. Baker, Capt. Chauncy Wilhams,
and Lieuts. Frane, Lemons, Warner, Knapp and Butterfield being among them. On
the 13th of October, it was in the charge upon the enemy's works on the Darlington
road, seven miles from Richmond. Of the 250 men who went into the charge, 60 fell
— Capt. Heritage and Lieuts. C. J. Wilder and N. E. Davis among them, leaving First
Lieut. James Hann'um, one Adjutant and one Second Lieutenant the only oflBcers re-
maining. During the winter, the regiment was again recruited, and participated in the fear-
ful charge on Fort Gregg, the 2d day of April, 1865. Surrounding the fort was a ditch
six feet deep and twelve feet wide. Over this ditch, digging holes in the sides with
swords and bayonets, so as to climb up and get over the parapet, and over slippery
ground, did the 1 hirty-ninth mount, and engage in a desperate hand-to-hand fight for
half an hour, before the fort and entire garrison were captured. It was the first regi-
ment across the ditch and the first to plant its fiag on the parapet, losing sixteen killed
and forty-five wounded out of the 150 "^lo went into the charge. Seven out of nine of
its color-guard were shot down.

For its gallantry on this occasion, Maj. Gen. Gibbons, at the grand review of the
corps, placed upon its regimental staff a magnificent brazen eagle, which had been cast
for that purpose. The regiment was engaged in the pursuit and heading-off of Lee's
army and was present at the surrender of the Army of Northern Virginia. This

282 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

regiment gave the Eastern people a splendid specimen of Illinois material for soldiers, and
probably went through more suffering and fierce encounters with the enemy than any
other one in which McLean County was represented. It was mustered out at Norfolk,
Va., December (i, 18G5.

SIXTY-SECOND REGIMENT.

Company H represented McLean County in the Sixty-second Regiment. Captain,
Samuel Sherman ; First Lieutenant, John Foley ; Second Lieutenant, Robert B. Wil-
son. This regiment — Colonel, James M. True — was organized April 10, 1862. It
figured in Tennessee and in Arkansas, having but little experience with the enemy. Vet-
eranized in 186-1, and was mustered out at Little Rock, March 6, 1866.

SIXTY-THIRD REGIMENT.

Company D — Captain, John W. Champion ; First Lieutenant, James Isaminger ;
Second Lieutenant, Benjamin M. Tabler — was contributed by McLean County to the
Sixty-third Regiment — Colonel, Francis Mora. It was mustered in at Camp Dubois,
April 10, 1862. Went to Cairo, then to Kentucky and Tennessee. It was at Vicks-
burg, in May, 1863, and at the battle of Mission Ridge, in November. In 1864, it was
in Tennessee and Northern Mississippi, at Atlanta, and went down to the sea at Savan-
nah. It was in the busy scenes in the Carolinas ; lost tweuty-tive men by an explosion
at Columbia, S. C, and five men at Little Lynch's Creek. It was at Richmond May
10, and at the grand review at Washington, 2-lth May, 1865. Mustered out at Camp
Butler, July 13, 1865.

SIXTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT.

Company F — Captain, John W. Morris ; First Lieutenant, John R. Larrimore ;
Second Lieutenant, Lewis Ijams ; and Company Gr, Captain, James P. Moore; First
Lieutenant, Harvey C. De Mott ; Second Lieutenant, John H. Stout — were contributed
by McLean County to the Sixty-eighth — Colonel, Elias Stuart, and George W. Lackey,
Major. As this was a three-months regiment, the Adjutant General's Report gives no
history. It was mustered in July 16, 1862, and mustered out September 26, 1862.

SEVENTIETH REGIMENT.

McLean County contributed Company H — Captain, James 0. Donald, First Lieu-
tenant, John A. Robinson ; Second Lieutenant, Albert Braxton, to the Seventieth Regi-
ment — Colonel, 0. T. Reeves; Major, Joseph H. Scibird. The regiment was mustered
in July 23, 1862, and, as the Adjutant General's Report gives no date of mustering-
out, it is supposed to be still in the service, though it was a three-months regiment.

EIGHTY-SECOND REGIMENT.

Company E — Captain, Robert Sender; First Lieutenant, Rudolph Mueller; Second
Lieutenant, John Brech Celler — wa*, in part, contributed by McLean County — Colonel,
Frederic Hecker. It was mustered in October 23, 1862. The regiment started for
Wa.shington City November 3, and was in Gen. Burnside's second movement against
Fredi-ricksburg, in January, 1863. It was engaged in the battle at Chancellorsville,
losing 155 men, killed, wounded and missing. It was again heavily engaged at Gettys-
burg, losing 112 men, killed, wounded and missing. In September, 1863, it was trans-
ferred to the Department of the Cumberland, and was in the movements at Lookout
Mountain. It was mustered out June 0, 1865, at Washington City.

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 283

ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTEENTH REGIMENT.

McLean County contributed Company F, Captains, N. Bishop, Nicholas Gresch-
wind, William P. Gardner ; First Lieutenants, John B. Tutt, Samuel R. Rig?;s, John
A. Cochran ; Second Lieutenants, Edward E. Pratt, Jonathan C. Stansbury, John P.
Lewis. These gentlemen were all, except one, from Cheney's Grove. The regiment
was mustered in September 20, 1862, land mustered out June 7, 1865. The Adjutant
General's Report gives no further history.

ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTEENTH REGIMENT.

Company A — Captain, Samuel B. Kinsey; First Lieutenant, Harrison W. Wood,
Second Lieutenant, Dennis Kenyon — was made up in McLean County — Colonel, Risdon
M. Moore. The regiment was mustered in Sept. 19, at Camp Butler, and went to Memphis
in November, and remained there a year. In December, it pursued Forrest, and lost three
men killed. In February, 1863, it lost, in a skirmish, two killed and live wounded. It
was up Red River, and assisted in the capture of Fort De Russey. In 1864, it was
down in Louisiana, and skirmished its way back to Memphis. In the fall, it was all
over Missouri, and back again in Tennessee, in December, chasing Hood. In January,
1865, it was again in New Orleans; and in March and April, at Spanish Fort and at
Blakely, helping to capture those places. Thence it returned to Camp Butler, and was
mustered out August 5, 1865.

SCATTERINGS.

Besides the regiments and companies noticed heretofore, I&cLean County furnished
many men who enlisted in other regiments and in other States — some in Eastern regi-
ments. We will gather up a few of these scatterings : James A. Landon, from Le Roy,
Captain Company B in the One Hundred and Fifty-third Illinois Infantry. Joseph
Pitman, Blue Mound, Captain Company G ; Troy Moore, Blue Mound, Captain Com-
pany E ; Alexander H. Brown, Belleflower, Second Lieutenant, and Jesse D. De Witt,
Bloomington, First Lieutenant, Company C ; William Harness, Lexington, and Albert
W. Collins, Mount Hope, Second Lieutenants, De Witt C. Mears, Chenoa, First Lieu-
tenant, and Isaac P. Strayer, Bloomington, Captain, Company B, and John H. Nale,
Blue Mound, Major, in the One Hundred and Fifty-second Illinois Infantry. Captains
John H. Stout and Clarence D. Perry; First Lieutenant Augustus W. Rodgers ; and
Albert L. Piatt, Second Lieutenant, Company A, Bloomington ; Captain William B.
Lawrence, Bloomington ; First Lieutenant William Weaver, Oldtown ; and Second
Lieutenant William Van Gundy, Padua, Company B, in the One Hundred and Fiftieth
Illinois Regiment — George W. Kuner, Oldtown, Colonel ; Major Isaiah W. Wilmeth,
Bloomington ; Robert W. McMahon, Chenoa, Surgeon ; and Henry Kuhlman, Second
Lieutenant, Bloomington, Company G, of the One Hundred and Forty-sixth Illinois
Infantry.

Colonel George W. Lackey ; Adjutant John W. Morris ; Chaplain John C.
Hanna ; First Lieutenant Marmontell B. Geter, Company B, all of Bloomington. Sec-
ond Lieutenant, Company D, James Palmer, Mount Hope ; Captain Paphiras B.
Keyes, and Jonah S. Scovel, First Lieutenant, Company I; James P. Moore, Captain,
and, First Lieutenant Clarence D. Perry, Company K, all from Bloomington, of the
One Hundred and Forty-fifth Illinois Infantry. Henry W. Boyd, First Assistant Sur-
geon, One Hundred and Forty-fourth Illinois Infantry.

284 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

Second Lieutenant John P. McKnight, Chenoa, Company G, One Hundred and
Twenty-ninth Illinois Infantry. Allen Ellsworth, Bloomington, First Lieutenant Com-
pany I, One Hundred and Eighteenth Illinois Infantry.

CAVALRY.

We have already spoken of the First Cavalry Regiment. Of the officers of that
regiment, Bloomington furnished, of Company A, John McNulta, Captain, afterward
Colonel of Ninety-fourth Illinois Infantry; First Lieutenant, George P. Tannati,
afterward killed in Virginia ; and Second Lieutenant, James B. Dent, afterward Major
of the Fourteenth Illinois Cavalry.

Lieut. Col. Harvey Hogg, of the Second Cavalry Regiment, was from Bloom-
ington, and was killed in the battle of Bolivar, Tenn., August 30, 1862. Col. Hogg
was as brave a man as ever fell in defense of the rights of the human race. If it
wer§ admissible to speak of the faults of the noble dead, one could say that his bravery
bordered upon temerity. In private life, he was a model gentleman in manners and
sentiments.

THIRD CAVALRY.

Bloomington furnished the following officers of Company I in the Third Illinois
Cavalry: Captains, James NicoUs and Samuel F. DollofF; First Lieutenants, Samuel F.
Dolloif and John Duncan; Second Lieutenants, Edward 0. Rowley, John Paul and
Francis Cullum.

The Third Cavalry was organized at Camp Butler in August, 1861, by Col. E. A.
Carr. It operated in Missouri until the next summer, on guard duty, then went over
into Arkansas and returned in December, and six of the companies went down to
Vicksburg. It had lost, in an all-day engagement on the 7th of March, ten men killed
and forty wounded. One Captain and five men were drowned in crossing the White
River May 25. On the 7th of June, Capt. Sparks, with sixty-six men, cut his way
through a greatly superior number of the enemy, losing four wounded and four prisoners.
The regiment did good service in Tennessee, around and below Vicksburg, participating
in several engagements. Mustered out October 13, 1865.

FOURTH CAVALRY.

Bloomington furnished to the Fourth Cavalry Regiment Lieut. Col. William
McCuUough, Surgeon Hiram C. Luce, Chaplain Alfred Eddy, First Lieut. Ruthveu
W. Pike, and "^econd Lieut. David Quigg, of Company L, aad Le Roy sent Capt.
John M. Longstreth and Second Lieut. Robert D. Taylor, of the same company.
Colonel McCullough was killed in battle near Coffeeville, Miss., December 6, 1862,
beirig suddenly set upon by a greatly superior force. It is perhaps enough to say
that he left no braver man behind him. Mild and gentlemanly by nature, when
aroused he was a terror to evil-doers, and a stranger to personal fear. The regiment waK
afterward re-organized and consolidated.

FIFTH CAVALRY.

McLean County furnished the following officers to the Fifth Cavalry : To Company
C — Captains, William P. Withers, Francis A. Wheelock and Clarendon W. Wheelock ;
First Lieutenants, James Depew and Alcinous Y. Davidson ; Second Lieutenants,
James A. Lawrence, Thaddeus B. Packard and Joseph Smith ; and to Company D,
Alonzo Gr. Payne, Captain.

HISTORY' OF McLean county. ■ 285

The Fifth Regiment was mustered into service in November, 1861, Hall Wilson'
'Colonel. In February, 1862, it passed over into Missouri, and soon moved on to Doni-
phan, capturing a camp of the enemy, killing three and taking seven prisoners. In
June, it started for the Missis.sippi, and arrived at Helena July 13. On October 22, the
enemy attacked one of their forage trains, killing one, wounding six, and capturing
seventy-eight men and a Lieutenant. For the next year, sometimes single, sometimes
with other regiments, the Fifth was employed in the active scenes then passing all over
Mississippi, centering on Vicksburg. In 1865, it was in active and efficient service in
Mississippi, Arkansas, Texas. Louisiana and Tennessee, having several sharp and success-
ful encounters with the enemy. It was mustered out October 27, 1865.

Besides these contributions, there are several cases of individuals who have served
in other regiments. Samuel II. Bush, of Chenoa, was First Lieutenant in Co. D
of the Eleventh Cavalry. Henry M. Stahl, of Bloomington, was Adjutant in the
Twelfth. John A. Edwards, of Bloomington, was First Lieutenant of Company -C in
the Fourteenth. Lewis J. Ijams, of Bloomington, was Captain of Co. L in the
Sixteenth.

EIGHTH MISSOURI INFANTRY.

McLean County furnished to the Eighth Missouri Infantry Company D, Capt.
Giles A. Smith ; First Lieutenant, John White ; Second Lieutenant, Frederick Clapp.
After Capt. Smith was promoted, Capt. Potts was killed at Arkansas Post, and John
D. Coles was promoted from the ranks to Captain and Ostron to First Lieutenant, Mr.
White having gone as Captain to another company and Mr. Clapp resigned. The reg-
iment was mustered in on the 13th of June, 1861, at St. Louis Arsenal. It remained
in Missouri the rest of 1861 ; spent the winter of 1862, in Kentucky, and in the sum-
mer of that year it was at Fort Henry, Donelson and Shiloh, taking an active part in
them all. It was also at the siege of Corinth, and, in 1863, was at Vicksburg, with al'
that that implies ; afterward, at Memphis, Chattanooga and at Mission Ridge. The regi-
ment spent the winter of 1864 in Alabama. In the spring, it was again in Memphis,
and moved with the army down into Georgia and was in action on the way in the sev-
eral battles as far as x\tlanta. On the 13th of June, the time of its enlistment having
expired, the company returned home, but the regiment being veteranized went on down
to the sea and around through the Carolinas to Washington, with Sherman's army.

Capt. Smith was promoted to Colonel May 8, 1862 ; to Brigadier General in
the winter of 1863, and Brevet Major General in 1864, at Atlanta, Ga., for his gal-
lant conduct in battle in front of that city. It has been the fortune of but very
few men to win the hearts of his soldiers, the esteem of his fellow-officers and the
confidence of his superiors, so rapidly and so meritoriously as did Gen. Smith. On sev-
eral occasions, he showed that Illinois had in her volunteer service no better officer of
his rank than Gen. Giles A. Smith. He never failed in duty, never disappointed
expectation, and often surpassed both.

We have thus endeavored to give a sketch of the part that McLean County took
in the great civil war that swept like a besom of destruction over this otherwise happy
land. We trust that even this imperfect representation is sufficient to prove that the
county is not to be surpassed, whenever it undertakes anything in earnest, neither in
zeal nor in liberality. When the painful duty of sending thousands of its citizens into
danger and many of them to certain death, presented itself, there was no hesitation.

286 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

Means were immediately provided to assist those who needed help, and bounty was
piled upon bounty to relieve the families of those who, of limited means, had gone to
the front.

Nor did the gratitude of its citizens stop at assisting the living. They have con-
tributed liberally toward educating the orphans of those who had fallen in the field of
battle, or by the scarcely less destructive diseases incident to such a state of things,
and have cared for their widows and their families ; but they have remembered the
dead, also, and each succeeding year has witnessed the immense gathering of the people
on Decoration Day to strew with flowers the graves of their dead, and publicly recog-
nize the debt of gratitude so dearly earned, and suitably commend their patriotism to
the rising generation as worthy of their respect and of their imitation, should occasion
call upon them for a similar exhibition of it.

That these noble lessons may not be forgotten and as a lasting memento of its
gratitude, the county has erected a fitting monument, consecrated to the memory of its
fallen but not forgotten" citizen soldiers. On the 17th of June, 1869, the monu-
ment was appropriately consecrated, in the presence of an immense assemblage of the
people of the county. We give below a poem read on the occasion, and extracts from
an address delivered from the same stand, and thus close our remarks upon the military
history of McLean County.

fPoem by Dr. A. E. Stewart, of Randolph, read at the Dedication of the McLean County Soldiers' Honoment.J
marble shaft, lift up your head

Beneath this summer sky ;
The record of our patriot dead
Hold up to every eye !

Hold proudly up in sun and rain

The honored names of those
Seven hundred sons of old McLean

Whose fate your sculpture shows.

Tell how they rallied at her call

When War's wild bugle blew
That piercing blast, at Sumter's fall.

That thrilled the country through.

yay how from shop and field they came,

From anvil, plow and plane,
From ease and wealth and friends and home.

Her honor to maintain.

Remind us how, for weary years,

They bore our banner high,
Revived our hopes, dispelleil our fears.

And brought us victory !

How, as we watched their gallant course.

Our bosoms thrilled with pride ;

For us they fought, for us they bled,

For M.v, alas, they died.

«
Some died upon the battle-field.

Struck down by shot and shell,

At Shiloh, Vicksburg, Wilderness,

Where not ? Our heroes fell.

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 28T

Of slow disease in hospitals,

Some yieltleil up iheir breath ;
Some lived to reach their homes and friends.

Then died — a blessed death !

And some the ocean swallowed up

Beneath its angry waves ;
And some, from rebel prison-pens,

Went down to nameless graves !

Some in the first fierce combat fell —

The struggle just begun —
And some, just as the nation's cheers

Proclaimed the victory won.

All died as brave men love to die —

Their faces towai-d the foe ;
No craven's name is sculptured there !

Our rolls no traitor show !

Battling in Freedom's holy cause,

Each patriot hero fell,
And left us to posterity

Their gallant deeds to tell.

not to ancient Greece and Rome,

Need we for heroes turn,
Nor sound the praise of those who fell

At Boyne or Bannockburn !

Our heroes were our brothers, sons,

Our lives were twined with theirs,
And private griefs are gathered round

Each name that record bears.

marble shaft ! long may you lift

Your sculptured story high ;
Long may your tapering beauty lure

The passing stranger's eye.

Yet future years shall see you fall

Despite your sacred trust ;
Your solid base and column strong

Shall molder into dust.

Yet shall our heroes' honored names

Still find a resting-place
Where sun, nor rain, nor Time itself

The record shall erase !

We ask no leaf from History's tome,

We crave no sculptor's arts ;
With Memory's hand we've graven them

On the altars of our hearts !

SPEECH OF HON. L. WELDON AT THE DEDICATION OF TBE SOLDIERS' MONUMENT,

JUNE 17, 1869.

"Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen: Grateful in our recollectious, we
have assembled to dedicate with appropriate ceremony this mouument to the heroic

288 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

dead. This silent yet impressive memorial admonishes us as to the sacrifices which
have been made that freedom might live, that social and political order might be main-
tained, that the blessings of a free government might descend to our children. Stand-
ing as I do between the living and the dead, and remembering what the dead have
done, and realizing what the living will do, I may be permitted to exclaim, ' The lines
have fallen to us in pleasant places ! Yea, we have a goodly heritage ! ' Connected
with this day are historic associations which cheer the heart of the patriot, and endear
to him the memory of that Revolutionary virtue which made Bunker Hill one of the
brightest spots in the landscape of human liberty.

" How shall I speak to you to-day of the heroic past ? Human imagination is too
limited in the range of beauty, human genius too meager in the resources of its intelli-
gence, to do justice to the memory of the men whose patriotic virtues are intended to
be commemorated by this oifering. They fell in the bloom of their youth, and in the
'vigor of their manhood ; but as the poet has said :

" ' Whether on the gallows high,

Or in the battle's van,
The fittest place for man to die
Is where he dies for man.'

" This cold and classic pile honors the dead. Its durability of form will carry down
to coming generations the names and memories of these fearless champions of liberty.
And while you and I have reared this solid granite, this noble and imposing structure,
we can and may rear to their memory and to our glory a monument higher and nobler
.than can be built with quarried stone and chiseled marble. It may be well to say —

" 'On fame's eternal camping-ground

Their silent tents are spread,
And glory guards in solemn round

The bivouac of the dead.'

" This is pure poetry — it is a thought worthy of the genius of American literature,
and as a production of the head, it is unsurpassed in its resources of patriotic conception.
But, my fellow-citizens, the heart of gratitude and the hand of substantial charity are
to perform the crowning acts of patriotic benefiction. There are of the living camped
around and about us, the orphan, unconscious, it may be, of its desolation ; the widow
in the helplessness of woe ; the aged parent, the staff of whose declining years has been
taken as a sacrifice — these call to us by the memory of fathers, husbands and sons, to
be grateful to them as we enjoy the full fruition of liberty consecrated by the blood
and preserved by the valor of their kindred.

*******

" The struggle in which these heroes have fidlen has no parallel in the history of man-
kind. Its issues involve the destinv of free institutions throughout the world. It was
not a contest between nation and nation to extend the area of their empire, or to settle
by an appeal to arms some question of international differences, but it was the long-
delayed struggle between freedom and slavery, between popular institutions founded
upon broad and liberal- views of men's rights, and a circumscribed and selfish policy of
caste and aristocracy. Philosophically understood, the war was inevitable. The great
battles of history have decided the fate of empires. The maps, not only of our own

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 289

country, but of all civilized lands, are made and unmade by the terrible art of war. Not
only are limitations to territory established by the Grod of battles, but limitations to
laws, customs and constitutions.

" Victor Hugo asks : Was it possible that Napoleon should win the battle ? We
answer, No. Why ? Because of Wellington ? Because of Bluchor ? No ! Because
of God. Waterloo is not a battle ; it is a change of front of the universe. So, I
inquire, was it possible that secession should win the battle? I answer, No. Why?
Because of Lincoln ? Because of Grant ? No ! Because of God. Lee's surrender
was not the surrender of a battle ; it was a change of front of the universe.

" The cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night had become the guardian of free-
dom ; the sea was passed ; the world gazed upon the scene, and the Goddess of Liberty,
moved by the ecstatic inspiration of Miriam, shouted, ' Sing ye to the Lord, for He
hath triumphed gloriously; the horse and his rider hath He thrown into the sea.'

'' To such shrines as this, my fellow- citizens, you and I should often come to teach
us the lesson of patriotic devotion and moral heroism, and to impress upon us our obli-
gation to transmit to those who in their turn follow us, that liberty and those institu-
tions of republican equality purchased and preserved by these sacrifices. The cheer-
fulness with which the American volunteer rushed to the rescue of imperiled freedom,

is among the most gratifying indications of the past.

*******

'' The thundering of Sumter was heard in the crowded streets of the East, upon the
broad prairies of the West, and reverberating onward, it fired up the patriotic heart of the
bold adventurer on the shores of the Pacific, and, with one accord, there came from the
cities, plains and mountains of our Northlands, an army of heroes, such as before was
never marshaled by the proudest conqueror of ancient or modern times. It was a long,
bloody and sometimes even a doubtful contest. ' It is an easy matter to be a patriot in
the piping time of peace, in the sunny hour of prosperity.' But, when war, discord and
rebellion present their horrid forms to strike the liberty of a hundred years, it is then
that the patriot shines in his devotion to his country. It is then that he rises in che
majestic sublimity of the great sacrifice which he is ready and willing to lay upon the
altar of that country. Patriotism " is an enlargement, an exaltation of all the tender-
est, strongest sympathies of kindred and home. In all centuries and climes, it has lived
and has defied chains and dungeons and racks to crush it. It has strewed the earth
with monuments, and has shed undying luster on a thousand fields on which it has bat-
tled.' I have Said, fellow-citizens, that the lines have fallen to us in pleasant places-
A little over four years since, the cloud of civil war hung heavily in the zenith and hori-
zon of man's hope. It had rained drops of tears and blood. To-day that cloud is dis-
pelled, and the sun of our glory now beams with renewed brightness, and its rays will
carry joy throughout the world whenever man is to be raised up to the dignity of his
creation, and whenever tyranny is to be destroyed. This is not intended to commemo-
rate a mere military encounter between hostile armies ; it has a higher and nobler mission
to perform. It speaks to us of individual and national suffering, of domestic privations,
of weary marches, of sieges, camps, battle-fields and death ; and rising in the heroic form
of the American volunteer, it is historic of the final and glorious triumph of constitu-
tional liberty through the patriotic devotion of the citizen soldiery. * * * *

290 HISTORY OF McLEAN CODNTY.

" The hurricane, as it sweeps from the mountain-top ; the gentle zephyr, as it mur-
murs in the green valleys ; the sun, as it rises to gladden the landscape ; the blooming
prairie ; the deep solitude of the wild woods, the placid lake, the mighty river and the
thunder of the cataract, proclaim, as the voice of Grod, the freedom and independence of
our country. ' Fallen, but not forgotten.' No ; so long as liberty is loved, as valor is
admired, as purity and nobleness of purpose are cherished, as slavery is revolting and
freedom is lovely and fascinating, it may be said of these heroes, • Fallen, but not for-
gotten.' The county of McLean may be proud of the part it bore in wreathing around
the brow of Illinois the chaplet of immortal and unfading glory. Our sons mingled in
the strife from the Susquehanna to the Rio Grande, and have left upon the record of
their country's history a fame that will last as long as liberty is loved and oppression
hated. What citizen or son of McLean will fail to cherish with grateful recollection
the memory of Col. McCullough, with his bold and defiant heroism ; Col. Hogg, with his
proud and chivalric bearing, worthy of a knight ; Gen. Orme, with his brave and saga-
cious comprehension of duty — be who sought the field, not because he loved the
clang of arms, but went forth to battle because he loved his country and her liberty
better than his life. I refer to these names, not because I wish to draw a distinction
between them and the rest of this immortal throng, but they happened to be my inti-
mate and personal friends. I mean no disparagement to those who have distinguished
themselves when I say that the private soldier, above all others, is most worthy of our
gratitude and respect. His devotion to his country is unalloyed ; if he perishes in the
deadly charge, his name is lost to the fame of written history — he lives only in the grate-
ful recollection of his kindred and friends. * * * This monument may
crumble, its inscription may become obliterated, its stony foundation may be moved in
the countless ages which are to follow ; but, my fellow-citizens, the traditions of liberty,
the lessons of patriotism, the splendid achievements of valor with which these men have
impressed their age, will be felt in the preservation of freedom until time shall be no more.

" ' How many ages hence shall this
Their lofty scene be acted o'er,
In States unborn, and by ancients yet unknown ?'

" Mr. Webster, in the dedication of the monument at Bunker Hill, looking upon
the imposing structure, as its bold summit pierced the clouds, said : ' A duty has
been performed ! A work of gratitude and patriotism has been completed.' So it
may be said of this. Upon the cold marble are carved in letters of enduring praise the
names of the dead soldiers, and to this record of honest fame the child can point as a
legacy more precious than a patricaony of gold and silver. My friends, there rests
upon us a fearful responsibility. Into our hands for the time being, as the family of
freedom, is intrusted the jewel of liberty. If we fail in our experiment of republican
government, the hand upon the dial of time is set back at least a century. For the sake
of the living, the memory of the dead, and that free institutions may be transmitted to
our children, this temple of freedom, this form of national liberty, must be preserved.
Let us be grateful in acts of charity and kindness to the soldier's orphan and widow ;
let us remember how the dead have suffered that the living, in their political develop-
ment, might be the pride and ornament of history ; let us cherish memorials like this as
landmarks of freedom, union and liberty. With all its faults, the government for which

these heroes have died is the best yet established in the history of the race-

*******

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 291

" The success of the Federal arms in the suppression of the rebellion cannot be over-
estimated. The triumph of our adversaries would have been the death-knell of liberty
throughout the world. The fair valley of the Mississippi, richer than the Land of Prom-
ise, when the sun stood in Gibeon and the moon in the valley of Ajalon, would have
become the comnaon battle-field of warring States, nations and hostile people. The
Flag of the Union — the flag whose glittering stars and bright folds had been gazed
upon by Washington, as he led the soldiers of the Republic — would have been driven
from every sea ; national literature would have been destroyed ; the cherished memories
coming up from the battle-fields of the Revolution would have been forgotten ; ruin
and anarchy would have prevailed, and the rights of the people would have depended
upon the caprice of some bold adventurer, whose empire of dominion would have been
reared upon the broken fragments of our free institutions. But how different the
result because of the patriotic death and final triumph of these heroes — ' fallen but not
forgotten.'

" My friends, I would be untrue to my conviction of duty, and, I believe, to your
sense of justice and propriety, did I fail to refer to the great and good man who,
through the fearful storm, guided our destiny as a people. The war for independence
and national existence had its chieftain, who, in the resources of his grandness and
greatness, was above and beyond all others ; so, too, has the second war of inde-
pendence given birth to a champion worthy of the praise of all history. If civilization
should sweep westward to new scenes of triumph beyond our own country — if old and
now desolate fields should be renewed in their pristine beauty ; if the fox should look
out from the windows of the American capitol ; if our glory shall live only in history,
in poetry and song — yet, amid all this desolation, the patriot in every land, the states-
man of progress and the lover of true liberty throughout the world, whether he be a
' castled lord or a cabined slave,' will worship at the shrine of Abraham Lincoln. How
splendid, how pure his character ; how noble and yet how unostentatious in the perform-
ance of the great work which has made him one of the most resplendent of all the
heroes of liberty. Let us indulge the hope that the citizens of our country, in time to
come, will imitate the example which these soldiers have left in their lives and by their
deaths ; and that the character of Abraham Lincoln, in its outlines of moral, social
and political development, may become the standard of American statesmanship.
While we bring our offerings to the memory of the dead, we should not forget what

the hving have done in this great work.

* * * * * * *

" The women of ancient civilization gave the jewels of their hands to save the lib-
erty of their country ; the women of our day have given the jewels of their hearts to
save the liberty of their fathers. This work, as a mere specimen of art, is compliment-
ary to the head and the hand that executed it ; and as a work of the heart of the peo-
ple, in the name of liberty, of justice, of humanity ; in the name of the sacred cause
in which these men died ; in the name of the uprisen of liberty and the down-trodden
of tyranny, upon this, the anniversary of one of the great battles of the Revolution, I
now freely offer this consecrated tomb — these ashes of the honored dead.

* ^c * * * * *

" May the sword be beaten into a plowshare, and the spear into a pruning-hook, and
may our children dedicate monuments to the victories of peace rather than the triumphs

'2U'i

IIIMTdKV <ll' M.il.KAN (KMINTV

nt' wiir Mftv ilHiir lioi'iinn lie ('liiiin(MiiMn ul' |iliiliiHii|iliy, mI' iirl, uri'l ul fiiiriiil imil 'if
iMiirnI iKliniii (Vttiy W(t, In lJir< n\Ml oC niitiutml iiliiUnilinipy, oIwii'ihIi tJii< iitiion nl
Mix Hliili>n, iIik jiinr I'l^lilH ul' till, iiinl 1I10 iiilc^fiil y III' rovoliiliuiiiiry liltot'ly, iin our lii^lioNl
|iitl|i|i'iil liiti<ii<nl , mill iin wi« lliifrni' In llin iwili^lil ni' tUo ^riiv<<, iiiiiy our vininn li<<
c<iiIIkIii«iii'iI liy It IVi'it, iinili'ij imhI liii|i|i,y iK'npIo, niKt liiinin^i'iicoiiN wholly M|iri!ii(iiii^ i.liu
iliiitiliiliiii III' (lii'lr •<iti|ili'ii I'mni llii< liikcn In ilio t^iiH', rnnii ocniin Ui iiiioiiti.

" ' A iiiiIhm III liilii'n, II iiiilnii of IhimIo,
(\ imiImii III' Hiiili'i iiiiM«< I'ltn Mtivni' 1
A iiiiliiii III' litMirif), imiiliiii III' IihiiiIh,
AihI IIi« lliti; III' IliK lliiliiii rot'*<v(<r nii<l c^vii,
\iii| lliK lliifj III llii' liiiliiii riii'«<vMr,' "

IMtMT III'' II' Ml DIM
Till iiMiiii'i' III iIh' |iiihi nllii'ON in Mi'lii'iin (!iiiiiily iiro iin rnllnwN AiinwHiiiiili,
Iti'llt'lliiwi'i, IIJiHiMiliigliin, i 'JHMiiiii, Ciivi'll, hiitivi'Ki, hurl, Duwiin, I'IIInwihIIi, l'!ni|iiro
Hliilliiti, Oiti'ilit, Url*ll<\y, lit'iHJiix, llnywiirlii, Jiiijijir, IIihIniiii, KiimiIoi', I<i< Kny, lii<x
lii^iitii, IMi'liKiiti, MkihIiiwfi, Nnniiiil, Oiik < Jt'iivii, OMnitiii, I'lulim, l{iiiiilul|ili, Miiyiiriink,
Hi'linii, Sliirlny, HIihiIiimI, 'I'mumiiiIh, WcmIuu.

I'lllllKMIK'.H.

'riin n'li(',niii« pi'iil mii'iil i|i'Vi'lii|ii i| ilfmir III MM I'liiJy <iMy 111 iMrlinin ('niiiilv, iiikI
IIh iMilliviilliiti liiiM iilwiiyn Iikkm n oluii'itiiliM'iNlli' nl' IIm ti(<(i|ilo, Wiliiiii tin li(iiui(iiiiicr«
iiiiiV III' liiiiinl ri<|iri<Mi<nlitlivi'F) III' iiriirly till llii< ili'tinniiiiiiliniiM knmvn in flii< <!|iiiHtiiiti
Cliiiii li A ' nil HM'i ill'' Wi'ffi, iIh' IMt'llitiiliHlH woro liorn iiiirly nml m'livi'ly n'pn'Hcnltiil
liy pliiiii liiii r.iMiliiiin mill |j;itni<i'iilly I'lliiiciil |ii't*i(oli<<t'n. TIik Itiipli'^ln iiml iIh' I'lCHJiylt'-
rlmiH woi'o iiInii iii<ilvi<ly ri<pri<NitiiliMl In iliix cniinly in omly liiiii'N, 'IMiim'o Inivo iilwiiyn
jiiinii pKiipIo lioro III' I'lpincnpiil priilitri'ni'nN, Ninrn iIh' I'lmnlrv wim ni'llli-il, Inil llnv wm"-
Mliipi'il wiili iiiliiM' iliMiiiiiiiiiiiliuiiM until nniro ioimmiI liiinvi,

'ri'iiilllliin liil'iinnFi UN lliiii ilio IIcnI Mi'itnun pri>iii<lii<i| in IVIclii'iiii Cniiniv wmm iuIiIii'mnimI
III II l<>w IVioiiiIn p:iillii<i'i<il In^KlinM' liy l(i>v, JinnoH Hlrin^>ll<<l<l, m llir Inniilili' iiImhIi' nf
Mr .Inliii lli'iiiliu, iii'iii Itliiiiniin)/ (linvo, hiiiiIIii>iimI ul' Itliiiitnin^Hnn, in lli<< I'lill nl' IK'Jit.
Ml', Slrin^/.lli'lil wi»N I'lnni Konlnrky, mnl wiim mi iinclr ..J INIi Sdinf^^lliM, ilir nM fin
lli'iiimi hiill living in Hmnlulpli Hov, li)lii*ni'/,i<i' KIhhIom, nl' l{iiptir<l Hi<nliini<ntM pi'i'iinluul
In Movi'i'iil pliit'OM, wlii'i'i'Vi'i" II lii'ininfj, imiiiIiI Iio liml, mm i-mly iiw in IH'J-I |{i>v. I'l'vlon
Mili'lii'll r>it|lliMl in SiiiiiI'n (iiuvo in IHTt, mnl lliiiri> inliiiiliiriul llio ()iiinlii<rliiiiil I'ii'm
livli'iimi Cliiirt'li

III iliiino liiiyn i<mni< iilnn Knv, .Immm l<iillii, piiMii'liin^ iil Mlminiin); (]riivi< mnl
linilinil liliiilll \vlii<l'i*\'i<r llii> pniplit wuiiM HmIimi , ImiI Ihi NtMilllH iml lu liiiv<< piciit'lirii
I'li^illiU'ly I'm' II li'W yoiu'N, Mr. I<iillii wiiHi|iiitiHt |ii<iiiiiiii'iil nmn lunnnf ilii> MtilioiliHlN,
iind 1)0 liiiiK It liviOy inlonml in Mi<i<iilm' iilliiiiM, iiciMipyinf^ N(>v<<I'iiI pimilintiM ul' nmpun-
Hll.iliiv

I'luin IS'.Ililu IS;IU. \{o\H. NVillimn Mci', S \, Kulun mn, Sioplim M.«}|(tN_ m,,! Mr.
Sln<plii<rit l)ii(l oliiir^o ul' llio MolliuiliMl (*liuri<lti<M in iIiIh viiMiiily. || in niiiil (hut Hov.
IM. ('riNNoy proiu<hi<il ilic Hi'mI Horniuii in liluuiiiinfjun pinpiM', in IHItt, Moi^Hrit, Hnyitl,
Hall. CliiiHu mill llmioy wi>ri< Mm Niii'ooHmirM,

III ISill, llii> lil'Nl rmnp nioolilix in lliiN I'unnlv wun lu'M in l{iiiiili>l|>li (irovc llmt
ulil iipimtlo ul' MolliuiliNin iinii ul' ooooiilrii* plaiiinuMM ul' Npouoli, U(<v. i'utur (\ir(wri^lil,

IIIHTOKV (»K Viol, KAN rOJIflTV, 20JJ

])r>-n\ilitnf, (imhihI^'I liy Hcv, Mr. I<iil(fi imkI otlK-iM, Mi. l/iiflu w<ih hImo m rruifi oC miidi
dir'-'^tricMH of H[i(i<'(li iiii'l iii'.c.tiHUivnWy iri)i(l«i m pfiint llmf. wii)4 ho i(i«iviltilily ii[i|ili('.al(l<'. mm
iKil (,o f(c |i(ir(i'M(l(irly K''"'*'!y"'K '" •''' vi'^I.Mrm.

In l)i(!«;rrib«ir, IHJJ2, It'sv. (!(ilvifi W. iJiilihif.l. c.utinUi I'looiiiirij^ton, (ind, (»i f.lio
nti<'(;i;c4ht^ ./(iriiuiry, rKf.(if)li«li<r'l u l'rc«|>yf.<!ri(Mi (!lini(!li Kc wfi« niiiuuuuU'il l\ni y^•^tt
flillf»wifi}/ l>y l{.<;v. M('U<v»;/li, wlio i^i K|<((k<!n of hm u rriftii oC j/n-iif. Ififirnin^, In tln' I'lill
of IH.'»;», Ilov, li(!fnu<;l I'VmUt (irrivcl in l'.l((Ofriiri^(.»»(i, Fid WJm filso (i l'r<Kl<yl.<)ri)iri j
HfMJ Ih; hdih. (I «i!fniriHry of liuirtiirijr Ik^h! in l'loofriiri;/l<in i\if i'ufi, in I.Im! (ionnt.y
TImw) w«!r«) »li«; <'(irly })cy\nn'iiiyn of >»«!V»r(tl cIimk Ik^h now rxUutl in J.lii« (lil.y. 'I l"y
lutV'-. xinfio (iroKp«rr<'»l, iirxl fin; iri(iril»/r»liij; of Kornn of lli(;rri i» (j(ii»<i hirj/H, ()lli<ir
cliiinilioH liav«! Hifi/!«i l»«!«)ri i>ritiiu\'/.i;<l )u;rt), of wliiili (he (/jil-lioJicM nri' tlio iiio«f,
riiirrx'TouH,

Tli'i new M'-flio'linf, (/Imih'.Ii in I Ik cUy i» on*! oi' i\i<' finc»l. in llni HtdU-, HcnUfi^ ft
riiJfri<;roijH (in<l inoHf, nrHp«'(!(.fil»l<! rjon^^nij^fitioii, lidvirij/ a Vi;ry lfirj<<) nrnJ <ix<!«ill«!fit' orj/dfi,
wll lifin'll<;<l, )i y;oo(l clioir, (iii'l iitxl-cla^n iipi/oinlHu^nt.H ir* (ill iIh uniiitif<'im;iiln, wifli an
«'X«;i;ll«!nl. mnn (iri'l fin ';lo')ii<'n>. Kpiuikcr for |()iHt,or. 'I'lic (Iiidiolic, (Ilinrc.li, nof. y<f. com
fi\<:t/f, \h an irnrn«rnM<^ liuiMinj/ iiri'l (i(;(;ornifioi|fi(.»w ii ffiij|t,iMiiJirionK *',onj/r''j/iit.iofi, Wlinn
<!onij)l(!f.o in fill ilH fifipointnii-.nl.H, il, will (><! ouc, hi' f.li« i\nt',Ht (in'l hr^i'Ht (;)niro.\u;H in tho
Wimt. 'riiirri! ar*! oMwir liirj^n (iri'l wrllfifM-nili!*! clinrr'.li<-H in f,li<; cif.y, an<l in th*; <;<mitlry,
wliiuli will rf.ci-'tv)' ijno af.Ujnfion in anoffinr pjirt of t,lii>i work

'riiijro fin? in the ronnty Jihoiif. on«; Imri'lr';*! cdurrlM-w, fnrniKliinj/ mIiohI, l.liirl.y fivo
rli'iiiHand nU.iht'^n^ — wlii<',li tn nof, liir from (.Ik; ni<;nilM;rHliip,

'lUK I'KKKH

Mfl<'!firi (Jounty i» now fin<l it lia» »!V<;r ]t(;<'.u a noWKpfij^nr county In I H/»<), (icri,
Ori'llcy, Hon, .lfim<;K Allen ;in'l .I'hjw! W. Fell, Kn<\,fMiU-:r(;(l tiil^t arrflnj/'wnnnM »o Mart ft
prin»inj< otti';'-, in Ifloorninj/ton, For iIiIm purpose, lUcy piirclia*«!<l in l'liilii<l/lplii(i, for
c>irly f,iHM'« in si new rtounfry, a v«',ry j^oo'l prinf.in^ cxffihlinlirn'jnt, ami «liipp<<l i» for
liloomin^Jon liavinj/; Hot.nrcd tht; (WirviccH of Mr. William Hill, «in excellent. prin(.<:r
aii'l n ^oo'l man, K»ill livinj^ in the eity, U» piibliKli it. Tlie, re«nlt of tliefw^ nrranj/e,rne,nf.«
wa« that on the Hth of .Jfinnary, IH,'}7, the firHt niunher of the /{/ooMi'ii'/fon (Jhnf/nu/r
awl Mcljt'.'in (Jimnf// Aihin;til.f>-^UMiu; e.noij(<h to «wamp (iny ordiruiry C4fU('Ai^U-~iUiu\(i
'\\m Jipj)efiranee in the, town of |{loomin^l/;n. The t/;Wn Miirvive^J the nSutck itui\ n»> i\u\
the, pjipe.r,

'Che, ( fhn*'/n^fT wan of ^ood Ki//?, a vt^ry neat find we||.(^;rwJiie,U!/| pap<?r, Jt wfi« piih-
liKhe'l fihout two ycsirn tm'J a half, Mr, Mill havinj/ in tfie mean time HiHpo«e<| of hi«
intere.Ht therein an'i left,-- it heinj/; cdiU-A \>y Mr. Fell, » Vfry r/fwly writer, (iHninU;<l hy
Mr. VVellK (yolt/>n find others owfi»i'infilly, At the, en'l of tlnit time, t\ii; paper not heinj/
a finarieial nn<U'A;nn^ Jt« [rtjblieation wa« «iiMpe,nded.

In the »nmmer of IHif;, Mr. Kii«f«?ll Mite.hell earn/; U> HloouiUi'/Uiti and «tftrte/j
the [.iihlieatjon of the Mt;li«;<i.n (Jimtiif/ Ujui'ihIi't^ which «iirvive/| until th'! ffill of lH4f},
when it fell into the, \\\um\p, of it» indorn^rr, Mr (/- I'. Merriman Th'teiipon, Mr Mer
rimtin immediately c<>win<;u<.'(l the, pnhlir^ation of the, W/n/rm Whhf In l^fi't, he
Wild the, olhe,<! to ,VIex«rx JohnHon At Underwood, In iJecemher, IH**!^ MeK«r«. »le(»wv
W. Kell and (]. \'. M'irriman hoii;4ht the office?, and one, year thereof t.<;r Mr. Me.rriman
bought Mr, K«ir» inf,«re»t thwrdrr— it« narn« having bwm chttngf,d U) that of Inidl'ujf.nmr^

294 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

and, upon again becoming sole proprietor of the- paper, he again changed its name
to Pantagraph, the name which it sustains even unto the present day.

In June, 185-4, Mr. Merriman commenced the publication of the Daily Pantagraph,
as well as continuing the Weekly ; and, one year thereafter, instead of discontinuing the
Daily, as has been published in the county, he published also a TVi- Weekly edition —
which no other person has ever done in Bloomington. Here is what the Chicago Jour-
nal said of it on the reception of the first number of the Daily :

Bloomington Daily Pantagraph. — '' Tiny and neat as a new pin comes to us its
first number, with every assurance of success that can be gathered from the evidence of
enterprise and skillful managemeht, of which its columns possess a rich endowment. If
Bloomington does as much for its first daily, as its first daily, if well supported, can
do in return, we shall soon see your sheet enlarged. We do not see how it can be
otherwise improved, friend Merriman."

In October, 1855, Mr. Jacob Morris being associated with Mr. ]Merriman, the Panta-
graph o&ce was completely destroyed in the great fire that occurred in Bloomington at that
period. Since then it has passed through the hands of Mr. William E. Foote, Messrs.
Carpenter & Steele, Messrs. Scibird & Waters, into the possession of its present propri-
tor, Mr. W. 0. Davis. The paper has now a large circulation, and the Pantagraph
office is a valuable piece of property, being conducted with much ability and prudence.
The paper has always been an unhesitating advocate of the men and of the measures of
the Whig party, during its time, and of its successor, the Republican party.

The Deader. — The publication of the Weekly Leader was commenced in the fall
of 1868, by Messrs. Scibird and Waters. In 1870, the publication of a daily edition
was commenced, and the Leader office passing into the hands of a company the same
year, the paper soon obtained a large daily and a good weekly circulation, and did a
very fine job printing business. In 1874, it passed into the hands of its present pub-
lisher, M. F. Leland. It has constantly been an advocate of the men and measures of
the Republican party.

Democratic Papers. — There have been several efforts to establish a Democratic
paper in Bloomington, but none of them have been permanently successful. Either
from want of ability and adaptation on one side, or from want of patronage on the other
side, or from both causes, no Democratic paper has stood on a sure footing in McLean
County.

About 18-18 and 18-19, Mr. James Shoaff, under the supervision of Mr. Joseph
Duncan, published a Democratic paper here. It passed into other hands and ceased.
About 1854 to 1856, Col. Sam Pike published the daily and weekly Democratic Flag,
the hottest paper of the kind that has ever appeared in Bloomington. But the old
Colonel used to say — and he had tried it many times — that he could make more in
starting and selling out papers than in running them ; so the Flag passed into feebler
hands, and that, too, ceased. About 1859 and 1860, Mr. H. P. Merriman and Capt.
Orme published a Democratic paper ; and having a good job office, they did quite
well for some time. But it would not last.

In 1868, S. S. Parke, Esq., started the weekly, and afterward also the daily,
Democrat. It seemed to be doing well for awhile ; but that, too, would not last ; so it
ceased. From some cause, or causes, the want of skill and industry in the cultiva-
tors, or the uncongeniality of the soil, or the character of the seed, Democratic paper«

BLOOMINGTON

^^^-^^wrl^

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 297

have not taken root and prospered in McLean County. Several other efforts have been
made to establish papers here, as well in the English as in the German language ; but
they have been too numerous and too ephemeral to be individually noticed.

The Little Watchma7i, a Sunday-school paper, had quite a circulation, and flour-
ished for awhile. The Alumni Journal, by the students of the Wesleyan University,
has been published several years. The Banner of Holiness, a religious paper, and
which is said to have quite a circulation, has been published here since 1872. There
is also the Democratic News, published in the city, which has not yet gone the way of
its predecessors. The Sunday Ei/e is now published in Bloomington, and it is
a success. Nor has the press neglected other points in the county. The Times
has been published at Chenoa for ten or twelve years. Its existence for so many years
makes it evident that it has been well conducted and liberally patronized for so small a
place. In Lexington,' Saybrook and Le Roy papers have also been published undei
various names and with varied fortunes. Upon the whole, it may be said that the
press has been respectably conducted in McLean County, and with fair success.

SUNDAY SCHOOLS.

McLean County is a Sunday-school county. Below we give a few facts showing
that such is the case. There are, in round numbers, varying but slightly from exactness,
175 Sunday schools in the county, of which 125 are open all the year. Teachers
and officers, 2,000 ; scholars, 13,000. There have been, during the current year,
222,000 papers distributed, and there are 14,000 volumes in the libraries, and there
have been expended, during the year, nearly $6,000 in promoting the interests of these
schools.

These schools are not merely allowed to exist, as if upon probation, but they are
encouraged in every way by many of our best citizens, and no pains are spared to make
the exercises pleasant and profitable to the scholars who attend them. At the proper
season, re-unions and excursions are greatly enjoyed by the young folks and by the
older as well. The frequent meetings promote acquaintance and friendliness among
teachers and scholars and attachment to the objects sought to be accomplished.

The officers of the McLean Sunday-School Association are : President, F. J.
Fitzwilliam ; Secretary, A. Aron ; Treasurer, T. J. Willever, all of Bloomington.
Executive Committee — William Bone, Chairman ; J. S. Roush, Prof H. C. DeMotte,
J. W. Compton, Rev. J. E. Kumler, all of Bloomington; C. C. Rowell, Danvers ; L.
P. Scroggin, Lexington, and Prof M. L. Seymour, Normal. Vice Presidents — J. N.
King, J. L. Arbogast and S. H. Jennings, Saybrook ; R. A. Warlow, Ira Abbott,
Danvers ; J. R. Mason, Andrew Forbes, V. W. Thompkins, Bloomington ; James
Scott, Thaddeus Crostwait, Belleflower ; R. Gr. Jordan, Chenoa ; J. C. Arnold, Potosi ;
Byron Covey, W. M. Morris, LeRoy ; William B. Anthony, Shirley ; Gr. P. Brown, J.
Langstaff, G. W. Kirker, Lexington ; J. A. Moats, Towanda ; J. H. Ritchie, Arrow-
smith ; J. C. Bascom, McLean; R. M. Brown, Normal; George Fogle, Holder; H.
M. Ham, Ellsworth ; 0. C. Rutledge, Heyworth ; Daniel Bishop, Towanda ; A. J.
McWilliams, Oak Grove.

CONCLUSION.

We have thus rapidly sketched some of the features of the history of McLean
County. It was organized in 1831 from territory previously embraced in Tazewell

298 HISTORY OF McLean county.

County. It is one of the most picturesque and beautiful bodies of land in the West,
because its scenery is made up of rolling prairie interspersed with forest groves of ever-
varying size and form. It is one of the wealthiest counties in the State, because it is
the largest; because the character of its soil aud of its climate is such as to be
adapted to'^the production of a great variety of the necessaries and luxuries of life, and
because it has one of the most industrious and intelligent set of people in any county
to develop its capabilities.

Its facilities for transportation and for travel are scarcely rivaled anywhere ; as
from every nook and corner of its territory some railroad is easily accessible, and its
surface is cut by a multiplicity of good, common roads, and its numerous small streams
spanned by many excellent bridges. It is one of the healthiest counties in the country,
because its surface is elevated and rolling, and its many streams are rivulets of clear,
running water. While its gentle swells are excellent grain lands, its broad vales and
sweeping lowlands furnish rich pasturage in summer, and grateful food in winter for
multitudinous flocks and herds.

It has several public institutions, large and flourishing, many public and private
buildings that would be an honor and an ornament to any county. Its churches and its
schoolhouses are in every locality ; and many of its business houses would be models of
their kind in large cities. On the subject of education, leaving out the great city of
Chicago, it is undoubtedly the first county in the State, as on that subject alone more
than S4U0,000 are annually expended within its limits. Its religious teachers are every-
where and always at work.

In the late civil war, this county sent into the field more than four thousand vol-
unteers — constituting more than one-half of the population liable to do military duty ;
and thousands upon tens of thousands of dollars were privately and publicly poured out
annually upon them like water, to encourage those men to do their duty, and to make
them and their families comfortable. In this respect, McLean County acknowledges
itself to be second to no county in the State.

In less than sixty years, the territory of the county has been changed from a wild
and luxuriant waste, marked only by the paths of roaming savages, into a highly-cultivated
section of the civilized world, furnishing all the necessities and many of the refinements
and amenities of polished society. Its territory now contains more thousands of inhab-
itants than it has been years in acquiring them ; and for integrity of character, for
industry in their callings, and for ability and success in their enterprises, we commend
those inhabitants to the good graces of all people.

Note. — The compiler of these pages takes this opportunity to return his hearty
thanks to all who have assisted him in gathering the materials ; and were it not that it
might appear invidious, he would take pleasure in thanking several of them individually.
He will also remark that the name of Hon. L. H. Kerrick should appear in the list ot
Representatives in the State Legislature. It was omitted by an oversight in the report
from Springfield.

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 299

BLOOMINGTON TOWNSHIP.

BY CAPTAIN J. H. BURNHAM.

The territorry now included in the township of Bloomington is a part of our
common county, and as such entitled to its share in the interest attaching to the
general history of our State and nation ; but when we take it upon ourselves to learn
the history of the six miles square called Bloomington, we find it almost impossible to
divest general history from the local interest of the tract of land under consideration.
It would be pleasant to go back to the time when all the country, north of the Ohio,
was a French possession ; to glance at its first American baptism, in the year 1778,
when Gen. Clarke with his Virginians captured the whole region from the British, who
had taken it all from the French in 176.3 ; to learn something of its early history as a
portion of Virginia after Gen. Clarke returned from his expedition, at which time the
whole tract was a dependency of Virginia, called Illinois County ; to look at the same
country years later, when it was called the Northwest Territory, and to follow its
fortunes as the Territory of Indiana, then as the Territory of Illinois from 1809 down
to 1818, when the State of Illinois entered upon its independent career. In all these
varying changes, the little spot of land we are now examining had a territorial share,
but was peopled only by wild and savage Indians, who may have been intelligent enough
to know the French from the English, but who were not citizens of whatever power for the
time being was in possession of the land. It was not till 1822 that the territory now
known as McLean County possessed a single white inhabitant; and when, in that year,
the families of John Hendrix and John W. Dawson made a selection of sites for
homes, they were the first permanent settlers in the county, and were also the first in
Bloomington Township, of which we now propose^to give an historical sketch. We
have a right to suppose that long previous to the date we have mentioned important
events transpired here, in which white people took important parts. It was here iu
this very region that Gen Hopkins' army was embarrassed in 1813, in his fruitless
expedition from the Wabash toward the fort which was then standing at Peoria. It is
probable that many a party of French and friendly Indians have camped in our old
woods when on their way from Lake Michigan to Cahokia and Kaskaskia. Possibly
the early Indian traders and hunters may have built trading-stations and occupied them
for long periods, at points where our first settlers found partial clearings in the original
forests. But perhaps it is not best to indulge ourselves in much speculation or supposi-
tion on these topics, as we shall find our path obscure enough, following as we go the
best authenticated records that are now available.

BLOOMING GROVE, IN FAYETTE COUNTY.

We find that the first white men who made marks which have in any manner
entered into history were the Government land surveyors, who commenced the work of
dividing and subdividing the fertile acres of McLean County in the year 1821. The
final survey was not completed until October, 1823, when Blooming Grove Township
was surveyed by P. M. Hamtramack.

Our township has been situated in allegiance to many different counties. In 1817,
Illinois being then a Territory, the county of Crawford was in power here. In 1819,

300 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

a year after the State of Illinois had been admitted into the Union, Clark County had
jurisdiction, while, in 1821, Fayette County was organized, extending northeast as far
as the Illinois River, and to Fayette our first settlers owed allegiance. As under-
stood at the time, Fayette reached to tha Wisconsin line. This was the meaning of the
act incorporating Fayette County, but as, by a previous law, Pike County included all
north of the Illinois River, Fayette County could not enforce its claim to its most north-
ern territory.

All this region of country now known as McLean County, east of the Third Prin-
cipal Meridian, was situated in the county of Fayette, and thus remained until the
development of the country several years later rendered it absolutely necessary that this
immense tract should be subdivided into several counties. We will attempt to give the
names of only a few of the tirst settlers of this township, mentioning some of the most
prominent, but may, through inadvertence, omit others equally deserving. In 1822,
John Hendrix and John W. Dawson, with their families, settled in the southern por-
tion of Blooming Grove. There was with them in the same year a single man of the
name of Segur, who, however, did not stay long in the settlement, he having sold his
claim in 1823 to Mr. William Orendorff. Mr. Dawson remained four years, when he
removed to near the site of the old Indian town in Old Town Timber. During these
four years, while his family lived at the Grove, there were no less than fifteen different
families who made their homes here, so that Blooming Grove very soon became a well-
settled community. Mr. Hendrix is entitled to the honor of being the first settler, as
Mr. Dawson's family did not arrive till after Mr. H. had been here some weeks. Of
the family of John W. Dawson, who came in 1822, we will here remark that two are
now living in the city of Bloomington, having moved from Old Town many years ago.
The oldest is Mrs. William Paist, whose first husband was Maj. Owen Cheney. She
was about eight years old when her father moved to the Indian town. She was a great
favorite with the Indian squaws, who often carried her to their homes, keeping her for
days at a time, where the little girl was greatly pleased and interested. Mrs. P. does
not even yet appear aged — scarcely elderly. She takes a great interest in society, and
it seems hardly possible that this active lady has seen the full growth and development
of Blooming Grove, of Bloomington City and of McLean County. Her brother,
John Dawson, is the next oldest pioneer now living in our city.

Mr. John Hendrix is deserving of mention, having been a consistent, devoted Chris-
tian, who planted early good seed that has borne many fold. He has been honored by
having the railroad station on the Central in the Orendorff" neighborhood named after
him, as well as the post office, and the true spelling of the name should be Hendrix, it
being named for this good old pioneer. The first, sermon in Blooming Grove was
preached at the house of Mr. Hendrix, by Rev. James Stringfield, in 1823. Mr. Hen-
drix labored in the settlement as a true Christian should, and very few who have lived
in this county have left such a noble record. Men like Mr. Hendrix and Mr. Dawson
should always be held in grateful recollection by our people, both of them having been
men of great worth. With their two families, t^iey accomplished a great deal of good
in forming and molding the tone of society during the first two or three years of the
infant settlement. They labored in every manner possible to induce the best class of
emigrants to settle as neighbors and used all the skill they possessed to persuade unde-
sirable persons to move on or look further for more congenial neighborhoods. The

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 301

strict, almost Puritanic, ways of the religious Mr. Hendrix naturally had the effect of
impressing new-comers who were reckless and irreligious, with an aversion to his society,
and would as naturally attract pious men, like Rev. E. Rhodes, who came in 1823 or
1824, and the influence of all these early settlers was of lasting value.

The influence of a few of the early pioneers in determining the class of settlers who
were attracted to cast their lot in the same community, has often been referred to, but
we find that in the case of Blooming Grove a great deal was accomplished in this direc-
tion, in the first two or three years of its development, and in this manner we account
for the fact that at the time of the location here of the county seat, there was no settle-
ment of equal power and influence anywhere between Vandalia and the Wisconsin line.

In the year 1823, William Orendorft' and wife arrived, with Mr. Thomas Orendorff",
then a young man of twenty-three. In 1824, Mr. Goodheart and W. H. Hodge settled at
the Grove, and about the same time Mr. William Walker and family, and enough others
to bring the whole number of families up to about fifteen by the end of the year 1824.
There were no exceptions to the general good character attributed to all of the first
families, thus giving illustration to the old saying in regard to " birds of a feather."

Our sketch, imperfect as it is, must not omit all mention of the Rhodes family.
Ebenezer Rhodes came to the Grove in April, 1824. He was the first minister who
settled at Blooming Grove, having been ordained in the Separate Baptists, before com-
ing to Blooming Grove. Mr. Rhodes organized a small church at his own house, con-
sisting at first of eight persons. This church held meetings at the house of John
Benson and that of Josiah Brown, at Dry Grove. There had been occasional preaching
before his arrival, but from this time forward he kept up regular ministrations. He
appears to have been a natural missionary, and labored in all the young settlements within
thirty or forty miles. No doubt he was induced to settle here by the presence of such
men as John Hendrix, and the prospect that Blooming Grove would be the first settle-
ment able to maintain a church and school ; and we thus see the good efiect of the high
character of the pioneers of 1822, who attracted men like Mr. Rhodes, who in turn
exerted a similar influence upon later arrivals. In addition to his service as pastor, Mr.
Rhodes was a man of mechanical knowledge — could make spinning-wheels, seats and chairs,
and, as early as the first year of his arrival, set up a hand-mill for grinding corn, and in
the next year built one that was run by horse-power.

It would be pleasant to follow this good man in his various enterprises, but space
forbids. He was the father of Capt. John H. S. Rhodes and Jeremiah Rhodes, both
of whom came here in 1 824, and who were among the best of our pioneers. The latter
is still living, a hearty old gentleman, a connecting link between the past and the pres-
ent. He remembers well the condition of the country in those early days. When his
father arrived, the Kickapoo Indians were plentiful in this neighborhood. Their chief,
Ma-Shee-na, ordered the Rhodes family and others to the south side of the Sangamon
River, declaring that he had never signed the treaty which gave the whites por^ession
of Blooming (then called Keg) Grove. It appears that the old chief was sick at the
time the treaty was signed, but had sent his son to treat with the whites and sign the
articles. Ma-Shee-na threatened to burn the houses of the families here, but finally
compromised by allowing them to remain until fall. When one regards the treacherous
nature of the Indians, it looks as if the pioneers of 1824 ran a great risk in remaining,
under the circumstances ; but the chief appears to have been a pretty good sort of an

302 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

Indian, worthy of the confidence reposed in him, and, in the end, the settlers either com-
pletely won his good-will or, as is quite probable, so increased in numbers as to overawe
the whole tribe. It has been a matter of some surprise to us that the name of this Indian
chief, which we spell as pronounced, Ma-Shee-na, has not been preserved in this settle-
ment. So far as we know, there is not in this nei2;hborhood a sino'le Indian name, with
the exception of Kickapoo, which is the name of the creek that flows through
Blooming Grove.

The Kickapoos, a few Delawares, and some Pottawatomies were very plenty from
1822 to 1829, and were generally very kind and friendly. The settlers became
acquainted with them, knew their names, and in some cases formed friendships as perma-
nent and kindly as many existing between the whites themselves. When the Indians
left they were missed, and their absence as much regretted by some, as if they had been
old friends. Most of them left before the end of 1829, though as late as the summer of
1832, there were enough in this region within qne hundred miles of the Grove, to
cause grave apprehensions, this being the year of the Black Hawk war.

Very few Indian traditions have been preserved, owing, probably, to the fact that
the aborigines found by our early settlers were of a roving class, who came here from
the eastern part of the State, taking fhe places of other Indians who had preceded them.
Had our pioneers fallen in with Indians whose ancestors long resided here, we should
probably be able to gather some interesting Indian legends. The Grove was known as
Keg Grove until 1824, and, in fact, the old name clung to it at a much later period. It
is said that what are now called Sulphur Springs — formerly known as Hinshaw's Springs
— formed a common camping-place for hunters and travelers long before the first set-
tlers arrived. It was usual for parties to travel from the Wabash River to the fort at
what is now Peoria, or from Chicago to St. Louis. In either case, these springs were a
convenient stopping-place.

Tradition asserts that at one time a party of white men hid a keg of rum at this
point, probably intending to return for it in a short time. It was found by some Kiek-
apoo Indians, who, no doubt, then possessed the richest '-bonanza" of their whole lives.
The remarkable " find " was reported to the Indians all through this region, who named
this locality " Keg Grove."

The " first families " of our ancestors were not of the class who had any fancy for
a name which suggested drunken Indians, rum, whisky or anything of the kind, and
they believed it for the interest of the infant settlement that it should be rechristened,
and to Mrs. William OrendorfF is generally ascribed the credit of suggesting the name of
Blooming Grove, which proved a very suitable and acceptable name. This was about
the year 1824.

The first white female child born in McLean County was Elizabeth Ann Hendrix,
daughter of John Hendrix, born May 3, 1823. The first death occurred in the family
of Thomas Orendorff, it being one of his children, who died in 1825. Mr. 0. laid out
a family buryiog-ground at that time, which has become an established cemetery — the
oldest in the county. The first white male child born in this county (now living) is
John Lewis Orendorft", sou of Mr. Orendorft', who was born January 30, 1825. The
first school was taught by Miss Delila Mullen, in the house of John W. Dawson, in
1823, and it consisted at first of only five pupils. About the year 1825, a log school-
house was built, the first in this county. The site is on what is now the Oliver Oren-

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 303

dorflF farm. In the course of a few years, there was another schoolhouse, on the west
side of the Grrove.

In the year 1824, a class of Methodists was organized at the house of John Hen-
drix, and it was kept up until the year 1838.

The first blacksmitli at the Grove was the Rev. Mr. See, who lived in the Price
neighborhood, and was here as early as 1826. He did little jobs of such work, though
he was a Methodist minister and a farmer.

Thomas Orendorif was born August 14, 1800, at Spartansburg, S. C. He came to
Illinois in 1817, when this was a Territory, having been present at the birth of the
new State, as well as a prominent actor in its subsequent development. He lived in
several diff"erent places, having moved from Sangamon County, 111., to Keg, now Bloom-
ing Grove, on the 2d day of May, 1823. Thomas Orendorff was then a single
man, and made his home with his brother William, who accompanied him. He made
a claim near the Mason farm, about three miles south of the city of Bloomington.

October 5, 1824, he married Mary Malinda Walker, daughter of William Walker,
one of our most prominent pioneers. This was the first wedding in Blooming Grove.
The first in the county was the marriage of John Taylor ta Temperance Stringfield, at
Randolph's Grove in June, 1824. Rev. E. Rhodes married this couple, and at the
close of the ceremony published a notice of the intended marriage of the young couple
at Blooming Grove. He also posted written notices of their intention, and when
the time arrived performed the ceremony. The newly-married pair moved into a cabin
on Mr. OrendorflP's claim, where they made their home for a number of years, until Mr.
Orendorfi^, in his anxiety to be near the open prairie, convenient to a good stock-range,
moved to what was then called Little Grove, nearly a mile east of Blooming Grove, five
miles southeast of our city, where, with his venerable wife, he is still living, both being
in comparatively good health. It is rare, indeed, that we can find a couple who have been
married fifty-five years, and when we take into account the severe pioneer life they have
led, their good fortune seems almost wonderful.

In Prof Duis' "Good Old Times in McLean County," we read: "When Thomas
and William OrendorflF settled in McLean County, the old chief of the Kickapoos ( Mr.
O. now thinks these Indians were Delawares) came with Machina (afterward their
chief) and ordered them to leave. But the old chief spoke English in such a poor
manner that Thomas Orendorft' told him to keep still and let Machina talk. Then
Machina drew himself up and said in his heavy voice : ' Too much come back, white
man, t' other side Sangamon.' Mr. Orendorff told Machina that the latter had sold the
land to the whites ; but Machina denied it, and the discussion waxed warm, and the
chiefs went away, feeling very much insulted. Mr. OrendorfiF's friends considered his
life very much in danger, and he was advised by Judge Latham, the Indian agent, to leave
the county ; but he attended to his business and was not molested. At one time, an
Indian called Turkey came to Mr. Orendorfi", and gave him warning that Machina
would kill him ; but no attempt was made to put such a threat into execution." Mr.
Orendorff still remembers many incidents in relation to the Indians. He says at one
time he was talking with Machina about killing people. " You wouldn't kill a white
man would you ?" said Mr. 0. " No," says the Indian, " I go hell and damnation,"
indicating that he knew the penalty as taught by the missionaries. Mr. Orendorff" 's
memory, as also that of his wife, is now somewhat defective ; and when we consider

304 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

their early, anxious experiences with the Indians, their pioneer life, and their old age,
we only wonder at their being still alive and as comfortable as we now find them.

Mr. Orendorif was always one of the leading men of the infant settlement.
Whea the plan? for a new county were fully matured, he was selected with Rev. James
Latta, to go to Vandalia to secure from the Legislature an act of incorporation. These
county projects were very numerous at that time, one of the principal matters before
the Legislature being the proper consideration of the many county and county-seat
projects presented from the newly-settled parts of the State. Our committee urged
their claims so successfully that the bill for the incorporation of McLean County was
passed by the house in the forenoon and by the Senate in the afternoon of the same
day.

Mr. Orendorff has held several ofiices, having been the first Coroner of Tazewell
County in 1827, when by virtue of his ofiice he took the place of the County Assessor
who had failed to (jualify, and he assessed the immense territory, making a trip on
horse-back to the settlements toward Ottawa and Hennepin, on the Illinois River. He
was appointed Assessor and Treasurer for McLean County at its organization, and often
acted in prominent positions.

We cannot help regarding Mr. Orendorff with a feeling of veneration akin to rev-
erence. Here is a man who came to Illinois when it was a Territory ; who has witnessed
the full development of our wonderful State ; who was one of the principal organizers
of McLean County ; who has seen the full growth of our city ; who represents the
pioneers of Blooming Grove, being with his wife among the last now living.
Bloomington should take delight in honoring these noble people, and should be proud
to acknowledge its appreciation of their life-long services.

This couple are the parents of eleven children. John Berry Orendorfi", the oldest
who lives on the farm adjoining his father's, is one of the best known of the large con-
nection of Orendorffs. The others are all well known and all highly respected in their
several homes, which are in a number of difiierent States.

Esquire William OrendorfF's name will frequently appear in this history, as he was
one of the leading men of this settlement, in fact, of Central Illinois. He transacted
most of the public business of this precinct for several years. His children were four-
teen in number, of whom three are living in this county. Oliver H. P. and John
Lewis live in Blooming Grove, and are among the best known and most popular of our
citizens. They have a brother at Cheney's Grove.

The early settlers found here an abundance of game, consisting of deer, turkeys,
wolves and the smaller birds and animals. The immense prairies formed most admira-
ble pastures for deer, while the groves were the skulking-places of the large wolves that
were very plenty. Some of the pioneers were mighty hunters, while in every family a
gun was kept ready for the valuable game that might at any hour come within easy reach.
The venison of those early days was a very convenient substitute for the meat-markets
of modern times, and though not quite so sure to be found when wanted, was, in many
instances, almost as indispensable.

Deerskins, counskins and wolf-robes were important articles of commerce, and in
the first stores kept a few years later by Allin, Covell and Gridley, these valuables wera
the leading staples, forming, with beeswax and honey, the most common payment
from many a farmer who in after years sold his hogs and cattle by the hundred,

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 305

though at the time we are now alluding to, from 1822 to 1827, there was no reliable
market for these articles nearer than Vandalia, or the trading-points on the Wabash in
Indiana.

A full statement of the trials and difficulties encountered by our pioneers cannot
be given in this place, as we are simply chronicling events ; but we might mention a
few of the obstacles which they suffered from more than any others. The want of
good markets, or, in fact, of any market at all, has been mentioned. The prairie fires
were for years dreaded more than almost anything else. In early times, these fires
would come rolling before the wind in the fall and spring, often sweeping away fences,
farms or grain stacks, and causing severe losses. The settlers generally shared with
each other after such disasters, dividing crops with those who had been unfortunate, or
turning out day or night to fight fires, without the formality of an invitation.

But the saddest trouble of all was the malarial sickness of the early times.
Nearly every family was afflicted, disease and death being faced by all who ventured ta
remain in this country in the early days when the prairie sod was being broken and
subdued. After the prairie land was mostly improved, which brings us down as late as
1855, the health of the settlements grew better, and for the last twenty-five years there
has been comparatively little malarial disease.

During the period that elapsed from 1822 to 1827, Fayette County had jurisdic-
tion over all the territory now within the present limits of McLean County, and on
north as far as the Illinois River. Vandalia, the county seat, was over one hundred
miles distant. Blooming G-rove could exert but little influence in so large a district,
and its inhabitants urged the formation of a new county. For many years, the only
official in all this region was Mr. William Orendorff, who was commissioned in 1825, by
Gov. Coles, Justice of the Peace of Fayette County. His jurisdiction extended almost
indefinitely toward Wisconsin. The distance to Vandalia was so great that very few of
the settlers ever visited the county seat, unless it was on business of the utmost impor-
tance. There was one important State election while our pioneers were residents of
Fayette County — that of 1 824.

At this election, there was great excitement on the slavery question. On its
result depended the calling of a convention which would make the introduction of
slavery possible, and by a close vote it was decided in favor of freedom. The sentiment
of Blooming Grove was unanimously for freedom. The canvass of 1824, in the older
settled portions of the State, was exceedingly bitter and animated ; but, in the natural
course of events, people in a neighborhood which had only been settled two years could
have had few opportunities for being acquainted with the politics of the State of which
they had so recently become citizens.

The population of Illinois increased from 55,000, in 1820, to 157,445 in 1830, an
addition in ten years of 200 per cent. Population was then most dense on the Ohio
Biver and along the Mississippi in Southern Illinois. All of Northern, Western, and
a portion of Central Illinois, was in the possession of the Indians, of whom those in
the northern part were hostile, or in a quasi-hostile condition. When our pioneers
arrived here, the Indians intimated plainly that they preferred to have no white men
north of the Sangamon River. North of the Illinois River, the settlers did not dare
to locate; and, from 1820 to 1830, the region of Central Illinois was almost debatable
ground, only occupied by the most daring and hardy pioneers.

306 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

These pioneers flocked in rapidly, and took up the most desirable locations along
the edge of the timber, holding every inch of ground once occupied, going forward
with improvements and making homes for themselves and their families, giving this
settlement, in the course of the few years during which we have watched its development,
the name of being one of the best regulated of any in the State, and of possessing a
remarkably enterprising population.

Fayette County was evidently too large to be convenient, and, in 1826, it was
divided, Vermilion County having been erected in that year, including the territory
now under consideration. No wonder that this division was called for. when Vandalia,
the county seat of Fayette County, was distant over one hundred miles. No wonder
that the first couple married on the Mackinaw dispensed with a license, and in its stead
posted notices of their intention and called on a Justice to perform the ceremony with-
out the authority of the too great county of Fayette ! Blooming Grove, for one year
was in Vermilion County, though very little county business was transacted during that
year by citizens living in this locality. •

Blooming Grove contained about six thousand acres of the very finest timber to be
found in the West. Nearly every acre was covered with tall, heavy trees, while the soil
was of unrivaled fertility. It has been remarked, frequently, that nowhere in this State
is there to be found such a large body of rich timber-land, as the general character
•of the soil, which is covered with a natural growth of trees, is not of the best for farm-
ing purposes. The sudden development of this beautiful grove is shown by the fact
that, in 1827, it was the happy home of no less than twenty families of industrious,
well-behaved settlers, most of whom were surrounded by all the actual comforts, even if
they lacked most of the luxuries, of life.

These families formed at Blooming Grove a very important settlement, and began
to be restive under the jurisdiction of Fayette County. In 1826, Vermilion County was
formed, and its territory seemed to include the eastern part of what is now McLean. Our
settlers, however, had little to do with either Fayette or Vermilion County, and it is
difficult to state the exact condition of afi"airs during this year. The records of the
State Department at Springfield show that the most of the territory of McLean County
was included in Vermilion County in the year 1826 ; but we find from a careful inspec-
tion of the official records of Fayette County that during the year 1826 this portion of
McLean was recognized as being within the limits of Fayette. The old settlers state
that their being included in Vermilion was some kind of a " fraud," and that they never
were properly citizens of the latter county. It is an historical fact that Fayette claimed
jurisdiction here down to the time of the organization of Tazewell County in 1827, and
also that our citizens recognized the demand, and hence we do not see much force
in Vermilion's " technical " claim. It appears that at the March term of the Fayette
County Commissioners' Court in 1826, it was "ordered that all that part of the county
north of Township Seventeen ( 17) shall compose an election district, to be known by the
name of the Orendorfl" Precinct, and the election therein to be held at the house of
William Orendorfl", in said precinct ; and further, that William Orendorfl", John Benson
and James Latta be appointed Judges of Election of the same precinct." An election
was held on the 7th of August, 1826, and, on September 4, at the County Court, the
proper fees were allowed these judges, and also to the clerks of the election — William
JSee and William H. Hodge " in State paper at two for one." William Orendorfl" was

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 307

allowed his fees for returning the election to the county seat at Vandalia — 125 miles —
at the rate of 10 cents per mile, also " in State paper at two for one." The records of
this county do not show that our settlement had any county business until 1825, when
Joseph B. Harbert was appointed Road Supervisor, and these few entries which we have
given are all the items of business that appeared to be of any interest to the inhabitants
of Blooming Grove, who were so far removed from the county seat. It is interesting to
note how large a district was comprised within the " OrendorfF Precinct " organized by
the above-mentioned order of Fayette County. It included the northern portion of the
present county of Macon, most of DeWitt, Piatt, McLean, and, in fact, a strip of
coiintry of the same width from east to west in Fayette County, and extending north as
far as the Illinois River, or to the Wisconsin line, in Fayette County, was generally
understood at that time to include all the territory between its southern boundary and
the northern line of the State. It would be of great interest could we give the list of
voters who attended this first election, but the papers have been lost or mislaid.

The records show that James AUin was one of the Fayette County Commissioners
from 1822 to 1825, and judging from the frequency with which his name appears, he
must have been a valuable member. He thus acquired influence and position, and
when ho moved to Blooming Grove at a later date, he was, of course, well known to our
leading citizens. The books of the Circuit Clerk's office at Vandalia do not show that
a single case of either criminal or civil action ever appeared there from this settlement,
neither do the records give any evidence of the recording of deeds or mortgages. As
the land-sales had not then taken place, there could, of course, be no use for such
records. There are a few records of marriages, the last one being that of Jacob Spawr
to Eliza Ann Trimmer, who were " published," no license having been asked for, and they
were married by WiUiam Orendorff December 30, 1826. Blooming Grove, it appears,
became known at the county seat in rather a vague and indefinite manner, but was too
remote to receive much attention, 125 miles being too far even for those pioneer days.
Fayette County was destined to be subdivided, and in its division our territory was to
undergo several important changes of jurisdiction.

In the year 1827, the county of Tazewell was organized, and the career of Blooming
Grove while under its control will form our next chapter.

BLOOMING GROVE IN TAZEWELL COUNTY.

When the new county of Tazewell was organized, in 1827, Blooming Grove was
its most important settlement. We find its inhabitants had now no cause of complaint,
as they were among the most influential of the leading citizens. The records of Taze-
well County show that its first County Commissioners' Court was held April 10, 1827,
at the house of Mr. William Orendorff". This Court consisted of James Latta, of
Blooming Grove ; Benjamin Briggs and George Hittle,^from other parts of the county.
Of the new county's first officials, John Benson was Treasurer ; Thomas Orendorff^,
Coroner ; and W. H. Hodge, Sheriff" — all of Blooming Grove. The next meeting of
the Court was held at the house of Ephraim Stout, at Stout's Grove, and the first piece
of probate business transacted in the new county related to one of the residents of
Blooming Grove — Mrs. Benjamin Cox.

Among the pioneers of Blooming Grove, we find no one more worthy of men-
tion than Mrs. Benjamin Cox. Her husband had come here in 1825, had purchased

308 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

of John W. Dawson an improved claim with a log cabin ; had returned to Ohio
for his family and died within a few weeks after his return. His widow, the mother of
eight children, determined on emigrating, and with this large family braved the dangers
of the long road, and arrived at Blooming Grove, September 23, 1826. When we consider
the difficulties which the stoutest men encountered at that day, the bravery of this lady
entitles her to the front rank among our pioneers. April 25, 1827, we find from the
Tazewell records, Mrs. Felina Cox, widow of Benjamin Cox, was appointed guardian of
Aurelius, Benjamin, Nancy and David Cox, with William Orendorff and William Walker
as securities in the sum of $1,800. Mrs. Cox came here when Indians were plenty;
when only the bravest men had courage to penetrate into this wilderness, and she
deserves to be mentioned among the heroines ot Illinois.

The first blacksmith on the south side of Blooming Grove was a man of the name
of Dow, who came in 1829. The neighbors turned out and built him a shop, rejoicing
at now being able to obtain blacksmithing near their homes. Mr. Dow only remained
a short time. The first stock of goods was kept by Mr. Black, in 1828 or 1829, at the
house of Mr. William Orendorff. The first shoemaker seems to have been Mr. Will-
iam Orendorff", who frequently made and mended shoes for his neighbors, who would
gather corn or do some other farm work for him in payment. The first blacksmith and
carpenter work was accomplished in the same manner by the more ingenious of our
pioneers, as during those early times, the mother of invention, " necessity," was ever
present to stimulate all to deeds and works the actors hardly supposed themselves capa-
ble of performing. In fact, this statement is true even in these times, when our states-
men, our generals and our capitalists arise from the most humble surroundings, brought
to perfection by necessity, or in other words, by the genius of our free institutions.

Mr. William Orendorff" was made Justice of the Peace in Tazewell County, and
filled the office for many years. Judging from the early records he married a large
number of young couples. He married the first couple that wedded in this region after
Tazewell was organized, Abram Hobbs to Elizabeth Evans, June 25, 1827; Miss Evans
was a daughter of the William Evans who afterward settled in what is now the city of
Bloomington. The same year, he married Amos Lundy to Susannah Copes, August 16,
and the next year, on the 1st of January, 1828, John Kimler to Mary Cox. The lat-
ter were residents of Blooming Grove, as were John Cox and Elizabeth Walker, who
were married March 18, 1828. October 23, 1828, James Hodge was married to Minerva
J. See. All these wei'e married by Mr. Orendorff", who seems to have carried on a lively
business. Blooming Grove was gay with weddings in those times — as James Benson
married Polly Hinshaw, November 16, 1828; while January 1, 1829, Henry Miller married
Temperance Evans, daughter of William Evans. This last was a real Bloomington
wedding, the first, probably, that ever occurred within the present limits of the city of
Bloomington. The bride of that day, now Mrs. Jane Whitcomb, is still living at Old
Town, in this county. Three more weddings took place in the year 1829 — Richard
Grass to Elizabeth Maxwell, William Maxwell to Mrs. Elizabeth Hobbs, and James
Walker to Jane Brock. Within a little over two years, we thus find there were eight
or nine marriages of Blooming Grove couples, indicating a degree of enterprise that
has not been surpassed by any of the later inhabitants.

June 25, 1827, it was ordered that a new voting precinct, to be called Blooming
Grove, be formed of all that part of the county, east of Range 3, and north of Town

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUUTY. 309

22. This voting precinct was therefore thirty-six miles from east to west, and extended
from the south line of Bloomington Township, to the northern line of Tazewell County
on the north. The first election was held at the house of John Benson, and the first
Judges of Election were E. Rhodes, Henry Vansickle and William Orendorff. This
immense territory was erected into a road district, and Joseph B. Harbord was made
Road Supervisor.

The first grand jurors from Blooming Grrove Precinct were William Orendorflf,
John H. S. Rhodes, William Walker, L. Hurst, Peter McCullough and William Gil-
ston, whose names were drawn August 7, 1827. From this time until the year 1831,
when the new county of McLean was organized, the residents of Blooming Grove trans-
acted county business at Mackinaw, the county seat of Tazewell, only about twenty
miles away, and the transition from the far-away county seat at Vandalia was found most
convenient and agreeable. There was, in those days, but little business to be attended
to, but it was promptly despatched. We find that the first road in this region was laid
out in 1827, from "the upper point of Kickapoo and Salt Creek, to the northeast corner
of Blooming Grove, thence to the Dry Grove, thence to Mackinaw to the east end of
Main street." This was the first legal road in Bloomington.

One of the great difficulties of the pioneers, was the want of mills for making flour
and meal. Most of the streams of this region are liable to go dry in summer, and were
always a poor dependence ; but at this early time, very few good mills had been erected
in this vicinity. It was no uncommon thing for teams to go to mill all the way to
Attica, on the Wabash, in Indiana, distant 120 miles, or to Perryville, 110 miles.
They often went to the Sangamon, over 50 miles, to the Kankakee, 70 miles, and to
Green's mill, on the Fox River, above Ottawa, over 60 miles. When Whistler's mill
was built on the Mackinaw, in Tazewell County, it was considered quite a convenience,
although over 20 miles from Blooming Grove. Various were the expedients for dis-
pensing with these long trips. One of them was pounding corn in a piece of hard
wood, hollowed out on the principle of the pestle and mortar, and another was the horse-
mill. These mills were erected in nearly every settlement ; one being made here, a hand-
mill, by Ebenezer Rhodes, in 1824, and one in the winter of 1830, a horse-mill, by
Isaac Baker. The mill-stones were common "nigger-head" stones, from the surface of
the prairie, held in a frame in such a manner, that a horse traveling in a circle would
set them in motion. After the wheat was ground, the flour was separated from the
bran by sifting it through a bottom of two cloths, by which the flour was separated. It was
rather a wasteful method, and very slow, but it generally happened that the flour thus
obtained made good bread. Possibly our modern '' new process " flour, from the best Kan-
sas wheat, tastes less sweet to our palates thar> did the home-made article of fifty years
ago. Crushing corn, however, was the principal work of these mills. Small water-
mills were constructed, wherever there was an opportunity ; mostly, however, at a later
day. There was even one on Sugar Creek, near the present city of Bloomington, built
by Samuel Lander, which did good service foi several years, but later than the time of
which we are now speaking. It stood but a short distance below the old* Pekin road,
and the old dam is still to be seen. A mill was built on the Kickapoo, and several on
the Mackinaw, but the settlers, in 1829, longed for a reliable steam-mill that would
never go dry. All these difficulties were met, however, by a cheerfulness peculiar to
these pioneers. They were almost surrounded by Indians, of whose friendship they

310 HISTORY OF McLean county.

were never sure, being, in fact, in one of the frontier counties of the State, Woodford
not yet being organized, the territory of Tazewell extending to the Illinois River,
north of which was the disputed ground, where, in 1831 and 1832, Black Hawk's
bands roamed and massacred at will, and the public mind was in constant alarm from
rumors of anticipated outbreaks. There were also bold and venturesome settlers scat-
tered along the groves and creeks of Woodford, at this time citizens of Tazewell, and
also a few in the Vermilion timber, in what is at the present time in Livingston County,
but who were, at this date, included in the county of Tazewell. We shall see, in a
short time, that at a later period Blooming Grove and its neighbors raised a company
nf rangers for sixty days' service on the frontier of McLean, who, under Capt. J. H.
S. Rhodes, performed good service from the head of Mackinaw to the Vermilion, besides
hearing of more impoitant work in the Black Hawk war.

Our settlers were occupied in not only securing an education for their children, in
clearing and fencing farms, raising food and obtaining clothing, but they were compelled
to think of their defense against a common enemy, and we need not wonder that their
lives were anxious and laborious. We are surprised that they found time to participate
in the Presidential elections of 1824 and 1828, which took place during this period.
Tradition informs us that the voters were generally Jacksonians — even as late as 1832, only
six in the county having voted for Jackson's opponent. In 1824, the State gave two
electoral votes for Jackson, and one for Adams, and the indignation of citizens in this
part of the State knew no bounds when the election of Adams was proclaimed. In 1828, the
vote was for Jackson, with little opposition except on State and minor officers. Elections in
those days were diflferent from what we have seen in later years. People voted for men, and
not as much for measures. Party lines hardly existed, or if they did, the State was so
strongly Democratic that opposition was confined to a choice of candidates. Nomina-
tions were not made by conventions until in later times. Men became candidates and
ran for office on their merits, and the result, perhaps, was about the same as now,
though the means for accomplishing it might differ. To vote against a candidate par-
took of the nature of a personal affront, and many of the contests were peculiarly
bitter and aggravating. Offices were sought for with as much avidity as at present.
In the formation of new counties men saw opportunities for new offices as tempting,
no doubt, for their honors as we have seen them in later times for their emoluments.

The center of population and influence was in the OrendorfF neighborhood, about
fuur miles southeast of our city, where, at William Walker's house, Mr. Allin opened a
store late in 1829, where there was, as early as 1824, a log schoolhouse, and where, from
indications, it was thought, as early as in 1826, quite a village might one day be built.
Blooming Grove was, in 1827, well settled as a farming neighborhood. It was surrounded
on all sides by a belt of farms, some of them quite large, all of them valued highly by
their owners. These owners had most of them built comfortable log houses, had con-
structed many miles of rail fences, and had broken and cultivated a large area of prairie-
land. They were employed, as were all the pioneers of the day, in subduing nature, but
with it all they were social and happy, having a care for the morals and education of
their growing families, and making for the times one of the pleasantest settlements in the
new and growing State. There was in the neighborhood more than the usual amount of
warm hearted friendship and neighborly affection. All were equal in social state and
dignity. Fashion was not then the inexorable goddess we are accustomed to meet in

HISTORY OF McLean COUNTY. 311

these modern — perhaps we may add — these degenerate days. Our pioneers were proud
to be attired in home-spun, woven by the busy housewife of the period, while such a
thing as a carriage or buggy was unknown in Blooming Grove. Husbands went to
church on foot; their wives rode the horses, carrying with them such of the children as
were too young to make their way by walking. If the good wife was clad in a calico of
durable texture and fast color she was as happy as the fine ladies of to-day robed in vel-
vets and sealskins. The religion of the times favored a very rigid and severe adherence
to plain and unadorned attire, making, as it would almost look to us, rather a virtue of a
necessity, although a few years later, when the rapid accumulation of wealth rendered
display a matter of easy accomplishment, we shall find large numbers of the pioneers,
from motives of principle, refraining as carefully from any vain show or unnecessary orna-
ment as they did in the primitive times of which we are now writing.

For neighbors, the Blooming Grove farmers had the settlers in Randolph's Grove,
Dry and Twin Groves and Funk's Grove, voting in the same precinct with most of them
at first, while they knew all the inhabitants along the Mackinaw, from its head to far
below the old town of Mackinaw, in Tazewell County, with which county, it must be
remembered, they were attached until a year after the period we are now discussing. The
families at Cheney's Grove were also neighbors and friends, while people living: in Macon
and Sangamon Counties were alnjost as well known as those " around the Grove." Young
women then thought nothing of a walk of five or six miles to make calls, while for visit-
ing, a ride of thirty miles over the prairie was as easy as one could wish.

The early pioneers, those who came previous to October, 1829, could not obtain
a legal title to their farms, as the General Government did not offer the land here for
sale until October, 1829. Before this time all the land was held by "claims." The
settlers had an agreement among themselves by which they allowed a man to "claim"
about as much timber-land as he might need, generally not over 160 acres, upon which
he might build his cabin and make his other improvements ; and woe unto the speculator
or new-comer who should attempt to " claim" land already occupied by a bona-fide settler.
Blooming Grove was nearly all taken by these claimants before the land came into market,
and some of the prairie adjoining was, of course, taken in the same manner. These
claims were bought and sold, the purchaser coming into possession of the improvements
together with whatever rights were considered as appertaining thereto. Many quarrels
ensued from this state of affairs, though we do not find that Blooming Grove was the
scene of any difficulties of much note.

When the land-sales came off in October, 1 829, at Vandalia, there was a gathering
of pioneers from the townships offered for sale, at which no speculator was allowed to
purchase until all settlers had made their selections ; rather a high-handed proceeding,
as it would now appear, but one which was justified by the condition of the infant
settlements.

The records at our Court House show that John Hendrix entered the first tract
of land in the Grove, October 9, 1826 ; but as he purchased the adjoining eighty on
the 9th day of October, 1829, at which time the land all came into market, there is
almost a certainty that the first record is an error, and that he bought both pieces at the
same time in 1829.

A tract of eighty acres was entered on the 9th of October, 1829, in the names of
Seth and Isaac Baker. On the next day, October 10, it appears that no less than

312 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

eighteen of the pioneers of Blooming Grrove entered their farms, indicating that a jolly
crowd went from here to Vandalia at that time. Within a short time after this, it
appears, nearly the whole settlement secured their homes.

Many of our pioneers borrowed money at the exorbitant rate of twenty-five per
cent interest, in order to secure their farms. There was at that time no usury law in
the State. There were very few capitalists, money being very scarce indeed. Some of
the early settlers found it impossible to hold and pay for their farms at these rates,
although they paid such a low price for the land.

Quite a number of our pioneers borrowed money for their farms of Dr. R. H. Peebles,
of Vandalia, and his name appears frequently on our early records. He was regarded
as a man of wealth, having loaned money over a large area. We have stated that this
region was taken oft' from Fayette County, in 1826, and included in Vermilion County
for a time. In 1827, Tazewell County was formed, as we have mentioned, and, in
1829, its boundaries were re-arranged, and the eastern portion of Tazewell, including
Blooming Grove, was contained, nominally, within the limits of Vermilion from 1829
to 1831, but attached to Tazewell for county purposes. In the records of the County
Commissioners' proceedings at Pekin, this district is often spoken of as the " attached "
portion of Tazewell County. County lines were understood to be in a formative condi-
tion, and it was entirely uncertain where they would eventually be permanently estab-
lished, and hence one can realize that there was great interest felt in all schemes for the
formation of new counties. The territory under consideration was " in the market," so
to speak — ready for any project that might promise to benefit the interests of Blooming
Grove. For several years, there was quite a conflict between the interests of a portion
of the people living in what was then the " attached " portion of Tazewell and those in
the western part of the same county. The latter were not by any means united in their
interests, as Pekin was aspiring to become a county seat, while Mackinaw was striving
to retain the prize then held.

One of the last acts of the Tazewell County Court affecting the interests of
Blooming Grove Precinct was at the June term of 1830, when Judges of Election
were appointed. They were John Benson, John Hendrix and John Cox. The election
was ordered to be held at the house of William Evans. This being the year during
which the project was carried out for the formation of a new county, and, having taken
place after Mr. James Allin had opened his store at this point, it is altogether probable
that Mr. Allin favored the holding of this election at the house of Mr. Evans, in order
to enlighten the inhabitants of the Grove as to the eligibility of this locality as a site for
the county seat, although the mere fact of his store being here might have been the
main element of " centrality " that entered into the case. At all events, it is quite cer-
tain that this election at the house of Mr. Evans was the first public meeting of any
kind that was ever held in the city of Bloomington.

We are now approaching the time when the new county of McLean was organized,
and it is possible some of the; actors may have been interested in the manufacture of new
offices, as much as others were in the location of new county seats, and the combination
of these inducements no doubt contributed to the formation of the county of McLean,
as well as to the location of its capital, which was to grow into the thriving city of
Bloomington. It will, of course, be remembered that Blooming Grove was in Fayette
County until 1827, when tlie northern portion of Fayette was organized into the county

/T/r&nnv

BLOOMINGTON

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 315

of Tazewell, on the plea that the increase of settlement rendered it impossible to hold
this region as a dependency — one hundred miles from the county seat at Vandalia.
The new county, Tazewell, had its capital at Mackinawtown, only twenty miles distant,
and hence our settlers had not the excuse of inaccessibility, as before. Other reasons,
however, existed for the organization of a new county, a careful examination of which
will show good cause why a new county should be authorized. Tazewell County, as it
then existed, stretched from the Illinois River to the present line of Iroquois County,
or in that neighborhood, on the east, and to the Illinois River on the west and north, an
immense territory, now occupied by about seven or eight counties. This district was
lapidly filling with industrious settlers, and it was seen that new counties must be
carved out of this territory at no distant day. The problem for those interested here
at Blooming Grove was, to detach sufl&cient timber-land from Tazewell to form a
good county. Prairie was then reckoned as so much waste — little better than a desert.
After considerable scheming, a petition was taken to Vandalia by Thomas OrendoriF and
Mr. James Latta, who secured from the Legislature a law for the formation of a new
county, to be called McLean, which was detached from Tazewell at the session of 1830
and 1831.

The name McLean was given in honor of John McLean, who had been a Repre-
sentative in Congress, and was greatly respected. He had also been twice a member of
the United States Senate, and died in that office in 1830 ; and his death being a recent
event, it was natural that a new county should be named for the magnanimous, noble
man, who never had an enemy in his life. The law provided that a Commission should
meet in the new county and proceed to locate its county seat, which was accomplished,
as we shall briefly relate ; but we will first take a view of what was evident to those who
were actors in the events of the times.

We should also mention that by this time there were a number of families along
the Mackinaw, a good many at White Oak and Stout's Grove, while Dry and Twin
Groves, Randolph's Grove, Old Town Timber, Buckles', Cheney's, and in fact all the
groves were peopled with settlers ; and in some places there was still left good tim-
ber-land unclaimed, which, in a short time, as was well understood, would be as fully
occupied with families as were the other tracts of timber in the county. In all this dis-
trict the only trading-place was the store of James Allin, removed from the house of
William Walker to what is now Bloomington, and situated at what is now the southeast
corner of Grove and East streets. Of course, Mr. Allin did not supply all the goods
that were used, as Mackinawtown contained stores, while many goods were purchased
at Springfield, at Peoria, and at towns on the Wabash and other places. But it was
foreseen that the new county seat would be a place of considerable importance, even to
supply the trade already existing, while with the increase of settlement expected, busi-
ness would become at some future time, extensive enough to sustain considerable of a
town.

Mr. James Allin had opened his store at his new location in 1830, and made a
purchase of land where the city of Bloomington now stands. Before the law organizing
McLean County was passed, Mr. Allin formed his plans to secure the county seat,
though we cannot say just how much mention he made of his designs. The famous
deep snow came in the winter of 1830 and 1831, and was the means of preventing the
assembling of the county seat Commission on the " second Monday of February, or in five

316 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

days thereafter ; '' but as soon as possible, as they say in their report, they made their
selection of the site for the permanent county seat of McLean County.

A location was shown the Commission in the OrendoriF neighborhood. At this
time, in fact from 1823, William and Thomas Orendorff were the most substantial set-
tlers, or very nearly so, were very influential, and they were men who could, no doubt^
have secured the county seat near them, in what was then the oldest and best settled
part of the Grove, had they made the attempt. Mr. William Orendorff remarked that
he would not have his farm cut up by a little town, and made no effort, though impor-
tuned by some of his neighbors. Mr. James Allin was always grateful to Mr. Oren-
dorff for the stand he took. It was agreed by all parties that the name of the new
county seat should be Bloomington, and it was thus named in the act incorporating
McLean County.

Mrs. William Orendorff, a lady of more than ordinary talent, better educated than
the majority of the early settlers, and, withal, a person of fine personal appearance, ap-
pears to be entitled to the honor of changing the name of Keg Grove to Blooming
Grove, in 1824. From this, the transition to Bloomington seemed very natural and
proper, and the name met with very general approval all over the county.

The county seat of Monroe County, Ind., was named Bloomington April 10, 1818,
over twelve years before our town was laid out ; so we cannot claim to have originated
the name. There are now no less than thirteen Bloomingtons in as many different
States, but our city is much the largest and most important of all.

A post office was established here, named Blooming Grove, with Rev. William
See, Postmaster, on the 29th of January, 1829. Mr. See was the Methodist minister
of this circuit for several years. He lived in this settlement much of the time after
1824, though in 1831, at the time of the location of Bloomington, he was living in
Randolph Grove. Mr. See improved the Price farm on the east side of the Grove, and
here the first post office was kept for a little over one year.

During the years between 1822 and 1831, all of Blooming Grove was either bought
or "claimed" by settlers, and it was occupied by a class of hard-working, intelligent
farmers, who were bent on clearing their land, making good homes for their families, with
little thought of the glorious future in store for their settlement. Let us take a clear,
unobstructed view of the condition of Blooming Grove Settlement as it existed in
1830, before McLean County was organized, when Bloomington had no existence, and
in so doing we shall prepare our way for a better understanding of what followed. We
have seen that the whole grove was occupied at the date we have selected. We find
there were fifty families of whom we have learned the names, and it is likely there may
have been a few others. The names of the heads of families are John Hendrix, Rev.
E. Rhodes, Jeremiah Rhodes, William Orendorff", Thomas Orendorff, Rev. James Latta,
Henry Little, John H. S. Rhodes, William Goodheart, William H. Hodge, William Liud-
ley, Mrs. Benjamin Cox, David Simmons, John Benson, James Benson, George
Hinshaw, Sr., William Chatham, Moses Dunlap, William Waldron, Anthony Alberry,
William Thomas, John Canady, James Canady, Oman Olncy, Joseph Walker, Sr.,
William Michaels, John Lindley, Joseph Bailey Harbord, Achilles Deatherage, William
Walker, Timothy M. Gates, William Lucas, John Cox, Dr. Isaac Baker, Maj. Seth
Baker, H. M. Harbord, Parr Rathbone, John Mullen, Michael Allington, Nathan Low,
John Benson, Jr. and Benjamin Depew.

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 317

Of single young men living in Blooming Grove in 1830 and 1831, we have the^
names of David Cox, Aaron Rhodes, Samuel Rhodes, Joseph Walker, Jr., Wilson
Lindley, Cheney Thomas, Solomon Walker, Hiram Harbord, Moses Baker, Elliott Baker,
William T. T. Benson, Jesse Benson, William Olney, Sylvanus Olney, Franklin Grates,
Timothy Gates, William Canady, John Walker, Johnson Lucas, John D. Baker, James
Rhodes, James K. OrendorfF.

It is possible some of the above may have been rather young to be called men at
the time indicated ; while it is likely there were a number of young men living in the
settlement whose names are not mentioned in the foregoing list.

The following heads of families were living within what are now the city limits of
Bloomington before the town was laid out, in 1830, while it is probable a few others —
among them Dr. Baker and Rev. Mr. Latta — should also be included in this list ; but we
have placed them in the list of those living in the Grove. In the whole settlement, there
were fifty families: Henry Miller, James Tolliver, James Allin, John Greenman, Will-
iam Evans, John Maxwell, John Kimler and James Mason lived in what is now the
city of Bloomington.

Of young men then living in what is now the city of Bloomington, we find Will-
iam Dimmitt, William Evans, Jr., Frank Evans, William Durley, Merritt L. Covell, W.
H. Allen, William Greenman, Esek Greenman, Samuel Durley, John Durley and Sam-
uel Evans.

A few of the latter were hardly grown men. The Guthries were not living here
till just after the sale of lots, in 1831, after which time, we find them in Bloomington
settlement, though living at first in what is now Major's Grove. Adam Guthrie and
his brother Robert E. were among the most active of our early residents.

We have taken a great deal of pains to ascertain the names of all heads of fami-
lies who were here in 1830 and 1831, before the sale of lots, and believe we have
obtained nearly a full list. Of the names given as single men we do not feel quite as certain,
though it probably includes the most of those living here at the time. We have men-
tioned but few of those who were boys at that day, though it is evident there were a large
number of children in the fifty families here at Blooming Grove. It is probable that
the population of the settlement on the 4th of July, 1831, was between two hundred
and fifty and three hundred — indicating a solid basis for the new town of Bloomington,
which was about to start upon its career of fame and prosperity. By this time, many of the
farmers at the Grove were in quite comfortable circumstances, and their growing ability
to purchase comforts and luxuries for their families formed a much better basis for the
establishment of a town than was dreamed of by the most of the pioneers of the day.

AVe have thus sketched, briefly, the outline of the early history of Blooming
Grove, and have tried to make it perfectly clear that it was a thrifty, well-ordered, sub-
stantial farming neighborhood, of itself almost sufficiently important to found and build
a village of considerable future importance ; while its location was such that the sur-
rounding settlements were tributary to Blooming Grove, as a natural center. Taking
this view of the matter, we see satisfactory reasons for the locating here of the county
seat of the new county, and can proceed from this point with the history of Blooming-
ton, remarking that Blooming Grove, as a part of the precinct, afterward township, of
Bloomington, has an equal interest in whatever we relate of historical events after the
years 1830 and 1831.

318 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

JAMES ALLIN.

While we cannot pretend, in a work of this kind, to give much personal history,
we will mention that the Hon. James Allin was born January 13, 1788, in North Car-
olina. After several emigrations, he found himself, in 1821, at Vandalia, then the
county seat of Fayette County, which included a portion of the territory now in
McLean County. Mr. AUin was one of those far-seeing, shrewd business men, who
plainly saw that the rapid increase of population in the new State of Illinois would
result in the formation of new counties and the location of new towns, and he early
conceived the idea of being interested in some one or more of the future towns or cities
of Central Illinois.

In November, 1829, he came to Blooming Grove with a stock of goods which he
commenced selling at the house of William Walker, near Mr. OrendoriF's, in the south part
of the Grove. During the following winter and spring, he was forming plans for future
action. He learned before coming here from Vandalia that schemes were being matured
for the formation of a new county from the eastern part of Tazewell, and on his arrival,
he was of great assistance to the Orendorffs, Mr. W. H. Hodge. Mr. James Latta and
others, who were in the movement.

Mr. William Lindley, who is now living on the south side of Blooming Grove, states
that early in 1830 Mr. Allin offered to buy his claim, which covered Mr. Lindley's pres-
ent farm, stating that he wished to start a town. Mr. L. told him his land was too flat
and wet for that purpose, but if he would come with him to the north side of the
Grove, he would show him the best town site in the country. Mr. Allin came, and
they found that Mr. William Evans, who had a "claim" on 160 acres, wished to sell, and
a bargain was soon arranged. This Mr. Evans was not related to the other William Evans
who built the first house in Bloomington. He soon moved away to Missouri, or some-
where else, and disappeared from our history. Mr. Allin built a house, which is still
standing as a part of the family residence of Dr. Stipp, where he opened a store in one
end of the building in March, 1830 ; and during this year he went forward with his
plans for the formation of the county and the location of the county seat. David Sim-
mons came here in November, 1830, and at that time Mr. Allin told him there would
be a town where we now see Bloomington. The Legislature had not passed the act for
the incorporation of McLean County ; but Mr. Allin was confident of the outcome of
the plans which were being matured. During the following session of the Legislature,
Mr. Thomas Orendorff" and Rev. James Latta went to Vandalia with a petition for a
new county. Before they started, Mr. Allin rendered them valuable assistance by sug-
gestions as to how they should operate for the passage of the bill for the new county.
He had lived several years at the capital, and understood how these matters were man-
aged in legislative halls. When the act passed, it named three men to locate the county
seat, who were the parties Mr. Allin desired ; and when they met here they approved
of the site, and reported in favor of locating the county scat " at the north side of
the Blooming Grove."

Mr. James Allin donated twenty-two and one-half acres of land, to be divided into
lots and sold for the benefit of McLean County. Of course he owned land adjoining
that would be advanced in value, and he also intended to go on with his store and gen-
eral business. In advancing his own interests he also benefited the public, and he has
always justly taken rank as a benefactor of the community, having been very popular to

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 319

the day of his death. Mr. Allin was a far-seeing, shrewd business man, and was, in
fact, a model speculator. He selected the prettiest location for a town that could possi-
bly be found in the county. Blooming Grove and the prairie were adjoining each
other; his donated land, or the " original town," was just on the northern edge of the
grove, bounded by North, East and West streets, with Front street on its southern bor-
der. Three streets, Main, Center and Madison, ran through from north to south;
while Front, Washington and Jefferson crossed from east to west. Front street was
near the edge of the timber, a few noble trees of which are standing to-day in the front,
yards of the residences owned by Dr. Stipp, Mrs. W. H. Hanna, Gen. Gridley and
Absalom Funk. The Court House square is in the center of the " original town," as
Mr. Allin's donation is called. It is a remarkable fact that in Dr. Stipp's front yard,
the place where trade was first carried on in Bloomington, where our early pioneers
must have often tied their horses to young trees which are now of moderate size, may
still be seen the nearest approach to our virgin forest of any to be found near the heart
of the city, and that here the natural sod or turf has never been disturbed by the march
of improvement, as is proved by the annual blooming of the little " Spring Beauty,"
which is found nowhere else in the vicinity except in Gen. Gridley's grounds.

With the noble trees of Blooming Grove in its rear, and the rolling prairie in the
front on the north, the "original town" was a remarkable tract of land. From the
square, the natural surface fell off in every direction, giving the best of drainage, while
for quite a distance outside of the town the ground still continued to slope nicely, form-
ing the best natural grades that could possibly be desired.

Mr. Allin had noticed that the roads of that day, which were many of them on the
lines of the old Indian trails — the most natural modes of communication to be found in
a new country — all centered at Bloomington. He remarked that the route from Chicago
to St. Louis, here crossed the road from Columbus, Ohio, to Iowa and the West. Prob-
ably, he was thinking of the day when railroads would traverse these lines, and Bloom-
ington be the railroad center it has since become through efforts inaugurated partly by
Mr. Allin himself within two or three years of the founding of the new town. Inas-
much as railroads were at that date pushing on through Pennsylvania and Maryland,
and the people already began to talk of turning the great national road, then building
through Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, into a railroad to be built and owned by the Govern-
ment, it is highly probable, indeed almost certain, that Mr. Allin had formed plans for
railroad lines that should have their crossings, if not their termini, here. We find that
during the Internal Improvement craze in 1836, only five years after the location of
Bloomington, railroads were projected fi'om Chicago to Alton, from Cairo to Galena,
which have since been constructed and passed through here ; while there was still another
projected road to run from Bloomington to Pekin ; and, as Mr. Allin was one of the
best thinkers of this part of the country, he may have thought of these lines when he
first conceived of the location of the county seat at the north side of Blooming Grove.

In all the vicissitudes through which the new town passed, Mr. Allin never lost
his faith in Bloomington. He seemed aware of the possibilities of the town, and was
buoyed by an undoubting faith in its future destiny. He was assisted by such men as
Messrs. Gridley, Fell and Davis, men of deep, broad views, who are entitled to rank
with the foremost thinkers of the West — who are referred to as men of the greatest
foresight ; but of these men, he was, at least, the peer, their equal in enterprise and

320 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

activity, and their superior in faith and hope. In the mind of Mr. James Allin.
Bloomington was to grow into one of the prettiest and most thriving cities of the State ;
and no temporary discouragement could shake his belief in its glorious future.

To show that Mr. Allin's early efforts have been appreciated by those who have
reaped some of the rewards of his labors, we will refer to June 30, 1854, at the open-
ing of the Pike House. This hotel was then thought to be a most magnificent struct-
ure, and which, built of wood, on the exact site of the present Phoenix Hotel, costing
$25,000, was really a creditable institution. There was a gathering of our leading cit-
izens on this occasion, when Mr. James Allin gave this toast : " My favorite daughter
— Bloomington — a puny child and the object of intense parental solicitude, now spring-
ing up into a blooming and vigorous womanhood ; the idol of her father and the belle
of the commonwealth."

In response to this, Mr. William Wallace gave, " The venerable founder of Bloom-
ington — James Allin — a man never appalled by difiiculty, and who never lost sight of
the splendid future of our flourishing city in the dark hour of her trial." We are
thus enabled to perceive that Mr. Allin was appreciated fully by those who lived and
labored with him in the great work of founding and building the city.

He left no scheme untried that promised to benefit Bloomington, and in most of
his projects he received the active and efficient aid of A. Gridley, Jesse W. Fell, J.
E. McClun, M. L. Covell, David Davis, and others, who soon became citizens of
Bloomington. There was built up a public spirit — a sort of buoyant hopefulness and
cheerfulness — that is characteristic of Bloomington, and a willingness to work for one
common object, that has been the means of securing our city many very important
advantages, among which may be mentioned the railroad-shops, five railroads, and the
Normal and Soldiers' Home in our sister-town of Normal, all of which were the direct
outgrowth of the far-sighted, harmonious working of our leading prominent citizens of
the past and present. Long may their successors follow in the footsteps of their illus-
trious predecessors, ever showing a vigorous harmony in laboring for the public good.
Mr. Allin's efforts ceased not until late in life when he gently passed over the dark river
May 5, 18(39. He attended an Old Settlers' meeting in 1866, at which time the Bloom-
ington Fantagrapli, then edited by the author of this sketch, spoke of him as follows :

'' Mr. Allin's health is poor, and he has never recovered from a fall on the ice
which severely injured him about four years ago. He walks on crutches, and was
assisted up-stairs by two men. He was complimented by the speakers as the man
whose superior foresight pointed out Bloomington as the site of a future city when all
around was an uncultivated wilderness. According to what Gov. Moore and Mr. Grid-
ley said, Mr. Allin in his younger days was very much such a man as we occasionally
hear of now in frontier places. He used every honorable endeavor to induce emigrants
to locate in this county. If they wished to settle in the new town, Mr. Allen would
sell them lots at a low price if they had money, and would sell them at a lower figure
if they had a little money, or would give lots outright if they had no money, always
stipulating that improvements should be made.

"It was such unremitting care and exertions, which, in the course of a few years
gave this settlement a start that made it out of the question for any neighboring town
to compete with it, and made it eventually a point to be aimed at by railroads which
have now made Bloomington one of the thriftiest and best business places in the State.

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 321

" It must have been a proud day to Mr. AUin to meet so many old friends and
neighbors, not one of whom bears the slightest grudge against him, and to listen to such
eloquent and appreciative tributes to his life-long public spirit. With all his opportuni-
ties for building up a large fortune, Mr. Allin's valuable lands slipped from his hold in
one way and another, to parties who could not or would not pay much for their lots,
until, when property came to be really valuable, he had little left to sell. He, however?
acquired a comfortable competency, so that his old age is pleasantly passing in the midst
of a community he took such pride in drawing together. A more grasping man would
have so hesitated to sell property that settlers would have been driven away ; and a less
honorable man, if he had made more money, would have had fewer friends in his old
age. Bloomington owes a debt to Mr. Allin which it can never repay."

WARS AND RUMORS OP WARS.

The pioneers of Blooming Grove could muster about fifteen able-bodied men as
early as 1826, and formed the nucleus of a military company, ever ready for service
against the Indians, and for mutual protection if needed. The Indians were friendly,
but scarcely trusted, hence wisdom and prudence required constant watchfulness. The
danger arose from the fact that the Winnebago Indians, in the northern part of Illinois,
were treacherous and hostile, and might at any time embroil the friendly Kickapoos and
Delawares of Central Illinois. In 1827 occurred what is called the Winnebago war,
when the company at Blooming Grove, under Capt. J. H. S. Rhodes, came out. with
other troops that responded to the call of Gov. Reynolds, and, to the number of fifteen,
went as far as Peoria ; but the diflBculty was adjusted without their aid. The Black Hawk
war and its many incidents will be treated more at length in other portions of this
work.

During the years 1844, 1845 and 1846, the people of Illinois were greatly
enraged by the actions of the Mormons, who, to the number of 15,000, occupied
Nauvoo, making that the largest city in the State, controlled it by their elders,
and, for quite a period, kept the whole of Hancock County under the power of their
own government. The Governor twice called out troops to quell the disturbances, and,
at one time, the Mormons displayed such powers of resistance that the residents of
Bloomington began to make plans for volunteering to assist the State ; but, fortunately,
there was no call for many troops from this side of the Illinois River.

But when President Polk, in May, 1846, issued a proclamation calling for volun-
teers for the Mexican war, which was then raging, fixing the quota of Illinois at four
regiments, the patriotism and warlike spirit of Bloomington were at once aroused. Vol-
unteer? flocked here from all quarters, and, with those who enlisted from this village, took
a prominent part in the events of the Mexican war. Their exploits will be found given
more at length in the history of McLean County, where Bloomington's share will
be included in the county's record. The war for the Union will be mentioned but
briefly in this work, it being more recent than the events this book was intended to
describe.

THE FRONTIER SERVICE.

We have stated that the early settlers of Blooming Grove found Kickapoo Indians
here, who, under their chief, Ma-shee-na, were always friendly to the whites. Though
at first they used some threatening language, they never committed any disturbance.

322 HISTORY OF MoLEAN COUNTY.

As late as 1831, these Indians had mostly left, though they appeared occasionally,
traversing the country in all directions. One family seems to have been living in
Bloomington after the location of the county seat.

McLean was a frontier county up to 1840, as the settlement of the State was pro-
gressing from the south toward the north, where the Winnebago Indians and others
were less friendly than those in this region. The streams flowing to the Illinois in what
is now Woodford and Marshall County, had a few settlers, while portions of Livingston,
included in McLean till 1887, were beginning to have a few pioneers along the groves
and bodies of timber skirting the Vermilion River, Rook's Creek and other streams.
Not a single settler' was ever killed by Indians in McLean County, so far as we have
been able to learn, a fact that is quite remarkable when we consider the ordinary fatality
of the frontier settlements through the United States.

But while our settlers were thus fortunate, they did not pass unheeded the calls
from others less happily situated. When the Black Hawk war broke out in 1832,
Bloomington and the surrounding country sent a whole company of volunteers, under
command of Capt. Men-itt L. Covell. A. Gridley was First Lieutenant, M. Baldwin,
Second Lieutenant, and there were in all fifty-six men. Each man furnished his own
horse, gun, clothing and accouterments. These troops took part in what was known as
Stillman's defeat, above Dixon, in what is at present Ogle County. But one man was
killed from this company — Joseph Draper. A full report of all that happened on this
expedition is published elsewhere in this work, and we will be content with a statement
of facts in relation to the Indian troubles which have not been before presented to the
public, but which have been gathered recently from survivors, and are here given for
the first time.

When the troops from Tazewell and McLean Counties had returned to Ottawa and
were there building a fort for the protection of the settlers, supplies arrived from Pekin
and points on the Illinois River. Word was received that the people at Bloomington
were talking of building a fort, and that there was general alarm along the Mackinaw
and through the whole region from which the troops had enlisted. It was thought that
the Kickapoos might have been tampered with by emissaries from Black Hawk, whose
great success on the Rock River had, of course, emboldened him greatly. And no
wonder that our volunteers were excited. They had left home, a short time before,
fiilly persuaded that their own wives and little ones were sale ; and now to learn that
there was danger in their rear, they were tremendously agitated. All the best horses
and guns of the settlements, with the most resolute warriors, were thus absent from the
point of danger, and the case looked desperate. Rumor, perhaps, slightly exaggerated
the trouble ; but, even at this time, with a full knowledge of the actual risk from the
treacherous Indian nature, it looks as if these men had the best of reasons for their
actions. Thirteen of them, headed by David Simmons, who is now living in Blooming-
ton, determined to return home and guard the settleis, although their time of enlist-
ment had not expired, and they ran the risk of being called deserters. Besides Mr.
Simmons, we have the names of Bailey Coffee, Clem. Oatman, Isaac Murphy and James
K. Orendorff. On the second day after their start from Ottawa, they arrived at Bloom-
ington, where they were met by the whole population and received with a perfect ovation
of gratitude and thankfulness. Those men afterward all received honorable discharges,
their action having been considered right and jiroper, even if a little unmilitary. In a

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 323

few days, the balance of the company returned from Ottawa, and, in the mean time,
authority had been given for raising a company of rangers for service on the frontiers of
McLean County for sixty days. A fort was built near the east end of Mackinaw Timber,
at Mr. Henline's, where the settlers living in what is now Lawndale, Lexington and
Money Creek were in the habit of assembling for safety. The company of rangers made
this fort their headquarters, and patrolled the region north, [ndian Grove, Rook's Creek,
Vermilion Timber, and all places where the inhabitants were unprotected. Capt. John
H. S. Rhodes was the commander, though Capt. Covell is given by some authorities as
the chief officer. Volunteers also turned out who were not attached to the company,
and Capt. Covell, fresh from Indian warfare, may have taken his turn at this service
without having been mustered. A short time after this, a whole battalion was made up
in this region for military drill, and of this regiment Capt. Covell was made Colonel,
and he was after that made a General of militia. Owen Cheney was a Major in this
regiment, and A. Gridley, Adjutant. Gridley was, at a later day, chosen Brigadier
General of militia, and his title has properly followed him to this day.

The company of rangers did good service in guarding the frontier from Ottawa to
the Mackinaw, though even at the time, opinions of the best informed were divided as
to the real danger to be apprehended from the Indians. Probably, in this case, the thorough
preparations made by our energetic frontier soldiers prevented a general massacre, and
thus advanced the public interests and kept the settlements from suffering and distress.
Even as it was, quite a large number abandoned their homes, preferring to be on the
safe side of a doubtful question, some of whom never returned to the county. There
were about fifty men in this company, most of whom were raised in Bloomington, Stout's
Grove, and Old Town Timber.

By the latter end of summer, all danger of Indian troubles had vanished, as Black
Hawk was captured, his bands broken up, and peace restored to our frontier — never to
be disturbed by hostile Indians, though of wars and rumors of wars our pen must again
make mention.

BLOOMINGTON IN 1831.

Bloomington has the name of being the best built city in Illinois, and it boasts a
society as cultivated, as agreeable and as brilliant as any in the West. In the matter of
buildings — business blocks, especially — it is undeniably the superior of anything in the
State outside of Chicago ; but as to its social charms the question may not be so suscep-
tible of demonstration. We who live here can at least make our claims, leaving others
to settle their accuracy. We are content to reside in Bloomington, resting well satisfied
with our surroundings, which, we may remark, are such as foster the social ideas we have
mentioned. We can see that there are sound philosophical reasons for our boasts in the
matter of good society. We know that it is reasonable to indulge these feelings, when
we consider that Bloomington, for fifty years has absorbed good society from the East)
the North and the South. We can see here representatives of the best society of at
least twenty different States — the cultivated sons and daughters of a dozen European
nations. These have made their homes here, bringing with them manners and cus-
toms as various as their differing nationalities. How natural that there should grow
up a social system culled from the best of the different standards ? How easy to
form thus a model for future generations ? Here we find the courtly Southerner — the
careful Easterner, and the thrifty New Yorker, meeting in one social family, and the

324 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

result would naturally be what we claim — a new society more pleasant than either, with
the best social ethics of all, mingled in one common fountain from which flow the ele-
ments of the best society in the land. Fifty years of this mingling process may be too
short to perfectly illustrate its capabilities; but in the course of time there can be no
doubt Bloomiugton will be able to exhibit its best effects. Our " best society " is even
now undergoing the transformation which is to make it in the future one of the most
enjoyable communities in the land. Our space is altogether too limited to illustrate
further what we have hinted at ; but the careful reader will perceive before we are through
that we indicate a great variety of sources from which may proceed this cosmopolitan
good society to which we have made reference.

On the 4th day of July of 1831, there was at Bloomington an auction sale of the
town lots which had been donated to the county, when William Orendorff acted as auc-
tioneer. This sale was quite satisfactory, and from its proceeds the first county build-
ings were erected. We will assume that Bloomington's baptism occurred at that date.
On the 4th day of July, 1881, we shall call Bloomington just fifty years old, and we
hereby make a motion in favor of holding a grand celebration''_[on that fiftieth anniver-
sary. How the assembled multitude, July 4, 1831, would have stared could they have
seen at that early day, what we gaze at daily unmoved — the elegant Court House that
now gi-aces the public square ? Suppose Mr. Allin had been able on that occasion to
visit our Court House dome and view its present surroundings, what a sight would meet
his wondering eyes? Or, suppose one of us could then have stood where we should
obtain a full view of the sights that were visible, what surprise and delight we should
manifest? We should have seen, as before stated, the beautiful town site, smooth and
free from buildings, as staked off by Dr. Baker, into lots, blocks and streets, covered
with waving grass and dotted with beautiful prairie flowers of many hues, all in the full
beauty of the early summer. To the south, in front, would be the bright, green wall of
tall waving trees — Blooming Grove — the finest piece of timber in Central Illinois,
slightly marred and cut by the axes of the first settlers — Evans, Allin, Dimmitt, ToUi-
ver and Maxwell — whose cabins could some of them be seen from the town site ; while
Mr. Allin's store and residence combined, which still stands as a part of the dwelling of
Dr. Stipp, would be the most prominent object in the foreground. We should hear the
bystanders all talking of the new county of McLean — of its new county seat — and
wondering what the future might have in store for their adopted homes — or, possibly
remarking upon the influx of emigrants that were stopping in their rich and promising
district. We learn that emigration was pouring into McLean with the most wonderful
rapidity, and that this stream increased until the year 183fi. From all we can now
ascertain, it appears that in 1831 the population of McLean must have been nearly two
thousand. At the election the previous year, 385 votes were polled in its territory, and
in 1835, the county contained 5,000 people. A short time after the sale of lots in
1831, there were about one dozen families residing within the present city limits of
Filoomington, which, added to those we have before mentioned as being established in
the town.ship of Bloomington — but living in Blooming Grove — made a population of
perhaps three hundred persons.

Those who were living in the present city limits of Bloomington during the year
1831 are the following: Rev. James Latta, Dr. David Wheeler, Dr. Isaac Baker,
William Evans, Henry Miller, David Trimmer, Solomon Dodge, James Allin, John

H [STORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 325

Kimler, Mr. Grreenman, James ToUiver, John Maxwell, and in the fall, Benjamin Haines.
These were all heads of families, and there may have been a very few more at Little
(now Major's) Grrove. We should also include the families of A. Deatherage and Robert
Guthrie, living there. In addition, of single men, there were William McKisson, Will-
iam Dimmitt, William Evans, Jr., Samuel, William and John Durley, A. C. Wash-
burne, A. Gridley and Merritt L. Covel. This indicates a population of about eighty
within the present city limits during the first year of the existence of the new town,
and we find it well started on its forward career.

From the first, as will be seen by what is now well known of the character of the
early pioneers, Bloomington was fortunate enough to possess a good class of residents.
There were very few of the temporary ''floating," "moving," irresponsible emigrants
so often found in new towns. Nearly every one who arrived came to stay, a statement
that speaks well for the young village. Bloomington has continued an attractive place
for strangers down to the present time, and is well spoken of all over the State. No
doubt the city owes much of its past and present prosperity to the fact of always having
possessed a good reputation, an illustration showing that a good name is better than
riches. In the year 1831, very little could be said of the business of Bloomington.
There was a beginning here, little more. The new county of McLean had been organ-
ized,"1ts machinery set in motion ; the town of Bloomington had been platted, lots sold,
a few houses built, and several families established ; but there was little that could be
called a town. The future contained great possibilities for the new place, even if the
present witnessed the realization of but very little.

Of the early settlers, we will mention a few, though we regret that our space will
not permit notice of others equally worthy. Mr. William Evans came to this county
in 1825, and settled southeast of Bloomington. The great hurricane of June 27, 1827,
broke down his timber and appeared to have ruined his corn crop. Mr. William Oren-
dorff gave him five acres of young corn, which, with the unexpected good yield of his
own, made Mr. Evans a fair crop, and enabled him to harvest 100 bushels of corn,
this being what he had agreed to give Cheney Thomas for his ''claim" to a tract of
land where the city of Bloomington is now built. In 1828, Mr. Evans built his log
cabin, on a piece of ground between Grove and Olive streets, near the present residence
of J. S. Roush. He afterward built a good house at the same location, and here he
spent his days in peace and happiness, made wealthy by the advance in the value of his
farm. He died in 1868, at the age of ninety-two years. Mr. Evans was a man of
good habits, one of the best men of the good old times. He was the first settler in the
territory now known as the city of Bloomington.

Mr. William Dimmitt owned a tract adjoining Mr. Evans, and was one of the
pioneers of Bloomington. Though several houses were built before his improvements
were made, he became one of the best known of our old residents, his career covering
fifty-two years at one place. His death is very recent, and we will quote from the
Pantagraph of January 21, 1879, an article in regard to this pioneer:

" Mr. William Dimmitt, one of the pioneers of Blooming Grove, settled at the north
edge of the grove in 1827, on the very land where he died, February 19, 1879, having
made his home here four years before the town of Bloomington was established. He
was born in Virginia, and moved, when a boy, to Alleghany Co., Maryland, in 1797.
His father was English, his mother American born. In 1825, Mr. Dimmitt removed

326 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

to Illinois ; remained the first summer at Danville, and came to McLean County in
1826. He made a claim at the west end of Old Town Timber, in 1826 ; but when
the hurricane of June 27, 1827, leveled the best part of his trees to the ground, he
became discouraged, abandoned the place, and made arrangements to move to another
location. Mr. William Evans had purchased (^of Cheney Thomas, according to some
accounts ) a claim where the city of Bloomington stands, including, in part, what is now
the territory running from the cemetery north as far as Dr. Wakefield's. Mr. Dimmitt
bought a claim in 1828, next adjoining this on the east, being, in part, land lying
between the Illinois Central Railroad and Mr. Evans'. He became a farmer, though,
as he was not married until 1833, he had no house on his land for some years. Dur-
ing the first few years he worked, as did the pioneers, at whatever was to be done, but
could make little headway until the year 1829, when he went to the lead-mines at Elizabeth,
Jo Daviess Co., 111., where he was remarkably fortunate, and returned with 8600 — a
large sum of money for those times. The lead-mines, then, were to an early settler
what California has been in later days. It was where Isaac Funk sold the cattle of this
region, and where he and others took droves of hogs for the miners. With this sum of
money Mr. Dimmitt was able to pay for his farm — 130 acres — and he was at once in
good circumstances. His land became quite valuable, as soon as the county seat was
located at Bloomington, a few months after the Deep Snow of 1831, but he never was in
any hurry to accept of the offers of that early time. In 1848, he made an addition to
the city, followed by others, until, in all, he has made six additions. He always kept
track of the advance in the value of real estate, rarely selling before it was prudent or
wise, and has been considered one of our wealthy citizens. His homestead has never
been sold or transferred since it was patented to Mr. Dimmitt by the United States Gov-
ernment, and it is the only tract in Bloomington of which this can be said. Mr. Dim-
mitt went with the Bloomington volunteers to the Black Hawk war in 1832, and on
the expiration of the thirty-days service, the last of which was performed at Ottawa,
in building a log fort for the protection of the settlers, he came home to Bloomington.
He enlisted in the company raised immediately after his return for frontier service in
McLean County, served the sixty days of its enlistment, going to Vermilion River, in
what is now Livingston County, to Rook's Creek and Indian Grove, it being then all a
part of McLean, and spent a good deal of time near the east end of Mackinaw timber,
where, at Mr. Henline's, there was a rough fort for the safety of the pioneers in that
neighborhood.

" Bloomington's oldest pioneer has thus passed away, and his mantle has fallen upon
the one that next arrived in our corporation, though we are just now unable to state who it
may be. Mr. Dimmitt has enjoyed that distinction since the death of Mr. Evans, sev-
eral years ago. He was always a good citizen, quiet in his manner, never ostentatious,
and has acted well his part in life.

" He married Mary Ervine forty-six years ago; and together with his wife, saw as
much of real pioneer life as any of our early settlers. During the whole of this long
and eventful life, death has not once entered his family, as all the children are now living
still in this or neighboring States. He leaves a widow and a large circle of children,
grandchildren, connections and friends to mourn his loss.*'

W. H. Hodge was the first school-teacher in the village, living at the time two
miles south, on his farm. The schoolhouse stood near the crossing of Main and Olive

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 327

streets. Mr. Hodge was an active citizen, having held several of the most important
offices in this and Tazewell County at different times. Amasa C. Washburne arrived
in 1831, and opened a school here in December of that year, in a building near the
corner of Main and Olive streets. Mr. W. was one of the most consistent and active
Christians of the place ; a Presbyterian ; was the first Secretary of the McLean County
Bible Society, in 1834, and always an earnest worker in the cause of his Master. He
was one of eight members who, in 1832, organized the first Presbyterian Church. The
first Methodist sermon preached in Bloomington is often stated to have been at the
house of John Canady, October 9, 1831 ; but as this house was outside of the village, it
will be necessary to state it was in Blooming G-rove, if we follow out the division of
territory we have hitherto given. We have seen that the first Methodist sermon in
Blooming Grove was delivered by Rev. James Stringfield, in 1823. Probably scores
of sermons were preached in the Grove by Methodist circuit-riders, between 1823 and
1831. There may have been a (thurch organized, though we can find no record of one
till 1832. In 1838, Blooming Grove and Bloomington were united in one circuit, from
which the inference is plain that a church organization existed previously at each place.

It appears that between the time of the location of the county seat, in the early
part of the year 1831, and the time of the sale, July 4, there was a gradual gathering-
together of people who intended to cast their lot in the new town, and after that
event, before the end of the year, there were quite a number of new-comers. There
was one blacksmith here the first year, David Trimmer, and one wheelwright, Henry
Miller, who was a son-in-law of William Evans. Mr. Miller also made and repaired
spinning-wheels ; he had the first turning-lathe, though this last was as late as 1835.

The first store has already been mentioned as having been James Allin's, in what is
now Dr. Stipp's residence. Here, at the place designated in the act organizing McLean
County, in one end of the house, the first Circuit Court was held by Judge S. D. Lock-
wood. Mr. Allin had, shortly after, a store on the northeast corner of Main and Front
streets. Gen. Gridley's store was on the opposite corner, where is now the McLean
County Bank. There was soon a business house on each of the other corners, and
hence this locality became the center of trade and influence. It was many years before
any other part of the city was of any importance in a commercial point of view, and
this will be known as the historic center of Bloomington. It is also the geographical
center, as the first charter specifies that Bloomington shall extend three-quarters of a.
mile north, south, east and west of the northwest corner of Front and Main streets.
The city limits have been extended several times since ; but these extensions have been
made irregularly, or, rather, unequally on the different sides, so that this corner is not,
strictly, the geographical center of the Bloomington of to-day. On the northeast corner
of Front and Main was built the first brick store in this city. It was erected in 1839.
by James Miller, and is still a very fair structure.

Dr. Baker and Dr. Wheeler are mentioned as physicians in 1831. They were
assisted in this line of business, in 1832, by Dr. John Anderson, and soon after. Dr.
Haines was added to the number.

Rev. James Latta, who had lived at the Grove for several years, became a resident
of Bloomington during the year 1 831 . He commenced, in the fall of this year, to fence and
improve prairie, over half a mile from the edge of the Grove, which was then thought a reck-
less distance from the base of supplies. This is now known as the Durley Addition.

328 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

October 8, 1831, Ashael Gridley, then a young man twenty-one years old, arrived in
Bloomington and commenced the careerof activity which has rendered his name a household
word all over Central Illinois. He commenced improvements in the fell of this year, at the
corner of Main and Front streets, where his fine bank building now stands. The lots
at the corners of these streets were the choice ones of the new town. Mr. Gridley paid
S51 for his lot, which had been bid ofi'by someone at the July sale for $60. His home
at this time (he being unmarried) was with the family of James Allin. Here, we
may assume, commenced an active acquaintance and friendship between the two active
men, who, for the next thirty years or more, took such a prominent part in the fortunes
of this thriving young town, as well as in those of the whole county. From the very first
year of its existence, he has been one of the foremost in all enterprises that promised
the good of Bloomington. Being of an active, sanguine temperament, quick to per-
ceive, he has generally been a leader in all undertakings — giving liberally of his means,
arguing with the doubtful, pushing forward the slow and timid, carrying every one
onward with his magnetic enthusiasm until success should crown the effort. Blooming-
ton owes this gentleman a debt of gratitude that should be remembered to its latest
generations. Our history mentions his labors in several of the city's undertakings, but
there have been hundreds of instances illustrating what we have mentioned, that live
only in the recollections of his associates, of which we have simply gathered a very few
of the most prominent.

Gen. Gridley has been fortunate in his business ventures and now possesses a hand-
some estate. Some of it is on Front street, the scene of his early labors, quite a portion in
large farms in Central Illinois, and more of it is in various moneyed investments. He is
now the oldest pioneer who has lived consecutively in the city of Bloomington since the
year of its first settlement. He was in mercantile business here until after 1840, when
he studied law and at once entered upon a large practice. In the good times following
the building of the Illinois Central, he dealt largely in real estate ; while at about the
same time, in 1853, he started the McLean County Bank, of which he was President
and afterward sole owner for years, though he has now taken his son Edward into the
firm. Banking has been his leading business for the last twenty-six years, though his
activity has been so great that he has been interested in an almost infinite number of
other enterprises. He is now in his seventieth year, and is in good health. He is the
oldest resident of the city, having lived here continuously for forty-eight years.

There were several residents of the town, in the year 1831, who did not remain
long, whose names have not been preserved. Drs. Baker and Wheeler, and Robert
Guthrie, will be mentioned elsewhere, as will Mcrritt L. Covell, at this time a young
man who soon entered upon an active career. William, Samuel and John Durley
arrived during the year 1831 or 1832, and became active citizens of the town, and their
family name is preserved in the fine public hall built a few years ago by Judge Davis,
and also in the name of the addition known as " The Durley." The Durley farm
was for years thought to be just a little too far north and east to ever become a part of
the city. John Maxwell and James Tolliver lived in the southwest part of the city,
where their land is in part now known as the Tolliver Addition to the city of Blooming-
ton. John Greenman lived in the part of the city now covered in part by the Masons Addi-
tion ; and John Kimler's farm was southeast, and was in part the present Judge McClun
farm, just within the city limits.

HISTORY OF McLean COUNTY. 329

It seems that Bloomington was officially known by that name as early as in May,
1831, before the sale of lots. We have already shown that the town was named in the
act incorporating McLean County, about six months before the sale of lots, and a
month or more before the Commissioners located the county seat " at the north edge
of the Blooming Grove." Soon after the location was made, steps were taken to have
the name of the post office changed from Blooming Grrove to Bloomington, which
occurred in May, 1831, when James Allin was appointed Postmaster, and the office
was opened in his store. The existence of the town properly dates from the location of
the county seat, though it was named on paper some time previously. Its first exist-
ence having been on paper only, we have thought best, in this history, to assume that
the town (now city) of Bloomington entered fairly upon its career July 4, 1831, at
which time the public sale of lots occurred, after which Bloomington had not only a
name, but also a definite location.

James Allin made the first addition to Bloomington in August, 1831. It was by
the sale of lots in this addition that Mr. Allin realized some return for the donation of
twenty-two and one-hali acres which he made to the county. This addition consists in
part of the property lying south of Fourth street.

By the end of the year 1831, public attention had become attracted to the new
town, which had no competitor nearer than the old town of Mackinaw, and it became
evident that here was to grow up a village of some importance, though at this early
day no one knew whether the boundaries of the new county of McLean were to remain
as first established, or what was to be the future of the settlement. From the very
first, however, Mr. James Allin, assisted by such men as the Orendorffs, A. Gridley,
James Latta, W. H. Hodge, John Benson, and many others, kept vigilant watch over
the young county, and in the end proved themselves able to preserve its boundaries in
such shape that Bloomington continued its chief central town, until, in the course of
a few years, it was so well established as to fear nothing.

The period from 1831 to 1836 was one of great prosperity for Central Illinois.
Settlers were pouring in rapidly from the Eastern and Southern States, There was a
large emigration from Kentucky and Tennessee, made up mostly of those who desired to
rear their families away from the blighting and deadening influences of slavery. Illinois
was learning that the result of the contest on the question of slavery a few years before
was more favorable than the most enthusiastic advocates of freedom had predicted.
Ohio and Indiana, however, furnished the most liberal share of the new-comers to Bloom-
ington and McLean County, though there were a few genuine Y^ankees, and quite a num-
ber of those known as " York State Yankees." The sudden influx of settlers created a
home demand for the products of the country and stimulated the trade of our merchants,
so that up to 1836, the time of the great financial crash, the times continued to grow bet-
ter and better, until the mania for land speculation became prevalent, followed by the
general smash and crash of 1837, of which the full effect for evil was not realiaed for
several years. It would appear that the times then grew worse for five or six years,
until, in 184:2, there was terrible distress. We who have passed through the flush times
from 1863 to 1873, and who have seen, since the latter date, five years of constantly
accelerating financial stringency, can form some idea of the condition of afi"airs here
thirty to forty years ago. We must bear in mind that we now have railroads and a
home market, while in those days there were no markets nearer than Chicago and St.

330 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

Louis; and when we add to this the fact of our possession of a currency that is abso-
lutely perfect, and compare it with no currency at all, we shall begin to realize the con-
dition of our early settlers^. The financial question is treated to some extent elsewhere
in this book, and we shall, therefore, omit further mention of it in this connection.

From 1831 to 1836, the growth of Bloomington was rapid, yet at the latter date
there were only 450 inhabitants, showing it was still quite a small village. We learn
that as late as 1840 there were not over six or eight stores, though improvements were
going on slowly all the time. We must remember that down to this date there were
few who had attempted to settle on the prairie ; the groves were still the only desirable
locations. Farming as we have since seen it was hardly thought of, and, as a matter of
course, there was less business in proportion for merchants than we see at the present
time. The habits of the people were simple. The increase in wealth had not yet
brought about general extravagance, and the careful habits of the early settlers continued
with gradual change down to the discovery of gold in California. From 1849 to 1855,
there was a most wonderful development of the county, and consequent growth of the
town ; but all this was unfelt at the time, we are studying, and we can still consider it
a portion of the good old times of McLean County.

It has been a matter of surprise that the people of the present day take so little inter-
est in the improvements that have been made in farming implements and farming pro-
cesses. It was not till after 1842 that plows had been made that would do good work
on the black, fine, prairie soils of this country. Plows were made of cast-iron before
1835 ; but such could only be used on gravelly or sandy soils. They would not " scour "
or keep free from clogging when tried here ; and, for many years, farmers and manu-
facturers were studying how to make a plow that would " scour " in prairie soil. Vari-
ous styles of wooden plows, also iron and wood combined, were tried and abandoned,
until in the end the cast-steel plow of the present day was brought partly to perfection,
and added vastly to the capabilities of our agriculturists. Wheat was laboriously reaped
by hand with a sickle, or cut with a cradle ; threshed by hand or horse power ; win-
nowed by hand ; and, when ready for market, could not be sold except for home con-
sumption. The seed-drill, the harvester, the mowing-machine, the steam-thresher, were
things of the future. Corn was planted by hand and cultivated by " single shovel "
horse-plows as rude as the plows that prepared the grounds for planting. Thus, plant-
ing corn by hand, tilling it .slowly and laboriously, our great staple was cultivated with
difficulty: and, when raised, it could only be marketed in the shape of beef or pork ;
hogs and cattle were driven to Cincinnati, Chicago, Galena or St. Louis, and the long
journey rendered it advisable to fatten stock with some qualifications for speed, or, rather,
ability to travel with little loss of flesh. The fine breeds of hogs and cattle for which
McLean County is now famed, would then have been worthless for driving. This
region was pre-eminently a stock country. The large herds of swine were nearly wild,
running at large in the groves, fattening partially on nuts and acorns, finished ofi^ late
in the fall with as little corn as might answer the purpose ; not made too fat, for fear of
injury in driving to market. Immense herds of cattle roamed at will over the prairies,
often obtaining their entire living during the winter by browsing on what they could
find in the woods or " timber " as it must be called in this region. This prairie was
owned by the Government until after the mania for land speculation from 1834 to
1836, when much of that near the timber was purchased ; but owners of cattle

BLOOMING^ON

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 333

seldom troubled themselves to buy more than enough for their cultivation on a small
scale.

It will readily be seen that under this state of aiFairs, farmers realized but little for
their labor, which they expended upon the cultivated portion of their lands, and that
the profit was chiefly in stock-raising, which, by the way, was not very profitable, as
prices of pork and beef were very low. After these articles had been sent to market
under all the difficulties described, there was generally a small return for the producer.
Hence it will be realized that merchants and mechanics, living in the towns and villages,
could have received but a small remuneration from an agricultural people so situated, and
no great growth could have been looke » for in a town which, like Bloomington, was not
a primary market for agricultural products. Bloomington was a pleasant residence, was
the capital of a fine county, and possessed a good trade with the surrounding country,
and was growing with its growth, but it only contained a population of 1,611 as late as
1851, and not till the advent of railroads did the place put on the airs of an important
city.

In common with other historians, we find it difficult to chronicle events in their
exact order, and must follow the thread wherever it leads — leaving the reader to do a
portion of the weaving. We have brought our narrative down to about the year 1837,
and, perhaps, a reference to the items contained in a copy of the Bloomington Observer,
dated November 17, 1838, Vol. 2, No. 35 — which is before us — may be of interest, as
being from the oldest copy of the journal that can be obtained.

Its editor was Jesse W. Fell, and the office was on the corner of Madison and Grrove
streets. Its advertisements, as a rule, were put up neatly, and denote typographical
ability. Nothing larger than two-line black-faced primer is to be found.

The law firm of Davis & Colton was composed of David Davis and Wells Colton.
They ofiiered " to attend to all professional business confided to their care in the counties
of Peoria. McLean, Macon, Tazewell, Putnam and Livingston." They would have their
hands full to-day over so much territory, surely.

Dr. John F. Henry " has returned home " (where from is not stated), " and ofi'ers
his professional services to his friends."

Covel & Weed wanted 10,000 pounds of dried hides at liberal prices.

The annual commencement of "Illinois Seminary" was held on September 19.
" Illinois Seminary " still stands, but is deserted and sorry-looking, near the C. & A.
shops.

The estate of John Kimler, deceased, was in the hands of Coifey & Cox, admin-
istrators, for sale or settlement.

Mormons, in covered wagons, with property worth $3,000, were en route for Mis-
souri.

The death of Thomas H. Haines, M. D., occurred " on the 3rd instant, in the
37th year of his age, and was extensively felt and most deeply deplored in the com-
munity."

William P. Brown was Postmaster. Mail matter arrived and departed by stage
every other day in the week.

W. H. McFall gave notice that the next Legislature would be petitioned to form
a new county by slicing off a portion of McLean, Macon and Champaign Counties,
We presume the new county thus formed was DeWitt.

334 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

Seth Baker, President, published a village ordinance notifying that " each able-
bodied white male resident in the incorporated town of Bloomington, between the ages
of twenty-one and fifty years, shall be required to do and perform four days labor in the
year 1838."

The Central Railroad was building south, and had reached Peru. It was manj
years before it was able to cross the Illinois River.

Benjamin Walker offered $100 reward for two dark -brown horses that had beer*
stolen from the stable of James AUin, Esq., in Bloomington.

The stage ran through from Danville to Pekin in " less than three days." The
fare one way was $10. " No disappointments unless the roads be impassable." Imagine
a stage on a road in Illinois in a winter like that of 1877-78 !

0. Covel was the only insurance agent.

James Allin, J. W. Fell and A. Gridley offered property in Decatur worth $600
to $1,000, to any one who would start a saw-mill there.

Edgar Conklin was a land agent at the town of Le Roy.

Armstrong & Palmer, S. Baker & Co., Covel & Weed and James Allin were the
leading dry goods merchants.

The " Bloomington Hotel " was advertised for rent by A. Grridley. The building
was one of the " finest." It contained thirty beds. As an inducement, the advertise-
ment went on to say, '' Bloomington is the flourishing county seat of one of the first
counties on the line of the stage route from Danville to Pekin." This hotel was after-
ward known as the American House, and was moved away a few years since to make
room for the fine buildings erected by Stevenson Bros, and Gen. Gridley, on East Front
street.

The county of Livingston was taken off of McLean in 1837, and entered upon
its independent career; and Woodford was organized in 1840, partly from McLean and
the rest from Tazewell County. These changes took but little business from Bloom-
ington, however, as the territory named was very sparsely settled at the time of their
organization.

Previous to 1840, several of the most prominent and deserving of our present
citizens, with others who are now dead, became residents of Bloomington ; but, for the
period of time since the first sale of lots, we cannot take space to mention more than a
few of the best known, and must, from the circumstances of the case, be excused for
leaving out names equally worthy with those we mention. The field is altogether too
large for the thorough cultivation it in truth deserves. Among those who arrived at
this time, some of whom, perhaps, settled on farms in the neighborhood, were Jesse W.
Fell, James B. Price, George Price, John Price, Dr. John F. Henry, Bailey H. Coffee,.
Ortugal Covel, William Gillespie, Wells Colton, Joshua H. Harlan, Welcome P. Brown,.
Andrew Dodd, G. B. Larrison, George S. Markley, John Magoun, John E. McClun,
Peter Withers, J. C. Harbord, E. Platte, David Davis, William T. Major, Dr. L. S.
Major, Dr. John M. Major, James Depew, W. H. Temple, Hon. James Miller, Thomas
Williams, William Thomas, Samuel Lander, K. H. Fell, Andrew M. Scoggin, Abra-
ham Brokaw, William F. Flagg, John W. Billings, John T. Gunnell, William 0. Viney,
James T. Walton, Joshua R. Fell, Henry Richardson, Jonathan Glimpse, George
Dietrich, Lewis Bunn, William G. Thompson, Allan Withers, Joel Depew, M. H.
Hawks, W. C. Hobbs, James Depew, and others. Col. McCollough, Dr. S. W. Noble,

HISTORY OFMcLEAN COUNTY. 335

S. D. Baker, Chastine Major, A. Stansberry, and several other prominent citizens, lived
in various towns in McLean County in early days, and afterward moved into Blooming-
ington. Their names will properly appear in the diiferent township histories.

Mr. Jesse W. Fell arrived in Bloomington in 1832. He was the first lawyer in
Bloomington who had a regular diploma, though there were others who practiced law
at about the same time.

Mr. Fell was one of the most active and enterprising of the active men of the
new town. With Mr. James Allin and Mr. Glridley he readily associated, and the
three, in the words of one of our oldest citizens, formed a trio that could not be equaled.
In every enterprise that promised the good of our city, Mr. Fell was ever one of the
foremost, and if the full history of our city were written by a careful historian, it would
be shown that to him is due as much credit as to any citizen of the place. His name
will occur all through our history, though in 1855 he became a resident of North
Bloomington, soon after called Normal. The history of Normal will give special men-
tion of Mr. Jesse W. Fell, though during the twenty-five years of his residence there
he has taken a warm interest in Bloomington's projects, having often been one of the
most active and efficient in carrying forward our most important interests.

It was during the time that elapsed from 1830 to 184:0, that Bloomington took an
humble place in a history that has now become quite enviable. We have seen that at
its start it possessed very few advantages over other towns that were projected, and its
prospects existed mainly in the brains of a few enterprising men, who attracted around
them other men of the same character, of whom we have enumerated some of the most
energetic and most effective in building a town at this point, where men were com-
pelled to fight against the spirit of the age, against the popular ideas of the times. It
was emphatically a " town-building " age. Paper towns were located, projected, bought,
sold, wholesaled, retailed, peddled, all over the entire land. The veriest dunce in the
East could tell exactly what was required to build a town, as the newspapers were full of
the current ideas. It was demonstrated that in order to build a town there must be
timber, stone, water-power, coal and navigable waters, or the contemplated town must
speedily give up its chances. Southern Illinois was full of towns of this character, pos-
sessing nearly every qualification required. The Illinois River from its mouth to above
Ottawa, was lined with these promising towns, or paper cities.

Bloomington had barely enough timber for fuel, none for manufacturing purposes ;
had no stone, no coal, no navigation, and, worse than all, had no water to depend on for
ordinary drinking purposes. Bloomington had no chance against towns like Peru, Ottawa,
or Joliet, which were looked upon as sure to become large cities. The idea of building
a good town here was ridiculed and scouted, and the men who were engaged in the
enterprise were often more discouraged than the present generation can realize.

But we show in these pages how these men overcame all obstacles, and how, in the
present, success being achieved, it looks to those who only see the results, as if the city
of Bloomington could scarcely help growing of itself. The foundations for its success
were laid in these early years, by the cementing and forming of that splendid public
spirit of which we so often write in these pages.

During this period several churches were organized, and their houses of worship
were built ; quite a number of frame stores, and one good brick store, at the northeast
corner of Main and Front streets, and a goodly number of residences. Several of these

336 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

last are still standing, among them the Allin residence, built in 1838, by W. H. AUin,
iust west of the present Baptist Church. The town must have looked quite small, as
its total population, in 1840, did not much exceed 600. Its churches as then built
were diminutive, its residences and stores small, and there were few indications of the fine
structures which, within twenty years were to grace its streets.

Three churches were built during this period — the Methodist, Baptist and the First
Presbyterian — the latter the first brick church in Bloomington. Probably the city
had a larger proportion of professing Christians in 1840, than at any later period
of its history. The first brick Court House, built at a cost of S8,500, was erected in 18.'^6.
It was a famous building for the times, and was used until 1868.

Several additions were made to the city, town lots having been the principal
article of export, so to speak, in 1836, and from that time to 1840 they were a drug in
the market. Many of these lots were sold at the East during the era of speculation,
and, when the bubble burst, their owners allowed their investments to vanish, and the
lots were sold for taxes. The various industries dependent upon agriculture, like black-
smithing and wagon-making, were, however, well under way by the year 1840, and the
town was beginning to grow in business importance more than in wealth and population.

1840 TO 1850.

During this period, Bloomington made a .substantial advance, notwithstand-
ing the scarcity of money. At the beginning, in 1840, the whole country, East
as well as West, was in the agonies of financial distress. This city suffered the
most, perhaps, in the years 1841 and 1842, though it is likely that subsequently people
had become so accustomed to the hard times that they made fewer complaints. Lands
and town lots were almost valueless ; in many cases rich, improved farming-lands
would sell for less than SI. 25 per acre. People who did not own land felt they
were fortunate — not being obliged to pay taxes. The most valuable property was
our heavy timbered land. This, it was believed, had a real value, but wild prairie, a
few miles distant from timber, was thought to be almost worthless. A large quantity
of prairie had been entered during the flush times, from 1834 to 1836, and was now
abandoned by the speculators who were generally compelled to go into bankruptcy.

The times improved gradually, though even in 1849, when the gold excitement
broke out, money was exceedingly scarce, and large numbers left this region who felt tha^
their chances for obtaining a competency were almost infinitesimal. Still, in spite of
hard times, population increased. The great distress prevailing in the Eastern States
forced families to emigrate, and many arrived, who came simply hoping to make a bare
living, not looking for the rich rewards they ultimately obtained. We find that from
1845 to 1850, the population of Bloomington increased from 800 to 1,611, showing a
vigor that one would scarcely expect from the general condition of the country at large.
The recovery of the country from the terrible prostration which occurred in 1836 was
very gradual, but towns situated in the midst of as rich a country as there is surround-
ing Bloomington, and inhabited by people of such energy and perseverance, recovered
more rapidly than others, and by the end of this period our city — then a village — was
once more on the high road to prosperity. As early as 1848, there was a movement
toward the establishment of a college, there were .several good high schools or academies
in operation, and there was talk of starting a city government, as the town or vilhige

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTi'. 337

organization then existing was found to be almost entirely inoperative. The year 1850
appears to mark the commencement of an era of enterprise. It was at this time that
railroad-building began to revive, and among the many projects for making Bloom-
ington a railroad center, it was seen that the Illinois Central, and, perhaps, several other
railroads would reach this city in the course of the next five years. In less than three
years two railroads were in operation.

From 1842 to 1848, great numbers of the new, improved plows were introduced
plows that would " scour " or work freely in the rich prairie soil, and by the year 1850,
reapers were used to some extent, and farmers could see their way clearly. The day of
toilsome hand-labor was about to give place to the corn-planter, the mower and the
reaper, and the courage thus given to our farmers began to re-act upon the towns and
cities situated in rich agricultural districts. These causes had great influence upon the
growth and welfare of Bloomington. This city had the honor, as early as 1841 or 1842,
to manufacture improved plows — those that would " scour." They were made in large
numbers by Bunn, Ellsworth & Brokaw.

W. F. Flagg and J. W. Ewing are entitled to great credit for their reaper which
they brought to great perfection as early as 1848 and 1849. They were among the
foremost inventors of improved reapers and manufactured a large number. Mr. Flagg
soon after built his fine factory and carried on quite a large business. In reapers as
well as plows, Bloomington's manufacturers soon had an enviable reputation.

During the latter part of this decade, the ''Gold Fever," or California emigration,
took away a large number of Bloomington's most energetic and active young men, who,
with their expensive outfits, made a severe drain upon the town. Their places here
were filled, and soon the village was going ahead as well as at any time in its history.
Between 1840 and 1850, Bloomington experimented with a town or village government,
having had a Board of Trustees with some of the powers of a city government. The
result of the effort was, that public sentiment crystallized into such a condition, that
when the city charter was adopted in 1351, it found the way prepared for the steady
and reliable municipal government that has prevailed for twenty-eight years.

1850 TO 1860.

In the beginning of this decade there was an advance in prosperity, and by
the year 1852, this whole region was moved by a sudden impulse, to which all
previous improvement was slow indeed. At this time, the Illinois Central Rail-
road was building in good earnest ; its route was established ; Bloomington was a
point on its line, and became headquarters for the contractors who were making the
road, while the Chicago & Alton was commenced in the fall of the same year.

May 23, 1853, the Illinois Central cars were running from La Salle to Bloom-
ington ; and in the autumn of the same year, the other line was in operation from this
place to Springfield. Both roads were soon after extended, so that two main lines were
open, having been built rapidly, and Bloomingtonians were hardly ready to believe that
these evidences of future growth and development could be real. It was at this time
our city began to make giant strides. Houses and stores were rapidly built ; new streets
opened ; additions laid out ; money became plenty, and prosperity reigned on every side.
The growth of the county kept pace with the town, and fortunes were made in a year or
two, by the sudden rise in the value of real estate. The population of the city was

338 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

1,611 in 1850, and rose to 5,000 in 1855, 7,000 in 1858, and was about 8,000 at the
time of the Federal census in 18G0.

During this decade, Bloomington was ornamented by the beautiful residence of
Gen. Gridley, built at a cost of S40,000, in 1859; and also the Gov. Matteson house,
at the northeast corner of JeflPerson and Lee streets; the Roadnight house, northwest
corner Lee and Locust ; Col. Boyd's, Gen. Orme's, and several other fine residences.
The "old Methodist Church'" was erected in 1850. Thomas Williams was the con-
tractor. The Baptist Church was built in 1857 ; A. H. Gage, architect and contractor.
The Second Presbyterian Church and several other church-buildings date from about
this time. The elegant National Bank building was erected in 1860. The Ashley
House was built in 1857, as far as putting on the roof The enterprise stopped till
1862, when Mr. Thomas Ashley, Sr., finished the building. Those fine stores called Phoe-
nix Block, on the south side of the square, and the north half of those buildings on
the west, and three on the north side, now known as the Metropolitan Block, were all
finished previous to 1860, as also Royce Block, and a fine block on Main street, south
of the latter, burned, however, together with the Nicolls House, in a great fire in the
winter of 1862. The west side of Main street, from Front to Washington, was built up
before 1857, including the McLean County Bank, as was the large block of six fine
stores on the south side of Front street, between Main and Center. Other improve-
ments of importance also date from this period. The old Wesleyan College building,
the Fourth Ward Public School, Major's Female College, Conover's Female Seminary,
and the Normal, were all either completed or well under way before the year 1860. It
was during this period that the Chicago & Alton shops were also started (they employed
180 men in 1857), and the large manufacturing establishment of Flagg's (now the chair-
factory), with other important shops, began to give Bloomington the air of a manufact-
uring as well as that of a commercial and educational center, and it was now fairly
started on its career of usefulness and importance.

During the ten years under consideration, the population of Bloomington under-
went a remarkable change. Instead of a purely American community, as in 1850, the
year 1860 found here a large sprinkling, in all, perhaps, two thousand or more, of for-
eigners, who had come to stay. The building of the two railroads had brought hither
a large number of Irish workmen, and their presence induced the settlement of many
of the best class of Irish, men of education and means, who cast in their lot with their
countrymen, forming in the aggregate a very valuable element of the total population
of the city.

The increase of Germans was also very large, particularly in the years 1854 to
1858. They were a hard-working, well-behaved class, who. with their successors, have
now become numerous, and who, for general good-conduct, industry and good-citizen-
ship are not surpassed by any nationality in Bloomington. At the rate they are now
increasing, and allowing that they continue to accumulate money for fifty years as they have
during the past twenty, the Germans will pr(>dominate in numbers, wealth and influence.

It was between ISSH and 1858 that the great speculation occurred in town lots
and farm property, 'i'he rapid building of the town created a demand for lots that
astonished all the old residents. Even men like the old leaders, Messrs. Allin, Fell,
Gridley and Davis, could not keep their ideas up with the improvements going on all
around them.

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. " 339

When the Chicago & Alton depot and machine-shops were located, in 1853, they
were so far out of town that people going there from where the Ashley House now
stands made a straight cut across the prairie most of the distance, though it was hardly
three years before the whole space was filled with houses and buildings. In the year
1856, there over two hundred buildings erected in Bloomington, very ma*y of them in
the northwestern part, and the total cost of improvements during that single year was
over a quarter of a million. During the four years from 1854 to 1858, our city made
giant strides. Several additions were laid out and large sums of money were realized
from the sale of lots.

The panic of 1857 prostrated Bloomington but temporarily, although many of its
most enterprising men were overwhelmed in ruin. The failure of the crop of winter
wheat in 1858 was felt most severely, as many of our city people were now land spec-
ulators or gentleman farmers, cultivating farms by contracts with tenants — and the
result added largely to the general distress. We shall find, however, that, in the course
of a few years, the city had recuperated, and was again growing as fast as ever before
in its history.

1860 TO 1870.

At the beginning of the time now under consideration, the business of the country
■was in a fair condition, but was threatened with overthrow and prostration by the civil
war, then scarcely believed in by most, though its effects were being felt, imperceptibly,
perhaps, but still effectually hindering improvement. In a short time the efforts of all
were directed to saving what was then possessed, with little thought of further accumu-
lation ; but the results of strife and commotion were, after all, not unfavorable to growth
and prosperity, as we find that as early as 1862 the city was well under way in its career
of prosperity. At the close of the war in 1865, buildings were springing up on every
tand. The year 1866 gave us Liberty Block, the old Post Office Block, Schroeder's
Block, and other buildings completed ; and before the year 1870, we can chronicle the
completion of some more stores on the north and several on the west side of the Public
Square, with other improvements. We also note the completion of the immense new
railroad shops, the fine new Court House, the High School, the First, Third and Fifth
Ward school-buildings, the Free Congregational Church, the fine residences of Dwight
Harwood, E,. E. Williams, Laurence Weldon, W. F. Flagg, Peter Whitmer, and others
equally well worthy of mention. The rapid growth of the city in the northern and
northeastern directions occurred at about this time. The population of the place nearly
or quite doubled in these ten years, it being about fifteen thousand, by the United
States census of 1870, while the value of buildings erected, reckoned, of course, on the
inflated basis, was over $2,000,000. In this period, we must credit the building of the
Indianapolis, Bloomington & Western, the Jacksonville branch of the Chicago & Alton,
and the commencement of the La Fayette & Bloomington Railroads, all of which con-
tributed largely to the wonderful prosperity of the thriving city. At the close of this
period, the Chicago & Alton shops were burned October 31, 1867, and, in order to
secure their rebuilding at Bloomington, the city voted $55,000 in bonds to remunerate
the company for land purchased for the enlarged shops, and the city also vacated several
streets and alleys desired. This issue of bonds could not be legal until a special act of
the Legislature was obtained. This was done, but the bill was vetoed by Gov. Palmer,
on the ground of unconstitutionality. Bloomington sent a lobby of thirty or forty

340 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

influential men to Springtield, who presented their case to the Legislature so well that the
bill was passed over the Governor's veto. These bonds have since been paid, principal and
interest, though if opposition had been made, there is no doubt the constituion would have
prevented the collection of the taxes. The securing of these shops, the passage of the
law and the *liltimate payment of this money, make a chapter of history that exhibits
the pluck and determination of Bloomington better than almost any other event since
its settlement.

The increase of wealth during the ten years from 1860 to 1870 was entirely without
precedent in the history of Bloomington. Business of all kinds prospered ; there were
few business failures, and our citizens generally believed the road to fortune was open
and plain before them, with no devious windings, no pit-flills, no danger of failure. A
different state of affairs, however, will be pictured in the next chapter.

1870 TO 1879.

When the war closed, most people looked for a sudden fall in values, and a rapid
return to the old paths of plodding industry, but, to their surprise, the career of pros-
perity lasted until the panic of 1873, and, as a consequence, Bloomington still continued
to add to its borders, to beautify its churches, its residences, and in various directions
put on the airs of a metropolitan city. Even when the panic of 1873- had demonstrated
that the country at large had received a check, Bloomington continued to build and
enlarge, to embark in enterprises, stubbornly refusing to acknowledge that for a time, at
least, the city must wait for the further growth of the country in its rear. Building did
not stop till 1877, and even then could scarcely be said to be at an end. In the early
years of this decade, the elegant Wesleyan College, the beautiful Minerva Block, Roush
& Humphrey's and Oberk(jetter's fine wholesale blocks, Ives Block, the two Swan Blocks,
Davis Block, containing Durley Hall, the tasteful People's Bank, Livingston Block, the
stone front on the east side of the square, Washington Block, and many other fine
stores, were finished. The new Post Office Building, corner of Front and Center, one of
the best blocks in the city, was built in 1876, by L. Ferre. It is a building remarkably
well adapted to the purpose designed.

The many brick stores on West Chestnut street were erected during the early part
of this decade, it being evident from the building of the immense machine-shops that
there would be a permanent demand for these structures. During these ten years, the
city built over a mile of Nicolson (wooden) pavement, commenced its system of sewers
and built its Water Works and City Hall.

To this period, we credit, also, the elegant new Methodist Church, the Episcopal
Church, the large Catholic Church, and several small churches. A large number of fine
private houses date from 1870 to 1879. Among these we will mention that of Judge
David Davis, in 1871, costing over $50,0U0, and that of Dr. C. Wakefield, in 1873, cost-
ing $25,000, and several others of great value and beauty.

Population has increased from 15,000 to an honest 18,000, though we flatter our-
selves that a certain directory census taken in 1873 — under a contract giving no pay
unless there might be found 20,000 souls — is a reliable indication that our population
exceeded the desired figure by 100 at that time.

Although Bloomington merchants did some wholesaling previous to 1870, the
growth of this branch of our commerce has been wonderful in the last ten years. There

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 341

are now forty wholesale firms, employing over sixty traveling men, selling goods in six
or seven different States, who are missionaries to inform the whole world of the advan-
tages to be derived from trade with the thriving city of Bloomington.

This wholesale business and the successful enterprise of several of our manufactur-
ers, taken together, give evidence of future prosperity, when " better times " shall
arrive.

Our scene is now drawing to a close. We have pictured Bloomington feebly, but
we have tried to indicate that in its day of "small beginnings " it was a town of unusual
vigor, and contained a vast amount of " reserve power." We have seen it arise from
the crash of 1836, before the country at large had recovered, and found it well on its
way to renewed prosperity long before the croakers conceived such an outcome could
be possible. We saw Bloomington prostrate again in 1857, and before long it again
resounded with the click of the mason's trowel and echoed to the hammer of the busy
carpenter. We have traced the record of the third financial crisis, and found our city
— like the whole nation, East and West — prostrated in a degree, but not hopeless.
Unlike the previous occasions of disaster, the history of the present has the strong relief
of the brightly. dawning prosperity upon a permanent basis of financial honesty and
national good faith.

Everything is ready for the " good time coming." Bloomington has its sails all
set. It is ready for the fair wind. Its storehouses, its manufactories, its radiating rail-
roads, its energetic merchants, its cautious capitalists — all are here on the spot, capable
of carrying the name and fame of our good city to greater lengths, to higher flights
than ever known before. The generation of active young men now on the stage or
about to take their places there, are, a majority of them, born Bloomingtonians. Let
them study the proud record of the achievements of their fathers, and resolve that,
come what will, the Bloomington of the future shall at least be the equal of the Bloom-
ington of the past.

GEN. GRIDLEY's recollections.

The following statement was given by Gen. Gridley to a short-hand reporter as a
conversation, and written out by the reporter subsequently. It does not pretend to be
anything more than a slight sketch of prominent facts, given as an interview.

"I came to this county the 8th day of October, 1831. This county was organ-
ized by an act of the Legislature during their session in the winter of 1830 and 1831.
This city was laid out in June, 1831, by the then County Commissioners John Cheney,
of Cheney's Grove; Timothy D. Hoblit, of Big Grove (now in De Witt County), and
Jesse Havens, of Haven's Grove. The first sale of lots was on the 4th day of July,
1831. They were sold by the County Commissioners. The proceeds of that sale
amounted to about $300, which was used to build a Court House. The land in the
original town of Bloomington was donated by James Allin to the county for that
purpose. This county before that time was a part of Tazewell County. There were
not over ten or a dozen families in Bloomington when I came here. There were Col.
Latta, Dr. Baker, Dr. Wheeler, James Allin, David Trimmer, Robert Guthrie, William
McKisson, and there were a few others. Mr. McKisson was not married at that
time, but married shortly after. I recollect old John Dawson. When I arrived in this
county, he was residing sixteen miles east of Bloomington, on the Indian Camp. I
don't know of any Indians being there at that time. He was a man of strong good

342 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

principle, natural good sense and a thoroughly honest man, with a strong will, of great
kindness. Integrity and hospitality to strangers were the general characteristics of
the early settlers of this county, treating a stranger as well as an acquaintance with
the greatest kindness. Of the early settlers of this county, I never knew of but one
family that were inclined to be dishonest. Some of them are here now, and some of
them went away. John Dawson had early acquired a good deal of property, and was
considered quite a wealthy man, but he lost a good deal and gave security for a good
many.

"Old Dr. Baker came to McLean County in 1830 ; he was a very excellent man ;
he never practiced medicine. He was Clerk of the Board of County Commissioners
and Clerk of the Probate Court ; was Postmaster several years. He was a kind, gen-
erous-hearted man, giving information with regard to real estate and business matters
generally, within his knowledge, without compensation. He died about six years ago.

" There were no Indians around here when I came, except a few Pottawatomies,
who had their homes up in Indian Grove, in Livingston County.

"In the spring of 1832, we raised a company for the Black Hawk war. Mr. L.
Covel was the Captain and I was First Lieutenant and Baldwin was Second Lieuten-
ant. The company consisted of fifty-six mustered men, each man furnishing his own
horse and equipage. Leaving here in June, we were attached to Stillman's Battalion at
Peoria. Arrived at Dixon, on Rock River, a few days later, and there learned that
Black Hawk was about thirty miles up the river. We were to await, at Dixon, the
arrival of the main army. The volunteers in Stillman's Battalion numbered just 206
men. The men were very anxious to go and clean out the Indians, and not wait for
the regulars. So we went on and came up with the Indians, six or seven hundred
strong, a little way on the other side of what is now called Stillman's Run. I cannot
say much about the fight, but this, and that is, we got most beautifully whipped in the
fight with the Indians. We only lost one man from this county, and his name is Joseph
Draper ; he was in our company. After the fight, we returned to Dixon, thirty miles
distant, the best way we could.

" Soon after the battle, we 'were sent back to this county and mustered out of serv-
ice. Soon after this, another company was formed and mustered into the service. That
company was commanded by Capt. John H. S. Rhodes, who was killed on the I., B. &
W. Railroad, about two years ago.

FINANCIAL CRISIS OF 1837.

"The great financial crisis was in 1837, but it was beginning to be felt in 1836.
It was caused by the Government of the United States withdrawing its deposits from
the banks, and also by the wild speculations in real estate at that time, and consequently
the establishment of State banks, and wild-cat banks sprang up in every direction in
their stead.

'* The greatest number of wild-cat banks sprang up in Michigan. They started so
many in that State that they found difiiculty in getting names for them all. To give
you an idea of the number of banks at that time, if you had $1,000 in bills, there
would be in that $1,000 the bills of over two hundred different banks. The Michigan
money at that time went by the name of red-dog, as the bills were most of them printed
on red.

HISTORY OF McLean COUNTY. 343

" The real estate speculation, which was one of the causes of our financial trouble
in 1836 and 1837, was mostly in starting up towns and speculating in town lots. Town
lots here at that time brought as high as $150 a lot. After the crash came, they would
not bring over $5 apiece. I went to Philadelphia in 1836, and sold about $20,000 or
$30,000 worth of lots, and these very same lots, after the panic, could be bought at any
price ; and the purchasers of a good many of the lots I sold at that -time, and, in fact,
the majority, never thought it worth while to pay the taxes on them. The lots here in
Allin & Gridley's Addition would not bring over $4 or $5, and the parties in the East
let them go for taxes.

" During the time of the real estate speculations, a great many towns were laid
out all over the country ; in fact, most everybody was laying out towns or wanted to.
A good many of these towns never came to anything, and then again, some of them
did well. At that time, Mr. Jesse Fell laid out Clinton, and I think he can be proud
of that town, for it is a good, thriving city. The people living around Big Grove,
De Witt County, wanted a town, and as the settlement was around the edge of the
Grove, they all wanted a town right in the center, so it would be easy of access and to
suit them all. We had a sale there and it was a very good one. I do not remember
just what the lots did bring apiece, but I think the sale amounted to $600 or $700.
As a town, it was a failure, like a good many others.

" In 1836, Gen. Bartholomew laid out a little town and called it Clarksville, not
far from Lexington ; but that town, like the one in Big Grove, was a failure. Mr.
James Brown and myself laid out Lexington, sixteen miles north of Bloomington ; that
was a good location and they have a fine town there.

" Gen. Covell and myself, about the same time, laid out LeRoy ; that is sixteen
miles east of Bloomington, and that was also a success.

THE BANKRUPTCY LAW.

" The bankruptcy law of 1840 took effect in the spring of 1841, and cost a man
about $25 to get through. Every person that had done any kind of business here
was entirely used up.

" All the bankruptcy business was done at Springfield, in the court there ; and I
had fifty-one cases in that court from this section of the country. Every man that
had been engaged in business here took the benefit of the law.

" The assignee's labors were light as the assets were small, and sometimes they
were nothing, as everybody was broken up, and book accounts were of no value" whatever.

" In those days, when we run a mill by horse-power, the horses walked on a large
round platform, and the horse kept on walking but never got any farther. Mr.
Solomon Dodge got a notion into his head that by putting a wagon heavily loaded with
stone in place of the horses, it would answer the same purpose. So he fixed up his
mill, and on a certain day he gave notice that all would be ready to start. On that
day, people flocked from far and wide to see the wonderful new motive power. W§11, he
got everything ready, and yelled out to his brother to cut the string which held the
wagon-tongue to the side of the building, and to his utter amazement the mill stood as
still as when the wagon was tied up. The adventure was a failure.

344 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

LAWYERS.

" Jesse W. Fell was the first lawyer, Welcome P. Brown was the second and Judge
David Davis was the third. George S. Markley was the fourth, and then came Albert
Dodd and myself. Albert Dodd was drowned in the Mackinaw while coming home from
a political convention in 1840. The first Court House was a small frame building, and
set in the middle of the square, in the same spot where our present magnificent Court
House now stands. It was only a one-story structure, and was built at a cost of
$3U0. The first Court was held in a part of Dr. Stipp's house. Judge Lockwood
presided. The Court was not in session over five minutes — there was no business to be
done.

" John H. Pugh, John T. Stuart and several others that have taken prominent
parts in our history, were in attendance at that Court. The new brick Court House was
built in 1836. Mr. Munsell, of Paris, Edgar County, was the contractor. Judge S-
D. Lockwood was the first Judge. Judge Treat succeeded him. Judge Logan was here
for a short time, perhaps for two terms of Court. Judge David Davis succeeded him.
The district comprised at that time about sixteen counties. After Judge Davis was
appointed on the Supreme Bench by President Lincoln, Judge John M. Scott was
elected in his place, and he was our Circuit Judge until he was elected to the Supreme
Court of this State, and he was succeeded by Judge Thomas F. Tipton, and he was
followed by Judge Otis T. Reeves, who is still our Judge for this district.

" Col. Baker practiced here, and was one of the most eloquent speakers I ever
heard. Judge Davis practiced law, before his election to the Judgeship, in partnership
with Wells Colton, who afterward moved to St. Louis and was killed there in the great
fire of 1849. He had a great deal of ability, and had an excellent legal mind, and
would have been a very prominent man in the legal profession if he had lived. Gen.
Covel came to Bloomington in May, 1831. He was Postmaster for a time, and Clerk
of the Circuit Court for many years. He went to Washington to take a position under
Polk, in about 1845, and died while there. He was an upright and honest man.

" Col. E. D. Baker was the finest speaker there was at the bar. He was truly an
eloc(uent man. While he was in partnership with me, he never examined any case or
prepared any himself, and, in the financial part, he never looked at the books, but came
to me and took it for granted that everything was all right. I remember one case that
we were very much interested in (and one of his prominent traits was his great fondness
for ladies' society), and we desired him to make a careful examination of the papers.
In the evening, we had a gathering at our house. I put the papers in my pocket, and,
during the evening, I had him come out in another room to look over the papers. He
took them, put them in his pocket without examining them, and, to my surprise, he
knew as much about them as though he had given them a careful and thorough exam-
ination ; but that was one of the peculiar characteristics of the man, and I never saw
a man that could etjual him in summing up a case.

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

" Abraham Lincoln was one of the first lawyers that practiced at this bar. When
Mr. Lincoln had a good case, he was invincible ; when he had a poor case, or one in
which he thought he had not justice on his side, I would rather be against him than
any man I know. When he had an idea that he was in the wrong, he could not take

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 345

the same interest, and I could win nine cases out of ten of that kind when Mr. Lincoln
was on the other side.

STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS

practiced at this Court. He never amounted to much as a lawyer ; that is to say, he
never took rank with Lincoln and Baker. Douglas was District Attorney for this Dis-
trict. When he came here he always stayed with me, and always, up to the time of
his death, we were warm personal friends. As a man, he was honorable and just. As
District Attorney he was not a success, and I don't believe he convicted one case out of
ten that he was interested in.

" I was elected to the Legislature in 1840. Welcome P. Brown was my opponent.
In that memorable campaign, we got up a monster procession and went from here to
Peoria. We had a large canoe, hewn out of a tree, and put on wheels, and in it we had
twelve of the soldiers of the war of 1812. The canoe was drawn by twelve horses.
We stopped in all the towns on the way — Mackinaw, Tremont and others — and held
meetings there, and they were good ones, too. Everybody turned out. I don't know
of any of these soldiers now living. * * *

THE ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD.

" At the time of fixing the location of the Illinois Central Railroad, in 1851, I
was in the Senate. There I met Robert Rantoul, and, by an arrangement with him, I
secured the location of the road within five miles of the line of Town 22, Range 2 east,
which brought it to within two miles of Bloomington, and on the same line as Decatur
and Clinton. They had to build fifty miles of the road within two years from the time
they obtained the charter, and they built that fifty miles from La Salle to Bloomington.
There was a great pressure brought to bear. They first contemplated building the road
from Cairo up the Wabash, then to Galena; then again, they were worked upon by
another element to run the road by another line, taking in Peoria and Springfield ; the
strong point in favor of the last proposed route was that they would have a paying trade
much sooner than by any other line they could run. It was true they would not get so
much land, but the increase in trade, at the outside, would more than pay for the difference
in the amount of land. At the time the Illinois Central Railroad came into Blooming-
ton, we had a population of 2,500 inhabitants. The Chicago & Alton Railroad was
built from Springfield to Bloomington in 1854. The name of the road at that time
was Chicago & Mississippi Railroad.

BANKING.

"I commenced banking in Bloomington in March, 1853. The charter for the
McLean County Bank was obtained in March, 1853, and was to run twenty-five years.
My partners at the time were J. Young Seammon and J. A. Burch, but, before the end
of two years, I owned the entire stock. My deposits for the first five years were about
$200,000. The next thing in that line was a kind of broker's office, started by John
R. Smith & Co., and their place of business was where Phoenix Block now stands.
But the next regular bank that was established here was the La Fayette Bank, south-
west corner of Center and Jefferson streets, in the year 1857. In the first place, I had
Missouri State bonds, but they commenced to decline and I exchanged them for Illinois
bonds and lost $12,000. John R. Smith held on to his and lost by it. If he had
exchanged them when I did, it would have been better for him. The amount of bank
capital invested here in Bloomington now is about $800,000. After the State Bank

346 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

broke, we had wild-cat banks, and plenty of them. We had some gold and silver, but
coin did not circulate very much at that time. Out of one hundred banks, ninety of
them were wild-cat. All that many of these banks had to depend on to keep them
running was their deposits. They would take their bank-bills and place them in the
hands of brokers to pay out, and they would leave their bonds as security ; so, in
reality, they got nothing, and the brokers made all the money there was made. There
was a man by the name of Jones who owned twelve diflFerent wild-cat banks.

JESSE W. FELL.

" He came to Bloomington a year later than I did, in the year 1832. He gave
liis attention to the practice of the law about two years after he came here, after which
time he engaged largely in land operations, becoming interested in lands in the county'
of McLean, and also in the county of Cook, in the immediate neighborhood of Chicago.
If he had continued in the legal profession and used the same energy that he did in his
other public enterprises, he would have made his mark among the legal talent of the
State and country. A man of indomitable will, thorough business qualifications, fine
intellect, worthy of any trust, and whom I have known now forty years and known him
intimately, and he stands without a blemish or blot on his character as a citizen and
friend. ASHAEL GRIDLEY."

TOAVNSHIP ORGANIZATION.

From the time when Blooming Grove was a part of Fayette County, till some time
after the laying-out of the town of Bloomington, the local government was in the hands
of County Commissioners, aided slightly by what were called precinct organizations.
The voting was done by precincts, and a Justice of the Peace and a Constable voted for
in each, after the year 1827 — and these, with some other little aifairs, were attended to
at the elections — but the main business was done at the county seat by the Commission-
ers. The first precincts were formed in Fayette County in 1826. In 1831, in
McLean County, Blooming Grove Precinct was almost one-quarter as large as the
county is now. It then contained over six townships, but it was afterward made smaller.
Voting was always done in Bloomington, after 1829, even after the organization of the
village. Then when the city was formed it was the same — all State and county elections
being held under the precinct government. Under the township organization, in 1858,
and ever since, it has continued in the same manner down to the present time.

In 1857, township organization was adopted in McLean County, and the new town
governments were set in motion April 6, 1858. The new system was inaugurated by
the election of the following Board, many of whom are historic characters, whose
names often occur in our annals : Supervisor, John E. McClun ; Assistant Supervisor^
David Simons ; Collector, John L. Routt, recently Governor of Colorado ; Assessor,
W. H. Hodge. Mr. John N. Larrimore was Town Clerk, and filled the office more than
twelve years. The Justices were Z. Lawrence, S. B. Brown, M. H. Hawks, S. Johnson
and Henry S. Herr. The Constables were John W. Allin, John W. Haggard, Alexan-
der Steele, James Taffee and Norvel Dixon. This system of town government has con-
tinued with very little change, down to the present time. The township of Bloomington
now elects six members of tlie County Board of Supervisors. For the year 1879, these
are Peter Whitmer, Supervisor; Assistants, George P. Davis, Duncan M. Funk, W. T.
M. Miller, A. Brokaw and Isaac Lash. In 1850, the total population of Bloomington
Township was 1,554 ; in ]8«30, it was (1,930 ; in 1870, it was 14,590, of whom 3,898,

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 347

were foreigners, and there were 235 colored persons. The township, outside of the city
limits, had, in 1870, 1,829 inhabitants.

The township is six miles square, and includes nearly every acre of what was for-
mei'ly Blooming Grove. The city of Bloomington includes only about four square miles
of Bloomington Township, and it takes in also about one square mile from the township
of Normal — hence, we find the name Bloomington applies to a large tract of land —
about thirty-seven square miles in all, but has a different meaning when used as a city,
from what it has when the township is intended to be understood ; a fact that causes
considerable trouble at our different elections.

The valuation of Bloomington Township, as equalized by the County Board in July^
1878, is $3,920,498. This is i^robably one-half of the actual value, assessments being
now made in about that proportion. This valuation includes only the city and town-
ship as found lying within the six-miles-square territorial township.

The County School Superintendent's report for 1878, shows a total of 361 children
enrolled in the public schools of this township outside of the city. Of children of
school age, under twenty-one years old, there are 761. The total expenditures for theschools
for the same period were $4,406. The township school fund amounts to $6,264. There
are nine district schools, and the schoolhouses are valued at $10,000. Thomas J. Bunn
is Township School Treasurer. Taxes are very light in the township, but very heavy
in all that portion which lies within the city corporation ; and, from all we can learn,
we believe those living outside of the city limits are very well contented with township
organization, which, while it includes also the city, allows the city Board of Education to
manage the schools, and the city government to control the police and other matters.

TOWN OR VILLAGE ORGANIZATION.

It has been impossible to learn the history of the first organization of the corpora
tion of Bloomington. The original town site, bounded by North, East, West and
Front streets, was enlarged in 1831 by an addition platted by James Allin ; and other
additions, to the number of over fifty, have been made from time to time.

As early as 1838, there was a town, or, more properly, a village organization of all
the territory included in the original town and its additions, with a Board of Trustees,
President and a Clerk. Seth Baker was President in 1838. There was an act of the
Legislature passed in 1838, relating to the government of the "town of Bloomington,"
and this act was afterward amended, with a proviso that it should be voted upon by the
people of Bloomington. This was done, and a Board of Trustees elected, who took
their offices on the 1st day of July, 1843. A full record of their proceedings was
kept by Merritt L. Covell, who was the Clerk, and from this date we find complete
records at our City Clerk's office. Bailey H. Coffey, M. H. Hawks, John Magoun,
James T. Walton and William Gillespie were the Trustees ; Matthew H. Hawks was
chosen President ; Wells Colton was made Attorney, Joshua H. Harlan, Treasurer, and
William McCullough, Constable. It appears that a " grocery license " was placed at
$25 per year, and that during the year 1843 there was only one "grocery" licensed.
This would indicate that our " city fathers " did not know how to run a town on tem-
perance principles much better than their successors.

We find there was no City Hall in those days, as, November 20, 1844, the Trustees
met at the store of A. J. Merriman ; December 24, another meeting convened at the

348 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

store of M. H. Hawks, while, May 14 of the next year, the meetings were held at the
County Court House. In the year 1845, the total amount of taxes to be collected for
the year was only S82.

In 1847, the Wcsferti Whig was the official organ. In 1848, we find the Trust-
ees were John Foster, John N. Ewing, W. G. Thompson, George W. Minier and C.
P. Merriman. The latter gentleman was chosen President, and A. J. Merriman, Clerk
and Treasurer. Mr. George W. Minier, then teacher of a seminary or select school,
now living at Minier, Tazewell Co., 111., was village President in 1848, and John
M. Scott, now Justice of the Supreme Court of this State, was the Clerk. An election
was held March 5, 1850, " for or against " incorporation as a city. There were 164
votes for the city charter, and 26 votes against. This might be taken as indicating a
small population, not over one thousand, but there must have been a light vote, as we
learn that at a census taken in 1850, by William McCuUough, the total number of
inhabitants was 1,611.

CITY ORGANIZATION.

After the varying experience of precinct and town or village governments, the
rapid growth of Bloomington required for its proper development a full and complete
city government with all its powers and capabilities, and in 1850 the change occurred.
Rev. David I. Perry was the first Mayor, and the first Aldermen were Jay N. Ward,
Bailey H. CoiFey, William Gillespie and E. Thomas. John M. Scott was City Clerk
and Attorney. The succession of Mayor and Aldermen has continued without inter-
ruption from that day to the present. Improvements were made gradually at first,
consisting of sidewalks and better streets, followed soon by fire-engines, street-lamps,
police and the numerous conveniences of a city life. The city of Bloomington pursued
at first a very conservative, economical course. Until after 1866, there was no debt.
All improvements were paid for out of current taxation. Its present debt of $120,000
is mainly in 8-per-cent bonds, two-thirds of it being the cost of the Water Works. The
school debt is managed by the government called the Board of Education, which is
independent of the City Council.

From what we can learn of the history of our city government, it appears to have
been constantly growing in the confidence and respect of the public, and its offices were
generally filled with honorable gentlemen.

The following persons were elected Mayor in the year placed opposite their names:

David I. Perry 1850

Charles P. Merriman 1851

John H. Wickizer 1852

William Wallace 1853

.John W. Evans 1854

Franklin Price 1855

Franklin Price.. 185n

A. J. Merriman 1857

A. .J. Merriman 1858

John M. Stilwell 1859

H.S. Herr 1H60

George W. Parke 18G1

George W. Parke 18G'2

A. J. Merriman 1803

Joel Depew 1864

E. H. Rood 18(i5

E. H. Rood 186()

E. H. Rood 18(i7

John M. Stilwell 1808

John M. Stilwell 1869

T. J. Bunn 1870

B. F. Funk 1871

B. F. Funk 1872

B. F. Funk 1873

B. F. Funk 1874

B. F. Funk 1875

E. B. Steere 187(J

T. J. Bunn 1877

John Reed 1878

E. B. Steere 1879

BL00MIN6T0N

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 351

The present members of the City Council are: First Ward — Nelson C. Sweeney,
term expires 1881 ; Josiah Richardson, term expires 1880. Second Ward — William
Condon, term expires 1881 ; L. Seibert, term expires 1880. Third Ward — William
W. Stevenson, term expires 1881 ; Enoch J. Moore, term expires 1880. Fourth Ward
— Peter Rockwell, term expires 1881 ; William Maddux, term expires 1880. Fifth
Ward — Daniel Hegarty, term expires 1881 ; Patrick Keating, 1880. Sixth Ward —
John W. Evans, term expires 1881 ; Frank White, term expires 1880. The following
are the present " appointed " officers of the city : Peter Rockwell, Acting Mayor ;
B. D. Lucas, Attorney ; Samuel W. Waddle, Clerk ; Charles W. Robinson, Treasurer ;
Ira Merchant, Engineer and Commissioner of Sidewalks ; Uri 0. Andrus, Street Com-
missioner ; Marion X. Chuse, Chief Engineer Fire Department and Superintendent
Water AVorks ; John Dawson, Health Commissioner ; Matt. C. Smith, Oil Inspector ;
William Clarke, City Weigher ; William Riebe, City Sexton ; Adam Gruthrie, James
B. Sargent, Assessors ; Sebastian Hohman, J. B. Chipman, Collectors ; James Stone,
Special Collector ; Elliott S. Miller, Marshal ; J. P. Butler, Captain of Night Police ;
J. E. Bentley, Sergeant of Police.

The growth of Bloomington is plainly shown by the following table :

1884, census taken by Allan Wither^ 180

Allan Withers 450

.J. E. Parke 800

William McCullough 1,611

E. B. Mitchell 5,000

.John Dawson 8,000

N. H. Pike 10,000

Holland 14,980

Holland 17,019

City Council 20,100

The city records have been kept with great care and accuracy from the time when
His Honor John M. Scott, was Clerk, in 1850, to the present, when Mr. Samuel W.
Waddle takes care of the books. As our work is more to preserve that portion of our
history which is not to be found readily accessible, we shall leave future historians most
of the mine of information that is in the city records, untouched and intact. We
might refer to the perfect organization of our City Government, every part of which,
like a portion of some machine, is adjusted accurately to its neighbor, so that its opera-
tions are performed with scarcely a jar. The annual election brings into notice a little
racket and noise, which is all the citizens generally ever hear of their municipal gov-
ernment. And yet, the doings of our city police and magistrates are of themselves of
immense importance, while the fire department, the engineering service, and the annual
expenditures on pavements, sewers, water works and streets, taken together, are of vastly
more consequence than a large majority of the matters recorded in this history ; but, as
above stated, the records of these are so perfectly preserved and so easy of access that
we have thought best to confine our labors mainly to tracing up and recording incidents
that might otherwise be forever lost.

SCHOOLS.

A sketch of the history of the schools of Bloomington is incomplete unless it
makes a reference to the great work of the past through the voluntary channels of
private schools and seminaries.

1836,

1845,

1850,

1855,

1860,

1865,

1868,

1870,

1873,

352 HISTORY OF MrLEAN COUNTY.

It seems that when there were but three or four families in Blooming Grove, a
school was started in 1823, by John W. Dawson in his own house, taught for two terms
by Miss Delilah Mullen — the first teacher in McLean County. This private school was
followed by a larger one, taught by W. H. Hodge in a schoolhouse built by subscription
in the Orcndorff neighborhood, and for many years the greater part, in most cases the
whole, of the teacher's wages in this State was paid by subscription. W. H. Hodge
taught at the Grove several winters, and there were also at different times other teachers
at the same place. He opened a school in Bloomington village in 1831 : taught two
weeks, and his term was finished by A. C. Washburne. For years after this, there was
a combination of " free schools " and " pay schools." The public money formed the
basis, and it was used under certain conditions, either in a wholly free school, or in one
where those who were able and willing paid a subscription to help the good cause along.

These free schools were comparatively unimportant, however, until a later date, the
best schooling being obtained for many years from subscription schools. Mr. A. C.
Washburne's school was kept up until 1834, when Mr. L. Foster's school became the
leading institution, sometimes called "High School," often "The Seminary." Mr.
Foster built a schoolhouse of his own, and is entitled to a high position among our early
educators. Foster's Seminary is still standing in this city. It was built on Taylor
street, second door west of Dr. Hill's residence. Rev. George W. Minier followed Mr.
F. in 1847, and he was succeeded by Dr. Finley, of Jacksonville. Prof D. Wilkins
was here in 1852, organized a Board of Trustees, and gave the institution a high-sounding
name — " The Central Illinois Female Seminary." For several years the school was
quite well attended, young ladies being here from various towns and cities in the State.
Prof Wilkins purchased the Seminary, and was teaching there as late as 1857.

Miss Parsons kept a good school about this time, for the training of young ladies ;
and there were at various dates other good private institutions of learning.

Rev. R. Conover's Bloomington Female Seminary, a Presbyterian institution, was
for a long time a power in Central Illinois. It was started on Grove street (where the
building now stands as a residence) in 1856, and continued in existence sixteen years.
It often contained as high as ninety pupils, and during its life gave instruction to over
one thousand young ladies. It was an institution of quite a high order, and would proba-
bly have been sustained permanently, but for the greater efficiency of the modern pub-
lic schools as compared with those of the past.

In 1856, William T. Major built a fine building in the north part of town, which
was used for several years as a Female Seminary of the Christian denomination, and was
a flourishing institution. AVith praiseworthy liberality this noble man afterward pre-
sented the whole building and its ample grounds to the Christian denomination, on the
sole condition of its being managed as a college. The attempt was made ; but from
some cause, probably because of the rapid increase of such institutions, the college was
not a success, and it reverted to Mr. IMajor or his heirs. It would be impossible to
mention all the worthy schools and seminaries that have done good work in Bloomin"--
ton, but we must give all of them much credit for what they have accomplished. At
present, there are several small private schools. The largest one, the Academy of St.
Joseph, taught by the Sisters of St. Dominic, under the charge of the Catholic Church,
is on a permanent basis, as are also the several schools maintained by our German
citizens.

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 353

There are three of these German schools ; one at the corner of West and Front streets,
and two in the southern part of the city.

For several years previous to 1857, the public schools had gi'own to be of con-
siderable importance, but they were still in their infancy. They formed five different
school districts within the city limits, containing about three hundred pupils, and the
schools might be classed as " bad and indifferent," hardly rising to the grade of" good."
On the 8th day of April, 1857, these districts were all consolidated, and placed in
charge of the new Board of Education, and from that day the progress of our public
schools has been rapid and permanent.

The first charter to establish and regulate a system of public schools in the city of
Bloomington was granted by the Legislature of the State, February 22, 1857. This
charter called for a biennial election in the city, by the qualified electors, of a Board of
Education to consist of seven members. The charter provided for such an election to
be held on the first Monday in April, A. D. 1857.

As the result of the election, the following-named gentlemen were declared by the
City Council to constitute the first Board of the city : C. P. Merriman, B. 0. War-
riner, 0. T. Reeves, E. R. Boe, Eliel Barber, Samuel Gallagher and Henry Richardson.
The need of new schoolhouses was from the very first a matter of consideration by the
Board, and at their meeting held April 11, 1857, it was voted " to build four new
schoolhouses in different parts of the city, for the accommodation of schools, so soon as
funds sufficient can be obtained."

The first estimate of the Board to the City Council called for $10,000, with
which to erect a new school-building, and $2,000 in addition to the general school fund
to defray the expenses of maintaining the schools of the city. As a result of the
request for this estimate, the following communication was sent to the Board by the
Council :

Whereas, The Board of Education having made a report to this Council, demanding a levy
of a five-mill tax for school purposes, and it being the opinion of this Council that said levy
vyould be a burdensome and oppressive tax upon the people at the present time ; therefore,

Resolved, That it is our bounden duty to respectfully decline an order for said levy.

As a result of this, the Board of Education employed Abraham Lincoln to take
the necessary steps to procure from the Circuit Court a writ of mandamus to compel
the Council to levy the tax as required of them by Section 8 of the School Law. The
whole matter seems to have been amicably settled, however, by the Board presenting a
memorial to the Council requesting them to reconsider the action.

In the year 1858, the first permanent school-building was completed, called for
several years the High School Building. It is in the Fourth Ward, and its cost was a
little over $6,000. It was thought to be a fine structure for the times, though enlarged
considerably in 1870. The high school started in 1857, was taught for the first year in
Wilkins Seminary, by J. A. Johnson, and it opened in the new building in 1858,
taught by E. P. Clark. The next year, it was under the charge of H. M. Kellogg, who
met his death in 1864 in one of the Vicksburg battles, at which time he was Captain
of a company in the Thirty-third Regiment Illinois Volunteers. The progress of the
hio-h school has ever been onward and upward until the present time. It is now in a
fine building erected in 1868, at a cost of over $30,000. The first graduating class
consisted of two members in 1864, while that of 1877 contained over thirty. An act

854 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

of the Legislature, accepted by vote of the people in 1865, and another act passed in
1866, greatly strengthened the Board of Education, and increased the public interest.

The total enrollment of pupils in the public school in the year 1878 was 3,395.
The number of children ascertained to be in the whole city in the year 1879, under the
age of twenty -one years, was 7,187. Number of teachers in the public school, 63. Total
disbursement for schools for the year ending April 1, 1879, was $65,314. The cost
of the school-buildings, apparatus, furniture and grounds has been over ^228,000,
worth now, probably, a little more than the present outstanding school debt, which is in
the neighborhood of $100,000. The present Board of Education consists of Jacob
Jacoby, A. E. Stevenson, F. M. Funk, E. H. Bood, T. J. Bunn, J. H. Bowell and
Miss Georgiana Trotter. Miss Sarah E. Baymond is Superintendent. The first Super-
intendent was D. Wilkins, 1857 to 1859; in 1859, Gilbert Thayer; in 1860, Ira J.
Bloomfield ; 1861, no superintendent; 1862, C. P. Merriman ; 1863, J. H. Burnham ;
1864, John Monroe; 1865 to 1867, John P. Gowdy; 1867 and 1868, A. H. Thomp-
son; 1868 to 1872, S. M. Etter ; 1872 to 1874, S. D. Gaylord ; 1874 to the present
time. Miss Sarah E. Baymond.

Besides the large school edifices called respectively. First, Third, Fourth, Fifth
Ward and the High School buildings, there are several of less value in different places,
making in all provision for most of the children who need schooling. Bloomington
expends a very large sum of money for public education, and it behooves her citizens to
look well to the management of the ample fund annuallv disbursed. The city stands
upon record as being one of the first in this State to admit a lady as a member of its
Board of Education, Miss Georgiana Trotter having been elected four years ago. Miss
Baymond, the efiicient Superintendent of our city schools, was one of the first ladies in
Illinois to fill such a position. Our churches, our public schools and our higher
institutions of learning are all well worthy of the pride of our citizens.

CHURCHES THAT HAVE DISSOLVED.

There have been almost innumerable attempts made in Bloomington to establish
churches and religious societies by the different sects represented in the United States.
People have arrived here from all the regions under the sun, apparently, and, on their
arrival, have commenced looting around for the religious denomination to which they
were most attached. It would be, indeed, interesting could we furnish a lull list of the
different churches that have attempted to obtain a foot-hold. Even the Mormons have
been represented, and at one time published a weekly newspaper here, printed at the
Pantagraph office, edited by Mr. Haldeman, who has since moved to the State of Mis-
souri. This journal was an organ of the Latter-Day Saints, or sect opposed to the Salt
Lake Mormons. It is impossible to obtain a full history, even of those churches now
in existence here, and we do not pretend to anything more than a mere outline or sketch,
and shall be well satisfied if we have made a few footsteps that shall lead in the direc-
tion we should like to travel. We will take a little space for mention of churches that
have been formed and afterward given up their organizations, as these have had a share
iu the great work of Christianizing our community.

While the Presbyterian Church is the home of the large element known as the
Orthodox Congregationalists, there was a time when a flourishing church of that denomi-
nation was in existence. As early as 1842, the Congregationalists had built a church

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 355

at the northwest corner of Washington and Madison streets, and from that time to 1860,
were quite powerful in the city. In 1858, they built a new church at the northeast coi'ner
West and Washington, which, under the pastoral care of Kev. L. Taylor, was very flour-
ishing. In the hard times following, they were unable to pay a mortgage on their property,
and lost their house of worship, which was purchased in 1885 by the Episcopalians.

The Congregationalists again re-organized in 1873, worshiped in a public hall, but,
after two years' trial, again gave up the undertaking.

For several years, the Reformed Presbyterians owned a church on Front street,
where is now the residence of Mr. I. R. Krum ; but, owing to the removal from the
city of quite a large portion of their membership, and for other reasons, their organiza-
tion disappeared over ten years ago.

The Universalists had a church-building on Front street, and kept up their society
for several years, during which quite a number of our most prominent citizens were
members of the organization. Rev. F. J. Briggs was the minister in charge for some
time, and is still living in Bloomington. Many of its members went into the Free
Congregational Church, and others have become connected with different churches or
moved from the city.

For several years, the Methodists kept up an organized church called the West
Charge. They had a pleasant house of worship at the southeast corner of Washington
and West streets. After several years' trial, during a part of which time the Church
was very flourishing, it was discovered that the interests of the denomination were best
subserved by only one organization, and the building was sold, to be taken down and
moved to New Rutland, on the Illinois Central Railroad.

In the year 1868, there was a church society that worshiped in Phoenix Hall,
under the charge of Rev. Dr. Reed, a very excellent minister of the Southern Meth-
odist Church ; but the project of erecting a building was abandoned.

The first Christian Church was erected on East street, in the rear of Major's
Hall, and for a time after the present church was erected, there were two Christian
Churches in the city, both of which appeared quite powerful. About the year 1863,
however, the two became merged in the present church, and the old one was sold to
the German Lutherans, and now stands at the corner of Madison and Olive streets.

Our sketch merely hints at a few of the attempts that have been made to organize
different churches in Bloomington. In fact, we have no doubt these sectarian efforts
could be numbered by scores, and, if all were hunted up and catalogued, a very
interesting chapter would be the result. We have referred to a few in order to bring
prominently before our readers the fact that strenuous efforts have been made to culti-
vate the religious field. Of the good seed planted in the past, we are proud to record
the evidences of the proper maturing of a fair proportion.

CHURCHES.

It is impossible to give even a tolerably correct sketch of the different churches of
this city. In many cases the history of these institutions has not been preserved, and
in others there have been such changes, suspensions, consolidations, divisions and
removals that we despair of doing justice to the great subject. We give merely a few
fragments, beseeching the charity and good-will of all who have ever attempted work of
this character. The founders of Bloomington left no effort untried to affect favorably

3/>6 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

the morals and religion of this commuuity. From their little means, needed so much
for daily wants and improvements, they freely gave liberally toward building and sup-
porting churches. They were inspired with zeal in the cause of the IMaster, were aided
by the most active and self-denying ministry, and could see a promise of better days
when the town should become more fully peopled with families of wealth and culture.
Each denomination made great eiforts for supremacy. All were equally active, and at
this time we see the good results of the hard labors of the early Christians.

The pioneer of Christianity in this locality, was, of course, the Methodist Church.
Mr. John Hendrix, who came to Blooming Grove in 1822, was a consistent, devoted
Methodist, and for a long time his house was the preaching-place of the neighborhood.
It appears he invited Rev. James Stringfield, who was visiting at Randolph Grove, from
Kentucky, and this gentleman preached the first sermon in the limits of the town
of Bloomington, in 1823, at Mr. Hendrix's cabin. Some think that Rev. Jesse
Walker, the regular supply of the Peoria Circuit, should be entitled to the honor of
preaching the first sermon, he having preached at Mr. Hendrix's house in 1824. Bloom-
ing Grove was made a preaching-place, in Peoria IMission, as early as 1824, during
which year, at the house of John Hendrix, the first Methodist class was formed, which
contained about ten members. This class was the Methodist Church of Blooming
Grove, for several years. In 1831, preaching was commenced in the then new village
of Bloomington, at the schoolhouse at the corner of Olive and Main streets, where the
marble-shop now stands. Rev. William Crissey preached here in November, having
previously delivered at least one sermon in the limits of Bloomington, which was on the
9th of October, 1831. There appears to have been a class organized here in Bloom-
ington about the close of 1831, and until the year 1837, Bloomington and Blooming
Grove were two distinct charges, when, under Rev. S. W. D. Chase, they were united.
The two charges united in building a church at the southeast corner of Olive and INIain
streets, in 1836, when a plain building, 32x44 feet was built, under the charge of Rev.
Zadoc Hall. Methodism grew and prospered at this location, until the year 1851, when
the brick church, corner of Washington and East streets, was finished. This was a very
large church for the times. Thomas Williams was contractor. This was occupied by
the denomination from that date until 1875. About 1870, it bee ime apparent that this
building was altogether inadequate for the accommodation of the rapidly-increasing con-
gregation, and plans were made for the construction of the present church-building.
On September 29, 1873, the corner-stone was laid with imposing ceremonies, under the
direction of Bishop Wiley, of St. Louis. In October, 1875, the basement auditorium
was completed, and appropriate dedication exercises were conducted by prominent minis-
ters from this and other States, in the presence of an immense congregation. As an
example of Methodist liberality, $9,000 were raised by subscription in less than two
hours, at these exercises. This magnificent church-edifice, as it now stands, completed,
is one of the beauties of Bloomington ; it is a model of architectural symmetry and beauty.
The main auditorium is a spacious room, easy of access, with seating capacity for 1 ,250.
It is handsomely decorated with appropriate designs. The basement auditorium is con-
veniently arranged, neatly finished and has seating capacity for 700. In addition to
these, there are classrooms and various other aparlnients for the accommodation of the
communicants. The society has recently purchased and placed in position an immense
organ. It is the largest in the State, outside of Chicago. The total valuation of the

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 357

church building and lot was estimated, three years ago, at $55,000. The total member-
ship is something over 800. Its present Pastor is Rev. Mr. McElroy.

The University Methodist Church was organized October 7, 1867. It worships
in the chapel of the University — a fine room, with capacity for 800, or with the gal-
lery, which can be used if needed, an audience of 1,500 can be accommodated. There
are about 250 church-members. Rev. J. A. Kumler is the Pastor in charge. This
Church is a great convenience to the lay population in the north part of the city, espe-
cially to the students of the college.

The German Methodist Church is well established; is situated on Center street,
between North and Market. It was organized in 1854, by Dr. J. Schmidt, of Quincy, 111.
It is one of the earliest of any of the German organizations of Bloomington. Rev. J.
H. Thomas is Pastor, and there are 110 members.

The African Methodist Church is on North Center street. It was organized in
1847, by Rev. P. H. Ward, and contains 100 members. Its first church-edifice was
built in 1848. and, in 1859, it was removed to the side of the lot and has since been
used as a parsonage. A new church was built in that year, which was considerably
enlarged in 1871. Its cost was about $3,000. Rev. C. S. Jacobs is the Pastor in charge.

The First Presbyterian Church was organized January 26, 1833, by the Rev. Cal-
vin W. Babbett. Its house of worship was not erected until about 1840, when the
division between the Old and New Schools occurred. This Church was attached to the Old
School, though it was not until 1855 that a New- School Church was formally organized.

The First Church has been the parent of Orthodox Congregationalism and Pres-
byterianism in Bloomington. At least three different churches have sprung from this
organization, though only one has become permanent. During the pastorate of the
Rev. H. R. Price, an addition was made to the old building, and its seating capacity
increased to about five hundred. When the Old and New Schools were united, a few
years ago, the First Church took the title to which it was entitled by seniority. For
many years, it was known as the Old-School Presbyterian Church of Bloomington, and
was a pioneer in deed and in truth. The Rev. J. B. Thayer is the present Pastor of
the First Church.

The First Church, as originally built, was quite small. In 1855, the rapid growth
of the city made an opening for more churches, and on the 11th of January, 1855, the
New-School or Second Presbyterian Church v/as organized, in Major's Hall, corner of
Front and East streets. This hall was at that time in the third story, since removed,
and was very large and pleasant. Rev. Alfred Eddy was the Pastor. Here, the con-
gregation worshiped until about the time the building was used by the State Normal
University, in the fall of 1857. In 1856, the Church commenced their new house of
worship, which was finished in 1857. Its total cost has been over $20,000, including
the recent addition, which has increased its seating capacity to 650. This Church has
been very fortunate in its Pastors, having had but four different ministers in the course
of the twenty -four years of its life. Originally of the New School, it has now become
the Second Presbyterian. This Church possesses a very fair proportion of the educa-
tion, talent and wealth of the city and may be called established. Its present Pastor is
the Rev. J. W. Diusmore.

The Third Presbyterian, generally called the North Church, was organized April
26, 1875. Their house of worship is on East Locust street, near Main, and is a very

358 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

comfortable and tasteful building. The value of church property, including buildings
and grounds, is nearly §10,000. The membership is between seventy and one hundred.

The Baptist is one of the pioneer churches, having been organized in 1837. About
this time, their first church- building was erected upon two lots donated by James AUin,
at the northeast corner of North and West streets ; afterward, moved to Madison between
Front and Grove, where the church used it several years. In 1857, the large building
at the corner of Madison and Jefferson, now occupied by the society, was commenced,
and so far completed as to be used in part in the year 1858. The old church on South
Madison was sold to the German Turners, who now use it as a hall. The present mem-
bership of the Baptist Church is about 550, and during its existence, over 1,600 persons
have been members. The pastors of this church have taken a leading place in the his-
tory of Bloomington, and one of them. Rev. H. J. Eddy, was Chaplain of the Thirty-
third Regiment Illinois Volunteers. The membership has always been among our best
inhabitants, and their zeal and devotion to the cause of their Master have been remark-
able. At one time this Church maintained two mission Sabbath schools, one of which,
the West Mission, has now developed into a German Baptist Church, with a settled
pastor. It is located at 1,302 West Locust street. Rev. Henry Wernicke is the Pastor;
it contains thirty-three members. The South Mission is on Boone street, between
Hardin and Fremont, and is sustained by the Baptist Church. The present Pastor of
the Baptist Church is Rev. 0. B. Stone. This Church assisted in the organization of
Mount Pisgah Baptist Church (colored), which was started in 1866. Its first Pastor
was the Rev. Thomas Reasoner. Its place of worship is on South Lee street, where it pos-
sesses a comfortable church, erected in 1869. Rev. Mr. Harrison is its present Pastor,
and there are between ninety and one hundred members.

The Christian Church, comprising the followers of Alexander Campbell, with others
of similar views, is also a pioneer, having been organized in 1839; and, like its prede-
cessors, the Baptist and Presbyterian, was organized in the old Foster Seminary on East
Olive street. Its first house of worship was built in the hard times of 1841, on East
street, in the rear of Major's Block. William T. Major was its first Pastor. About the
year 1856, the present Christian Church building, at the corner of West and Jefferson, was
erected ; and, for a time, there were two vigorous Christian Churches existing in this city.
Before the year 1864, the two churches were united; the old church was sold to
the Lutherans ; removed by them to the corner of Olive and Madison ; and the united
Christian Church has become one of the most powerful in the city. It is one of the
leading churches of this denomination in the West. It is now under charge of Dr. A. I.
Hobbs. Olive Mission, corner of South Grove and Vine streets, is in charge of this Church.
Outside of the city there are two churches of this denomination. Grassy Ridge
Christian Church, organized 1854, is near the south line of the township, under the
charge of Rev. Mr. Berry, who also has the care of the church at Shirley. The Grassy
Ridge Church has about seventy members. Blooming Grove Christian Church has a
neat building, erected in 1873, at a cost of about $1,300. It is in the Cox and Oren-
dorfi" neighborhood, the true historic center of Bloomington, at the east side of Blooming
Grove. Its members number about one hundred.

The Free Congregational Church was organized August 14, 1859. Among its
first members we find the names of Jesse W. Fell, K. H. Fell, C. Wakefield, E. Bar-
ber, Robert Thompson, W. Perry, F. K. Phoenix, H. N. Pearse. Jesse Bishop, E.

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 359

M. Prince, C. P. Merriman, John L. Routt, M. Pike, O. Barnard, Francis Barnard,
William Rowley and others. These gentlemen were willing to unite in a declaration
of views which committed the new society to the platform of Liberal Christianity.
Though not strictly a Unitarian Church, it comes, perhaps, nearer to that denomination
than any other. The church-building is owned by stockholders in rather a diiferent
manner from the method which is most common. Rev. Charles Gr. Ames, of Minne-
apolis, Minn., was the first minister. He was a man of great force and power. He
has been succeeded generally by able men. Probably about four hundred people attend
this Church. The church-edifice was erected about the year 1866 ; it will seat
nearlyfive hundred persons. Its present Pastor is the Rev. J. S. Thompson.
St. Matthew's Episcopal Church was organized July 31, 1853. In 1857, a lot was
purchased at the southeast corner of Prairie and Jefferson streets, and plans were
adopted for a church, but the financial crisis of that year was the reason for abandoning
the enterprise and the lot was sold. After worshiping in difl'erent halls, the parish
purchased in 1865, the old Congregational Church, corner of West and Washington.
In July, 1874, the Vestry purchased the lot at the northwest corner of Jefferson and
Prairie streets, where, in the year 1876, the present fine structure was erected. The
building will cost when completed, about $20,000. There are about one hundred and
sixty communicants of the Church, and the congregation will number about four hun-
dred. The church is large enough to seat about six hundred persons.

The German Lutheran (Trinity) Church is at the corner of Olive and Madison.
About one hundred and twenty-five families — all of them among the most worthy and
industrious of our citizens — attend upon the ministrations of the Pastor, Rev. E.
Riedel. A day school has been connected with this Church much of the time since
its organization in 1858.

The Swedish Lutheran Church is newly established, having erected its house
of worship at 804 West Olive street, in the summer of 1877. Its Pastor is the Rev.
P. J. Brodine. The regular membership is about eighty. The Church was organized
December 8, 1872. with thirty-eight members. It joined the Augustan Synod in 1873.
The Roman Catholic Church was organized in 1855 by Father Bernard O'Hara
It was called Holy Trinity — now the Church of the Immaculate Conception. At first
it purchased and used the old M. E. Church, corner Olive and Main streets, but it very
rapidly outgrew its accommodations.

In 1869, a new building was being erected at the site of the present cathedral,
when a gust of wind, nearly equal to a tornado, leveled the structure to the earth. Its
walls were up and the roof on, and the damage was over $20,000. Undaunted, the
coneregation persevered with the work on a much more expensive plan, and now have
the satisfaction of worshiping in an elegant building, which, when finished, with its
208-feet-high spire and everything as designed by the architect, it will be one of the
most beautiful ornaments of which Bloomington can boast.

The new cathedral is a magnificent piece of architecture, in the Romanesque style.
Its dimensions are 213 feet in length and 80 feet in width. The estimated cost, when
fully completed, is about $150,000. It will be one of the finest cathedrals in all Illi-
nois. For several years back, the society has occupied the basement auditorium as a
temporary place of worship, but, within the past year, the outer walls have been com-
pleted and the roof placed in position, thus inclosing the main audience-room. This is

■360 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

-a spacious apartment, 213 feet in length, 80 feet in width, and 52 from the floor to the
ceiling. It is provided with a large octagonal chancel and two large galleries. It will
have ample seating accommodation for 2,500 persons. Father McDermott is in charge
of the Church. The total number of members of this Church, with their families, is
not far from six thousand.

The German Catholic Church was built about the year 1871. It is situated on
North Water street, which is in the southwest part of the city. W. J. Revis is
in charge. This is a growing Church. It is known as St. Mary's German Catholic
Church.

BLOOMINGTON SABBATH SCHOOLS.

At the time Bloomington was first settled, Sabbath schools were a new thing all
over the country. Like the temperance movement, it was not quite clear whether they
were to be an educational improvement mainly, or to partake of a moral as well as of a
religious character. The conservatism of the community naturally arrayed itself against
Sabbath schools, as against everything that was new and novel, and the labors of the
originators of these institutions were, at times, severe as well as unappreciated. We
have requested a statement on this subject, which was kindly furnished by that veteran
in the good cause, Mr. A. C. Washburne:

" April 8, 1832, I went to the schoolhouse (a log cabin) to attend Sabbath school,
agreeable to an appointment made by Mr. Latta, a local preacher of the Methodist order.
But few were present. A question arose as to the manner of conducting the school.
Previous to this, for a short time, a gentleman of intelligence, but not a professor of
religion, had met a few children on the Sabbath, and instructed them in reading and
singing. Some desired a school of a more decided, religious character, while others pre-
ferred the present arrangement. A meeting was appointed for Monday night to settle
this question.

" April 9. Meeting was held, agreeable to notice, and, as a result, I was appointed
Superintendent, and the entire management of the school placed in my hands.

" April 15. Commenced a Sabbath school upon strictly religious, but not secta-
rian, principles. For some months I had no assistance, and the attendance of pupils
was from twenty to thirty. At length, I obtained the assistance of two young ladies,
Misses Durley and Kimler, who did efiicient work in the school. To show the state of
society at that time, permit me to say that the employment of these ladies in the school
caused considerable low gossip in town, although they belonged to respectable families,
and were of irreproachable character.

'' I continued this school until the spring of 1833, when, about to visit the East, I
left it in charge of Mr. McGeoh, a Presbyterian clergyman, who had recently located in
Bloomington. I returned in the fall of the same year and found the school broken up,
Mr. McGeoh having died in my absence. Very soon I made arrangements to revive
the school, and have it meet at our residence, as the most convenient place for the win-
ter. With the assistance of my wife, we had what was, to me, a very interesting
school.

'' When I returned from the East, I brought out a second-hand library, and the
books were read with avidity. One bright-eyed little girl took a book, and, on return-
ing it, was asked if she had read it through. She replied, ' yes ; I read it through a
heap of times.'

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 361

" In the spring of 1834, the Rev. L. Foster and wife located in Bloomington, and
I gave the school into their hands. During the summers of 1834 and 1835, 1 was away
most of the time. In the spring of 1836, I was again chosen Superintendent, and had
charge of the school for two years. During this time, the first colored family having
children of suitable age to attend school, settled in town. I invited them into the
school, which caused quite a little excitement. I could get no one to teach them,
therefore I did it myself, giving all the time to them I could spare from other duties
Prejudice against them was so high that some left the school, but I do not think it sus-
tained any great loss.

"In the spring of 1838, a Mr. Barbour was chosen Superintendent. In 1839,
the Methodists organized a denominational school, which drew large numbers from the
other, which had up to this time been called a union school, although managed mostly
by Presbyterians. From this time forward, the old organization took on a denomi-
national character, and, with slight interruptions, has been continued to the present
time — 1879 — so that the Sabbath school of the old First Presbyterian Church may right-
fully claim direct lineal descent from the first Sabbath school organized in Bloomington.
Thus, from a very small beginning it has grown, I trust, to a healthful, yet ever increas-
ing, institution for the promotion of religious knowledge.

"A. C. WASHBURNE."

From and after this time, or from 1839, all the churches began to establish their
own Sabbath schools, and the history of each individual church may be assumed to
include the history of its own Sabbath school without doing much violence to his-
tory ; hence we shall not pursue the subject.

CEMETERIES.

We have stated elsewhere that the first cemetery laid out in the township of Bloom-
ington, is the one in the Orendorff neighborhood, started in the year 1825. This is
oldest cemetery in the county.

Shortly after the town, now city, of Bloomington, was established, a cemetery was
opened on the north side of the ample grounds now known as the Bloomington Cem-
etery. Here we find that the first burial was that of Mrs. Remington, about the year
1832. This tract is included within the same inclosure with the Bloomington Cem-
etery, and contains some land owned by the city and used as a public burying-ground.
As the town grew and it became evident it would be a place of considerable size, efibrts
were made in 1856 to establish a cemetery on a larger and more appropriate scale, and
the result proves the good taste, wisdom and judgment of those interested.

The Bloomington Cemetery Association was organized April 1, 1857. David
Brier, Esq., was elected President, and L. Graves, Secretary and Treasurer, which posi-
tion the latter gentleman has ably filled and is filling to the entire satisfaction of all ;
while the former gentleman held the presidency until he removed from the city, when
Judge 0. T. Reeves was elect to that position. The Cemetery grounds are located at
the east end of Fremont street, and contain forty acres, and are sufficiently remote from
the business center and every-day life as to render the place a fitting abode of the dead.
The site chosen is a beautiful one. Its rolling ground is pleasing and is interspersed
with a natural growth of trees and shrubs, making its landscape beauty unsurpassed for
the purpose designed. It is a beautiful, secluded retreat, well adapted as a sacred spot

362 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

for the reception of the dead, where monuments to their memory are preserved and
cherished as a solace to the living. Many monuments and other valuable improvements
are being made, which add beauty to and adorn the grounds, making it really a city
of the dead.

The Catholic Cemetery is under the care of the Church. It is situated on West
Washington street, near the city limits. This Cemetery, like the other, is fast filling up
with tasteful monuments, which indicate a degree of civilization and culture greatly to
be commended.

The Jewish Cemetery was laid out in 1874. It contains one acre of ground, near
city limits, on the Springfield road. The President of the Association is M. Heilbrun,
who first proposed the idea of a cemetery.

FRANKLIN PARK.

Bloomington has reason to be proud of the beautiful square called Franklin Park,
which is in the northern part of the city. It was donated in 1856, by David Davis,
W. T. Flagg and William H. Allin, who were owners of the land included in the Dur-
ley Addition. They presented it to the city to be perpetually used as a public park.
At that time, there were no residences in its vicinity, and the idea of the public ever
obtaining any benefit from a park in that desolate region was the theme of much ridi-
cule on the part of the wits of the time. The rapid growth of the city in its northern
portion has proved the wisdom and far-sightedness of the donors of Franklin Park. In
the spring of 1858, the City Council appropriated money for planting trees, and the
work was mostly superintended by Milo Chatfield, then Alderman. The trees were
mere poles, and their wretched appearance again started the flood-gates of ridicule.
These trees have now become a beautiful forest, and the place begins to be prized by
our citizens, and will, no doubt, soon be improved with walks, drives, seats, iron fences,
statues and fountains.

It can already boast of one of the noblest ornaments of McLean County, the Sol-
diers' Monument, which was erected by vote of the people of the entire county. The
vote was taken in 1866, and the monument was dedicated June 17, 1869. In some .
parts of the county, votes were cast against the proposition, on the ground that it was
supposed the monument was to be placed in the Bloomington Cemetery, but there never
was any intention of such a location.

Tha monument was designed and built by J. S. Haldeman, of this city. The
following is a detailed sketch of its size and general appearance : The lower base is
built of Leraont limestone, thirteen feet in diameter ; the marble base on the top of
this is finished with a heavy carved molding, on which stand four octagonal disks, in
the shape of a cross. On these disks are the names of about seven hundred soldiers
that died in the service. On the top of these disks is an elaborately molded cap, with
the inscription, "McLean County's Honored Sons; Fallen, But Not Forgotten,"
engraved in large letters. On this cap, and directly over each of the four disks, stands
a statue of a soldier, representing first. Infantry, second, Cavalry, third, Zouave, fourth,
Marine. These statues surround a large octagonal disk, with heavy relief covering.
On the four corners there are flags, accoutrements, etc. Above this disk is a second
disk surrounded with a finely-carved festoon of laurel. From this disk starts the main
shaft, which is eighteen feet high, tapering gradually to the top, and surmounted with a

HISTORY OF McLEAN COJNTY. 36o

cap and a life-size figure of a colonel resting on his sword, holding in his right hand a
field-glass, and facing the south. The whole height of the monument is forty-nine feet
from the ground to the top of the colonel's head. It cost $15,000.

RAILROADS.

We have already alluded to the fact, that Bloomington was a center of the pro-
jected railroad system of the Internal Improvement scheme of 1836. The Illinois Cen-
tral, as then proposed, might pass a good way to the east, or a long distance to the west
of our city, but men like A. Gridley, Jesse W. Fell, David Davis, J, E. McClun, and
others were watching the project, determined that the line should touch Bloomington,
if they could have influence. Circumstances favored Gen Gridley, who was in the State
Senate in 1851, and he secured the line where Bloomington most wished it to be located.

Our citizens began to feel, in 1850, when legislation and the progress of railroading
made it probable the road might be built in a few years, that it was vitally important to
obtain the line. The Senatorial contest in this district, in the fall of 1850, was hotly
contested between A. Gridley and John W. Ewing — the former a Whig, and the latter
a Democrat. Both men were in favor of Bloomington's becoming a point on the road,
though the respective political parties affected to doubt the soundness of each other's
candidates. Mr. Gridley was elected from the counties of McLean, Tazewell, Logan,
Macon and DeWitt, by 249 majority. During the session of the Legislature of 1850
and 1851, the Illinois Central charter was passed. The only points located in the
charter are the termini, and a point not far from the southeast corner of Blooming-
ton Township. After a severe contest with rival routes, Mr. Gridley secured the inser-
tion of this one intermediate point, which gave Decatur, Clinton and Bloomington the
road with little further trouble.

We copy from the Western Intelligencer a letter of great interest :

Senate Chamber, February 6, 1851.

The Senate, thi.s moment, by a vote of 23 to 2, has passed the Central Railroad bill. The
only point made on the Central road, between the southern terminus of the canal and Cairo is,
that the road shall be constructed within five miles of the northeast corner of Township 21 north.
Range 2 east of the Third Principal Meridian. This provision secures the road to Bloomington,
Clinton and Decatur beyond all question, and secures the construction of the great Central road
through the three counties of McLean, DeWitt and Macon. The great difficulty has been in
determining the points to which the road should be constructed ; and inasmuch as there has
been but one point fixed in the whole State (except the termini as fixed by the act of Congress;,
I think the citizens of said counties are fortunate that by the provisions of this bill this great
road is secured to them.

By reference to the map, as the road will not go east of the northeast corner of Town 21,
Range 2 east, you will see that Bloomington is in a direct line from four miles west of said
northeast corner to La Salle, or the termination of the canal, which secures the road to Bloom-
ington.

The Legislature will adjourn on Monday, the 17th. I am also of opinion that the bill
(which some days since passed the Senate) extending the charter of the Alton & Sangamon Rail-
road Company to Bloomington, will pass the House and become a law ; in which event I am
assured by the agent of the Company, that the road will be constructed and completed in two
years. I take this earliest opportunity to advise you, and through you to advise my fellow-cit-
izens of McLean and other counties of the Eleventh Senatorial District, of the progress of the
Legislature upon the subject of railroads, well knowing their deep and abiding anxiety therein.
Trusting that my feeble efforts in their behalf may meet their approbation, I am.

Very respectfully your obedient servant, A. GRIDLEY.

364 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

"When the engineers came to locate the line of the Illinois Central, a public meet-
ino- was held, offering the right of way to the company providing a certain line was
adopted, it being almost the exact route which was afterward followed. There was a
plan to take the road about three miles east of Bloomington, but it was defeated. The
line was located as it was built and its building commenced in 1851. During the year
1852, work was goin? on along in this portion of the State, and, it being the first rail-
road ever built here, it of course attracted a great deal of attention. At one time, there
was a scheme for locating the railroad-shops here, but for the reason that the company
itself did not own land enough at this point to reap a harvest from the sale of town
lots, it preferred to build a town of its own at Wapella. The cars ran from La Salle
to Bloomington May 28, 1853. It is stated by those who were living at the time, that
no event has ever created such profound excitement as did the arrival of the first rail-
road train from La Salle on the Illinois Central Railroad. Bloomington and the sur-
rounding country turned out en masse, waiting at the depot for the new-fangled machine
that dispensed with the aid of horses. There were large numbers present who had
never seen an engine before, and to all, even those to whom it was no novelty, the event
was one of the deepest significance. Bloomington, after nearly twenty years of watch-
ing, working and waiting, had now a railroad, and was about to enter upon an active
career. To the minds of all who were present on that occasion, it was the dawning of
a new era of prosperity for our city, and the result of twenty-six years of railroad
advantages is sufficient proof that the spectators of that event were correct in their
anticipations.

About this time — 1850 to 1853 — several other railroad projects were before our
people. One was the " Peoria, Bloomington & La Fayette " and another the " Bloom-
ington & Wabash Valley." The former really became the Peoria & Logansport
through El Paso and Chenoa, after Bloomington people had been rather tricked out of
the line by the actions of Peoria. The names of the gentlemen who were mentioned
in the act of incorporation of the " Bloomington & Wabash Valley " road are given
below, and we insert as a remark of our own, that the most of these same men have
been found aiding every road that Bloomington possesses to-day: David Davis, John
Moore, Isaac Funk, John E. McClun, James Miller, Jesse W. Fell, A. Gridley, K.
H. Fell, E. H. Didlake, J. H. Robinson, R. 0. Warriner, A. Withers, John W. Ewing,
W. F. Flagg, W. H. Temple, W. H. Holmes and W. T. Major.

These two roads mentioned, however, have substantially been secured by the
Indianapolis and La Fayette routes, which have lately been built on nearly the same
lines as were projected in these early times. These years — 1850 to 1853 — were fruit-
ful in "projects" for railroads, and, in fact, fruitful in results. October 15, 1853, by
a vote of 340 to 5, the city of Bloomington voted to take stock to the amount of
$50,000 in the " Bloomington & Wabash" road, but for some reason the project failed
at that time, to be revived again under another charter at a later date. Its line has
since been occupied substantially, by the present Indianapolis & Bloomington road,
whose later history is given below.

The "Alton & Sangamon," or ••Chicago & Mississippi" Railroad, alluded to by
Gen. Gridley above, succeeded in getting its charter extended to Bloomington, and
very soon our citizen.s began to hear of the location of the Springfield & Bloomington
Railroad. Surveys were made, the line put under contract, and in due course of time

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY. 305

— October 16, 1853 — the cars were running from Springfield to Bloomington. For
several months, trains connected with the Illinois Central at the Junction which is now
Normal, and passengers from Springfield could reach Chicago via Bloomington and
La Salle. At that time, the line which is now the Chicago & Alton, advertised in a
Bloomington paper to take passengers to New York in " only sixty hours."

This new road came quietly, compared with the Illinois Central ; the latter had
been talked of ever since 1836, and the former was comparatively unknown to the gen-
eral public until its contractors were at work all along the line. When it arrived, ii
almost took the town by surprise. As the road reached Bloomington late in the fall, it
was not able to finish its northern end until the following summer ; and the Joliet & Bloom-
ington Extension — as it was called — was readv for use durino- the summer of 1854.
The portion nearest Bloomington was built first, and was so far along that an excursion-
train ran to Lexington on the 4th of July, 1854. The Joliet & Chicago Railroad had
been built previously, and we believe the Chicago & Alton Railroad, from Chicago to
East St. Louis, has been built under at least five different charters, each atithorizing
only a portion of the present line.

When the Illinois Central depot was located at the eastern side of town, the idea
of locating the other at or outside of the western edge was advocated by Jesse Fell and
others, and though not popular at first, it was soon thought that if the two depots
were thus situated, the town would be spread out wide and in the end might be
benefited.

By donations of land and assistance in other ways, these gentlemen also secured
the building of the railroad machine-shops in 1852 and 1853, which, in the end, have
become so highly important to the prosperity of Bloomington, which owes a debt of
gratitude to these far-seeing gentlemen. The location of the shops made Bloomington
a convenient point for the starting of the Jacksonville branch in 1867, and then the
building of this branch made it comparatively e'asy for Bloomington to obtain the
rebuilding of the machine-shops after the fire in 1867, when, but for the fact of the
junction here, we should have been compelled to pay much more than $55,000 in com-
petition with Chicago, Lincoln, Springfield and Joliet. When the Jacksonville branch
was built in 1867, Bloomington was obliged to vote $75,000 in aid, which was given,
half by the city and the balance by the township of Bloomington. Nearly three hun-
dred votes were cast against this proposition, but the majority in its favor was several
hundred, our voters seeing so plainly the advantages of the road that they did not dare
risk its loss by an adverse vote. It is almost certain that the line would have run
directly north from Delavan to Washington, had Bloomington and the towns interven-
ing voted the project down.

It had now become the ambition of Bloomington to be a great railroad center, and
it needed no argument to convince the public in 1867, that our interests would be sub-
served by building any road that might be projected. The plan for a railroad from
Pekin through Bloomington, Le Roy, Urbana and Danville, had been proposed as early
as 1836, and at about that time twelve miles were graded east from Pekin. This was a
failure, owing to the crash that involved all these enterprises before 1840, and the pro-
ject was nearly dormant until 1866, though it was revived in 1854, and again in 1856,
a meeting having been held January 24, 1856, at Mackinaw, to aid the matter, and
another a little later, on the east end of the line, which was then called the Danville &

366 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

Bloomington Railroad. A charter in aid of the east and west line was obtained Feb-
ruary 11, 1857, and during the year, meetings were held at various places between
Pekin and Danville. A proposition to grant $100,000 from the proceeds of alternate
sections of McLean County's swamp-land, was voted down in this county November 5,
1857, the vote standing 1,570 opposed and 1,16G in favor. The crisis of 1857, no
doubt affected the whole project unftivorably, as we find nothing definite was
accomplished until after the beginning of 1866. During that year, a meet-
ing was held at Urbana, another, a little later, in Bloomington, and others
at Le Roy, where, August 27, 1866, an organization was effected, and the work was
pushed ahead, though Bloomington did not vote in aid of the plan until the spring of
1867, when, at a special election, a vote was taken on the question of giving $100,000
in township bonds to this line and as much to the La Fayette, Bloomington & Missis-
sippi Railroad. Both propositions were carried with less than a dozim votes opposed.
There never was any opposition to this road, or to the other. Every one saw plainly the
value of both lines; but while it was doubtful which line might be first voted upon,
there was a little danger that the jealousy existing between the special friends of each
might endanger both. Dr. E. Conkling is entitled to a good deal of credit for assisting
this enterprise, aided by such men as Judge McClun, J. W. Fell, A. Gridley and others,
who have always favored every railroad. The vote to issue bonds to the amount of
$100,000 in aid of the La Fayette, Bloomington & Mississippi Railroad, and an equal
amount to the Indianapolis, Bloomington & Western, then called the Danville, Urbana,
Pekin & Bloomington Railroad, was taken at a special town meeting, June 3, 1867, and
resulted in a vote of 904 for and 6 against the former road, and 913 for and 6 against
the last-named route.

* The unanimity of this vote is sufficient proof of the state of public sentiment at
that time ; though now we are paying the cost of these improvements, some feel as if they
are too expensive. Still, were the vote taken over again to-day, there Ls no doubt a
good majority would favor the same projects that were voted on June 3, 1867.

The La Fayette, Bloomington & Mississippi Railroad, running directly east is a
favorite line. It was built between 1869 and 1872, and is the result of the energy and
" push" of A. Gridley, A. B. Ives, J. H. Cheney, J. E. McClun, 0. T. Reeves, Charles
M. Holder, and a few others. These gentlemen labored incessantly to secure the road,
and at one time its success was so doubtful that probably had either one of them ceased
his efforts, the road would not have been finished. It runs from Bloomington to La
Fayette, Ind., where it connects with the La Fayette, Muncie & Bloomington Railroad,
and affords the shortest line from Bloomington to Buffalo and Eastern points. Its
grades are easy, and it is rarely obstructed by snow. The original company is now
dissolved, and the line is operated by a Receiver. Its Treasurer is Mr. J. H. Cheney, of
this city, who represents Bloomington's interests in this line, or, rather, is the only
official of the road who is a Bloomingtonian.

The Indianapolis & Bloomington road was finished May 1, 1870, and the La
Fayette road in 1872 ; giving our city railroad routes diverging in eight different
directions, like the spokes of a wheel from the hub, and enabling our merchants to ship
goods at as favorable rates as competing cities. A retrospective story of what has been
accomplished since just after the "deep snow " in 1831 — the Commissioners located a
county seat at " the north end of the Blooming Grove" — would read like a fable, did we

%*i-««l*.

^^^ J^^^^J

BLOOMINGTON

HISTORY OF M( LEAN COUNTY. 369

not have the evidence of men still living who have seen all these wonderful changes as
they have occurred from year to year. Blooming Grove — from having been a desolate
wilderness in 1821, unknown save to bands of predatory Indians, whose trails crossed
each other at this point, has become an educational, a moral and religious, a commercial
.and a great railroad center. In the natural course of events, more schools and colleges
"will center here ; more commercial and manufacturing enterprises will have their head-
quarters at this city, and other railroads will center here or connect with our present
roads in such a manner as to become practically Bloomington roads. During the year
1878, the Chicago & Alton Railroad has built an extension from Mexico, Mo., 162
miles, to Kansas City, which will add immensely to the business of the line, of which
Bloomington will reap many solid advantages through its machine-shops, whose capacity
"will thereby be still further developed.

In the near future, Bloomington may see a railroad running northeast, to intercept
the Illinois Central's new line at Chatsworth, a northwestern line to connect Washington
and Peoria with Bloomington, and a line to the southeast to connect with the Rantoul
narrow-gauge road. Other roads now unprojected will yet center here. May our
citizens, in the future as in the past, lend a helping hand to whatever, when well con-
sidered by our ablest citizens, promises to advance our best interests.

OUR TELEGRAPHS.

In Angust, 1853, Hon. John D. Caton, the pioneer of the Western Union Tele-
graph Lines, came to this city. He told Gen. Gridley that if Bloomington would take
■$1,000 of stock his company would give our city a telegraph office on the line then
building from Chicago to Springfield. It does not appear to have occurred to our citi-
zens that the telegraph business of the place would of itself justify the company in
keeping an office open, and so they took hold with their usual energy and subscribed the
amount. As a part of the histor}" of the telegraph, we give the list of subscribers :

C. P. Merriman,$100; W. H. Allin, $50 ; A. Gridley, §50 ; E. M. Wells, |50 ; H. H. Painter,
$50 ; George Parke, $50 ; W. F. Flagg, $bO ; J. W. Ewing, |50; J. W. Underwood & Co., $50;
Wakefield & Thompson. $50 ; Baker & Noble, $50 ; Paist & Elder, 550; K. H. Fell, §50; John
T. O'Brien, $50 ; Graves, Storey & Co., $50 ; G. B. Larrison and A. C. Washburne, $50 ; Magoun,
Miller & Co., $50 ; Ives & Curtis, $50; Wickizer, Swett and Mason, $50.

The poles were soon here, the wire was in place, and on the 24th of January, 1854,
an office was opened in Bloomington. The files of the Pantagraph show that paper's
first message, which was from the Illinois Journal office at Springfield, as follows :

Springfield, January 28, 1854.
C. P. Merriman : May the new communication by telegraph, so auspiciously opened, con-
tinue for ages. S. Francis.

Matthew L. Steele was the first telegraph operator at the Bloomington office, which
"was opened, in 1854, in what was known as Major's Block, on Front Street. He was
followed in 1866, by Arthur T. McElhiney, who is the present manager of the Bloom-
ington office, thus making a quarter of a century with only two different officials in
charge of what is a very important office. The Pantagraph and Coal Company possess
a local-line from Bloomington to Normal, to the coal-shaft, and to various points,
making nine miles of wire, upon which there are, at least, thirty private instruments
and a number of telephones.

370 HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

There are important offices at the headquarters of the C. & A. R. R. Company, at
its shops in Bloomington, where a large force of operators constantly direct the running
of trains, while the other railroads have one or more telegraphers constantly on duty ;
so that, in all, twenty operators are employed in this city, on regular salaries, not to men-
tion those who use the wire as an incident of their daily business, as is the case with
the patrons of the Pantagraph and Coal Company's line, as well as several of the other
patrons of the different lines, who have instruments of their own.

NEWSPAPERS.

The Bloomington Observer (weekly) was the first newspaper published in Bloom-
ington or in the county, and was established January 14, 1837, by Messrs. James
Allin, Jesse W. Fell and A. Gridley,-and was edited by William Hill, afterward, for a
short time, by Mr. Fell. In 1838, the Observer espoused the side of the Whig party
in politics. The name was changed, not long afterward, to the Western Whig, and it
was conducted by Charles P. Merriman. In 1852, the name was again changed to the
Bloomington Intelligencer, the paper again passing under the management of Mr. Jesse-
Fell, who sold out in a year or two after, to Mr. Charles P. Merriman, and the sheet wa&
baptized anew as the Pantagraph. The Daily Pantagraph was started June 19,
1854. It was sold, in 1856, by him to William E. Foote, who published it until
1861, E. J. Lewis being the editor. It is now owned and published by William 0.
Davis.

This paper has become well established, being one of the best known in the West.
The peculiarity of its name has attracted much attention, many critics and scholars-
appearing to confound it with the word " pentagraph," which is thus defined by Web-
ster: " Pentagraph, see pantagraph." Under head of " pantagraph," he says, " a math-
ematical instrument for copying ; written, also, jaaw^o^ropA, and, less correctly, pen^'a-
graphy Mr. Charles P. Merriman, a fine Greek scholar, gives the following as the-
meaning of the word ; and as his explanation is satisfactory to the best classical stu-
dents, we insert it here, in hope it will thus go into permanent history, and set the ques-
tion at rest. Mr. Merriman was the originator of the word, as well as the founder of
the Pantagraph:

" ' Panta ' is the neuter accusative plural of the Greek adjunct pas, and ' graph '
is from the Greek verb grapho, here used in the imperative mode ; the name ' Panta-
graph ' — write all things — is a perpetual injunction upon its editors to dip their pen&
fearlessly into all matters of human interest."

Other journals have been established at various times and flourished for a brief
period, to give place, in turn, to others ; but none of them have survived any length of
time. Among them may be mentioned the Evening Argus, National Flag, afterward
the Illinois Statesman, Illinois Central DemocnU, Bloomington Times, Ant i- Monopolist,
McLean County Democrat, Bloomington Republican, Illinois Schoolmaster, the
Advance, and others of less repute.

The fire of editorial controversy, it may be assumed, waxed high at times, as we
find in an old number of the Intelligencer a brief item, to the effect that an article had
appeared in the Flag containing a long array of abusive epithets against the editor of
the former sheet, of which " dastardly whelp," " scoundrel," etc., were a great deal the
mildest. " This, of course, brought on a personal encounter," continues the " responsible ' '

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUIITY. 371

editor, but adds the gratifying fact that " we were separated before either of us
received an injury."

The history of the ups and downs of newspaper life received an addition in the sudden
demise of the Bloomington Times, which came to an untimely end at the hands of the
Ninety-fourth Regiment Illinois Volunteers, a McLean County regiment. The paper
had become obnoxious to so many of the citizens, by reason of its Southern proclivities
and expressions of sympathy for the States in rebellion, and the excitement became so
great as to lead the soldiers, abetted by prominent citizens, to destroy the office and
press, since when the paper has not been revived.

There are now two daily papers, the Moruing Pantagraph and the Evening Leader.
The WeeMy Leader was started by Scibird & Waters, November 15, 1868, and the
Daily, February 22, 1870, and is now owned by M. S. Leland, publisher. Beside
these, the city can boast several weekly papers — the Democratic News, Sunday Eye
and the Banner of Holiness. The Bloomington Journal (German) was founded by F.
A. Schmidt ; present proprietor, H. Meyer. It is a paper of much influence, as is
also the McLean County Deutsche Presse, of which John Koester is editor and pro-
prietor.

THE BLOOMINGTON LIBRARY.

The institution now known as the Bloomington Library Association is one of the
most deserving in the city. It has become endeared to the public by the great work it
has accomplished, by its valuable collection of books, and by its promise of future bene-
fit to posterity. Its early history is of much interest. The first trace discovered is a
well-written communication in the Pantagraph of May 21, 1854, signed G. L. K., urging
the formation of a library and reading-room. - Bloomington's halcyon days were in
1854. At that time, it boasted 4,000 inhabitants, 12 churches, and seats in them for
nearly the total population. Possibly, this was more of a boast than a reality, but as
our city has grown, our church accommodations have not kept pace, though in the mat-
ter of seat-room in the public schools, we have reversed the situation compared with
twenty-five years ago. But we merely wished to remark that those who were at the
helm in 1854 to 1858 planned largely for the public good. They built churches, they
reformed our public schools, they endowed or founded colleges, and they did not forget
the need of a public library. We are reaping the harvest from the good seed then sown,
and in no one department were the early laborers more faithful than in that now under
consideration. The need of a library, and the condition of public opinion in relation
thereto, stimulated ihe ladies of our city to make an effiDrt, which has resulted in the
foundation of our Bloomington Library. Among those particularly worthy of mention
are Miss Rebecca A. Rogers, now Mrs. G. W. Parke, and Miss Hannah M. Snow.
The ladies obtained quite a number of subscriptions from persons who were willing to
assist, and, on the 2d of October, 1856, a public meeting was called at Major's Hall,
for the purpose of organizing the " Ladies Library." At this meeting, which was well
attended, the ladies reported subscriptions to the amount of $417. A committee was
appointed to draft a constitution and by-laws, to report at a future meeting. This com-
mittee was Rev. F. N. Ewing, Dr. W. C. Hobbs, David Davis, W. H. AlHn and John
E. McClun. After one or two preliminary meetings, the permanent organization of the
" Ladies' Library Association, of the City of Bloomington," was effected at the First Pres-
byterian Church November 13, 1856.

372 HISTORY OF M CLEAN COUNTY.

The ladies alone were eligible to oflBce during the first six or eight years. The
first ofiicers were: President, Mrs. S. B. Browu ; Vice President, Miss A. Warriner;
Secretary, Miss Caldwell ; Corresponding Secretary, Miss H. Parsons ; Treasurer, Miss
Rebecca A. Rogers ; Librarian, Miss Hannah M. Snow. The first Board of Managers
■was composed of the following ladies : Mrs. D. Davis, Mrs. F. N. Ewing, Mrs. T. Pardee,
Mrs. H. Spencer and Mrs. W. H. Allin.

On the 28th of February, 1857, the Library was opened in a room on Center street.
At the next meeting, Judge Davis oifered a room on Main street free of rent, which
ofier was very thankfully accepted. The Library remained in this room for six or seven
years, rent free, and, during all this time, it was taken care of and fostered by the
ladies with a zeal and enthusiasm that gained it a high position among the worthy
institutions of Bloomington. Its growth was gradual but sure. The catalogue from
the beginning has always exhibited a large selection of valuable books, and it has been
one of the educational institutions of our city.

In the year 1867, it was thought best to organize under an act of the Legislature,
which was obtained February 23, 1867. The Library changed its name to the " Bloom-
ington Library Association," and gentlemen were made eligible to office, but its main
features were unchanged. By the act of incorporation, the Association is able to own
real estate, manage an endowment fund, to go onward and forward in the good cause,
and take such rank and position as the public or its wealthy members may in the future
see fit to award. Probably the time will come when this Association will possess a per-
manent building of its own, and an endowment fund which will render it self-sustaining.
The first officers under the new organization were elected March 2, 1867. David
Davis was President ; E. M. Prince, Vice President ; Sarah D. Robinson, Recording-
Secretary: W. H. Stennett, Corresponding Secretary, and W. M. Hatch, Treasurer.
The Board of Managers were composed of ladies and gentlemen as follows : Mrs.
Maria Everly, B. F. Hoopes, I. J. Bloomfield and Mrs. J. A. Jackman. The Trustees
were John Magoun, George W. Parke and John M. Scott.

The Library has always been one of Bloomington's favorite institutions, and it has
now become very valuable.

The last report of the Librarian, pre>jented at the annual meeting on the 1st day
of March, 1879, shows that there are in the Library 7,-164: volumes. During the year,
books were used equal to taking out 26,000 diiferent volumes. The Reading-room has
been well patronized, giving the public access to about 150 periodicals. This evidences
the great value of the Library and Reading-room, and its managers should go forward
in the good work, trusting to the future for further additions and the permanent endow-
ment so earnestly desired. The present officers are: Dr. C. R. Parke, President; Dr.
H. Conkling, Vice President; B. F. Hoopes, Treasurer; Charles L. Capen, Corre-
sponding Secretary; Lewis E. Ijams, Recording Secretary; Mrs. H. R. Gralliner.
Librarian. The Board of Managers consists of Mrs. Charles Shackleford, Miss Sarah
E. Raymond, Messrs. Peter Folsom, S. R. Brodix and J. H. Burnham.

WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY.

In the year 1850, a number of the leading citizens of Bloomington began to
agitate the question of founding a university complete in all its departments. Illinois
was plainly growing in importance and no portion advancing more rapidly in all the

HISTORY OF McLEAN COUNTY.

373

elements of strength, nor developing more steadily its material resources, than the central
part of the State ; hence the citizens of this city were anxious and determined that
here, educational advantages should be of the first order. To accomplish this end, the
first Board of Trustees eifected an organization under the general laws of the State on
the 2d of December, A. D. 1850.

It was decided that the University should be placed under the management of the
Methodist Church. This was not done for the purpose of making it a sectarian institu-
tion, since science can never be rendered sectarian, but it was felt that the University
should be placed in careful hands and under good management, and since the Methodist
Church was then, as now, noted for its earnestness in the advancement of all the
interests of education as well as for careful management and influence, to its care the

WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY.

new University was confided. It was intended that its influence should be of a
Christian character, but that students of all denominations should find a home within
its halls. This idea has been faithfully carried out. In the winter of 1850 and 1851,
the school was organized under the superintendency of Rev. R. Andrus, A. M., in the
basement of the Methodist Church.

Immediate measures were taken for the erection of a suitable building, which,
after many discouragements, was completed and school opened in it in 1857. In July,
1851, at the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees, Rev. John Demp