HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY, IL
PAST and PRESENT
H ISl^ORY
COUNTY,
ILLINOIS:
CONTAINING
A HISTORY OF THE COUNTY; ITS CITIES, TOWNS, ETC.; A BIOGRAPHICAL
DIRECTORY OF ITS CITIZENS; WAR RECORD OF ITS VOLUNTEERS IN
THE LATE REBELLION ; PORTRAITS OF ITS EARLY SETTLERS AND
PROMINENT MEN; GENERAL AND LOCAL STATISTICS; HIS-
TORY OF THE NORTHWEST; HISTORY OF ILLINOIS;
CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES; MAP
OF MORGAN COUNTY; MISCELLANEOUS
MATTERS, ETC., ETC.
IL L US TRA TED
CHICAGO:
DONNELLEY, LOYD & CO., PUBLISHERS.
1878.
COPYRIGHT.
DONNELLEY, LOYD AND COMPANY,
1878.
MORGAN
V
-"'A.
PREFACE.
But little over half a century ago and not a white man dwelt in the present
confines of Morgan County. It was then a luxuriant, trackless, uninhabited
. domain? with no life save that of the wild beast or bird, native savage, or
>^**
' wandering hunter, or explorer, in his search for new scenes and fresh exploits.
One hundred and thirty-six years before that time, the western borders of the
county had first fallen under the gaze of the white man, as the devoted mis-
sionary, Marquette, paddled up the Illinois River, on his return voyage of
discovery. It will soon be two hundred years since the first habitation of the
white man appeared in the Mississippi Valley. Ere he could do this, empires
were to change, the native savages were to be expelled, and new powers were
to come into energetic existence. Though the French were the discoverers of
this beautiful, fertile valley, yet it was reserved to the sturdy Anglo-Saxon to
develop its resources, and bring it to its present condition. The merry French-
man loved ease, not conquest, and here he could pass his time in luxuriant
idleness, the natural fertility of the soil providing abundantly for all his simple
desires.
.. A little over a century passed from the date of Marquette's explorations,
until the War of Independence occurred, whereby this vast region passed into
the hands of the valiant sons of freedom, and emigration began rapidly to pour
into it. So quickly did the valley fill, that in less than half a century it was
divided into territories and states; and in 1809, Illinois was recognized as an
integral part of the Union. Nine years after, the State passed to the second
grade of government. About this time the "Sangamo country" became noted
in the East and South, and emigrants came thither in great number;:. Early in
the Autumn of that year, Ambrose Collins, Elisha and Seymour Keilogg.
their families, ' left their eastern home, proceeded in wagons to the heai
navigation, for the West, where they embarked in flat-boats, and side by side,
floated down the beautiful Ohio to old Shawneetown, where they disembar!
resumed their first mode of travel, and went on to Carmi. As it was late in the
season, they remained here during the winter, and the next summer proceeded
J:o Edwardsville, then a prominent western town. Here Mr. Collins was taken
sick, and with his family, with the exception of one son, Charles, was compelled
to remain for the winter. The two Kelloggs, their families, and Charles, went
on to the head of Mauvaisterre Creek, where, late in the Autumn of 1819. thcv
" established their homes, the first in the county. The following winter they
were visited by three commissioners from a New Yo'rk city colonization com-
pany, one of whom, Isaac Fort Roe, remained and founded a home.
XIV. PREFACE.
however, lived but a short time, his death being the first among the whit
residents in the present county.
Emigration now began to come into the new country with surprisin
rapidity, and five years after these events occurred, Morgan County was created
retaining at that time the present counties of Scott and Cass, the former bein
separated in 1832, the latter in 1837.
To record the events from the arrival of the Kelloggs until the presen
time, and preserve them for coming generations, has been the aim of this work
This lapse of time has not been without its history ; a history so full of import
ant events, and fraught with interest to the children of these sturdy pioneer;
who left homes for these wild haunts, and whose energy has made .Morga:
County what it is abounding in ." ealth, enterprise, and culture.
To preserve correctly these annals has been our aim, and while we do no
arrogate to ourselves accuracy beyond criticism, the narration will be foum
measurably correct, the arrangement and collation of which compelled th
careful examination and digestion of a labyrinth of facts, incidents, am
narratives enveloped in the PAST, entering so largely into the PRESENT of th
community in whose interest these pages have been written.
To the patriarchs of the PAST, and to the representative men of the PRESENI
without whose aid the undertaking would have been fruitless, we tender ou
-grateful acknowledgements. Especially do we desire to record our obligation
to JUDGE WILLIAM THOMAS, that eminent citizen, whose, pen has so faithfull
preserved the PAST during his long residence in the county, and whose aid ha
been so fredy given. Also to MR. TIMOTHY CHAMBERLAIN, secretary of the Ol
Settlers' Association, for the use of the society's records, and the list of the oL
settlers, prepared by him. To L R. BAILEY, for the use of the Sentinel (no>
Coiirier) files, and for valuable information contained .in them. To MR. M. I
SIMMONS, and MR. C. M. EAMES, for free access to*the Journal files. To th
propriet "s and editor of the Courier, and to the Waverly and Meredosia pres:
all of wh n freely exte ded aid to us whenever desired.
To many others, .. nd to the citizens of Morgaji County in general, w
tender our acknowledgements, for the uniform courtesy and kindness extends
our representatives during the preparation of these annals, as well as for thei
liberal patronage, without which this history could not have been prepared, ani
would have i nained unwritten, and unpreserved. Respectfully,
DONNELLEY, LOYD & CO.,
Publishers.
CONTENTS.
PAOK
History of Northwest Territory.. 19
Geographical Position 19
Early Explorations 20
Discovery of the Ohio 33
English Explorations and
Settlements 35
American Settlements 60
Division of the Northwest
Territory 66
Tecumseh and the War of
1813 70
Black Hawk and the Black
HawkWar 74
Other Indian Troubles 79
Present Condition of the
Northwest 87
Illinois 99
Indiana 101
Iowa 102
Michigan 103
Wisconsin 104
Minnesota 106
Nebraska 107
History of Illinois 109
Coal 125,, r-
Compactof 1787 llf^
Chicago 132
Early Discoveries 109
Early Settlements 115
Education 129
French Occupation 112
Genius of LaSalle 113
Material Resources 124
Massacre at Fort Dearborn. .141
Physical Features 121
Progress of Development 123
Religion and Morals 128
War Record of Illinois 130
History of Morgan County 221
Topography and Geology 221
Coal Measures 222
Limestone 227
Clays 228
Bafldlng Material 228
Railroads 229
Population 229
HISTORICAL.
PAGE
History of Morgan County:
Agriculture 229
Agricultural Implements 242
Divisions of Land 243
Fences 243
Architecture ( Early) 244
Agricultural Organizations. .247
Morgan Coun'v Agricultural
Society 250
Political History 252
County Offlceis since 1823... 263
Past and Present 267
Winnebago War (The) 288
The Deep Snow 293
Black Hawk War (The) 294
The Sudden Freeze 307
Railroads 310
Old Settlers Association 31!)
Common Schools 330
Jacksonville, City of 334
Business Interests 354
Banks 354
Man ufactures 355
Water Works 356
Gas Works 357
Street Railway 357
Municipal History 357
Fire Department 361
Cemeteries 361
Lodges, Associations, and
Societies 362
Militia 362
Young Meus Christian Asso-
ciation 36-2
Reading Room and Library. 362
Jacksonville Library Asso- '
elation 363
Art Association of Jackson-
ville 364
Jacksonville Literary Union. 364
Plato Club (The) 865
Jacksonville Horticultural
Society 366
Jacksonville Natural History
Society 366
Sorosis 367
PAuK
Jacksonville, City of:
Microscopical Society 367
Morgan County M
Society 367
Jacksonville Medical Club... 367
Churches 367
City Schools 375
Illinois College 380
Whipple Academy 385
Jacksonville Female A>
my 386
Illinois Female College 389
Jacksonville Business Col-
lege 392
Athenaeum 394
Illinois Conservatory of
Music ". 396
Orphans Home 398
The Press 399
The State Institutions 401
Illinois If'tltutlon for the
Education of the Deaf and
Dumb 401
Oak Lawn Retreat 409
Illinois Institation for the
Education of the Blind 410
M,-redosia 413
Waverly 420
Murra \ ''.e 427
Franklin 128
Woodson 429
(hapin 430
Concord 431
Ly nnville 432
Prentice 432
Alexander. 433 '
Neelyviile 433
Arcadia -. . . . 434
Bethel 434
Morgan Citv 434
Literberry 435
Orleans 435
Pisgah... 435
Woodlyn 435
Sinclair 436
Yatesville 436
Mouth of the Mississippi sjl
Source of the Mississippi 21
Wild Prairie $>3
LaSalle Landing OH the Shore of
Green Bay 25
Buffalo Hunt 27
Trapping 29
Hunting 32
Iroquois Chief 34
Pontiac, the Ottawa Chieftain. . . 43
Indians Attacking Frontiers-
men 56
A Prairie Storm 59
A Pioneer Dwelling 61
Breaking Prairie 63
Tecumseh, Shawnee Chieftain... 69
Indians Attacking a Stockade... 72
Black Hawk, the Sac Chieftain. . 75
Big Eagle 80
Capt. Jack, the Modoc Cnleftain 83
Kinzie House 85
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Village Residence ............. 86
A Representative Pii ne ;r ....... 87
Lincoln Monument. Springfield. 88
A Pioneer School House ......... 89
Farm View in the Winter ....... 10
Spring Scene .................... s}l
Pioneers 1 First Winter ........... 02
Apple Harvest .................... 4
Great Iron Bridge of the C., R.
& P. R.R., crossing the Missis-
sippi at D venport, Iowa ..... 96
A Western Dwelling .............. l r "
Hunting Prairie Wolves at :
Early Day ..................... u
Starved Rock, on the Illinois
River. LaSalle Co., HI .......... 110
An Early Settlement ............. 116
Chicago in 1833 ........ .......... 133
Old Fort Dearborn, 1830 ......... 136
Present Site Lake Street Bridge,
Chicago, 1833 .................. 136
PA OK
Ruins of Chicago 142
View of the City of Chicago 144
Shabbona 149
Illustrat'onsof the City of Jack-
sonvill :
Atneiueum :',N"
Conservatory of Music 397
Conriei- Office . . 400
Grac _. E. Church 375
High c'-ool 379
I Hincts allege 383
Illinois female College 391
Illinois Institution for the
Education of the Blind. ...411
Illinois Institution for (he
Education <>f the Deaf and
Dumb 401
Jacksonvi.,3 Female Acade-
my 388
Jacksonville Woolen Mil
Morgan County Court House.377
PAGK
Burnett Isham 200
Curtiss T. E 212
De vere J. H 364
Hart Wm. P. Rev 219
PORTRAITS.
PA<;K
Langley James 146
drear William 348
Reinbach Harry 252
SeymourJWilliam...
Strawn Jacob
Widenham J. C....
PASS
182
...frontispiece.
380
XVI
CONTENTS.
MORGAN COUNTY WAR RECORD.
PAGE
Infantry.
lOtb (3 months) 437
8th (3 years) 437
9th ' 437
9th (consolidated) 437
10th(3 years) 437
tltli " 441
14th " 441
Veteran Batallion, 14th and
15th 443
1 4th ( reorganized) 444
15th " 444
16th (3 years) 444
18th (reorganized) 444
19tn (3 years) 444
20th " 444
21st " 444
23d " 444
26th " 445
27th - 445
28th " 446
28th (consolidated) 446
29th (3 years) 447
30th
31st
32d
33d
34th
88th
38th
39th
41st
43d (consolidated). . . .... ^449
44th (3 years) .449
45th " 449
50th " 449
53rd " 450
.44
.447
.447
.448
.448
.449
.449
.449
.449
PAGE
Infantry.
54th (3 years) 450
56th 450
57th " 450
58th (consolidated) 450
59th (3 years) 450
61st " 450
62d " 450
64th " 450
67th " 450
68th 450
71st (3 months) 450
73d (3 years).... 451
74th
76th
87th
91st
92d
94th
95th
99th
101st
105th
113th
115th
117th
118th
119th
122d
126th
129th
130th
133d
133d (100 days) 462
144th (3 years) 462
135th " 462
137th (100 days) 462
151
.451
.451
.452
.452
.452
.452
.452
.452
.460
.460
.460
.461
.461
.461
.461
.461
.461
.461
.461
PAGK
Infantry.
140th (100 days) 462
144th (one year) 462
145th (100 days) 462
146th (one year) 463
149th (3 years) .463
150th (one year) 463
153d " 463
154th " 463
155th " 464
Cavalry.
2d ( 3 years) 464
3d " 464
3d (consolidated) 465
4th (3 years) 465
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
10th
llth
12th
13th
465
465
465
465
466
466
466
466
466
J3th (consolidated) 466
15th (3 years) 467
17th " 467
Artillery.
1st 467
2d 467
Chicago Board of Trade 468
Springfield Light 468
29th U. S. Colored Infantry 468
30th " " " 468
First Army-Corps 468
Recruits for the U. S. Regular
Army 468
DIRECTORIES.
PAGE
PAGE
PAGE
Jacksonville City Directory 469
Town 14 North Range 9 West
.631
Town 15 North Range 12 West
.717
Business Directorv.530
Town 13 North Range 8 West '..537
.. 10 ..
" 11 "
.657
.679
Town 16 North Range 8 West
" 9 "
.724
.727
9 "
..567
Town 15 North Range 8 West
.685
" 10 "
.733
" 11 "
..587
-.603
" 9
" 10 "
.688
.694
.. 12
.739
.753
Town 14 North Range 8 West
..615
" 11 "
.703
" 13 "
.762
ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.
PAGE
Adoption of Children itjfl
BUN of Exchange and Promis-
sory Notes 151
County Courts 155
Con veyances 164
Church Organizations 189
Descent 151
Deeds and Mortgages 157
Drainage 163
Damages from Trespass 169
Dfilnitiou "f Commercial Termsl73
Exemptions from Forced Sale... 156
Estrays 157
Fences 168
Forms:
A i tides of Agreement 175
Bills of i-urchase 174
Billsof Sale 176
Forms: PAGE
Bonds 176
Chattel Mortgages 177
Codicil 189
Lease of Farm and B'ldings.179
Lease of House 180
Landlord's Agreement 180
Notes 174
Notice Tenant to Quit 181
Orders 174
Quit Claim Deed 185
Receipt 1 74
Keal Estate Mortgage to se-
cure Payment of Money. ...181
Release 186
Tenant's Agreement 180
Tenant's Notice to Quit 181
Warranty Deed 182
Will 187
PAGE
Game 151
Interest 158
Jurisdiction of Courts 154
Limitation of Action 155
Landlord and Tenant 169
Liens 172
Married Women 155
Millers 159
Marks and Brands 159
Paupers 164
Roads and Bridges 161
Surveyors and Surveys 160
Suggestions to Persons purchas-
ing Books by Subscription 190
Taxes 154
Wills and Estates 152
AVejghts and Measures 158
Wolf Scalps 164
PAGE
Map of Morgan County front.
Constitution of the United Statesl92
Klectors of President and Vice-
Presklent. 1876 206
il Rules for every day
use 207
TJ. S. Government Land Meas-
ure 210
MISCELLANEOUS.
PAGE
Surveyors Measure 211
How to keep Accounts 211
Interest Table 212
Miscellaneous Table 212
Names of the States of the Union
and their Significations 213
Population of the U. S 214
PAGE
Population of Fifty Principal
Cities of the U. S 214
Population and Area of the U. S.215
Population of the Principal
Countries in the World 215
Population of Illinois 216
Agricultural Productions of Illi-
nois by Counties 218
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 NORTHWEST 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 the first to profit by
DeSoto's defeat. Yet it was more than a century before any adventurer
took advantage of these discoveries.
In 1616, four years 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 tribes. 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 fur 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
Mesnard, who perished in the woods a few months after. In 1665, Claude
Allouez built the earliest lasting habitation of the white man among the
Indians of the Northwest. In 1668, Claude Dablon and James Marquette
founded the mission of Sault Ste. Marie at the Falls 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, they 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
children resided, to whom the sound of the Gospel had never come.
Filled with a wish to go and preach to them, and in compliance with a
THK NOKTHWKST TKHKITORY..
21
22 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
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 a&
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 entered 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 hiin 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
year previous. Here Marquette 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 Father 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.
23
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 yet presenting the appearance of extensive manors, under the fas-
tidious cultivation of lordly proprietors.
THE WILD PRAIRIE.
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 the 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-embarked 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
24 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
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 peacefully 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 river 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 LaSalle 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
LaSalie's idea to connect the great lakes by 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 received
from all the noblemen the warmest wishes for his success. The Chev-
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 25
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, 1679, 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 Michillimackinac, where LaSalle founded a. 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 was never afterward heard
of. He remained about these parts until early in the Winter, when, hear-
ing nothing from the Griffin, he collected all the men thirty working
men and three monks and started again upon his great undertaking.
By a short portage they passed to the Illinois or Kankakee, called by
the Indians, "Theakeke," wolf, because of the tribes of Indians called
by that name, commonly known as the Mahingans, dwelling there. The
French 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 December they reached a village of the Illi-
nois Indians, containing some five hundred cabins, but at that moment
26 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
no inhabitants. The Seur de LaSalle being in want of some breadstuff's,
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 " Crevecceur" (broken-heart), a name expressive of the
very natural sorrow and anxietj^ 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 reached Cana ^a, 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 the llth 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.
27
in honor of his patron saint. 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, who, 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 November, 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.
28 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
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 lead 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 what 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
re*ch 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, 1682.
The whole party, under arms, chanted the Te Deum, and then, after
a salute and cries of " Vive le Roi," the column was 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
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 29
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
44 Malbouchia," and by the Spaniards, " la Palissade," from the great
TRAPPING.
number of trees about its mouth. After traversing the several outlets,,
and satisfying himself 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.
In 1718, New Orleans was laid out and settled by some European colo-
nists. In 1762, the colony was made over to Spain, to be regained by
France under the consulate of Napoleon. In 1803, it was purchased by
30 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
the United States for the sum of fifteen million dollars, and the territory
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 had not worked and suffered in vain. 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, tlie 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 ITmmaculate 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 Oubache 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 July, 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, in revenge for repeated
* There is considerable dispute about this date, some asserting it was founded as late as 1742. When
the new court house at Vincennes was erected, all authorities on the subject were carefully examined, and
i'/02 fixed upon as the correct date. It was accordingly engraved on the corner-stone of the court house.
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 31
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, perhaps, 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 found 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 point 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 the Illinois country are numberless mines, but no one to
W2 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
work them as they deserve." Father Marest, writing from the post at
Vinceniies in 181 2, 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 arc found in the streams."
HUNTING.
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 Maumee 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,
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 33
and hearing of its wealth, began to lay plans for occupying it and for
securing the great profits arising therefrom.
The French, 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 Intendant,
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 July, 1669, the party, numbering twenty-four persons,
embarked in 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 the 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 hope of gaining their object, they met an Indian
34
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
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
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 be Louis Joliet, afterwards famous as an explorer in the West. He
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 35
had been sent by the Canadian Government to explore the copper mines
on Lake Superior, but had failed, and was on his way back to Quebec.
He gave the missionaries a map of the country he had explored in the
lake region, together with an account of the condition of the Indians in
that quarter. This induced the priests to determine on leaving the
expedition and going to Lake Superior. LaSalle warned 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 the 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 Indian.
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. In 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 regarded 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 men. The English knew, however, pretty
36 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
conclusively of the nature of the wealth of these wilds. As early as
1710, Governor Spotswood, of Virginia, had commenced movements to
secure the country west of the Alleghenies to the English crown. In
Pennsylvania, Governor Keith 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 Howard, 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
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 37
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 claim of the French to the West, he, in 1749, sent Louis Cel-
eron.with 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 only a question of time when the storm would burst upon the
frontier settlements. In 1750, 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 work 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 Picqua in 1773, written by Rev. David Jones
Pickaweke."
* The following is a translation of the inscription on the plate: "In the year 1749. reign of Louis XV.,
King of France, we, Celeron, commandant of a detachment by Monsieur the Marquis of Gallisoniere, com-
mander-in-chief of New France, to establish tranquility in certain Indian villages of these cantons, have
buried this plate at the confluence of the Toradakoin, this twenty- ninth of July, near the river Ohio, otherwise
Beautiful River, as a monument of renewal of possession which we have taken of the said river, and all Its
tributaries; inasmuch as the preceding Kings of France have enjoyed it, and maintained it by their arms and
treaties; especially by those of Ryswick, Utrecht, and Aix La Chapelle."
38 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
This was the first bloodshed 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 1775-1763), 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
each 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-
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 39
ing the positions and purposes of the French, Governor Dinwiddie of
Virginia determined to send to them another messenger and learn from
them, if possible, their intentions. For this purpose he selected a young
man, a surveyor, who, at the early age of nineteen, had received the rank
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, where Washington had a long conference with 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 the 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
llth of December reached the fort at the head of French Creek. Here
he delivered Governor Dinwiddie'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
men 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
40 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
working away in hunger and want, to fortify that point at the fork of
the Ohio, to which both 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, Contrecceur,
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 marching against him, but was soon after attacked
in his fort by a much superior force, and was obliged to yield on the
morning of July 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
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 41
acquainted with Indian warfare, suffered such an inglorious defeat. This
occurred on the morning of July 9th, and is generally known as the battle
of Monongahela, or " Braddock's Defeat." The war continued with
various vicissitudes through the years 17567 ; 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
carry on the war. Three expeditions were planned for this year : one,
under General Amherst, against Louisburg ; another, under Abercrombie*
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 both 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 28th of the following April, was
fought one of the bloodiest battles of the 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 by 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 Iberville 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 charge 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,
Beletre : refused, but on the 29th, hearing of the continued defeat of the
42 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
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 Maumee, 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 Henry, 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.
PONTIAC, THE OTTAWA CHIEFTAIN.
44 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
upon the frontier British posts, and with one blow strike every man dead.
Pontiac was the marked leader in all this, and was the commander
of the Chippewas, Ottawas, Wyandots, Miamis, Shawanese, Delawares
and Mingoes, who had, for the time, laid aside their local quarrels to unite
in this enterprise.
The blow came, as near as can now be ascertained, on May 7, 1763.
Nine British 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 woman disclosing
the plot the evening previous to his arrival. Everything was carried out r
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
reprimand, 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 which 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 carried out.
It was in the Spring of the year following Rogers' visit that Alex-
ander Henry went to Missillimacnac, 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
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 45
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.
By the treaty of Paris, the regions east of the Mississippi, including 1
all these and other towns of the Northwest, were given over to England;
but they do not appear to have been 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 Gage,
dated December 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 t>ae 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-
46 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
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 nearly all the valuable lands on the Mononga-
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
end 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
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 47
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 Valley, 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 caine 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.
During the years 1775 and 1776, by the operations of land companies
and the perseverance of individuals, several settlements were firmly estab-
lished between ths 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
48 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
strenuous efforts to have these grants sanctioned by Congress, but all
signally failed.
When the War of the Revolution commenced, Kentucky was an unor-
ganized country, though there were several settlements within her borders.
In Hutchins' Topography of Virginia, it is stated thai 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 history, 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 three 'of these
THE NOKTHWEST TERRITORY. 49
gates were block houses provided with four guns apiece, each a six-
pounder. Two six-gun batteries were planted fronting the river and in a
parallel direction with the block houses. There were four streets running
cast 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, sufficient 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 iri 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 were
relieved every two hours. There was also an officer of the day, who per-
formed strict duty. Each of the gates was shut regularly at sunset ;
even wicket gates were shut at nine o'clock, and all the keys 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 ik 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,
50 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
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 Richard 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. He
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-
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. -51
ston for the same purpose, but neither succeeded in raising the required
number 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
24th 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 lastly 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 u Long Knives" or Virginians, were the
most fierce, bloodthirsty and cruel savages that ever scalped a foe. With
this impression on their minds, Clark saw that proper management would
cause them to submit at once from fear, if surprised, and then from grati-
tude would become friendly if treated with unexpected leniency.
The march to Kaskaskia was accomplished through 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 by surprise, and without
the 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 liberty to worship as they pleased, and to take whichever side of the
great conflict they would, also he would protect them from any barbarity
from British or Indian foe. This had the desired effect, and the inhab-
itants, so unexpectedly and so gratefully surprised by the unlocked
for turn of affairs, at once swore allegiance to the American arms, and
when Clark desired to go to Cahokia on the 6th of July, they accom-
panied him, and through their influence the inhabitants of the place
surrendered, and gladly placed themselves under his protection. Thus
52 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
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 the 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 Mississippi 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,
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 53
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
would 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 inclining 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.
54 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
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 rapidly 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 were
compelled to abandon the contest. They 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.
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 55
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 which 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, yet 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 year, 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 the struggle with the mother country, and in
consequence thereof but little heed was given to the western settlements.
Upon the 16th 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 this 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 between the Moravian Indians and the Wyan-
dots. In these, horrible acts of cruelty were practised on the captives,
many of such dark deeds transpiring under the leadership of the notorious
56
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-
1NDIANS ATTACKING FKONTIEKSMEN.
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. 5T
proclaimed to the army of the United States, and on the 3d of the next
September, the definite treaty which ended our revolutionary straggle
was concluded. By the terms of that treaty, the boundaries of the West
were as follows : On the north the line was to extend along the center of
the Great Lakes ; from the western point of Lake Superior to Long Lake ;
thence to the Lake of the Woods ; thence to the head of the Mississippi
River; down its center to the 31st parallel of latitude, then on that line
east to the head of the Appalachicola River ; down its center to its junc-
tion with the Flint ; thence straight to the head of St. Mary's River, and
thence down along its center to the Atlantic Ocean.
Following the cessation of hostilities with England, several posts
were still occupied by the British in the North and West. Among these
was Detroit, still in the hands of the enemy. Numerous engagements
with the Indians throughout Ohio and Indiana occurred, upon whose
lands adventurous whites would settle ere the title had been acquired by
the proper treaty.
To remedy this latter evil, Congress appointed commissioners to
treat with the natives and purchase their lands, and prohibited the set-
tlement of the territory until this could be done. Before the close of the
year another attempt was made to capture Detroit, which was, however,
not pushed, and Virginia, no longer feeling the interest in the Northwest
she had formerly done, withdrew her troops, having on the 20th of
December preceding authorized the whole of her possessions to be deeded
to the United States. This was done on the 1st of March following, and
the Northwest Territory passed from the control of the Old Dominion.
To Gen. Clark and his soldiers, however, she gave a tract of one hundred
and fifty thousand acres of land, to be situated any where north of the
Ohio wherever they chose to locate them. They selected the region
opposite the falls of the Ohio, where is nojv the dilapidated village of
Clarksville, about midway between the Cities of New Albany and Jeffer-
sonville, Indiana.
While the frontier remained thus, and Gen. Haldimand at Detroit
refused to evacuate alleging that he had no orders from his King to do
so, settlers were rapidly gathering about the inland farts. In the Spring
of 1784, Pittsburgh was regularly laid out, and from the journal of Arthur
Lee, who passed through the town soon after on his way to the Indian
council at Fort Mclntosh, we suppose it was not very prepossessing in
appearance. He says :
" Pittsburgh is inhabited almost entirely by Scots and Irish, who
live in paltry log houses, and are as dirty as if in the north of Ireland or
even Scotland. There is a great deal of trade carried on, the goods being
bought at the vast expense of forty-five shillings per pound from Phila-
58 THE- NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
delphia and Baltimore. They take in the shops flour, wheat, skins and
money. There are in the town four attorneys, two doctors, and not a
priest of any persuasion, nor church nor chapel."
Kentucky at this time contained thirty thousand inhabitants, and
was beginning to discuss measures for a separation from Virginia. A
land office was opened at Louisville, and measures were adopted to take
defensive precaution against the Indians who were yet, in some instances,
incited to deeds of violence by the British. Before the close of this year,
1784, the military' claimants of land began to occupy them, although no
entries were recorded until 1787.
The Indian title to the Northwest was not yet extinguished. They
held large tracts- of lands, and in order to prevent bloodshed Congress
adopted means for treaties with the original owners and provided for the
surve3 r s of the lands gained thereby, as well as for those north of the
Ohio, now in its possession. On January 31, 1786, a treaty was made
with the Wabash Indians. The treaty of Fort Stanwix had been made
in 1784. That at Fort Mclntosh in 1785, and through these much land
was gained. The Wabash Indians, however, afterward refused to comply
with the provisions of the treaty made with them, and in order to compel
their adherence to its provisions, force was used. During the year 1786,
the free navigation of the Mississippi came up in Congress, and caused
various discussions, which resulted in no definite action, only serving to
excite speculation in regard to the western lands. Congress had promised
bounties of land to the soldiers of the Revolution, but owing to the
unsettled condition of affairs along the Mississippi respecting its naviga-
tion, and the trade of the Northwest, that body had, in 1783, declared
its inability to fulfill these promises until a treaty could be concluded
between the two Governments. Before the close of the year 1786, how-
ever, it was able, through the treaties with the Indians, to allow some
grants and the settlement thereon, and on the 14th of September Con-
necticut ceded to the General Government the tract of land known as
the " Connecticut Reserve," and before the close of the following year a
large tract of land north of the Ohio was sold to a company, who at once
took measures to settle it. By the provisions of this grant, the company
were to pay the United States one dollar per acre, subject to a deduction
of one-third for bad lands and other contingencies. They received
750,000 acres, bounded on the south by the Ohio, on the east by the
seventh range of townships, on the west by the sixteenth range, and on
the north by a line so drawn as to make the grant complete without
the reservations. In addition to this, Congress afterward granted 100,000
acres to actual settlers, and 214,285 acres as army bounties under the
resolutions of 1789 and 1790.
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. ;>9
While Dr. Cutler, one of the agents of the company, was pressing
its claims before Congress, that body 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
A PRAIRIE STORM.
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, Assenisipia, Mesopotamia, 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
60 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
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 r
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 Cleve&
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 meiu
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 3d 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.
61
Gen. St. Clair, the appointed Governor of the Northwsst, not having
yet arrived, a set of laws 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 Muskingunu
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.' 1
A PIONEEll DWELLING.
On the 2d of July a meeting of the directors and agents was held
on the banks of the Muskingum, " for the purpose of naming the new-
born city and its squares." As yet 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 Martins ;" square number 19, " Capitolium /" square
number 61, " Cecilia ;" and 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 appointed to the
judicial bench of the territory on the 16th of October, 1787. On July 9 r
Gov. St. Clair arrived, and the colony began to assume form. The act
of 1787 provided two district grades of government for the Northwest,.
02 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
under the first of which the 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, 1787, 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 the 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 whole 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.
63
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 by 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
BREAKING PRAIKIE.
was defeated in two battles, near the present City of Fort Wayne r
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
64 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
wfeole 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 the 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 City. 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 treaty of 1795 been ratified than settlements began
to pour rapidly intp 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
justified 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 Wayne, 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-
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. DO
quarters to the neighborhood of the lakes, 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 Vandenbtirg 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.
66 THE NOKTHWEST TERRITORY.
DIVISION OF THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
The increased emigration to the Northwest, the extent of the domain r
and the inconvenient modes of travel, made it very difficult to conduct
the ordinary operations 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 having
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
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 67
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 November
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 college 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
territory 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 boundary, 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 by the United States for $15,000,000. Thus 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 Ohio 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 18th of August, 1804, completed a treaty at
St. Louis, whereby over 51,000,000 acres of lands were obtained from the
68 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
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 post :
" 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 llth of January, 1805, the Territory of Michigan was formed,
Wm. Hull was appointed governor, with headquarters at Detroit, the
ohange to take effect on June 30. On the llth 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
liouses 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,
Ave will step aside in our story, and relate the principal events of his life,
and his connection with this conflict.
THE NOUTHWEST TERRITORY.
6tf
TECUMSEH, THE SHAWANOE CHIEFTAIN.
TO THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
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
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. .71
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.
In 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 Upper 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 victory on Lake Erie occurred, and
shortly after active preparations were made to capture Maiden. On the
27th of September, the 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.
72
THE NORTHWEvST 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
the 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.
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 7&
In January, 1807, 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 western,
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
nearly 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 which 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 tSrhent 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.
74 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. f
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 th,e
Mississippi, in the year 1767. His father's name was Py-e-sa or Pahaes ;
Ms grandfather's, Na-na-ma-kee, or the Thunderer. Black Hawk early
<iistinguished 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 TERRITORY.
T6
.
BLACK HAWK, THE SAC CHIEFTAIN.
76 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
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 which 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
had a few days before occurred. Of his connection with the British
Government 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 all hostilities had ceased. Black Hawk did not
sign any treaty, 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
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 77
Indians were urged to join the lowas on the west bank of the Father of
Waters. 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 they 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 attack and its result aroused 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 by 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 whole crossed the
78 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
"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
iled, 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 liberty." 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
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 79
body was placed in the 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 Clay, was placed upright, with his right hand resting upon it.
Many of the old warrior'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, from 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, now 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 183(5 was
made a territory, then including Minnesota and Iowa. The latter State
was detached two years 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.
OTHER INDIAN TROUBLES.
Before leaving this part of the narrative, we will- narrate briefly the
Indian troubles in Minnesota and elsewhere by the Sioux Indians.
In August, 1862, the Sioux Indians living on the western borders of
Minnesota fell upon the unsuspecting settlers, and in a few hours mas-
sacred ten or twelve hundred persons. A distressful panic was the
immediate result, fully thirty thousand persons fleeing from their homes
to districts supposed to be better protected. The military authorities
at once took active measures to punish the savages, and a large number
were killed and captured. About a year after, Little Crow, the chief,
was killed by a Mr. Lampson near Scattered Lake. Of those captured,
thirty were hung at Mankato, and the remainder, through fears of mob
violence, were removed to Camp McClellan, on the outskirts of the City
of Davenport. It was here that Big Eagle came into prominence and
secured his release by the following order :
80
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
BIG EAGLE.
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 81
' Special Order, No. 430. " WAR DEPARTMENT,
" ADJUTANT GENERAL'S OFFICE, WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 1864.
' Big Eagle, an Indian now in confinement at Davenport, Iowa,
will, upon the receipt of this order, be immediately released from confine-
ment and set at liberty.
" By order of the President of the United States.
" Official : " E. D. TOWNSEND, Asit Adft Gen.
" CAPT. JAMES VANDERVENTER, Corny Sub. Vbls.
" Through Com'g Gen'l, Washington, D. C."
Another Indian who figures more prominently than Big Eagle, and
who was more cowardly in his nature, with his band of Modoc Indians,
is noted in the annals of the New Northwest: we refer to Captain Jack.
This distinguished Indian, noted for his cowardly murder of Gen. Canby,
was a chief of a Modoc tribe of Indians inhabiting the border lands
between California and Oregon. This region of country comprises what
is known as the " Lava Beds," a tract of land described as utterly impene-
trable, save by those savages who had made it their home.
The Modocs are known as an exceedingly fierce and treacherous
race. They had, according to their own traditions, resided here for many
generations, and at one time were exceedingly numerous and powerful.
A famine carried off nearly half their numbers, and disease, indolence
and the vices of the white man have reduced them to a poor, weak and
insignificant tribe.
Soon after the settlement of California and Oregon, complaints began
to be heard of massacres of emigrant trains passing through the Modoc
country. In 1847, an emigrant train, comprising eighteen souls, was en-
tirely destroyed at a place since known as " Bloody Point." These occur-
rences caused the United States Government to appoint a peace commission,
who, after repeated attempts, in 1864. made a treaty with the Modocs,
Snakes and Klamaths, in which it was agreed on their part to remove to
a reservation set apart for them in the southern part of Oregon.
With the exception of Captain Jack and a band of his followers, who
remained at Clear Lake, about six miles from Klamath, all the Indians
complied. The Modocs who went to the reservation were under chief
Schonchin. Captain Jack remained at the lake without disturbance
until 1869, when he was also induced to remove to the reservation. The
Modocs and the Klamaths soon became involved in a quarrel, and Captain
Jack and his band returned to the Lava Beds.
Several attempts were made by the Indian Commissioners to induce
them to return to the reservation, and finally becoming involved in a
82 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
difficulty with the commissioner and his military escort, a fight ensued,
in which the chief and his band were routed. They were greatly enraged,
and on their retreat, before the day closed, killed eleven inoffensive whites.
The nation was aroused and immediate action demanded. A com-
mission was at once appointed by the Government to see what could be
done. It comprised the following persons : Gen. E. R. S. Canby. Rev.
Dr. E. Thomas, a leading Methodist divine of California ; Mr. A. B.
Meacham, Judge Rosborough, of California, and a Mr. Dyer, of Oregon.
After several interviews, in which the savages were always aggressive,
often appearing with scalps in their belts, Bogus Charley came to the
commission on the evening of April 10, 1873, and informed them that
Capt. Jack and his band would have a " talk " to-morrow at a place near
Clear Lake, about three miles distant. Here the Commissioners, accom-
panied by Charley, Riddle, the interpreter, and Boston Charley repaired.
After the usual greeting the council proceedings commenced. On behalf
of the Indians there were present : Capt. Jack, Black Jim, Schnac Nasty
Jim, Ellen's Man, and Hooker Jim. They had no guns, but carried pis-
tols. After short speeches by Mr. Meacham, Gen. Canby and Dr. Thomas,
Chief Schonchin arose to speak. He had scarcely proceeded when r
as if by a preconcerted arrangement, Capt. Jack drew his pistol and shot
Gen. Canby dead. In less than a minute a dozen shots were fired by the
savages, and the massacre completed. Mr. Meacham was shot by Schon-
chin, and Dr. Thomas by Boston Charley. Mr. Dyer barely escaped, being
fired at twice. Riddle, the interpreter, and his squaw escaped. The
troops rushed to the spot where they found Gen. Canby and Dr. Thomas
dead, and Mr. Meacham badly wounded. The savages had escaped to
their impenetrable fastnesses and could not be pursued.
The whole country was aroused by this brutal massacre ; but it wa&
not until the following May that the murderers were brought to justice.
At that time Boston Charley gave himself up, and offered to guide the
troops to Capt. Jack's stronghold. This led to the capture of his entire
gang, a number of whom were murdered by Oregon volunteers while on
their way to trial. The remaining Indians were held as prisoners until
July when their trial occurred, which Jed to the conviction of Capt.
Jack, Schonchin, Boston Charle} 7 , Hooker Jim, Broncho, alias One-Eyed
Jim, and Slotuck, who were sentenced to be hanged. These sentences
were approved by the President, save in the case of Slotuck and Broncho
whose sentences were commuted to imprisonment for life. The others
were executed at Fort Klamath, October 3, 1873.
These closed the Indian troubles for a time in the Northwest, and for
several years the borders of civilization remained in peace. They were
again involved in a conflict with the savages about the country of the
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
CAPTAIN JACK, THE MODOO CHIEFTAIN.
84 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
Black Hills, in which war the gallant Gen. Ouster lost his life. Just
now the borders of Oregon and California are again in fear of hostilities ;
but as the Government has learned how to deal with the Indians, they
will be of short duration. The red man is fast passing away before the
march of the white man, and a few more generations will read of the
Indians as one of the nations of the past.
The Northwest abounds in memorable places. We have generally
noticed them in the narrative, but our space forbids their description in
detail, save of the most important places. Detroit, Cincinnati, Vincennes,
Kaskaskia and their kindred towns have all been described. But ere we
leave the narrative we will present our readers with an account of the
Kinzie house, the old landmark of Chicago, and the discovery of the
source of the Mississippi River, each of which may well find a place in
the annals of the Northwest.
Mr. John Kinzie, of the Kinzie house, represented in the illustra-
tion, established a trading house at Fort Dearborn in 1804. The stockade
had been erected the year previous, and named Fort Dearborn in honor
of the Secretary of War. It had a block house at each of the two angles,
on the southern side a sallyport, a covered way on the north side, that led
down to the river, for the double purpose of providing means of escape,
and of procuring water in the event of a siege.
Fort Dearborn stood on the south bank of the Chicago River, about
half a mile from its mouth. When Major Whistler built it, his soldiers
hauled all the timber, for he had no oxen, and so economically did he
work that the fort cost the Government only fifty dollars. For a while
the garrison could get no grain, and Whistler and his men subsisted on
acorns. Now Chicago is the greatest grain center in the world.
Mr. Kinzie bought the hut of the first settler, Jean Baptiste Point au
Sable, on the site of which he erected his mansion. Within an inclosure
in front he planted some Lombardy poplars, seen in the engraving, and in
the rear he soon had a fine garden and growing orchard.
In 1812 the Kinzie house and its surroundings became the theater
of stirring events. The garrison of Fort Dearborn consisted of fifty-four
men, under the charge of Capt. Nathan Heald, assisted by Lieutenant
Lenai T. Helm (son-in-law to Mrs. Kinzie), and Ensign Ronan. The
surgeon was Dr. Voorhees. The only residents at the post at that time
were the wives of Capt. Heald and Lieutenant Helm and a few of the
soldiers, Mr. Kinzie and his family, and a few Canadian voyagers with their
wives and children. The soldiers and Mr. Kinzie were on the most
friendly terms with the Pottawatomies and the Winnebagoes, the prin-
cipal tribes around them, but they could not win them from their attach-
ment to the British.
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
85
After the battle of Tippecanoe it was observed that some of the lead-
ing chiefs became sullen, for some of their people had perished in that
conflict with American troops.
One evening in April, 1812, Mr. Kinzie sat playing 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. Burns, a newly-made mother, living not far off.
KINZIE HOUSE.
Mr. Kinzie and his family crossed the river in boats, and took refuge in
the fort, to which place Mrs. Burns and her infant, not a day old, were
conveyed in safety to the shelter of the guns of Fort Dearborn, and the
rest of the white inhabitants fled. The Indians were a scalping party of
Winnebagoes, who hovered around the fort some days, when they dis-
appeared, and for several weeks the inhabitants were not disturbed by
alarms.
Chicago was then so deep in the wilderness, that the news of the
declaration of war against Great Britain, made on the 19th of June, 1812,
did not reach the commander of the garrison at Fort Dearborn till the 7th
of August. Now the fast mail train will carry a man from New York to
Chicago in twenty-seven hours, and such a declaration might be sent,
every word, by the telegraph in less than the same number of minutes.
THE iTOETHWEST TERRITORY.
87
PRESENT CONDITION OF THE NORTHWEST
Preceding' chapters have brought us to the close of the Black Hawk
war, and we now turn to the contemplation of the growth and prosperity
of the Northwest tinder the smile of peace and the blessings of our civili-
zation. The pioneers of this region date events back to- the deep snow
A IJKPKESE.NTAT1VK PiOXEER.
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 through 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
88
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
lakes by steamers from the Ohio towns. There are men now living in
Illinois who came to the state when barely 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, SPIUNGFIELD, 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 settlements 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.
89
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
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 TVOII I)/ our Western troops is a needless task, except to
mention the fact that Illinois gave co tiie n *ion the President who save'l
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
it, and sent out at the head of one of its regiments tne general who led
- J ts armies to the final victory at Appomattox. The struggle, on the
FAKM VIEW IN WINTER.
whole, had a marked effect for the better on the new Northwest, gi fing
it an impetus which twenty years of peace would not have produced.
In a large degree this prosperity was an inflated one, and with the rest
-of the Union we have since been compelled to atone therefor by four
THE NOKTHWEST TERRITORY.
91
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 93
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 lias 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. A new 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 the 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 they 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
94
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 95
the same radical change in our great Northwest which characterizes its
history for the past thirty years. Our domain has a sort of natural
geographical border, save where 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 world, in which branch it has already outstripped all
competitors, and our great rival in this duty will naturally be the fertile
plains of Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado, to say nothing of the new
empire so rapidly growing up 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 in vestments,, 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 forgotten was afforded at Chicago at
the outbreak of the great panic of 1873, when Canadian purchasers,
fearing the prostration of business mightbring about an anarchical condition
of affairs, went to that city with coin in bulk and foreign drafts to secure
their supplies in their own currency at first hands. It may be justly
claimed by the agricultural, community that their combined efforts gave
the nation its first impetus toward a restoration of its crippled industries,
and their labor brought the gold premium to a lower depth than the
government was able to reach by its most intense efforts of legislation
and compulsion. The hundreds of millions about to be disbursed for
farm products have already, by the anticipation common to all commercial
96
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
our whole region has a distribution of coal measures which will in time
support the manufactures necessary to our comfort and prosperity. As
to transportation, the chief factor in the production of all articles excej) '
food, no section is so magnificently endowed, and our facilities are yearly
increasing beyond those of any other region.
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 97
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
depression of the 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 Gulf 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
thousand 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 wWincennes 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 Chicago and Canada Southern, which line will con-
nect with all the 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
their 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
98
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.
ILLINOIS.
Length, 380 miles, mean width about 156 miles. Area, 55,410 square
miles, or 35,462,400 acres. Illinois, as regards its surface, constitutes a
table-land at a varying elevation ranging between 350 and 800 feet above .
the sea level ; composed of extensive and highly fertile prairies and plains.
Much of the south (3 ''vision of the State, especially the river-bottoms, are
thickly wooded. The prairies, too, have oasis-like clumps of treea
scattered here and there at intervals. The chief rivers irrigating the
State are the Mississippi dividing it from Iowa and Missouri the Ohio-
(forming its south barrier), the Illinois, Wabash, Kaskaskia, and San-
gamon, with their numerous affluents. The total extent of navigable
streams is calculated at 4,000 miles. Small lakes are scattered over vari-
ous parts of the State. Illinois is extremely prolific in minerals, chiefly
coal, iron, copper, and zinc ores, sulphur and limestone. The coal-field
alone is estimated to absorb a full third of the entire coal-deposit of North
America. Climate tolerably equable and healthy ; the mean temperature
standing at about 51 Fahrenheit As an agricultural region, Illinois takes
a competitive rank with neighboring States, the cereals, fruits, and root-
crops yielding plentiful returns ; in fact, as a grain-growing State, Illinois,
may be deemed, in proportion to her size, to possess a greater area of
lands suitable for its production than any other State in the Union. Stock-
raising is also largely carried on, while her manufacturing interests in
regard of woolen fabrics, etc., are on a very extensive and yearly expand-
ing scale. The lines of railroad in the State are among the most exten-
sive of the Union. Inland water-carriage is facilitated by a canal
connecting the Illinois River with Lake Michigan, and thence with the
St. Lawrence and Atlantic. Illinois is divided into 102 counties ; the
chief towns being Chicago, Springfield (capital), Alton, Quincy, Peoria r
Galena, Bloomington, Rock Island, Vandalia, etc. By the new Consti-
tution, established in 1870, the State Legislature consists of 51 Senators,,
elected for foiu y^ars,' and 153 Representatives, for two years ; which
numbers were to be decennially increased thereafter to the number of
six per every additional half-million of inhabitants. Religious and
educational institutions are largely diffused throughout, and are in a very
flourishing condition. Illinois has a State Lunatic and a Deaf and Dumb
Asylum at Jacksonville ; a State Penitentiary at Joliet ; and a Home for
(99)
100
THK NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
Soldiers' Orphans at Normal. On November 80, 1870, the public debt of
the State was returned at $4,870,937, with a balance of $1,808,833
unprovided for. At the same period the value of assessed and equalized
property presented the following totals: assessed, $840,031,703 ; equal-
ized $480,664,058. The name of Illinois, through nearly the whole of
the eighteenth century, embraced most of the known regions north and
west of Ohio. French colonists established themselves in 1673, at
Cahokia and Kaskaskia, and the territory of which these settlements
formed the nucleus was, in 1763, ceded to Great Britain in conjunction
with Canada, and ultimately resigned to the United States in 1787.
Illinois entered the Union as a State, December 3, 1818 ; and now sends
19 Representatives to Congress. Population, 2,539,891, in 1870.
4 WESTERX DWELLING.
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 101
INDIANA.
The profile of Indiana forms a nearly exact parallelogram, occupy-
ing one of the most fertile portions of the great Mississippi Valley. The
greater extent of the surface embraced within its limits consists of gentle
undulations rising into hilly tracts toward the Ohio bottom. The chief
rivers of the State are the Ohio and Wabash, with their numerous
affluents. The soil is highly productive of the cereals and grasses most
particularly so in the valleys of the Ohio, Wabash, Whitewater, and
White Rivers. The northeast and central portions are well timbered
with virgin forests, and the west section is notably rich in coal, constitut-
ing an offshoot of the great Illinois carboniferous field. Iron, copper,
marble, slate, gypsum, and various clays are' also abundant. From an
agricultural point of view, the staple products are maize and wheat, with
the other cereals in lesser yields ; and besides these, flax, hemp, sorghum,
hops, etc., are extensively raised. Indiana is divided into 92 counties,
and counts among her principal cities and towns, those of Indianapolis
(the capital), Fort Wayne, Evansville, Terre Haute, Madison, Jefferson-
ville, Columbus, Vincennes, South Bend, etc. The public institutions of
the State are many and various, and on a scale of magnitude and
efficiency commensurate with her important political and industrial status.
Upward of two thousand miles of railroads permeate the State in all
directions, and greatly conduce to the development of her expanding
manufacturing interests. Statistics for the fiscal year terminating
October 31, 1870, exhibited a total of receipts, $3,896,541 as against dis-
bursements, $3,532,406, leaving a balance, $364,135 in favor of the State
Treasury. The entire public debt, January 5, 1871, $3,971,000. This
State was first settled by Canadian voyageurs in 1702, who erected a fort
at Vincennes ; in 1763 it passed into the hands of the English, and was
by the latter ceded to the United States in 1783. From 1788 till 1791,
an Indian ware fare prevailed. In 1800, all the region west and north of
Ohio (then formed into a distinct territory) became merged in Indiana.
In 1809, the present limits of the State were defined, Michigan and
Illinois having previously been withdrawn. In 1811, Indiana was the
theater of the Indian War of Tecumseh, ending with the decisive battle
of Tippecanoe. In 1816 (December 11), Indiana became enrolled among
the States of the American Union. In 1834, the State passed through a
monetary crisis owing to its having become mixed up with railroad,
<;anal, and other speculations on a gigantic scale, which ended, for the
time being, in a general collapse of public credit, and consequent bank-
ruptcy. Since that time, however, the greater number of the public
102 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
works which had brought about that imbroglio especially the great
Wabash and Erie Canal have been completed, to the great benefit of
the State, whose subsequent progress has year by year been marked by
rapid strides in the paths of wealth, commerce, and general social and
political prosperity. The constitution now in force was adopted in 1851.
Population, 1,680,637.
IOWA.
In shape, Iowa presents an almost perfect parallelogram; has a
length, north to south, of about 300 miles, by a pretty even width of 208
miles, and embraces an area of 55,045 square miles, or 35,228,800 acres.
The surface of the State is generally undulating, rising toward the
middle into an elevated plateau which forms the " divide " of the
Missouri and Mississippi basins. Rolling prairies, especially in the south
section, constitute a regnant feature, and the river bottoms, belted with
woodlands, present a soil of the richest alluvion. Iowa is well watered ;
the principal rivers being the Mississippi and Missouri, which form
respectively its east and west limits, and the Cedar, Iowa, and Des
Moines, affluents of the first named. Mineralogically, Iowa is important
as occupying a section of the great Northwest coal field, to the extent of
an area estimated at 25,000 square miles. Lead, copper, zinc, and iron,
are also mined in considerable quantities. The soil is well adapted to
the production of wheat, maize, and the other cereals ; fruits, vegetables,,
and esculent roots; maize, wheat, and oats forming the chief staples.
Wine, tobacco, hops, and wax, are other noticeable items of the agricul-
tural yield. Cattle-raising, too, is a branch of rural industry largely
engaged in. The climate is healthy, although liable to extremes of heat
and cold. The annual gross product of the various manufactures carried
on in this State approximate, in round numbers, a sum of $20,000.000.
Iowa has an immense railroad system, besides over 500 miles of water-
communication by means of its navigable rivers. The State is politically
divided into 99 counties, with the following centers of population : Des
Moines (capital), Iowa City (former capital), Dubuque, Davenport, Bur-
lington, Council Bluffs, Keokuk, Muscatine, and Cedar Rapids. The
State institutions of Iowa religious, scholastic, and philanthropic are
on a par, as regards number and perfection of organization and operation,
with those of her Northwest sister States, and education is especially
well cared for, and largely diffused. Iowa formed a portion of the
American territorial acquisitions from France, by the so-called Louisiana
purchase in 1803, and was politically identified with Louisiana till 1812,
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 103
when it merged into the Missouri Territory; in 1834 it came under the
Michigan organization, and, in 1836, under that of Wisconsin. Finally,
after being 1 constituted an independent Territory, it became a State of
the Union^ December 28, 1846. Population in 1860, 674,913 ; in 1870,
1,191,792, and in 1875, 1,353,118.
MICHIGAN.
United area, 56,243 square miles, or 35,995,520 acres. Extent of the
Upper and smaller Peninsula length, 316 miles; breadth, fluctuating
between 36 and 120 miles. The south division is 416 miles long, by from
50 to 300 miles wide. Aggregate lake-shore line, 1,400 miles. The
Upper, or North, Peninsula consists chiefly of an elevated plateau,
expanding into the Porcupine mountain-system, attaining a maximum
height of some 2,000 feet. Its shores along Lake Superior are eminently
bold and picturesque, and its area is rich in minerals, its product of
copper constituting an important source of industry. Both divisions are
heavily wooded, and the South one, in addition, boasts of a deep, rich,
loamy soil, throwing up excellent crops of cereals and other agricultural
produce. The climate is generally mild and humid, though the Winter
colds are severe. The chief staples of farm husbandry include the cereals,
grasses, maple sugar, sorghum, tobacco, fruits, and dairy-stuffs. In 1870,
the acres of land in farms were : improved, 5,096,939 ; unimproved
woodland, 4,080,146 ; other unimproved land, 842,057. The cash value
of land was $398,240,578 ; of farming implements and machinery,
$13,711,979. In 1869, there were shipped from the Lake Superior ports,
874,582 tons of iron ore, and 45,762 of smelted pig, along with 14,188
tons of copper (ore and ingot). Coal is another article largely mined.
Inland communication is provided for by an admirably organized railroad
system, and by the St. Mary's Ship Canal, connecting Lakes Huron and
Superior. Michigan is politically divided into 78 counties ; its chief
urban centers are Detroit, Lansing (capital), Ann Arbor, Marquette,
Bay City, Niles, Ypsilanti, Grand Haven, etc. The Governor of the
State is elected biennially. On November 30, 1870, the aggregate bonded
debt of Michigan amounted to $2,385,028, and the assessed valuation of
land to $266,929,278, representing an estimated cash value of $800,000,000.
Education is largely diffused and most excellently conducted and pro-
vided for. The State University at Ann Arbor, the colleges of Detroit
and Kalamazoo, the Albion Female College, the State Normal School at
Ypsilanti, and the State Agricultural College at Lansing, are chief among
the academic institutions. Michigan (a term of Chippeway origin, and
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
signifying " Great Lake), was discovered and first settled by French
Canadians, who, in 1670, founded Detroit, the pioneer of a series of trad-
ing-posts on the Indian frontier. During the " Conspiracy of Pontiac,"
following the French loss of Canada, Michigan became the scene of a
sanguinary struggle between the whites and aborigines. In 1796, it
became annexed to the United States, which incorporated this region
with the Northwest Territory, and then with Indiana Territory, till 1803,
when it became territorially independent. Michigan was the theater of
warlike operations during the war of 1812 with Great Britain, and in
1819 was authorized to be represented by one delegate in Congress ; m
1837 she was admitted into the Union as a State, and in 1869 ratified the
15th Amendment to the Federal Constitution. Population, 1,184,059.
WISCONSIN.
It has a mean length of 260 miles, and a maximum breadth of 215.
Land area, 53,924 square miles, or 34,511,360 acres. Wisconsin lies at a
considerable altitude above sea-level, and consists for the most part of an
upland plateau, the surface of which is undulating and very generally
diversified. Numerous local eminences called mounds are interspersed
over the State, and the Lake Michigan coast-line is in many parts char-
acterized by lofty escarped cliffs, even as on the west side the banks of
the Mississippi form a series of high and picturesque bluffs. A group of
islands known as The Apostles lie off the extreme north point of the
State in Lake Superior, and the great estuary of -Green Bay, running far
inland, gives formation to a long, narrow peninsula between its waters
and those of Lake Michigan. The river-system of Wisconsin has three
outlets those of Lake Superior, Green Bay, and the Mississippi, which
latter stream forms the entire southwest frontier, widening at one point
into the large watery expanse called Lake Pepin. Lake Superior receives
the St. Louis, Burnt Wood, and Montreal Rivers ; Green Bay, the
Menomonee, Peshtigo, Oconto, and Fox ; while into the Mississippi
empty the St. Croix, Chippewa, Black, Wisconsin, and Rock Rivers.
The chief interior lakes are those of Winnebago, Horicon, and Court
Oreilles, and smaller sheets of water stud a great part of the surface.
The climate is healthful, with cold Winters and brief but very warm
Summers. Mean annual rainfall 31 inches. The geological system
represented by the State, embraces those rocks included between the
primary and the Devonian series, the former containing extensive
deposits of copper and iron ore. Besides these minerals, lead and zinc
are found in great quantities, together with kaolin, plumbago, gypsum*
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 105
and various clays. Mining, consequently, 'forms a prominent industry,
and one of yearly increasing dimensions. The soil of Wisconsin is of
varying quality, but fertile on the whole, and in the north parts of the
State heavily timbered. The agricultural yield comprises the cereals,
together with flax, hemp, tobacco, pulse, sorgum, and all kinds of vege-
tables, and of the hardier fruits. In 1870, the State had a total number
of 102,904 farms, occupying 11,715,321 acres, of which 5,899,343 con-
sisted of improved land, and 3,437,442 were timbered. Cash value of
farms, $300,414,064 ; of farm implements and machinery, $14,239,364.
Total estimated value of all farm products, including betterments and
additions to stock, $78,027,032 ; of orchard and dairy stuffs, $1,045,933 ;
of lumber, $1,327,618 ;' of home manufactures, $338,423 ; of all live-stock,
$45,310,882. Number of manufacturing establishments, 7,136, employ-
ing 39,055 hands, and turning out productions valued at $85,624,966.
The political divisions of the State form 61 counties, and the chief places
of wealth, trade, and population, are Madison (the capital), Milwaukee,
Fond du Lac, Oshkosh, Prairie du Chien, Janesville, Portage City,
Racine, Kenosha, and La Crosse. In 1870, the total assessed valuation
reached $333,209,838, as against a true valuation of both real and personal
estate aggregating $602,207,329. Treasury receipts during 1870, $886,-
696; disbursements, $906,329. Value of church property, $4,149,983.
Education is amply provided for. Independently of the State University
at Madison, and those of Galesville and of Lawrence at Appleton, and
the colleges of Beloit, Racine, and Milton, there are Normal Schools at
Platteville and Whitewater. The State is divided into 4,802 common
school districts, maintained at a cost, in 1870, of $2,094,160. The chari-
table institutions of Wisconsin include a Deaf and Dumb Asylum, an
Institute for the Education of the Blind, and a Soldiers' Orphans' School.
In January, 1870, the railroad system ramified (throughout the State
totalized 2,779 miles of track, including several lines far advanced toward
completion. Immigration is successfully encouraged by the State author-
ities, the larger number of yearly new-comers being of Scandinavian and
German origin. The territory now occupied within the limits of the
State of Wisconsin was explored by French missionaries and traders in
1639, and it remained under French jurisdiction until 1703, when it
became annexed to the British North American possessions. In, 1796, it
reverted to the United States, the government of which latter admitted
it within the limits of the Northwest Territory, and in 1809, attached it
to that of Illinois, and to Michigan in 1818. Wisconsin became independ-
ently territorially organized in 1836, and became a State of the Union,
March 3, 1847. Population in 1870, 1,064,985, of which 2,113 were of
the colored race, and 11,521 Indians, 1,206 of the latter being out of
tribal relations.
106 THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
MINNESOTA.
Its length, north to south, embraces an extent of 380 miles; its
breadth one of 250 miles at a maximum. Area, 84,000 square miles, or
4,760,000 acres. The surface of Minnesota, generally speaking, con-
-sists of a succession of gently undulating plains and prairies, drained by
an admirable water-system, and with here and there heavily- timbered
bottoms and belts of virgin forest. The soil, corresponding with such a
superfices, is exceptionally rich, consisting for the most part of a dark,
Calcareous sandy drift intermixed with loam. A distinguishing physical
feature of this State is its riverine ramifications, expanding in nearly
very part of it into almost innumerable lakes the whole presenting an
aggregate of water-power having hardly a rival in the Union. Besides
the Mississippi which here has its rise, and drains a basin of 800 miles
of country the principal streams are the Minnesota (334 miles long),
the Red River of the North, the St. Croix, St. Louis, and many others of
lesser importance ; the chief lakes are those called Red, Cass, Leech,
Mille Lacs, Vermillion, and Winibigosh. Quite a concatenation of sheets
of water fringe the frontier line where Minnesota joins British America,
culminating in the Lake of the Woods. It has been estimated, that of
an area of 1,200,000 acres of surface between the St. Croix and Mis-
sissippi Rivers, not less than 73,000 acres are of lacustrine formation. In
point of minerals, the resources of Minnesota have as yet been very
imperfectly developed; iron, copper, coal, lead all these are known to
exist in considerable deposits ; together with salt, limestone, and potter's
clay. The agricultural outlook of the State is in a high degree satis-
factory ; wheat constitutes the leading cereal in cultivation, with Indian
corn and oats in next order. Fruits and vegetables are grown in great
plenty and of excellent quality. The lumber resources of Minnesota are
important ; the pine forests in the north region alone occupying an area
of some 21,000 square miles, which in 1870 produced a return of scaled
logs amounting to 313,116,416 feet. The natural industrial advantages
possessed by Minnesota are largely improved upon by a railroad system.
The political divisions of this State number 78 counties ; of which the
chief cities and towns are : St. Paul (the capital), Still Water, Red Wing,
St. Anthony, Fort Snelling, Minneapolis, and Mankato. Minnesota has
already assumed an attitude of high importance as a manufacturing State ;
this is mainly due to the wonderful command of water-power she pos-
sesses, as before spoken of. Besides her timber-trade, the milling of
flour, the distillation of whisky, and the tanning of leather, are prominent
interests, which, in 1869, gave returns to the amount of $14,831,043.
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY. 107
Education is notably provided for on a broad and catholic scale, the
entire amount expended scholastically during the year 1870 being $857,-
816 ; while on November 30 of the preceding year the permanent school
fund stood at $2,476,222. Besides a University and Agricultural College,
Normal and Reform Schools flourish, and with these may be mentioned
such various philanthropic and religious institutions as befit the needs of
an intelligent and prosperous community. The finances of the State for
the fiscal year terminating December 1, 1870, exhibited a balance on the
right side to the amount of $136,164, being a gain of $44,000 over the
previous year's figures. The earliest exploration of Minnesota by the
whites was made in 1680 by a French Franciscan, Father Hennepin, who
gave the name of St. Antony to the Great Falls on the Upper Missisippi.
In 1763, the Treaty of Versailles ceded this region to England.
Twenty years later, Minnesota formed part of the Northwest Territory
transferred to the United States, and became herself territorialized inde-
pendently in 1849. Indian cessions in 1851 enlarged her boundaries, and,
May 11, 1857, Minnesota became a unit of the great American federation
of States. Population, 439,706.
NEBRASKA.
Maximum length, 412 miles ; extreme breadth, 208 miles. Area,
75,905 square miles, or 48,636,800 acres. The surface of this State is
almost entirely undulating prairie, and forms part of the west slope of
the great central basin of the North American Continent. In its west
division, near the base of the Rock}- Mountains, is a sandy belt of
country, irregularly defined. In this part, too, are the " dunes," resem-
bling a wavy sea of sandy billows, as well as the Mauvaises Terres.. a tract
of singular formation, produced by eccentric disintegrations and denuda-
tions of the land. The chief rivers are the Missouri, constituting its en-
tire east line of demarcation ; the Nebraska or Platte, the Niobrara, the
Republican Fork of the Kansas, the Elkhorn, and the Loup Fork of the
Platte. The soil is very various, but consisting chiefly of rich, bottomy
loam, admirably adapted to the raising of heavy crops of cereals. All
the vegetables and fruits of the temperate zone are produced in great
size and plenty. For grazing purposes Nebraska is a State exceptionally
well fitted, a region of not less than 23,000,000 acres being adaptable to
this branch of husbandry. It is believed that the, as yet, comparatively
infertile tracts of land found in various parts of the State are susceptible
of productivity by means of a properly conducted system of irrigation.
Few minerals of moment have so far been found within the limits of
108
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
Nebraska, if we may except important saline deposits at the head of Salt
Creek in ics southeast section. The State is divided into 57 counties*
independent of the Pawnee and Winnebago Indians, and of unorganized
territory in the northwest part. The principal towns are Omaha, Lincoln
(State capital), Nebraska City, Columbus, Grand Island, etc. In 1870,
the total assessed value of property amounted to $53,000,000, being an
increase of $11,000,000 over the previous year's returns. The total
amount received from the school-fund during the year 1869-70 was
$77,099. Education is making great onward strides, the State University
and an Agricultural College being far advanced toward completion. In
the matter of railroad communication, Nebraska bids fair to soon place
herself on a par with her neighbors to the east. Besides being inter-
sected by the Union Pacific line, with its off-shoot, the Fremont and Blair,
other tracks are in course of rapid construction. Organized by Con-
gressional Act into a Territory, May 30, 1854, Nebraska entered the
Union as a full State, March 1, 1867. Population, 122,993.
PRAIRIE WOLVES
AN EARLY DAY.
EARLY HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.
The name of this beautiful Prairie State is derived from Illim, a
Delaware word signifying Superior Men. It has a French termination,,
and is a symbol of how the two races the French and the Indians
were intermixed during the early history of the country.
The appellation was no doubt well applied to the primitive inhabit-
ants of the soil whose prowecss in savage warfare long withstood the
combined attacks of the fierce Iroquois on the one side, and the no les&
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 Valle} r 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. They 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, biit the Spanish left the country a wil-
derness, 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 te
110
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.
call 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 upon
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 Miamis, 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 in Canada in 1666, he was sent as a missionary to the far
Northwest, and, in 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 his 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, which 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 Immaculate Virgin Mary, which was the first Jesuit mission founded
in Illinois and in the Mississippi Valley. The intervening winter he
had spent in a hut which his companions erected on the Chicago River, a
few leagues from its mouth. The founding of this mission was the last
112 HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.
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
Crevecceur, at the 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 desolatioi
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 oi welcome. The plain on which the
town had stood was now strewn with charred fragments of lodges, whicl
had so recently swarmed with savage life and hilarity. To render moi
hideous the picture of desolation, large numbers of skulls had beei
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 net
approach showed that the graves had been robbed of their bodies, ant
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 theii
contents scattered with wanton waste. It was evident the suspecte(
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 ha
been destroyed, but the vessel which he had partly constructed was stil
HISTORY OP THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 113
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 entirely closed this latter route to the
Upper Lakes. They carried on their commerce chiefly by canoes, pad-
dling them through the Ottawa to Lake Nipissing, carrying them across
the portage to French River, and descending that to Lake Huron. This
being the route by' which they reached the Northwest, accounts for the
fact that all the earliest Jesuit missions were established in the neighbor-
hood 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 Gulf 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 hardships he surmounted. As the first
step in the accomplishment of this object he established himself on Lake
Ontario, and built and garrisoned Fort Frontenac, the site of the present
114 HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.
city of Kingston, Canada. Here lie obtained a grant of land from the
French crown and a body of troops by which he beat back the invading*
Jroquois 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 co-operated with a rival order. The fur traders 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 the 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 his 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 valley of the mighty river, in the name of Louis
XIV., then reigning, in honor of whom he named the country LOUISIANA.
LaSalle then 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 post 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."
HISTORY OP THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 115
EARLY SETTLEMENTS.
A temporary 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. Glair 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 the older place, and ranks as the oldest
permanent settlement in Illinuisf, as well as in the Mississippi Valley.
The reason for the removal of the aid 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
Miiumee, 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 D'Iberville, 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-
tlements, with 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 Chartres ; 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
116 . HISTOKY OF THE STATE OF I
-
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 117
the oldest French towns in the Mississippi Valley. Kaskaskia, in its best
days, was a town of some two or three thousand inhabitants. Aftjer 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 the 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 1784 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 that 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 the anti-slavery clause was pending.
This concession to the South was expected to carry it. Congress was in
118 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. Everything 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 character, 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 B, 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. Thus Cutler, making
friends with the South, and, doubtless, using all the arts of the lobby,
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 the most sacred character. He then followed very
closely the constitution of Massachusetts, adopted three years before.
Its most marked points were :
1. The exclusion of slavery from the territory forever.
2. Provision for public schools, giving one township for a seminary,
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 119
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 forever 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 unless
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 was
the natural battle-field for the 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 southern 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 the
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. Planters from the slave States might bring their
120 HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.
slaves, if they would give them a chance to choose freedom or years
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 sixty days or be sold as fugitives. Servants were whipped for offenses
for which 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 the 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 Legis-
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 $100 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.
Menard, put the resolution as follows: ; ' Gentlemen of the Senate : It is
moved and seconded dot 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 caps*
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 121
They pulled their blankets over their heac^s in the winter like.the Tndians r
with whom they freely intermingled.
Demagogism had an early development. One John Grammar (only
in name), elected to the Territorial and State Legislatures of 1316 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 v
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
122 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 which 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 chiefly 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. 123
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
$ 600,000 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 1834-35,
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 1848. 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 1834-35. 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, and 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 tihe 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 Legislature 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 either 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 ends of
124 HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.
each of these railroads and rivers, and at each river-crossing, all at the
same time. The appropriations for these vast improvements were over
$12,000,000, 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 the 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 Godfrey
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 them.
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 agricultural power. She has coal, iron,
lead, copper, zinc, many varieties of building stone, fire clay, cuma clay,
common brick 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. 125
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
126 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
life.
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, nearly 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 condensed 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 dry 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; number 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
lumber sold in her markets.
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 127
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, in 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 850
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 1 850, 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 $350,000, 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.
128 HISTORY OF THE STATE OP ILLINOIS.
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 Pennsylvania.
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, slipped 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 OP THE STATE OP ILLINOIS. 129
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. The 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,
130 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. I
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 years 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,
for 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 peril of the closing calls, when patriots were few and weary,
she 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
the 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
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 131
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-five 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*
4i 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 here
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, we looked at this calm,.
patient man standing like a rock in the storm, and said : " Mr. Lincoln
132 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-
tory. 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,
lie was dropped 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.
IB*
CO
CO
00
134 HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.
with schools eclipsing Alexandria and Athens ; with liberties more con-
spicuous than those of the old republics ; with a heroism equal to the first
Carthage, 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. All
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 1804, 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
560 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
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. ' 135
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 $215,000,000, 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 were 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.
Another 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
136
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.
OLD FOET DEARBORN, 1830.
PRESENT SITE OF LAKE STREET BRIDGE, CHICAGO, IN 1833.
HISTOBY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 137
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-
ably 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.
138 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
lias 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 $400,000,000. In 1871 it was pushed
up above $450,000,000. 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 $24,431,000. Total exchange in
1875, $659,000,000. Her wholesale business in 1875 was $294,000,000.
The rate of taxes is less than in any 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 bonds to carry all the citizens free for the
privilege of charging strangers. Now there are twenty-four large bridges
and two tunnels.
ILL 1833 the government expended $30,000 on the harbor. Then
commenced that series of manoeuvers with the river that has made it one
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.
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-
lons 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
140 HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.
equally to the credit of the engineering, to the energy of the people, and
to the health 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
women 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. 141
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. Kin/ie 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."
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, 143
Captain Heald held a council with the Indians on the afternoon ot
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 destroy 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 had 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.
144
HISTOllY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS. 145
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 and 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 squaw, 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, she 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
146 HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS;
seized the savage round the neck with her arms and endeavored to get
hold of his scalping knife, which hung in a sheath at his breast. While
she was thus struggling she was dragged from her antagonist by another
powerful 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-spirited 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 by 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 arfS
suffering by 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
liberal bounty 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.
JAMES LANG LEY
FRANKLIN
HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.
149
SHABBONA.
This celebrated Indian chief, whose portrait appears in this work,
deserves more than a passing notice. Although Shabbona was not so con-
spicuous 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 tb3 war of 1812 Shabboua with his warriors ioined Tecumseh. was
150 HISTORY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.
aid to that great chief, and stood by his 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
prevented them from taking part in the war. By request of the citizens
of Chicago, Shabbona, accompanied by 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 tomahawk against the
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 (through reproach) styled him " the white man's friend,"
and many times his life was endangered.
Before the Black Hawk war, Shabbona met in council at two differ-
ent times, and by 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
]}y 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, bill 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, New 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 transfer 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 twelfth 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 will is made, the property of a deceased person is distrib-
uted as follows :
152 ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.
First. To his or her children and their descendants in equal parts ;
the descendants 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 widow 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 widow or surviving husband and no
kindred, then to such widow 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 necessary in order to make a will good at
law. Every male person of the age of twenty-one years, and every 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 witnesses. 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 twenty dollars per month. Inventory to be made by executor
or administrator within three months from date of letters testamentary or
ABSTRACT OP ILLINOIS STATE LAWS. 168
of administration. Executors' and administrators' compensation not ta
exceed six per cent, on amount of personal estate, and three per cent.
on money realized from real estate, with such additional allowance as
shall be reasonable for extra services. Appraisers' compensation $2 pel
day.
Notice requiring all claims to be presented against the estate shall bd
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 are 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 folio wing 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 will and taking out letters testa-
mentary or administration, and settlement of the estate, and the physi-
cian's bill in the las^; 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 pipe used in the family, with the necessary
cooking utensils, or in case they have none, $50 in money.
Sixth. Household and kitchen furniture to the value of $100.
Seventh. One milch cow and calf for every four members of her family.
154 ABSTBACT 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.
Ninth. 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 worth of other property suited to her
condition in life, to be selected by the widow.
The widow 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 the 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 cent*
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 for the recovery/
of moneys for damages for injury to real property, or taking, detaining,, or
ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS. 155
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-
sonal 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 also 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 persons, 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, guardians 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 five years. Notes and written contracts ten years. Judg-
ments twenty years. Partial payments or new promise in writing, within
or after said period, will revive the debt. Absence from the State deducted,
and when the cause of action is barred by 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, twenty 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 wife not liable for each other's debts^
either before or after marriage, but both are liable for expenses and edu-
cation of the family.
156 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 which 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 worth $1,000, and the following 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 widow. 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.
ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS. 157
DEEDS AND MORTGAGES.
To be valid there must be a valid consideration. Special care should
be taken to have them signed, sealed, delivered, and properly acknowl-
edged, with the proper seal attached. Witnesses are not required. The
acknowledgement must be made in this state, before Master in Chancery,
Notary Public, 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 Public can take acknowledgements any where in the state.
Sheriffs, if authorized by the mortgagor of real or personal property
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.
Horses, 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.
158 ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.
Notices must be posted up within five (5) days in three (3) of the
most public places in the town or precinct in which estray was found, giv-
ing the residence of the taker up, and a particular description of the
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
cleric, whose duty it is to enter the same at large, in a book 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 appear
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 without complying with 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 unlawful 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,
partridge 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
paid, but not exceeding ten days. It is unlawful to hunt with gun, dog
or net within the inclosed grounds or lands of another without permission.
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. 159
Pounds.
Stone Coal, - - 80
Unslacked Lime, - 80
Corn in the ear, - - 70
Wheat, - 60
Irish Potatoes, - 60
White Beans, - - 60
Clover Seed, - - 60
Onions, - 57
Shelled Corn, - 56
Rye, - - 56
Flax Seed, - - 56
Sweet Potatoes, - - 55
Turnips, - 55
Fine Salt, - - 55
Buckwheat, -
Coarse Salt,
Barley, -
Corn Meal,
Castor Beans,
Timothy Seed, -
Hemp Seed, -
Malt, -
Dried Peaches,
Oats, -
Dried Apples,
Bran, -
Blue Grass Seed,
Hair (plastering),
Pounds.
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 wheat, 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
bushel 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
$ 5, 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 catfle, horses, hogs, sheep or goats may have one ear mark
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 fee 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
or brands, such record is prima facie evidence. Owners of cattle, horses,
hogs, sheep or goats that may have been branded by the former owner,
160 ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.
may be re-branded in presence of one or more of his neighbors, who shall
oertify to the facts of the marking or branding being done, when done,
and in what brand or mark they were re-brauded 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 purveys 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 him, 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. 161
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 inspector 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 penalty 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 written 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 running 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 any 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-place of the most
162 ABSTRACT OP 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 necessarj 1 -, 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. 163
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
mining 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.
164 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 a*id
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 allww
such bounty on wolf 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 ^he 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 ot 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. 167
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 lawfully 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 person 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
$100. 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.
168 ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.
FENCES.
In counties under township organization, the town assessor and com-
missioner of highways are the fence-viewers in their respective towns.
In other counties the County Board appoints three in each precinct annu-
ally. A lawful fence is four and one-half feet high, 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 oth^r kind of fence as such, or the County
Board in other counties may do the same. Division fences shall be made
and maintained 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 appraisement to be reduced to writing and signed.
ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS. 169
Where a person shall conclude to remove his part of a division fence,
and Jet 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-viewers 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 kiuch 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 <Df 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, including 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 running at large, contrary to law,
the owner is liable where thre is not such a fence. Where stock is
found trespassing on the enclosure of another as aforesaid, the owner 01
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.
170 ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.
Second. When lands are held and occupied by any person without
any special agreement for rent.
Third. When possession is obtained under an agreement, written
or verbal, for the purchase of the premises 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, when 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 j r 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 special agreement, the landlord may terminate the
tenancy, 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 within 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. 171
prmted, 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 necessary.
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.
172 ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.
LIENS.
Any person who shall by contract, express or implied, or partly both,
with the owner of any 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 o/i
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, and
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.
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
progresses, 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 sucli 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. R> for pound, and bbl. for barrel; *$ for per or
by the. Thus, Butter sells at 20@30c ty lb, and Flour at $8@12 f bbl.
% for per cent and ff for number.
May 1. Wheat sells at $1.20@1.25, "seller June," Seller June
174 ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.
means that the person who sells the wheat has the privilege of delivering
it at any time during the month of June.
Selling short, 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. LOWRY.
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, thus :
$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 ILLINOIS STATE LAWS. 175
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 is
hereby stipulated and agreed that the party so failing shall pay 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 ;
170 ABSTRACT OP 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 part, 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 October, 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.
ABSTBACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS. 177
COMMON FORM OF BOND.
KNOW ALL MEN by this instrument, that I, George Edgerton, of
Watseka, Iroquois County, State of Illinois, am firmly bound unto Peter
Kirchoff, 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 payments 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 Geneseo in the County
of Henry, and State of Illinois, party of the first part, and Paul Henshaw,
of the same town, county, and State, party of the second part.
Witnesseth, 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., Geueseo, 111.;
178 ABSTRACT OP ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.
Together with all and singular, the appurtenances thereunto "belong-
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 heirs, executors, administrators,
or assigns, shall, on or before the first day of January, 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
sum 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
Ranslow, 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 his hand and affixed his seal, the day and year first above written.
Signed, sealed and delivered in
presence of THEODORE LOTTINVILLE. [L.S.]
SAMUEL J. T-J 1 i.x.
ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS. 179
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 declare 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,
180 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 PATTON. [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, hath
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 wear and casualties excepted.
In witness whereof, we place our hands and seals the day and year
aforesaid.
Signed, sealed and delivered AMOS GRIEST. [L.S.]
in presence of
NlCKOLAS SOHUTZ, AARON YOUNG. [L.S.]
Notary Public.
LANDLORD'S AGREEMENT.
THIS certifies that I have let and rented, 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.
ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS. l&I
NOTICE TO QUIT.
To F. W. ARLEN,
Sir : Please observe that the term of one year, for which the Louse
and land, situated at No. 6 Indiana Street, and now occupied by you,,
were rented tojrou, 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, NEB., 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 Olla, 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 seventy-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.
[Describing the premises.]
To have and to hold the same, together with all and singular the
Tenements, Hereditaments, Privileges and Appurtenances thereunta
182 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 a and Olla, 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 the above described premises, and each and every
part thereof, which is given by 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 such 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 presents 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 our
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, his heirs and assigns, all the fol-
lowing described lot, piece, or parcel of land, situated in the City of Law-
rence, in the County of Lawrence, and State of Illinois, to wit :
\JELere describe the property^
Together with all and singular the hereditaments and appurtenances
thereunto belonging 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 the
VF SEYMOUR
ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS. 185
above bargained premises, with the hereditaments and appurtenances.
To have and to hold the 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 aforesaid, 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,
186 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 :
[Here describe the land.]
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.]
in presence of
THOMAS 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 description 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.
187
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 dollars.
Witness my hand and seal, this second day of November, A. D. 1874.
PETER AHLUND. [L.S.]
State of Illinois, )
Cook County. j 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
*^sBAL. Al1 ] person, and acknowledged that he signed, sealed, and
delivered the said instrument of writing as his free
and voluntary act, for the uses and purposes therein
set forth.
(riwn under my hand and seal, this second day of
November, A. D. 1874.
GEORGE SAXTON, N. P.
GENERAL FOfrM OF WILL FOR REAL AND PERSONAL PROPERTY.
I, Charles Mansfield, of the Town of Salem, County of Jackson,
Scale of Illinois, being aware of the uncertainty 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 following, to wit:
First. I give, devise and bequeath unto my oldest son, Sidney H.
Mansfield, the sum of Two Thousand Dollars, of 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 office 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
188
ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS.
Third. I give, devise and bequeath to my son, Frank Alfred Mans-
field, Five shares of Railroad stock in the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad,
and 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
home, 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 my 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 lastly. 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 shaJ
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.
FKANK E. DENT, Salem, Ills.
CHARLES MANSFIELD. [L.S.]
ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS. 181)
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
CHARLES MANSFIELD. [L.S.]
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 appointing, 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 the office of the recorder of
deeds of the county, an affidavit substantially in the following form :
STATE OF ILLINOIS,
County. ' SS>
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 suob (church, society or congregation), and said
190 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-
Tation.
No certificate of election after the first need be 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
ame 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,
when 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 by law from encumbering or inter-
fering with any property so as to destroy the effect of any gift, grant,
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 the
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 the 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. The nature and character of the work is described in the prospectus
and by the sample shown. These should be carefully examined before sub-
scribing^ as they are the basis and consideration of the promise to pay,
ABSTRACT OF ILLINOIS STATE LAWS. 191
and not the too often exaggerated statements of the agent, who is merely
employed to solicit subscriptions, for which he is usually paid 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 principal, the subscriber should see that
such conditions or changes are stated over or in connection with his signa-
ture, so that the publisher may have notice of the same.
All persons making contracts in reference to matters of this kind, or
any other business, should remember that the law as to written contracts is,
that they can not be varied, altered or rescinded verbally, but if done 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 any other
matter. They can not 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 principal for the payment 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.
6
192 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.
AKTICLE 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
House 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.
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 vacancies.
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 pro
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 power 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, except 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-thirds,
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,
194 CONSTITUTION OP THE UNITED STATES
felony, and breach 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
they 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 emoluments 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 yeas 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 any 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
States, 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 the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and
current coin of the United States ;
To establish post offices and post roads ;
AND ITS AMENDMENTS. 195
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 the 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.
196 CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES
No title of nobility 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 will
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, open 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,
* This clause between, brackets has been superseded and annulled by the Twelfth.amendmentu
AND ITS AMENDMENTS. 19T
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 they 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-President, 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, except 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
198 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.
ABTICLE 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 foreign
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 any 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.
the Congress may, by general laws, prescribe the manner in which such
acts, records, and proceedings shall be proved, and the 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 jurisdiction 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 whom such service or labor may be due.
SEC. 3. New states may be admitted by the Congress into this Union ;
but no /iew 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
eight shall in any 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.
AETICLE VI.
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-
200
CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATED
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 Deputy from Virginia.
New Hampshire.
JOHN LANGDON,
NICHOLAS GILMAN.
Massachusetts.
NATHANIEL GORHAM,
HUFUS KING.
Connecticut.
WM. SAM'L JOHNSON,
HOGER SHERMAN.
New 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.
Delaware.
GEO. READ,
JOHN DICKINSON,
JACO. BROOM,
GUNNING BEDFORD, JE.,
RICHARD BASSETT.
Maryland.
JAMES M' HENRY,
DANL. CARROLL,
DAN. OF ST. THOS. JENIFER.
Virginia.
JOHN BLAIR,
JAMES MADISON, JR.
North Carolina.
WM. BLOUNT,
Hu. WILLIAMSON,
RICH'D DOBBS SPAIGHT.
South Carolina.
J. RUTLEDGE,
CHARLES PINCKNEY,
CHAS. COTES WORTH PiNCKN
PIERCE BUTLER.
G-eorgia.
WILLIAM FEW,
ABR. BALDWIN.
WILLIAM JACKSON, Secretary.
ISHAM BURNETT
TOWN.I4N.R.8W.
AND ITS AMENDMENTS. 20J
ARTICLES IN ADDITION TO AND AMENDATORY OF THE CONSTITUTION
OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
Proposed by Congress and ratified by the Legislatures of the several states,
pursuant to the fifth article 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 te 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 process 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
204 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 the 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 num-ber 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 the 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. 205
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.
ARTICLE 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.
ARTICLE 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 to
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 may
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.
206
CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES.
SEC. 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate
legislation, the provisions of this act.
ABTICLE 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,
Democrat.
Petercooper
Greenback.
Smith.
Prohibition
Anti -Secret 1
Societies.
COUNTIES.
Hayes and
wheeler.
Republican.
Tilden and
Hendricks,
Democrat.
PeterCooper
Greenback.
Smith,
Prohibition.
Anti-Secret 1
Societies.]
Adams
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
1302
4669
1140
3160
1142
1433
4207
611
1015
1928
2578
2071
41
17
Livingston
Logan
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
86
20
347
34
518
10
90
7
201
109
28
104
95
5
48
117
35
2
Alexander
Bond
17
43
183
145
Macon
16
Boone
2
2
"ii
Macoupin
Madison
Brown
1
Bureau
Marion
Calhoun
Marshall . .
"a
1
Carroll . .
111
74
604
207
236
112
132
102
277
38
129
65
746
94
25
161
61
43
57
204
391
89
282
1
108
770
1
7
"i
3
'"i
6
9
Mason
Cass
Massac
McDonough
McHenry
"8
s
r
Clark
McLean
Clav
Meuard
Clinton
Mercer
a
Coles
Monroe
Cook
Montgomery
Morgan
3
Moultrie
DeKalb
"10
3
3
Ogle
8
DeWitt
Peoria
Pope
8
piatt
Pike
1
4
Effingham
Pulaski
Putnam
14
2
55
27
641
29
115
182
341
96
99
26
44
3
288
207
138
39
482
469
133
677
41
70
237
Frniklin ...
"2
'"i
'"9
'"i
Richland
Fulton
Gallatin
Saline
Schuyler
Scott
Shelby
Hardin
134
1
340
249
106
Stark
St. Clair
"2
1
3
2
Henry
4
14
6
1
Stephenson
Tazewell
Jasper
Vermilion
9
1346
1345
2907
1367
5398
2627
1869
5235
2619
6277
1198
3087
1667
2166
2276
893
2850
1363
524
2632
1647
6001
1329
2080
647
'"140
61
172
26
309
141
55
514
27
100
Jersey
12
2
"8
Warren
1
Johnson
Wayne
Kane
5
2
White
'"8
4
1
Kankakee . . .
Whtteside
Kendall
Will
1
1
15
"13
"2
4
LaSalle
Woodford
Lee
2
6
Total
275958
257099
16951 130
157
PRACTICAL RULES FOR EVERY DAY USE.
How to find the gain or loss per cent, when the cost and telling price
art given.
RULE. Find the difference between the cost and selling price, which
wi 1 ! 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.
How to change currency into gold.
Divide the amount in currency by the price of gold.
How to find each partner's share of the gain or loss in a copartnership
business.
RULE. Divide the whole gain or loss by the entir.e 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 weight and price of hogs.
A short and simple method for finding the net weight, or price of hogs,
when the gross weight or price is given, and vice versa.
NOTE. It Is generally assumed that the gross weight V>f Hogs diminished by 1-5 or 20 per cent
of itself gives the net weight, and the net weight increased by X or 25 per cent, of itself equals the
gross weight.
To find the net weight or gross price.
Multiply the given number by .8 (tenths.)
To find the gross weight or net price.
Divide the given number by .8 (tenths.)
How to find the capacity of a granary, bin, or wagon-bed.
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 answer, multiply the cubic feet by 8, and
point off one decimal place.
How to find the contents of a corn-crib.
RULE. Multiply the number of cubic feet by 54, short method, or
(207)
208 MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION.
by 4 ordinary method, and point off ONE decimal place the result will
be tl^e answer in bushels.
NOTE. In estimating corn in the ear, the quality and the time it lias been cribbed must be taken
into consideration, 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.
How to find the contents of a cistern or tank.
RULE. Multiply the square of the mean diameter by the depth (all
in feet) and this product by 5681 (short method), and point off ONE
decimal place the result will be the contents in barrels of 31 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.
How 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.
How 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 find the number of square yards in a floor or wall.
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 of shingles required in a roof.
RULE. Multiply the number of square feet in the roof by 8, if the
shingles are exposed 4 inches, or by 7 1-5 if exposed 5 inches.
To find the number of square feet, multiply the length of the roof by
twice the length of the rafters.
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION. '209
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 .64 (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 K pitch is meant that the apex or comb of the roof is to be K or % the width of the
building higher than the walls or base of the rafters.
How 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 without 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 by 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 width, and the quotient will be the answer.
210 MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION.
How 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 how many solid feet a round stick of timber of the same thick-
ness throughout will 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 number 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 n .44. Deduct 1-10 to
1-15 according to the thickness of the bark.
Howard's new rule 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 is found by inverting: the rate ; thus 3 per cent, per month, in-
verted, becomes % of a month, or 10 clays.
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 eighth section, half 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. 211
The sections are all numbered 1 to 36, commencing at the 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.
4 rods " 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 length 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.
A 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 opportunity 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.
212
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION.
1875. A. H. JACKSON. D r. Cr.
Jan. 10
" 17
Feb. 4
" 4
March 8
" 8
" 13
" 27
April 9
9
May 6
" 24
July 4
To 7 bushels Wheat at $1.25
$8
6
1
48
6
17
75
30
25
00
20
50
05
$2
18
2
25
4
35
50
00
40
25
00
75
15
05
By shoeing span of Horses
To 14 bushels Oats at $ .45
To 5 Ibs. Butter at .25
By new Harrow
Bv sharpening 2 Plows..
By new Double-Tree.
To Cow and Calf
To half ton of Hay
By Cash..
By repairing Corn-Planter
To one Sow with Pigs ..
By Cash, to balance account . .
$88
$88
1875.
CASSA MASON,
Dr.
Cr.
March 21
" 21
" 23
May 1
1
June 19
26
July 10
" 29
Aug. 12
12
Sept. . 1
By 3 days' labor at $1.25
$6
8
10
2
2
20
18
00
10
00
75
70
00
20
$3
25
12
18
9
75
00
00
00
00
To 2 Shoats at 3.00
To 18 bushels Gorn at .45
By 1 month's Labor
To Cash . . .
By 8 days' Mowing at $1.50
To 50 Ibs. Flour.
To 27 Ibs. Meat at $ .10
By 9 days' Harvesting at 2.00
By 6 days' Labor at 1.50
To Cash
To Cash to balance account . . . .
$67
75
$67
75
INTEREST TABLE.
A SIMPLE RULE FOR ACCURATELY COMPUTING INTEREST AT ANY GIVEN PER CENT. FOR ANY
LENGTH OF TIME.
Multiply the principal (amount of money at Interest) by the time reduced to days; then divide this product
by the quotient obtained by dividing 360 (the number of days in the interest year) by the per cent, of interest,
and the quotient thus obtained will be the required interest.
ILLUSTRATION. Solution.
Require the interest of $462.50 for one month and eighteen days at 6 per cent. An
interest month is 30 days; one month and eighteen days equal 48 days. 3462.50 multi-
plied by .48 gives $222.0000; 360 divided by 6 (the per cent, of interest) gives 60, and
$22-2.0000 divided by 60 will give you the exact interest, which is $3.70. If the rate of
interest in the above example were 12 per cent., we would divide the $222.0000 by 30 6)360 \ 185000
~~);If 4 per cent., we would divide by 90; if 8 per
$462.50
.48
370000
(because 360 divided by 12 gives 30);
cent., by 45: and in like manner for any other per cent.
60 1 $222.0000(83.70
180
420
420
00
MISCELLANEOUS TABLE.
12 units, or things, 1 Dozen.
12 dozen, 1 Gross.
20 things, 1 Score.
196 pounds, 1 Barrel of Flour.
200 pounds, 1 Barrel of Pork.
56 pounds, 1 Firkin of Butter.
24 sheets of paper, 1 Quire.
20 quires paper 1 Ream.
4 ft. wide, 4 ft. high, and 8 ft. long, 1 Cord Wood.
PRESIDENT BANK OF
WAVERLY
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION.
21S
NAMES OF THE STATES OF THE UNION, AND THEIR SIGNIFICATIONS.
Virginia. 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 wa&
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.
Georgia owes its name to George the Second of England, who first
established a colony there in 1732.
Tennessee is the Indian name for the " River of the Bend," i. 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."
Michigan 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.
Pennsylvania means " Penn's woods," and was so called after William
Penn, its orignal owner.
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION.
Delaware after Lord De La Ware.
New Jersey, so called in honor of Sir George Carteret, who was
Governor of the Island of Jersey, in the British Channel.
Maine 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 Rhode 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.
POPULATION OF FIFTY
PRINCIPAL CITIES.
STATES AXD TERRITORIES.
Total
Population.
CITIES.
Aggregate
Population.
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
1,321,011
726,915
626,915
780,894
1,457,351
1,184,059
439,706
827,922
1,721,295
Arkansas
California
Connecticut
Delaware
Florida
Georgia
Illinois
Indi ana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
New York, N. T
Philadelphia, Pa
Brooklyn, N. Y
St. Louis, Mo
Chicago, 111 A
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 City, N. J
942,292
K74.022
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
Nevada
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York .
North Carolina
Ohio
Oregon
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
Ten nessee
Ti-\;is
Vermont
Virginia
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Total States
Arizona
Colorada
Dakota
District of Columbia
Idaho
42.491
318,300
906.096
4,382.759
1,071,361
2,665.260
90,923
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
39.861
14,181
131.700
11,999
Detroit, Mich <
Milwaukee, Wis
Albany, N. Y
Providence, R. I
Rochester, N. Y
Allegheny, Pa
Richmond, Va
New Haven, Conn
Charleston, S. C
I ndianapolis, Ind
Troy, N. Y
Syracuse, N. Y
Worcester, Mass
Lowell, Mass
Memphis, Tenn
Cambridge, Mass
Hartford, Conn
Scran ton, Pa
Reading, Pa
Paterson. N. J
Kansas City, Mo
Mobile, Ala
Toledo. Ohio
Portland, Me
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
31,584
31,413
31,274
New Mexico
Utah
WaiMii ngton
Wyoming
Total Territories,
Total United States
20,595
91.874
S6,78(i
23,955
9.118
442,730
38,555,983
Wilmington, Del
Dayton, Ohio
Lawrence, Mass
Utica, N. Y
Charlestown, Mass
Savannah, Ga
Lynn. Mass
Fall River, Mass
30.841
30,473
28,921
28,804
28,323
28.235
28,233
26,766
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION.
21,;
POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES.
STATUS AND
TKRRITOKIKS.
AIVII in
square
Miles.
POPULATION.
Miles
R. R.
1872.
STATES AND
TERRITORIES.
Area in
square
Miles.
POPULATION.
Miles
R. R.
1872.
1870.
1875.
1870.
1875.
States.
50,722
52,198
188,981
4.674
2,120
59,268
58,000
55,410
33,809
55,045
81,318
37,600
41,346
31,776
11,184
7,800
56,451
83,531
47,156
65,350
75.9P5
112,090
9,280
8,320
47,000
50,704
39,964
95,244
s of Mic
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
1,321,011
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
higan tak
1,671
25
1,013
820
227
466
2,108
5,901
:i..V,!!)
3.160
1,760
1,123
539
871
820
1,606
2,235
1,612
990
2, 5 SO
828
593
790
1,265
4,470
1,190
3,740
109
States.
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina...
Tennessee
Texas
46,000
1,306
29,385
45,600
237,504
10,212
40,904
23,000
53,924
3,521,791
217,353
705,606
1,258,520
818,579
330,551
1,225,163
442,014
1,054.670
""258; 239
925,145
5,113
136
1.201
1,520
865
675
1,490
485
1.725
Arkansas
California
Connecticut.......
Florida
Vermont
Georgia.
Illinois
Virginia
West Virginia
Wisconsin
Indiana
1,236,729
1,350,544
528,349
"8571639
Total States
Kansas
1,950,171
113,916
104,500
147,490
60
90,932
143.776
121,201
80.056
69,944
93,107
38,113,253
9,658
39,864
14,181
131,700
14,999
20,595
91,874
86,786
23,955
9,118
59,587
Kentucky
Louisiana
Territories.
Arizona
Maine
Colorado
392
Massachusetts...
Michigan*
1,651,912
1,334,031
598,429
Dist. of Columbia.
Idaho
*
Mississippi
Montana
Missouri
Nebraska
"246,280
52,540
1,026; 502
4,705,208
New Mexico...
Utah
375
Nevada
Washington
New Hampshire.
New Jersey
New York....
Wyoming
498
Total Territories.
Aggregate of U. S..
* Included In t
965,032
2,915,203
he Rallro
442,730
1,265
North Carolina..
Ohio
Oregon
38,555,983
ad Mileage
60,852
id.
* Last Censu
en In 1874
of Marylai
PRINCIPAL COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD;
POPULATION AND AREA.
COUNTRIES.
Population.
Date of
Census.
Area in
Square
Miles.
Inhabitants
to Square
Mile.
CAPITALS.
Population.
China
446,500 000
1871
3 741 846
119.3
Pekin
1,648 800
British Empire
226 817 108
1871
4 677 432
48 6
3 251 800
Russia
81,925,410
1871
8 003 778
10.2
St. Petersburg
667 000
United States with Alaska
38 925 600
1870
<! 603 884
7.78
Washington
109 199
France
36 469 800
1866
204 091
178 7
Paris . . .
1 825 300
Austria and Hungary
- 35,904 400
1869
240 348
149.4
Vienna . .
833 900
Japan
34 785 300
1871
149 399
232 8
Yeddo
1 554 900
Great Britain and Ireland
31,817,100
1871
121 315
262.3
London
3,251,800
German Empire
29 906 092
1871
160 207
187.
Berlin
825 400
Italy
27 439 921
1871
118 847
230.9
244 484
Spain . . .
16,642,000
1867
195 775
85.
Madrid
332 000
Brazil
10 000 000
3 253 029
3.07
Rio Janeiro
420 000
Turkey
Mexico
16,463,000
9 173,000
1869
672,621
761 526
24.4
Constantinople
Mexico
1,075,000
210 300
Sweden and Norway
5 921 500
1870
292 871
20.
Stockholm
136 900
Persia
5 000 000
1870
635 964
7.8
120 000
Belgium
5 021 300
1869
11 373
441.5
Brussels
314' 100
Bavaria
4 861 400
1871
29 292
165.9
169 500
Portugal...
3 995 200
1868
34 494
115.8
224 063
Holland
3 688 300
1870
12 680
290.9
Hague
90'lOO
j\ew Grenada....
3 000 000
1870
357 157
8.4
45 000
Chili
2,000 000
1869
132 616
15.1
Santiago
115 400
Switzerland
2 669 100
1870
15 992
166.9
36 000
Peru
2 500 000
1871
471 838
5.3
160 100
Bolivia
2,000 000
497 321
4.
Chuquisaca
25 000
Argentine Republic , . .
1 812 000
1869
871 848
2.1
177 800
Wurtemburg
1 818 500
1871
7 533
241.4
91 600
Denmark
1 784 700
1870
14 753
120 9
162 042
Venezuela
I,500,'000
368,238
4.2
Caraccas
47,000
Baden
1 461 400
1871
5 912
247.
36 600
Greece
1 457 900
1870
19 353
75 3
43 400
Guatemala
1 180 000
1871
40 879
28.9
40*000
Ecuador
1,300,000
218,928
5.9
Quito
70,000
Paraguay
1 000 000
1871
63 787
15 6
48 000
Hesse . . .
823 138
2 969
277
30 000
Liberia
718 000
1871
9 576
74.9
3 000
San Salvador
600 000
1871
7 335
81 8
15 000
Havti
572 000
10 205
56
20 000
N icaragua
350 000
1871
58 171
6.
lo'ooo
Uruguay
300 000
1871
66 722
6 5
44 500
Honduras
350 000
1871
47092
12 000
San Domingo
136.000
17,827
7.6
San Domingo
20,000
I'osta Rica
165 000
1870
21 505
7.7
2 000
H:.WM. ..........
62.950
7.633
80.
Honolulu
7,633
216
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION
POPULATION OF ILLINOIS,
BY COUNTIES.
COUNTIES.
AGGREGATE.
1870.
1860.
1850.
1840.
14476
3313
5O6O
1705
4183
3067
1741
1023
2981
1475
1878
7453
3228
37i8
9616
IO2OI
4422
1830.
1820.
Adams .......
56362
10564
I3I52
12942
12205
32415
6562
16705
11580
32737
20363
18719
15875
16285
25235
349966
13889
12223
23265
14768
13484
16685
21450
7565
15653
19638
9103
12652
38291
i"34
20277
14938
13014
35935
5H3
12582
35506
25782
19634
11234
17864
15054
27820
11248
39091
24352
12399
39522
21014
60792
12533
27171
3M7I
23053
41323
4707
9815
11678
9938
26426
5144
"733
11325
14629
10492
14987
9336
10941
14203
144954
H55I
8311
19086
10820
7140
14701
16925
5454
7816
11189
1979
9393
33338
8055
16093
10379
99*5
29061
3759
9501
20660
12325
9589
8364
12965
12051
27325
9342
30062
15412
13074
28663
18257
48332
9214
17651
11637
11272
26508
2484
6144
7624
7198
8841
3231
4586
7253
2649
3203
9532
4289
5139
9335
43385
7135
37i8
7540
5002
2186
1390
3124
Alexander . ....
626
2931
Bond
Boone ....
Brown - .... . . .
Bureau .. ..... .....
Calhoun ....... .
logo
Carroll
Cass .
Champaign
Christian
Clark .
3940
755
2330
931
Clay
Clinton . . ._..-._.__
Coles .
Cook
Crawford ........... .
3"7
*23
2999
Cumberland - ...
De Kalb 1
1697
3247
De Witt
Douglas . . .
Du Page
9 2yo
10692
3524
3799
8075
3535
8225
3070
1675
6328
Kdgar .
4071
1649
Edwards .... ........
3444
Effingham _
Fayette .
2704
Ford .. -.
Franklin
5681
22508
5448
12429
3023
6362
14652
2887
4612
3807
4149
5862
3220
8109
7354
18604
4114
16703
3682
13142
10760
11951
4083
1841
7405
7674
1763
Fulton .
Gallatin
3155
Greene ....
Grundy ...... _ .
Hamilton. ... .
3945
9946
1378
2616
483
Hancock ....
Hardin .
Henderson _ . ....
Henry . .. . .
1260
1695
3566
1472
5762
4535
6180
3626
6501
4i
Iroquois ....
Jackson
1828
1542
Jasper ...
Jefferson .... ... ....
2555
691
Jersey
Jo Daviess
2III
1596
Johnson -
843
Kane ....
Kankakee . .
Kendall
7730
13279
14226
17815
6121
5-292
1553
5128
Knox
7060
2634
9348
7092
2035
759
233.3
274
Lake ..... .. . . .
La Salle
Lawrence
3668
Lee
Livingston . . ....
Loean . .
MISCELLANEOUS INFORMATION.
217
POPULATION OF ILLINOIS CONCLUDED.
COUNTIES.
AGGREGATE.
1870.
I860.
13738
24602
3I25I
12739
13437
10931
6213
20069
22089
28772
9584
15042
12832
13979
22II2
6385
22888
36601
9552
6l27
27249
6742
3943
5587
17205
9711
21005
9331
32274
14684
9069
14613
9004
37694
25112
21470
11181
19800
7313
18336
I373I
12223
12403
18737
29321
12205
24491
13282
185O.
3988
12355
2O44I
6720
5180
5921
4092
7616
14978
10163
6349
5246
7679
6277
16064
3234
IOO2O
17547
5278
I6o6
18819
3975
2265
3924
11079
4012
6937
5588
19228
10573
7914
7807
3710
20180
11666
12052
7615
11492
4690
8176
6953
6825
8925
536i
16703
7216
H773
4415
184O.
1830.
183O.
Macon
26481
32726
44I3I
2O622
16950
16184
9581
26509
23762
53988
H735
18769
12982
25314
28463
10385
27492
47540
13723
10953
30708
"437
8752
6280
20859
12803
29783
12714
46352
17419
10530
25476
10751
51068
30608
27903
16518
30388
8841
23174
17599
19758
16846
27503
43013
17329
29301
18956
3039
7926
14433
4742
1849
1122
1990
6221
2125
Alacoupin
Madison
13550
Marion
Marshall
Mason _.
Massac .. .--
McDonough
5308
2578
6565
4431
2352
4481
4490
19547
(>)
McHenry .. ..
McLean
Menard
Mercer
26
2000
2953
I27I4
Monroe
*2I
I5l6
Montgomery . __
Morgan
Moultrie
Ogle
3479
6i53
3222
Peoria . ..
(<)
1215
Perry .
Piatt
Pike
11728
4094
2396
3316
Pope
26lO
Pulaski
Putnam .
2131
7944
/Ti3io
4429
Randolph ....
3492
Richland .
Rock Island
2610
Saline
Sangamon _ . 7
14716
6972
6215
6659
1573
13631
2800
7221
5524
9303
4240
6739
4810
5133
7919
2514
10167
4457
4609
12960
2959
Schuyler
Scott
Shelby- -
2972
Stark
St.Clair ..
7078
*5
5248
Stephenson
Tazewell..
4716
3239
5836
2710
308
1675
2553
6091
Union
2362
Vermilion.
Wabash
Warren
Washington..
1517
1114
4828
Wayne
White
Whitesides
Will
Williamson..
Winnebago - . .
Woodford
Total..
2^0801
I7IIQ5I
8^1470
47618-?
1*74.4 <;
*49
=^162
PRODUCTIONS OF AGRICULTURE, STATE OF ILLINOIS, BY COUNTIES. 1870.
JOUNTIES.
Total
Improved
Land.
Woodl'nd
Other un-
improved
Spring
Wheat.
Winter
Wheat.
Rye.
Indian
Corn.
Oars.
Number.
19.329.952
Number.
5,061.578
Number.
1.491.331
Bushels.
10,133.207
Bushels.
19.995,198
Bushels.
2.456.57S
Bushels.
129.921.39:
Bushels.
42.780.851
Adams
287,926
13,836
145,045
137,307
57,062
398.611
37,684
186,864
92.902
419,368
241,472
118.594
146,922
150,177
208,337
348,824
105,505
75,342
334,502
168,539
147,633
164,874
^65,458
58,912
120,343
187,196
141.228
80,749
228,132
49,572
175,408
193,999
88,996
311,517
28,117
140,954
265,904
322,510
78,548
90,867
118,951
94,147
156,517
57,820
240,120
312,182
164.004
330,829
207,779
533,724
87,828
322,212
377,505
321,705
205,259
231.059
257,032
173,081
166,057
209,453
25,151
261,635
230,566
494,978
134,173
222.809
92,810
276,682
293,450
144,220
' 316,883
170,729
93 754
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
11,897
17,243
66,803
57,585
56.330
93,460
2,996
. 3,994
123,823
68,750
93,242
6,256
93,878
43,385
44,771
34,705
12,620
22,478
87,642
67,023
94,888
51,427
82.07B
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
?8,260
jl.739
33,396
52,547
53,293
40,366
34.931
45,977
83,369
47,804
60,217
24,783
43,643
48,666
68,470
5,978
128,953
87.754
12.516
17,184
162,274
50,618
31,239
70,393
51,085
62,477
44,633
74,908
12,375
76,591
43.167
45,268
83,606
53,078
37.558
27,294
55,852
146,794
78.167
21.823
24,261
116.949
37.238
25,217
19,370
16,191
947.616
42,658
368.625
599
117,502
724
221,298
260
127,054
123,091
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
195,716
351,310
1,008
111.324
223.930
83 093
20.989
30
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
4,930
11.672
133,533
865
96,430
35,766
23,259
524
9,165
5,934
""7.'i85
2,466
23.618
12,935
5.163
113,547
5,870
48,308
1,121
14,829
26,163
37.232
29,223
2.404
3,685
V4.517
36,135
49,182
544
52,401
29,264
39.824
4,283
40,778
1,425
3,296
5,535
6,670
157,504
99,502
1,016
9,248
25,303
2.309
222
7.707
3,235
3,401
20,003
568
23,073
20,841
930
23,686
30,534
1,008
135,362
59,027
1,737
52,476
""fa! 212
2,576
8,665
418
31.658
8,030
6.228
137,985
20.426
1,452,905
244,220
1,064,052
466,985
337,769
3,030,404
234,041
1.367.965
1,146.980
3,924.720
1,883,336
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
653.208
1,508.763
509.491
1,051,313
295,971
735,252
1,510,401
172,651
1,712,901
2,541,683
799,810
611,951
461,345
887,981
519,120
1,286,326
343,298
674.333
637.399
681,267
2,708,319
517.353
3,077,028
656,363
1,656,978
1,182,696
4,221,640
2,214,468
1,051,544
2.127,549
1,034.057
1,182,903
2,648. 726
133,12ti
1,362,49(1
1,145,005
3.723.37H
1.973.881.
2.054,962
543,716
1,527,898
3.198.835
1,753.141
1,787,066
969.224
384,44(i
1,029.725
1.399,188
315,958
195.735
334.259
510,08t>
482,59-1
1,459,653
531,511;
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
870.521
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
26,234
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
154,589
222,426
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
903,197
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
130.610
161,419
67,886
16,511
86,519
414,487
204,634
276.575
69.793
397.718
119.359
13.463
637.812
316.726
476,851
960.620
505,841
124,473
436.051
110,793
HOI. 054
533,398
404.482
119.653
880.838
1,868.682
180,986
868.903
744, 5gl
Alexander .
Bond
1,915
2,658
25.608
15,803
2,754
33,302
6,604
58,502
19,173
5,420
5,225
8,722
3,274
17,337
27,185
5,604
6,551
17,633
7,316
3.851
14,282
830
26,206
16,786
63,976
86,710
4,076
2.565
29.653
4,505
3,343
18.480
107
14,243
31,459
63,498
5,991
12,25
778
1,363
45,779
79,141
399
10,598
2,283
25.155
24,399
2,356
3,273
7,409
41,788
408
9.115
7,343
13,675
4,142
2,97*>
31,013
30
14,035
57,998
49,087
13,952
22,588
666
8.495
1.378
13,112
14,913
2,516
220
13,897
9,302
700
241,042
13,276
465,236
418,073
12,165
102,577
18,360
Boone
Brown
Bureau
Calhoun
Carroll
Cass
Champaign
Christian
Clark
Clay
1,894
500
2,651
144,296
60
550
398,059
106,493
7.683
106,096
13,283
Clinton
Coles
Cook
Cumberland
DeKalb
DeWitt
DuPage
Edgar
Kffingham
77
""42.571
365
193,669
Fayette
Ford
Franklin
Fulton
tiallatin
577,400
150
92,347
232,750
32,306
69,062
445
10,480
329.036
87.808
100,553
558,367
555
92,191
325
480
1,249
7.654
221
2,193
264.1*4
2,260
1,339
40,963
196,613
861,398
1.207,181
173,652
900
125,628
72,316
36,146
270
10,955
45,793
13,203
651,767
744,891
357,523
196,436
5,580
31,843
350,446
39,762
1,057,497
70,457
44,922
Grundy
21,700
129
181,378
13
161,112
462,379
57,160
890
Hamilton
Hancock
Hardin
Henderson
Henry
Iroquois
Jackson
Jersey ..
"282; 758
JoDaviess
Johnson
Kane
188,826
103,466
90,681
267,764
168,914
271,181
"450', 793
120,206
198,056
55,239
160
550
Kankakee
Kendall
Knox
I>ake
LaSalle
Lawrence
Lee
Logan
Macon
Macoupin
Madison
Marshall
106,129
73,261
Mason .
McDonough ... .
273,871
401,790
211,801
36,152
289,291
McHenry
McLean
Meuard
Mercer
Montgomery
59
18,196
17,128
497,038
92,361
Morgan
Moultrie
Ogle
Peoria
Perry.-...
Piatt. . .
94,454
233.785
55,980
19 319
26.382
130
Pike
Pope . .
Pulaski
Putnam
37,271
140,764
75,079
155,214
72,309
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
1.648
15,237
23,135
28,137
450
796
1,031,022
150,268
2.279
83.011
247,658
165.724
266,105
452,015
Randolph
Kichland
Bock Island
243,541
200
89,304
56,221
18
15,526
124,630
2,550
527,394
132,417
""44; 806
""l86',290
Saline....
Sangamon
421.748
96,195
85,331
310,179
138,129
231,117
254,857
229,126
75,832
360,251
54,063
266.187
177592
147.352
92,398
289.809
419,442
128,448
241,373
225,504
Schuyler
Scott . . .
Shelby
Stark
St. Clair
1,562.621
2.118
72,410
180,231
249,558
202.201
5,712
672,486
164,689
184,321
264
1,996
170,787
2,468
108,307
Stephenson
Tazewell
Union
Vermilion
Wabash
Warren
Wayne
White
Whitesides
Will
266
457,455
195,286
176
408,606
178,139
Williamson
Wlnnebago
Woodford
MORGAN COUNTY.
FRANKLIN
Mil
A'
TOPOGRAPHY AND GEOLOGY.
(FROM THE SURVEY OF 1870, BY HENRY M. BANNISTER.)
Morgan County is bounded on the north by Cass County ; on the
east by Sangamon ; on the south by Macoupin and Greene, and on the
west by Scott County and the Illinois River. It comprises about fifteen and
two- thirds townships, or about five hundred and sixty-three square miles.
Nearly or quite one-half of this is well wooded, the remainder is prairie.
Besides the Illinois River, which forms a portion of its western boundary,
the county is watered by several lesser streams, among which the Indian,
Mauvaisterre, Sandy and Apple Creeks may be mentioned as the most
important. Nearly all these streams head in the county, and attain
considerable dimensions before passing beyond its limits. With their
tributaries they afford good water facilities to the residents of the county,
and carry off the surplus water in times of freshets.
The county, away from the streams, is, in most part, a gently undu-
lating prairie, with a rich, dark colored surface soil, similar in all respects
to that in the adjoining regions, and differing but little from the general
character of all the prairie soils in this part of the State. On the broken
land, along the streams, the soil is generally lighter colored and clayey,
and generally bears a heavy growth of black, white, and red oak, with
some laurel oak, pin oak, butternut and shell-bark hickory, black walnut,
bitternut, white and slippery elm, iron wood, sassafras, hackberry, red
bud, soft and sugar maple, linden, and hazel. On the narrow strip of
land, which borders many of the streams, in addition to many of the
above species, swamp white oak, chinquapin oak, sycamore, paw-paw, and
cotton wood are found. In the extreme western portion of the county,
the Illinois River is bordered by an extensive tract of bottom land, rang-
ing from four to six miles in width at different points. In this bottom,
with the exception of a few tracts of low sand ridge, covered with stunted
black jack, the soil is a rich, arenaceous loam, which, whenever sufficiently
elevated, is one of the best soils in the county. A considerable portion
of this bottom, however, is flooded by the river, and certain tracts are so
little elevated as to form permanent shallow lakes or sloughs. Along the
edges of the bluffs, at their immediate base, there is generally a sandy
slope, similar in soil and timber to the sand ridges in the bottom, the
material of which is derived from the marly sand of the Loess, of which
e bluffs are mainly composed.
The Loess, the most recent of the geological formations after the
Alluvium, occurs in this county along the Illinois River bluffs, in which
it attains a thickness of from sixty to eighty feet. Back from the bluffs
A
222 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
it rapidly thins out, and is seldom seen extending more than a mile or
two up the side ravines, and indeed it frequently disappears entirely
within a much less distance. The material is generally an ash or buff
colored, marly sand, containing fossil fresh water shells of existing
species, here as elsewhere, forming high conical bluffs, which constitute
a peculiar feature in the landscape. So resistant is this material to
atmospheric influences, that many of the bluffs are crowned by steep
mural escarpments of compacted sand, which preserve their shape from
year to year, despite the wearing action of the frosts and showers.
The deposits of the Drift extend over nearly the whole surface of the
county, their thickness ranging all the way from twenty to eighty or
one hundred feet, and at Jacksonville its thickness attains to even one
hundred and forty-seven feet. The material of this formation is generally
a blue or yellow clay, with occasional seams or strata of quicksand or
gravel. Good sections of this formation are, however, rarely met with,
both on account of the infrequency of shafts or wells of sufficient depth,
and of the frequent lack of reliable information in regard to those wells
which have been sunk. In general, however, the brown clays are upper-
most, and are underlaid by bluish clays and hard-pan.
Boulders are abundant in all parts of the county, but in this region
are seldom of such size as farther north. Many of the transported
boulders show polished and striated, or streaked surfaces, on two or more
sides, but no such surfaces were observed in any exposures of rock in situ.
The older geological formations which appear in the surface expos-
ures of this county, are the Coal Measures and the St. Louis Limestone.,
Of the former, there is between the uppermost, and lowest exposures a
considerable average thickness, it is difficult to state how much, but
probably several hundred feet, including the horizon of two or three
workable coal seams. Of the St. Louis Limestone only a limited thick-
ness of the upper beds is exposed.
THE COAL MEASURES. This formation underlies nearly the whole
county; the only portion in which it is not the uppermost rock, being a com-
paratively limited area along the Illinois bottoms and bluffs. Considerable
difficulty is experienced in forming a correct idea of the details of this
formation in this county, on account of the wide separation and varying
character of the outcrops. The aggregate thickness, however, may be set
down as not less than three hundred feet, and probably more. Within
this thickness there are at least three, and most probably four, beds of
coal of sufficient thickness to be profitably worked.
The only surface outcrops of No. 1 of the Illinois River section are
along the Illinois River bluffs near the northern line of the county, in
sections 2, 3 and 4, township 16, range 12 west, where it has been worked
to a slight extent by drifts driven horizontally into the hillside, and has,
at least at one point, been worked by stripping along the outcrop.
The sandstone No. 3, of this section, has been worked to some
extent as a building stone, and is exposed in several places along the
river bluffs in this vicinity. The other beds are only to be seen at one
or two points, and the outcrop of the coal vein itself is every where
covered by soil and debris from the beds above.
In the southwest quarter of section 4, township 16, range 11, it is
reported that a coal bed occurs a few feet below the bed of Indian
HISTORY OF MOKGAN COUNTY. 223
Creek, which has been worked by stripping during seasons of very low
water. A little distance below the point where the coal was said to
occur, the geologist observed masses of nodular, argillaceous limestone,
which he judged to have been derived from the under-clay of the coal.
Still further up the creek, in the northeast part of section 15, he observed
an outcrop of reddish, concretionary sandstone, which may perhaps be the
equivalent of the sandstone No. 3, in the same section.
A coal bank, situated in the northwest quarter of section 33, township
16, range 12, was for some time worked. The distance from the surface
of the ground to the bottom of the coal in the shaft was about twenty-six
feet. After passing through fifteen feet of soil and drift clay, about
eight feet of dark colored shale and black slate, containing heavy iron-
stone concretions are met with, and still under this, the coal at this
point only twenty inches in thickness. The fragments of black slate,
which had been thrown out of the shaft, contained few fossils.
A bed of coal, which may possibly be the same as that in the localities
already mentioned, is reported to occur in about the center of the western
part of section 20, township 16, range 12. The coal is said to occur at a
depth of about twelve feet below the bed of Coon Run, where it has been
struck by excavations, although it was found impossible to work it on
account of the water. The bed of the creek a short distance above this
point is composed of rather irregularly bedded, light gray limestone.
Below, along the banks and bed of the stream, in the eastern part of
section 19, there appears a light colored, shaly limestone in the bed of
the stream, and about two hundred yards still farther down the stream,
but higher in actual position, heavy beds of a soft, massive, ferruginous
sandstone appear in the sides of the ravine. The coal No. 2 of the Illinois
River section is worked in this county at one of its typical localities, and
probably at several other points. At Neeleyville, on the Wabash railroad,
near the western border of the county, this seam of coal immediately
underlies the Drift at a depth below the surface, at the principal diggings,
of from ten to fifteen feet. A shaft sunk upon the top of the hill a short
distance south of the railroad, passed through eighty-five feet of the
brown and blue clays of the Drift before reaching the coal. The seam
varies from four to four and half feet in thickness, of which about three
and one-half feet is available the remainder being required to be left
to support the roof. In the eastern part of the village a shaly sandstone,
varying in color from light reddish to gray, is exposed in the bottom and
sides of the ditches along the railroad for a distance of three hundred
yards or more. The whole thickness exposed is not over eight feet, and
the beds appear to be nearly horizontal.
Other localities, of probably the same vein of coal, are in the north-
west corner of section 34, township 16, range 12, and in the southern
part of sections 21 and 22 in the same township. In the former of these
localities, the coal was worked by drifting into the side of a small ravine.
The bed was reported to be about four feet in thickness. This coal bank
is about half or three quarters of a mile from McPhersoirs shaft, already
noticed as a locality of the lowest seam of No. 1 of the Illinois River
section. Its level is probably from forty to fifty feet above the coal seam
opened by the shaft.
In the southern part of section 22 the workings were situated along
224 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
the bank of Coon Run for a distance of about half a mile. The coal was
worked by horizontal drifts in the side of the bluff, all of which have
long been discontinued. The seam is reported to be about three feet in
thickness. In the northwest corner of section 18, township 15, range 11,
at a point where the Wabash railroad crosses the Mauvaisterre, there is
an exposure of thirty feet or more of shaly sandstone and arenaceous
shales. The shaly beds may be traced along the stream for a distance of
nearly a half mile from the bridge, where they finally disappear, and
above this point along the stream, and indeed in the whole northeastern
portion of the county, there are no prominent exposures of any of the
beds of the older formations.
No. 2 of this section is the bed which is here worked as a building
stone. It is extremely soft and easily worked when first taken out, but
is said to harden on exposure to the weather. It is considerably used for
building purposes in the vicinity. Below the quarry, exposures of shaly
sandstone and arenaceous shales occur along the banks of the creek
wherever it touches the bluffs which edge the narrow bottom as far as the
county line, a distance of about one mile, and probably continue to appear
along the lower course of the branch in Scott County. Above the quarry
there are no prominent outcrops, although the same beds undoubtedly
occur in the hill sides.
Passing southward from this point along the western side of the
county, the next exposure of the Coal Measures is on the south side of
Sandy Creek in the western part of section 16, township 14, range 11.
The outcrop is only of limited extent, and consists of light colored,
rather argillaceous shale, overlaid by sandstone,. The vertical thickness
is, perhaps, four feet. The sandstone is only seen in tumbling masses.
Proceeding up the ravine of Sandy Creek, in the bottom of one of the
side ravines opening from the northward in the northwest quarter of
section 11, township 14, range 11, a large tumbling mass of light colored,
brittle limestone is seen, which evidently had not been far removed from
its original bed. Similar masses often occur in one or two side ravines of
this stream and some of its tributaries in this vicinity, but no good out-
crop of beds in place, occur in this part of its course. In the western
half of section 9, township 14, range 10, there are exposures of light
colored fossiliferous limestone which has been quarried in several places
along the bluffs on the south side of the creek. Underneath this
limestone at one or two points, a little west of the center of the section,
appear exposures of a light colored shale, apparently entirely destitute of
fossil remains. The whole exposed thickness of the shale is about ten feet ;
that of the limestone is not so easily ascertained, as the exposures are
not continuous, and the whole thickness is not exposed at any one place.
Judging from the difference of level in the different exposures it would
seem to be not less than that of the shale, and probably much more. A
little farther up the stream, near the center of the section, at the crossing
of the railroads (St. Louis, Jacksonville and Chicago), a shaft has been
sunk about half way up the side of the bluff, penetrating the Drift and
underlying beds about eighty feet.
No prominent exposures of rock occur on any of the tributaries of
Sandy Creek, lying to the southward. The nearest point where they
appear is on the left bank of Coal Creek, in the northwest corner of
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 225
section 16, township 14, range 10, where a foot or two in thickness of a
light colored, calcareous shale, or shaly limestone, has been laid bare by
the wash of the stream in the overhanging bank. The same occurs at
several points below along the stream. Farther down the stream, near the
center of the south part of section 30, is a coal bank. Here the coal
ranges in thickness from three feet eight inches to four feet, and is over-
laid at one or two points with decomposing dark slate. Perhaps this is
generally the case, but the exposures do not show it well. The limestone
No. 1 is well exposed, and the vein of coal has been slightly worked by
stripping in one of the side ravines, a little distance below the main coal
banks.
Following down the stream, below the coal bank, a reddish, shaly
sandstone is exposed in its bed, which, at a point a mile below, forms a
perpendicular bank ten feet high. Similar exposures of the same light
reddish or brown sandstone occur here and there along the creek to the
county line, and below into Greene County. In the village of Murray-
ville and its immediate vicinity, two or three borings have been made, in
two of which coal is reported to have been met at depths of one hundred
and seven and one hundred and twenty feet. This coal is reported as
overlaid by sandstone and black slate ; but in neither case did the boring
penetrate the coal more than twenty-three inches. It may possibly be
the same vein as that worked on Coal Creek.
The principal natural exposures of the Coal Measures in this county,
which remain to be noticed, are those on the main Apple Creek and its
principal tributaries. The greater portion of the eastern and northeast-
ern townships of Morgan County are upland prairie, where all the older
formations are deeply buried under the heavy accumulations of Drift, and
where none of the streams, which here take their rise, have cut down
through these quarternary deposits to any considerable extent.
In the northeast quarter of section 18, township 13, range 8, on the
north fork of Apple Creek, an exposure in the side of the bluff is
observed of about twenty-five feet in vertical height. The upper twenty
feet is an arenaceous shale. The remaining lower portion consists of
one or two thin beds of limestone, with black carbonaceous shale and fire
clay, and in some places one or two inches of coal between the dark
colored shale and fire clay. The limestone affords but few fossils. The
lower beds m&y be traced along the banks of the creek near half a mile,
although the exposure is not continuous, and then the dip of the strata
being apparently a little greater than the fall of the stream, and in the
same direction about southwest it finally disappears beneath its bed.
Heavy exposures of a massive brownish or reddish sandstone is observed
in one of the side ravines a little below the place where these beds dis-
appear, running from the northward, having probably a total thickness of
over thirty feet. A similar sandstone is said to occur some two miles
above this point on the creek. Down the ravine about half a mile dis-
tant, appearances indicate that limestone has been quarried at one time,
though the ledges are not now visible. Below this place, outcroppings
of the older rocks are not frequent along the fork of Apple Creek, until
near its junction with the main creek. Below the forks of the creek, as
far as the county line, a bed of hard, bluish limestone appears at the
water's edge, and at a few points it may be seen that this is overlaid by
226 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
argillaceous shales. On a small branch which comes down from the
northwest and enters the creek bottoms near the county line, a coal seam
has been worked by stripping. A little farther up the shale is exposed
with thin beds of limestone, and over all a massive grayish sandstone and
sandy shale. Passing up the east fork of Apple Creek, above the junc-
tion, a continuation of the hard, bluish limestone before mentioned, is
found, appearing along the banks of the stream for more than a mile,
sometimes in place, and sometimes in large tumbling masses in the bed of
the creek. It also appears in some of the side ravines, and has been some-
what quarried in the southwest quarter of section 31, township 13, range 8,
at a distance of nearly three-quarters of a mile from the creek. This lime-
stone is probably the same as that observed farther down stream, as it is
identical with it in appearance and thickness. Still farther up stream it
appears still higher in the side of the bluffs, and has been considerably
quarried, while at a little above this point it disappears entirely, and
is seen no more along the stream.
Up a small branch which enters Apple Creek from the southwest,
near the center of the south line of section 27, outcrops of shale, lime-
stone, etc., with a small vein of coal are seen. A little below this point
there is a continual ledge of the shale, from five to eight feet in height,
extending along the bank of the river for a distance of twenty or thirty
rods. Still further up the ravine, in the northeast quarter of section 34,
the coal again outcrops, and still above this, near the Macoupin County
line, in the southwest quarter of section 35, there is an exposure of ten
or fifteen feet of shale, overlying the thin limestone No. 1 , of the above
section.
North of these exposures, in the eastern part of the county, there
are but one or two points where the older rocks appear above the sur-
face, or are artificially exposed. One of these occurs in the northeast
quarter of section 25, township 13, range 8, where a reddish sandstone,
in layers varying from two inches to a foot in thickness, has been quar-
ried as a building stone. This stone also occurs in the bed of a small
branch running north into Apple Creek, and four or five feet of gravel
has to be removed before reaching the valuable portions of the rock. To
the northward of this, in the vicinity of Waverly, sandstone is said to
have been met in digging wells, at a depth of sixteen or eighteen feet,
possibly the same beds that are exposed at this point.
Near Prentice, in the northeast corner of the county, a shaft has
been sunk in the beds of the Coal Measures and the overlying Drift, to
the depth of about two hundred and twent} r feet, and has been continued
by boring over one hundred feet more. It passes through three veins of
coal, none of which are three feet in thickness.
The only point remaining to be mentioned in Morgan County, as a
locality, where the beds of the Coal Measures have been penetrated, is at
the city of Jacksonville, where a bed of coal, thirty inches in thickness,
is reported to have been struck by a boring made on the grounds of the
Insane Asylum, at a depth of one hundred and ninety feet. Another
boring, made near the track of the Wabash railroad, just east of the
city limits, is reported to have struck coal at nearly the same depth. The
Drift here is over one hundred and forty feet in thickness.
COAL. As will be seen by the foregoing pages, at least four or five
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 227
different beds of coal appear in the surface outcrops and artificial exca-
vations of this county, several of which have been more or less exten-
sively worked. In fact, the whole surface of the county, excepting the
Illinois bottoms and a small area immediately adjoining, is probably
underlaid by one or more veins of coal. The lowest of these, the No. 1,
or Exeter coal, has been mined to some extent along the river bluffs, near
the northern border of the county, where the seam is about two and a
half feet thick. It is probably the seam that has been worked on Indian
Creek, in section 4, township 16, range 11, but beyond it is not identified
in any exposures within the county. Although the coal of this seam is
of a good quality, it is not generally of sufficient thickness to be profitably
mined, except along the natural outcrops, or where it is only of compara-
tively insignificant depth below the surface.
The next seam above this, the Neeleyville coal, is rather extensively
worked at that place. The seam here is about four feet thick, and only
twelve or fourteen feet below the surface of the principal diggings along
the railroad. However, as it has no good natural roof, but is overlaid
immediately by the clays of the Drift, from six to twelve inches of coal^has
to be left for a roof, and much trouble and expense must be incurred in
cribbing. The coal is of good quality, and is much used on the Wabash
railroad, and is also sent elsewhere to market. The four-foot vein, which
outcrops along Coal Creek, in section 30, township 13, range 10, has been
mined to some extent, but the works have been abandoned. This bed
contains some pyrites, disseminated throughout the mass ; but when
sufficiently free from this material, the coal is reported to be of a very
good quality. The other veins of coal which are worked at all in this
county, probably belong to the middle and upper Coal Measures, and, as
far as they have been opened, are generally of comparatively slight thick-
ness. It would seem probable, however, considering these beds to belong
to the upper and middle parts of the formation, that other and heavier
seams of coal may be met with at greater depths beneath the surface.
All the borings which have been made in the central part of the county
seem to confirm this, as far as they go. The small vein outcropping along
Apple Creek, in the southeastern part of the county, is not easy to place
in the general section. It probably is, also, in the middle portion of the
series, if not higher. The thickness is too slight to admit of its being
Irofitably worked, except by stripping, along its outcrop.
ST. Louis LIMESTONE. The outcrops of this formation are confined
to the base of the bluffs, along the eastern edge of the Illinois bottoms
in this county. In lithological characters it is also rather variable, con-
sisting of reddish and light colored sandstones, and a hard, impure, red-
dish, calcareous rock, which appears in several places. It nowhere pre-
sents such a development as may be met farther south, and disappears
entirely before reaching the northern limits of the county. The most
northern exposures observed by the geologist were in the southwest cor-
ner of section 19, township lb', range 12, where a light gray sandstone
appears on the sides of the bluff road, and a little higher up the side of
the bluff large tumbling masses of a light colored sandstone are seen.
About a quarter of a mile below this point ledges of a reddish, splinter-
ing, calcareous sand rock appear on the side of the bluffs, and have been
'mewhat quarried.
228 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
Passing still farther to the south and west along the bluff road, a light
reddish, shaly sandstone appears at various points in the ditches alongside
the road, and in the bottoms of some o'f the small ravines which come
down through the bluffs. Mention has already been made, in the earlier
part of this chapter, of a reddish sandstone occurring in heavy ledges in
the ravines of Coon Run, which may possibly belong to this formation,
but more probably to the Coal Measures. About a half mile north of
the southern line of the county, in the western part of section 36, there
is a small quarry on the edge of the bottom in a rather coarser grained,
light colored sandstone, which has been excavated to the depth of about
four feet. In none of the exposures of the rocks of this age in Morgan
County were any good fossils obtained ; but ledges of rock containing
some of the characteristic fossils of this group in tolerable abundance
occur a short distance over the boundary in Scott County.
CLAYS. Some of the underclays of the different coal seams in this
county will furnish a good material for fire-brick, tile, or pottery. The
clay beds under the different coal seams, however, generally appear at the
surface only along the sides of high blutts, or in the bottoms of deep
ravines, and have not as yet been turned to economical account. Good
clays for ordinary brick making are found in the beds of the Drift, under
the surface soils in all parts of the county.
BUILDING MATERIALS. The sandstone over coal No. 1 in the north-
western part of the county, has been worked to some extent as a building
stone, and, in some instances, appears to answer the purpose well, and
when a proper selection is made of this material, it appears durable. The
stone abutments of a bridge over Indian Creek at Arenzville, just over the
line in Cass County, which were built for the Rock Island and St. Louis
Railroad, are of this sandstone, quarried within the limits of Morgan
County, and after many years exposure, appeared as whole and sharply
cut as when first laid. In some parts of these beds, however, the rock
seems to crumble on weathering, and should, therefore, be rejected as a
building stone. The sandstone worked on Willow Branch in section 19,
township 15, range 11, is probably near the same geological horizon. It
is very similar in appearance, being a light brown or gray sandstone,
weathering to a rather lighter color than that from the previously men-
tioned localities. It is quite easily worked when first quarried, but
hardens on exposure.
The limestone beds of the Coal Measures, and their use as a building
material, have been briefly noticed in the preceding pages. Their use has
been mainly local and limited, and from the restricted nature of the expo-
sures in the sides of high bluffs or bottoms of ravines, and the general
inconsiderable thickness of the strata, it seems probable that it could not
well be otherwise. The sandstone beds of the Coal Measures, when
sufficiently resistant to atmospheric influences, are likely to afford the
principal home supply of building material in this county. The sand-
stones of the St. Louis group, which outcrop in this county, have also
been used to some extent, but no such quarries as are found in this group
in the adjoining counties, have as yet been opened in Morgan County.
Some of the limestone beds in this county appear suitable for the manu-
facture of quick lime. Most of this article, however, is derived elsewhere,
its manufacture not being carried on to any extent in any place in the
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 229
county. Sand and gravel are sufficiently abundant in all parts for
building purposes.
RAILROADS. The first railroad in the West was built in this county,
the Northern Cross Railroad, from Meredosia to Springfield. Eight miles
east from Meredosia was laid in 1838, the first rail being laid May 9.
There are now, including main and side tracks, 104 miles of railway in
the county, distributed as follows : Chicago and Alton, 31 ; Jacksonville,
Northwestern and Southwestern, 20 ; Peoria, Pekin and Jacksonville, 10 ;
St. Louis, Rock Island and Chicago (C.B.& Q.), 9 ; and the Wabash, 34.
The entire value of these roads in the county, including their buildings,
right of way, and rolling stock, is $535,527.55.
POPULATION. By the school census of 1877, 7,765 males, and 7,634
females under twenty-one years of age, 15,399 in all, were reported.
5,479 males, and 5,247 females 10,726 were between the ages of six
and twenty-one years. If those under twenty-one years of age be taken
as three-eighths of the population, it is 40,058. If those of school age
be taken as one-fourth, the aggregate population is 41,904. Each calcula-
tion approximates the same result, and either is not far from the truth.
If the wealth as heretofore given was proportioned among the inhabitants
of the county, each one's share would be about two hundred arid fifty
dollars.
AGRICULTURE.
" Oft did the harvest to their sickle yield,
Their furrow oft the stubborn glebe has broke ;
How jocund did they drive their teams afield !
How bowed the woods beneath their sturdy stroke."
As the majority of our readers are among the farmers, a short resume
of the history of agriculture will be interesting and appropriate in these
pages. From a paper piepared by Hon. W. C. Flagg, of Moro, Illinois, in
1870, we learn very many interesting details regarding the introduction
of this most important branch of industry, and from it we glean our
items.
The agricultural history of the State covers nearly two centuries of
time, the first of which is hardly less mythical than that of its savage
predecessors. Yet in the last century Illinois promises to lead the van of
agricultural production in the United States. Geographical position has
much to do with this pre-eminence. South of the State it is too hot for
wheat, north of it, it is too cold for corn. Accordingly in the latitude of
Illinois. American agriculture can be diversified more than anywhere else.
" State has an area, according to the census report, of 55,410 square
miles, or according to the State Auditor, of 55,872 square miles, or
35,758,080 acres. It is twelfth in area of the organized States; but
probably has as many arable acres as any of the eleven that precede it
in nominal area, while it excels them all in soil, climate, or position. Its
area is equal to nearly one-half that of the British Isles, or one-quarter
that of France. It is equal to forty-two Rhode Islands, or twenty-six
Delawares. It is said that with the exception of Louisiana and Delaware,
to be the most level State in the Union. Cairo is but 350 feet above the
level of the sea, and Jo Daviess County, in which are the most elevated
portions of the State, is barely 600 feet higher.
'
P T1 1
I
230 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
The soil of this vast plain is said to be mainly founded on Drift from
more northern localities. Among the most characteristic soils are those
of the river bottoms, whose fertility seems inexhaustible. These comprise
large tracts, some of which those on the "American Bottom" have
been in cultivation for a century, without perceptible deterioration. The
midland Counties of Morgan, Sangamon, Menard, Macon, etc., have
proved best suited, of the upland regions, for corn culture. Others,
south of these, lead in winter wheat. Both of these seem to be results of
peculiarity of soil. However various, the soils of Illinois are remarkable
for their fertility. Bayard Taylor, who has seen as large a proportion of
the earth's surface as most men, pronounced it the largest body of equally
fertile land that he had seen. The agriculturalist chemist, Volcker,
stated that he had never analyzed nor heard of soils so rich in. nitrogen.
In 1870, 50.7 per cent, of the people of Illinois were engaged in
agricultural pursuits. It is hardly probable the percentage has decreased.
On the other hand, many large farms in the State, especially in Morgan
County, have been divided and sold in smaller lots, and here the percent-
age is greater. In 1870, there were 202,803 farms. On these there were
376,441 persons engaged in agricultural pursuits. In this county the
farms averaged, in 1870, 170 acres each. Alexander, Edwards, Greene,
Macoupin, and Putnam, were in the same grade. The smallest farms are
in the fruit producing regions, the largest where cattle raising is the
principal occupation.
The State having passed through the pioneer period, when hunting
and Indian fighting were the principal occupations of the population, and
through the -pastoral period, when herds and flocks, running at large on
the wild lands, were the principal source of agricultural wealth, may be
now said to have fairly entered upon field culture, or agriculture proper.
This is still of the extensive rather than the intensive kind, and shows
no such yields per acre as may properly be expected when' a larger
amount of capital to the acre can be profitably invested in production.
CEREALS. Maize is the first crop, both in importance and chronology.
The origin of Indian corn, like that of wheat and barley, is lost in the
twilight of antiquity. Bonafous, who wrote long ago, and is still the
best authority, was of opinion that Indian corn was indigenous both in
China and in southwestern South America. Says Mr. B. F. Johnson, of
Champaign, Illinois : " The prehistoric evidence afforded by comparative
philology, establishes the fact that wheat and barley were cultivated by a
race dwelling somewhere on the plains of Central Asia, at a time so
remote that out of their language as the mother tongue, grew, in the
course of many centuries, the Latin, the Greek, the Sanscrit, and the
whole tribe of Indo-European languages. The same kind of testimony,
gathered from geological investigation in South America, and from ancient
tombs, shows conclusively that Indian corn was there cultivated at a
period long anterior to the dynasty of the Incas, which commenced in the
twelfth century.
" However, Humbolt,the universal savant whose testimony is enormous,
says there is no doubt in the minds of botanists, that Indian corn is a
truly American plant, and that the new world gave it to the old. Those
who are of his opinion, say it was on his return from his first voyage, in
the year 1493, that Columbus brought to Europe the first grains of Indian
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 231
corn, and thence its cultivation spread into Portugal," and the south of
Europe. The Portuguese, who were at that time the great navigators of
the world, having doubled Cape Horn previously, and discovered Java, in
1495, introduced it along the African coast, and into Java ; and thence
its cultivation spread into India and China, arid Indian corn was. correctly
figured in a Chinese work on agriculture, as early as 1552.
" Though the weight of Humbolt's testimony is great on any such
question as this, is it not quite as reasonable to suppose that Indian corn
may have been indigenous to China, and have been cultivated there, as
to suppose that in the comparatively brief space of little more than half a
century it should have been transferred from America to Europe ; thence
to Java, thence to China ; and have been so generally adopted and culti-
vated by that cautious and slow-moving people, as to have been figured
in a book so short a time after its introduction to the country.
" The arguments derived from vegetable physiology strongly favor
its eastern origin ; because, while Farther India and China contain many
native plants of related genera, like sorghum and millet, very little, if
any thing of the kind, is to be found among the botanical productions of
South America. By the barest possibility, Indian corn may have been
introduced into some portions of North America by the Chinese, some
centuries ago. And the present remote probability may become a rea-
sonable one, if modern antiquarians succeed in establishing the fact of the
discovery of America by the Chinese at least a thousand years before its
discovery by Columbus a triumph of skillful and successful research
which may not be far off.
" But whatever the origin of Indian corn may have been, whether
on the slopes of the Andes, or in the fertile valleys of China, modern
botanists and naturalists are pretty well agreed that the original Indian
corn belonged to the species known as Zea Tunica, or clothed Indian
corn ; each kernel of the ear being enveloped in a separate tunic, or husk,
the grains of which may be of various shapes and colored white, yellow,
or red. Descending and departing from this species, the varieties of
Indian corn have become innumerable, each country and climate, every
soil, situation, and parallel having one or more especially suited to the
I circumstances ; so that an extensive collection of the varieties of Indian
corn would contain specimens from eighteen inches high to as many feet,
with ears ranging in size from that of a lady's finger to that of the fore-
arm of a strong man. No cereal accepts the modifications of soil and
climate so easily and quickly as Indian corn. In a broad and general sense,
every soil, situation, and climate, produces a certain normal development
of stalk and ear ; and though cultivation and enriching the soil may
increase the results, it does so simply by practically changing soil and
climate both.
" The prairie soils of Illinois, underdrained and enriched by a liberab
use of fertilizers, and seeded with the best common Indian corn of the
country, produce a stock eight or nine feet high, which carries an ear
breast high to a man, that will measure nine to ten inches in length, two
to two and a half inches in diameter ; when bone dry, weighs fifteen to
eighteen ounces, has twenty-two to twenty-four rows, and counts one
thousand kernels." The same seed planted on other soils, produces other
232 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
results, which is clearly seen in the corn brought from different localities
in the United States.
Corn has been grown in the Mississippi valley since its earliest occu-
pation by the French. Marquette, in 1673 ; Allouez, in 1676, and Mem-
bre, in 1679, all mention its cultivation by the Illinois Indians long before
the coming of the white man. These missionaries fail to describe the
varieties cultivated, so that we can identify them with the Pueblo
Indians, or other aborigines. Charlevoix, in 1721, Du Pratz, in 1758,
and Pitman, in 1770, seem to indicate that the early French settlers had
not yet adopted its culture to an extent that made it an important
product. The small grains are more mentioned than Indian corn. As
early as 1800, however, according to Reynolds, it had begun to take a
prominent place in the list of cereals. He states that in the war of 1812
the French obtained the knowledge from the Americans of the use of
the small plows, to plow among the green corn. For more than one hun-
dred years the French plowed in their corn about the first of June, and
turned under the weeds, and not many grew until the corn was up out of
the reach of them. They planted their seed corn in the furrows as they
broke the ground, and turned the furrow on the corn planted ; plowed a
few furrows more, and planted another row of corn, and so on until the
field was all planted. The weeds were kept down with the hoe or briar
scythe. The Americans grew the same varieties as now, but the French
raised almost entirely the hard, flinty corn from which hominy was
manufactured. Considerable quantities of corn were shipped to New
Orleans in flat-boats, but both navigation and the market were uncertain.
So long as swine found abundant mast in the woodlands, and cattle suffi-
cient grazing, even in the winter, in Southern Illinois, the demand for
home consumption was not large. The first settlers of the prairies now
included in Morgan County, grew this cereal in considerable quantities,
and hauled it to St. Louis in wagons, or shipped it thither by the Illinois
and Mississippi Rivers. It furnished their chief article for bread, and
when ground in the old mill, or grated in the grater, and baked, as only
women of those days could bake it, made an excellent and wholesome
food. Corn is now one of the chief grains raised by the farmers, and on
the prairies of Morgan County is as staple a product as cotton in the
South. Illinois is far in advance of any State in the number of bushels
raised, and ranks among the first as to quality.
Wheat, although not an aboriginal grain, was introduced at an early
day. Charlevoix, who went down the Mississippi in 1721, writing from
Kaskaskia, speaks of the Illinois soil as " extremely proper for wheat,"
and that " if the trials made in some places have not succeeded because
the corn has been blasted and mildewed, it is owing to this circumstance
that the country not being cleared, the wind has not free access to dis-
perse those noxious vapors which generate mildews. An evident proof
of which may be drawn from this : that among the Illinois, where there
is more meadow (prairie) than woodland, wheat thrives and ripens as
well as in France." Du Pratz, who wrote a description of the country,
then'called Louisiana, in 1758, says: " The French Post of the Illinois is,
of all the colony, that in which, with the greatest ease, they grow wheat,
rye and other like grains, for the sowing of which you need only to turn
the earth in the slightest manner ; that slight culture is sufficient to
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
make the earth produce as much as we can reasonably desire. I have
been assured that in the last year, when flour from France was scarce,
the Illinois sent down the river upwards of eight hundred thousand
weight thereof in one winter." This would be about 4,000 barrels.
Monette states, on the authority of Martin, that six hundred barrels of
flour were sent to New Orleans from Illinois in 1746. Pittman, in 1770,
mentions that " in the late war flour and other articles were sent down
the Mississippi," and notes mills " for corn and planks " at Kahoquias
and Saint Phillippe. Governor Reynolds, in his Life and Times, states
that the French, in 1800, "sowed spring wheat, as their common fields
were occupied all winter by the cattle. The Americans mostly raised
fall wheat, and at times some spring wheat also. It was tolerably well
plowed in with the ox team." Even as late as his day the sickle or the
reap-hook was the only implement used to cut the grain. It was stacked
by the Americans, and put in barns by the French. It was threshed by
horses and winnowed with a sheet, which latter process the Governor
pronounces the hardest work he ever performed. Woods, in 1820,
writing from what is now Edwards County, says " that one bushel of
wheat to the acre is sown. Most of the wheat sown by the Americans,"
he says, "was after Indian corn. It was sown before the corn was
gathered, and plowed in between the rows of corn. It was sown in
September, or early in October. They sowed some after oats or flax, and
for some they made fallows. What they sowed after the last three was
generally better than that after Indian corn, when sown in good time.
Most of the backward wheat was touched with the blight, more or less
chiefly according to its thickness on the ground." He states that beard-
ed wheat was then generally grown and preferred.
Rev. J. M. Peck, in 1831, says, " that wheat produces a good and sure
crop, especially in Morgan, Sangamon and other counties north. Few of
our farmers," he adds, " have barns or threshing floors ; the grain is put
up in stacks, exposed to the weather, and trod out with horses on the
ground, with considerable loss and injury. And yet, with all these dis-
advantages which time and industry will overcome the flour of Illi-
nois and Missouri is superior to that of other Western States, when
properly manufactured." As late as 1840, winter wheat was generally
grown, and spring wheat was not much sown. As cultivation increased
the lands became less easily worked ; the young growth was less luxu-
riant, and diseases, insects, and winter-killing became more common.
About 1850, the introduction of the drill gave a powerful impetus to this
declining industry. The deep sowing effected by the drill, and the pro-
tection afforded to the tender plant by the ridges left in the soil, secured
comparative certainty for the crop. In Northern Illinois the transition
was to the culture of spring wheat, and between 1840 and 1860 it was
made a crop of great prominence. Since the latter date, however, it has
declined generally, and is regarded as an uncertain and unprofitable crop,
while the drill has not overcome the disadvantages of a colder climate
and more open soil for winter wheat. If in the future the wheat-grow-
ing districts shall be transferred to the West, it will not be a drawback
to the prosperity of the State. Southern Illinois, however, in common
with much territory lying in the same latitude, will produce a quality of
wheat that will be profitably grown, and here we may anticipate its al-
234 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
ways being cultivated to a considerable extent, as in Southern Indiana,
Ohio, and in Virginia.
The culture of oats is not mentioned earlier than 1820. Seed was
scarce, the crop was generally poor, and the grain much hurt by the dry
weather. The oat crop is mainly confined to the northern part of the
State, especially in Will, Cook and LaSalle Counties, and in 1870 exceed-
ed any other State by six millions of bushels.
The cereals of minor importance in Illinois agriculture, are rye, bar-
ley, and buckwheat. The first culture of these is more difficult to trace
than that of more important grains. Du Pratz mentions rye as cultiva-
ted by the French as early as 1758. Reynolds states, however, that in
1800 neither barley nor rye were cultivated in the country. Woods, in
1820, says : " I believe no barley has yet been cultivated near us, nor
have I seen any growing anywhere in America ; but I saw some winter
barley in a barn at Harmony, in Indiana." He had seen no rye, nor any
buckwheat at the " Prairies," with the exception of about twenty rods of 4
his own. In 1831, Rev. J. M. Peck says, that " barley is raised in St. Clair
County for the St. Louis breweries." By 1840, the quantity, though
very small, began to appear in the census reports. Rye, in Illinois agri-
culture, has, to a limited extent, replaced winter wheat in some of the
northern and central counties, on account of its hardiness. It has an in-
creased use as winter pasture, in some of the southern counties, but is
chiefly grown in the northern counties. Barley is grown mostly in the
north. Buckwheat makes no progress, and seems rather diminishing than
increasing in importance.
The cereal production of Illinois is enormous. According to the
figures of 1872, over one hundred and thirty-eight bushels of grain were
produced for each man, woman and child of the population of that year.
For 1877, the yield was larger, and though the population was greater,
the amount for each person was not in the least diminished.
GRASSES. The large area covered with luxuriant herbage, in the
pioneer days of Illinois, made it unnecessary for hay making for a long
period. Along the Ohio, Mississippi, and Illinois Rivers extensive cane
brakes grew, in which the cattle found abundant food and shelter during
the winter months. As early as 1800, however, the settlers began to cut
and stack prairie hay. . Woods and Peck are the first to describe the
grasses found in the country as early as their day 1820 and 1831.
Woods says, " Prairie grass is a very strong grass ; cattle are very
fond of it, but mowing or feeding soon destroys it." He describes other
kinds, called by the early settlers, "Nimble-Will," "Crab-grass," and
" Yard-grass." " Red or white clover," he says, " I have not seen, but
I have heard there are small patches of the latter in the prairies. Both
sorts are said to be extremely pernicious to horses, cattle, and pigs. I
have not seen trefoil, rye-grass, sanfoin, and cock's-foot, or English grass,
with the exception of a little lucern, just come up, which I think is
likely to succeed. The grass most commonly cultivated here is timothy-
grass. It belongs to the English meadow-grass, but grows here a larger
size. It does not appear to be a good pasture grass. Blue-grass is highly
prized, but as a pasture grass is, I believe, unknown in England." Mr.
Peck, in 1831, says, " timothy-grass is already cultivated with much suc-
cess." He also says, "a species of blue-grass is cultivated by some
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 235
farmers for pastures." According to Robert Aldrich, of Madison County,
bunches of white clover began to appear as early as 1818, along the road
between Goshen settlement and St. Louis, and the blue-grass came al-
most immediately in its train. The list of early known pasture and
meadow forage plants has not been much increased by subsequent experi-
ence in Illinois. Timothy, red-top, blue-grass, and orchard-grass, and the
clovers will about exhaust the list of those in common use to-day. The
area of land in tame grasses and the production has, however, been im-
mensely extended.
ROOT CROPS. In 1679, Father Allouez says of the Kaskaskia In-
dians : " They eat fourteen kinds of fruits, which they find on the
prairies. They made me eat them ; I found them very good and sweet."
Reynolds says that, " in early times the French cultivated only a scanty
supply of potatoes. Carrots were grown in their gardens," he adds, " and
turnips sometimes sown in the corn, but sweet potatoes were not seen in
the country." In pioneer times, Irish potatoes were raised in abundance,
and hardly ever failed of a sure crop. In 18 0, Woods speaks of Swedish
and common turnips, potatoes, onions, and shallots, as grown in the Wa-
bash country. He had not seen a sweet potato. Peck, however, men-
tions this last as yielding abundantly, especially on the river bottoms and
rich sandy prairies. He barely mentions potatoes and turnips. The
potato crop appears in the census reports of 1840, and from that time
on. It has greatly increased, and is now one of the staple productions of
the State.
The legumes are thus far of not much more importance than the
root crops, though aboriginal in their use. Marquette found the Indians
cultivating, at the mouth of the Des Moines, the bean, in 1673, and as it
was also found among the aborigines in Massachusetts and Florida, his
story is not improbable. Peas and beans were grown by the French set-
tlers in their gardens. In Woods' time 1820 small beans, of the
kidney kind, were cultivated by the Americans. " They are generally
planted to climb on the corn," he says, " and are of many sorts and dif-
ferent colors. There are some dwarf ones, called bunch beans, and they
all appear to do better than in England. Here are a few Indian peas, in
growth, leaf, and blossom much like the kidney bean. The pods are very
long, and contain from nine to sixteen peas in each ; but they resemble
but little either peas or beans." In our later culture the white bush
bean is mostly grown. The southern countries seem to be best adapted
to its culture, and here it is chiefly raised. Textile plants were intro-
duced at a very early day, and were cultivated in a much greater propor-
tion to population than at present. Pittman mentions hemp, cotton, and
flax as cultivated at " Kaoquias," Cahokia as early as 1770, and Rey-
nolds asserts that cotton was introduced as early as 1750. Flax and
cotton, he says, were cultivated in early times considerably. Flax was
pulled at the time wheat was harvested, and the work was made a frolic
of, as was much of the work of pioneer days. Woods says, " Flax was
cultivated by most of the Americans near us for home use. It is sown
in April, and after the flax is pulled the land is often plowed and sowed
with turnips, about the end of July. Cotton is planted in rows nearly
tur feet apart, about the end of April or the beginning of May. Hemp
236 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
is cultivated in this country, but I have not seen any in this neighbor-
hood, with the exception of a few rods of my own."
Peck says, of these crops : " Hemp is an indigenous plant in the
southern part of the State, as it is in Missouri. It has not been exten-
sively cultivated, but, wherever tried, is found very productive and of
excellent quality. Cotton, for many years, has been successfully culti-
vated in this State, for domestic use, and some for exportation. Flax is
produced, and of a tolerable qualtity, though not equal to that of the
Northern States. It is said to be productive and good in the northern
counties."
Among the earliest residents of this county, cotton and hemp
were extensively grown, and furnished clothing for all. The weaving
and spinning were done by the women, who also made all the
clothing worn. Linsey-woolsey, as it was called, was a common article
of clothing, and, being strong, afforded good clothing. The spinning-
wheel was then as much or more of an adjunct of the cabin than the sew-
ing machine of to-day is of the mansion, and every maiden then was
proud of the roll for spinning or woven articles she had ready for her
future home. It was more to her than the piano accomplishment of to-
day, and one without these articles would be classed improvident.
These were new homes then, and, in the simple home life of these people,
there was very much that their successors might well imitate. Yet hu-
man nature is ever the same, in all ages, among all people, and in all
lands, and the young people of to-day, did occasion ^require, would ex-
hibit the same qualities as those of their predecessors.
The cucurbitaceous plants, according to early travelers, were culti-
vated by the Indians, when first encountered by white men. Marquette
speaks of " melons, which are excellent, especially those with a red seed."
"Their squashes," he says, " are not of the best; they dry them in
the sun, to eat in the spring and winter." Reynolds says, the French
planted sometimes, strange looking pumpkins among their corn. Woods
says, " pompoins, or pumkins, are another highly prized production of
this country. They often grow to an immense size, and weigh from
forty to sixty pounds. I have heard of a single vine that in 1818, grew
a load of pumkins. It grew on the Big Prairie, about thirty miles
south of us, on some rotten chaff, where wheat had been trodden out the
year before. They make good sauce, and excellent pies, and are much
eaten here. They are sliced and dried for winter use. Squashes are a
sort of a gourd, frequently boiled for sauce. There are a variety of
gourds, but of little use, except one sort, which has a hard rind, or shell,
which serves for many uses, as bottles, pans, ladles, and funnels. Cucum-
bers grow well and are more wholesome than in England and more pro-
ductive.
" Pomegranates grow on a vine much like a cucumber, the size of an
orange, or rather larger ; a beautiful fruit, of a yellow or orange color, of
a most fragrant smell. They are said to be most delicious when pre-
served. There are many sorts of sweet melons, and much difference in
size in the various kinds. Watermelons are also in great plenty, of vast
size. They are more like pumkins than melons, in outward appear-
ance. They are round, or oblong, generally green, or a green and
whitish color on the outside, and white or pale on the inside, with many
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 237
black seeds in them, very juicy, in flavor like rich water, not sweet and
mawkish, but cool and pleasant."
What reader does not readily recognize the rich watermelon, of to-
day, in the foregoing description, and whose mouth does not thirst for
one while reading it?
Other agricultural products have had an early culture. Du Pratz,
in 1758, said tobacco throve in the Illinois country, but came to maturity
with difficulty. Pittman mentions hops and tobacco as coming to great
perfection. Reynolds speaks of lettuce, in the French gardens. Woods
mentions broom-corn, as "planted in rows, on the side of cornfields,"
hops, as growing in the woods, and parsley and radishes as thriving.
Some of these products have since become sufficiently important, to take
their place in the census reports, and sorghum, and the tomato have made
their history in a comparatively late period. Hops, in 1870, were pro-
duced in sixty-six counties ; tobacco in seventy-four ; maple sugar in
sixty, and sorghum in every county, save one.
FRUITS. " They gather on trees or plants," says Father Allouez,
speaking of the Indians, in 1676, " fruits of forty-two different kinds,
which are excellent." Father Membre, four years later, mentions grapes,
from which they made wine for the " Celebration of the Divine Myste-
ries,' whose clusters were of a prodigious size, and of very agreeable taste.
Pittman, in 1770, says : " European fruits come to great perfection. The
inhabitants make wine, which is very inebriating, and is in * color and
taste very like the red wine of Provence." Reynolds says : " This
wine was made by the first settlers, but disappeared with the Europeans.
The Creoles made little or none." At this early day, both the French .
and Americans possessed large apple orchards. Morris Birbeck, in his
letters from Illinois, in 1818, says : " The cultivation of the apple
exceeds anything I have ever seen. Pears also succeed well. The
peach bears fruit the third year from the stone, but the trees are short
lived, and liable to blight. We have gooseberries and currants in per-
fection." Woods, his fellow settler, notices the native fruits as follows:
" Persimmon is a fruit many people are fond of. It is something like a
medlar. Pawpaws grow in clusters of three or four, on a shrub twenty
feet high. Strawberries, nearly the same as scarlets, excellent, and in
some places of great abundance. Raspberries are small and dry. Cherries
grow in bunches, the same as currants, very small and bitter. May
apples, a yearly plant, of only two leaves, the stalk one foot high, the
fruit the size of a small apple, of a straw color, with small seeds, a very
pleasant taste, grow wild. Plums are mostly small, and sour, but there
are some whose flavor resembles that of a gooseberry. Blackberries, as
I have before remarked, are excellent. The elderberries are fine, but
generally eaten by the birds, as soon as colored. Pecan is a sort of a
walnut, said to be the finest nut in the country. White walnut, or but-
ternut, and black walnut, are not so good as the English walnut. Hazel-
nuts are in vast quantities, the shells hard, but the kernel good. I have
some earthnuts peanuts growing in my garden, the green of them,
something like clover, or rather lucern. They blow with a small yellow
blossom. I planted them in rows and earthed them up like potatoes.
They have two kernels, enclosed in a husk about one inch long and as
large round." Peck, writing in 1831, after describing the wild fruits,
B
288 HISTORY OP MORGAN COUNTY.
proceeds as follows : " Of the domestic fruits, the apple and the peach
are chiefly cultivated. Pears are tolerably plenty in the French settle-
ments, and quinces are grown with some success, by some of the Amer-
icans. Apples are easily cultivated and very productive. Many varieties
are of fine flavor, and grow to a large size."
The early history of orchards and nurseries collected by the State
Horticultural Society shows, of course, that the first orchards and nurse-
ries were planted in the southern part of the State, where the earliest
permanent settlements were begun. M. Giraridin is credited with or-
chard planting in 1770,of which some pear trees are yet living, near Caho-
kia. Samuel Judy planted an orchard of apple trees in Madison County,
about 1802 or 1803. In 1816 and in 1818, nurseries and orchards were
planted by some persons, notably by John Smith, of Greenville, Bond
County ; Joseph Curtis, of Edgar County, and William B. Archer, of
Clark County. Among the varieties of apples introduced by these men,
were many of the sorts still most approved by the orchardists of the
present day.
Between 1830 and 1840, Northern and Central Illinois received
their first floods of emigrants, and with them came a greater energy
and intelligence, that insured a speedy planting of fruit trees. Though
the soil and climate were less congenial than in the southern part of the
State, yet men like Arthur Bryant, Lewis Ellsworth, John A. Kennicott
Samuel Edwards, George Haskell, Edson Harkness, the Overmans, and
others, pushed on through great difficulties to ultimate success. Still
later the great nurseries of Phoenix, Douglass and others began to fill
the land with vegetable life. The Illinois Central Railroad carried fruit
by the wholesale along its main lines, and peaches and strawberries be-
gan to go northward by the train load. Single stations shipped thou-
sands of bushels of strawberries in one season. At the present date, fully
one per cent, of the State is now devoted to orchards.
DOMESTIC ANIMALS. Illinois has always occupied a prominent place
in the matter of animal industry. The early explorers marveled at the
immense herds of bison found roaming over the vast prairies. George
Rogers Clark, whose noted conquest of the country is narrated in the
history of the Northwest in this volume, prophesied it would " one day
excel in cattle." Horses stand first in the aggregate value of live stock
in the State. Cattle and hogs almost equal them, and will probably excel
in a few years. Horses are noticed by Reynolds in 1800. He says large
herds were kept by the inhabitants, and informs us they were of the "Arabi-
an strain. The Spaniards," he adds, " introduced them into their Amer-
ican possessions, and from this race originated the French horses. This
blood of horses was brought into Spain from Arabia, by the Moors.
Colonel William Whiteside," he continues, "in the year 1797, intro-
duced into the country a fine blooded horse of the Janus stock." This
was probably one of the first stocks of horses ever introduced into the
State. In 1820, Woods says : "Most of the horses were of Spanish ori-
gin. They are light and clean, but not very handsome." Ford says :
"A French pony is a marvel for strength and endurance. They are
made to draw, sometimes alone, sometimes two together, one before the
other, to the plow, or to the carts made entirely of wood, the bodies of
which held about twice as much as the common wheelbarrow. Nothing
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 239
like reins were used in driving ; the whip of the driver, with a handle
about two feet, and a lash about two yards long, stopped or guided the
horse as effectually as the strongest reins." Peck, as late as 1831, saysr
" Wild horses are found ranging the prairies and forests in some parts of
the State. They are small of size, of the Canadian or Indian breed, and
very hardy." They were worth from fifteen to thirty dollars, and were
found chiefly in the south part of the State, having descended from the
horses introduced by the Spaniards. A good farm horse was worth from
fifty to sixty dollars, and a good saddle or carriage horse from seventy to
eighty dollars. Mules were brought here from Mexico, but no mention
is made of their domestication. The southern horses were much improved
by the introduction of better stock from Kentucky or Tennessee, where
good horses were found at an early day, About 1850, the Morgan horse
was introduced, and for a time was all the rage. Afterward the Norman
horses were brought here, and for several years have absorbed more at-
tention than any other animal. The Clysdale horse was introduced in
1857, by the Stock Importing Association, and has since been propagated
in several parts of the State. Owing to the disappearance of the working
ox, and the unsuitableness of the climate for the mule, horses have be-
come almost the sole beast of burden and draught throughout the north-
ern part of the State. In the southern and more wooded portion their
places are partly occupied by other animals.
Neat cattle, even more than horses, have been a favorite product in this
State. The " Wild cattle," as the Jesuits called the bison, suggested
herds of tamer animals. " Cattle and sheep," says Charlevoix, in I721 r
" would multiply wonderfully here. Even the wild buffaloes might be
tamed, and great advantages drawn from a trade in their wool and hides,
and from their supplying the inhabitants with food." At that early date
the French had cattle and poultry at Kaskaskia. Pittman, in 1770, says,.
"At St. Phillippe, the captain of the militia has about twenty slaves and
a good stock of cattle and planks. At Cahokia they have a great deal
of poultry and good stocks of horned cattle." In 1800, Reynolds states
that cattle were abundant, and that plowing was generally done by oxen
"tied to the plow by a straight yoke, which was tied to the horns of the
oxen by straps of untanned leather." He states that the horned cattle
came from Canada, " were a hardy race, not large, but of neat formation,
with generally black horns. They stood the winter better without grain/
than the American cattle, gave less milk in summer, and kicked all the
time. The French scarcely troubled themselves with milking the cows,
but turned the calves out with the other cattle, and made little or no
butter." Of the cattle of the American settlers, he adds: "The cattle
grewjarge, and the oxen were mostly excellent." In 1820, Woods says :
" Oxen and cows are now more plentiful, but have hitherto been fetched
from Indiana and Kentucky." Peck, in 1831, says: "Our neat cattle
are mostly inferior in size to those of the older States. This is owing
entirely to bad management. Our beef is the finest in the world," he
proceeds. " It bears the best inspection of any in the New Orleans mar-
ket. By the first of June, and often by the middle of May, our young
cattle are fit for market."
By 1830 a great improvement in the raising of cattle was exhibited.
1834 James N. Brown arrived in Sangamon County with the progeni-
240 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
tors of his afterward famed herd of " Island Grove." The Prairie
Farmer, in 1843, notices the Devons of James McConuell, near Spring-
field. A letter of Governor Lincoln, of Massachusetts, to Governor Rey-
nolds, of Illinois, published in the Union Agriculturalist, for 1841, shows
that the former sent some crosses of Ayreshire and Short Horn cattle to a son
in Alton that year, which was perhaps the first introduction of Ayreshire
blood, even in a diluted state. By the time of the holding of the first State
Fair, in Springfield, in 1851, the Short Horn appeared in very respectable
numbers, and the Devons, though not much shown, were said by the
Prairie Farmer to be already found in the north part of the State. In
1857, the formation of the Illinois Stock Importing Association, greatly
increased the number of fine cattle in the State. Two years later,
Colonel S. A. Buckmaster, of Alton, purchased several head of Jersey
cattle from a Maryland drover, and since that date this breed is raised in
Illinois. The number of thoroughbred cattle is now very large, compos-
ing principally, Short Horns, Jerseys, Devons, Herefords, and Ayreshires.
The first mentioned variety is largely in the majority. A considerable
portion of the common cattle, in many parts of the State, have an infusion
of the blood of the various thoroughbreds.
In the earliest days of Illinois, dairy products received little or no
attention. In 1816, butter is quoted by the chroniclers of the time as
worth twelve and a half cents per pound. During the winter, it doubled
that price, however. Cheese was worth sixteen cents per pound. Peck,
in 1831, writes: "Cows in general do not produce the same amount
of milk, nor of so rich a quality, as in the New England States. Some-
thing is to be attributed to the warmth of our climate, and to the nature
of our pastures, but more to causes already assigned. If ever a land was
justly characterized as ' flowing with milk and honey,' it is Illinois and
the adjacent States." Cheese is made by many families bordering on
the Illinois River. Good butter sold for from eight to ten cents in the
St. Louis markets, and cheese at the last-mentioned price. This must
indicate that at that date large amounts of both products were made, else
the price would have been greater.
Sheep were not much raised in the primitive days, when wolves and
panthers roamed wild over the hills and prairies. The earliest French
residents raised no sheep or goats. In 1797, a body of emigrants, from
Hardin County, Virginia, settled near the New Design Settlement, in
what is now Monroe County, and "cultivated fall wheat for market,
and raised sheep and made linseys for clothing." In 1817, George
Flower brought to Edwards County " six of the finest wool-growing ani-
mals ever imported into this country. This," he says, in 1842, " is the
origin of my flock." According to Mr. Faux, an English farmer, who
visited the settlements in 1819, Mr. Flower had a large herd of sheep,
which roamed over the prairies in the day time, under care of a shepherd,
and were housed at night. Fifty had just been destroyed by wolves,
despite the precautions taken. The writers of early times mention the
inferiority of the sheep, as compared to those they had seen in England,
and say the Americans cared but little for their culture. Woods says :
" The Americans keep sheep for the sake of their wool, which is manu-
factured into various articles of clothing, and at most of their cabins you
may see carding, spinning, and weaving going forward ; for, to give the
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 241
American women their due, many of them are truly industrious, as they
manufacture most parts of their dress, and, as they grow the cotton, flax,,
and wool, it comes reasonable. These Americans hold mutton in the
utmost contempt, and I have heard them say, people who eat it belong to
the family of wolves. Wool sells on a small scale, for half a dollar a pound,
without much regard to its fineness." Peck says : " Sheep do well in the
country where the grass has become short, and where they are protected
from the wolves. Common wool is worth thirty-seven and a half cents,
in the fleece. Little is said or done to improve the breed of sheep by
introducing the Merino or Saxony breed." The raising of sheep, since
1841, has been pursued with very fluctuating results. The number
doubled, however, between 1860 and 1870, although the increase in the
United States was less than thirty per cent. Improved breeds began to
come in pretty freely as early as 1840, the Merino attracting the most
attention. The higher prices paid for long coarse wools during and since
the war, and the consumption of mutton, increased the demand for the
Cotswold and Leicester, and these latter breeds are now more approved
by many of the smaller sheep-growers.
Swine were first introduced by the French. " However," says
Governor Reynolds, "they lived on a vegetable diet more than the Amer-
icans, and used less pork. Bacon was uncommon among them." In
1818, he speaks of hogs and cattle growing in the river bottoms, without
much expense. Woods, in 1820, describes the swine of the West more
fully, he says : " Pigs are numerous, being easily raised ; they are of
various sorts, but many of them are of a sandy color, and some with wat-
tles, that is, a piece of flesh about two inches long, and half an inch
thick, growing out on their cheeks. They are of middling size, but from
very hard keep, do not rise to much in weight. It is not uncommon for one
person to have from sixty to one hundred in the woods, and left to shift
for themselves, except giving them, now and then, a little salt. During
the summer when grass and herbs are dry, and before the frosts begin to
fall, it is almost impossible to describe how exceedingly poor they are.
Most of them run till they are two and sometimes three years old, before
they are killed, and in general, have but little fattening. Some years
when there is a large quantity of acorns, hickory-nuts, etc., they are said
to make good pork. A hog of two hundred pounds weight, is counted a
' chunk of a fellow,' and few exceeded that weight." "This species of
stock," says Peck, in 1831, "may be called a staple in the provision of
Illinois. Thousands of hogs exist without any expense, save in hunting
and keeping them tame." " Few families," he continues, " in the West and
South, put up their pork in salt pickle. Their method is to prepare it
sufficiently for smoking, and then make bacon of hams, shoulders, and
middlings, or broadsides. The price of bacon, the last season and the
present, is six and seven cents. Good hams command eight cents in the
St. Louis market. Stock hogs, weighing from sixty to seventy pounds
each, alive, usually sell from one dollar to one dollar and fifty cents per
head."
To the period last mentioned, no improved breeds appear to have
been found in the country. About 1841, the Berkshires, Irish Grazier,
and other breeds, were found in the central and northern parts of the
State. The Stock Importing Association brought new specimens of Berk-
242 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
shire and Irish Cumberland, and Yorkshire swine, in 1857. The Magie,
or Poland China, soon took a prominent position, and was widely dissem-
inated. In numbers of swine, Illinois stood in advance of every other
State, in 1870, Missouri coming next. The report of the Board of
Trade, of Chicago, in 1874-75, for pork-packing in the Mississippi Valley,
shows 2,113,845 in Illinois, to 870,971 in Ohio, and less in other States.
Cincinnati is no longer porkopolis.
The minor domestic animals were not neglected by the French set-
tlers. Charlevoix found, in 1821, poultry grown by the French and
Indians, at Kaskaskia. "They have a great deal of poultry," says Pitt-
man, of the Cahokias, a half century later. " The common fowls," says
R,e} T nolds, " were abundantly raised, among the early French, and eggs
gave the people much healthy and agreeable support." " The poultry,"
says Woods, " of the Wabash country, are fowls, geese, and ducks. Fowls
are in great abundance, and sell for twelve and a half cents a piece. A
dozen of eggs is generally the price of one chicken. Geese and ducks
are kept by the Americans for the sake of their feathers, and not for sale,
or to eat." "Poultry is raised in great profusion," says Peck, "and
large numbers of fowls taken to the St. Louis markets. It is no uncom-
mon thing for the farmer's wife to raise from three to four hundred
fowls, besides geese, ducks, and turkeys, in one season." "Bees," he
adds elsewhere, "are profitable stock for the farmer, and are kept 1o a
considerable extent. The cost is usually from one to two dollars a hive,
in the spring. Silk-worms are raised by a few persons." Wild prairie
chickens, ducks, geese, and turkeys, flourished in great abundance in the
pioneer days of the country. Between the years 1850 and 1860, they
were found in great numbers, and were considered good eating. They
were usually caught by trapping or shooting. Bee trees were a very-
common sight in the early settlements. The Indians possessed a remark-
able faculty for finding them, and hunting them formed one of their chief
sports. This was the case also with the pioneer. What better sport did
he desire than to go "bee-hunting" at night? Great progress has been
made in the culture of the minor domestic animals, and only improved
species are now found.
AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS. In this narrative it will be highly
appropriate to notice the tools that have been used in the PAST and
PRESENT of agriculture. The French used the same implements they had
been accustomed to, in their native country, and only learned improve-
ment with the advent of the Americans. They had the old wooden
plow, wooden wheeled cart, and straight yoke for their oxen ; the old
sickle, and bound the sheaves of wheat with grass cut for the purpose.
Their women performed much of this out-door labor, as well as all other
kinds, on the farm.
As to the early American settlers, Governor Reynolds gives the fol-
lowing statements : " The old bar-share plow was used by the Americans,
and sometimes the shovel plow in the growing corn. The common hoe
was the same then as now. It was often very difficult to procure the ring
and staples for ox yokes. The wood of the yoke was manufactured at
home in great abundance. The harness for the horses was more difficult
to procure. As smith's shops were almost unknown in the country,
horses were seldom shod, and it appeared the animal in those days could
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 243
lo better without shoes than at this time. Frequently poor farmers were
compelled to use rawhide straps for traces, and some made hickory poles
md hickory withes serve for traces in the plow. Truck wagons, the
wheels being made of large sycamore logs sawn off, were frequently used,
md were about equal to, but not so sightly as, the French carts, without
grease. The truck wagons were made entirely without iron, and often
ilmost entirely without tools. In these aboriginal times, husk collars
rere mostly used. Sleds were sometimes used, but they were a poor
3xcuse. The Americans generally stacked their wheat and hay. Mowing
the prairie grass, as well as reaping the wheat, was hot, hard labor. It
ras a great trouble to thresh and clean the wheat. About the hardest
rork I ever performed was winnowing the wheat with a sheet."
These reminiscences of the old governor will apply, in many respects,
a period within the memory of many now living. Forty or fifty years
igo the mouldboards of the plows were made of wood, which, in a few
3ases, was covered with hoop iron. These plows were about the only
implements used in working the soil, harrows with wooden teeth, and
rollers, being poorly made and but little used. Corn planters had no 4 " yet
superseded the barefooted boys and girls, and wheat drills were entirely
unknown. The grain cradle, a great improvement on the sickle, though
it was introduced in Madison County as early as 1819, was but just com-
ig into vogue. Grass was still cut with the scythe, and raked with hand
rakes. Wheat and other grain was tramped out with horses, who traveled
a circle over a carefully adjusted ring of cut bundles, laid with heads
lapping over the butts and toward the coming hoofs. This mode of
threshing is yet practiced where barns with large threshing floors are
made. All this has changed. The bar-share and the shovel plow have
")een succeeded by the Carey, the Diamond, the Peoria, the Moline, the
Deere, and a wonderful number of other earth turners. The gang and
the sulky plows have increased the capacity of human labor, and
lecreased its severity. The efforts of the State Agricultural Society
have tested the efficiency of two or more attempts of steam plowing by
traction, and although success is not yet attained, it seems attainable, and
the next century will doubtless find steam plowing fairly established in
the State. Machines drill the wheat, cut and bind the grain, and thresh
and winnow it. Machines cut, rake, load, and stack the hay. It is an
>pen question whether, in some cases, this labor is performed more
)heaply, but it is certain it is done with far less expenditure of human
strength.
DIVISIONS OF LAND FENCES. A very important and often hereto-
fore very expensive consideration in Illinois farming, has been numerous
fences to exclude predatory stock turned loose by one's neighbors. The
first fencing for field purposes in Illinois, so far as we know, was done
with rails, though the French are said to have used split palings about
their houses. Reynolds mentions seeing the American pioneers carrying
rails from the tree to the fence, for the want of a wagon to haul them.
The scarcity of timber on the prairies, however, soon suggested the
hedges on the one hand, and somewhat later, the idea of confining stock.
As late as 1831, Peck speaks of rails as almost the only article used in
fencing. Their cost was one dollar per hundred. He mentioned as an
exceptional case a farm near him about to be enclosed with "planks," at
244 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
a cost of seventy-five cents a rod. He mentions " feeble attempts as
being made to substitute a live hedge of crab-apple, and of honey-locust,
without success." Mr. Flagg, of Moro, Illinois, in preparing the Agri-
cultural History of the State in 1876, says : " Some ten years later than
this " 1841 " I remember a Scotchman making a hedge and ditch after
the old country fashion, using the crab-apple instead of the thorn. This
hedge was cut down a short time ago, after having stood over thirty
years. It never was a good fence," he continues, " but I am strongly
inclined to think that with a little more encouragement it would have
made a capital fence." The Union Agriculturalist, in 1841, contains fre-
quent correspondence on the hedge question, and honey-locust, buck-
thorn, white-thorn, and even osage orange, are suggested. As early as
1854, the editor of the Prairie Farmer, passing through Morgan and
adjoining counties, speaks of the hedge question as already settled there,
and that osage fences are a common wayside fence wherever he went.
This was largely due to the efforts of Prof. J. B. Turner, who led the van in
many a material and moral victory. Meanwhile the construction of rail-
roads cheapened the construction of the pine fencing of Wisconsin and
Michigan so much so as to discourage experiments in hedge culture.
Since the war, the high prices of lumber, and the increased cost of rail
fences, even in timbered regions, have given hedge planting a great
impulse wherever the osage orange is sufficiently hardy, and given a
stimulus to experimentation where it is not, to honey-locust, barberry,
buck-thorn, etc. On the other hand, under township organization system,
the townships have the power to prevent animals from running at large,
and in State legislation the influence of the State Agricultural Board has
made itself felt in restoring the common law practically, that makes the
owner responsible for all damage by the animal running at large. The
farms are all well fenced, and from the old system of Commons, estab-
lished by the French, measured by the " arpent," down through the
" claim " period, the wisdom of enclosed lands has made itself manifest.
It is confidently claimed that Illinois has now more miles of serviceable
hedge fence than any other State in the Union. Of the counties where
farms are securely enclosed, Morgan stands equal to any.
EARLY ARCHITECTURE.
The old writers drew very pleasing pictures of the rural life of the
first settlers in Illinois. We shall omit this period in our history, how-
ever, and confine our narrative to a time since the occupation of the
country by the Americans. The cabins of the pioneers were of various
sizes, and generally made of round logs. Some of the more favored
ones, however, had hewed log cabins, and were regarded by their neigh-
bors as more fortunate than themselves. These round, log cabins were
made by taking two logs, generally about one foot in diameter, and, we
will suppose, thirty and twenty feet long. This length of logs would
build a tolerably sized cabin. The logs were notched in near the ends,
the shorter laid upon the longer, forming the first round, and leaving a
small space between the first tier and the second, which was laid in the
same manner on these. In this way round after round was laid, until
the sides of the cabin were ten or twelve rounds high, as the owner
might desire. The last two end logs laid were made long enough to
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 245
project over the corner three or four feet, thereby forming eaves to carry
the water, during a rain, that distance from the cabin. This projection
also afforded a diminutive porch, and in the summer kept the hot rays
of the sun from the side of the house. After these logs were laid on,
completing the walls of the cabin, two logs, cut slanting at the ends, and
just long enough to fit between the notches, were laid on at each end of
the cabin ; two more, cut in the same manner, and shorter than the first,
were laid on these, and so on until an apex was reached. On the last
one, generally about one foot in length, a long log, smaller than those
laid in the sides of the building, was placed from one to the other, and
also projecting over each some three or four feet. To secure these short,
slant pieces forming the apex of the cabin, a cleft of a small tree was
placed on the outside and securely pegged on, and also fastened to the
last mentioned log or pole. One or two poles of the same length as
that forming the " comb of the roof," as it was called, were generally laid
between the eaves and the comb, supplying the place of rafters. On
these, clapboards, split boards about four feet in length, were laid nearly
double, so as to cover the joints ; the boards at the top of the cabin
projecting a little over those on the other side. When the roof is thus
covered, some poles are laid along the building to keep the shingles on.
These poles were kept at about three feet distance from each other by
pieces of wood laid on the roof between them. These poles were called
weight poles, and sometimes stones were used in their stead. When all
this was complete, the cabin was "raised," and where several neighbors
joined in a day's work for some new comer, or some newly married
persons, such a cabin would be constructed in one day. It was simply
now a pen without any openings, save the cracks .between the logs.
A door was made by sawing out a section in the logs to the lower one,
which was generally sawn about half through and cut out to form a door-
step. The top of the door, was made in the same manner, and secured
closeness. A stout piece of wood was pegged on each side, forming a
jam, as it was termed, wooden hinges were made, and a door, made of split
puncheon, hung thereon. A wooden latch with a leathern string hung
outside fastened it. This old fashioned latch-string was always out,
and owing to the known hospitality of the pioneer, has given rise to a
very suggestive aphorism. A door was often made on each side of the
cabin. Windows, after glass came in use, were made in the same manner,
though smaller, and instead of being capable of raising and lowering, as
in modern times, were hung on hinges, made to slide, or taken entirely
out in warm weather. The floors were made of split pnnpheon, in most
cases joined neatly and closely together, and laid on the ground, or on
cross pieces. The chimney was generally placed at the end of the
building, and made as follows : first, four or five logs were cut out, as for
a door or window place, of whatever width the occupant chose. It
was generally four or five feet in width, and often wider. Then some
logs were cleft and placed so that the ends came just inside the cabin
wall, and projecting outward, formed a square pen. These were placed
one on the other until they rose as high as the opening in the wall. The
chimney was carried up, as was the cabin, until it reached the top, when
it was drawn in and constructed of sticks. It was drawn in gradually from
the bottom upwards, until the top was generally about one foot square.
246 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
It was then thoroughly chunked and " daubed ;" often stones were
placed at the bottom and some distance up the sides, so as to effectually
prevent the action of fire. Next the cabin itself was chunked and
daubed that is, the cracks between the logs were filled with split
pieces of wood, held in with pegs, and securely closed by daubing with
mud. It was also plastered with loam or clay, and sometimes the inside
was covered with well made split boards, pegged on. It was often
whitewashed where lime could be obtained. A ceiling was made by
taking stout poles and laying them on the upper tier of logs, their ends
projecting through under the eaves, and being placed from two to four
feet apart. On these split boards were laid, forming a floor. Sometimes
the chimneys were walled several feet in height, and were always so
carefully constructed that fires seldom occurred.
This completed the cabin. It was now ready for occupancy, and in
it, many who now live in opulence, the fruit of years of labor, stoutly
affirm they passed their happiest days. One room served all purposes, and
when friends or travelers came, a bed was made on the floor, and every
convenience offered in their power. Two cabins were often built near
together, between them a space of ten or twelve feet was left,
covered with a roof, and under this cover the pioneer stored many articles.
One side of it was generally walled up, leaving the front open. A
covered porch was also often seen in front of the cabins. Here the
farmer could rest at noontide, and a common sight was the busy house-
wife spinning under this porch on a warm summer's day.
These cabins are yet used in many parts of the State, especially in
the southern and wooded portion. Some have more modern conveniences,
and are equal to many frame dwellings now built. But in the early days
of the country, none other could be made. There were no mills for saw-
ing lumber; the pioneer was almost always poor, and was compelled to
endure many privations. Yet these dwellings were comfortable, and
healthy, such diseases as consumption and bronchial affections being
entirely unknown.
Buildings for stock and for the protection of farming machinery were
the result of after days. Says an old writer : " When pigs are shut up
for fattening, it is common to make a fence for them of rails, in the same
manner as for fields ; sometimes one corner is covered over to make a
lodging for them, but it is more common for them to be left to the mercy
of the winds and weather ; but as they are hardy animals, and accus-
tomed to hard living and lodging, it does not appear to hurt them. There
are but few cattle yards and sheds. The cattle are mostly left abroad in
the winter, with no other shelter but what the leafless trees afford."
There were few granaries, except corn-cribs, and a few poultry houses,
built generally the same as cabins, as were the stables also. The stables
were often carried higher, to provide for a hay -loft ; some had a rack
made out of a hollow log, which answered for a manger. These out-
houses were built in the forest as well as were all the cabins and were
sheltered from the blasts of winter thereby. As the country improved,
the buildings were made better, and after the advent of the railroads
good substantial buildings were erected, which now appear on every
hand. It is doubtful if many counties in the State excel Morgan in the
fine dwelling and barns scattered over her prairies.
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 247
AGRICULTURAL ORGANIZATIONS.
It will be well in this connection to give a brief resume of the
agricultural organizations in the State, including the agricultural societies
of Morgan County.
The isolated condition of the farmer causes him to act slowly in avail-
ing himself of the generally conceded advantages of association and co-
operation ; but at a very early day beginnings were made by the early
pioneers. Woods, in 1820, says : " An agricultural society was established
last year, and Mr. Birbeck made president. It held its first meeting at
Kaskaskia, but whether there was any other meeting I do not know."
Faux, in November, 1819, says of Moses Birbeck : " He has just
returned from a tour through Illinois, by way of Kaskaskia, where he was
chosen president of the Agricultural Society of Illinois, one grand object
of which will be to, rid the State of stagnant waters." This fixes the
date of organization nearly, but does not mention any other officers. The
Edwardsville Spectator, of May 16, 1820, contains a letter to Henry S.
Dodge, secretary of the Agricultural Society of the State of Illinois, from
Curtis Blakeman, of Madison County, who gives an account of a crop of
corn, of between nine and ten acres, yielding 120 bushels of shelled corn
to the acre. Mr. Dodge was probably the first secretary of the associa-
tion. This society remained intact several years, and numbered among
its members men of worth and standing. " Becoming tired of keeping
up their organization, the members," says one of their number, George
Churchill, " turned over their surplus fund to the Sunday School agent,
Rev. J. M. Peck, and disbanded." This society, though small, did
much good in the State. The Agricultural Society of Madison County,
organized Feb. 0, 1822, at Edwardsville, was probably suggested by the
State society just mentioned. It existed but a short time, holding its
last meeting November 3, 1824. There are no records of existing societies
until 1839, when the Union Agricultural Society was chartered. It com-
prised the greater portion of Lake, McHenry, Kane, Cook, DuPage,
Will, and LaSalle Counties. It started the Union Agriculturalist and
Western Farmer, about the close of 1840, or Beginning of 1841.
It gave quite an impulse to agriculture in those counties, and doubtless
to more than it ever accomplished. It held four annual cattle shows, the
last occurring in 1844. It seems to have discussed, to some extent, agl
ricultural education. Judge John Dean Caton, of Ottawa, was its firs-
president, William B. Ogden, its treasurer, and John S. Wright, secret
tary. Louis Ellsworth, well known in agricultural and horticultura-
circles, was vice-president at the first organization, and subsequently
president. M. L. Dunlap, better known as " Rural," of the Chicago
Tribune, was one of its secretaries. Judge Caton thinks there were nine
persons who formed the organization, but few of whom now survive.
Nearly at the same time with the organization of the Union Agricul-
tural Society, a new effort was made and a second Illinois State Agri-
cultural Society, organized at Springfield, about the beginning of 1841.
The January number of the Union Agriculturalist,^ that year, contains
an account of a meeting in the Senate chamber on the 12th of that month.
It seems to have been an adjourned meeting. James M. Bradford, of
Sangamon, presided and John S. Wright was secretary. Mr. Brown, of
248 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
Sangamon, reported a constitution, which was discussed and adopted.
On the 15th, another meeting was held, at which Mr. Brown, from a
committee, reported a list of officers who were elected. They were : Wm.
Wilson, of White County, president ; two vice-presidents from each of
the nine judicial circuits of the State; Isaac S. Britton, of Sangamon, re-
cording secretary ; John S. Wright, of Cook, corresponding secretary ;
and John Williams, of Sangamon, treasurer. But little appears to have
been accomplished by this organization. The Prairie Farmer, of 1848,
contains a report from its corresponding secretary, Mr. Wright, mainly
made up of recommendations. He states that county societies had been
organized in the counties of LaSalle, Winnebago, JoDaviess, Putnam,
Hancock, Knox, Peoria, McDonough, Schuyler, Adams, Morgan, Scott,
Sangamon, Greene, Madison, Coles, Edgar, Jackson, and Jefferson. The
Union Agriculturalist states that fairs were held in 1841, in LaSalle, San-
gamon, Morgan, and Winnebago, under the name of the Agricultural
Society of Illinois. All these societies, State and local, seem to have de-
clined and expired within a few years.
The Buel Institute, of Putnam County, an organization which has
" never let go," was organized in 1846, and is now the oldest agricultural
society in the State. At the time it was formed, a society was created
in Macoupin County. Kane County held a fair the same year, and that
of Peoria County was postponed. No other evidences appear of any oth-
er societies, on the pages of the agricultural periodicals at that time. The
Prairie Farmer of 1847, notices no agricultural gatherings of any kind in
any part of the State. In 1848, it notes a coming fair of the Buel Insti-
tute, and an organization of a society in Rock Island. In an editorial
on " Our Agricultural Societies," written that year, in the pages of the
Prairie Farmer, the editor says : " It will be no news to announce that
the greater number of these are either not in existence, or are in a state
of entire slumber." But evidences of a better day were appearing. That
same year, in October, a convention of nurserymen met in Peoria. A
second meeting was held in November, 1847, at Farmington, Fulton
County, and is referred to as the " Illinois Horticultural Society." The
same year the Chicago Horticultural Society was organized, with J. H.
Kerizie as president. It held at least five exhibitions.
At Princeton, in December, 1850, the Northwestern Fruit Growers'
Association began its work, which, in 1857, it handed over to the Illinois
State Horticultural Society. In 1851, the first Alton Horticultural
Society was formed, and has been continued, with one or two exceptions,
annually until this day. The year 1851 was notable for the organi-
zation of the Industrial League, under the lead of Prof. J. B. Turner,
which did much to forward the discussion of agricultural education.
Prof. Turner was born and raised on a farm. Accustomed to severe
toil and industry, he educated himself, graduating with honor at Yale
College. For a while he was a tutor at New Haven, where he won high
encomiums from his associates. He came to Illinois in 1832, when this
country was a comparative wilderness, the home of the savage. He well
remembers, and narrates interesting reminiscences of noted Indians, and
of trips to Chicago and elsewhere, when the compass was his only guide.
He was one of the early professors in Illinois College, in which position
he remained fifteen years, when failing health admonished him to seek a
249
more vigorous occupation. He then began to turn his attention to
agriculture, and to engage vigorously in that pursuit. Here he led the
advance in many reforms ; introduced the Osage orange fence ; was the
first to advocate and use farm machinery ; was a constant contributor to
various literary, scientific, and agricultural journals, and was one of the
earliest and warmest advocates of the present common school system of
the State. He has always been a forcible writer, and tenaciously energetic
in any reform he advocated. He has been prominently connected with
all State agricultural societies, and was among the earliest agitators and
supporters of such organizations. In 1853, the Illinois State Agricultural
Society was chartered and organized, and continued under that name
until 1871, when it was re-organized, and continued under the name of
the State Board of Agriculture. The first organization was effected in
1853, in Springfield, and for the next twenty-five years there has been
no break in its continuity. A vice-president from each congressional
district has been biennially elected. These were nine in number at the
first election. They were afterward increased to fourteen, and in
1870, they were nineteen in number.
Many subordinate and independent organizations have sprung up to
forward the specialties comprehended in the scope of the State Agricul-
tural Society, and Board of Agriculture. Of these, the oldest and most
efficient has been the Illinois State Horticultural Society, organized at
Decatur, in 1856. It succeeded the Northwestern Fruit Growers' Asso-
ciation in 1857, organized, in 1850, and itself ante-dated by the meetings
of 1846 and 1847. Since 1867, it has been aided by a State appropriation
of $2,000 per annum, the most of which has been devoted to the publi-
cation of its annual reports. In 1874, the Illinois State Horticultural
Society was declared a public corporation, by act of the legislature, and
required to report its receipts and expenditures. In 1868, the Northern
Horticultural Society was organized, and has since held annual meetings
of great interest, the most of which have been reported in the Transac-
tions of the State Society, as well as those of Alton, Warsaw, Adams
County, Galesburg, Jacksonville, and other local institutions of the same
character.
The Illinois Wool Growers' Association was formed in 1H64, and is
still in existence. The Illinois Swine Breeders' Association, in 1869; the
Illinois Poultry Association, probably in 1874 ; the Illinois State Dairy-
man's Association, some years since, and the Fish Culturists have lately
organized. These and kindred associations tend more and more to a
division of labor, and discussion of the many branches of agriculture.
A later and more novel form of agricultural association is seen in the
order of the Patrons of Husbandry. Its object is " mutual instruction
and protection." In pursuit of this object, it necessarily comes in con-
tact with those who prefer that the farmer should devote himself solely
to seeking the maximum of production, and leave distribution to the
"laws of trade." Hence, this form of action and its allies have been
subjected to some ridicule and abuse. Nevertheless, the organization has
done a good work in arousing the agricultural classes to a sense of their
own ignorance, of the impositions which have been placed upon them,
of the utter necessity of doing their own thinking, and of having their
share in the control of prices. At the close of the year 1875, at the
250 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
fourth session of the State Grange, this order had organized 1,586 granges
in Illinois, 1,325 of which had paid dues that year. More or less asso-
ciated with and much in sympathy with this movement, have been the
various open, and occasionally partisan, organizations of farmers' clubs,
and the State Farmers' Association, the latter of which was organized in
1872, and has devoted itself more to the agitation and discussion of those
subjects that most concerned the political-economical relations of the
agriculturist, such as trade, transportation, and taxation.
A pursuit so intimately connected with the interests of a people,
could not exist without its representative periodicals. The oldest
agricultural paper in the state was the Western Plowboy, a double-column
octavo, published semi-monthly, at Edwardsville, Madison County, by
John York Sawyer, during the year 1831. The twenty-fifth number was
published January 24, 1832, and gives notice of its discontinuance for
want of proper support. From an extract in the twelfth number it is
learned there were then "no less than seven" agricultural papers in the
United States.
The Union Agriculturalist and Western Farmer was probably the
next paper started. It was the organ of the Union Agricultural Society
in 1840-41, and was edited by the society's secretary, John S. Wright.
It was the Prairie Farmer of later years, and is yet in existence, the
oldest rural periodical in the Northwest. In 1856, the Illinois Farmer,
edited by Simon Francis, was started in Springfield. It was afterwards
edited by M. L. Dunlap " Rural " and was discontinued in 1865. Since
the last named period, quite a number of such magazines and papers have
been started, until now Illinois, in the scope and ability of her agricul-
tural literature, surpasses any other State except New York, whose
great metropolis gives that State a publishing center of more apparent
than real advantage.
Morgan County has always kept in the advance in agricultural pur-
suits. The earliest settlers were men of ability, and kept apace in the
interests attached to their calling. The
MORGAN COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY
has had a continuous existence since its inauguration in 1851, with the
exception of 1862, when the society gave way to the demands of war,
and gave the grounds to the One Hundred and First Regiment, Illinois
Volunteers. The records from 1851 to 1854, are somewhat obscure. It
appears that there were two societies in existence, one of which held a
fair on Wednesday and Thursday, the 22d and 23d of October, 1851. Of
this society the officers were Jos. Morton, President ; W. L. Sargent and
S. T. Mathews, Vice Presidents, and Win. G. Johnson, Secretary. This
fair was held on the poor-house grounds, then in the eastern part of
Jacksonville. At this fair stock alone was exhibited, a rope being
stretched around the enclosure where the stock was shown. At the close
of each day, a hat was passed around and a collection raised to aid in
defraying the necessary expenses. About the same time, or a few days
after, an exhibition of textile fabrics and home manufactures was given
in the public square, the fancy articles being attached to ropes stretched
about on the grounds. It is probable these exhibitions were the first of
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 251
the kind in the county. No records of any prior to this date exist, nor
do the recollections of any of the older citizens fix on any dates before
this accurately. Some aver that fairs were held as early as 1838 or '40,
others at various dates from 1840 to '51, but no one can state definitely
during this period or give any accurate description of such exhibitions.
There may have been a few small exhibits held and probably were, but
no fair under an organized association before the one of which mention
has been made.
About the year 1852 or '53, the two organizations appear to have
united, and on November llth, 1854, a charter was received by the
"Morgan County Agricultural Association." The first officers of this
association were Judge Stephen Dunlap, President; James Green and
Col. Jos. Morton, Vice Presidents ; Cyrus Mathews, Treasurer, and
Austin Rockwell, Secretary. Soon after, this society purchased of Col.
George M. Chambers fifteen acres of land, situated in the southwestern
part of the city of Jacksonville. Here annual exhibitions were held until
the year 1858. On the 20th of February of that year these grounds were
sold to Mr. Henry Saunderson, for five thousand dollars, and thirty acres
of ground, a mile and a half west of the public square were purchased
of Col. James Dunlap. This was a more desirable location, and is still
used by the association. The fairs have always been a decided success
in this county, the exhibitions being equal to any in the State. The
association secured the location of the State Fair on their grounds for the
year^l 860, which was largely attended from all sections of the State. From
three to four thousand dollars are annually paid in premiums by the asso-
ciation. The present officers are N. D. Graves, President ; F. M. Morton
and J. H. Potts, Vice Presidents; B. F. Beesley, Treasurer, and James
M. Dunlap, Secretary.
Before closing this chapter it will be well to notice the agricultural
resources of the county. For the year 1877, there were reported 13,760
acres of wheat; 97,680 acres of corn; 26,780 acres of meadow; 21,486
acres of other field products ; 124,000 acres in pasture ; 3,594 in orchard,
and 66,052 in woodland. There were only 48 acres returned as swamp
lands. The value of the various farm products is not given, nor the
amounts in bushels. The yield has been very large and assures abundance
for the residents of the county, in addition to large quantities shipped to
other markets.
Morgan County contains, according to the report of the County
Assessor, made to the State Board of Equalization, from the returns
made to him in the Spring of 1877, 353,352 acres of land. By this board
the county was placed in the third class, and the lands valued at $22
per acre, or a total value of $7,773,744 ; by the County Assessor it was
rated at $19.54 per acre, or a total value of $6,904,498.08. Of the num-
ber of acres given, 287,300 are classed as improved lands, valued by the
assessor at $22.36 per acre, or a total of $6,424,028. The remainder of
the lands, 66,052 acres, are classed as unimproved lands, and are valued
at $7.26 per acre, or a total of $479,537.52. Of this latter class, but
little is waste land, the greater portion being pastured. There were
returned by the assessor at the same time, 3,387 improved city and town
lots, and 2,074 as unimproved. The former were valued at $700.87 each,
or $2,373,853 in all. The latter were valued at $73.13 each, or $151,672
252 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
in all. This gives the total number of lots to be 5,461, and their total
value as $2,525,525. The railroad property is reported at 13 acres,
with a value of $4,100, and 23 lots, valued at $8,450, or
a total value of this class of real estate property of $12,550.
The number of live stock in the county is large. There were reported
by the assessor 5,467 horses ; 16,809 cattle ; 1,108 mules and asses ; 7,309
sheep ; and 19,198 hogs. The horses were valued at $276,372 ; the cattle
at $315,782 ; the mules and asses at $67,500 ; the sheep at $15,800 ; and
the hogs at $69,956, making a total number of 49,801, valued at $745,410.
There are reported 8 steam engines, valued at $5,000 ; 22 *burglar and
fire safes, valued at $4,850 ; 2,246 carriages and wagons, valued at
$60,711; 880 watches and clocks, valued at $6,148; 1,006 sewing and
knitting machines, valued at $19,908 ; 223 pianos, valued at $26,500 ; 94
melodeons and organs, valued at $5,738. The total value of these pro-
ducts is $128,855.
The value of manufactured articles is $935, that of manufacturers'
tools and machinery, $5,385; of agricultural tools, $33,186 ; $68,193 are
in the hands of bankers and brokers, while an additional credit of $16,778
is reported ; $596,482 are otherwise invested, while over $300,000 worth
of bank stock is held. The value of household and office property is
$132,325.
To recapitulate: The total value of lands is $6,904,498.08; of lots,
$2,525,525 ; of railroad property (real estate), $12,550 ; of live stock,
$745,410 ; of farming machinery and other implements, $128,855 ; and of
the other items enumerated, $1,151,314. To this may be added other
items, aggregating about $300,000, making the total wealth of the
county, $11,768,152.08.
i
POLITICAL HISTORY.
If the reader will turn to the History of the Northwest, published
elsewhere in this volume, he can readily trace the progressive stages
through which that country passed until its ultimate division into terri-
tories and states. He will there learn that the Illinois Territory was
formed from the Indiana Territory in 1809, and made an independent
municipality. Nineteen years prior to this date, in February, 1790,
Arthur St. Clair (who had been appointed Governor of the Northwest
Territory by Congress, October 5, 1787), and the Secretary, Winthrop
Sargent, arrived in Kaskaskia to execute the orders of the late Congress
regarding the inhabitants of the then far West. The country within the
boundaries of our present State, extending northward to the mouth of
the Little Mackinaw Creek, on the Illinois, was organized into a county,
named after His Excellency, Governor St. Clair. This was the first
county formed in the limits of Illinois. It was divided into three judicial
districts, and Cahokia made the seat of government.
St. Clair County remained intact until 1795, when Randolph was
formed by running a line through the New Design settlement in the
present Monroe County, due east to the Wabash River, and all that
country south of this line was established into the county of Randolph,
named in honor of Edmond Randolph, of Virginia.
By an act of Congress, approved February 3, 1809, all that part of
HARRY REINBACH
(DECEASED)
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 253
the Indiana Territory 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," should, after the
first of March following, constitute a separate territory, and be called
Illinois. It will be perceived this included the present State of Wisconsin.
The population of the newly organized territory was estimated at about
nine thousand, leaving double that number in Indiana.
On September 6, 1812, the territorial legislature established the
counties of Madison, Gallatin, and Johnson. The first named of these
included what is now Morgan County. In 1815, Edwards and White
Counties were erected ; in 1816, Monroe, Crawford, Jackson, Pope, and
Bond, and in 1818, Union, Franklin, and Washington were formed. It
will thus be seen that when the convention met in July, 1818, to draft a
constitution for the State of Illinois, fifteen counties were represented.
Illinois was admitted as a State soon after, the first election for officers
being held in September.
With the rapid increase of population the division of the State into
smaller counties became necessary. In 1821 Greene County was formed
out of the northern portion of Madison. Its northern boundary, however,
was established as it yet exists, and all that country north to, and beyond
the Illinois River, was attached to it for judicial purposes.
During the session of the General Assembly of 1822 - '23, the
Military Tract was laid, out into counties. The county seat of Pike
County was established, and the records of lands, patents, deeds, etc.,
were recorded at Atlas. This tract had formerly been attached to
Madison. On January 31, 1823, Morgan County was established. The
act relating to its formation reads as follows :
" Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois represented in
the Creneral Assembly.
" SEC. 1. That all that tract of country within the following
boundaries, to-wit : Beginning at the northwest corner of Greene
County ; thence east to the range line between seven and eight west of
the third principal meridian ; thence northerly along the middle of the
prairie that divides the waters of the Sangamon River from those of
Apple Creek, Mauvaisterre and Indian Creeks, until it arrives at the
middle of range eight ; thence north to the middle of the main channel
of Sangamon River ; thence down the said channel to the middle of the
main channel of the Illinois River ; thence down said last mentioned
channel to the place of beginning.
" SEC. 2. Be it further enacted, That the electors of said county shall
meet on the first Monday of March next at the house of James G.
Swinerton to elect three county commissioners, a sheriff, and a coroner,
and that Joseph Klein, John Clark, and Daniel Lieb, be, and they are
hereby appointed the judges of said election ; who shall give notice
thereof and proceed on that day to conduct the same according to the
existing laws of this State, or such as may then be in force, relative to
the election for county officers.
" SEC. 3. That Samuel Bristow, John Clark, and Henry Fahne-
stock be commissioners to fix on a place for the temporary seat of
justice for said county, whose duty it shall be to meet at the time
and place for holding the election for county commissioners, or within
c
254 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
ten days thereafter, and, after being duly sworn, shall proceed to
determine on some convenient place as near the center of population as
circumstances will admit ; and such place, when located, shall be the seat
of justice until otherwise provided by law. Such commissioners shall be
allowed two dollars each per day for the time necessarily employed, to be
paid out of the county treasury.
" SEC. 4. That the citizens of Morgan County are hereby declared
entitled in all respects to the same rights and privileges as are allowed
in general to other counties in the State. Provided always. That when
freeholders are capable of performing any duty, or are entitled to any
privilege, householders shall, for all such purposes, be considered as
freeholders in said county, and shall and may perform all the duties
appertaining to the different offices in said county.
-' SEC. 5. That the County of Morgan shall compose a part of the
First Judicial District in this State.
' SEC. 6. That Morgan County shall compose a part of the Sena-
torial and Representative District with Greene County."
On February 17, this act was amended, changing the time of the
meeting of the commissioners appointed to locate the seat of justice,
from the first Monday of March to the third Monday, and that the elec-
tion be held on the same day.
It will be observed that the act quoted at length, fixed the boun-
daries of Morgan County so that it included the present counties of Cass
and Scott. It was then about forty miles long, thirty-two miles wide,
and included about 1280 square miles, or nearly 800,000 acres of land.
On the day designated in the act, the third Monday in March, 1823,
an election was held at the house of James G. Swinerton. This was
situated about six miles southwest of the present city of Jacksonville.
At this election Milton Ladd, member of the Legislature from
Johnston County, was chosen Judge of Probate Court, and was also
appointed Clerk of Circuit Court. Dennis Rockwell was appointed
Recorder. Mr. Ladd made one visit to Morgan County and declined the
office to which he was elected. Dennis Rockwell was then appointed
clerk and Aaron Wilson judge. The county was attached to the first
judicial district, of which John Reynolds (afterwards elected Governor
in 1830) was judge. Jonathan Piper, Stephen Pierce, James Deaton,
John Clark, Daniel Lieb, Thomas Arnett, Samuel Bristow, Equillar Hall,
David Blain, John Green, Joseph Buchanan, and Seymore Kelley, were
appointed justices of the peace, and Johnson Shelton surveyor. Of all
these Equillar Hall is probably the only survivor. At the election for
county officers, Dank-: Lieb, Peter Conover, and Samuel Bristow, were
chosen county coma, sinners, and William B. Green, sheriff. Dennis
Rockwell was subsequently appointed clerk of this court. The house of
Mr. Swinerton was chosen as the temporary seat of justice, and the first
court held there. The first Circuit Court was held by Judge John Rey-
nolds, on the third Monday of April, following the election, in an old log
cabin owned by Dr Cad well, near Mr. Swinerton's house. In 1822, the
territory of which Morgan County was composed was attached to the
senatorial district composed of Greene and Pike Counties, and of the rep-
resentative district composing Greene County. Dr. George Cadwell was
elected to the Senate, and Archibald Job, of Beardstown, to the House
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 255
of Representatives. "I question," says Judge Thomas, in a paper read
before the Old Settlers' Association, " if two better men for the positions
could have been found in the district, for integrity, honesty, and good
sound sense, they have not been equaled by any of their successors."
At the election in 1824, Thomas Carlin (elected Governor in 1836)
and Isaac N. Piggott (for many years a resident of St. Louis, and, if now
living, over ninety years of age) were candidates for the Senate. Carlin
obtained the certificate of election, but Piggott contested his right, and,
upon investigation, the question was referred back to the people, and a
new election was the result. Carlin was elected by a decisive majority.
Mr. Job was re-elected to the House.
But few sessions of court were held at Mr. Swinerton's. It will be
noticed in reading the act creating the county that Samuel Bristow, John
Clark, and Henry Fahnestock were appointed a committee to fix upon a
temporary seat of justice for Morgan County. They selected a place
called " Olmstead's Mounds," about eight miles west of the present city
of Jacksonville. By an act passed January 6, 1825, John Howard,
Abraham Pickett, and John T. Lusk, of Madison County, were appointed
commissioners to fix upon a permanent seat of justice for the county.
They were required to meet at the house of James Deaton on the first
Monday of March, and, after being duly sworn, were " to locate the
permanent seat of justice of said county at the most eligible place, as
near the center of the territory as practicable, having due regard to the
present and future population."
These commissioners met on the day appointed, and settled the
present site of the city. The land then belonged to the government, but
early the next day was purchased by Thomas Arnett and Isaac Dial at
private sale for one dollar and twenty-five cents per acre. It was in
sections 20 and 21, Mr. Arnett purchasing the former section, and Mr.
Dial the latter. On the 10th of March they laid out a town thereon,
giving to the county for the use of public buildings forty acres. There
was living on the town site a man named Cox, a hatter by trade, who
occupied a cabin which stood a little to the northeast of the present
fountain in the public square. This cabin he soon after sold to Mr.
Thomas Carson, who thereby became an early resident of the county
seat. He was the first tavern-keeper therein, and was well known.
The first term of the Circuit Court met in the new seat of justice on
uesday after the second Monday in May, 1825. John S. Sawyer was
circuit judge, Dennis Rockwell clerk, and Joseph M. Fairfield sheriff. A
two-story frame court house was soon built. It stood on the northwest
part of the square, and was placed on round blocks. Its cost was about
four hundred and fifty dollars. It was thirty by forty feet square. In
the Summer of 1825, the few records of the county were brought from
Olmstead's Mound to the court house and placed therein. This court
house remained in use until the night of December 6, 1827, when, with
all its contents, it was destroyed by fire. The loss was not great, how-
ever, as the records were few, and the recorder, Dennis Rockwell, had by
chance taken the record of deeds to his house for some purpose, thereby
saving it.
The jail was constructed of square timbers, firmly fastened together,
and was a rather unsafe depository for prisoners. It stood on a lot of
256 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
ground north of the square, and was used until the completion of the
second jail in 1833.
The election in August, 1826, was fiercely contested between Ninian
Edwards and Thomas C. Sloe for governor, and Daniel P. Cook and
Joseph Duncan for Congress. Edwards and Duncan, though of different
political parties, were elected by small majorities. Mr. Job was returned
to the State Senate from the Counties of Morgan, Schuyler, Fulton,
Peoria, and Adams ; and John Leeper and Daniel Lieb were sent to the
House of Representatives from Morgan County.
It has been stated in these pages that Morgan County included what
is now Cass and Scott Counties. Its eastern boundary has been but little
if any changed since the act of creation in January, 1823. On February
12, 1835, the boundary question between the Counties of Sangamon and
Morgan was definitely settled by an act of legislature, the line remaining
the same until this day. The commissioners appointed were William
Weatherford, Harvey Rigger, and John R. Tilts. They occupied in this
duty April 14, 15, 16, and 17, 1835, and established the line by stone
pillars set in the ground one mile apart.
Cass County was set off in 1837 ; Scott County in 1839. The
causes which led to the formation of these two counties were various.
The residents of Cass County claimed that they did not have a fair and
equal representation in the needs of the principal parts of the county ;
that a clique or ring was formed against them. Other reasons were also
given. The county was large and would admit of division, and its
interests would be advanced, argued many. One of the most potent
reasons, especially in the formation of Scott County, was the desire
among many towns to become county seats. Almost every western town
has at some period of its existence aspired to become a county seat, and
had, in its own opinion, unanswerable reasons in support of its aspirations.
This, without doubt,, had much to do in the creation of these two
counties, as the towns of Beardstown and Virginia in the territory of
one, and Winchester in the other, were urgent aspirants for such positions.
The people living near the towns were in sympathy with them, and the
representatives from the county were instructed by their constituents to
foster a bill looking to the division. Another reason was argued, and
with a good emphasis, in that part comprising Cass County the remote-
ness of the county seat. This fact, with the large extent of territory in
Morgan County, was a good reason for the division.
During the session of the General Assembly of 1836-7, a bill for the
division of Morgan County was introduced in that body, and became a
law, being approved March 3, 1837. Its main provisions are as follows:
* * * " All that tract of land within the following boundaries, to
wit : Beginning at a point in the center of the main channel of the
Illinois River, where a line running through the center of township 17
north intersects the same in range 13 west ; thence east with said line to
the east side of the County of Morgan ; from thence north to the center
of the main channel of the Sangamon River ; thence down said river to
the center of the main channel of the Illinois River ; thence down said
river to the place of beginning, shall constitute a county, and shall be
named Cass."
There were certain conditions named in the act before this boundary
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 257
could be established. The people comprising the County of Morgan were
to meet at their respective voting places on the third Monday in April,
and vote on the question of division. Should the question be decided in
the affirmative, the voters in the new County of Cass were to assemble
at their voting places and decide on a location for a permanent seat of
justice. On the first Monday in August they were to meet again and
elect their county officers. The act further provided that the owners of
lots or lands where the seat of justice should be located, should donate
to the county not less than fifteen acres of land, the proceeds of which,
when sold, should be applied to the erection of the necessary county
building. In case Beardstown should be chosen to be the county seat,
the corporation was required to pay into the county treasury not less
than ten thousand dollars, in installments, to be applied to the same,
purpose.
The vote of the people favored the decision, and on the 12th of July
following the act already quoted, an act creating the county passed the
General Assembly, and became a law. It fixed the seat of justice at
Beardstown, in conformity with the desire of the people, should that town
comply with the conditions set forth in the first act. This last act further
provided that the court house should be erected on the public square in
Beardstown. The returns of the election were to be made to O. M. Long
and Thomas Payne, justices in Beardstown ; the school fund was to be
divided between Morgan and Cass, in ratio to the population as deter-
mined by the last election, and as soon as the county officers to be elected
in August were qualified, the county was declared to be in complete
order. Beardstown failed to comply with the requirements of the act,
and a petition was presented to the legislature declaring that fact, and
praying for a change from that town to Virginia. That body passed an
act on March 2, 1839, removing the seat of justice to Virginia. It was,
however, again taken to Beardstown, and again brought to Virginia,
where it now exists. The territory embraced in Cass County comprises
239,579 acres, and for its area is one of the most valuable counties in the
State.
On February 16, 1839, the act forming the County of Scott passed
the General Assembly. Its boundaries were defined, provision was made
for holding an election for county officers, and for dividing the school fund
between .Morgan and Scott Counties. An election for county officers was
ordered to be held on the third Monday in March, at the town of Win-
chester, and proper persons designated to receive the returns of this elec-
tion. Winchester was by the same act declared to be the permanent seat
of justice, provided it would erect a court house and jail. It could ex-
pend for this purpose five thousand dollars, dividing that sum in the
erection of the two buildings, as the county commissioners should desire.
The county thus formed comprises 156,814 acres of land, and left Morgan
County with its present area. The total wealth of Scott County, as
assessed for the year 1877, is $3,461,588 ; that of Cass is $4,940,712
$8,402,300 in all.
It has been noticed that the court house built in 1825 in Morgan
County, was burned in 1827 ten years before the erection of Cass
County. This fire occurred on the night of December 6th, and on the
17th a special meeting of the county commissioners was called. At
258 HISTORY OP MORGAN COUNTY.
this meeting James Deaton and Allen Q. Lindsey were present,
James Gillham, the remaining member of the board, absent. The first
record of this court after the fire, and the first now preserved, reads as
follows: "Whereas, on the night of the 6th instant the court house of
this count} 7 ", together with the office of the clerk of the Circuit and County
Commissioners' Courts, and all the papers and records of said offices, were
destroyed by fire. It is ordered by this court that the county treasurer
pay to the order of Dennis Rockwell, clerk of this court, out of the first
money received into the treasury, fifty dollars in specie, for the purpose
of purchasing books and stationery for the use of the county offices/'
Many persons had purchased lots of the county, and to those whose deeds
were destroyed, or not recorded in the book mentioned as preserved from
the fire, the commissioners were called upon to give new deeds, which
they in all cases did, the giving of these papers being among the first acts
of the County Court.
The law at this time required all tavern-keepers and merchants to
obtain a license from the County Court. The former class had their rates
of charges established by this court, as also were those of the keepers of
ferries. The first tavern-keeper in Jacksonville, and with but little
doubt the first in Morgan County, was Mr. Thomas Carson, already
mentioned as an early resident on that town site. His rates of charges,
if they were affixed, are not now known ; but they probably differed but
little from those of Mr. George M. Richards, the first tavern-keeper in
the county whose license is preserved. It bears date January 14, 1828.
He paid into the county treasury five dollars, and gave a bond, with
Thomas Luttrell as security. The following were his rates, as they
appear in the county records :
For rum, per half-pint, - - 25 cents.
For brandy, per half-pint, - 25 cents.
For gin, per half-pint, - - 25 cents.
For wine, per half-pint, 25 cents.
For whisky, per half-pint, - 12 cents.
For meal of victuals, - 25 cents.
For lodging, - - 12 cents.
For horse feed, - 6i cents.
For keeping horse over night, - - 25 cents.
These items were commonly included in all tavern licenses, save that
" cordial " was afterwards added at 25 cents per half-pint, and these were
the common charges allowed. It is quite interesting to note these old
transactions, the same in all counties in the West, and to note the various
changes therein during succeeding years. The use of ardent spirits
gradually was taken from the license, and now no charges whatever are
specified, that being left to the discretion of the landlord. It would have
been almost as discretionary had the County Court regulated the price of
merchandise. Such attempts are almost always fallacious, as the laws of
demand and supply invariably govern such transactions.
The care of the poor, review of roads, justices' districts, and such
matters, engaged the attention of the County Court at its first sessions.
As the county increased in population, its division into smaller road and
justices' districts was made. The first juries lists are now lost. The first
one preserved is that drawn for the April term of court in 1828. The
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 259
grand jury was composed of the following gentlemen : William Wood r
William Rodgers, Frederick Bolinger, Samuel B. Jones, David Marks*
George M. Richards, Allen B. Hughes, Larkin Brown, Matthew Elder,
Nathan Compton, Joshua Crow, Solomon Penny, William Miller, George
Camp, William Sharon, Ira A. Hooker, William B. Schott, Thomas Cow-
hick, Martin Humphries, and Thomas Allen. Those composing the
" travers " jury, as it was called, were Richard Beall, Samuel Holloway,
Charles W. Horrell, Samuel Berry, Elias Williams, James Martin, Stephen
Burrows, James D. Morrison, William Jarrod, Benjamin Shartzer, Peter
Dew, Samuel White, David Hibbard, Thomas Wishwall, Richard P. Car-
ter, John Box, John Wilson, Andrew Armstrong, James Taylor, Benjamin
William Wyatt, Solomon Perkins, Samuel Matthews, and James Redman.
At the meeting of the County Court on March 4, 1828, the county was
divided into seven road districts, which number was shortly greatly
increased, so rapidly did the county fill with settlers. On the 6th of
the same month, the court ordered the clerk to give notice that on the
10th of April following, the building of a court house would be let to
responsible bidders. At first the plan was to construct a brick building,
two stories high, forty feet square. On the 22d a special meeting of the
commissioners was called, and the plan altered, making the building fifty
feet long and forty feet wide. None of the bids offered for its construc-
tion were accepted, and no contracts made that year. The next year the
county commissioners were Joseph M. Fairfield, John Wyatt, and Samuel
Rogers, and at a meeting of this court on January 31, 1829, it was
decided to let the work in separate bids, and these were accordingly
advertised. On the 14th of March, the contracts for its construction
were let ; the brick and stone work to Garrison W. Berry and Henry
Robley, for $1,720 ; the carpenter work to Rice Dunbar and Henry
Robley, tor $1,350, and a few minor contracts to other individuals. On
March 5, 1830, contracts for finishing the court house, putting in win-
dows, placing window-shutters in place, with many other articles needed,
was let to Rice Dunbar and Henry Blandford, for $1.250 ; for lathing and
plastering to Henry Robley and Isham Dalton, for $326. 62^ ; for painting
to John Challon, for $389, and to James .Hurst, for the floors $41. The
court house was accepted by the county commissioners at their meeting
on September 8, 1830. The contractors and builders were paid in install-
ments, as had been agreed. The total cost, when complete, was about
4,000. The building was the first brick house in the county, and occu-
pied the central square of land on the south side of State street and west
of Main street. To meet the expense in the erection of this edifice, and
for the county revenue, a tax was ordered levied at the meeting of March
4th, 1829, on all slaves, indentured or registered, negro or mulatto ser-
vants, on pleasure carriages, on distilleries, on stock in trade, on live
stock, and on all personal property, except household furniture the ratio
being one-half per cent. One per cent, was also established for the erec-
tion of public buildings, in accordance with an act passed by the General
Assembly.
This court house remained in use until it was superseded by the
present commodious structure, completed in 1868. It had served the
county thirty-eight years, and then gave way to its handsome successor.
It had for some time been the desire of the citizens generally that it should
260 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
I
be removed from its position, and the square left for an ornament to the
town. The " old court house," as it was called, was also inadequate to
the increasing demands of the county, and was, when the "new court
house" was erected, pulled down and the material used elsewhere. The
present structure is one of the finest in the West, and is unusually safe
from fire. It is constructed almost entirely of stone and iron; the first
named material being obtained from the quarries at Joliet.
The old jail was built of hewed timbers, each was about one foot
square, and every wall was made double. Between these double walls,
upright pieces of timber, of the same dimensions as that used in the wall,
were placed, so that if a criminal attempted to escape by cutting through
the wall, these inner pieces would, when a section was cut out of one of
them, drop down, and thus the process would have to be repeated until
the whole would be cut away. This would take more time than any
criminal could use without being detected, and it is doubtful if the pro-
cess was ever attempted. At the meeting of the County Court, on "March
9, 1832, it was decided to erect a new jail, and the clerk of that court
was ordered to advertise in the Illinois Patriot, for sealed proposals from
builders for its construction. It was determined it should be built of
brick and stone, and the contract for that part of the construction was,
at a subsequent meeting, awarded to Abram Dewitt, for about eighteen
hundred dollars. The carpenter work was given to Ebenezer Miller, for
nearly fifteen hundred dollars. The jail was completed in 1833, its entire
cost being about thirty-five hundred dollars.
This jail was the stronghold for detaining criminals many years. It,
in turn, also became unsafe through the lapse of years, and was declared
unfit for use. In the spring of 1804 steps were taken for the erection of
a more substantial jail. The old one was pronounced unsafe and un-
comfortable by the county commissioners, who decided to erect a new one.
After mature deliberation, it was decided to construct the building with
iron cells, and Hon. Stephen Dunlap, a member of the court, was in-
structed to proceed to Cincinnati, Ohio, with a competent mechanic, and
make arrangements for its construction.
Mr. Jessee T. Newman had offered $3,000 for the old lot and jail.
It was decided to accept this offer, and purchase another site. After
examining various offered sites, a lot owned by Mr. John Trabue was
selected and he was paid for the same $3,500. Work on the jail was
soon after begun, and prosecuted until its completion. The building cost
$27,500, and is yet in use.
The keeping of the county poor has always been a serious question
in the management of county affairs. At first they were " farmed out,"
as it was termed, that is given to suitable persons to keep. These were
obligated to provide a reasonable maintainance. In case the person kept
was able to work, the one keeping him could obtain a partial recompense
in that manner, and in addition was given an allowance from the county
treasury. Minors were bound out until of age, and the person to whom
they were given was required to provide for them schooling a reasonable
length of time during the year. These and various methods were tried in
the early days of the West, but did not at all times prove satisfactory.
With all due diligence, in some cases the poor would fall into the hands
of those who only desired gain by their labors, and who cared nothing for
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
their moral advancement. Minors would often be mistreated and unpro-
vided with the means of education, and their moral training wholly
neglected.
The earliest attempts to keep this class of people by the county were
made about 1840. A poor farm was established a few miles north of
Jacksonville, and many of them sent there for keeping. The house was
not built expressly for this purpose, having been a residence, but was
used. Additions were made to it in 1847, when Joseph Halsep was
superintendent, as the accommodations were not such as desired. At this
time insane persons were kept by the county. Mrs. Dix, a woman who
devoted her life to this unfortunate class of humanity, and whose history
is given in connection with that of the Insane Asylum, elsewhere in this
volume, came about this time to Morgan County and visited the poor
house. Finding all classes of the poor kept together, and no provision
for the insane, she vigorously set to work to remedy the evil. She visited
the county commissioners and urgently importuned them to sell the
property and purchase elsewhere. She selected a site just east of the
city, and succeeded in her purpose. On July 12, i847, James H. Linton
was appointed agent, on behalf of the county, to purchase fourteen acres
at a price not to exceed fifty dollars per acre. Before the purchase was
made the number of acres was increased 10 thirty. On September 10th
the old poor house, and property belonging thereto, was ordered to be
sold. An addition to the new location was purchased of W. B. Warren,
in 1854, for four thousand dollars. In accordance with the views of Mrs.
Dix, a building for the use and care of the insane was erected, in
addition to the building intended for the paupers, and new and improved
methods adopted in the treatment of all.
This farm was occupied until 1867. The city's growth had reached
the grounds, and advantageous offers were made to the county for the
property. As the population of the county had increased, the number of
poor augmented until more land and more accommodations were neces-
sary. Land adjoining the farm was too valuable for such purposes, and
the county commissioners decided to sell the property, and, by going
farther from the city, purchase more land. On January 27, 186u, in
accordance with an order of this court, the county farm, and all property
therewith, was sold at public sale to Joseph R. Askew and John T.
Springer for $13,375. These persons soon after laid the farm out in town
lots, and as such it is now known as Askew and Springer's addition to
Jacksonville. This sale necessitated a new location. The most eligible
site, offering timber for fuel, was the farm of Cornelius Goltra, about three
miles northwest of the city. This farm, of two hundred acres, was pur-
chased for about $13,000, and the present poor house built thereon. It
is a good structure, capable of accommodating all those who may call
upon the county for keeping, and is excellently managed. In ordinary
years the farm bears a large share of the expense, and furnishes employ-
ment to all inmates able to work.
The erection of the several county buildings has now been conclu-
sively stated, and it will be well before closing this chapter to note the
various divisions of the county. From its earliest existence, as settle-
ments increased, the justices' and road districts were set off, and their
boundaries determined. On June 30, 1828, the county was divided into
262 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
five election precincts, known as Jacksonville, Exeter, Sandy, Apple
Creek, and Clay Creek precincts. The judges appointed for each district
were: Joseph Klein, John Leeper, Aaron Wilson, Jacksonville; Daniel
Lieb, Baxter Broadwell, and Daniel Burbank, Exeter ; James Hatchin,
Alexander Walls, and Alvin Coe, Sandy ; John Lappington, John Wil-
liams, and Thomas Luttrell, Apple Creek ; Thomas Gatton, William
Sumners, and Joshua Crow, Clay Creek. Indian Creek precinct was not
long after added, and William Lager, Isaac R. Bennett, and Equillar
Hall appointed judges of election. All those named were to serve two
years from the date of the appointments. On the next day after the
division of the county into election precincts, the trustees for the school
sections were appointed. On June 8, 1831, William Thomas was
appointed school agent on behalf of the county to sell these sections,
and thereby create a school fund. His bond was $12,000, and he, with
his characteristic honesty, discharged his duties faithfully. It is doubt-
ful if the National Congress ever passed an act, which resulted in equal
benefit to the people, as this one. Three years before Judge Thomas'
appointment, on Sept. 2, 1828, the Mound school district was established;
probably the first school district, at least the first on record, in the
county. At this time no bridges were built for the accommodation of
travelers. All crossing of streams was done by ferries, the owners of
which were allowed to charge a fee, regulated, like tavern licenses, by
the County Court. On the day the trustees for the school sections were
appointed, the rates of ferriage over the Illinois River were established
as follows :
"' For each four-horse or ox team and carriage, seventy-five cents ;
for each two-horse or ox team and carriage, fifty cents ; for each one-
horse and carriage, thirty-seven and one-half cents; for each man and
horse, twelve and a half cents ; for each footman, six and a fourth cents ;
for each head of loose horses or cattle, six and a fourth cents ; for each
head of hogs, sheep or goats, three cents." These were the common
rates charged. The price of license was according to the location. At
Beard's ferry it was four dollars ; at Grun's, two dollars, and at Phillips',
three. Others were charged like amounts.
Enough has now been told to give an intelligent idea of the acts of
the county as a corporate body. At every meeting of the County Court
new tavern and ferry licenses were issued. Prominent among the names
appearing on the records are those of Joseph Bently, Nathan H. Gest,
Abraham Vance, Abraham DeWitt, and Thomas Bently, all of whom
were licensed to " keep tavern " in the county seat, and the majority of
whom paid five dollars fee. Ira Kelley was licensed to open a house of
entertainment in Exeter, Thomas Beard at his ferry, Archibald J. Hite
at a mill on Sandy Creek, Jacob Ekelburner at Naples, and others at
different places, as the county filled with settlers, and the needs of the
country required. These persons' rates of charges were all fixed, and,
as will be seen by the reader in those quoted elsewhere, included wine,
gin, rum, cordial, and whisky.
The increase in population also demanded new road districts, which
from time to time were made. New polling places were also established,
and we find as early as 1830, Jacksonville had so increased in inhabitants,
that on June 8th of that year an additional voting place was made therein.
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
The next year Stephen R. Bartlett and Isaac Negus were licensed to sell
clocks. The former, being a non-resident, was charged twenty-five dol-
lars for the privilege, while the latter, a resident, was charged half that
sum. Knapp & Pogue, B. and Francis Ayers paid ten dollars for the
privilege of opening a store and doing business in the county seat. At
the meeting of the Commissioners' Court, on March 9, 1831, the follow-
ing firms were licensed to sell goods in the county. From the number
the reader will readily perceive the increase in population and commerce
a lapse of five years had produced in Morgan County. The list with the
rates of charges for the license is herewith appended as given on that day :
Alexander T. Douglas, five dollars ; James Dunlap & Co., twelve
dollars and fifty cents ; Nathan H. Gest, seven dollars and fifty cents ;.
N. and N. H. Johnson and Joshua D. Austin, five dollars each ; John P.
Wilkinson, the same as James Dunlap & Co. ; Archibald T. Hite, Joseph
M. Fairfield, William Hunter, and Davenport & Henderson, each five
dollars ; Hook & Wish wall and James P. Coddington & Co., seven dollars
and fifty cents each, and Gillett & Gordon, fifteen dollars, making a total
amount received that day from this source, ninety-seven dollars and fifty
cents. Tavern licenses had by this time raised, as we find F. C. Maupin
was charged eleven dollars to open such a house on Apple Creek, and
five dollars to " vend merchandise therein."
By an act of the legislature, approved April 23, 1831, James Green,
John Henderson, and Joseph Cloud were appointed commissioners " to
survey and lay out" a State road from Henderson's Grove in Montgomery
County to Jacksonville, and afterwards John Green and Abraham Vance
were appointed to lay out this road through the county to Naples on the
river. This road was reviewed from Jacksonville to Naples by Abraham
Vance, John Green, and Alexander Wells, and thereby finally established.
Throughout the county's existence its several acts as a corporate body
have been similar to those narrated, being changed as the exigencies
required, and as the increase in population, wealth, and commerce
demanded. The county is yet under the old form of government, the
township form not being adopted. Three commissioners comprise the
County Court, and attend to all business relating to the commonwealth..
The political history of Morgan County would be incomplete without
a list of its officers. It is here given as furnished by the Secretary of
State :
A LIST OF THE COUNTY OFFICERS OF MORGAN COUNTY
FROM 1823 TO 1877.
)ATE OF COMMISSION.
February 15, 1823, .
" L7, "
ipril 2, 1823, . . .
u u u
Fanuary 15, 1824, .
' 29
September 3, 1824, .
October 1, 1824, .
Fanuary 10, 1825,
" 18, "
u u u
Recorder, ....
Probate Judge,
Sheriff, . . .
Coroner, ....
Probate Judge, . .
Surveyor, ....
Coroner, ....
Sheriff, ....
Surveyor, ....
Public Administrator,
Probate Judge, . .
NAMES.
Dennis Rockwell.
Milton Ladd, Bes &?| d f|C
Willi Green.
James Deaton.
Aron Wilson.
Johnson Shelton.
James Deaton.
Jos. M. Fairfield.
John Shelton.
Jonathan Sweet, Sr.
A. Wilson.
264
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
DATE OF COMMISSION.
June 8, 1825, . .
January 23, 1826,
September 28, 1826,
December 11, 1826,
September 11, 1828,.
tt tt
March 28, 1829, .
August 21, 1830,
September 2, 1830,
February 12, 1831,
August 20, 1832, .
tt u tt
" 22, 1834, .
November 7, 1834,
August 17, 1835, .
tt tt U
September 11, 1837,
September 5, 1838,
August 23, 1838, .
28, 1839,
" 17, "
tt It tt
December 9, 1839,
" 31, "
August 13, 1840, .
tt tt 1.1.
August 6, 1842, .
" 11, "
March 4, 1843, . .
August 18, 1843,
u u
" 23, "
October 19, 1843, .
August 12, 1844,
tt tt it
August 9, 1845, .
tt U it
" 15,
" 22, 1846,
" 27, "
tt u tt
February 8, 1847, .
August 11, 1847,
41 It it
August 22, 1848,
" 23 "
November'30, 1849,
OFFICE.
Surveyor, .
M
Coroner, .
Sheriff, .
Coroner, ....
Public Administrator,
Coroner, ....
Sheriff, ....
Public Administrator,
Sheriff,
Coroner, ....
Sheriff,
Coroner, ....
Surveyor, ....
Recorder, . . .
Probate Justice, .
Sheriff, ....
Coroner, ....
Probate Justice,
Recorder, ....
Surveyor, ....
Coroner, ....
Surveyor, ....
Sheriff,
Coroner, ....
Sheriff, ....
Public Administrator,
Recorder, ....
Surveyor, ....
Probate Justice,
Recorder, ....
Sheriff, ....
Coroner, ....
Sheriff, ....
Surveyor, ....
Coroner,
Sheriff,
Public Administrator,
Sheriff,
Coroner, ....
Public Administrator,
Surveyor, ....
Recorder, ....
Sheriff, . . . . .
Coroner, ....
County Judge, . .
Clerk County Court,
Surveyor, ....
NAMES.
Johnston Shelton.
tt a
Philip Aylsworth.
Willi B. Green. *
Sam'l T. Matthews.
William Jarred.
Murry McConnell.
Wm. Jarred.
Sam'l T. Matthews.
Murry McConnell.
William O'Rear.
Jesse W. Redding.
William O'Rear.
Anthony Arnolds.
Johnson Shelton.
J. M. McKinney.
Matthew Stacy.
A. Dunlap.
Anthony Arnold.
D. P. Henderson.
James McKinney.
A. W. Sweet.
E. A. Mears.
Henry Saunderson.
Ira Davenport.
Robert S. Anderson.
Sam'l Q. Reaugh.
Alex. Dunlap.
Geo. McHenry.
T M T n
d. 1V1. l^U
Johnson Shelton.
Matthew Stacy.
J. M. Lucas.
William Grees. ^
James Holmes.
Ira Davenport.
W. B. Warren.
D. C. Creamer.
Ira Davenport.
John W. Evans.
Ira Davenport.
D. C. Creamer.
John W. Evans.
Geo. M. Richards.
James Maxwell.
Ira Davenport.
David C. Creamer.
James Berdan.
G. A. Dunlap.
Harvey Rout.
Resigned Septem-
berl2, 1843.
HISTOEY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
265
DATE OF COMMISSION.
Elected Sept. 4, 1848,
November 20, 1850, .
OFFICE.
lb U
10, 1851, .
23, 1852,
" 25, 1853, .
K bb bb
b( bb u
(( bb d
December 24, 1853, .
November 14, 1854, .
U bb bb
13, 1855, .
10, 1856,
u bb u
" 14, "
21, 1857, .
(( bb bb
" 19, " .
" 21, "
January 6, 1858, .
November 18, 1858,
" 30, "
1859,
it
March 13, 1860, .
November 14, 1860,
it d (b
" 19, 1861,
bb bb (b
December 2, 1862,
" 16, "
November 18, 1863,
December 1, 1864,
it it u
November 18, 1865,
19, 1866,
24, "
Clerk Circuit Court,
Sheriff, ......
Coroner, ....
Surveyor, ....
Sheriff, ....
Coroner, ....
Clerk Circuit Court,
County Clerk, . .
County Justice,
County Judge, . .
County Surveyor,
School Commissioner,
Sheriff,
Coroner, ....
Surveyor, ....
Sheriff, . ...
Coroner, ....
Circuit Clerk, . .
County Judge, . .
County Justice, . .
County Clerk, . .
Assessor and Treasurer,
School Commissioner,
County Surveyor,
Surveyor,
Coroner, ....
Treasurer and Assessor,
School Commissioner,
County Surveyor, .
Sheriff,
Coroner, ....
County Judge, . .
County Justice,
County Clerk, . .
County Surveyor,
Sheriff, ....
Coroner, ....
Circuit Clerk, . .
School Commissioner,
County Treasurer, .
County Surveyor,
Circuit Clerk, . .
Sheriff,
County Judge, .
County Clerk,
Sheriff,
Coroner, ....
NAMES.
Charles Hardin.
Jonathan Neeley.
Timothy Chamberlain.
Harvey Rout.
Martin H. Cassell.
Timothy Chamberlain, Jr.
Charles Hardin.
Matt. Stacy.
I. R. Bennett.
I. R. Duncan.
Jas. Berdan.
.Geo. M. Richards.
W. Catlin.
Cyrus Mathews.
James Mitchell.
Chas. Packard.
Chas. Sample.
James E. Mitchell.
Charles Hardin.
Jos. J. Cassell.
Geo. B. Waller.
A. J. Thompson.
Matthew Stacy.
Wm. G. Johnson.
Newton Batemau.
Wm. S. McPherson.
I. S. Hicks.
John Selby.
Thos. J. Caldwell.
Jno. T. Springer.
Zenos F. Moody.
Edward Scott.
Sam'l S. Davis.
S. S. Duncan.
Stephen Dunlap.
Nathan Hart.
John Trabue.
Wm. S. McPherson.
A. J. Bradshaw.
E. C. Drew.
B. F. Bristow, toflll a vacancy .
Sam'l M. Martin.
James H. Laston.
W. S. McPherson.
Stephen Sutton.
Smith M. Palmer.
H. G. Whittock.
John Trabue.
S. L. Moore.
Field Sample.
266
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
DATE OF COMMISSION.
November 13, 1868,
16, "
13, "
16, 1869,
December 8, "
" 22 "
November 16, 1870,
" 17, "
December 2, 1870,
May 7, 1872, . . .
" 13, " . .
November 19, 1872, .
29, "
26, 1873, .
" 19 "
Elected Nov. '4, 1873,
January 22, 1874,
November 12, 1874, .
10, 1875,
u u
16, 1876, '
24, " .
13, "
21, " .
13,
10, 1877 .
OFFICE.
Circuit Clerk, .
Sheriff,
Coroner,
Circuit Clerk, -
County Judge,
Associate Justice,
Geo. W. Clark.
Isaac S. Sierer.
John H. Gruber.
Geo. W. Clark.
Edward Scott.
Samuel Wood.
Job W. English.
John Trabue.
W. S. McPherson.
County Clerk, . .
Surveyor,
School Commissioner, S. M. Martin.
Sheriff, Benj. Pyatt.
Coroner,
Surveyor,
Treasurer, . . .
Surveyor,
Coroner, .
Sheriff, ....
States Attorney,
Circuit Clerk, .
County Judge, .
County Clerk,
School Com., . .
11 " 1 year,
tc ti 2 "
4. U _<"> it
Henry Lawler.
C. C. Bobbins.
W. H. Wright.
Chas. B. Lewis.
Michael Karney.
W. H. Bradwell.
H. O. Cassell.
Jo. W. Caldwell.
Edward P. Kirby.
Samuel M. Martin.
Henry Higgins.
Dan'l Deitrick, com .
James H. Devore.
John Virgin.
Dan'l Deitrick.
II U g II
Sheriff, Irvin Dunlap.
Coroner, .... Theo. Allen.
Treasurer, .... W. H. Wright.
Surveyor, .... W. H. Rowe.
Circuit Clerk, . . . John N. Marsh.
States Attorney, . Jas. N. Brown.
Sheriff, Irvin Dunlap.
Coroner, .... Philip Braun.
County Commissioner, John Virgin.
" Judge, . . Edward P. Kirby.
" Clerk, . . Benj. R. Upham.
" Treasurer, . W. H. Wright.
" Superintendent, Henry Higgins.
" Commissioner, D. H. Lollis.
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 267
PAST AND PRESENT.
" Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to min' ?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And days o" lang syne ? "
On a beautiful autumnal afternoon, in the month of September, 1869, a
large concourse of people gathered to witness the dedication of Diamond
Grove Cemetery. On reaching the cemetery, the company gathered about
a fine monument standing near the entrance. It is of white Italian
marble, with a square base about three feet in diameter, and about three
feet high above the pedestal to the shaft, which is of the same material
ind eight feet in height, surmounted with a wreath, making the whole
leight of the monument, from the foundation to the top of the shaft,
thirteen feet. It is the first monument which strikes the visitor as he
mters the enclosure, and its historic inscriptions at once explain the fact
that the cemetery itself bears the same name given it by the first pioneers
)f the county. On the eastern base of the monument appears the follow
ing inscription :
ISAAC FORT ROE,
SON OF
REV. OZEL ROE, OF WOODBRIDGE, N. J.,
Left New York for the West October 15, 1819, settled in
DIAMOND GROVE,
In February, 1820, Died October 12, 1821,
AGED FORTY-EIGHT YEARS.
ROE.
The inscription on the western side reads :
1869.
ERECTED BY THE COUMTY OF MORGAN,
TO THE MEMORY OK
ISAAC FORT ROE,
One of three first settlers, and the first person
who died in this county.
Facing the drive- way, on the north side of the monument, is a
bass-relief representation of him who sleeps beneath, in his pioneer
Iress, with rifle on his left arm, and broad-ax in his right hand, while in
the distance the pioneer's cabin is seen.
On the south side of the monument the following historical sketch
engraved : " An emigration society in the city of New York, October
12, 1819, appointed David Berdan, Isaac Fort Roe, and George Nixon, to
explore the Western States and select places of settlement for its members.
They left the city October 15, 1819, crossed the Wabash at Vincennes
December 26, passed and named Diamond Grove January 23, 1820, in
which he selected a place of residence, and in February built a log cabin
and became one of the first three settlers in the county."
Among the audience assembled were those who knew Mr. Roe, and
mid testify to the facts narrated. Dr. Chandler, who attended him in
268 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
his last illness, and Mr. Huram Reeve, who had in his possession the
nails used in making the linn-tree-coffin for Mr. Roe, were there.
After appropriate exercises dedicating the cemetery and the monu-
ment, Judge William Thomas read the following paper, prepared by him
from facts, many of which were obtained from the journal of Mr. Berdan,.
furnished by his son, Judge Berdan:
" On the twelfth of October, 1819, a society was organized in the
city of New York by the name of the New York Emigration Society,
of which George D. Cooper was secretary, the object of which was to
provide for the exploration of such parts of the United States as might
be adjudged desirable, and obtain information for the benefit of persons-
intending to remove to those States. David Berdan (the father of our
Judge James Berdan), Isaac Fort Roe, and George Nixon, were appointed
the exploring committee, who were required to proceed to Buffalo, and
from thence to and through the upper part of the State of Ohio, and
through the States of Indiana and Illinois, on such routes as they might
determine, and return by way of Pittsburg and Easton to the city of
New York. The committee was required to purchase one section or two
half sections, and the fractional part of one or more sections in the States
of Ohio, Indiana, or Illinois, on some large creek or navigable river, 160
acres of which was to be laid out in village lots, four to the acre, including
streets, and the residue in lots of five acres including roads and pass-
ways. The committee was also authorized to purchase as many quarter
sections of land as might be subscribed for, adjoining the land required to
be laid out in village and out-lots. Eighty-five dollars were advanced
to pay the first installment to the Government, and the expense of
purchase. No member of the society was allowed to subscribe for more
than ten village lots, two out-lots, and four quarter sections of land. The
price of village lots was fixed at two dollars each, and of out-lots at
twelve dollars each. The committee left New York on the 15th of
October, 1819, and traveling by the routes required, reached Vincennes on
the 20th of December, the ground being covered with snow, which had
fallen the previous night to the depth of nine inches. They crossed the
Wabash River on the 20th ; crossed the Mississippi River on the ice -to
St. Louis on the 31st, leaving their horses at ' Boullard's Inn,' in Illinois.
On the 5th day of January, 1820, they visited Edwardsville, where they
remained in consequence of rain and continued snow storms, until the
12th, when they left for the mouth of the Illinois River. That day they
reached Judge Lofton's, in what is now Jersey County. The next day
the judge accompanied them to the mouth of the Illinois, and they
returned to his house that night. The next morning it was snowing
violently, yet, notwithstanding the severity of the weather, the parties
set out for the Sangamon country, and at four o'clock p. m. reached
Hammon's, on one of the head branches of Macoupin Creek. ' This,'
says the journal, ' proved a severe day for us, as the storm raged violently
throughout the same. Hammon's house being in a very unfinished state
rendered our situation very uncomfortable during the night. The floor
we laid on before the fire was in a very unfinished state, and the stormy
wind passing between the logs of the cabin annoyed us greatly.' The
next day they reached the house of Isaac Keys, distant forty miles,
' situated in the edge of the timber land, on the east side of Sugar Creek,
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 269
about a mile below the mouth of Lick Fork.' That night they were
visited again by a violent storm which continued through the next day,
which being the Sabbath, the parties remained indoors. Starting on
January 12th, they passed the heads of branches by a circuitous route to
Brown's, on Lick Creek. From here, with Brown for a pilot, they passed
around the heads of streams emptying into the Sangamon and Illinois
Rivers, to Seymour Kellogg's, between Indian Creek and the Mauvaisterre.
From here they passed the heads of the south branches of this creek to
the timber of Sandy Creek, and from thence, pursuing a western course,
they, on the 23d of January, 1820, passed this grove which they named
' Diamond Grove.' Continuing southwest they reached a small camp,
recently entered by Stephen Olmstead, near what was formerly called
Swinerton's Point, at the base of the mound on which Mr. Adam Allison
now resides. This mound being covered with hickory, they named it
'Hickory Grove.'
" They spent the night at this camp. The next day they set out, with
Mr. Olmstead as a guide, the snow eighteen inches deep, for the mouth of
the Mauvaisterre. They reached the hills and bluffs of that stream about
three o'clock p. m., when their guide informed them ' that he had missed
the way, and knew not where he was or how much farther they had to go
to arrive at the mouth of the creek.' They then returned to the camp,
where they remained that night. With reference to the region of country
passed over between Kellogg's and the mouth of the Mauvaisterre and its
supposed outlet, the journalist says : ' It appears as if nature intended
this point as the grand outlet of this most fertile of all counties lying east
of it, and which will in due time become the most populous and wealthy
section in the United States.'
" From this camp the party returned to Kellogg's, and from thence, by
a circuitous route, through snow twenty inches deep, they arrived at
Key's, where they remained during the night, and from this place they
traveled the prairies between the streams running into the Sangamon
River ; crossed the river on the ice a short distance below the junction of
.the north and south forks, and after exploring the country north and
south of the river, they returned to Mr. Key's, and then by a circuitous
route, passing the heads of creeks and branches, they returned to Edwards-
ville, where they remained until the 7th of February, when they sepa-
rated. Messrs. Berdan and Nixon started for New York, Mr. Roe for the
' Diamond Grove,' the place selected for the future residence of himself
and such of his friends as might be induced to follow him.
" In this month of February he put up a log cabin for his residence,
and subsequently made a small improvement. His earthly home was in
this grove until October 12th, 1821, when, at the age of forty-eight
years, he departed to that world of spirits to which we are all hastening.
He was the son of the late Dr. Ozel Roe, of Woodbridge, New Jersey.
Dr. Chandler, his attending physician, in a recent letter says : ' He was
a man of highly cultivated mind, of religious tastes and habits, and of
gently, pious character.' Referring to his burial, he says : ' There was
not a plank to be had to make a coffin. Judge Wilson and others cut a
tree, split out puncheons, hewed and planed them, and made as yood a
coffin as they could under the circumstances. He had no relations to
mourn his loss ; no sermon was preached, no prayers were said, scarcely
D
270 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
a word was spoken ; but silent and sad we deposited his remains in the
grave.'
" Mr. Roe had never been married. He had been a merchant in the city
of New York, and, having sustained a heavy loss by failures of customers,
reducing his means below what he thought essential to success in busi-
ness, he came West. His companions, David Berdan and George Nixon,
also merchants, had been more fortunate ; their losses during the crash
of 1818 and 1819 had not so reduced their capital as to make it necessary
to seek new places of business.
"Now, to perpetuate the memory of Mr. Roe as one of the first
settlers in the county, the first in this grove, and the first to die in the
limits of the present Counties of Morgan, Cass, and Scott, and the fact
connected with his settlement and death, Messrs. Joseph Morton, Huram
Reeve, Judge Whitelock, and myself, acting by appointment of the
County Court, have caused this monument to be erected."
This narrative states that Mr. Roe was one of the first three settlers
in the county. He was said to be the first to erect a log cabin therein,
but had been preceded by two others. They were Seymour and Elisha
Kellogg, who probably erected what is known as rail-pen cabins. These
two had penetrated to the territory, now comprising Morgan County, in
the Autumn of 1819, and had a camp at the grove where they were found
by the three explorers, to whom they furnished corn for their horses, and
shelter for -themselves. One of them also piloted the adventurers to
Mauvaisterre Creek, but, as the narrative shows, became bewildered, and
the entire party returned to the camp. Jeddediah Webster, a soldier of
the war of 1812, who passed up the Illinois River to the mouth of
Mauvaisterre Creek, often spoke of assisting to build the first cabin in
this county referring to the one built by Mr. Roe. This assertion being
true, there were in the Winter of 1819-'20, in the confines of the three
counties often alluded to in these pages, all of whom afterwards were
included in Morgan County, four settlers. They were the Kelloggs, Mr.
Roe and Mr. Webster. It was during the Spring of 1820 that the first
ground was broken here for the purpose of cultivation. During the same
Spring the following persons are known to have located in this then
western wilds : John and William Wyatt, Isaac Reeve, James B. Grain,
Isaac Dial, Thomas Smith, James Deaton, Robert James, Jesse Ruble,
Ancil Cox, Joseph Buchanan, Samuel Scott, Isaac Edwards, Archibald
Job, Stephen Olmstead, Michael Arthur, James Buckley, Aaron Wilson,
and Isaac Smith. Mr. Reeve settled on Sandy, southwest of the
Diamond Grove on what has since been known as the Deed's farm. Being
a blacksmith he brought with him his anvil, hammers, and bellows. As
the season advanced and the plows of the infant settlements began to
need sharpening, Mr. Reeve extemporized a blacksmith shop, the first in
the county, in the open air. His anvil was fastened to a stump and his
bellows to two saplings, his forge being a very primitive affair. To this
shop the neighbors, though many of them lived miles away, came to
get their little jobs of smithing done. It has been claimed by some of
the early residents about Winchester, in Scott County, then a part of
Morgan, that their date of settlement precedes that of the settlers already
named. This is evidently an error, as Mr. James Gilham, one of the
oldest residents there, in a recent conversation with Mr. Huram Reeve,
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 271
narrates the fact of coming from that settlement on horseback carrying
two plow shears to Mr. Reeve's airy shop for the purpose of having them
sharpened. He remarked to Mr. Huram Reeve that he would not have
done this had there been a shop in his own immediate neighborhood.
Of the settlers we have named Messrs. John and William Wyatt
settled on land now occupied by Alexander Edgemon. Mr. Deaton and
his son Lewis made their claim about four miles northwest of the
present city of Jacksonville, on the Meredosia road. Mr. James settled
in the same neighborhood. During the same Spring, 1820, but somewhat
later, settlements were made in two other neighborhoods. Mr. Swin-
erton, Mr. Olmstead, and Mr. Pierce, fixed their location and com-
menced improvement at Olmstead's Mound, now known as Allison's
Mound ; and on the north fork of the Mauvaisterre settlements were made
by Samuel Scott, and Seymour and Elisha Kellogg. The latter settled
on the north side of the creek, and the first improvements were com-
menced on what is now known as the Huffaker place, by Isaac Edwards.
Mr. Buchanan settled near the head of the south fork of the Mauvaisterre.
The same Spring Mr. Roberts and his sons settled at Island Grove. The
Kelloggs with their families, being the first permanent settlers within
what is now Morgan County, deserve a more extended notice. When
the erection of the monument to the memory of Isaac Fort Roe, took
place, it was supposed that he was one of the first three settlers in the
territory of which we are writing. He was one of the three explorers
passing through this region, as narrated in the article of Judge Thomas,
and was the third settler in the present limits of the county. Mrs. Min-
erva Richards, now living in Jacksonville, a daughter of Ambrose Collins,
distinctly remembers the settlement of the Kelloggs. She states that in
the Summer of 1818, her father, a native of Ontario County, New York,
left his home with his family, a few articles of household furniture
and provisions enough to last some time, came with two wagons to the
Alleghany River, above its junction with the Susquehanna, where he
procured a flat-boat on which he embarked his possessions, and proceeded
down the Ohio River. His designation was the southern part of Illinois.
On the way down the river he fell in with Seymour and Elisha Kellogg,
who with their families were proceeding in a similar conveyance to the
same destination. Mr. Collins and Seymour Kellogg had been acquainted
in their native State. The latter had been a Colonel in the war of 1812,
and was known by that title. At Shawneetown they disembarked and
proceeded in their wagons to. Carmi, on the little Wabash River. They
remained here during the winter, and the following summer. Early in
the Autumn of 1819 they loaded their effects again into their wagons,
and went oh westward to Edwardsville. Here Mr. Collins was taken
sick and was compelled to remain through the winter. The Messrs.
Kellogg with their families and Charles Collins, a son of Ambrose
Collins, with their teams, some cattle and provisions for the winter,
started for the Sangamo country. They followed a more northern route
than that generally adopted by emigrants. Their only guide was the
compass and a few indistinct trails, made by the roving Indians or adven-
turous bee hunters. Late in the Fall of 1819, they arrived near the head
B" Mauvaisterre Creek, erected two cabins arid made provisions for the
inter, now rapidly approaching. The country lay about them in all its
272 HISTORY OF MOKGAK COUNTY.
native wildness. No signs of life were seen, save foot-prints in the brown
paths, worn by Indian feet ; and the shy, frightened birds, squirrels, or
deer, that darted away into the wildwood, at the approach of the
emigrants. No foot of white men save that of the adventurous scout, or
wandering hunter, had pressed the sod of these wild prairies, or roamed
through the trackless forests. Mauvaisterre Creek had not known the
abode of a white man. Anxious to build homes where they could rest
secure, and where they could gather the fruits of a life-time, these
pioneers braved the dangers of a frontier life and founded their homes
where now are :
" spacious mansions firm and strong,
In place of forests dark and dense:
And now instead of underbrush
Runs many a line of even fence.
" But times will change ! The verdant hills
Are covered o'er with growing grain;
And white men till the fertile soil,
Where once the red man used to reign.
" The Indian's voice is hushed and still ;
Existing but in Mem'ry's hall,
Where now with echoes of the Past
We hear his war-whoop rise and fall ! "
The winter of 1819 and '20 proved to be an unusually severe one.
The long grass of the prairies had been destroyed by fires lighted by the
Indians or hunters, and much of the undergrowth in the woods was
destroyed by the same element. Before the close of the winter, the
provisions gathered by them for their stock, from places where it had
escaped the ravages of the fire, gave out and they were compelled to cut
down trees, from the boughs of which the cattle and horses could procure
a scanty supply of food. Many of these wandered away and were lost,
while several of them died from the effects of cold and hunger. The
supply of food for themselves and families proved to be sufficient, yet
their suffering from the cold was often intense. Mr. Seymour Kellogg
in his search for some of his stock, one* bitterly cold night, lost his way
and saved his life only by walking vigorously between two trees standing-
several rods apart. He did not dare to leave this track during the night
for fear of being irrecoverably lost. He did not know how far he
was from either his own or his brother's cabin.- On the appearance of
day-light, he found himself about two miles from the latter place, to
which he immediately repaired. His feet were badly frozen during the
night, making him a cripple for several months.
Early in the spring Charles Collins returned to Edwardsville with his
wagon and team, to aid his father, should he be sufficiently recovered, in
bringing his family to the new settlement. It was just before his start to
Edwardsville that the three explorers, whose names and explorations we
have already recorded, came,, and one of them, Mr. Roe, settled at the
place to which he gave the name " Diamond Grove." Mr. Collins with
his family started on their journey about the first of March. On the way
they were compelled to camp out two nights, there being no settlers be-
tween Edwardsville and their destination. On their arrival, they re-
mained one night with Seymour Kellogg, and then went to an unfinished
cabin, erected by Mr. Olmstead, who had been exploring this country,
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 273
and had built the cabin entered temporarily by Mr. Collins. The location
not being a desirable one, Mr. Collins selected his claim, erected a cabin
thereon as soon as possible, and moved his family to it. When Mr. Olm-
stead returned with his family, he was not satisfied with the claim he had
selected, and chose another, afterwards known as " Olmstead Mound,"
where he made his permanent home. In 1820 Dr. George Caldwell, the
first physician in the county, located.
We have now fully described the earliest settlement in what is now
Morgan County. We have also stated the names of others who came
here during the spring of 1820, and noted the places of their settlement.
We have described at some length the settlement of the Kelloggs
Charles Collins being then a young man, not making a claim or founding
a home for himself, can hardly be termed one of the early settlers because
they were the first settlers of the county, and deserve more than a pass-
ing notice. The information can be relied on as correct, as Mrs. Richards
distinctly remembers the emigration and settlement of these families.
These and the other pioneers came from the southern part of the
State, generally about Edwardsville, where some had remained but a short
time on their journey to a western home. They came in emigrant wagons
over the unbroken prairies, through the wild forests, fording unbridged
streams, and encamping wherever the shades of night overtook them.
They were seeking a home that in old age would afford them protection
and comfort. Upon reaching their destination, their first care was the
erection of a cabin in which to shelter themselves and their families. As
these primitive abodes were generally built alike by all pioneers, we will
note hastily their manner of construction. A site was generally selected
under the shelter of the timber, near a spring or running stream. And
/ soon " the ax rang sharply 'mid those forest shades which, from creation,
toward the sky had towered, in unshorn beauty." Suitable trees were
selected, which, after being felled, were cut into proper lengths with the
ax. The lengths, after being split open with the maul and wedge, were
rived into clapboards, to be used in covering the cabins. These boards
were held to their places on the roof by weight-poles laid on them as
each layer was placed, the eave-pole being pinned fast, and each succeed-
ing weight-pole up to the comb being kept from slipping toward the eave
by blocks placed at each end and in the center between them. The rail
cabin being raised and covered, a door was cut out, jams pinned on, and
a clapboard door made and hung with wooden or leather hinges, to be
fastened, when closed, with a latch or pin. Dry grass was then collected
for under bedding, clapboards fastened over the cracks, or bed-quilts
hung up over the walls to keep out the wind and rain. The next pro-
ceeding was to mark out the boundaries of each claim, each settler being
entitled, under the rules of the frontier, to so much land as he thought
he could pay for when the land came into market. The claim lines were
marked by blazing the trees through the timber with an ax, and driving
stakes into the ground at short distances over the prairie. The lines
thus established were respected by new comers, and if they did not hap-
pen to correspond with the government surveys when made, the claim title
of the settler to parcels cut off or divided was not affected, and transfers
were often made between neighbors after the land had been entered, in
order to make the old claim lines good to each particular owner. The
274 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
next step was to mark out five or ten acres of ground in the young tim-
ber skirting the prairie, as a patch for the first crop of corn. The timber
land was selected as being better fitted for immediate cultivation, and
more easily broken than the tough, wild prairie sod. The work of making
rails for fencing was now commenced, to be followed by the clearing,
grubbing, and breaking of the ground, and planting of the crop. The
corn having been planted in the fresh soil, required but little further at-
tention for some time, enabling the settler to finish his fencing, which was
usually done at this period and during the intervals of working the crop.
This was the experience of the pioneer settlers of Morgan County during
the first season.
The settlers mentioned as locating in 1820, brought with them suffi-
cient provision to last them until the crop could be gathered. It happened
however, that Mr. Deaton and his son exhausted their supply of corn meal
and bacon sometime about the first of June, compelling them to leave
their partly made crop and travel a distance of eighty-five miles, to Ed-
wardsville, to renew their supply. The journey was made chiefly at
night, to avoid the greenhead flies of the prairie, which would, in the day
time, almost bleed a team to death. Shaping their course by the stars,
and without a road or trail, they started on the trip provisionless. Their
first camping place was on Apple Creek. The country had been pretty
well cleared of game by the Indians, but here they were fortunate
enough to kill a squirrel, which they roasted at their camp fire. During
the next day they succeeded in killing a deer near where the town of
Jerseyville now stands, and thus they were enabled to reach Edwards-
ville in excellent condition and good spirits. They returned with a
sufficient quantity of provisions to last until their crop of corn was
gathered. Although, at this period, game was exceedingly scarce, having
been killed out or driven off by the Indians, bees were abundant, and in
the fall, after the corn crop had been made, the first settlers reaped a rich
harvest in honey and wax, the latter constituting at that time, in connec-
tion with furs, the circulating currency of the frontier. Successful bee
hunters would often find a half dozen or more bee trees in one day. In
later years Mr. Wyatt is known to have found twelve bee trees in one day.
The wax, when a sufficient quantity was collected, was taken to Edwards-
ville, or St. Louis, and bartered for articles of household use. Wax or
coon skins was about the only money in use among the settlers. Diamond
Grove was a favorite resort for bees, the luxuriant prairies abounding with
wild flowers afforded them a rich field from which to gather their stores.
Honey was commonly used to sweeten tea and coffee, and, until maple
sugar was made, was indeed the only article kept by the settlers for such
purposes. The common query of the good housewife now is, "do you
take sugar in your tea or coffee?" Then it was, do you take honey in
your tea or coffee ? If the land did not flow with milk and honey it cer-
tainly abounded with the latter, and to the settlers was an article greatly
prized.
As the new corn began to harden it was made into coarse meal for
family use by rubbing the ear on a tin grater until the grains were rasped
off close to the cob. Of this meal bread, very sweet and palatable, was
made. -The work of grating was very laborious, and the youngsters of that
day would often spend an unwilling evening hour in preparing meal on this
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 275
old grater for the family use. Late in the autumn, after the corn became
hard enough to grind, Isaac Fort Roe and Jedediah Webster con-
structed a hand mill at " Diamond Grove," to which the settlers repaired
to grind their corn. Like all other mills of this class it was quite prim-
itive in its construction. Two stones of the kind known as " lost
stones," some two feet in diameter were procured; these were dressed into
mill-stone shape and a hole drilled in the center of the one intended for the
upper stone, which, by an ingenious contrivance, was made to revolve on
the lower. A hole was drilled in the upper side of the top stone, near
the outer edge, into which a short handle was inserted. By this means
it was revolved the same as a common mill-stone. While the stone was
turned with the right hand, the left was used in slowly pouring the corn
into the center hole. When the corn was ground it worked its way out
from between the stones, where it was caught in a vessel used for that
purpose. If the grater required strength and tired its operator, the hand
mill was little better in this regard. It would, however, grind much more
rapidly and produce a finer quality of meal. This mill could be changed
into a horse mill by fixing it firmly between two posts and attaching a
sweep to it. Another contrivance for making meal was the mortar; this
was made by burning or excavating the end of a stump or log. As the
hole in the stump or log became deeper, it was narrowed until it came to
a point. A pestle was made to fit closely into this aperture; in the end of
the pestle an iron wedge was fixed. When the pestles were made of
great weight they were attached to a sweep, made like a well sweep; by
this means they could be raised and dropped into the mortars. Meal 1 was
made in this manner by simply breaking or pounding the corn until it
was thoroughly pulverized. The mortar in this country was probably
the invention of the Indians, as it was in use when discovered by the
white men. The hand mill is spoken of in the Bible, and is probably as
old as the world.
After the hand mill and mortar came the hoi'se mill, made after
various plans, which, in its day, was considered a great improvement on
its primitive predecessors. During the first years of the settlement of
Morgan County, the pioneers of that time, did they desire better accommo-
dations than that furnished at Diamond Grove, were compelled to go
to Edwardsville, eighty-five miles away. The settlers were greatly
dependent on each other during this period, and were noted for their
hospitality and kindness toward one another and to strangers. Their
latch strings were always out, and though frugal their fare and humble
their accommodations no one was ever allowed to go away hungry or
uncared for. Long journeys would have to be made to procure tools to
use in their daily avocations. It was not uncommon for men to go fifteen
or twenty miles for an iron wedge, an ax, a chain, or any such articles
when needed.
The rail cabins built by the settlers afforded shelter only during the
summer months. After the corn and other crops were well cultivated
and laid by, as the settlers termed it, each one made preparation to erect
for himself a comfortable log cabin. Logs of the proper length were
chopped, puncheons and clap-boards were split, and necessary prepara-
tions made to erect these frontier habitations. As the manner of
constructing these cabins has been described in the article on Agriculture,
276 HISTOKY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
printed elsewhere in these pages, it is unnecessary to repeat the descrip-
tion here. The raising of these cabins was always the occasion of a
neighborhood gathering, each one of the pioneers deeming it not only a
duty but a pleasure to assist his neighbor in establishing a home. By the
time the crops were gathered all the pioneers we have mentioned were
provided with homes, and the settlement of Morgan County had become
a reality.
Aside from the settlers already mentioned, no others are known to
have settled here during the Summer of 1820. Late in the Autumn of
that year Mr. John Bradshaw visited the settlement, and marked out his
claim on what is now known as the "Chestnut" farm, lying a mile
southeast of the present city of Jacksonville. He did not, however,
remain during the winter or make any improvements until the following
spring, when he returned and began cultivating his claim.
Gen. Murray McConnell, a gentleman afterwards well known
throughout the county, and who has held many important offices of trust
in the State, also made his first visit to the new settlement in the Autumn
of 1820. He made his settlement on the place now owned and occupied
by Milton Riggs, Esq., in what is at present known as the Gilham Neigh-
borhood, within the present limits of Scott County, but did not commence
improvements or remove his family to his claim until the following spring.
Under date of July 11, 1867, Murray McConnell contributed to the
columns of the Jacksonville Sentinel, a highly interesting sketch,
descriptive of the valle} 7 of the Illinois River and its early settlement.
After some prefatory remarks he says :
" Take as one diversion of the State, the valley of the Illinois River,
including all the country drained by that stream and its tributaries :
then the reader can cast his eye over the map and see that said river
drains nearly one-third of the surface of the State, properly known as
central Illinois.
" You might say, without fear of successful contradiction, that a
more fertile and beautiful region of land of the same size, lying in one
body, can not be found on the continent of America. The river and its
tributaries pass from the east-north-east to the west-south-west, fully
across the State, draining about an equal amount of country on each side,
formed into long arms of beautiful, dry, rolling, fertile prairie lands, and
csfresponding lines of timber land, much narrower in width than the
prairie land, but so distributed as to be convenient to any section of
prairie land. The surface of the timber land is equally rolling and
healthful as the prairie ; and upon every section of the timber and prairie
living water may be had.
" This Illinois River is the central water line of the great upper
valley of the Mississippi. It lies and runs in a deeper groove in the earth
than any other river emptying into the Mississippi. The fortieth degree
of north latitude crosses it in Cass County, about midway of its course
across the State, and on that line of latitude the country rises as you
follow it east from this river to the Alleghany Mountains, and west to
the Rocky Mountains : there not being one spot of land or water on that
line east or west from that river that is not higher than the land near the
mouth of Indian Creek, near where the line of north latitude crosses the
river. As an evidence that this river lies deeper in the earth than any
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 277
other stream in the upper valley, it is known that it is the last river to
freeze at the beginning of winter, and the first to thaw in the spring,
among all the streams in the valley crossed by that line of latitude.
" This fact accounts for the total absence of extensive swamps and
morasses in the valley of this river, such as are found upon the upper
portion of the Wabash valley, in Indiana. The central hydraulic groove
is cut so deeply in the earth that all the adjacent country is drained ; yet
living springs of pure and healthful water abound in all its parts.
" Why so beautiful, rich, and. healthly a country should have remained
unsettled so long occupied only by savage men and wild beasts while
the sterile hills and rocks in the freezing climate of New England, and
some similar parts of the Middle States, became densely populated, is a
question which arises, but which I will leave others to solve, and will now
turn my attention to the history of the first settlement of the valley by
white men.
" It is known by those who have looked into this question, that the
first white inhabitants and Christian civilized people that located any-
where in the country now known as the State of Illinois, came in the
seventeenth century, from France, by way of Quebec and Montreal, up the
line of the lakes to Mackinaw, and up Lake Michigan across into the Illi-
nois River : all the way by water, and down that stream to the Mississippi,
and across the country and down the Wabash River, and formed the
settlements at Peoria, Kaskaskia, Kahokia, Dupro, Carondalet, and St.
Genevieve, on the Mississippi River, and Vincennes on the Wabash River.
" The French also afterward came by way of New Orleans. No set-
tlements worthy of note were made on this long line from Detroit to-
Kaskaskia with a view to a permanent location, for many years after these
last-named settlements were made. Trading-houses were established as
depots of commerce with the Indians at many places ; but no farms were
made and houses built with a view to a permanent settlement. The peo-
ple were traders, navigators, trappers and hunters, and were people with-
out homes, and were called by the French inhabitants ' voisseres.'*
" This was the situation of the inhabitants of the country in the year
1775, or about that time, when some French inhabitants from Kaskaskia,
being attracted by the beautiful lands on the western banks of Lake
Peoria, near a trading-house some distance above, where the city of Peoria
now is, made a permanent location with a view to building a village and
farming a common field to raise grain, which was the French mode of set-
tling the country. There was a tradition of there having been an earlier
ettlement, and as early as 1717 the King of France made a grant of all
he Mississippi country, including Illinois, to John Law ; and in 17*23 John
aw granted thirty thousand acres to one Phillip Renaults, which was
upposed to include this land on Lake Peoria, on the west side of the
Illinois River. But the calls of the grant were evidently written out by
a person who had never seen the country, and knew nothing about its
localities, and were so vague and uncertain that the grant never could be
located ; and consequently it is uncertain as to whether it included tliis
land or not, and consequently it is doubtful whether any settlement was
made here before 1775 by the French colony from Kaskaskia.
1 Whether the ancient settlement was made or not, it is certain that
*Voyageurs. There are evidently a few misstatements in this letter of Mr. McConnell's.
278 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
in 1775 one John Bapties Malet, and several other French families, made
a permanent settlement, and built houses and fenced and planted land at a
place above the present city of Peoria, and in 1778 a settlement was made
at the foot of the lake, where Peoria now stands.
" Those settlements were permanent, and continued until the war of
1812, at which time a large number of Americans, as they were called,
settled in the southern part of Illinois, opposite St. Louis, and south to the
mouth of the Ohio. The French people took very little interest in the war.
They were mostly traders, and spake the Indian language as well as they
spake English, and often better. The Indians were allies of the English, and
made war upon the Americans, but made no war upon the French. Thus
it came about that the French were charged with aiding the enemy, and
the French colony at Peoria was charged with furnishing the Indians
with powder, and lead, and guns, to murder the whites down on Wood
River, near where Alton now is ; the Indians having made a raid on that
settlement and murdered several families, which occurred in 1813.
" This induced Governor Edwards, who was governor under President
Madison, to send a couple of keel boats with a company of militia, all
Americans, up the Illinois River to Peoria. If the Indians and French
had been disposed, they could have captured these boats and the men in a
dozen places before they got to Peoria ; but the French people paid no
attention to the movement, and did not seem to know that they were
regarded as enemies.
" When the boats arrived at Peoria, Captain Craig did not land at
the village, but anchored out in the lake, and opened no correspondence
with the people on shore. During the night, some three or four guns
were fired from the shore, it was said at the boats, but nobody on board
was hurt ; nor was it known whether Indians or French fired the guns,
or whether they were fired at the boats. Be that as it may, Captain
Craig made that an excuse for hoisting anchor and landing a short dis-
tance above the village, and in the dark commenced an indiscriminate
slaughter upon the sleeping inhabitants of the town, killing many and
taking all the balance prisoners, and burning every house in town and
country. No American was hurt, nor was an Indian found in the country.
" The prisoners, women and children and all, were put on the boats
and taken to St. Louis in triumph. That was the end, for the time being,
of the Peoria settlement.
"When the Peoria settlement was destroyed, in 1813, no white inhabi-
tant was left residing in the valley of the Illinois River, or upon any of
its tributaries. There was then a small stockade, a garrison of a few
soldiers, and a few white settlers on the bank of Lake Michigan, where
Chicago now is. This settlement was broken up by the Indians, and
most of its inhabitants massacreed, that same year. This act at Peoria
was made an excuse for all sorts of British and Indian barbarities on the
Western frontier.
" I have given you a historj'- of the first settlement by civilized man in
the valley of the Illinois River the date of its beginning and its tragical
-end.
" I came to Illinois Territory in December, 1817, then a lad of sixteen
years, and I have been in or about Illinois ever since. I have seen its
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 279
growth, and have been duly informed by the progress of all the settle-
ments in the counties of the Illinois valley to this day.
" In 1819 I went up the Mississippi 'and Illinois Rivers from St. Louis.
I saw the burnt remains of the French settlement at Peoria. I went in
the same boat, which was loaded with furs and peltry, across the
country, from the Illinois River through the Oplain and Grass Lake into
Lake Michigan at the mouth of Chicago Bay, now called Chicago River,
where the great city of Chicago has since been built.
"At the mouth of that river we met the other boats, from Mackinaw,
loaded with Indian goods. We exchanged our furs, etc., for goods, and
our boat returned over the same route. We went back to St. Louis,
where, from some old papers I have, I find we landed on the 15th of
May, 1819."
About the same time that Gen. McConnell and Mr. Bradshaw settled
on their claims, the Rev. Samuel Bristow, a Baptist minister, brought a
colony, composed of the Box, Reid, Curlock, and Bosher, or Boyer, fam-
ilies. These were organized into a church, which is in all probability,
the first religious organization in what afterward became Morgan County.
This little colony settled about five miles northwest of the present city of
Jacksonville, in the vicinity of Box Creek, which derived its name from
one of the families who settled near its banks, on what now is known as the
McDonald farm. This Baptist Church continued in existence for many
years, but the organization has for some time been disbanded. The
preaching of the Rev. Samuel Bristow was probably the first religious
services of this kind, held in the settlements. The Methodist ministers
are generally found with the advent of settlements, and are almost
always among the pioneers, proclaiming the good news of salvation. It
is not definitely known whether any were here during the years of
1820 or '21. Mr. Huram Reeve, one of the earliest pioneers, and with
his two brothers, the only men now living in the county, who located
here in 1820, says, that the first Methodist preacher that he remembers
being in the settlement, was the Rev. Joseph Easy. Rev. Samuel
Thompson was the first presiding elder here, and held a camp meeting
on Walnut Creek, within the present limits of Scott County, in 1822 or
'23. Mr. Reeve remembers attending this camp-meeting, and thinks his
recollection is correct. Mr. Levi Deaton afterwards familiarly known
as " Father Deaton," in a letter to the Rev. Wm. Rutledge, of Jackson-
ville, in regard to this subject, says : " The first sermon preached in the
county, so far as I know, was by the Rev. John Glanville, at my father's
house, in 1822. A class was then organized, consisting of my father and
mother, and a brother named Johnson and his wife. The first quarterly
meeting, was held the same } r ear at Father Jourdan's father of John
and William Jourdan in the east part of Jacksonville. The first camp-
meeting in the county, was held on Walnut Creek, near Lynnville, by
Rev. Peter Cartright." At Father Jourdan's house, to which Mr.
Deaton refers, were held' the first meetings of this denomination in Jack-
sonville. The class formed there, grew into a church,which is now
known as the Centenary Methodist Church of that city. Mr. J. R. Bailey,
for seventeen years editor of the Illinois Sentinel, and afterwards of the
Illinois Courier, wrote a history of the first few years of the county,
which he published in his paper, several years since. In speaking of the
280 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
Methodist Church, he says : " The first preacher, Rev. Joseph Basy, of
the Methodist denomination, came into the settlement in 1821. He held
meetings and preached occasionally at the houses of the settlers, until a
regular circuit was established, a few years later."
The Cumberland Presbyterians were also among the pioneers in
religious organizations in the settlements. They had a camp-ground and
church six or eight miles northeast of Jacksonville, and here they main-
tained regular religious services for many years. No records of their
organization can now be found, nor can any one now living remember
the year when this church was founded. Mr. Huram Reeve remembers
they were holding camp-meetings in 1824, and thinks their organization
had been in existence but a short time. Others concur in this view,
although some maintain that this church is as old as any in the county.
The latter view is in all probability incorrect, for had such a church
existed in 1821 or '22, it would have been well remembered by the settlers
of that time. This church was probably organized about the year 1823,
and though it does not exist at present was one of the oldest in the
county.
The season of 1820 is remembered as being remarkably dry. One
of the settlers remembers that no considerable fall of rain occurred from
April, 1820, to the same date the following year. A good crop of corn and
other field products, owing to the natural richness of the soil, and the
heavy dews, was however grown. The next season considerable cotton
was raised, and a cotton gin erected by Mr. Johnson, on the farm now
owned by C. M. Dewey, Esq., on the Meredosia road. To this gin the
neighbors from far and near brought their raw cotton to have it ginned.
Esquire Sears, who with Mr. Johnson and some others settled early this
year, is reported to have raised one thousand pounds of cotton on four
acres. The cotton when woven with hemp or flax made an excellent
article of clothing. Until cotton and flax was raised the clothing of the
settlers in some cases gave out, and they were compelled to supply the
deficiency as best they could. Deer skins, when properly tanned, made a
good article of clothing, much worn by the early pioneers. As soon as
cotton and flax could be raised they were spun and woven into cloth by
the women, who used the spinning wheels, often brought from their former
homes, and the old-fashioned wooden loom. To have a good supply of
spun and woven articles with which to begin housekeeping was one of the
aims of the majority of the young ladies of that day ; and considering the
necessities of the times was an aim worthy of commendation. A
corresponding desire existed among the }^oung men to have a home in
readiness, and to be "a good provider."
During the spring of 1821, a storm occurred, in which a tree was
blown down upon the roof of the cabin of James Crane. The roof was
crushed in, and Mrs. Crane was badly injured. One of her arms was
broken and one shoulder was put out of place. The broken arm was set
by a man named Langworthy, but his limited medical knowledge did not
lead him to discover that the shoulder was out of place, and in consequence
Mrs. Crane remained ever afterward a cripple.
It was during the summer of 1 821, that Dr. Ero Chandler located and
began his practice. He erected his house and office on the ground now
occupied by the Grace M. E. Church, in Jacksonville. He proved a
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 281
useful man in his profession, and in after years accumulated considerable
property. It is related of him that he came into the settlement on a
broken down horse, and with but the single suit of clothes he was wearing.
When in his pedestrian visits to his patients his clothes were rent by
underbrush or briars, he was accustomed to borrow a needle and thread
and repair the damage himself. His medical fees would be regarded as
exceeding moderate these times, his charge for a visit made on foot and
not occupying a whole day being seventy-five cents. When the visit
occupied a day, and he had to borrow a horse to accomplish the distance,
his charge was a dollar. But the doctor prospered with the growth of
the country, and he afterward owned the eighty acres of ground in
Jacksonville on which the Academy stands, and on which Chandler's
Addition was platted, now occupied by many of the most valuable
residences in the city ; and by him the Rockwell House was built. His
memory is warmly cherished, and his usefulness remembered by the early
settlers.
" Point or Turn-round " Brown built the first tavern in the county
in 1821, at a place about seven miles south of the present county seat, on
what was then the St. Louis road, afterward the upper road. The ac-
commodations afforded by this tavern would not compare favorably with
those furnished by the hotels of to-day. The sleeping arrangements con-
sisted of two beds, one of which was occupied by Mr. and Mrs. Brown,
and the other a large square bedstead, in which the children slept. The
children were placed with their feet to the center and their heads out on
the four sides, thus enabling them to economize sleeping space. Trav-
elers of that day usually carried a few bed quilts with which they
*' turned in " on the floor ; but when a bed was called for at the tavern,
the old folks gave up their bed and crowded in with the children.
The first bridge in the county was built this Summer (1821) over the
Mauvaisterre Creek, at a place east of the city on the Springfield road,
where Rock bridge now stands, by Col. Joseph Morton, Mr. Levi Deaton
and a few others. The long sills intended to span the creek, were drawn
to the bank by cattle, and the work of getting them to their place was
accomplished by splicing together a sufficient length of log chain to reach
across the creek, one end being attached to the sill and the other stretched
to the opposite bank, where the oxen were hitched to it and the sill
drawn over to its place. Split puncheons were then pinned on the sills
for flooring, and the bridge was finished, to be used until the next flood
carried it off, when the work had to be repeated.
The section of country drained by streams heading in the Grand
Prairie, and emptying into the Illinois River between Alton and Peoria,
was known as the Sangamo* country. By this name it was known in
the South and East, and at the time of the settlement of the part comprised
in Morgan County, it was the destination of all emigrants to the central
or southern part of the State.
It must be remembered by the reader, that at the time of which
we are writing it was a part of Madison County, and that the State was
at this time but a few years old. It will also be borne in mind that in
*The word "Sangamo" is of Indian origin, and was given this country by the Potta-
watomies, as expressive of their idea of the country. It meant in their language " a land
where there is much plenty."
v
\
282 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
the early formation of Morgan County it included the present Counties of
Scott and Cass. It will be therefore be fitting to include in these pages
some sketches of the early settlers in what is now embraced in these
two counties.
Mr. Archibald Job, of whom mention is made in the Political
history of this county, settled on what has since been called Job Creek,
in Cass County, in the year 1820. Mr. Job at that time was accustomed
to regard the Diamond Grove settlement as in his immediate neighbor-
hood, and frequently visited the primitive blacksmith shop of Mr. Isaac
Reeve at that place. Here, while waiting to have his smithing done, he,
as well as others, was in the habit of learning the general news of the
settlement and in discussing the topics of the day. As there was no
rapid means for the transmission of news the discussion generally related
to neighborhood occurrences. The little shop became thereby like
country stores and village post-offices now-a-days the headquarters for
collecting and distributing news. Not only was Mr. Job one of the
pioneers of 1820, but he was the first representative of Morgan County
in the legislature under the county organization, and afterwards served
in the State Senate. During a long and active public career he was a
prominent man in the county, and when the seat of government was
removed from Vandalia to Springfield, he superintended the erection
of the new State House. It is related of him that he fenced his first corn
patch in 1820, by felling saplings around his clearing so that they inter-
locked, thus forming a line of rough fence which protected his first crop.
Mr. Job, after an active life, died on the farm where he first settled when
he came to this county, at the good old age of ninety years.
The settlers of 1819, '20, '21, and '22 have already been mentioned.
Some account of their privations is given, and the difficulties they en-
countered in founding their homes. Enough had now gathered to form
a settlement worthy of note by the State legislators, and at the session of
that body in the Spring of 1823, Morgan County was created. It had
formerly been part of Greene County, and when erected was attached to
J}hat commonwealth for judicial purposes. No one can now tell how the
name Morgan was given to the new county; probably some aspiring-
legislator, wishing to perpetuate the memory of a friend of that name*
arose when the act was presented and moved it be called Morgan and it
was thus christened.
Emigration was great to the Sangamo country during the intervening"
years between 1822 and the "Deep Snow." To give the names of all
who located during that time is impossible. The principal families, how-
ever, were those of Jonathan Atherton, Thornton Shepherd, Rev. John
Breach, James Mears, George Hackett, Henry Wiswall, Jacob Deeds,
Daniel Daniels, William Jackson, Elijah Bacon, Jacob Redding, Mont-
gomery Pitner, William C. Posey, John Redfern, Aaron Wilson, Daniel
Richardson, William Hays, William Huffaker, Sr., Mr. Buckingham,
William Scott, Mr. Scroggin, Sr., Abner Vanwinkie, James Evans, Sr.,
James Green, Andrew Karns, Elder Sweet, and Peleg Sweet.
Mr. J. R. Bailey, in his history of the county, published in the Senti-
nel, while he was its editor, gives a condensed resume of the earliest years
of Morgan County. Although it repeats, in a manner, some facts before
stated, it is well worth preserving, and is here given. He says :
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 283
44 Martin Lindsley settled at Camp Hollow, since known as the
Fisher Place, near Beardstown ; and Timothy Harris and John Catrough
accompanied him. Harris settled on the north side of the creek opposite
the Bluff House; but Catrough remained with Lindsley for some time
afterward, and during a prairie fire came near losing his life, his jeans
clothing being burned to a crisp. On December 20, 1820, Julia A.
Lindsley, daughter of Martin Lindsley, was born ; supposed to be the first
white child born in the county. In 1821 Mr. Lindsley moved to Peoria,
where he remained one season, then proceeded down the river and
stopped for a time at the mouth of the Mauvaisterre, from thence return-
ing to Camp Hollow. He was killed by the caving in of a well in the
year 1830 ; his family remained at Camp Hollow until 1855.
" Mr. Thomas Beard came to Beardstown in 1820, but did not com-
mence improving until 1822. It is related that he built his cabin over a
den of snakes, and for some time the inmates were annoyed by the rep-
tiles crawling through the crevices of the puncheon floor. In 1826 he
married Miss Sarah Bell, I. R. Bennett, Esq., of Emerald Point, perform-
ing the ceremony. After the location of the seat of justice at Beardstown,
it became an important shipping point, and Mr. Beard became wealthy.
Elisha Lenn, Mr. Waggoner, Simeon Lenn, Solomon Bery, John Baker,
and Nathaniel Herring were among the earliest citizens of Beardstown.
" The first steamboat ascended the Illinois River in 1826, the river
being navigated, prior to that time, only by keel-boats, flat-boats, and
canoes.
44 Bees were very plenty, and two of the settlers, Messrs. Buckleman
and Robinson, collected in 1824 fourteen barrels of honey, selling the wax
for money enough to enter their claims.
44 Mauvaisterre Creek is said to have been named by the early French
voyagers on' the Illinois River. Indian Creek is supposed to have been
named by the early rangers under General Whitesides, from the fact that
while pursuing a marauding band they killed an Indian on that stream,
in 1814. Archibald Job, subsequent^, for many years a noted public
man, settled on Job Creek, in Cass County, in 1820. With his family he
left Pittsburg on a keel-boat, on the 30th of October, 1819, and landed
at St. Louis early in February, 1820, having been obstructed some time
by ice. Leaving the keel-boat in charge of his wife and children, Mr.
~ob came up the river located his claim and built a cabin. He broke
welve acres the first season, fencing it by felling saplings with their tops
terlocked. About the 12th of May, 1820, David and Thomas Blair
ettled in Mr. Job's neighborhood, and during the same season went for
heir families. On the authority , of Mr. Job, it is understood that the
rst Baptist preacher was Rev. Samuel Bristow ; Rev. William Sims and
ev. William Crow being next in order. The first camp-meeting was held
at the head of Walnut Creek, near James Gillham's farm, in 1826 ; Rev.
Mr. Thompson being the presiding elder, assisted by Rev. Peter Cart-
wright. The first Cumberland Presbyterian church in this county was or-
ganized by Rev. John Berey. Mr. I. F. Rbe was the first settler in the vicinity
of Jacksonville, in 1820. He made his claim at the Diamond Grove, but
afterward sold to Joseph Coddington and settled on the Couch place,
where he shortly after died, and was the first white man buried in the
284 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
county. He had no family, and his remains now rest in the new ceme-
tery.
" Alexander Wells, James Gillham, and Alexander Bell were the
first settlers in the ' Gillham neighborhood.'
" Mr. Keller was one of the settlers of 1821, and was killed by the
Regulators.
" In the year 1820, Mr. Thomas Arnett settled near the present
reservoir for the Insane ; he was the first justice of the peace in the
county, and one of the proprietors of Jacksonville. He sold his first
claim to John Leeper and moved to the Loar place.
" Col. Joseph Morton and John Bradshaw came to Morgan County
in 1820, and located claims, but did not remain. They returned the next
season and commenced improvements. Col. Morton used a wooden cart
in which there was no iron to be found when hauling his rails and doing
farm work. They fenced eighteen acres the first season. Mrs. Minnie
Conover settled on Indian Creek about 1821. The public lands in this
section were surveyed in 1821 and brought into market in 1823. Mr.
Charles Robertson settled at the head of the southern fork of Mauvais-
terre Creek in 1820 ; his money capital was twenty-five cents, and he
invested that in whisky to make bitters for curing the ague. He hunted
bees for a time, and sold wax enough to enter the first eighty acres. He
afterward became wealthy.
" Miles Wood settled the Posey place, adjoining Jacksonville on the
east.
" The first school taught regularly in the county, was held at Isaac
Edwards' farm, on the Springfield road now owned by John Shuff Mr.
Palmer being its teacher.
" After Rev. Joseph Basey, Rev. John Miller was the first local
Methodist preacher, but Rev. Newton Pickett rode the first Methodist
circuit established in the county. Rev. Levi Springer traveled from
Indiana to Morgan County, Illinois, in company with his wife, each on
horseback, in the fall of 1823. From Paris they started on the ' lost
trace,' crossing the Grand Prairie to the head of the Sangamon River.
They were two nights on the prairie, sleeping on the grass, with no pro-
tection save their blankets, which they carried, the wolves howling all
about them. Reaching Springfield, they found only a few cabins, and
thence proceeded to Crow's Point, on Indian Creek, near which place
they settled.
" Abel Richardson and his sons Daniel and Benjamin settled on the
Mauvaisterre in 1821, on the place now owned by Benjamin Richardson,
three miles east of Jacksonville. During the same year Judge I. R.
Bennett located at Emerald Point. He was one of the early justices, and
performed the ceremony between Mr. Beard and his first wife. He after-
ward served in the legislature, and as associate county judge.
" Joseph Slattern settled in 1821, on the O'Rear place. In the year
1823 Enoch Marsh came, and afterward built the Exeter mills, being one
of the proprietors of Exeter, and holding the first sale of lots, in the fall
of 1828.
" Roland Shepherd came to the county about 1821, and in 1823 built
a band-mill, which was run by horse or ox power. It was located on
what is now the William Taylor farm, situated on Indian Creek.
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 285
"Beaton's mill was the next built, and Magill's mill was afterward
erected on the northern fork of the Mauvaisterre. John Wyatt afterward
built a horse-mill.
" Rev. John Brich came to the county at a very early day, and left
it many years ago. He perished in a winter storm in the wilds of one of
the northern countries, while pursuing his missionary labors. Finding
himself overcome by the cold, he took his will from his saddle-bags,
signed it, and hung the saddle-bags on a bush. He was afterward found
dead near the bush, the saddle-bags leading to the discovery.
" The first census of Morgan County was taken by General Murray
McConnell, in 1824 ; but the returns were lost with other county records
by the burning of the first court-house. At that time, in a northeasterly
direction from Crow's Point, the country was wilderness. Led by the
barking of a dog in that direction, General McConnell found a family
encamped ; but upon inquiry, and examination of a blazed line and wit-
ness-tree, he found he was on the line of Sangamon County, and that the
camp was in Sangamon.
" The James Slattern place was settled in 1824 or '25, by Joseph
Carter. Mr. Slattern established his home on the Rusk place, but bought
and moved to Carter's improvement in 1827. During ' the deep snow,'
which commenced to fall on the 14th of December, 1830, and remained
until the 14th of February, 1831, Mr. Slattern was compelled to turn his
cattle into the corn-field, having no corn gathered at the time. Allen I.
Lindsey settled in Jersey Prairie in January, 1820, on a place since owned
by John Crum. In 1826 Mr. Lindsey, one of the judges of the County
Commissioners' Court, came, and for many years took an active part in
public affairs. Jesse F. Barrows arrived and settled the William Steven-
son place in 1829.
" The first election under the county organization was held at Swin-
erton's Point where the county -seat was temporarily located in
August, 1824. The judges of the election were John Clark, Joseph
Kline, and David Lieb ; Dennis Rockwell and Joseph M. Fairfield being
the clerks. The county commissioners were elected for two years. The
first board, elected in 1824, consisted of Seymour Kellogg, Peter Conover,
and Thomas Arnett. The second commissioners, elected August, 1826,
were James Deaton, Allen I. Lindsey, and James Gillham. The board
elected in 1828 consisted of Joseph Fairfield, Samuel Rogers, and John
Wyatt. The commissioners elected in 1830 were William Gillham, James
Green, and William Woods.
" The gross revenue of Morgan County from assessment in 1827,
including $60 for fines, amounted to $804.10. For the year 1828, $940.68.
For 1832, $2,209.66 an increase from 1827, five years, of $1,405.53. The
assessment of 1866, thirty-nine years after that of 1827, foots up to
$58,199.85.
" The first Circuit Court was held in the log-cabin of Mr. Olmstead,
at Olmstead's since Allison's Mound : John Reynolds, judge ; Dennis
Rockwell, clerk ; Mr. Green, sheriff. The petit and grand juries held
their deliberations in the open grove. The second term of the court was
()ld at Jacksonville, in a log-cabin built by Mr. Cox.
" Jonathan Atherton settled in the vicinity of Arcadia, on Indian
'
286 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
Creek in 1827. He taught a school during the first winter. In the fall
of 1828 he moved to Adams County, but returned the following season.
" Alexander Johnson located on Indian Creek, near Mr. Atherton,
at about the same time, and the place is now owned by Henry Johnson,
Esq., of Jacksonville ; he remembers that when a very small boy, the
Indians used frequently to call at their house. During the Black Hawk
war, mistaking for Indians a party of rangers who stopped for refresh-
ments, he crawled under the bed, and finding a cat-hole leading under-
neath the puncheon floor, he forced himself through and remained
perfectly quiet until they had left. He then found it impossible to
return in the same way, and it was necessary to take up a portion of the
floor in order to get him out.
" Rev Thornton Shepherd came to Morgan County from Tennessee,
iu the Fall of 1830. He first stopped at the Jesse Barrows place, but
soon after obtained the use of a large unfinished cabin on William
Scott's farm, on consideration of finishing it. The fireplace was so large
that it would take in a log nine feet long. Here Mr. Shepherd wintered
with his family. About the middle of December, he had occasion to visit
the northeast corner of Greene County, for the purpose of marrying a
couple, and on his return was caught in 'the deep snow.' His sister-in-
law accompanied him, both riding the same horse. It became too cold
to ride, and they were obliged to walk through the deep snow, the
journey occupying the entire day. The snow continued to fall, to a
great depth ; covering the corn in the fields very little having been
gathered and the settlers were compelled to turn in their stock to
gather for themselves. Mr, Shepherd had nineteen head of cattle at the
time, and threshed wheat with a flail for Mr. Magill, in exchange for the
straw, which he had to haul home the best he could. As the threshing
was obliged to be done in the open air, the tips of his fingers were frozen
in the attempt to obtain straw for his cattle.
" Mr. Shepherd bought a farm of Levi Fanning, and moved to it
March 8th, 1831. He made his first well-bucket by chopping off a
section of a log, boring an auger hole through it, and lengthening and
enlarging the hole with a chisel until nothing remained of the block but
a thin rim. He then fitted in a bottom. A split appearing in the side,
he was compelled to take his bucket to Fielding Griinsley, the nearest
blacksmith, to get it ironed. That individual, when questioned as to
what he was doing, dryly replied that he was ' hooping Shepherd's folly.'
Mr. Shepherd was a 'hardshell ' Baptist preacher, and was highly esteemed
for noble traits of .character and strict rectitude. He remained on Big
Sandy until his death, a few years since, and left a large family.
" When the Robertson family came to Morgan County, in 1821, and
struck the northern fork of the Mauvaisterre, where they settled, the
only white men living on Indian Creek, were Roland Shepherd, who was
settled at Taylor's Point, and his son, Peter Shepherd, who had made an
improvement at Adams' Point. The Kelloggs had built two cabins in
the neighborhood, in 1820, one on what is now known as the Roach
place, and the other on the place settled by Alexander Robertson. They
vacated these cabins and claims, for a location further west, in the
Gillham neighborhood. The Kellogg cabin, on the Robertson place, was
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 287
burned down by a prairie-fire ; it was located on rising ground, west of a
pond of water.
" The first school-house in the settlement, was built a little south of
the burnt cabin. A school was kept by a stern, old Yankee, a teacher
of the olden type, named Soule. He was strict with his pupils, and first
taught in Mr. Jones' kitchen,while the school-house was being erected. On
the last day of school, his scholars demanded that he should treat or be
turned out. He refused to do either, and a fight ensued. One of the
pupils knocked him against the log mantel, and all the large boys piled
on him; but he was stout and 'plucky,' and soon turned the tables on
them, quelling the rebellion, and remaining master of the field. Mr..
Soule left the settlement, with his old mare and cart, and little wife,
going west. Captain Bennett, Colonel Samuel Matthews, and Wm..
O'Rear, afterward each taught schools in the neighborhood all in log
cabins.
" The Corrington farm on the Mauvaisterre, was settled in 1821, by
Mr. W. Miller. Stephen Jones settled the Cassell place, and Joseph
Slattern made the first improvements on the O'Rear place.
" Billy Robinson, an old, white-haired hunter, made an improve-
ment north of Antioch Church, on which Bennett Jones afterward
settled. Isaac Edwards and Mr. Scott located north of the Curts and:
Reeve places.
" John Anderson settled on the Lay ton place ; James Taylor taking
the farm west of the Stephen Dunlap place, on the northern side of the
north-fork. ' Mr. Murray was the first settler on the Dunlap farm, and
Mr. S. Berey took possession of the quarter-section east of it.
" Mr. Olmstead settled on the quarter-section east of Colonel!
Matthews. All of the above setttlements were made in 1821.
" Rev. Peter R. Boranau was one of the early Methodist preachers-
in the county ; he became a noted revivalist, and died in Chicago, some-
forty years ago."
During the period between 1823 and 1827, there was a constant
increase of emigration to Morgan County, principally from the southern
Bounties of the State.
The southern section of the State was called " Egypt," from the fact
that the early settlers of the more northern counties were compelled to
jo there for their corn and grinding. Hence, when the settlers of Mor-
gan, Sangamon or Greene found themselves under the necessity of
laking a trip to the southern counties for provisions, they called it
"going down into Egypt;" and in consequence, that part of the State
las ever since been known as Egypt.
But little trouble with the Indians was experienced by the early set-
tlers of Morgan County. There were none in its limits after tke white
len entered, save straggling hunters or small roving bands who came ta
some parts, especially those near the river, to fish or hunt. The western
part of the county contains several Indian mounds of great antiquity. Just
above Meredosia, on the east bank of the river, is a beautiful level
plateau containing about fifteen acres. This was the village home of a-
tribe of Indians, and it was here that Antoine D'Osia, a French priest
from whom the lake and present town of Meredosia received its name,
labored for the good of these sons of the forest. The Indian village and
288 HISTORY OP MORGAN COUNTY.
its dusky inhabitants have long since gone, but the name of D'Osia will
live as long as Meredosia and its lake remain. During a visit of some
Indians to Washington City, not many years ago, they stopped at Mere-
dosia while on their way, where one of them nearly ninety years of age,
related how he had roamed over various parts of the county, and pointed
out many objects of interest to his companions. He also related to one
of the citizens of Jacksonville, while they were encamped at the fair
grounds, many interesting stories of his youthful days. He had hunted
.and fished in the woods and streams near the present city, when no
thoughts of the white man existed in his mind, and when he and his com-
xades were sovereigns of this country.
No depredations by the Indians were ever committed among the
rsettlers of Morgan County, and no record of the killing of any white
men after the settling of the county is known to have occurred. The set-
tlers north of the Illinois River were, however, not so fortunate. In
1827 occurred what is known as
THE WINNEBAGO WAR,
Fully described in the following article, written by Judge William
"Thomas, for the weekly Journal of August 17, 1871. As it gives an
-accurate account of the participation of several Morgan County men in
this conflict, it is worthy a place in the history of the county:
" But few of the actors in this war remain among us. In 1827, General
Edwards received information on which he relied, that the Winnebago
Indians had attacked some keel-boats, which had been employed convey-
ing army supplies to Prairie du Chien, on their return down ths river,
and that settlers and miners on Fox River were in imminent danger of an
attack from a band of these and other Indians. The general ordered
* the commanders of the different regiments and odd battalions of General
Harrison's brigade on the eastern side of the Illinois River excepting
the 20th regiment to take immediate steps for detaching into service,
according to law, one-fourth of their respective commands. And should
any part of the frontiers south of Rock River be invaded by the savages,
the colonel, entitled by law to command the detachment, was ordered to
inarch with the least possible delay to the support of the point attacked,
"without waiting for further orders.'
" The governor also sent by express a messenger on horseback to
Colonel Thomas M. Neale, of Springfield, commander of the 20tl
regiment, an order saying: ' You will accept the services of any numbei
of mounted volunteers, not exceeding six hundred, who will equip them-
selves and find their own subsistence, and continue in service thirty days,
.unless sooner discharged ; they will rendezvous at Fort Clark Peoria
where you will organize and take the command of them, and march with
all possible expedition to the assistance of our fellow-citizens at Galena,
where, if you find an officer of the U. S. army entitled to a superior
command to yourself, you will report to him and receive his orders. In
your progress you will avoid rashly exposing your men to unequal contests,
but it is expected that you will not overlook any proper opportunity of
repelling any hostile incursions of the savages.' The facts reported to
the governor on which he acted have never, as far as I have known, been
made public. Acting upon this order of the governor, Colonel Neale
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 289
called for volunteers from the Counties of Sangamon and Morgan. Three-
companies were raised in this county, one commanded by William B.
Green, then sheriff of the county, numbering nearly one hundred, with
John Wyatt first, and James Evans second lieutenant. Jesse Ruble was
orderly sergeant. The second company was commanded by William,
Gordan, and numbered not more than forty. Nathan Winter was first
lieutenant. Captain RodgeiV command numbered the same as Captain
Gordan 's. The names of the other officers I do not now remember. I
was a volunteer in Captain Graves' company. My messmates were Doct-
H. G. Taylor, McHenry Johnson, Enoch C. March, Samuel Blair, and a
man named Biggs, a visitor from Kentucky. Of these I am the only
survivor. We were required to take ten days' provisions, during which
time it was expected we would make Galena, where additional supplies
could be obtained. During our preparations to start we had constant,,
heavy rains, which raised the rivers, creeks, and branches to an unusual
height. The companies from this county made their way to Peoria in?
messes and squads, swimming the streams not bridged. Upon the arrival
of all the companies at Peoria, Colonel Samuel T. Matthews was elected!
lieutenant-colonel, and Elijah lies, of Springfield, major, who, because-
he rode a mule, was called the ; mule major.' So soon as organized we
left Peoria. James D. Henry (afterward General Henry), was appointed
adjutant, Dr. G. Jayne, of Springfield, surgeon, and Dr. Taylor
assistant. William Smith, a merchant of Springfield, was appointed
quartermaster, and I was quartermaster's sergeant. The heavy rains had
extended to Rock River, and the prairies were so saturated with water,
so that we could only travel in a walk, our horses breaking the sod at
every step. Following a trail made by the Indians, and persons going
to the lead mines, on the fifth day from Peoria we reached Rock River
(now Dixon). During this march we had to drink the water standing in
swamps, pools, and holes in the prairie. On reaching Rock River, seeing-
that it was a beautiful clear stream, with a gentle current, we expected
a good drink of water, but to our surprise we found it no better than the
water of the swamps through which we had passed. Dozens were made
sick by swallowing the water before tasting. We forded the river in the
afternoon on a Sunday, those riding small horses swimming, and encamped
oh the bank until the next day. Beyond the river we found the country-
dry. By this time our ten days' provisions were almost exhausted we
had in a baggage wagon only two barrels of flour, and some crackers, and
nearly a barrel of whisky, which we divided that evening, and prepared
for an early march the next morning. On the morrow we made an early-
start, and about twelve o'clock we found a beautiful spring of clear water,,
the first we had had since leaving Peoria, and of which we partook with
a will. We took dinner here and let our horses graze for more than an
hour ; we then continued the march until sundown, when finding a good
spring we encamped, having marched, as we supposed, thirty-five or forty
miles that day. The next day, by a forced march, we reached Gratiot's-
Grove, fifteen miles from Galena, where we were unable to obtain
supplies, and where we remained the next day, when we removed our
encampment to the White Oak Springs, near a tavern house occupied by
a Mrs. Nabb, from Springfield. We neither found or could hear of any
officers of the U. S. army, nor of any hostile Indians.
290 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
" Capt. Smith of Sangamon, and Capt. Rodgers of this county, agreed
to go to Prairie du Chien with a report from Col. Neale to the command-
ing officer at that post. They started without a pilot or compass. They
were gone several days and finally returned, reported that they had lost
their way and had not been able to reach the garrison. The thirty days
being then about expiring, and all apprehension from the hostility having
-ceased, Col. Neale decided to disband the army ; the men were supplied
with provisions enough to supply them home, and returned in companies,
squads, and messes. During the Winter of 1826-7 and the Spring of 1827,
.an immense number of adventurers and pioneers had gone to the Fox
River country expecting to make fortunes by working the mines, who,
upon the alarm that the Indians were threatening them, returned in haste
by the first means or conveyance. Most of them came down the river,
because it was not considered safe to attempt to pass down the land route,
and here originated the name of ' sucker,' the fish of that name, it was
.said, passed down the river at that season of the year, and citizens of
southern Illinois were said in their flight to follow the example of the
fishes."
Referring to the origin of the term " Sucker," the following is taken
from Davidson's History of Illinois :
" On occasion of a pleasant entertainment at Petersburg, Virginia,
Judge Douglas gave the following humorous account of the origin of the
term ' Suckers,' as applied to Illinoisans ; the account is valuable further,
and confers a proud distinction upon Illinois, in that it clears up all doubt
regarding the discovery of that important and inspiring beverage called
4 mint julep,' a momentous question heretofore covered with obscurity
and beset with many doubts, but now in the light of these facts, happily
placed at rest. It is not improbable that a glass of the animating bever-
age served to quicken the memory of the honorable Senator on the
occasion :
" About the year 1777, George Rogers Clark applied to the governor
of Virginia, and suggested to him that as peace might be declared at any
time between Great Britain and the Colonies, it would be well for us to
be in possession of the Northwest Territory, so that when the commis-
sioners came to negotiate a treaty, we might act on the well-known prin-
ciple of uti possidetis, each party holding all they had in possession. He
suggested to the governor to permit him to go out to the Northwest,
conquer the country, and hold it until the treaty of peace, when we would
become possessed of it. The governor consented arid sent him across the
mountains to Pittsburgh. From there he and his companions floatec
down the Ohio on rafts to the falls, where Louisville now is. Aftei
remaining there a short time, they again took to their rafts and floatec
clown to the Salines, just below the present Shawneetown, in Illinois.
Here they took up their march across the country to Kaskaskia, where
the French had an old settlement, and by the aid of a guide they reachec"
the Oquaw River, and encamped near Peter Menard's house, some little
distance from the town. You see I am well acquainted with the locality.
Next morning, Clark got his little army of ragamuffins together (for they
had no army wagons with supplies, no sutler, and no stores, and by this
time looked ragged enough), and took up his line of march for the little
French town of Kaskaskia. It was summer and a very hot day, and as
HISTOEY OF MOEGAN COUNTY. 291
he entered the town he saw the Frenchmen sitting quietly on their little
verandahs, in front of their houses, sucking their juleps through straws.
He rushed upon them, crying, ' Surrender, you suckers, you ! ' The
Frenchmen surrendered, and from that day to this Illinoisans have been
known as ' suckers.' That was the origin of our cognomen, and when
George Rogers Clark returned to Virginia he introduced the juleps here.
Now I want to give Virginians fair notice, that when they claim the
honor of a Jefferson, of a Madison, of a Marshall, and of as many other
distinguished sages and patriots as the world ever saw, we yield ; when
you claim the glory you achieved on the field of battle, we yield ; when
you claim credit for the cession of the Northwestern Territory, that out
of it Sovereign States might be created, we yield ; when you claim the
glory of never having polled a vote against the Democratic party, we
yield ; but when you claim the glory of the mint julep, hands off ; Illinois
wants that."
Another account of the origin of the name Sucker is attributed to the
custom of early emigrants who, when passing through the State and find-
ing a scant supply of water on the prairies, would thrust a sharpened
stick three or four feet down into the loose, porous soil. A short time
after the stick would be withdrawn, the hole would partially fill with
water. The emigrant would then insert a long, hollow reed through
which he would suck up sufficient water to quench his thirst. From the
custom of sucking the water through these hollow tubes the early inhab-
itants are said to have derived the appellation of Suckers.
Still another source of the derivation of the term is given. It is
related that one spring during the early settlement of the State, the rain
fell in such abundance, and the ground remained so long wet after the
corn had been planted, that the settlers raised very little if any corn, as
it all grew to " suckers," and when the settlers who left the State were
asked where they were from, were always ready to reply, " from the
Sucker State."
Of all the derivations of this sobriquet, the one given by Judge
Thomas is probably correct, and most generally received.
Leaving this digression and returning to the Judge's narrative, we
find he proceeds as follows :
" We found the flux prevailing as an epidemic all over the mining
country. All the doctors in the country were constantly engaged. The
extent of the fatality I had no means of knowing, but there was neces-
sarily much suffering for want of medical and other attendance among
the sick, and many deaths.
" During that campaign many incidents of amusement occurred,
ilthough the march through mud and water was by no means pleasant,
either to man or beast. We had several false alarms from the night
sentinels, and in consequence calls to arms, intended to test the discipline
and courage of the officers and troops. Upon the first alarm, one Captain
Greene, was suddenly taken very ill, and so continued until the apparent
danger was over. We encamped the second night out near the present
village of Tiskillwa (Bureau County), where Sergeant Teas, of Sanga-
mon County, found a bee tree, from which he and his mess obtained a
good supply of honey. One morning Adjutant Henry and myself, hoping
from the appearance of the country miles ahead, that we could find run-
292 HISTORY OP MORGAN COUNTY.
ning water, rode in advance of the regiment, intending to mix the
water with part of a bottle of whisky in my saddle-bags ; we found
several pools of stagnant water, but every drop of the whisky had leaked
through the corn-cob stopper of my bottle, so that we had to drink of the
stagnant water without the benefit of the whisky. We saw no deers or
wolves on the route, but prairie rattlesnakes afforded numerous oppor-
tunities for the skill of our marksmen. When we reached the White
Oak Springs, our quartermaster, whose duty it was to purchase supplies,
deserted us ; and this duty devolved upon the sergeant, who discharged
it to the entire satisfaction of all concerned. Crossing the Winnebaga
Swamps, or marshes, many of our horses became mired so that the riders
had to dismount, and occasionally the horses had to be drawn out by the
use of the halters and bridles. Forage for horses was out of the ques-
tion, and they subsisted on the prairie grass. After leaving the
settlements we saw no greenhead flies, though they were exceedingly
troublesome on the boats at Peoria.
" The governor's order was dated July 4th, at Mt. Vernon. The
regiment composed of independent farmers and mechanics was raised,
organized, marched to the White Oak Springs, and returned home in not
exceeding thirty days. Two of our Morgan County men were drowned
in a branch of Crooked Creek returning home. We had no baggage
wagon from this county. My mess had a very good tent, which very few
of the other messes had. Having no baggage wagons, and having to carry
our provisions, arms, and equipments on horseback, we had but little room
for tents, even if they* had been supplied. We slept on saddle-blankets,
with our heads on saddles, and for covering had overcoats and blankets ;
but during that season of the year we had but little use for covering
other than overcoats.
" The question of pay was not considered of much consequence ; it
was well understood that this depended on the action of Congress, and no
fears were entertained of the success? of General Duncan, our representa-
tive in Congress, in obtaining the necessary appropriation. We were not
disappointed, for appropriations were made by the Congress of 1827-8,
and we were paid in the Spring of 1828, the following rates : Each
sergeant major and quartermaster-sergeant, $9 per month ; each drum and
fife major, $8.33 per month ; sergeants, $8 ; each corporal, drummer,
fifer and teamster, $7.33 ; each farrier, saddler and artificer included as a
private, $8 ; each gunner, bombardier, and private, 86.66. In addition to
which we were paid for the use of horses, arms and accoutrements, and
for the risk thereof, except for horses killed in action, ten cents per day.
For rations, 25 cents per day, and one day's pay for fifteen miles travel
to the place of rendezvous and returning home."
Nothing of interest occurred in the history of the county from the
close of the Winnebago -war until the fall of the " deep snow," which
happened in the Winter of 1830-31. Quite a number of persons had
settled in the county during this interval, and population and improve-
ments had largely increased. This fall of snow was indeed a remarkable
event. Nothing like it had ever occurred in the annals of the Northwest.
The Indians relate that years before the discovery of the Mississippi
River, a great snow fell to the depth of a man's waist. Wild animals
perished in great numbers, and the suffering among the Indians, which
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 29&
followed the loss of so much game, was severely felt. In the early days
of Kentucky a snow fell to a depth of more than a foot, causing great
privation among the settlers ; it however did not equal the " deep snow "
of 1830-31.
THE DEEP SNOW.
In the latter part of November, 1830, snow commenced falling and
continued to fall at intervals until January, 1831. As one snow fell
upon another, the wind at times blowing very hard, there soon accu-
mulated a depth in places from seven to twelve feet, covering fences and
small buildings entirely, and causing great distress to the inhabitants, as
well as to stock and wild game. In the heavy timber, where the wind
could not get the power to drift, the snow was said to be three feet on a
level. The sun shining occasionally melted the surface, and the cold
nights would freeze it hard enough to bear a man or beast. The roads
often ran over stake-and-ridered fences, and although good for persons of
leisure, if there had been any for sleigh riding, was very inconvenient for
farmers who had not gathered their corn, and had to go into their fields
and reach under the snow for the ears of corn, and carry them home in a
bag or basket to feed their hungry horses, cows, and pigs, and even to get
their bread. As they could not go to mill, their corn was put in wooden
mortars and pounded until broken so that they could cook it by boiling
or baking. Many suffered severely, both for food and warmth, not having ,
made any preparation for such a change in the weather. For years before-
the weather had been very mild until after Christmas, sometimes
continuing so all winter, so warm and open that cattle could browse and
feed with but little care from man. Many instances of individual suffer-
ing might be given in these pages, but as so many of them have been
reported in neighborhood circles, and others published in newspapers
and books, it would seem like needless repetition to insert them here.
The winter of the "deep snow" is referred to by all the early settlers,
forming a data to refer to, as any incident happening so long a time before
or after it.
The old settlers of Morgan, Cass, and Scott Counties, in the organi-
zation of their society, fixed that as the period of membership, and for a
few years none were admitted to become members of the societj' unless-
they could date their residence here previous to the " deep snow."
Since then the time has been extended to 1840.
The inhabitants of Morgan and surrounding counties caught a great
deal of game while the snow was on the ground, as the deer in running
ver the snow would sometimes, in consequence of their sharp hoofs,
break through the crust, and be unable to extricate themselves. Men
could walk or run over the surface and capture them, or if men were
not around the wolves would make short work of them. Prairie chickens,
abbits, and all other game were easily captured. Until February,
1831, when the snow went off with a great freshet, the ground was not
seen.
Shortly after the events just narrated, troubles with the Indians in
the north part of the State began again. That part of Illinois lying
between the Rock and Mississippi Rivers was an inviting place of settle-
ment for the whites. It possesses unusual natural scenery, is well watered,
294 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
and is very fertile. The Indians then occupying it refused to vacate it for
the white people who desired to settle there, and the result was
THE BLACK HAWK WAR.
In the history of the Northwest, printed elsewhere in this volume,
a condensed account of this war is given. It, however, relates to the war
in general, not specifying any section of country, or giving the experiences
of any volunteer from any county in Illinois. Morgan County furnished
a number of men in this conflict, and their reminiscences are worthy of
record, and merit a place in the county's history. Judge Wm. Thomas
was one of the volunteers, and with his accustomed faithfulness preserves
an account of his and his comrades' campaign. We give it as he narrates
it, in a letter to the Jacksonville Journal, under date of Dec. 3, 1871.
He says :
" In 1827, under the administration of Governor Edwards, we had
what was called the ' Winnebago War.' A regiment of mounted volun-
teers from the Counties of Sangamon and Morgan, under command of
Colonel Thomas M. Neale, marched to the neighborhood of Galena, for
the defense and protection of the settlers and miners in that region,
against a supposed threatened invasion of the Winnebago Indians.
" In 182930, a number of families settled on Rock River, a few
miles below Rock Island, in the absence of the Indians, who had pre-
viously occupied that land, between Rock River and the Mississippi. In
the Spring of 1831 the Indians returned, and claimed their former posses-
sions, which our settlers, having made arrangements for raising a crop,
were reluctantly compelled to surrender. Black Hawk and his followers
claimed that this neck of land still belonged to the Indians ; that the
treaty by which it had been ceded had never been assented to by the
legal owners. Out of this claim of Black Hawk grew the first of the
Black Hawk war having no connection with the Winnebago war. Gov-
ernor Reynolds ordered out a brigade of mounted volunteers, to proceed
to the disputed territory and repel the Indians. Governor Duncan, being
then a major-general of militia, took the command of the brigade, by
order of the governor. The brigade was hastily organized, and in quick
time was on the scene of proposed action. The Indians, however, being
aware of the approach of the army, abandoned their wigwams and pos-
sessions, and crossed the river into Iowa. Whilst this brigade was
marching across the country, General Gaines was moving up the Missis-
sippi on a steamboat with some companies of the regular army. The
general, intending to avoid any personal conflict with the Indians, or the
shedding of blood, anchored his boat a short distance below the mouth
of Rock River, and sent a messenger across the country to meet General
Duncan, with orders to join him on the Mississippi, a movement which
would give the Indians notice of the approach of the militia, and time
to escape, of which they readily availed themselves by retiring to what
they esteemed a place of safety. General Duncan reached General
Gaines in the afternoon, encamped, and remained until next morning,
when both companies started up the river General Gaines on the boat,
and General Duncan at the head of his brigade intending to meet and
co-operate together at the Indian village. It commenced raining early
that morning, and continued until the afternoon. Before General Dun-
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 295
can reached the place of crossing the Rock River, General Gaines had
ascended the river as high up as the stage of the water would permit,
and signalled General Duncan by the firing of cannons, as had been pre-
viously agreed on.
" Being quartermaster of the brigade, and having been informed of
the intended movement, and also of General Gaines' expectations that
the Indians would escape, I was not surprised at hearing the cannon ; but
the rank and file of the militia thought the firing was the beginning of a
fight, and a book might be written representing the speeches and describ-
ing the actions of these uninitiated militia, as they passed up the river to
the place of crossing. We first crossed a wide, shallow slough, on to an
island thickly set with undergrowth of saplings and bushes. We then
reached the main river at a place supposed to be fordable : our advanced
guard following a pilot reputed to be well acquainted with the road,
crossed the river, but it was deep, and the bottom covered with large
rock, or boulders, as they were called. In crossing, some of the horses
striking these boulders, fell, and threw their riders into the river, to make
their way across as best they could ; other horses had occasionally to swim.
With the loss of a few guns and the ducking of a few riders, the guard
reached the bank no one drowned or badly hurt. The main army went
a short distance below, opposite the Indian village, where some craft were
found on which the men could cross, and the horses were made to swim.
Whilst crossing the river, the rain fell in torrents. I found a log-cabin
on the bank, into which, with my horse, I took shelter until most of the
army had crossed, and the storm abated.
" The army encamped that night in the Indian village, using all the
wigwams that could be made available, and using the bark which had
been detached from the wigwams to sleep on. The rain, which had
ceased a few hours before night, long enough for the making of fires,
cooking and eating supper, commenced again during the night, and con-
tinued to pour in torrents until after day. My mess had a good tent,
under which we slept ; but to keep as dry as possible, I procured a wide
piece of bark, curved at the sides like a trough with a round bottom, to
sleep on. It was warm weather, and the rain was warm ; when I awoke
in the morning, I found my bark filled with water one or more inches
deep, and to that depth the water was under me, so that, but for having
a change of clothes kept in a dry place, I should have been compelled to
go on duty with nearly half my clothing as wet as water could make
them. The next day we marched to Rock Island, and encamped on the
east bank of the slough, opposite the fort, where we remained until mus-
tered out of service and discharged. Whilst encamped on the river, and
before it was known what the Indians might be willing to do upon the
question of remaining out of the State and keeping the peace, our horses,
1,500 or 1,800, grazing below the encampment, were frightened by the
approach of a steamboat, and forthwith stampeded, making a noise almost
equal to distant, heavy thunder. The army was called to arms, and
formed in line in quick time, no one knowing but that the Indians were
upon us. The first direction of the horses was toward the encampment,
but the sentinels were able to turn them toward the bluff on the east,
and they were soon out of hearing, when the near approach of the boat
told the story of the alarm. Most of the horses were found the next
296 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
day, but many of them continued the chase, and were found days after-
ward, several miles up Rock River ; others were not found.
" Returning home, my mess encamped one night on a branch of
Crooked Creek, near the residence of a Mr. Pennington, where we found
the encampment of parts of several companies building fires and prepar-
ing supper. Here I was informed that a volunteer from Sangamon
County, called by the name of General Jackson, had in his possession
four Indian ponies, brought from the vicinity of Rock Island. I sent for
him to ascertain how he came by the ponies, fearing that they had been
stolen. To my inquiries, he said that he had purchased them from a
stranger below Rock Island. I proposed that he should surrender them
to me to be kept until the question of ownership could be investigated
(expressing a fear that the stranger had stolen them), to which he
readily assented. I placed the ponies in charge of Mr. Pennington, and
upon reaching home wrote to the Indian agent at Rock Island, request-
ing him to send for them, and return them to the Indians. The agent
complied with my request, and upon restoring them, required the Indians
to restore any of our horses that they might have found after the stam-
pede. The result was that eighteen horses belonging to volunteers were
returned to the agent, and all of them, I believe, were restored to the
owners. I saw the General Jackson afterward, and learned that he had
paid nothing for the ponies, and that he had never since seen or heard of
the man of whom he had purchased them."
Black Hawk failed to keep the terms of the treaty, and as soon as
the military retired he returned to the Illinois side of the river. A large
force was at once raised and marched against him. Morgan County
furnished her full quota of men the second time,. Many of the same
officers and men enumerated in the article of Judge Thomas, returned to
the conflict. This time severe fighting followed, resulting in the total
defeat of Black Hawk and his followers. His capture by the troops,
his confinement as a prisoner of war, his release, and the closing days of
his life, are all narrated in this volume, and to it the reader is referred.
This war practically closed the Indian troubles in Illinois. The
return of the militia to their homes, was followed by years of prosperity
and peace. The county had become thickly settled for that day, in some
parts, and its county seat was earning a name, as a place of learning and
influence.
The earliest days of a country, the pioneer customs and habits, the
privations endured, the successes achieved, form interesting chapters of
history, and deserve a place in its annals. The early settlers were a
brave and hardy people, the brightest side of their life shown out at all
times, and though their labors were severe, their love of sport was just
as strong, and indulged in whenever occasion presented.
The daily life of the pioneer was one of simplicity and frugality.
His wants were few, easily supplied, and of a simple nature. Our narra-
tive would be incomplete, did we not give in detail, something of this
pioneer life, as seen by many yet living, and as days which to them will
always be pleasantly recollected. We will narrate the scenes of these
days, as they have been told us, and as we have gathered them from
others who have placed them on record. The festal days of the pioneers
were, when a cabin was to be raised ; when a shooting match occurred ;
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 297
when a "husking bee" was held ; a wedding took place ; a general mus-
ter day came ; or any similar day of rest and recreation would occur.
As they were held in Morgan County, the same as in other parts of the
State, one .description will apply to all portions of the great West.
Those were the " good old days " and though we of to-day, honor these
memories, we believe our days are as good as any, and that we in our
old age, will look back to them with memories as tender and as cher-
ished as these in the decline of life delight to remember theirs.
We have noted the raising of the cabin as one of the days of enjoy-
ment, among the early settlers. The usual way of erecting these
primitive habitations, was in the following manner : On an appointed
day the pioneers gathered about a spot selected for the erection of the
cabin home. A party of choppers was toled off, whose business it was to
fell the trees, and cut them into proper lengths; a man with a team next
hauled or dragged the logs to the place, and arranged them, properly
assorted, at the ends and sides of the proposed building. Some one was
selected to search the woods for a suitable tree, from which to make the
clapboards for the roof. The tree for this purpose must be straight
grained, and from three to four feet in diameter. The boards were split
four feet long, with a large frow, and as wide as the timber would allow.
They were used without planing or shaving. Another party of men was
employed in getting puncheons for the floor of the cabin ; this was done
by splitting trees, about eighteen inches in diameter, and hewing the
faces of them with a broadax. They were half the length of the floor
they were intended to make. The materials for the cabin were mostly
prepared on the first day, and sometimes the foundation laid in the
evening. The second day was allotted for the raising. On the morn-
ing of that day, the neighbors collected for the raising. The first thing
to be done was the election of the four corner men, whose business it was
to notch and place the logs, which were furnished them by the rest of
the workmen. In the meantime the boards and puncheons were col-
lected for the floor and roof, so that by the time the cabin was a few logs
high, the sleepers and floor began to be laid. The door was made by
sawing or cutting out the logs in one side of the cabin, so as to make an
opening about thres feet wide. The logs on each side of this opening,
were kept in place by upright pieces of timber, about three inches thick,
through which holes were bored, for the purpose of driving through them
wooden pins, into the ends of the logs. A similar opening, but wider,
was made at the end, for the chimney. This was built of logs, and made
large to admit of a back and jambs of stone. At each corner of the
building the two end logs projected a foot or two beyond the wall, to
receive the bunting poles, as they were called, against which the ends of
the first rows of clapboards were supported. The roof was formed by
making the end logs shorter until a single log formed the comb of the
roof ; on these logs the clapboards were placed, the ranges of them lay-
ing some distance over those next below them, and kept in their places
by logs placed at proper distances upon them.
The roof, and sometimes the floor, were finished on the same day of
the raising. A third day was commonly spent by a few carpenters in level-
ing off the floor, making a clapboard door, and a table. This last was
made of a split slab, and supported by four round sticks, set in auger-
298 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
holes. A few three-legged stools were made in the same manner. Pins stuck
in the logs, at the back of the house, served to support clapboard shelves,
on which the table-furniture was kept, when not in use. The bedstead
was made by fastening a forked post in the floor, and in the ceiling. A
pole was placed in the fork of the post, from there it projected through
the wall of the cabin. This front pole was crossed by a shorter one
within the fork, with its outer end through another crack. From the
front pole, through a crack between the logs, of the end of the house,
the boards were put on which formed the bottom of the bed. A few pegs
around the walls, for the display of the dresses of the women, and hunt-
ing-shirts of the men, and two small forks, or buck's horns, to a joist for
the rifle and shot-pouch, completed the carpenter work.
In the meantime masons were at work. With the heart pieces of the
timber of which the clapboards were made, they made billets for chink-
ing up the cracks between the logs of the cabin and chimney a large
bed of mud mortar was made for daubing up those cracks ; a few stones-
formed the back and sides of the chimney.
The house being finished, the ceremony of house-warming took
place, which usually consisted of a dance, lasting all night. At house-
raisings, log-rollings, and harvest-parties, every one was expected to do
his duty faithfully. A person who did not perform his share of labor,
on these occasions, was designated by the epithet of " Laurence," or
some title still more opprobrious ; and when it came to his turn to re-
quire the like aid from his neighbors, the idler soon felt his punishment,
in their refusal to attend to his calls.
" The marriage ceremony, in those days, was a very unceremonious
affair," says John McConnell, whose excellent description in his "West-
ern Sketches " we quote in full. " The parents never made a 'parade'
about any thing marriage, least of all. They usually gave the bride
not the ' blushing ' bride a bed, a lean horse, and some good advice ;
and, having thus discharged their duty in the premises, returned to their
work, and the business was done. The parade and drill which now at-
tend it, would have been as ridiculous as a Chinese dance ; and the
finery and ornament, at present understood to be indispensable on such
occasions, then bore no sway in fashion. Bridal wreaths and dresses
were not known, and white kid gloves and satin slippers never heard of.
Orange blossoms natural and artificial were as pretty then as now ;
but the people were more occupied with substance than with emblem.
" The ancients decked their victims for the sacrifice with gaudy colors^
flags, and streamers ; the moderns do the same, and the offerings are
sometimes made to quite as barbarous deities. But the bride of the
pioneer was clothed in linsey-wolsey, with hose of woolen yarn ; and
moccasins of deer-skin or, as an extra piece of finery, high-quartered
shoes of calf-skin preceded satin slippers. The bridegroom came in
copperas-colored jeans domestic manufacture as a holiday suit ; or,
perhaps, a hunting-shirt of buck-skin, all fringed around the skirt and
cape, and a ' coon-skin ' cap, with moccasins. Instead of a dainty
walking-stick, with an opera-dancer's leg, in ivory, for a head, he always
brought his rifle, with a solid maple stock ; and often, during the whole
ceremony, he did not divest himself of powder-horn and bullet-pouch.
" Ministers of the gospel were few in those days, and the words
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 299
of form were usually spoken by a missionary. Or, if the pioneer
had objections to Catholicism as many had his place was supplied
by some justice of the peace, of doubtful powers and mythical ap-
pointment. If neither of these could be procured, the father of the
bride, himself, sometimes assumed the functions, pro hdc vice, or pro tern-
pore, of minister or justice. It was always understood, however, that
such left-handed marriages were to be confirmed by the first minister who
wandered to the frontier ; and, even when the opportunity did not offer
for many months, no scandal ever arose the marriage vow was never
broken. The pioneers were simple people ; the refinements of high
cultivation had not yet penetrated the forests or crossed the prairies,
and good faith and virtue were as common as courage and sagacity.
" When the brief, but all-sufficient ceremony was over, the bride-
groom resumed his rifle, helped the bride into the saddle or, more fre-
quently, to the pillion behind him and they calmly rode away together.
" On some pleasant spot surrounded by a shady grove, or point of
timber a new log cabin has been built ; its rough logs notched across
sach other at the corners, a roof of oaken clapboards, held firmly down
ry long poles along each course, its floor of heavy ' puncheons,' its broad,
cheerful fireplace, large as a modern bed-room all are in the highest style
of frontier architecture. Within excepting some anomalies, such as
putting the skillet and teakettle in the little cupboard, along with the
ilue-edged plates and yellow-figured tea-cups for the whole has been
arranged by the hands of the bridegroom himself every thing is neatly
md properly disposed. The oaken bedstead, with low, square posts,
stands in one corner, and the bed is covered by a pure white counterpane,
with fringe an heir-loom in the family of the bride. At the foot of this
is seen a large, heavy chest like a camp-chest to serve for bureau, safe,
and dressing-case.
" In the middle of the floor directly above the trap-door which leads
to a ' potato-hole ' beneath stands a ponderous walnut table, and on it
sits a nest of wooden trays ; while, flanking these, on one side, is a nicely-
folded tablecloth, and, on the other, a wooden-handled butcher-knife and
a well worn Bible. Around the room are ranged a few ' split-bottomed '
chairs, exclusively for use, not ornament. In the chimney-corners, or
under the table, are several three-legged stools, made for the children,
who as the bridegroom laughingly insinuates, while he points to the un-
couth specimens of his handiwork ' will be coming in due time.' The
wife laughs in her turn replies 'no doubt' and, taking one of the
graceful tripods in her hand, carries it forth to sit upon while she milks
the cow for she understands what she is expected to do, and does it
without delay. In one corner, near the fireplace, the aforesaid cupboard
is erected being a few oaken shelves neatly pinned to the logs with
hickory forks and in this are arranged the plates and cups ; not as the
honest pride of the housewife would arrange them, to display them to the
best advantage, but piled away one within another, without reference to
show. As yet there is no sign of female taste or presence.
" But now the house receives its mistress. The ' happy couple ' ride
up to the low rail fence in front, the bride springs off without assistance,
affectation, or delay. The husband leads away the horse, or horses, and
the wife enters the dominion where, thenceforward, she is queen. There
200 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
is no coyness, no blushing, no pretence of fright or nervousness if you
will, no romance for which the husband has reason to be thankful ! The
wife knows what her duties are, and resolutely goes about performing
them. She never dreamed, nor twaddled about ' love in a cottage,' or
* the sweet communion of congenial souls ' (whenever eat anything); and
she is, therefore, not disappointed on discovering that life is actually a
serious thing. She never whines about 'making her husband happy,'
but sets firmly and sensibly about making him comfortable. She never
complains of having too much work to do, she does not desert her home
to make endless visits ; she borrows no misfortunes, has no imaginary
ailings. Milliners and mantua-makers she ignores, ' shopping ' she never
heard of, scandal she never invents or listens to. She never wishes for
fine carriages, professes no inability to walk five hundred }'ards, and does
not think it a 'vulgar accomplishment' to know how to make butter.
She has no groundless anxieties, she is not nervous about her children
taking cold ; a doctor is a visionary potentate to her a drug shop is a
depot of abominations. She never forgets whose wife she is, there is no
' sweet confidante ' without whom she ' can not live,' she never writes
endless letters about nothing. She is in short, a faithful, honest wife ;
and, in ' due time,' the husband must make more ' three-legged stools,'
for the ' tow heads ' have now covered them all !
" Such is the wife and mother of the pioneer, and, with such influen-
ces about him, how could he be otherwise than honest, straightforward,
and manly ? "
Rev. Joseph Doddridge, D.D., whose early life was spent amid
the scenes and habits of the West, especially in Kentucky, has well
described the manners and customs. He says: " For a long time after
the first settlement of this country, the inhabitants in general married
young. There was no distinction of rank, and very little of fortune.
On these accounts the first impression of love resulted in marriage ; and
a family establishment cost but a little labor, and nothing else.
" In the first years in the settlement of this country, a wedding en-
gaged the attention of a whole neighborhood, and the frolic was antici-
pated by old and young with eager expectation. This is not to be won-
dered at, when it is told that a wedding was almost the only gathering
which was not accompanied by the labor of reaping, log-rolling, building
a cabin, or planning some scout or campaign.
" On the morning of the wedding-day, the groom and his attendants
assembled at the house of his father, for the purpose of reaching the man-
sion of his bride by noon, which was the usual time for celebrating the
nuptials ; which for certain must take place before dinner.
" Let the reader imagine an assemblage of people, without a store,
tailor, or mantua-maker within a hundred miles ; and an assemblage of
horses, without a blacksmith or saddler within an equal distance. The
gentlemen dressed in shoepacks, moccasins, leather breeches, leggings,
linsey hunting shirts, and all home-made.
" The ladies dressed in linsey petticoats and linsey or linen bed
gowns, coarse shoes, stockings, handkerchiefs, and buckskin gloves, if
any. If there were any buckles, rings, buttons, or ruffles, they were the
relics of olden times family pieces from parents or grandparents.
" The horses were caparisoned with old saddles, with a bag or blan-
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 301
ket thrown over them. A rope or string as often constituted the girth
as a piece of leather.
" The march, in double file, was often interrupted by the narrowness
and obstruction of our horse-paths, as they were called, for we had no
roads, and these difficulties were often increased, sometimes by the good,
and sometimes by the ill-will of neighbors, by falling trees and tying
grapevines across the way. Sometimes an ambuscade was formed by the
way-side, and an unexpected discharge of several guns took place, so as
to cover the wedding party with smoke.
" Let the reader imagine the scene which followed this discharge :
the sudden spring of the horses, the shrieks of the girls, and the chivalric
bustle of their partners to save them from falling. Sometimes, in spite
of all that could be done to prevent it, some were thrown to the ground.
If a wrist, elbow, or ankle happened to be sprained, it was tied with a
handkerchief, and little more was thought or said about it.
" Another ceremony commonly took place before the party reached
the house of the bride, after the practice of making whisky began, which
was at an early period ; when the party were about a mile from the place
of their destination, two young men would single out to run for the bot-
tle ; the worse the path, the more logs, brush, and deep hollows, the bet-
ter, as these obstacles afforded an opportunity for the greater display of
intrepidity and horsemanship.
" The English fox chase, in point of danger to the riders and their
horses, is nothing to this race for the bottle. The start was announced
by an Indian yell ; logs, brush, muddy hollows, hill, and glen, were
speedily passed by the rival ponies. The bottle was always filled for the
occasion, so that there was no use for judges, for the first that reached
the door was presented with the prize, with which he returned in triumph
to the company.
" On approaching them he announced his victory over his rival by a
shrill whoop. At the head of the troop, he gave the bottle first to the
groom and his attendants, and then to each pair in succession to the rear
of the line, giving each a dram ; and then, putting the bottle in the
bosom of his hunting-shirt, took his station in the company.
" The ceremony of the marriage preceded the dinner, which was a
ibstantial backwoods feast of beef, pork, fowls, sometimes venison and
bear meat, roasted and boiled, with plenty of potato, cabbage, and other
vegetables. During the dinner the greatest hilarity always prevailed ;
although the table might be a large slab of timber, hewed out with a
broadax, supported by four sticks set in auger holes, and the furniture
some old pewter dishes and plates, the rest wooden bowls and trenchers ;
a few pewter spoons, much battered about the edges, were to be seen at
some tables, the rest were made of horns. If the knives were scarce, the
deficiency was made up by the scalping knives, which were carried in
sheaths suspended to the belt of the hunting shirt.
" After dinner the dancing commenced, and generally lasted until the
next morning. The figures of the dances were three and four-handed
reels, or square sets, and jigs. The commencement was always a square
four, which was followed by what is called jigging it off; that is, two of
the four would single out for a jig, and were followed by the remaining
couple. The jigs were often accompanied with what was called cutting
F
302 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
out; that is, when either of the parties became tired of the dance, on
intimation the place was supplied by some one of the company, without
any interruption of the dance.
" In this way a dance was often continued till the musician was hearti-
ly tired of his situation. Toward the latter part of the night, if any of the
company, through weariness, attempted to conceal themselves for the
purpose of sleeping, they were hunted up, paraded on the floor, and the
fiddler ordered to ' Hang on till to-morrow morning.'
" About nine or ten o'clock a deputation of the young ladies stole off
the bride, and put her to bed. In doing this, it frequently happened that
they had to ascend a ladder instead of a pair of stairs, leading from
the dining and ball room to the loft, the floor of which was made of clap-
boards lying loose and without nails. This ascent, one might think,
would put the bride and her attendants to the blush, but as the foot of
the ladder was commonly behind the door, which was purposely opened
for the occasion, and its rounds at the inner ends were well hung with
hunting shirts, petticoats, and other articles of clothing, the candles
being on the opposite side of the house, the exit of the bride was noticed
but by few. Sometimes the ladder was on the outside of the house, and
these precautions were unnecessary.
" This done, a deputation of young men in like manner stole off the
groom, and placed him snugly by the side of his bride. The dance still
continued ; and if seats happened to be scarce, which was often the case,
every young man, when not engaged in the dance, was obliged to offer
his lap as a seat for one of the girls ; and the offer was sure to be accepted.
" In the midst of this hilarity, the bride and groom were not forgotten.
Pretty late in the night, some orie would remind the company that the
new couple must stand in need of some refreshments ; black Betty,
which was the name of the bottle, was called for, and sent up the ladder ;
but sometimes black Betty did not go alone. I have many times seen as
much bread, beef, pork, and cabbage, sent along with her as would afford
a good meal for half a dozen hungry men. The young couple were com-
pelled to eat and drink, more or less, of whatever was offered them.
" It often happened that some neighbors or relations, not being asked
to the wedding, took offense ; and the mode of revenge adopted by them
on such occasions, was that of cutting off the manes, foretops, and tails
of the horses of the wedding company.
" The custom of serenading newly married couples, or giving them a
charivari, as it was called, prevailed to some extent in the pioneer days
of Illinois. This custom originated among the French, who introduced
it among the early American settlers in the Mississippi Valley. The old
French charivaris were innocent. ' It was,' says ' Governor Reynolds,'
in his ' Pioneer History of Illinois,' ' a merry, rural serenade, sustained
by all sorts of loud and discordant noises.' The charivari party was
composed of old and young, and generally conducted by some orderly and
aged man. They enlisted into their service all sorts of things that could
by any means be forced to make a noise. -They used bells, horns, drums,
pans, tin kettles, whistles, and all such articles as would make loud, harsh
sounds. This French organized charivari was such a merry, noisy uproar,
that it would make a monk laugh if he heard it.
" The proper French custom was, that if persons married, of the same
I
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 303
condition, there was no charivari ; but when discordant materials were
tied together with that delicious silken cord, which is so dazzling to the
t'emale eye, then a similar discordant noise attended the celebration. For
example, when neither of the parties ever before tasted the delicacies of
matrimony, there was no grounds for a serenade ; but when a widower,'
who had before worshiped at the shrine of Venus, married a lady who
was never before bound in wedlock, then in such cases the charivari was
invoked with all its merriment. And the same with a widow, who had
before feasted on the sweet viands of love, and married a man whose lot
had heretofore been celibacy, in such cases the charivari was in order."
Generally among the French the married parties were as willing as
the others for the sport, and were prepared to extend some civilities ta
the good-humored crowd. Thus frequently the case ended in the best of
feeling. But when the married folks were refractory, the charivari was-
kept up for a succession of nights, until they yielded to the custom. As-
the farce proceeded, if the married parties were sowr, the serenading
crowd had the privilege to hint, in a mild manner, first at the character
of the bride, and then at that of the bridegroom. These hints generally-
closed the scene in good humor. When the noise was made in the crowd,,
some one would cry out at the top of voice, " Charivari ! charivari ! "
and some other in the party would sing out, "per qui?" "for whom?"
The answer to this question gave rise to hint at the female and her
character. At times the bridegroom, also, was charged with things he-
would not like. This was the dernier resort. When this, or other means,,
produced some kindness or civility, then the whole farce ended in the best
of feelings, among the French. But with the Americans this charivari
is sometimes attended with disagreeable consequences. And, in fact, the
serenading party is sometimes indicted for a " breach of the peace." The
charivari were common affairs in the early days of Morgan County, and
have been continued to some extent to the present day.
In pure pioneer times the crops of corn were never husked on the
stalk, as is done at the present day; but were hauled home in the husk,
and thrown in a heap, generally by the side of the crib, so that the ears
when husked could be thrown directly into the crib. This practice was
commonly followed by the early settlers of Morgan County, and was the
occasion of the frolics known as ' shuckings," or " husking bees."
" The corn house filled,
The invited neighbors to the husking come ;
A frolic scene, where work, and mirth, and play,
Unite their charms to chase the hours away."
The whole neighborhood, male and female says an old writer
were invited to these " shuckings." The girls, and many of the married
ladies, generally engaged in this amusing work. In the first place, two-
leading, expert huskers were chosen as captains, and the heap of corn,
divided as nearly equal as possible. Rails were laid across the pile, so as
to designate the division ; and then each captain chose, alternately, his-
corps of huskers, male and female. The whole number of working
hands present were selected on one side or the other, and then each party
commenced a contest to beat the other, which was, in many instances,,
truly exciting. One other rule was, that whenever a gentleman husked
304 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
a red ear of corn, he was entitled to a kiss from the ladies. This frequently
excited much fuss and scuffling, intended by both parties to end in a kiss.
In some parts of the West it was the practice to use taffia, or
Monongahela whisky, which they drank out of a bottle, each one, male
and female, taking the bottle and drinking out of it, and then handing it
to his or her next neighbor, without using any glass or cup whatever.
This custom was common, and not considered rude. The bread used at
these frolics was baked generally on jonny, or journey-cake boards, and
is the best corn bread ever made. A board is made smooth, about two
feet long, and eight inches wide the ends are generally rounded. The
dough is spread out on this board, and placed leaning before the fire. One
;side is baked, and then the dough is changed on the board, so the other
side is presented, in its turn, to the fire. This is jonny-cake, and is good,
if the proper materials are put in the dough, and it is properly baked.
Almost always these corn shuckings ended in a dance. To prepare for
this amusement, fiddles and fiddlers were in great demand, and it often
required much fast riding to obtain them. One violin, and a performer,
were all that was contemplated, at these innocent rural dances.
Toward dark, and the supper half over ; then it was that a bustle
.and confusion began, which fully equalled the confusion of tongues at
Babel. The young folks hurriedly cleared the table, while the old folks
contended for time and order. It was the case, nine times out of ten,
that but one dwelling house was on the premises, and that used for
eating as well as dancing. But when the fiddler commenced tuning his
instrument, the music always gained the victory for the younger side.
Then, the dishes, victuals, tables, and all, disappeared in a few minutes,
-and the room was cleared, the dogs driven out, and the floor swept off,
ready for action. The floors of these houses were sometimes the
natural earth beaten solid, sometimes the earth with puncheons in the
middle, over the potato hole, and at times, the whole floor was made of
puncheons. Sawed plank, or boards, were not at all common in curly
times.
The music at these country dances excited the young folks to imme-
diate activity, and the dance which followed was similar in character to
that which followed the wedding festivities. The pioneers of Morgan
County, who are yet living, doubtless remember these early frolics, and
it was at these, that "many a sweet love story was told over in a laugh-
ing manner, by the young hunters, or farmers, to their sweet-hearts,
during these nights of innocent amusements. The young man of .
eighteen, would choke, cough, and spit, look pale, and sweat when he
was about to tell his girl the secret movements of his heart in her
favor, while his heart thumped with almost as loud a noise as a pheasant
beating on a log. The girl received these outpourings of her lover's
heart, with such sparkling eyes and such a bright countenance, that
spoke volumes of love to her beau. These love contracts, that ended
in marriage, were frequently made at these dances. In the morning, all
went home on horse-back, or on foot. No carriages, wagons, or other
wheeled vehicles, were used on these occasions, for the best of reasons
they had none."
The skillful use of the rifle, was an accomplishment essential to
frontier life. This led to " shooting matches," which were eagerly par-
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 305>
ticipated in by all the men old enough to hold a rifle. The prize shot
for, was generally a fat beef, although a rifle, a turkey, or some other
piece of property would be contended for. When the owner of a fat
beef, proposed to dispose of it that way, he sent word of the coining
" match," over the settlement, fixing the day and place. The hunters
would gather in, at the time appointed, with their rifles and hunting
accoutrements. Being provided with the inevitable jug of whisky,,
they would select a shaded spot, under the trees, and prepare for the
match. The beef was valued at an amount agreed upon, which had to be
made up at a certain sum per shot, generally fifty cents, each one invest-
ing in as many as he liked until the amount was made up.
Two judges were then chosen to decide the match, one of them to
attend to setting up the targets, and the other to check off the shots as
they were fired. The marksmen provided themselves with targets,
which tney made by blackening one side of a clapboard, over the fire.
A small cross was then made, by drawing a knife-blade up and down
through the blackened spot, and at the center of the cross a small piece
of white paper was fastened, and the target was ready. Each one shot
at his own target, and when all the shots were fired, the targets were
examined by the judges, and the winners announced. The distance was
usually forty yards off hand, or sixty yards with a rest ; the latter mode
being considered the best way of testing the accuracy of a gun's shoot-
ing. By established custom, the beef was divided into five choices,
each quarter of the animal being a choice, and the hide and tallow the
fifth choice. Thus the five best shots took the choices in their order*
and the sixth best shot was entitled to cut the bullets out of the tree,
against which the targets had been placed, and retain them. If a turkey,
a rifle, or any like article, was the prize, the mode of disposing of
it, was the same as the beef, save that the best shot secured the prize,
undivided. The frontiersman was generally very skillful in the use of
the rifle. Sometimes a nail would be driven about two-thirds its length
into a board, which was placed at a proper distance from the marks-
man, whose object it was to " drive the nail " fully into the board by
hitting the nail squarely on the head. This mode of shooting, gave rise
to a familiar expression, and any one who could not successfully perform
this feat was considered an inferior marksman.
" Barking squirrels " is delightful sport, and in the opinion of many,
required a greater degree of accuracy than any mode used to kill them.
It was done by the ball striking the bark immediately underneath the
squirrel, as he paused in his flight up or down the side of a tree. The
concussion would instantly kill the little animal, and sometimes throw
him several feet from the tree.
The snuffing of a candle with a ball, was another feat indulged in
by the frontiersmen, as a mark of skill. Still another feat, which was
sometimes performed by the most skillful, was to fill a tin cup with
water, and place it on the head of some one, and shoot a ball through it.
The prize was generally a bottle of whisky, and it required nearly as
much nerve on the part of the target holder, as it did for the marks-
man.
Deer hunting was, among many early settlers, another popular
source of amusement. The habits of these animals were well known and
306 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
carefully studied by the pioneer, and it was often a test of skill on his
part to be able to successfully thwart this wily game. In the pioneer
days of Morgan County, large herds of this animal became a common
sight to the settler. Old residents relate wonderful stories about their
deer-hunts, as they gather with their children about their fireside in the
long winter evenings.
The hunter, did he decide on a day's hunt, arose early on the morn-
ing of the appointed day, and accompanied by his dogs several of which
he kept would set forth for a day's sport. The deer possesses an ex-
ceedingly keen power of scent, and can detect the hunter at a great dis-
tance, hence it was necessary on the part of the latter, to decide first the
direction of the wind before leaving his house or camp. Various devices
were used by him to determine this, should the wind be at rest ; the
common one was to place one of his fingers in his mouth until it became
warm, raising this hand above his head, he noted carefully which side of
the finger became cold first, and this decided the question. As soon as a
deer was seen, the hunter slyly approached until within gun-shot ; almost
always the first shot proved effectual, and the prize was secured. The
carcass was at once hung on a sapling out of the reach of the wolves, and
the chase continued.
At the time of the " deep snow," deer perished by hundreds. They
could not escape the voracious wolves, nor run from the dogs. Many
persons, with a reckless regard for the future, destroyed them out of sheer
cruelty. Among the earliest-settlers, venison was a common article of
food, and full of nutrition. It was prepared in various ways ; was often
"jerked " that is, cut into long strips, which were hung in the sun to
dry, and being prepared in this manner, would keep many days in an
excellent condition. It was commonly prepared in this manner by emi-
grants. As the deer became scarce by the encroachments of the white
man, their places were supplied by wild hogs. These fed on the mast
found in the woods, and often became very fat. The meat, when prop-
erly cured and cooked, was quite palatable, and supplied very well, the
place of the venison.
We left the thread of the histor}' with the close of the Black Hawk
war. Reverting to it and continuing the narrative, we find the next
event worthy of notice was the scourge of the cholera in 1833. Of its
ravages in the South and West, the reader is no doubt, well aware. It
was probably brought to Jacksonville by two men named Conn and
Coddington. The former recovered from the attack, but the latter died
in a house on the west side of the Public Square. One of these men
being a relative of Mrs. Ellis, wife of Rev. Ellis, made her house his
home, and from him Mrs. Ellis and her family were stricken with the
dreadful disease and all died.
The citizens of the town and country became thoroughly alarmed,
and many left for other places. The plague stopped all business for a
time, and prevented intercourse between the town and country people, the
latter fearing to come to town, or to receive town people into their
houses. About one hundred persons died from this disease. Many from
only a few hours sickness. It checked emigration, however, but a short
time. The next year all traces of it had disappeared, and people came
pouring into the county at a rapid rate.
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 307
The Fall of 1836, is made memorable by the day known as the
" SUDDEN FREEZE."
This was occasioned by a remarkable current of cold air passing from the
northwest to the southeast, directly over Morgan County. Its
width extended over the entire central portion of the State. Its
velocity was, as near as can now be determined, about thirty miles
per hour. It was felt in Jacksonville about noon, and was in Leb-
anon, Ohio, just above Cincinnati, at nine o'clock that evening. Mr.
Washington Crowder, a resident of Sangamon County, was married on
the 21st of December, 1836, and distinctly remembers going for his license
the day before. This event fixes the date beyond a doubt. He was on
his way to Springfield on the afternoon of the 20th, and when a few
miles below the city had a fair view of the landscape for several miles in
every direction. He saw in the northwest a heavy black cloud rapidly
approaching him, accompanied with a terrific, deep, bellowing sound.
Closing the umbrella he was carrying over him to protect himself from
the falling rain, he was in the act of drawing his reins taut, when the
wave came over him. At that instant the snow and slush under his
horse's feet turned to ice, while his coat, wet with the rain, became in-
stantly as stiff as a board. He went on to Springfield, where he found
his clothing frozen to the saddle, and was unable to dismount, and he was
compelled to call help, who carried man and saddle to the fire to thaw
them apart. He obtained his license, returned the same day, and was
married the next.
The wave passed over Morgan County between one and two o'clock,
and came so suddenly that chickens and small animals were frozen in
their tracks. Several inches of snow had fallen a short time before and
on that day it was quite warm, with light spring-like showers, and the
whole earth was covered with slush and water.
The change was so sudden and the wind so strong that the water in
the ponds in the road froze in waves, sharp-edged and pointed, as the
gale had blown it. Judge Samuel Woods says he was nearly a mile from
home, in the prairie, when the wave struck him. The slush and water
were several inches thick, and before he could get home he could walk
upon the top, as they had frozen hard.
Huram Reeve remembers the day as a warm and showery one during the
forenoon. Near two o'clock in the afternoon it grew dark, like a rain storm
was coming, and, in an instant, the strong wind, with the icy blast, came and
all was frozen. Hurrying around to save some stock that he was fatten-
ing, he was able to get a part of it under shelter, but most of the stock
suffered severely. The creek was about bank full of water, and, as his
horses, wagons, etc., were on the north side, and his house on the south
side, he was anxious to get all near the house, that he might take better
care of them. The next morning early, with his brother and some other
help, he went to the creek to get the animals across, but, the horses not
being shod, and the ice smooth, they cut the ice in pieces to get a track
wide enough for the wagon, and with poles pushed the ice under the other
to get it away, and then drove through the water. The ice had frozen
in the short time between two o'clock, p. m., arid nine o'clock the next
a. m., fully six inches thick. He also found raccoons, opossums, and other
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
animals frozen to death. Walking across the logs they were suddenly
chilled and, falling off, they were unable to move again.
Mr. Timothy Chamberlain says he remembers the day distinctly, as
his father and uncle were making a four-spoked wagon at the time, and
he was working around home, sometimes helping them and part of the
time working about the barn lot, and being warm he was in his shirt
sleeves most of the time. It rained several times during the forenoon,
and about dinner time Doctor Daniel Pierson, a near neighbor, sent for
him to assist in driving his hogs up to the stock yard and weigh them.
As was the custom in those days, when there was no public scales, where
a number of hogs could be weighed at once, the neighbors assisted in catch-
ing the hogs, and tying their feet, and using the old-fashioned steelyards to
weigh them. They had just driven the hogs to the stock yard but had
not commenced weighing., any, when, without any warning other than a
dark sky, the cold wind from the northwest suddenly struck them with
force. Mr. Chamberlain jumped behind a stack of wheat for protection.
The cold was so intense that the overcoat he had put on as he
started, for fear of rain, was frozen like a board. The weight of the hogs
was guessed at without weighing, and they drove them across the Pulliam
Run, about one hundred and fifty yards from the stock yard, and, in that
short time, ice had formed on the branch and the road was frozen hard.
Colonel George M. Chambers thinks that his date is as good as that
of any other person./ He says, " I was here, at that time, making ar-
rangements to move to Jacksonville the following spring. Sometime
about the 10th of December we had heavy rains, swelling the streams and
destroying the bridges, turning colder and freezing the ground. It then
commenced snowing, and continued several days until it was about a foot
in depth. On or about the 20th it became mild, the snow melting rapidly
and the atmosphere becoming hazy. I left the south side of the square
about half-past eleven o'clock, wading in the slush and water, turned up
West State street to the tavern kept by William O. Scott, on the lot now
owned and occupied by James Berdan, but then known as the 'Heslep
House.' We dined, in those days, at twelve, and when the boarders came
in they were rubbing their ears and complaining of being very cold. I
thought that they did not know what cold was.
"After dinner I remained by a comfortable fire about half an hour.
On coming out the front door I found the snow and ice frozen so that I
went down the street upon it. Passing by the lot on which the residence
of Dr. King now stands, I saw some chickens standing by the fence with
their legs frozen in the slush. In the lot on the north side, being part of
the ground now occupied by the court house, there were also some
pigs frozen fast in the ice.
" On the evening following, there arrived from Beardstown, a stage
load of passengers from a steamboat that met the ' Northwester ' there.
They, as well as myself, were anxious to get to St. Louis. Friend Scott
exerted himself to secure us a conveyance, and on the following evening,
after a number of failures, told us that he had got the right man. The
next morning up drove George Richards, with a large, strong sled, and
in piled eight or ten of us, and off we started. After a variety of ad-
ventures we arrived safely in St. Louis. Left there on a small steamboat,
on the first day of January, 1837. When we arrived at Cairo we found
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 309
our boat too small for the ice on the Ohio. We made two other changes
in boats, and when a few miles below Shawneetown, left the boat and
4 took 'to the woods,' and hired horses to ride, and a man to bring the
horses back, and on the 20th of January, 1837, arrived at the ' Gait
House,' in Louisville, in the unexampled time of twenty days. They beat
that time now, but I doubt if they are more thankful now than we were
on arriving at our destination."
Daniel Clarke says : " The change occurred in the afternoon about
two o'clock. There was snow on the ground, saturated with a slow, rain,
so that it had commenced running in the low places. I was on the north
side of Indian Creek, just entering the timber with a drove of ho^s. I
was assisted by two men on foot ; I was on horseback. One of the men
was Uriah Houston, the other, Isaac Drinkwater. At the house of the
father of the latter I had stayed the night before. The hogs belonged to
Ralph H. Hurlbut, who lived at the time at La Grange Point, and was
packing some hogs at La Grange landing. He had a boat for ferrying,
and a lot to keep hogs in on the east side of the river. We reached the
river about dark, and penned the hogs ; the wind was high, and the slush,
loaded on the boat so much that we could not cross with my horse. Mr.
Drinkwater went home, his father's house being the first one on the east
side of the river, distant about seven miles. My home was at Mr. Hurl-
but's from which I had been absent several days. It was a good home
and I was hungry and at about nine o'clock p. m. there came a clear place
in the river ; I hitched my horse in the shelter of a pecan tree that had
been felled with the leaves on, and got into a canoe with two paddles and
an ax to reach my home. The ice formed fast on the canoe, and I had
frequently to clear it off with the ax, until I got under the lee of the west
bank ; then it went free, in which free water I froze my left hand seri-
ously. In the morning following I went to feed iny horse, and found the
river so solidly frozen that I rode him across, and had him in the stable
before sunrise ; and immediately after got some teams and hauled saw-
dust from Hinman's mill, and made a path to the opposite bank, and
drove the hogs across and had them in the lots on the opposite side.
There were about three hundred of them ; they had been purchased
from Peter Taylor, Isaac Houston, George Newman, Wingate Newman,
and others. I landed from the open water after ten o'clock p. m.. and
my recollection would make the ice the next morning one foot thick."
This remarkable event fixes the date of many occurrences in the
history of the county. It is yet vividly remembered by the residents of
that date, who relate many interesting reminiscences of that time.
The great Internal Improvement System was now agitating the citi-
zens of the Prairie State, and railroads were beginning to be the common
and the all-absorbing topic of the day. Vague ideas existed then concern-
ing their construction and use. To many, they were only the introduction
of a labor-saving scheme that would throw the common laborer out of
work and the means of earning his daih" bread. Especially did they
argue this to the class of persons who were engaged in driving stages or
employed on canal-boats. But the paper money, then just coming- into
use, blinded the masses, and the legislators, dazzled by its apparent suc-
cess, built accordingly, only to see the final crash of 1837, and the fall of
the entire improvement system. The State was checkered with lines of
310 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
railways, existing only on paper. Remains of works built under this
inspiration yet stand as monuments of extreme legislative folly.
The Northern Cross Railroad and the canal were all of the grand sys-
tem perfected at the time. The railroad was the first in the West. It
passed through Morgan County, and thereby became part of its history.
We will therefore digress in our narrative, and give a short sketch of this
enterprise which, in its day, was a State affair, and watched with anxious
eyes by all her citizens. Iri examining the files of the papers of that day,
glowing allusions are made to the scheme, and great expectations antici-
pated. Men were brought from all parts of the West to labor on the
road. Advertisements like the following were seen in nearly every issue
of the Illinoisan, then the leading paper in Jacksonville :
RAILROADS.
\\ RANTED, .500 HANDS. We wish to employ 500 good graders, to finish grading the rail-
^ * road from Meredosia, on the river, to Jacksonville, and from Jacksonville to Springfield.
We pay our hands on the first of every month. We also wish a few good superintendents, for
grading, who must come well recommended. Also stone masons, superintendents, and other
hands, to lay superstructure, which will commence at Meredosia on the first of May next. \Ve
have 57 miles of roa_l to contract, and will be able to give employment to a large number of
hands, for a considerably time. The country through which this line passes is high and healthy.
The work has now been under rapid progress since the first of August last.
JAMES DUNLAP, ) r
Jacksonville, Illinois, March 3, 1838. THOMAS T. JANUARY, f U
The above advertisement appeared in the Illinoisan of that date,
and from it the reader will learn something of the extent of railroads
then, and the stir created by their construction. There was then not a
railway car in the Mississippi valley, and only a few miles of road in
operation in the East. The great wave of " internal improvement " was
passing over the State at the time, and if the reader of these pages will
obtain a copy of the legislative acts of that, and a few succeeding
sessions, he will see scarce any thing recorded save railroad, canal, or
State road acts.
Agitation of the great " Internal Improvement System " of the State
began as early as 1835. Governor Duncan, in his message to the legisla-
ture, at the special session begun on December 7, 1835, said : " When
we look abroad and see the extensive lines of intercommunication
penetrating almost every section of our sister States when we see the
canal boat and the locomotive bearing, with seeming triumph, the rich
productions of the interior to the river, lakes, and ocean, almost annihi-
lating time, burthen, and space, what patriotic bosom does not beat high
with a laudable ambition to give to Illinois her share of those advantages
which are adorning her sister States, and which a munificent Providence
seems to invite by the wonderful adaptation of our whole country to such
improvements."
Pennsylvania and other States were at this time engaged in extensive
systems of improvements, and as the sequel showed, Illinois did not lag
in the race. Subsequent legislatures appropriated immense sums of
mone*y to aid in the erection of these works, and almost checkered the
State with a net-work of railroads. The progress of the work on the
canal was not arrested by the subsequent failures, but the remainder of
the works of the grand system, with the exception of a part of the
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 311
Northern Cross Railroad, the advertisement of which heads this article,
simultaneously began in various parts of the State, nothing ever was
done, except in detached parcels on every road, where excavations and
embankments may even yet be seen, memorials of supreme legislative
folly. That portion of the Northern Cross Railroad, from Meredosia to
Jacksonville, thence to Springfield, was afterward finished at a cost of
$1,000,000 to the State ; its income proving insufficient to keep it in
repair, it was subsequently sold for $1'00,000 in State indebtedness.
This railroad, the first in Morgan County, the first in Illinois, the
first in the Mississippi valley, was chartered February 5, 1835. After
various delays, work was begun in August, 1837, so says the advertise-
ment quoted, and on May 9, 1838, the first rail was laid. Some eight
miles were laid during the summer, and on November 8th the first
locomotive the Rogers that ever turned a wheel in the Mississippi
valley, was put on the track at Meredosia. It had been brought from the
East by way of the rivers to St. Louis, thence up the Mississippi and
Illinois Rivers to its destination. On the day it was put on the track it
ran over the old flat bar track eight miles and back, carrying George W.
Plant, afterward a prominent business man of St. Louis, Governor
Duncan, Murray McConnell, one of the commissioners of the public
works, James Dunlap and Thomas T. January, the contractors, whose
names are already noted, Charles Collins, and Myron Leslie, of St. Louis,
the chief engineer, Mr. Plant, and Jonathan Neely, the first conductor.
The eager desire in the race of empire now gave Illinois a check for
twelve years before another railroad was built. This was the Chicago
and Galena, finished as far as Elgin, in 1850. This short railroad, in its
incomplete condition, its small cars, and meager equipment, would indeed
be a curiosity now. Yet it was a beginning, and as such was greater
than any of its successors.
It has been supposed that the first railroad in the United States, was
built in 1826, connecting Schenectady and Albany, in New York. This
was one of the first railroads on which a locomotive engine was used in
the United States, but the records o*f the town of Quincy, Massachusetts,
the home of the Adams family, show that about the year 1825 a
railway was built from that place to the Bay on the Atlantic Coast, about
five miles distant. It is believed that no steam power was used on this
road, the power used being that of horses or mules. Many suppose that
the old Northern Cross Railroad, now the Wabash, is the oldest road
west of the Alleghany Mountains. This is also an error. We have
noted that the first rail was laid on this road in the Spring of 1838. Col-
onel J. B. Moulton, a civil engineer of St. Louis, states that he went to
Kentucky in 1836, and found a road in operation from Lexington -to
Frankfort. This road was built in 1833, and at the time of Colonel
Moulton's visit, horses and mules were used to draw the cars. Strap
rails were used, part of the ties being made of stone and part of wood.
The former were found to be useless owing to their pulverization under-
neath the rails, and their use was soon abandoned. Charles F. Taylor,
Esq., a civil engineer, was engaged to remove the stone and put in wood.
Colonel Moulton finished this road from Frankfort to Louisville in 1836,
when the State foreclosed the mortgage it held, and leased the road to
Swaggert & Co., who equipped it in 1841 or '42, and placed thereon a
312 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
locomotive. This locomotive weighed fourteen tons, and cost fourteen
thousand dollars. This road is now known as the Lexington and Ohio.
From the above statement of Colonel Moulton, whose memory is accurate,
it will be seen that the road in Kentucky was in operation four or five
years before the one of which we are writing.
From the advertisement heading this article, we see that work was
begun on the Northern Cross Railroad in the Autumn of 1837. The as-
sociate editor of the Quincy Whig, who visited Meredosia with a view of
learning something of the early history of the first railroad in Illinois,
writes to his paper as follows :
" It was surveyed by James Bucklin, assisted by George W. Plant
and John Van Horn. The profile of the work was drawn by a Pole
named Edward Malowginowskie, a noble by birth, who had left Poland
on account of some of the rebellions or persecutions there. He was a
man of fine attainments and high character. After this survey and loca-
tion, the division of the road beginning at the Illinois River, at this place,
and extending to Van Gundy's, the first station east of here about a
mile east of where Bluff City now stands was sub-contracted to J. C. &
S. P. Thompson, D. & J. E. Waldo and Harvey Duncan.
" When everything was ready to begin work, it naturally appeared
that so important an enterprise should be inaugurated with some formal
ceremony. The day for beginning arrived late in the Autumn of 1837,
and the sub-contractors took their men, accompanied by a large number
of citizens, to a point whence the road was to start, on the bank of the
river. There Mr. J. E. Waldo, now living in New Orleans, and Dr.
Owen M. Long, now consul at Panama, were chosen speakers for the
occasion.
" The toast-master of the day was Samuel Talmage, a noted charac-
ter of that period. The day was given up to speech-making, jollification
and hilarity, and it would be very interesting at this distance if one could
report some of the wonderful orations delivered. One of the toasts is
distinctly recalled thus : " Our friend, T. T. January a man with a cold
name but a warm heart." Mr. January is still living, and is a wholesale
trader in St. Louis. Mr. D. Waldo, now the postmaster here, being-
then the oldest man as well as the oldest citizen of the place, was desig-
nated to dig the first spadeful of dirt. The labor he performed was all
the work done on the road that day.
" The work of grading went on all winter and was finished in April.
The track was laid by putting down a piece of square timber called a
mudsill, on the top of which cross-ties were laid. On these a wooden
rail was laid and flat bars were spiked on top of the rail. The bars were
two and a half inches wide and one inch thick. It is not now distinctly
remembered whether this iron was of foreign or domestic manufacture,
but it was brought by way of New Orleans to St. Louis, and there deliv-
ered from the steamer Vandalia to the steamer Quincy, then run by J.
H. and E. Lusk, between St. Louis and this place.
" The first locomotive that ever turned a wheel in the Mississippi
valley was brought here in pieces and set up to operate this earliest Illi-
nois railroad. It was made by Rogers, Grosvenor & Ketchum, of New-
ark, N. J., and was landed here from the steamer Quincy in the Autumn
of 1838, soon after the iron had been laid on the road. It was a curious
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 313
little contrivance, and, as compared with the more moJern construction
of locomotives, was a consummate piece of clumsiness. The driving-
wheels were about two and a half feet in diameter, and, in every other
respect, it compared equally well with the locomotives of the present
day.
"A man by the name of Fields came out with the engine to set it
up, and, on the day he got it on its feet, the jollification ran so high that
he got off his, and had to be carried to the hotel for repairs. On the
way he protested that they were heaping undeserved honor upon him
and begged to be laid down and treated as a man of no distinction or
eminence. He was the first engineer on the road, and he ran the little
engine the Rogers for about a month. Afterward a man by the
name of Higgins run it ; but he melted out some of the flues, and at
last got discharged for dissipation. Finally two young men by the
name of Gregory were put in charge of it, and after a while they
succeeded in running the engine off the track between New Berlin and
Springfield.
" They seem to have been unable to replace it on the track, for it
lay out on the prairie for a year, or a year and a half, and was then sold
to General Sample, who practically bankrupted himself in various futile
efforts to reconstruct it into some sort of road engine for hauling freight
across the country from Alton to Springfield in competition with the
railroad.
" At last mules were substituted for the engine, and were used till
the road passed out of the hands of the State."
Mr. James Harkness, a civil engineer of St. Louis, in a correspon-
dence concerning the early railroads of Illinois, writes to the Railway
Age, of Chicago, as follows :
" The writer arrived in Springfield on the 4th of July, 1837, in
search of work. I heard of the road that was going to be built and
thought I might get a job on it. I saw J. M. Bucklin, the chief
engineer, and some of the contractors, and was engaged to build their
bridges.
" There was a great scarcity of men, more particularly those that
could use the pick and shovel, etc., and I agreed to find some. I returned
to Louisville, Ky., and sent word out that I would give nineteen dol-
lars per month, and eight jiggers of good whisky per day. That soon
procured some two hundred and fifty ; I also got Robert Me Reynolds and
Joseph Williams, who were expert whip-sawyers, to come and saw the
bridge timber for me. The corps of engineers was J. M. Bucklin (who
surveyed Chicago and the Illinois and Michigan Canal, when about
twenty years old), chief ; Edward Harkness, assistant (who resigned in
a short time), Mr. Hawn succeeding him ; John VanHorn, Edward
Malowginowskie, George P. Plant, and others, not now recollected.
Thompson, from Pennsylvania, was master mason, and the writer master
carpenter.
" I went into the timber, cut the trees, rough-hewed them, hauled
them close to the bridge, and counter-hewed and sawed them into the
proper dimensions.
" The bridge was across Mauvaisterre Creek, and was one hundred
and four feet span. The plan was a combined arch and truss. It stood
314 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
for eighteen years, with very little repairs, when it was burned through
the neglect of a temporary watchman. After I had all the timber in the
yard, and one bent completed, one of the journeymen told the contractors
that he could finish the bridge at less wages than I was getting, sixty
dollars per month. He finally got it done on the ground, but utterly
failed to raise it, and ran off in disgust. I finally told the master mason
how to do it.
" The want of locomotives necessitated the use of horses for some
time. The road was first located where it now is, at Jacksonville, but
the people on the south side of the square said it would make property
worth a great deal more there and they must move it across the square,
or they would not pay their taxes, and it had to be run that way ; but
they soon found that it caused a great many runaways, and set some
houses on fire (there were no spark arresters then), when it was changed
back to its proper location. When the very poor iron would draw the
equally poor spikes, the ends would turn up and we called them snake
heads, and very troublesome snakes they were, as they often ran up
through a cur and ripped up things generally.
" The work began at Meredosia, on the Illinois River. There were
two passes in the bluff, called Taylor's and Van Gundy's. That by
Taylor's was the cheapest and best, but it w.ould not touch several tracts
of wild land that belonged to some of the magnates, and it was located up
Van Gundy's Run, and thus improved two large tracts, one called
" Duncan's big field" (in which the writer has killed several deer), of
one thousand acres. We ran a straight line of several miles up this
prairie and struck the only house, or cabin rather, on it. It belonged to'
Mr. Lazenby, an Englishman, whose wife had such good use of her
tongue that we went back several miles and ran a line that left the cabin
a few yards to the north, and this gave great satisfaction to the settle-
ment at large.
" At my suggestion, Mrs. L. got another cow and furnished us with
frequent lunches, which we highly appreciated. By the time the "boys "
got near her she had learned to make " milk-punch " and " egg-nog "
out of good new juice of the corn, at a "bit" (12|c) per gallon, and by
the time the track was laid, she had made the price of a good two-story
frame house, and the cabin was given to some choice young " Irish
Graziers."
" Verien Daniels took charge of the first locomotive on the road after
his predecessors had succeeded in burning out its flues, and running it
off the track. Daniels repaired the flues and began to run it. On one of
his first trips, he found Lazenby's cattle on the track, and the bull
showed fight. He shouted and threw sticks of wood at him, but that did
no good. So he backed a short distance and came up a second time, but
that only made the bull madder ; again he backed and the bull after
him. But by this time Daniels was getting mad also. He said to me,
"by dadds, I will try who has the hardest head, so here goes."
The meeting came near being fatal to both, but Taurus came to
grief by rolling down the bank and never troubling the engine again.
There was neither bell, whistle, nor cow-catcher, in those days. The first
snow that fell, after the road was completed to Jacksonville, was some
six or eight inches deep, and caught the train a few miles from Bethel,.
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 315
but by hard work she got within one and one-half miles of there and
stuck. The passengers walked to Bethel, rather disgusted with the
" pleasure car," as it was then called. Some hired wagons and came to
Jacksonville, where the agent hired men and sent them down to shovel
the snow off the track in advance of the train. Joseph E. Ware, editor
of Mines, Metals and Arts, of this city, was a passenger on that trip, and
remembers it well.
" We had the usual amount of strikes and fights, which would not
be interesting. Under the old constitution nearly every one could vote,
and the consequence was that between five and six hundred of the boys
came to town to vote the " Dimmecratic " ticket, their candidate being
"Jackson." When told there was no such candidate, they were about
to bake the town, and could have done it, but John J. Hardin, John
Henry, Wm. Thomas, and others, suggested to the judge to open a poll
for Jackson. This was done, and it prevented a bloody fight."
In reference to the "Road Wagon," as it was called, which General
Sample attempted to operate on the prairies, and to which reference has
already been made, Mr. Harkness writes :
" If the State of Illinois is not entitled to claim the first railroad in
the West, I think she is clearly entitled to the first attempt to use steam
as a motor without even a graded road. Judge Sample, who was one of
the early settlers, and one of the many enterprising men who have made
Illinois the great State of this valley, after seeing a locomotive, conceived
the idea of using one to haul goods and passengers from Alton to Chi-
cago. He laid out an addition north of the penitentiary, where he built
a large hotel, machine shops, etc. It was called Sampleton. At this
time you could travel on prairie from there to Chicago and not touch
either timber or farm. He had wheels about three feet wide, if I recol-
lect right, attached to his engine. Every thing was new to the me-
chanics, and it was after many trials and disappointments that it made
a successful trip to Springfield, where it remained for years on the
prairie."
Mr. Harkness, in one of his letters, relates two incidents of his fron-
tier life in Illinois which we here append.
" Two farmers who were out looking at the country, as was the cus-
tom at that time, were crossing from Lick Creek to the Mauvaisterre and
Jacksonville. About half way across they struck the track of Sample's
road engine, where the grass was fully three feet high.
" Both horses wheeled in terror and ran. After getting them back,
the farmers examined the trail and concluded it was a big snake, and that
they would follow it carefully and get a sight of the thing if possible.
They followed it up to Springfield where they found the ' thing ' resting
very quietly.
" An ' early day ' reminiscence, not strictly pertaining to railroads,
but illustrating the perils of travel before railroad times, occurs to me.
Several years after this occurrence above noted, I was crossing at the
same points, and had my wife, child, and Judge Berdan, who is still liv-
ing in Jacksonville, in a spring wagon, when a fire came down the prairie
at race-horse speed, and nothing but my knowledge of the country saved
us. I put on the whip for life and made for a mound where the cattle
had eaten off the grass, but before reaching it the fire was all around us
316 HISTORY OF MORGAJT COUNTY.
and it was the third attempt before I got through to the short grass and
saved our lives. The horses and wagon were badly scorched. Two men
on horseback about a mile from us were both burned to death. Such in
early times was life in what is long since the richest portion of the best
State in the Union."
The original survey was on the line of the present Wabash railway.
When the work of laying the old flat bar track had reached nearly to the city
of Jacksonville, the line of construction was changed, for various reasons,
and brought up West State street to the center of the public square.
Here a stopping place was made and here the cars were unloaded for
some time. The track was afterward extended through East State street,
making a bend about where the railroad tracks are now laid, passing
northeasterly through the grounds of the Blind Asylum until it reached
the original survey. In making the excavation for the foundation of the
large chimney at the Blind Asylum, some of the old oak ties were un-
earthed. These were in good condition and were, by the pupils of the
Blind Asylum, made into boxes and trinkets, which are now in the pos-
session of many of the citizens of Jacksonville. Colonel C. M. Morse,
the division superintendent of the Chicago and Alton Railroad, has in his
possession a box made from one of these ties, and in it one of the spikes
used in fastening the old strap rail to the sill. Ties have also been
found in excavating for the fountain in the public square, and in dig-
ging for gas and water mains.
The old road gradually wore out, the strap rails were stolen to use
as shoes for sled runners and other purposes. For stealing these, one
man was arrested and imprisoned in the penitentiary. When the engine
was abandoned and sold to General Sample, mules were used to haul
the cars in which freight was mostly carried, passengers generally pre-
ferring to travel in stages. Three mules, driven tandem, were usually
attached to each car, their speed being accelerated by any movable arti-
cle in reach of the driver.
The road proved a source of expense to the State. It had cost a
million of dollars, and was bringing no revenue ; individuals, enthusiastic
in this system of improvements, stood ready to buy the road and it was
deemed best to sell it. In 1847, it was sold at public auction at the State
House, in Springfield, to a company composed of Colonel Mathers, H. N.
Ridgley, James Dunlap, and Governor Mattison. The price paid was
8100,000 in State bonds, then below par. These gentlemen went
immediately to work, changing the tract from State street, in Jackson-
ville, to its original survey in the northern part of the city. A
better track was laid, repairs made wherever necessar}-, the route being
changed at Bluff City to run to Naples, a point on the Illinois River
four miles below Meredosia. The road received a new charter, purchased
new equipments, and made preparations to continue its route from
Springfield, eastward, to the State line on the old survey. Three loco-
motives, the Morgan, Sangamon, and Frontier, were procured and placed
on the road, Mr. Jonathan Neely, of Jacksonville, was appointed station
agent, freight agent, ticket agent, conductor, etc. Soon after, the strap
rails were discarded, and the "U" rail was adopted, this was, how-
ever, soon replaced by the " T " rail, now in use. The road was in
operation in the Fall of '49 as far as Springfield. Work was continued
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 317
on the road, which, by 1853, had progressed as far as Decatur. In 1851,
the first railroad crossing in the State was made at Springfield, being that
now known as the Chicago and Alton, over the road of which we are now
writing. The old Northern Cross Railroad, afterward the Great Western,
and now the Toledo, Wabash and Western, after the change in 1847, has
maintained a steady, continuous growth, and is now one of the best
operated railways in the West.
The Chicago, Alton and St. Louis Railroad received its charter Feb-
ruary 27, 1847, under the name of the "Alton and Sangamon Railroad
Company." The incorporators were, Robert Furgeson, Simeon Ryder,
Benjamin Godfrey, Thomas Clifford, Robert Dunlap, and William Martin.
The route was to be " from the City of Alton, on the Mississippi River,
in Madison County, by the way of Carlinville, in Macoupin County, New
Berlin, in Sangamon County, to the City of Springfield, in Sangamon
County."
Work was commenced in the Spring of 1851. On the 9th of Sep-
tember, 1852, the first train reached Springfield. The rails and ties for
this end of the road were brought from Naples, over the Great Western
Railroad. The junction of these two roads was the first railroad crossing
made in the State of Illinois. At the special session of the General
Assembly in 1852, the charter was amended, extending the line to Joliet,
and changing the name to the " Chicago and Mississippi." On the 18th
of October, 1853, the track was finished to Bloomington, and conveyed
passengers to Chicago by way of the Illinois Central and Rock Island
Railroads. On the 4th of August, 1854, the road was finished to Joliet,
and the cars run over the Chicago and Rock Island Road to Chicago.
After the Joliet " cut off" was made, the trains run to Chicago over that
road by way of " Matteson." After the " Joliet and Chicago Road "
was built, it was leased by the Chicago and Alton Road, the name having
been changed in February, 1854.
What is now the Jacksonville branch of the Chicago and Alton
Railroad was commenced at Jacksonville in 1858, and opened to Man-
chester, south, and Petersburg, north, in 1860. It was extended to White-
hall, probably in 1862, and to Godfrey, January 1, 1865. The line was
extended north to Mason City, in June 1867, and completed to Bloom-
ington, September 23, 1868. This road, known as the St. Louis, Jack-
sonville and Chicago Railroad, was leased to the Chicago and Alton
Company in April, and taken possession of June 1, 1868. By this lease,
the Chicago and Alton Railroad Company obtained a direct line from
Alton to St. Louis, in connection with the line from Chicago to Alton,
this gives them direct communion between the two greatest cities in the
West.
Desiring a direct connection with the great railways west of the
Father of Waters, the company, in 1871, under the charter granted to
the St. Louis, Jacksonville and Chicago Railroad, constructed a line from
Roodhouse, to Louisiana, Missouri, crossing the Mississippi River on a
bridge 2052 feet in length. This bridge cost $800,000, and is leased by
the company. The line was extended from Louisiana to Mexico, Mo.,
the same year. The next spring it was opened to Fulton, and in July to
Cedar, on the Missouri River, opposite Jefferson City. All the line in
318 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
Missouri was built under a charter granted to the Louisiana and Missouri
River Railroad Company.
The company are building a line from Mexico to Kansas City, a
distance of 160 miles, crossing the Missouri River at Glasgow. ' The
entire length of this road, including its branches and extension, is 837.2
miles. The length of the Jacksonville Division is 150.6 miles. It affords
the citizens of Jacksonville and Morgan County a direct and easy com-
munication with the cities of Chicago and St. Louis. The division is
under the supervision of Colonel C. M. Morse, and to his efforts and
experience the success of this division is largely due.
The Peoria, Pekin and Jacksonville Railroad was built first from Pe-
oria to Virginia. In 1869, it was extended to Jacksonville. This gives
a direct route from Jacksonville to Peoria, at which city it connects with
the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad, thereby forming a compet-
ing line wi^h the Chicago and Alton to Chicago and the Eastern cities.
The Jacksonville, Northwestern and Southeastern Railroad was con-
structed during the Summer and Fall of 1870, from Jacksonville to Wa-
verly. It was afterward extended to Virden, a distance of thirty-three
miles, where it connects with the main line of the Chicago and Alton. It
is the intention to extend this road to Mt. Vernon, there to connect with
the St. Louis and Southeastern road. The road runs through a 'good farm-
ing country and enjoys a good local traffic. The officers are, M. P. Ayers,
President ; W. S. Hook, Secretary and Treasurer ; Ed. S. Greenleaf, Su-
perintendent.
The Rockford, Rock Island and St. Louis Railroad was completed in
the Summer of 1870. It passes through the western part of the county,
the only towns on its route therein, being Concord and Chapin, the lat-
ter place being at the junction of this road with the Wabash. The road
gives direct communication for this part of the county with St. Louis, and
does chiefly a local business.
The railroads solved an important problem in the history of the West.
By them, transportation and communication between the two great por-
tions of the country, were made easy, and emigration by rail instead of
the slow wagon road, was the consequence. Morgan County in common
.with all counties in Illinois, was benefited by the change. Towns had
grown up in her midst, along these public thoroughfares, and her people
were beginning to enjoy the fruits of their labors. Schools had been es-
tablished, churches founded, mills erected, post-offices created, and the
busy tide of industry supplanted the former condition of the county.
A retrospective view of the increase of the population, shows pretty accu-
rately the growth of the county.
In 1820, the population of Morgan County was probably little more
than one hundred persons. By the United States census in 1830, it was
12,714. It then included Cass and Scott Counties. During the follow-
ing decade, these were created, and the census of 1840, notwithstanding
this diminution of territory, shows a population of 19,547. The census
of 1850, shows a population of 16,064 ; that of 1860, 22,112 ; and that of
1870, 28,463.
The old plan of subscription schools had been supplanted by the
present admirable common school system. No man in Illinois has done
more to bring about this change than Judge William Thomas. He early
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 319
advocated a system of popular education, and ably seconded every effort
made by the friends of education. In fact nearly every plan which has
had for its aim the advancement of the masses, has been vigorously aid-
ed by the venerable Judge, and but few bills in the early days of legisla-
tion but emanated from his mind, or bear the marks of his hand, where
the object was the advancement of civilization.
Judge Thomas, to whom reference is so often made in these pages,
and who is so intimately connected with the history, is a native of War-
ren now Allen County, Kentucky. He was born November 22, 1802.
He began the study of his profession in the law-office of Governor James
T. Morehead, continuing at Bowling Green with Hon. J. R. Underwood.
July 5, 1823, when twenty-one years of age, he obtained his license to
practice law, remaining with Mr. Underwood until September, 182rL
That fall, with a horse, a little money, and an abundance of energy, he
started for the Sangamon country. He describes his trip, his arrival at
Jacksonville, and what he saw there, elsewhere in these pages, and repe-
tition here is unnecessary. From the date of his arrival, he has been
always prominently before the people of the county, and has been one of
the foremost citizens in every good work. To him may be attributed
the founding of many of the State institutions, the establishment of the
common schools, the act of incorporation of colleges in 183'" the first act
of the kind in the State the public city institutions, and, in fact, every
beneficent object. Everything tending to the welfare of town, county,,
and State, bears the impress of Judge Thomas' hand.
He has been a faithful chronicler of events during his life here,,
and to him, more than to any citizen of Morgan County, are the pub-
lishers of this volume, and its readers, under lasting obligations for the
accuracy and detail of its statements. He has freely given every aid in
his power, every fact in his possession, and deserves from his fellow-citi-
zens a lasting place in their memories.
Morgan County contained at first all that country now comprised in
Scott and Cass Counties. By reference to the Political History preced-
ing this narrative, the reader will learn the causes leading to these divis-
ions, and the time they were made. The division left the county with
its present limits, save that portion on the north side, which, in 1843,.
was set off to Cass County.
THE OLD SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION.
The following history of the Association, with -its list of members,,
was prepared by the Secretary, Mr. Timothy Chamberlain. The society
is one of the best organized in the Western States. Mr. Chamberlain has-
taken great pains in keeping the records of its meetings, and the list of its
members, in an exceedingly neat and systematic manner in a book pre-
pared by him expressly for this purpose :
At a Fourth of July celebration at Arcadia in 1869, there were found
to be a large number of the early settlers of the county, and the conversa-
tion naturally turning to things and events of the past, and a desire
having been expressed by many of the aged persons present to meet their
friends of early days, it was decided among them that a call should be
issued in the papers, and all invited to be present at a picnic.
320 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY,
The following appeared in the Jacksonville Journal, of September
2, 1859 :
" OLD SETTLERS' MEETING. A meeting of the old settlers of Mor-
gan County will be held at Arcadia, Thursday, September 9th, in D. G.
Henderson's grove, at which time Judge William Thomas, J. T. Jones,
and M. P. Ayres, will speak. Other speakers are expected, and without
doubt the picnic, for such it is to be, will be an occasion of great interest.
It is desired that all those residing in the territory, which in 1830 was
embraced in Morgan County, should be present and participate in the
exercises. Old settlers are particulaily invited."
The first regular meeting of the old settlers of Morgan, Cass, and
Scott, was held in the grove near Arcadia, on Thursday, September 9th,
1869. Pioneers from all parts of these counties were on hand at an early
hour. The exercises were opened with prayer, by Rev. Joel Goodrick.
Hon. Joseph Morton, Capt. Yaples, Judge Whitlake, Bradley Thompson,
M. P. Ayres, and others, made remarks appropriate to the occasion. A
letter was read from Judge William Thomas, apologizing for and explain-
ing his absence. Mr. Charles Cox was First Marshal of the day, and
Mr. John M. Wilson assistant. Dr. John Craig was Secretary. Not less
than 500 persons were present. An ode was sung, composed by Major
George M. McConnel, of Jacksonville. The following resolution, offered
by Mr. M. P. Ayres, was unanimously adopted :
" Resolved, That we cherish tenderly the recollection of the names
of our honored dead, the early pioneers of our county, and we realize
that though dead, yet through their works they still speak, and we trust
we may imitate their virtues, and show by our works our appreciation of
the toils and trials endured in our behalf."
It was intended that a regular association should be organized, so
that hereafter annual meetings might be held, and every valuable act
concerning the history of the county be preserved. However, the time
was so fully occupied with other matters, that such an organization could
not be effected, and a meeting was called for August 25, 1870, which met
in Henderson's grove, near Arcadia, and after listening to speeches from
Hon. Newton Cloud, Rev. N. P. Heath, Major G. M. McConnel, Senator
Richard Yates, and others, a society was organized. A constitution was
presented and read by Judge Wm. Thomas, and after being slightly
amended, was adopted. According to its provisions all can become
members who were in this region previous to the deep snow of 1830
and 1831.
CONSTITUTION.
On this 25th day of August, A. D. 1870, the old settlers residing in
the counties of Morgan, Cass, and Scott, composed of the territory
originally included in the County of Morgan, being assembled in Hender-
son's grove, near Arcadia, in order to secure annual meetings with each
other, and to perpetuate the acquaintance and friendship which existed
among them during the first years of their residence, agree to organize
a society to continue without limit of time, and that the following shall
be the constitution :
First. The society shall be called and known as the " Old Settlers
of the County of Morgan."
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 321
Second. The society shall hold annual meetings at such times and
places as each annual meeting shall designate for the next meeting.
Third. For the present, the society shall be composed of those who
settled within the limits of the county previous to the deep snow of 1830
and 1831. . Subsequent settlers may hereafter be admitted.
Fourth. The officers of the society shall be a president, to preside
at the annual meetings, three vice presidents, six directors, a secretary,
a treasurer, a chaplain, and a marshal, all to be elected or appointed
annually.
Fifth. The general business of the society shall be superintended
and directed by the president and directors, four of whom shall constitute
a quorum.
Sixth. The secretary shall make and keep a roll of the members,
and record of the proceedings and action of the president and direc-
tors, and of the society.
Seventh. The treasurer shall safely keep the funds of the society,
and pay them out on orders of the president and directors of the society.
Eighth. The chaplain shall attend and open the annual meetings
with prayer.
Ninth. The marshal shall have the general superintendence of the
grounds, or place of meeting, and act under orders of the presiding
officer.
Tenth. Each member of the society shall sign his or her name to
this constitution, or cause the same to be signed, adding thereto the date
of settlement and nativity.
Eleventh. This constitution shall be subject to alteration or amend-
ment at any regular meeting.
An ode was sung, composed by Mrs. J. R. Bailey, entitled the
" Pioneer," tune of " E. Pluribus Unum." Some slight amendments
have since been made to the constitution, one of which admits members
to the society who settled here previous to 1840.
The present officers of the society are: President, Wm. Thomas;
Vice-Presidents, Elliott Stevenson, William Lindsey, and Jesse Henry;
Secretary, Timothy Chamberlain ; Treasurer, John Robertson; Chaplain,
Rev. William Gallaher: Marshal, Charles Sample ; Finance Committee,
Bazzill Davenport, John A. Wright, John Tureman ; Executive Com-
mittee, Huram Reeve, John Bergen, Joseph Morton, Keeling Berry,
Samuel Brockman.
There is no charge made, and all who have been in the limits of old
Morgan previous to 1840, have frequently been invited to sign the consti-
tution, or send their names to the secretary. Yet there are a great many
persons who have neglected to attend to this matter, and their names
therefore do not appear in the following list of members :
Atherton, Ann, born New York, 1810 ; settled Morgan co. 1828.
Anderson, James S., born Ky., 1810 ; settled Morgan co. October, 1830*
Angel, John, born Ind., 1823 ; settled Morgan co. 1827.
.. Adams, Joseph, born Ky., 1805; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Aedor, Jacob, born Md., 1792 ; settled Morgan co. 1831.
Adams, G. W. born 111., 1835 ; settled Morgan co. 1835.
Antel, James, born Ky., 1815 ; settled Morgan co. 1820.
322 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
Ayres, Marshall P., born Pa., 1823 ; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Ay res, Augustus E., born Pa., 1826 ; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Akers, Peter Rev., born Va., 1790; settled Morgan co. 1834.
Braner, John, born Va., 1803 ; settled Morgan co. October, 1830.
Black, Samuel, born Va., 1798 ; settled Morgan co. Fall, 1828.
Bancroft, J. H., born Conn., 1813 ; settled Morgan co. 1834.
Bergen J. F., born N. J., 1812 ; settled Morgan co. October, 1828.
Broad well, Wm. H., born 111., 1823 ; settled Morgan co. 1823, born in
Morgan co.
Bennett, Isaac R., born Ky., 1802 ; settled Morgan co. September, 1829.
Bridgeman, Hezekiah, born Va., 1797 ; settled Morgan co. Dec. 9, 1830.
Beggs, Wm. Harvey, born Ind., 1817 ; settled Morgan co. Sept. 1829.
Buckley, Mary E., born N. Y., 1813 ; settled in American bottom, 1819.
Bedwell, Rachel, born Ohio, 1799. Was in Morgan before Jacksonville
was laid out. Husband hauled logs for jail.
Boyer, J. H., born Ky., 1823 ; settled Morgan co. November, 1830.
Boyer, Jacob, born N. C., 1797 ; settled Morgan co. October, 1822.
Bridgeman, Franklin, born Va., 1821 ; settled Morgan co. Dec. 9, 1830.
Black, Mildred Mrs., born Va., 1802 ; settled Morgan co. 1826.
Boyce, Elizabeth Mrs., born Tenn., 1800 ; settled Morgan co. 1830 ; died
1875.
Becroft, Aquilla, born Md., 1798 ; settled Morgan co. 1833.
Birdsal, Clark, born N. Y., 1800; settled Morgan co. 1821.
Brown, Bedford, born Ky., 1799; settled Morgan co. 1828; died 1873.
Brown, Geo. S., born Ky., 1823 ; settled Morgan co. 1828.
Beers, N. B., born Conn., 1817 ; settled Morgan co. 1845.
Bateman, Samuel, born Eng., 1804 ; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Buckanan, Hardin, born 111., 1820; settled Morgan co. 1820.
Beavis, William, born Eng., 1803 ; settled Morgan co. 1832.
Berry, Keeling, born Va., 1818 ; settled Morgan co. 1823.
Black, William, born Ga., 1796 ; settled Morgan co. 1833.
Brown, James, born Tenn., 1825 ; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Brown, John, born N. C., 1800 : settled Morgan co. Fall, 1828.
Barton, J. M. Mrs., born Mass., 1797 ; settled Morgan co. 1827; died 1877.
Barber, Thomas, born Eng., 1809; settled Morgan co. 1835.
Brown, L. W., born Ky., 1824 ; settled Morgan co. 1833.
Brewer, W. T., born Ky., 1817 ; settled Morgan co. 1823.
Bridgeman, Isaac, born 111., 1831 ; settled Morgan co. 1831.
Cox, Charles, born Ky., 1821 ; settled Morgan co. November, 1829.
Craig, Margretta A., born 111., 1829 ; settled Morgan co. January, 1829.
Cloud, Newton, born N. C., 1805 ; settled Morgan co. October, 1827.
Chamberlain, A. T. Mrs., born N. J., 1819 ; settled Morgan co. April,
1820 ; daughter of James Buckley ; died March 1877.
Oouchman, B. F., born Ky., 1822; settled Morgan co. November, 1827.
Carson, William, born Va., 1804 ; settled Morgan co. 1824 ; father kept
the first hotel in Jacksonville ; died 1876.
Cox, Corriden, born Va., 1811 ; settled Morgan co. October, 1829.
Chappel, Eliza A. Mrs., born Ky., 1813 ; settled Morgan co. Sept., 1827.
Caldwell, Robt. L., born Ky., 1828 ; settled Morgan co. November, 1830.
douchman, E. R., born Ky., 1819; settled Morgan co. October, 1827.
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 323
Clegg, Elizabeth Mrs., born Eng., 1804; settled Morgan co. 1838.
Conlee, Isaac, born Tenn., 1795 ; settled Morgan co. 1826 ; Baptist min-
ister, came to Illinois 1815.
Chamberlain, Timothy, born Mass., 1812 ; settled Morgan co. May 14,
1832.
Carson, Thomas M., born Va., 1808 ; settled Morgan co. 1825 ; in Illinois,
1824 ; died Feb. 24, 1875.
Carson, John A. J., born Va., 1816 ; settled Morgan co. 1824.
Chamberlain, Timothy S., born Mass., 1786 ; settled Morgan co. Decem-
ber, 1832 ; died July 26, 1873.
Cook, Mar} r , born Tenn., 1804 ; settled Morgan co. 1828.
Catlin, Joel, born Conn., 1796 ; settled Morgan co. 1832.
Crum, A. A., born Ind., 1823 ; settled Morgan co. 1831.
Crum, John W., born Ind., 1823; settled Morgan co. 1831; brothers,
Craig, J. Perry, born Ky., 1817 ; settled Morgan co. 1834; died, 1877.
Carter, George, born Conn., 1809 ; settled Morgan co. 1835.
Cooper, Armstrong, born Tenn., 1812 ; settled Morgan co. 1835.
Chandler, Charles, born Conn., 1806 ; settled Morgan co. 1832 ; physician.
Cosner, T. J., born N. C., 1815 ; settled Morgan co. 1832.
Carruthers, Allen, born Ark., 1821 ; settled Morgan co. 1825.
Cox. J. M., born 111., 1825 ; settled Morgan co. 1825 ; born in Morgan.
Craig, Edward, born Ky., 1807 ; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Craig, Mary Ann Mrs., born Ky., 1811 ; settled Morgan co. 1832.
Craig, James, born Ky., 1807 ; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Craig, Maria S. Mrs., born Ky., 1815 ; settled Morgan co, 1827.
Chambers, J. R., born 111., 1830 ; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Conlee, Allen, born 111., 1825 ; settled Morgan co. 1827.
Carts, George, born Ky., 1803; settled Morgan co. 1822.
Cole, David, born N. J., 1817 ; settled Morgan co. May, 1839.
Cole, Sarah S. Mrs., born Ky.; settled Morgan co. Fall, 1828.
Conover, Vis. V., born 111., 1826 ; settled Morgan co. 1826.
Davenport, Bazzill, born 111., 1832 ; settled Morgan co. 1832.
Davenport, David, born 111., 1830 ; settled Morgan co. 1830; died 1877.
Daniels, Bukoi. born III., 1828 ; settled Morgan co. July, 1828.
Daniels, Ve.rtu, l>orn Mass., 1799; settled Morgan co. November, 1827;
died 187t>.
Daniels, Nancy W. Mrs., born Mass., 1805 ; settled Morgan co. Novem-
ber, 1827 ; husband and wife ; died 1872.
Deaton, Joseph P., born Va., 1805 ; settled Morgan co. April, 1821.
Davenport, Milton C., born K-y., 1822 ; settled Morgan co. October, 1825.
Duncan, S. S., born Ky., 1810 ; settled Morgan co. March, 1822.
Deaton, Levi, born Va., 1803 ; settled Morgan co. 1820.
Dean, Levi, born Vt., 1811 ; settled Morgan co. 1838.
Deaton, Sarah, born Tenn., 1808 ; settled Morgan co. 1828.
Deaton, Matilda, born Tenn., 1818 ; settled Morgan co. 1829.
Duncan, Elizabeth C. Mrs., born N. Y., 1810 ; settled Morgan co. 1827;
widow of Gov. Joseph Duncan; died 1876.
Deaton, Thos. jr., born 111., 1833 ; settled Morgan co. 1833.
Deaton, Mary A., born Ky., 1826 ; settled Morgan co. 1831.
Dietrech, Jacob H., born Pa., 1815 ; settled Morgan co. 1835.
324 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
Devore, Uriah J., born Ky., 1805 ; settled Morgan co. 1831.
Daugherty, James M., born Ky., 1799 ; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Daugherty, Sarah Mrs., born Va., 1817 ; settled Morgan co. 1836.
Davis, J. A., born 111., 1824 ; settled Morgan co. 1824.
Dick, Levi, born Ky., 1815 ; settled Morgan co. 1831.
Dodsworth, Stephen, born Eng., 1816 ; settled Morgan co. 1834.
Deaton, William, born Va., 1819; settled Morgan co. 1820.
Deatherage, Achilles, born N. C., 1799 ; settled Morgan co. 1825.
Devore, A. B., born Ky., 1819 ; settled Morgan co. 1831.
Dennis, Reuben, born N. C., 1800 ; settled Morgan co. 1833.
Douglas, A., born Conn., 1791 ; settled Morgan co. 1856 ; 111. in 1817.
Deaton, J^imes, born 111., 1836 ; settled Morgan co. 1836.
Deaton, Martha A., born 111., 1832 ; settled Morgan co. 1832 ; daughter
of D. Ingals.
Davenport, Brax, born Ohio, 1827 ; settled Morgan co. 1829.
Edmonson, M. C., born Mo., 1823 ; settled Morgan co. 1828.
Evans, Arden, born Tenn., 1810 ; settled Morgan co. 1829.
Ennis, Henry M., born Ky., 1824; settled Morgan co. 1834.
Eads, Ghamock, born Ky., 1815 ; settled Morgan co. 1835.
Epler, Jacob, born Ind., 1803 ; settled Morgan co. 1829.
Epler, David, born Ind., 1804; settled Morgan co. 1831 ; died 1877.
Epler, Cyrus.
English, Doc. Nathaniel, born Va., 1806 ; settled Morgan co. 1836.
Foreman, Anderson, born N. C., 1809 ; settled Morgan co. November,
182.8.
Foreman, Elizabeth W., born 111., 1823; settled Morgan co. 1828.
French, Samuel, born N. H., 1813; settled Morgan co. 1837.
Goodpasterre, J. J., born Tenn., 1817 ; settled Morgan co. 1826.
Greaton, David, born Ohio, 1810 ; settled Morgan co. February, 1825.'
Goodpasterre, William, born Tenn., 1810; settled Morgan co. 1826.
Gains, B. F., born Va., 1806 ; settled Morgan co. December, 1830 ; iu
the State in 1825.
Goltra, M. C., born N. J., 1809 ; settled Morgan co. 1836.
Gatton, Zachariah W., born Ky., 1812 ; settled Morgan co. 1824.
Goodrick, Joel, born Va., 1816 ; settled Morgan co. 1835.
Gallaher, Wm. G., born Tenn., 1801 ; settled Morgan co. 1835.
Graves, George W., born 111., 1833 ; settled Morgan co. 1833.
Gorham, John, born N. Y., 1812 ; settled Morgan co. 1823.
Graham, J. W., born 111., 1833 ; settled Morgan co. 1833.
Gunn, Jesse C.,born Tenn., 1825 ; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Gunn, Hannah T. Mrs., born Ky., 1824 ; settled Morgan co. 1831.
Graff, George, born Ky., 1816 ; settled Morgan co. 1834.
Gunn, A. S., born Tenn., 1810 ; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Gaines, R. G., born Va., 1801 ; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Goodrick, R. A. Mrs., born Ky.; settled Morgan co. 1835.
Henderson, Stephen Capt., born Va., 1793 ; settled Morgan co. Sept. 1825.
Hudson, Isaac, born Ky., 1813 ; settled Morgan co. March, 1827.
Henderson, Susan Mrs., born Va., 1801 ; settled Morgan co. Sept. 1825;
wife of Capt. Stephen H., married in Ohio, 1819 ; died, 1863.
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 325
Henderson, David G., born Va., 1796 ; settled Morgan co. April, 1826.
Henderson, Mary, born Va., 1796 ; settled Morgan co. 1826 ; wife of D.
G. H.; died September 15, 1872.
Huffman, Alexander, born Va., 1800 ; settled Morgan co. Nov. 1827.
Huffman, Mildred, born Va., 1797 ; settled Morgan co. November, 1827 ;
wife of A. H.
Hurst, Wm. S., born Ky., 1800 ; settled Morgan co. May, 1829.
Humphrey, Wm. D., born Ky., 1817 ; settled Morgan co. Nov. 1828.
House, Nancy, born 111., 1824; settled Morgan co. Spring, 1825 ; born in
Sangamon.
Hudson, Peter S., born Md., 1803; settled Morgan co. Fall, 1827.
Henderson, Chas. born Va., 1797 ; settled Morgan co. June, 1831.
Henderson, Jackson, born 111., 1827 ; settled Morgan co. July 24, 1827 ;
still lives on the same farm where he was born.
Hale, Mrs., born 111., 1831 ; settled Morgan co. October 29, 1831.
Humphrey, B. N., born Ky., 1811 ; settled Morgan co. May 2, 1829.
Hopkins, Henry, born Del., 1794 ; settled Morgan co. 1825.
Hughes, John A., born Ky., 1803 ; settled Morgan co. 1823.
Holmes, William, born N.~Y., 1799; settled Morgan co. 1826.
Huckstep, Thos. C., born Va., 1805; settled Morgan co. 1831.
Holliday, Miles, born Tenn., 1819 ; settled Morgan co. 1825.
Houston, Jonas Ira, born 111., 1828, settled Morgan co. 1828 ; born in
Morgan.
Heath, N. P. "Rev., born Ohio, 1818 ; 111., 1819.
Harding, Peyton, born Ky., 1817 ; settled Morgan co. 1826.
Hamilton, John C. Rev., born Ky., 1797 ; settled Morgan co. 1834.
Hamilton, John A., born Ohio, 1823 ; settled Morgan co. 1828.
Hembrough, Richard, born Eng., 1814 ; settled Morgan co. 1829.
Henry, John, born Ky., 1800 ; settled Morgan co. 1828.
Hutchinson, W. A., born Ind., 1828 ; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Hall, H. H., born Va., 1827 ; settled Morgan co. 1835.
Harris, W. P., born Ky., 1807 ; settled Morgan co. Spring, 1829.
Hilliard, Joseph, born Va., 1821 ; settled Morgan co. 1823.
Hart, David, born Ky., 1802 ; settled Morgan co. 1828.
Henry, Elijah, born Ky., 1821 ; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Holliday, Charles L., born Ky., 1820 ; settled Morgan co. 1831.
Henderson, D. Pat., born Ky., 1810 ; settled Morgan co. 1831.
Hayes, Joseph, born 111., 1819 ; settled Morgan co. 1821.
Haskell, Emma Mrs., born Ky.; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Hutchinson, Wm. A., born Ind., 1828 ; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Ingals, A., born N. Y., 1823 ; settled Morgan co. 1824.
Jackson, Quirzah, born 111.; married to Charles Sample, 1844.
James, Robert, born Va., 1792 ; settled Morgan co. May, 1820 ; died,
1873.
James, Eleanor, born Va., 1815 ; settled Morgan co. 1820 ; deceased
wife of R. J.
Johnson, Barbara, born Ohio, 1809; settled Morgan co. 1829.
Jones, Jane Mrs., born Md., 1798 ; settled Morgan co. 1827 ; widow of
Thos. Church and John T. Jones.
326 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
Jordon, Eliza Mrs. born Pa., 1805 ; settled Morgan co. 1827.
Johnson, Dianah, born N. C., 1790 ; settled Morgan co. 1828.
Johnson, Alex., born Ky., 1819; settled Morgan co. 1829.
Jumpp, E. P., born Ky., 1822; settled Morgan co. 1833.
Jordon, Wm. S., born 111., 1803 ; settled Morgan co. 1822.
Knight, Cyrus Dr., born Me., 1806 ; settled Morgan co. 1837.
King, Joseph W., born Conn., 1808 ; settled Morgan co. November, 1838.
Keplinger, Samuel, born Tenn., 1809 ; settled Morgan co. 1829.
King, Joseph O.
Lackey> Henry, born Ky., 1802 ; settled Morgan co. September, 1830.
Lackey, Marv, born Ky., 1807 ; settled Morgan co. September, 1830 ;
wife of H. L.; died 1869.
Loar, George, born Ky., 1800 ; settled Morgan co. September, 1830.
Loar, Ann, born Ky., 1805 ; settled Morgan co. September, 1830 ; wife
of G. L.
Lazenby, John, born Eng., 1802 ; settled Morgan co. July 30, 1829.
Long, W. George, born N. C., 1799; settled Morgan co. Oct. 1828;
died 1876.
Lee, John, born Eng., 1802 ; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Lazenby, Sarah, born Eng., 1804; settled Morgan co. 1829.
Leonard, E. B., born 111., 1826 ; settled Morgan co. 1826.
Lindsey, James, born Tenn., 1806 ; settled Morgan co. 1823.
Loughary, Arthur, born Tenn., 1810 ; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Langley, James, born Ky., 1786; settled Morgan co. 1829; 111. in 1824.
Lybarger, E. J. Mrs., born 111., 1832; settled Morgan co. 1832 ; daughter
of Levi Church.
Love, G. E., born 111., 1835; settled Morgan co. 1835.
Larimore, Priscella Mrs., born Ky., 1806 ; settled Morgan co. April, 1830.
Morton, Joseph Col., born Va., 1801 ; settled Morgan co. 1820 ; settled in
Madison co. in 1819.
Mattingly, S. J., born Ky., 1817 ; settled Morgan co. October, 1824.
Morton, Mary Mrs., born Ky., 1804 ; settled Morgan co. 1824; wife of
Jos. Morton ; died February 14, 1874.
Miller, E. T., born Ky.,1801; settled Morgan co. June, 1827 ; in Illinois,
1817.
Miller, Lucinda D. Mrs., born N. Y., 1811 ; settled Morgan co. 1824; in
Illinois in 1819; wife of E. T. Miller.
Massey, Horatio H., born N. Y., 1811 ; settled Morgan co. 1826;
Massey, Stephen S., born N. Y., 1814 ; settled Morgan co. 1826.
Marhoe, Samuel, born Pa., 1820; settled Morgan co. 1840.
Mathews, Saml. T. Col., born Ky., 1799 ; settled Morgan co. 1821 ; died
1875.
Mathews, Richard, born Ky., 1815 ; settled Morgan co. 1821.
Massie, Henderson, born Va., 1810 ; settled Morgan co. 1829.
Montgomery, John W., born Va., 1815 ; settled Morgan co. 1829.
Metcalf, Emanuel, born 111., 1810 ; settled Morgan co. 1829.
Mereia, Jacob, born Va., 1811 ; settled Morgan co. 1836.
McDonald, A. N., born Scotland, 1823 ; settled Morgan co. 1835.
Moss, J. B., born Tenn., 1816 ; settled Morgan co. 1827.
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 327
Morrison, Robert Doc., born Va., 1811 ; settled Morgan co. 1832.
Morrison, A. A. Mrs., born 111., 1821 ; settled Morgan co. 1821 ; wife of
Dr. R. M.
McCorraack, J. L., born 111., 1828 ; settled Morgan co. 1832.
Mansfield, James, born Ky., 1819 ; settled Morgan co. 1828.
Massey, Silas, born N. H., 1787 ; settled Moigan co. 1826 ; died 1873.
McAlistor, Mary O. Mrs., born Tenn., 1826 ; settled Morgan co. Novem-
ber, 1827 ; daughter of V. Daniels.
McPherson, Wm. S.,Jborn Va. 1814; settled Morgan co. 1822.
McElfresh, Greenberry, born Ky., 1832 ; settled Morgan co. 1834.
Osborn, Harrison, born Ga., 1800 ; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Pitner, Alex., born Tenn., 1804 ; settled Morgan co. 1824.
Parrott, R. D., born Ky., 1822 ; settled Morgan co. November, 1835.
Petefish, John R., born Ohio, 1825 ; settled Morgan co. Fall, 1830.
Patterson, A. C., born Ky., 1823 ; settled Morgan co. November, 1830.
Patterson, Wm. J., born Ky., 1810; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Patterson, Franklin H., born Ky., 1816 ; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Post, William, born N. Y., 1802 ; settled Morgan co. 1835.
Petefish, Samuel H., born Va., 1824 ; settled Morgan co. 1835.
Petefish, N. M. Mrs., born 111., 1828 ; settled Morgan co. 1828 ; wife of S.
H. P.
Peters, Aaron, born Pa., 1796 ; settled Morgan co. 1827.
Peters, David, born Ohio, 1821 ; settled Morgan co. 1827.
Peters, Sarah Miss, born Ky., 1817 ; settled Morgan co. 1827.
Phillips, H. C., born N. C., 1812 ; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Petree, Francis, born N. C., 1792 ; settled Morgan co. 1821.
Park, J. A., born Ky., 1818 ; settled Morgan co. 1831.
Patterson, Wm., born Ky., 1800 ; settled Morgan co. 1829.
Pitner, Jane W. Mrs., born Tenn., 1807 ; settled Morgan co. 1826 ; wife
of Montgomery Pitner ; died 1875.
Redding, John, born 111., 1824; settled Morgan co. 1824.
Roach, Joseph, born 111., 1828 ; settled Morgan co. 1828.
Ratikin, William, born Ky.,1816 ; settled Morgan co. December, 1829.
Robertson, M. A., born 111., 1824 ; settled Morgan co. 1824 ; wife of J.
Robertson ; died 1867.
Robertson, Charles, born N. Y., 1800 ; settled in Morgan co. April, 1821;
died 1877.
Reeve, Huram, born N. C., 1806 ; settled Morgan co. 1820 ; in St. Clair
1816.
Reeve, Isaac B., born N. C., 1804 ; settled Morgan co. 1820.
Reeve, John, born N. 0^1802 ; settled Morgan co. March, 1820.
Rudisell, Harriett Mrs., born 111., 1814 ; settled Morgan co. October 1821 ;
wife of Daniel Rudisell.
Reed, Stephen H., born Ky., 1815 ; settled Morgan co. 1826.
Riggs, Milton W., born 111., 1820 ; settled Morgan co. October, 1825 ;
born in Lawrence co.
Ross, L. B., born Tenn., 1812; settled Morgan co. October, 1827.
Richardson, William, born Eng., 1814 ; settled Morgan co. October, 1831.
Rearick, Emma Mrs., born N. J., 1811 ; settled Morgan co. 1820 ; widow
of Capt. G. D. R.
328 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
Ruble, Jesse, born Term., 1797; settled Morgan co. 1826; died July,
1871.
Ruble, Richard, born 111., 1825 ; settled Morgan eo. 1825.
Reed, Maro M. L. Dr., born Conn., 1801 ; settled Morgan co. 1830 ; died
1877.
Reed, Elizabeth L. Mrs., born Conn., 1807 ; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Rodgers, Joseph W , born Ky. ; settled Morgan co. 1826.
Rudisell, Daniel, born Pa., 1799 ; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Rubart, Jacob, born 111., 1831 ; settled Morgan co. 1831.
Redding, J. N., born Ky., 1808 ; settled Morgan co. 1822.
Reed, Abraham, born Ky., 1820 ; settled Morgan co. 1822.
Rucker, C. C. Mrs., born N. J., 1792 ; settled Morgan co. 1824.
Rude, Samuel W., born Ohio, 1818 ; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Rohrer, Albert; born 111., 1830 ; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Rigg, A. P., born Ky., 1813 ; settled Morgan co. 1829.
Russell, Hezekiah, born N. C., 1792 ; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Redding, John, born 111., 1824; settled Morgan co. 1824.
Rynders, A., born N. Y., 1798 ; settled Morgan co. 1835.
Roberts, James A., born Tenn., 1819 ; settled Morgan co. 1833.
Roberts^ Wm. H., born Tenn., 1817 ; settled Morgan co. 1833.
Reynolds, Joseph, born Tenn., 1810; settled Morgan co. 1828.
Rutledge, Wm. J., born Va., 1820 ; settled Morgan co. 1834.
Reed, Wm. L., born 111., 1811 ; settled Morgan co. 1822.
Rorkwell, Wm., born 111., 1827 ; settled Morgan co. 1827.
Richardson, B. B., born Tenn., 1810 ; settled Morgan co. 1821 ; died 1873.
Riggs, Scott, born N. C.,1779; settled Morgan co . 1825.
Robertson, John, born 111., 1823 ; settled Morgan co. 1823.
Stevenson, Benj. F., born Ky., 1816 ; settled Morgan co. May, 1829.
Scott, Edward, born England, 1829; settled Morgan co. December, 1829;.
six months old when he arrived in America.
Stevenson, Wm., born Ky., 1814 ; settled Morgan co. November, 1829.
Spates, Preston, born Ky., 1823 ; settled Morgan co. October, 1830.
Stacy, James D., born 111., 1828 ; settled Morgan co. June, 1828.
Stacy, Martha A., born Ky., 1829 ; settled Morgan co. 1829.
Stacy, Mathew, born Va., 1799; settled Morgan co. October, 1827.
Stevenson, James, born Ky., 1813; settled Morgan co. October, 1829.
Spotts, E. W., born Del., 1817 ; settled Morgan co. October, 1832.
Sinclair, Watson, born Tenn., 1806 ; settled Morgan co. 1829.
Scott, Thomas, born England, 1821 ; settled Morgan co. 1829.
Stevenson, Elliott, born Ky., 1804 ; settled Morgan co. 1828.
Smith, John, born Tenn., 1824 ; settled Morgan co. November 10, 1837.
Stevenson, Fleming, born Ky., 1809; settled Morgan co. 1828; died
December 24, 1874.
Smith, John, born Pa., 1790; settled Morgan co. 1824.
Sample, David, born 111., 1821 ; settled Morgan co. 1823.
Stevenson, E. J. Mrs., born Ky., 1809; settled Morgan co. 1828.
Simmons, David M., born Ky., 1826 ; settled Morgan co. 1828.
Stockton, Allen, born Ky., 1810; settled Morgan co. 1830; lived and
died within 100 yards where first settled; died 1871.
Spates, M. A. Mrs., born Ky., 1825; settled Morgan co. October, 1830 ;
wife of Pres. Spates.
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 329
Shaffar, Sophia Mrs., born Va., 1817 ; settled Morgan co. 1827.
Simms, L. Black, born 111., 1817.
Sturtevant, Julian M., born Conn., 1805; settled Morgan co. 1829.
Sprague, Joshua, born N. Y., 1791 ; settled Morgan co. 182:>.
Shepherd, Thornton, born N. C., 1795; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Smith, Ashford, born Va., 1790; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Sample, Charles, born 111., 1818 ; settled Morgan co. 1823.
Short, Samuel, born Va., 1804; settled Morgan co. 1829.
Stacy, Thomas P., born Ky., 1827 ; settled Morgan co. 1827.
Scholey, Charles, born Tenn., 1817 ; settled Morgan co. 1832.
Sheets, Isaac, born Ky., 1810; settled Morgan co. 1829.
Shelton, Martha E., born Pa., 1815 ; settled Morgan co. 1831.
Sirams, Wesley, born Ky., 1819; settled Morgan co. 1827.
Spiers, John, born N. C., 1798 ; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Shepherd, Joseph J., bor;i Ky., 1827; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Sharpe, Jonathan, born Term., 1820 ; settled Morgan co. 1829.
Strawn, James G., born Ohio, 1824 ; settled Morgan co. 1829.
Stevenson, William, born Ky., 1813 ; settled Morgan co. 1829.
Stribling, B. F. W., born Ky., 1819 ; settled Morgan co. 1827.
Sanders, L. F., born Va., 1809 ; settled Morgan co. 1835.
Short, W. F., born Ohio, 1829 ; settled Morgan co. 1834.
Sheffield, G. W., born Va., 1815; settled Morgan co. 1829.
Storey, J. W., born Tenn., 1827; settled Morgan co. 1829.
Simms, Silas, born Ky., 1814 ; settled Morgan co. 1827.
Smith, Samuel, born N. C., 1803 ; settled Morgan co. 1833.
Samples, Andrew, born Ky., 1798 ; settled Morgan co. 1824.
Seymore, John P., born N. C., 1828 ; settled Morgan co. 1831.
Seymore, Bird, born N. C., 1808 ; settled Morgan co. 1831.
Seymore, Jackson, born N. C., 1822 ; settled Morgan co. 1829.
Steele, James, borri Pa., 1808; settled Morgan co. 1837.
Saunderson, Thomas, born Tenn., 1816 ; settled Morgan co. 1827.
Stagg, Isabella A., born 111., 1830 ; settled Morgan co. 1830 ; daughter
of D. Ingals.
Sibbald, Agnes W., born Scotland, 1820 ; settled Morgan co. 1836.
Spaulding, Horace.
Spaulding, Mrs.
Thompson, R. Davis, born Ky., 1811 ; settled .Morgan co. June, 1829.
Trotter, W. D. R. Rev., born Ky., 1806 ; settled Morgan co. May, 1830.
Thompson, J. Bradley, born Ky., 1814 ; settled Morgan co. June, 1827.
Thomas, William, born Ky., 1802; settled Morgan co. Oct., 1826.
Turnham, Joseph, born Incl., 1823 ; settled Morgan co. 1828.
Turnham, John B., born Tenn., 1810 ; settled Morgan co. 1828.
Tureman, George, born Ky., 1816 ; settled Morgan co. 1827.
Trotter, Joseph A., born Ind., 1830 ; settled Morgan co. 1831.
Turner, W. D., born 111., 1822; settled Morgan co. 1827,
Turner, A. J., born 111., 1814; settled Morgan co. 1828.
Tunnell, Stephen, born Tenn., 1820 ; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Thompson, N. B., born 111., 1813 ; settled Morgan co. 1827.
Taylor, William, born Ky., 1814 ; settled Morgan co. 1821.
Van Winkle, Hiram, born Ky.; settled Morgaji co. 1829.
330 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
Vaughn, George C., born Va., 1816 ; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Van Winkle, John, born Ga., 1800 ; settled Morgan co. 1827.
Whorton, John, born Ky., 1799 ; settled Morgan co. Oct. 1830.
Wilson, John, born Ky., 1821 ; settled Morgan co. 1823.
Wilson, Charles R., born N. J., 1817 ; settled Morgan co. April, 1820 ;
son of Aaron Wilson ; died 1873.
Wolcott, Elizur, born Conn., 1817; settled Morgan co. 1830.
Westrope, John, born Ohio, 1805; settled Morgan co. 1828.
Wyatt, James L., born Ky., 1824 ; settled Morgan co. 1829.
Wells, Alexander, born Pa., 1782 ; settled Morgan co. 1820 ; 111., 1807.
Wiswall, Samantha Mrs., born Vt., 1802; settled Morgan co. 1820 ; relict
of Thomas Wiswall.
Williamson, Wm., born Ky., 1792 ; settled Morgan co. 1834.
Williams, Samuel, born Ky., 1822; settled Morgan co. 1827.
Wilson, John M., born Ky., 1815; settled Morgan co. 1824.
Whitlock, H. G., born 111., 1831 ; settled Morgan co. 1831.
"Walker, Alexander, born Ky., 1816 ; settled Morgan co. 1827.
Wilson, C. J., born Tenn., 1817 ; settled Morgan co. 1832.
Wyatt, E. M., born Ky., 1809 ; settled Morgan co. 1828.
Waters, Z., born Ky., 1821 ; settled Morgan co. 1825.
Wright, William, born Ky., 1808 ; settled Morgan co. 1829.
Wimmer, G. W., born Md., 1796 ; settled Morgan co. 1822 ; 1819, in
Sangamon.
Young, Dudley, born Va., 1797 ; settled Morgan co. ,1830.
THE COMMON SCHOOLS.
The first attempts at popular education in Morgan County, were
made in the Winter of 1820-21. That winter a school was taught in a
cabin of one of the settlers. But few scholars attended there were few
to attend and the term lasted but a short time. The teacher received
his pay in the currency of the time coonskins and beeswax and proba-
bly, as in after years, " boarded 'round/' The next year another simi-
lar school was taught in the new settlements, and so continued until the
settlement of the country justified the erection of a house for educational
purposes. This was, like all buildings of its day, made of logs ; had no
window glass, no stove, and a puncheon floor. The door was hung on a
wooden hinge, a huge fire-place supplied heat, and on one side a log was
left out, the interstice covered with greased paper to admit light.
The teachers of that day were generally of an itinerant class of ped-
agogues, often with little learning. Among them, however, were some
excellent teachers, who are yet kindly remembered by their pupils, now r
old men and old women.
The schools were always " pay schools," that is, each patron paid a
certain amount per scholar, for the quarter. This pay almost always
consisted in the common currency of pioneer times coonskins and bees-
wax. Peltry of various kinds was also used, for money was not to be
had. These articles the master could use to pay his board, when he oc-
cupied one place, or could exchange for other necessaries of life.
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 331
About 1833, Joseph Duncan, then a member of the General Assem-
bly, introduced into that body a bill for the establishment and promotion
of a system of common schools. The bill passed that body, and became
a law. It, however, was like many other excellent measures, in advance
of its time, and by the next legislature repealed. Nothing more was
done until 1837, when at the session of 1836-7, Judge William Thomas,
who has in various ways done so much for the State, drew up a bill, pre-
sented it before the Assembly, and succeeded in having it passed. This
bill was the foundation of the present common school system of Illinois.
It was most admirable in its provisions for the schools, and with various
amendments and alterations, is yet in force. Some time previous to its
passage, the National Congress had passed an act dividing among the
States a large fund, known as the Suffrage Act Fund. By its provis-
ions Illinois had received as her share, over six hundred thousand dol-
lars. The majority of the legislators wanted this fund to use in further-
ing the great Internal Improvement System, then just culminating in the
financial crash of 1837. The Judge, however, succeeded in securing
half the fund for the benefit of the schools. The exact amount secured
was $335,592.32. By this stroke of policy on the part of the Judge, this
large sum of money was secured for the cause of education, and laid the
basis of the generous support now given the schools.
Congress, in its division of the Northwest Territory, had made
provision for the sale of every sixteenth section of land, the proceeds to
be applied to a fund for the promotion and maintenance of popular edu-
cation. Morgan County contains in its present limits, sixteen of these
sections, or over ten thousand acres of land. Judge Thomas was appoint-
ed Commissioner by the County Court, to sell these lands. He dis-
charged his duty with his usual faithfulness, and a large increase was
thereby made to the school fund.
The old log school houses, upon the passage of this law, soon began
to give way to more comfortable frame structures, which in some instan-
ces are now replaced by brick structures, filled with every modern con-
venience. The advance of civilization ; the improvement of the country ;
the educated tastes of the people, and the demand for a more advanced
and better class of instruction have brought about a higher grade of
teaching, and a consequent demand for advanced and excellent teachers.
Time will undoubtedly show a still higher grade, and it is hoped it will
soon be that the profession, so fraught with the interests of all, will not
be made simply a stepping stone to other and more lucrative callings.
The day of subscription schools did not entirely cease in all cases
until about 1853. That year the school superintendent came upon the
field, and his work soon manifested itself. Longer terms were secured,
and in a few cases graded schools established. The Illinois College, the
Female Academy, and othe similar institutions, were doing a good work
and each one molding the public mind to a higher course of instruction.
Among the private schools of the county, started in early days, none de-
serve more mention than the one known as " Ebenezer Church and
School." It was started about four miles north of town, about 1832, by
Rev. Peter Akers, D.D., now an old minister in retired life in Jack-
sonville. Some of its teachers were, Rev. John M. Piper, in the Autumn
of 1835 or 1836 ; Rev. John Clark, who had been a missionary at Green
332 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
Bay, Wisconsin, brought to be educated there, George Copway, John
Johnson, and Peter Marksman, three Indian boys, who afterward became
of great benefit to their fellow men in the frontier. Others that he
brought from his mission were, Samuel Spates, David Weatherford, and
Allen Huddleson. Some of these are yet living and doing good service
in their various fields of labor.
Dr. Akers, so long identified with the interests of Morgan County,
was born on the first day of September, 1790, in Campbell County, State
of "Virginia, at the house of his parents, John and Agnes Akers, three
miles southeast of the court house. He was about seven years old
when he was sent to a common school. When sixteen years old, a school
of little children was taught by him. He next went to different institu-
tions of learning, both in Virginia, North Carolina, etc., where he both
taught classes and was taught a full course of English, Latin, and Greek
languages. His graduation ticket of A.M., was given him in Transylva-
nia University, Kentucky. He was also president, for some time, of a
State Institution in Mount Sterling, Kentucky. He studied law with Ma-
jor W. P. Fleming, in Flemingsburg, Kentucky. And in March, 1817,
he obtained license to plead in all the courts of that State ; and being re-
ceived into partnership with Major Fleming, he entered into an extensive
practice for four years ; and meanwhile edited and published a political
Whig paper, called The Star.- Having married in 1818, and his wife
being taken sick unto death, in the early part of 1821, he received an
abiding conviction of his need of religion. And his wife having departed
in great peace, when he found peace in believing, he was most deeply
convinced that it was his duty to quit the practice of law, and preach
the balance of his days. Therefore he joined the itinerant bod}- of the
M. E. Church, in 1821, and having filled the various appointments as-
signed him, and having married his second wife, he was, at his request,
transferred to Illinois Conference in 1832.
Jacksonville became the chief place of his subsequent abode ; but
having bought a place about four miles north of Jacksonville, in 1832,
he had there a church and school house built, called Ebenezer, where he
instituted a Manual-Labor school, in which, by him and others, were
taught the various branches of English literature, and also the Latin and
Greek languages. He was also three times made president of McKendree
College in Lebanon, Illinois. In this institution he served in all, about
eight years. He also filled other appointments, stations, presiding-elder
districts, etc., in Illinois, for many years, then went, labored and preached
eight years in Minnesota ; returned to Jacksonville, Illinois, and preached
six years on two districts ; was then superannuated ; since which this is
the seventh year. This year, 1878, is also the forty-sixth since he first
came to Jacksonville, where he yet lives in his eighty-eighth year. He
has preached in most of the United States, while filling different appoint-
ments. In 1833, September, he was sent by Conference to " McKendree
Seminary" which, by the next legislature, he and the trustees, got to be
chartered as a " College ;" to which he was again sent by Conference, in
October, 1834.
Other schools in different localities were founded as the population
increased and as towns were started. The colleges and superior advan-
tages offered in the county seat, soon took precedence over all others, and
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 333
finally drew all to them. Each town now supports its graded school only,
while Jacksonville offers to all advanced education equal to any city in
the Union.
The statistics of the county schools heretofore given, show fully
their standing and efficacy. Before giving them we will, however, notice
the work of each superintendent and the advance made by each.
In 1853, Mr. W. Catlin (since deceased), the first county superin-
tendent, was elected to the office. The schools were paid partly by sub-
scription and partly from the public funds, and but few of the teachers
"boarded 'round."
Mr. Catlin was succeeded by that well-known educator, Newton
Bateman. The examination of teachers now became more rigid, and
marked improvement in every way was manifested. Mr. Bateman being
elected to the State Superintendency, Mr. Thomas Springer, now an
attorney in Jacksonville, succeeded him. Improvement in all things still
went on during his term of office. He was followed by Mr. S. M. Martin,
and he by the present incumbent, Mr. Henry Higgins, elected in 1873,
and re-elected in 1877.
The last log school house disappeared in the Summer of 1876, giving
place to a frame one of more and better proportions, and filled with better
furniture and apparatus.
In the Summer of 1874, the first Institute was held in the county.
Prior to this time an association was formed among the most prominent
teachers, and Mr. Higgins chosen its president. From an average monthly
attendance of fifteen or twenty, the number has increased to more than
double either number. The Institutes are held every year, lasting from
three to six weeks, and are unusually well attended. An association at
Waverley ineets monthly, having the same object in view the promotion
and advancement of the teachers, and their profession.
The following statistics, taken from the records in the office of the
County Superintendent, show fully the present condition of the common
schools of Morgan County, and are in striking contrast to any preserved
from the records of forty years ago. For the year ending September 30,
1877, there were reported 3,063 male, and 3,441 female 7,044 persons of
school age. There were also reported 15 brick school houses, and 97
frame 112 in all. 86 male, and 84 female 170 teachers, whose
average length of schools were 7.8 months. The average monthly wages
paid to male teachers was $61.00; to female, $43.25; the total amount
expended for school purposes was $97,990.76.
H
334 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
JACKSONVILLE.
" I hear the tread of pioneers,
Of nations yet to be,
The first low wash of waves, where soon
Shall roll a human sea."
\ This city very deservedly bears the name of the " Athens of the West."
As its history progresses, the reader will observe the spirit which char-
acterized many of its earliest inhabitants. The founding of a college
was one of the first things to engross their attention, and from the number
the city now sustains, this interest has never waned. Jacksonville is
most pleasantly situated, and contains at present about twelve thousand
inhabitants.
When the law establishing the County of Morgan was passed
January 31, 1823. not an inhabitant dwelt on the future city's site.
Owing to the fact that at that time but few families lived within the bounds
of the new county then including Scott and Cass Counties the
legislature thought best to provide, that the county seat should be tem-
porary only, leaving to some future legislature to fix a permanent seat of
justice. This temporary county seat was located at a place called
" Olmstead's Mounds," near where Mr. Adam Allison now lives, and
here, in an old cabin on Mr. Swinerton's farm, the first county courts
were held. But one year elapsed ere the people evinced a desire for a
permanent county seat, and on January 6, 1825, John Howard, Abraham
Pickett, and John T. Lusk, of Madison County, were appointed Commis-
sioners to locate the permanent seat of justice for the new county. They
were required to meet at Mr. James Deaton's on the first Monday in
March following, and after being duly sworn were to proceed to select a site
for the county seat as " near as possible to the center of the territory as
practicable, having a due regard to the present and future population."
In this law it was also provided that if said county seat should be located
upon land belonging to any private citizen, the owner or owners of the
same should donate to the county twenty acres, to be laid out in lots and
sold, the proceeds of which should be applied to the building of a court
house and jail for the county.
In obedience to this law, the three persons appointed located the
county seat in the center of a quarter section of land composed of the
east half of the northeast quarter of section twenty, and the west half
of the northwest quarter of section twenty-one, in township fifteen, north
of the base line, and in range ten west of the third principal meridian.
The day this county seat was located the land belonged to the gov-
ernment of the United States, but the next day, at nine o'clock in the
morning, the government sold it at private sale at one dollar and a quarter
per acre, to Thomas Arnett and Isaac Dial, two citizens residing near the
place Arnett purchasing the tract in section twenty, and Dial the tract
in section twenty-one. Arnett and Dial resolved, in connection with the
county, to lay out a town upon this land, and by an agreement between
these owners and the County Commissioners' Court, a line was drawn
from east to west, through the center of the quarter section, and Arnett
and Dial conveyed, by deeds to the county, each twenty acres immediately
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 335
on the north side of that line. This donation by those proprietors con-
tained forty acres, being double the quantity required by the law to be
given to the county. On the 10th of March, 1825, those proprietors, for
themselves, and the county court for the county, laid out a town on eighty
acres of land, in a square form, in the center of the one hundred and
sixty acre tract, the county owning the north half and the proprietors the
south half, and after much research and deliberation in selecting a name,
they called the town Jacksonville, after General Andrew Jackson, he
being the great man of that day.
Previous to that time there had been a public road laid out from
Springfield, the then recently located county seat of Sangamon County, to
the town of Naples, on the Illinois River, in Morgan County. This road,
by way of eminence and distinction, was called the State road. This
State road passed east and west on the top of the ridge of land directly
over the spot selected for the county seat. The surveyor who laid out
the town (Mr. Johnston Shelton) began the survey by laying out a
central square of land, containing something more than five acres, directly
in the center of the one hundred and sixty acre tract, the State road
running through the center of the square. Upon this State road he
located a street, sixty feet wide, intending it to run due east and west
across the one hundred and sixty acres, and on the north line of the land
belonging to the proprietors ; thus locating one-half of the square and
one -half of the width of the street on the land of the private owners,
and the other half on the land of the county. This street was called
State street.
A street was then laid out running north and south through the
center of the land and the central square, of the same width, and was
called Main street. Taking these two streets as base lines, the town was
laid out into square blocks, of one hundred and eighty feet nine inches
on each side, which blocks were divided into three lots, each of equal
size. All other streets, except those two, were made forty feet wide, and
the alleys twenty-five feet, all running at right angles with each other.
The county offices and all county business were removed from the
temporary county seat at Olmstead's Mound, in the Summer of 1825, and
the first Circuit Court was held at Jacksonville in September of that year.
When the Commissioners located the seat of justice, they found on
the site one cabin occupied by a hatter named Alexander Cox, who
made caps of furs for the settlers. This cabin stood near the fountain in
the Public Square, and was a comfortable, though primitive affair. Almost
contemporary with the laying out of the town, this cabin was purchased
by Mr. Thomas Carson, also a hatter by trade, who emigrated hither from
Sangamon County. He was a native of Virginia. From the Old Domin-
ion he removed to Kentucky, then the western terminus of almost all
emigrants. From this State he brought his wife to the new State of
Illinois, then a comparative wilderness, and, following in the steps of the
greater part of emigrants from Kentucky to the Prairie State, came to
the Sangamo country. By some means he was induced to locate in the
new County of Morgan, and as been stated, purchased Mr. Cox's cabin.
He soon after removed it just south of East State Street, fronting the
Public Square. Placing the cabin a little in the rear of the corner, he
erected to the front a large hewed log dwelling, in which he opened a
336 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
tavern. The sash for the windows of this house were carried by Mrs.
Carson from Jersey Prairie on horseback. As the county was incorDorated
in a municipal capacity, he was required to procure a license In all
licenses to keep public houses, or ferries, at that date the rates of charges
were established. By the destruction of the court house and its records
in the Autumn of 1827, all such records were destroyed, and we have no
means of determining such charges save by those prescribed after that
ev^nt. It is probably correct to suppose that the prices allowed for
entertainment did not change much in that short interval, and we can
very safely assume that Mr. Carson received for rum, brandy, gin, and
wine twenty-five cents per half pint ; for whisky, half that sum for the
same quantity ; for a meal of victuals or keeping a horse over night,
twenty -five cents; for lodging twelve and one-half cents, and for feeding
a horse six and one-fourth cents. Mr. Huram Reeve and some others
think that Mr. David Tefft opened a tavern in a small building sixteen feet
square, erected by him on the east side of the Square previous to the open-
ing of Mr. Carson's. Mrs. Carson stated to Mr. J. R. Bailey that her hus-
band procured his license first, and was the first tavern-keeper in the town.
This opinion was confirmed by Mr. Dennis Rockwell, the first county
clerk, and is probably correct.
The tavern of Mr. Carson was removed to East Morgan Street to
give place for the erection of the Congregational church, which was
afterward known as the " Union Hall." The old building is partly
standing at this time.
The third hotel in the town was not built until 1828. It was situated
on the east side of the Square, and was probably the first frame building
erected in Jacksonville. This building was rented to Mr. George M.
Richards, who obtained his license to keep a public house February 15,
1828. It is the first license recorded now on record. Those of Mr.
Carson and Mr. Tefft being destroyed by the burning of the old cour^
house in 1827. Mr. Richards' rate of charges are worth preserving, and
were as follows :
For rum per half pint, - 25 cents.
For brandy per half pint, 25 cents.
For gin per half pint, - 25 cents.
For wine per half pint. 25 . cents.
For whisky per half pint, - - 12 cents.
For meal of victuals, 25 cents.
For lodging, - 6^ cents.
For horse feed (corn or oats), - 6^- cents.
Mr. Carson remained in Jacksonville during his lifetime, and was
always an excellent citizen, doing much toward the prosperity of the cit} T .
He was also the first jailor, and in that official capacity held the keys of
the old log structure, which, though uncouth in appearance, was as safe
a repository for criminals as its more pretentious successors of to-day.
Mrs. Carson was more widely known than any woman in the count}'.
''Mother" Carson, as she was called, was known in St. Louis, Springfield,
and equally distant places. She followed the profession of midwife, and
so extensive was her practice, and so remarkable her success, that she
was often called to these and equally distant places in the practice of her
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 337
profession. She seldom lost a patient, and it has been confidently asserted
by many that she was present at the birth of fully three thousand children.
She died while the courts were in session, and so respected was she by
all, that, upon motion of Judge William Thomas, court adjourned to
attend her funeral.
The laying out of the city, and its selection as the seat of justice,
brought immediately a number of families thither. Dennis Rockwell,
the first recorder, clerk of court, and the first post-master here, was
without doubt among the first settlers.
Mr. Rockwell was a native of Vermont. He resided for some
time at Edwardsville, Illinois, and when Morgan County was organized,
he was appointed clerk of the Circuit and County Commissioner Court,
and recorder, and, upon the location of the county seat at Jacksonville,
post-master. In 1854, he removed to Chicago, where he' was engaged in
the lumber business until 1867, when, his health failing, he returned to
Jacksonville. He was one of the first directors of the Institution for the
Deaf and Dumb, and, with Colonel Geo. M. Chambers, superintended
tli3 erection of that building. He was also one of the trustees of the
Institution for the Blind. For a time he held a position as cashier in the
Branch of the State Bank, located in Jacksonville. He donated to the
Episcopal church, of which he was a member, the block of ground on
which that church now stands, and gave largely toward the erection of
the house and support of the minister. After his return from Chicago,
in 1867, his health failed him and he died shortly thereafter.
The first store in the county was opened soon after the town
was laid out, by Hacket & Fairfield. Before opening this store in
town, they peddled through the settlements, exchanging goods for
furs, beeswax, and honey, the only money found in the settlements at
that time. Town property, for the first three or four years of the growth
of the town, was very low. A lot on the southwest corner of the square,
now occupied by the dry goods store of Metcalf & Fell, was offered to
Mr. Dennis Rockwell for a cow and calf, worth at that time ten dollars,
and Mr. Rockwell sold at one time eight acres of land, just north and
west of the square, now in the heart of the city, for eighty dollars to
be .paid in blacksmithing.
The first improvements on the west side of the square were a row
of small frame houses. In one of these houses the first barber shop was
opened, by a colored man named Ball, and in one of these buildings
Colonel John J. Hardin held his office.
General Hardin, one of the most prominent men in Morgan
County, was born in Frankfort, Kentucky, on the sixth day of June,
1810. He came to this part of Illinois at an early day, and at once
entered actively into the practice of his profession the law. He was a
member of different legislative bodies, and held other and various offices
of trust. He was elected a general of militia, and, on the breaking out of
the Mexican war, was the 'first one in the county to enlist. He was
immecliaately chosen captain of a company raised there. After leaving
for the seat of war, he was chosen colonel of a regiment ; and, while gal-
lantly leading his men at the battle of Buena Vista, on the 23d of Feb-
ruary, 1847, received a death wound. In July, his body was brought
home, and deposited in the old cemetery. His funeral was one of the
338 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
largest ever held in the city. Many State officers, and others promi-
nent in life, came to pay their respects to the memory of one so well
known and revered.
All houses were built of logs, with puncheon floors, wooden-hinged
doors, and " stick " chimneys. The old log school-house, erected proba-
ably early in 1826, was of this pattern. Judge William Thomas taught
the first school therein. It was also used by the Methodists and Pres-
byterians as a house of worship, each denomination alternating with the
other. It was in this pioneer structure that Dr. J. M. Sturtevant, so
long and so intimately connected with the educational interests of Jack-
sonville, preached his first sermon in the county. This was in the Fall of
1829, when he and Theron Baldwin emigrated to Illinois, pledged with
others to establish the institution with which he has been so long asso-
ciated. Speaking of this journey, and the old school-house, the Doctor
says:
" On our arrival at St. Louis, then a village not much more pop-
ulous, nor half as beautiful as Jacksonville is to-day, we found no public
conveyance to Jacksonville of any sort. The rivers were open and in
good stage, but there was no regular navigation on the Illinois, and no
boat was likely to go up. There was no stage to this place, and no mail,
except one carried on horseback once a week from Springfield. I pro-
cured a carriage and driver for myself and wife and two ladies accompa-
nying us, and left my friend, Mr. Baldwin, to devise the best plan he
could for reaching our common destination. The route from St. Louis
to this place was nearly the same then as the one now generally traveled.
But it was a journey through a wilderness. Delhi, Jerseyville, Kane,
Whitehall, and Manchester were not even in name. Alton could hardly
be said to be. Carrollton was for the most part a cluster of log houses.
It was a dreary journey, in mud and melting snow, through a region,
much of which seemed incapable of settlement for a generation to come,
on account of the scarcity of wood. The unfortunate detention of our
vehicle in one of those mud-holes, which are one of the first marks of
commencing civilization, compelled us, like Mr. Ellis, to pass Saturday
night on the other side of Sandy Creek. The inconvenience to which
we were subjecting the family, in the small cabin where we stopped, com-
pelled us to resume our journey with the dawning day. It was on a
bright Sabbath morning, on the fifteenth day of November, a little after
sunrise, that we came in sight of Jacksonville. It was already called,
in the ordinary speech of the people, a beautiful place. I had often
heard it called so myself ; and beautiful it was, when the bright face of
spring was again spread over it. though its beauty was God's work, and
not man's It was at chat time little better than a group of log cabins.
The prairie was in the somber brown of autumn, with scarce a tree or
shrub to relieve the monotony. To the northwest, however, the view
was shut in by an elevation, which a New Englander might almost recog-
nize as a hill. It was crowned with a natural grove. Against the front
of the grove was already projected an edifice of brick, which at that dis-
tance, and on such an elevation, made an appearance of considerable
dignity and magnificence. The site on which it stood charmed every be-
holder. It was the south half of what is now our college buildings, then
in the process of erection.
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 339
" We were most cordially welcomed at the humble but none the less
hospitable dwelling of Mr. Ellis. He was still absent at the East, but
his house was in charge of one whose heart was the abode of every
noble and generous sentiment. God only knows what the cause of edu-
cation and of religion in this State owes to her wisdom, energy, and
cheerful self-denial.
"Our arrival was expected, and preaching was appointed. At the
proper hour we repaired to the place of worship. What would our peo-
ple say now if we were to invite them to assemble in such a place for
public worship? It was a log school-house, some twenty feet square,
with a floor of split logs, and seats, so far as there were any of the same,
with holes bored in them, and sticks driven in for legs. The chimney
was of the style and structure most approved for log cabins, built out of
doors, of logs and sticks, and occupying near half of one side of the
room. Such was its condition the first time I met the congregation in
that place. Before the next Sabbath the chimney had either fallen down
or been removed, in preparation for warming the house by a stove. For
two or three Sabbaths we met there before this vast opening in one side was
again closed up. Desk or pulpit there were none, and to supply seats for
all who could get into this little church, rails were brought in and laid
from seat to seat."
A stove was soon introduced into the church, and in this small cabin,
serving as a house of worship and a house of instruction, regular meet-
ings were maintained.
During the Summer of 1825 and 1826, building progressed rapidly
in the new town. Mr. Carson's tavern was always full, and more than
once the traveler was glad of a chance to shelter himself and enjoy the
luxury of a bed on the puncheon floor, with his traveling cloak for a
covering. Hospitality was a reigning virtue among the early pioneers of
Illinois, and no one in search of a home on these western' prairies went
unsheltered or hungry.
It was in the Autumn of 1826, that Judge William Thomas first
came to Morgan County. As his journey here, and what he encountered
on his arrival, are so fraught with interest, we will let him tell it in his
own words, as he has given them in a letter to the Journal :
" On the 20th of Sept., 1826, 1 started from the office of Hon. Joseph
R. Underwood, Bowling Green, Kentucky, for Peoria, Illinois, accompa-
nied by Thomas A. Young, Esq., en route for Palmyra, Missouri. We
traveled on horseback, and purposely selected a road by New Harmony,
Indiana, then in possession of Mr. Owen, who was trying an experiment
at the reorganization of society. His fame, and that of his society and
system of government, had reached Kentucky through the newspapers,
and we determined to spend sufficient time there to satisfy ourselves in
regard to the condition and probable success of the experiment.
" We had been educated to believe that no society or organized com-
munity could succeed in this country, whose foundation had no reference
to the Bible. Neither of us were professing Christians, but our reading
of law books and sound history had created the opinion, that without the
Bible no people could be qualified to organize or maintain institutions of
freedom. Mr. Owen's system had been in what was called successful
operation for several years, and in almost every part of the country per-
340 H1STOKY OF MOKGAN COUNTY.
sons were found who pointed to its success as evidences of the correct-
ness of his theory, and of the errors of all other systems. We found
the community on the wane, tending fast to demoralization and dissolu-
tion. We, however, found educated and intelligent men and women per-
sisting in the notion that our system of government, and of religious
worship, were all founded on erroneous views of the position which men
were designed by their Creator to occupy, as well with reference to their
God as to each other.
" Having spent about twenty-four hours in the village and being sat-
isfied from what we saw and heard that the community could not be
kept together, after the adhesive power of supplies s of food and raiment
was exhausted, we resumed our journey. We passed through the coun-
ties of White, Edwards, Wayne, and Marion to Clinton. A few miles
north of Carlyle, I found an old acquaintance who constrained me to
stop and spend a few days in his log cabin. I spent several days in this
place, resting myself and horse. Whilst here, I became satisfied, that
Peoria was too far north and west, beyond the settlement of the country
for the location of an attorney at law, and determined from information
obtained from those who had passed through this part of the State, to
make Jacksonville my place of residence. Whilst resting with my friend
I visited Carlyle and found the fever and ague operating upon almost
every person that I saw. Two gentlemen here, one of whom is still liv-
ing, offered to give me a lot and build me an office if I would settle in the
village. I respectfully declined the offer, and told my friend that I
would not settle in such a sickly place for all the town. I passed from
this place to Belleville to deliver some letters to Governor Edwards and
obtain further information in regard to the country, and here I found the
first corn bread and bacon that I had seen since crossing the Ohio river.
After spending two nights and a day here, I came to Edwardsville to
obtain the signature of Judge Lockwood to my law license, and here I
fared sumptuously at a tavern kept by Mr. Hopkins, for it so happened
that Judge Lockwood had just returned from Missouri with his lately
married wife, and his friends had collected to a bridal dinner. I remained
here until after dinner the next day, and then set out for Upper Alton,
where I spent the night."
Honorable Samuel D. Lockwood, afterward for more than twenty
years a resident of Jacksonville, was one of the most prominent men of Mor-
gan County. In January, 1821, he was elected by the legislature attorney
general of the State, which office he resigned in 1 822, having been nominated
by Governor Coles for Secretary of the State and confirmed by the unan-
imous vote of the Senate. This office he resigned during the same or
succeeding year, and accepted the position of Receiver of the Public
Moneys at the land office at Edwards. In 1825 he was elected by the
legislature, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, which office he
held until after the election of judges under the constitution of 1847,
when he resigned before his term expired. He was one of the trustees of
the Illinois Central Railroad Company, when the road was first incorporated
by the State. His death occurred in April, 1874.
"All the information obtained at Belleville, Edwardsville, and
Alton corresponded with that previously obtained that Morgan
County was destined to be one of the richest and most populous
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 341
counties in this State, and that Jacksonville was necessarily a desirable
location. From Alton I came to Carrollton, taking breakfast at
John Williams'. From Carrollton I came to Jacksonville, taking dinner
at Judge Mark's, now Manchester, then called 'Burnt Haystacks.' I
reached Jacksonville on the 12th of October, about eight o'clock at night.
I put up at David Tefft's, who occupied a double frame one story build-
ing as a tavern on the east side of the square, where I remained about a
week when, through the influence of Dr. Ero Chandler, I obtained board-
ing with Mr. Henry Robley, a farmer and blacksmith, over a mile east of
the court house, and entirely out of town. From Carrollton to Edwards-
ville via Belleville, the country was beautiful, the land apparently rich,
but thinly settled, with but few good houses or with improved farms.
From Edwardsville to Alton the road passed over a wooden and broken
country, thin land, and but few farms. From Alton to Carrollton after
passing Piasa Creek, and getting on the prairie, the country was level,
though sufficiently undulating for agricultural purposes. To Macoupin
Creek and from there to Carrollton the road passes over a timbered and
poor country, with but two or three small farms and one small brick
house. Between Carrollton and Apple Creek the timber, undergrowth,
and vegetation indicated deep, rich soil, equal to any that I had ever
seen. At Carrollton I put up at a tavern kept by Mr. Harrison, south of
the square, in a small story and a half building. I went to a grocery store
to purchase some cigars, when I found twenty or thirty men, (whom, I
was told, were called Macoupinites,) drinking, carousing, cursing, swear-
ing, singing obscene songs and telling stories on each other. They were
enjoying themselves to the fullest. One of them, who appeared to be
sober and quiet, after asking me where I was from and where I was
going, said, ' you are too smart looking to be in this crowd, and I advise
you to leave before the boys notice you, they are a wild set.' I thanked
him for his advice and returned to the tavern.
" This sober man I met some twenty years afterward at Springfield'
as a member of the legislature, suffering under a violent attack of con-
gestive fever, of which he died. I sent after and procured a doctor for
him and wrote his will.
" A few days before I reached Carrollton, there had been a general
or regimental muster, at which all the militia of the county were required
to attend for purposes of drill or training, and this had brought together
the Macoupinites and others of like character. Many of them remained in
Carrollton during the night after the muster, and not being able or
willing to procure quarters in houses, spent the night in drinking, carous-
ing, singing, fighting and in mischief, they caught one man (Mike Dood,)
cut off a part of one of his ears, and nailed it on the door of the black-
smith shop where it still remained. They shaved the mane and tail of
Mr. Carroll's fine saddle horse, one of the best and finest looking horses
that I ever saw ; they changed signs from house to house, removed gates,
pulled down fences and removed buckets from wells.
" From the crossing of the W abash River all the way to Jacksonville
there seemed to be prevailing an epidemic of sore eyes. Several families
in Jacksonville, and especially that of my landlord, David Tefft's were
severely afflicted. I did not know when I reached Jacksonville that I
would find a single acquaintance in the county. I however soon heard
342 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
of the family of Mr. Thomas Gallon, of North Prairie, with which I had
been acquainted from my earliest recollections, who kept the post-office
in the neighborhood of my father's home in Kentucky during the war of
1812. I also met with Rev. Reddick Horn, here, with whom I had had
a passing acquaintance in Simpson County Kentucky, and as time passed,
I found a number of families with which I had been acquainted.
I " Whatever may have been my' opinions of Jacksonville and the
County of Morgan, or of the propriety of my making my home there, I
had traveled about as far as my money and horse would carry me. I was,
however, pleased with the country and location of the town, and con-
sented to make my home here. The population of the town consisted of
the families of Dennis Rockwell, Murray McConnell, Thomas Carson,
John Massey, David Tefft, Samuel Elaine, George M. Richards, George
Rearick, Joseph M. Fairfield, John Laughrey, John P. Tefft, Peter or
John Savage, and with men without families, George Hackett, John
Tansey and Benjamin Case, Samuel C. Richards, Moses Steward, Orson
Cobb, Rice Dunbar, Joseph Coddington. McConnell, Carson, and David
Tefft were the tavern keepers ; John Massey the log house builder ;
Fairfield Rearick and Moses Atwood, then called a very u green Yankee,"
were merchants; Richards was deputy county surveyor; Elaine and
Dunbar were carpenters ; Laughrey was a brickmaker and John P.
Tefft brickmaker and plasterer; Mr. Handy, the 'Buckeye carpenter';
Rockwell was clerk of the two courts, recorder, postmaster and notary
public ; McConnell, Turney, and Case were the attorneys at law ; John
Savage was a carpenter ; Peter Savage followed breaking prairies arid
teaming generally ; Cobb was a tailor ; Coddington was a widower with-
out occupation, but was subsequently engaged in dealing in horses, and
afterward became merchant; George Hackett had been a merchant
and partner of Fairfield, but was then engaged in lead mines
prospecting for lead. Mr. Rockwell resided on East State street,
beyond the limits of the town plat, in the only entirely finished
and comfortable log cabin in town, on the lot now occupied by Nich-
olas Milburn. Several frame buildings and log cabins were being
raised for the use of persons intending to occupy them. For a court
house, the county had placed a frame building near, but north and west
of the center of the square. The jail, built of sycamore logs, stood north
of the square on the lot since occupied by the old brick jail. At the first
election of sheriff, on the 3d Monday in November, 1823, William B.
Green was elected ; at the second, August, 1824, Joseph M. Fairfield,
who was best known by the name of the ' honest preacher,' was elected,
and in August, 1826, Green was elected again. Failing to execute a
bond in the time required by law, a second election was held in Decem-
ber, 1826, when Green was again elected. He was an uneducated, vi-
cious back-woodsman, with no qualifications for that or any other office.
Aaron Wilson was judge of the court of probates, and resided on the
place afterward known as the Robb farm, now owned by Hon. Wm.
Brown. Not being able to obtain other employment, out of which to
pay for board, and being out of funds, I engaged to teach school for three
months, upon the old plan of obtaining subscribers for scholars. A log
building had been erected, and used for a school house, in the south part
of town, having no floor, chimney, doors, windows or loft, which I was to
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 343
occupy. In the month of November the house was finished, with an
unjointed floor and loft, and sod and stick chimney, one window in the
east and two in the north, with slabs for seats and wide plank for writing
tables, and on the first Monday in December my school was opened in
due form. About twenty-five scholars had been subscribed, with the
understanding that each subscriber might send all the children that he
could spare from service at home. I agreed to teach reading, writing,
and the ground rules of arithmetic. I had scholars to learn A. B.
C's, spelling, reading, writing, and arithmetic, and two only to study
English grammar. I attended punctually every morning by seven
o'clock, made a fire and had the room warm by the time the chil-
dren arrived. Very soon I found that the Kentucky lawyer was
giving general satisfaction, and the house was filled with chil-
dren from the town and neighborhood, several families sending their
children over two miles. I was to receive my pay in cash or produce, or
pork, cattle or hogs at cash prices. I bargained with Mr. Bakley with
whom I boarded to receive the pay from my subscribers for my board,
and my three months school enabled me to pay for a year's board, beside
furnishing money to pay postage and immediate expenses. My board
cost me only one dollar a week, including washing, fuel, and lights. Mr.
Bakley had t"syo log cabins, one was given up to Dr. Chandler and my-
self, and the other was occupied by his family. The winter was cold,
with but little rain, but more snow than has been usual since. I often
had as many as fifty children in the school, and scarce ever less than
thirty. It required about ten hours any day to hear the routine of
lessons and frequently twelve. In passing about, I frequently meet with
men and women who learned the alphabet in my school.
" The fever and ague had prevailed that fall in every neighborhood in
the county, and especially on the river and margins of small streams. It
had then been only about six and a half years since the first settlement
in the county, and at the election in August previous, over one thousand
votes had been taken, and a great majority of the inhabitants were from
the South and West the minority from the North and East, and old
England. Places of residence were generally situated in the outskirts
of timber adjoining the prairies, but few persons had consented to build
as far as half a mile from timber, with few exceptions. These families
resided in log cabins, covered with clapboards, chimneys made of sticks
and mud, the floors of puncheon, fire-places of the same. The only brick
yards that I noticed were near Jacksonville, one owned by Garrison W.
Berry, on the land of Henry Robley, east of town, and one by John
Laugh rey, north of town.
"During the winter of 1826-27 we had frequent visits from the
Indians, who had an encampment for hunting purposes near Beardstown,
then called ' Downing's Landing,' or Beard's Ferry.
" In November, 1826, I first saw the Illinois River. The state of the
water was too low for the navigation of loaded flat boats. Grass had
grown up from the bottom so thick and strong, that ferry boats could not
be used without mowing the grass, and opening the way. Except in the
channel, occupying a narrow space, I could not discover any current. A
short time after I reached Jacksonville, I heard of the time of the sales
of the personal property of Rev. Mr. Bird, who had died in the January
344 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
previous. I went to that sale, expecting to meet some acquaintances
from Kentucky. I met Mr. Thomas Gatten, and went home with him, and
by him I was introduced to most of the settlers in that prairie. The log
buildings and unfinished frames were at that day, as houses of worship,
few and far between. I am confident that during the winter of 1826-7
there was not a comfortable meeting house in the county. Religious
meetings were held in log and unplastered frames, school houses, and
private dwellings. In warm weather, such meetings were often held in
barns and under arbors in the woods. The first sermon that I ever
heard in Jacksonville, was in the Pall of 1826, in the frame court house
(subsequently burnt), preached by a Baptist minister, named Kenner,
prepared for mothers, when the only female in attendance who had
a child, was Mrs. Joseph Fairfield. During the winter of 1826-7, and
previous, as well as subsequently to that time, the meetings of the
Methodist Society were held at Mr. John Jourdan's. who was well
known as Father Jourdan. He occupied a double log cabin, east of
town, where now stands the building formerly called ' Berean College.'
During the service the females occupied one room and the males the
other, the beds being used for seats. During the winter, the society of
Presbyterians, with the Rev. John Brich, their minister, met in the log
school house occupied by me during the week, in the south side of the
town. I acted as sexton, sweeping the house in the morning and building-
fires.
"Father Brich, as he was called, though a bachelor, was an educated
Englishman, but like many others, was never able to make his learning
avail him much as a public speaker, but he was a devoted Christian.
"Among the improvements in the county designed for public benefit
and convenience, was the grist and saw mill at Exeter, owned by Enoch
C. March ; a band horse mill for grinding corn, owned by Capt. John
Wyatt ; also one owned by Mr. Reeder, and one tread wheel mill, owned
by James Overton, Esq.; Mr. Allen had a grist and saw mill, on Apple
('reek, just above the crossing of the road from this place to Carrollton ;
Thomas Prattan owned an ox, or tread mill, a short distance this side of
the creek ; a grist and saw mill on Indian Creek, owned by William
Harrison and James Dinwiddie ; a horse mill, owned by Mr. A. Hall,
near the head of Indian Creek ; a saw mill, owned by Mr. James McGill,
on the Mauvaisterre ; Mr. Abraham Johnson owned a cotton gin north
of town.
" I soon found two classes in society. Those from the North and East
were called ' yankees,' and those from the South and West ' white peo-
ple.' The political division was between the supporters of John Quincy
Adams and General Andrew Jackson ; the yankees supporting Adams,
and the white people, Jackson. Most of those who had voted for Mr.
Clay supported Mr. Adams. The election of August, 1826, had been
warmly contested between Governor Edwards and Mr. Sloe, for gover-
nor, and Daniel P. Cook and Joseph Duncan for Congress. Edwards
and Duncan were elected by a small majority, though differing in politics.
Duncan was one of the few public men who never had credit for what
he was worth."
Governor Duncan was born in Paris, Bourbon County, Kentucky, in
February, 1810. His father was a native of the Old Dominion, emigrated
HISTORY OP MORGAN COUNTY. 345
to Kentucky at an early day, where he died during the childhood of
Joseph, his youngest son. At the age of sixteen, Joseph Duncan, received
a commission in the army, where he remained until the close of the war
of 1812. In 1818, he came to Jackson County, Illinois, where he was
not long after chosen major of militia, a rank he retained till the close of
the Black Hawk war. In 1823, he was chosen a member of the State
Senate. While a member of that body, he introduced a bill before it,
providing for the establishment of a system of common schools in the State.
This bill was most admirable in its provisions, and, had it been retained and
acted upon, would have hastened the day of popular education. It was,
unfortunately, repealed by the next Assembly, and the schools allowed to
go on in their old way, till Judge William Thomas succeeded in passing
the bill, referred to in the history of the schools elsewhere in this volume.
In 1826, he was elected to the United States Senate, from the State at
large, and continually elected until 1834. In August of that year, he
was elected governor, holding the office one term. Governor Duncan
held at different times other offices of trust and honor, and was one of
the ablest men in Illinois. He was a Presbyterian, liberal in his views,
earnest in his work, and steadfast in his convictions. He died at his
home in Jacksonville, January 15, 1844.
" In the Fall of 1826 we had a mail from St. Louis, via Alton and
Carrollton, once in two weeks, and also a like mail from Springfield ; so
arranged as to give a weekly mail.
"In the Summer of 1826 a young man named Carson, had been
employed to teach school in the court house, but not meeting with such
encouragement as he thought would pay, he abandoned his employers
and left the neighborhood.
" In the Spring of 1827 I attended all the courts in the first Illinois
circuit, Sangamon, Peoria, Fulton, Schuyler, Adams, Pike, and Calhoun.
I rode a filley, and John Purney a young stallion, loaned to us by Mr.
Joseph Klien, for the purpose of having them broke to the saddle. This
was my first appearance at the courts. I had no right to expect to make
more than traveling expenses. In Greene and Sangamon I paid my tav-
ern bills by assisting the clerks, by making up their records. In Peoria
I was appointed State's attorney, the attorney general not being in
attendance, and here I made and collected ten silver dollars, for fees,
allowed for the convictions upon indictments for affrays besides, the
clerk paid my tavern bill for making up the records. In Fulton, John
Turney was appointed to assist the attorney general, but I made five
dollars for attending to an appeal case. In Schuyler, Mr. Pugh was
appointed to represent the attorney general. We found but ten fam-
ilies living at Rushville, the county seat, Hart Fellows, clerk of the two
courts, probate judge and post master, and Mr. Terry Braden, recorder.
At Lewiston the judge and attorneys were entertained by Judge Phelps,
who refused to receive pay. At Rushville they were entertained by the
clerk and recorder, without charge, though Ave paid a farmer named
White for keeping our horses. I made nothing at Rushville. At Atlas,
in Pike County, we met the attorney general. Here the judge and bar
were entertained sumptuously by Captain Leonard Ross, one of nature's
noblemen, and by Nathan Morrison, who not only refused compensation,
but expressed regret that he could not entertain us longer. At Gilead,
346 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
in Calhoun County, there was one small tavern house with a granery in
one room, but the judge and attorneys obtained entertainment in private
houses where we had small bills to pay. Here I was employed to defend
a doctor, a poor man, in poor health, indicted for murder. The evidence
showed the prosecution to have originated in ignorance and malice, and
the verdict of the jury was ' not guilty ' for this the doctor paid me ten
dollars, all that he was able to pay. I had no idea of ever seeing him
again, as he seemed to be in the last stages of consumption, but some
time afterward I met him in the legislature ; he recognized me, but I did
not him.
" In July, 1827. Governor Edwards received information on which he
relied and acted, that the Indians in the northwest, led by the Winne-
bagos, intended to make war upon our settlers and miners in the vicinity
of Galena. He therefore authorized Colonel Thomas H. Neely, of
Springfield, to accept of the services of any number of mounted volun-
teers, not exceeding six hundred, who would equip themselves and find
their own subsistence and continue in service thirty days, unless sooner
discharged. Upon this call upward of three hundred volunteers
were obtained in the Counties of Sangamon and Morgan,
among whom I was one. When the volunteers from Morgan
reached Peoria. the place of rendezvous, I was appointed quarter-
master sergeant. I accompanied the regiment to White Oak Springs,
some ten or twelve miles from Galena, where I remained several days,
when the colonel being satisfied that the further service of the regiment
was not required, ordered the return home. While the regiment
remained I purchased and had delivered the provisions required for
returning home. I had sold my horse, saddle, and bridle, intending to
return home by the river. The morning on which the regiment left for
home, I was taken with the flux so as to be unable to travel. I got
quarters in a grocery tavern, kept by aman named Knabb, on the road
from Gartist's Grove to Galena, and within one hundred yards of White
Oak Springs. I sent to Galena for medicine to cure the flux. The doc-
tor sent me a prescription with what he supposed would afford relief, but
it failed after three or four days' trial. I became worse and believe I
should have died but for an accident. I say accident. I did not then
think of anything providential. Isaac Plasters, a volunteer from Morgan
County, who had made my acquaintance on the campaign, instead of
returning home with the regiment, remained to earn some money by
working a month or two in the mines. Passing by the house where I
was confined, and hearing that there was a sick soldier up stairs, made
his way to my room in the roof of the log cabin. Seeing my situation he
agreed to stay with and nurse me. I had eaten nothing for two days,
except a little poor soup. Plasters had me removed to a room on the
first floor. In the afternoon he saw Doctor Hill passing on the road, and
called him in to see me. The doctor was a gentleman, a good physician,
and though worn down in the service, because flux was prevailing to an
alarming extent in that neighborhood, he gave me some medicine, took a
short nap and left, promising to return the next day and to continue his
visits daily until I recovered. Plasters, with his rifle, killed birds every
day and fed me on soup. I began to mend as soon the medicines, sup-
plied by Doctor Hill, operated. Plasters remained with me, and the doc-
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 347
tor called daily, for ten days, during which time the disease was entirely
checked, and I became able to travel to Galena, and obtain passage on a
boat to Quincy. I paid the doctor a small bill for his services, but Plas-
ters refused to receive pay.
" At Galena, I found an old Kentucky acquaintance by the name of
Rountree, proposing to take deck passage with a mess on a steamboat for
St. Louis. As cabin passage could not be procured, I joined the mess.
The boat towed two lead boats, on which the deck passengers had to
ride, furnishing their own supplies. We laid in our provisions, and with
loose plank furnished by the boat, made ourselves comfortable quarters,
much more so than had any cabin passengers. We fared sumptuously
on the trip down. On this boat, Black Hawk and Keokuk, with some
eight or ten other leading Indians, passed down to Flint Hill, now Burling-
ton. I left the boat at Quincy, where I purchased a horse, saddle, and
bridle for forty dollars. From Quincy I went down to Atlas then
there was no settlement between Quincy and Illinois River, nor any road
on which I could travel. I rested one day at Atlas. The next day I
came to Exeter, where I was taken sick again ; took a large dose of calo-
mel, and had to remain two days before proceeding farther. I finally
reached home, very much worsted in flesh and strength, but without
disease. In a few days the fall terms of the courts commenced. I was
able to ride and attend court in Greene, where I spent a week at a good
hotel, kept by Mr. Reno. I was scarcely able to attend to business in
court, but for assisting Gen. Tuvney, I made enough to pay my tavern
bill ; but my health improved, I gained strength, and by the next week
I was able to attend to business in Morgan. I next attended the court
in Springfield, and then all the other courts in the circuit. On this
circuit we found but little business in any of the counties parties,
jurymen, and witnesses were reported in all the counties after Peoria, as
being absent bear and deer hunting a business that was then profitable,
as well as necessary to the sustenance of families during the winter. In
December, 1827, I attended the Supreme Court at Vandalia, where I had
a case dismissed because the appellant had not filed a copy of the bond
within the time required by law.
" Mr. Rockwell being agent for the owners of several hundred tracts
of military land, employed me to pay the taxes, for which he paid my
traveling expenses, and provided for my board at the house of W. H.
Brown, Esq.
" During my absence at Vandalia on this trip, the court house on
the public square was burned. It might have taken fire by accident, but
I have always believed, and so did Mr. McConnell, that it was set on fire
by Greene, the sheriff. By this fire I lost a small box of clothing and
my Bible, the only book I brought from Kentucky. The office of circuit
and county clerk was kept in a small up-stairs room. All the books and
papers of the office were burned, except the deed book, which Mr. Rock-
well had taken to his dwelling to record some deeds in the night time.
"The Circuit Court was held in Jacksonville, in November, 1826,
John T. Sawyer, circuit judge, presiding. There was about forty cases
on the docket', all told. The attorneys present were James Tracy, attor-
ney general of the State, and Alfred W. Crawley, of Carrollton ; Thomas
A. Neale, James M. Strode, and Jonathan H. Pugh, of Springfield ; John
348 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
Reynolds, of Kahokia ; William H. Brown, Benjamin Mills, and George
Farqueir, of Vandalia; Murray McOonnell, John Turney, Benjamin Case,
and myself, of Jacksonville of whom Mr. Cavarly and myself are the
only survivors, this 12th of October, 1874; he eighty-one years old, and
I near seventy-two. Court was continued one week, and the next week
was held in Springfield.
" I attended this court in company with all the attorneys in attend-
ance in Morgan, except McGonnell and Cox. Here 1 met with General
James Andrews, probate judge, William S. Hamilton, and Thomas Mof-
fitt, of Springfield ; David Prickett, of Edwardsville ; and John B. Bo-
gardus, of Peoria ; of whom Mr. Moffitt is the only survivor. I was the
guest of Mr. Wale during the week, with whom I was acquainted in
Kentucky, and here I met with Mr. Carlton B. Gatton, a Kentucky ac-
quaintance, by whom I was introduced to the family of Mr. P. P. Enos,
receiver of the public moneys at the land office in Springfield. During
the week a Mr. Vannay was hung in Springfield, for the murder of his
wife. This was the first and last case of execution that I have ever
seen."
Another old resident of Jacksonville, remembers that the following-
named persons resided here in 1828 :
" Dennis Rockwell, circuit clerk and county clerk ; Mrs. Kellogg ; John
Handy, carpenter ; Mr. Bunnell, carpenter ; Samuel Titus, teamster,
firsc colored man ; Murray McConnell, lawyer ; Matthew Stacy, saddler
and harnessmaker ; George Rearick, merchant : Joseph Fairfield, mer-
chant ; Abram Vance, merchant ; Nathan Gest, merchant ; Thomas Car-
son, hatter and tavern keeper ; George Nicely, hatter ; Mr. Robinson,
school teacher ; Verin Daniels, gunsmith ; S. H. Henderson, grocer ;
John P. Wilkinson, merchant; Rice Dunbar, carpenter; Thomas Church,
farmer ; John Buckingham, brick mason and plasterer ; Ero Chandler,
physician ; Doctor Allen, old practice ; Bazzil Gillett, doctor and mer-
chant ; Ranson Cordell, coonstable ; Mr. Shull, tavern keeper; Win. S.
Jordan, farmer ; Mr. Robley, farmer and brickmakei ; Mr. McClurg,
tanner and currier ; E. T. Miller, carpenter ; George Graves, cabinet
maker; John Savage, carpenter; Edward Durant, carpenter; James
Martin Eads, blacksmith ; John Eads, jr., blacksmith ; John Eads, sr.,
blacksmith ; Simeon McCullough, tailor ; Levi Church, tailor ; John
Laughery, laborer; David Tefft, carpenter; Joseph Coddington, mer-
chant ; Enoch C. March, miller and merchant ; William L. May, repre-
sentative in the legislature ; Josiah Gorham, jr., carpenter ; Samuel Rix-
ford, no employment ; John Henry, cabinet maker ; Doctor Taylor, mer-
chant and post-master ; James Parkinson, wood-cording machine ; Wil-
liam Thomas, lawyer ; Jacob Barton, farmer ; James Blair, dry goods
clerk ; James Leeper dry goods clerk ; Joseph Robinson, dry goods clerk;
James Buckingham, plasterer ; Daniel Busey, saddler and harness
maker ; Thomas, jr., brick mason ; James Carson, cabinet workman ;
John Carson, brickmaker ; Mr. Ellis, Presbyterian preacher; Aquilla
Hutchins, farmer ; George Richards, surveyor ; Emanuel Metc^lf, chair
maker ; Garrison W. Berry, brickmaker ; McHenry Johnson, blacksmith;
Mr. Grimsly, blacksmith ; Nelson Johnson, dry goods clerk ; Enos Hobbs,
mail carrier ; William Conn, Thomas Arnett, Phillip Haines, Darius In-
galls, Mrs. Palmer, Mrs. Joiner, Mrs. Buckingham, Mrs. George Rearick,
LATE: PESIDENT OF THE JCKSONYILLE: NATIONAL BANK
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 349
Mrs. George Richards, Mrs. John P. Wilkinson, Mrs. Simeon McCul-
lough, Mrs. Martin Eads, Mrs. John Eads, Mrs. Verm Daniels, Mrs.
Doctor Taylor, Mrs. George Nicely, Mrs. Matthew Stacy, Mrs. Handy,
Mrs. Bunnell, Mrs. Emanuel Metcalf, Mrs. Robley, Mrs. Garrison W.
Berry, Mrs. James Parkinson, Mrs. E. T. Miller, Mrs. Thomas Church,
Mrs. Charles Chappell, Miss Ann Robinson, Miss Hester Kellogg, Mrs.
Thomas Carson, Mrs. Nathan Gest, Mrs. Abram Vance, Mrs. William L.
May, Mrs. Conn, Mrs. Nero Chandler, Mrs. Jacob Barton, Mr. John
Savage, Mrs. John Henry, Mrs. Dennis Rockwell, Mr. McClurg, Mrs.
Ranson Cordall, Mrs. Joseph Fail-field, Mrs. John Buckingham, Mrs.
Doctor Allen, Mrs. John Laugherty, Mrs. Samuel Titus (colored), Mrs.
Grimsley, Mrs. Me Henry Johnson, Mrs. Aquilla Hutchins, Mrs. Darius
Ingals, Mrs. Phillip Haines, Mrs. Thomas Arnett."
The Judge's article gives an accurate description of the little town '
when he first saw it, and of its life during the fall and winter following.
The opening of the season of 1827 brought fresh arrivals to the growing
place, and new cabins were built, old ones improved, a store or two
opened, a shop of the pioneer style erected, and the town of Jacksonville
had become a reality, and had a name in the East, where it was known
as a promising Western town. The Rev. John Ellis and his wife made
this their home in 1828. He was a Presbyterian minister, and was labor-
ing in this part of the West, in the interest of his church. Seeing the
necessity of an educational institution in the Prairie State, and being a
man of considerable zeal and energy, he determined to found a college in
one of its growing towns, and selected Jacksonville as the place. He
was aided in his efforts by Mr. William Posey, and other influential citi-
zens of the town, and by Judge Samuel Lock wood, then residing at
*d wards ville. A band of young men just entering the ministry in the
East, had agreed, before their graduation, that they would make some
portion of the Northwest territory their future field of labor, and that
they would, as soon as possible, I'ound an institution of learning therein.
They were induced to co-operate with Mr. Ellis and others, in the found-
ing of Illinois College. In a short time a location had been secured, some
money had been raised, and by the Autumn of 1829, the buildings were
so far completed that Dr. J. M. Sturtevant, one of the band of young-
men before mentioned, and who was selected as a teacher in the school,
began his work there, and the foundation of the present Illinois College,
the oldest and one of the largest educational institutions in the State, was
firmly laid.
This college was established for the education of young men alone.
Mrs. Ellis, who had ably seconded her husband in his labors, and .who
earnestly desired an institution for the equal education of young women,
opened a school in her house for this purpose. In September, 1830,
a meeting of several prominent gentlemen was held at the house of J. P.
Wilkinson, Esq., for the purpose of discussing the propriety of founding
a female academy. The meeting led to good results. Dr. Ero Chandler
donated a lot of ground, a small brick dwelling was soon erected, and in
1833 the Jacksonville Female Academy was formally opened, with Miss
Sarah Cracker as principal. The founding of these two institutions
established the future prosperity of the new Western town. They
brought to it an excellent class of citizens, who in coming years saw
I
350 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
unequalled provision for the education of their Children. Provision for
the free education of the youth had not yet been fully made by the State
of Illinois. The people were generous in this regard, and were always
ready to be taxed for the education of their children. What the public
fund lacked 'was made up by private subscription, and every winter a
school or schools were regularly maintained in Jacksonville. This plan
of sustaining the public schools was continued until the adoption of the
present school system.
The religious life of the village, always aided by education, had been
carefully fostered all these years. In the little log school-house, regular
religious services were held until larger and better accommodations could
be secured. In 1822, in " Father " Jourdan's house, standing a little in
the rear of the old Berean College building, a Methodist class was organ-
ized, and for three years before the town of Jacksonville was contem-
plated, religious services had been held regularly. The old log school-
house was afterward used by these worshipers, alternating with the Pres-
byterians. That little band of godly people grew, as time went on,
until now there are several large congregations of this denomination
in and abont Jacksonville. Four years after the organization of the
class in " Father " Jourdan's house, the Rev. John Brich gathered
together what few Presbyterians there were in the little town, and in
the barn of Mr. John Leeper, organized a church, the outgrowth of
which are the three large Presbyterian congregations in the city. Other
denominations were not slow to occupy the field. The Baptists, Congre-
gationalists, Portuguese, Presbyterians, German and African Churches,
Catholics and Christians each established congregations, and each are
well sustained.
The city, from its earliest commencement, has always been an edu-
cational center. Many persons come here for no other purpose than to
enjoy its educational facilities. It is largely owing to this fact that but
few manufacturing industries are established, and that the trade of
the city is chiefly confined to its own citizens, and to its own immediate
vicinity. The first stores in the place were built of buckeye or sycamore
logs, in \vhich a motley assortment of goods were kept. These pioneer
stores were small affairs, often without a window, chimney, or wooden
floors. The interior of these stores was sometimes lined with gorgeously
figured calico, intended by the proprietors to give the room a more taste-
ful appearance. Buckeye logs, under the influence of warm spring
rains, produce sprouts with remarkable ease ; these latter were often
an annoyance to the storekeepers, as it was not uncommon for them
to find them growing through his calico lining, or winding about among
the. various articles on his shelves-J Enterprising industry could not long
brook such inconveniences, and frame buildings speedily took the places
of their more primitive predecessors, which, if not converted into, sheds
or barns, made good fire-wood.
At the time of the building of the Illinois College, all that tract of
land lying between that institution and the public square, was in
its primitive condition, or cultivated as a farm. Where now are the
finest residences, the most beautiful yards, and the best shaded streets,
was then open prairie, or used for farm purposes. What changes time
produces? Then all buildings in town were small, almost entirely built
HISTORY OF MOBGAN COUNTY. 351
of frame logs, the former being pointed out to the traveler as the home of
elegance and wealth. The business of the time was proportionate to the
residences. No large stores graced the public square, or stood as monu-
ments of the industry of the owners, in other streets. The houses
of that day are succeeded now by more elegant affairs, though no
more homelike than their predecessors. Their owners have grown with
the town, and can look over the scenes of their labors with feelings of
pride at the results obtained, and know that the passing years have been
those of care and toil, though sweetened by the thoughts of the rest and
comfort sure to follow.
The early log stores speedily gave way to frame buildings, which in
their time became too small and insecure, and were replaced by more sub-
stantial brick structures. . The first of these was erected in 1828, by J. P.
Wilkinson, Esq., and occupied the lot of ground where is now the store of
Geo.W. Van Zant. Another was built on the south side of the square, and
one on the north, by Cornelius Hook, Esq., and in 1831 or '32, the present
bank building of M. P. Ayers & Co. Like its population, the business of
Jacksonville was growing. New and more substantial stores were appear-
ing about the public square, while in the residence portion, better dwellings
were being erected. Streets were accurately defined ; pavements took
the place of mud sidewalks ; fences were built before the door-yards, and
a finer and more elegant life was becoming manifest. By the United
States census of 1830, the town contained 446 inhabitants ; and the next
year Jacksonville was incorporated as a town. The system of govern-
ment was so well managed that it continued in use until 1867, long after
the population had grown to the proportions which fully warranted a city
government. The growth of the city received a severe check by the rav-
ages of cholera in 1833, which carried off a great many of the inhabitants.
This was a serious blow to the prosperity of the city, from which it had
scarcely rallied, when the financial crash of 1837 gave it another serious
blow, from which it took years of time to recover. The census of 1840
showed a population of 1,900, which indicated that, despite the draw-
backs mentioned, the growth of the city was gradually progressing.
The building of the Morgan and Sangamon Railroad in 18-/.8, at its com-
pletion to Jacksonville, two years after, gave a fresh impulse to the
growth and business of the city, and from that time its prosperity has
been unabated. The old railroad, with its insufficient equipment, was
the beginning of a grand system of railroads now traversing the State in
every direction. At first the depot was in the public square, but soon
after the road was extended to the capital of the State ; and though the
stages could sometimes out-travel the small train of cars used to carry
passengers and freight, yet its ingress and egress to and from the growing
town, gave it an air of activity seldom seen at that day. In 1847, the
old, worn-out road passed into the hands of a company of men who were
determined to rebuild and equip it in a manner insuring success. Those
who had so strenuously urged the building of the track through the prin-
cipal streets of the city, and had succeeded in their efforts, saw, as others
foretold, the impropriety of cars of railroads passing through the center
of the city, and were with all citizens well satisfied when the company
removed the track from State Street to its present location. In a short time
this railroad, under the new management, was in running order, and the
352 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
business of the city received anew an impulse which it has never relaxed.
Ten years after, part of the Jacksonville and St. Louis Railroad was con-
structed, which in time was completed ; became part of the Chicago and
Alton Railroad, and gives to Jacksonville direct communication with the
principal cities in the West. Two other railroads have since been built,
which, like their predecessors, give to the city abundant means for trans-
portation to every part of the country. The operation of the Morgan and
Sangamon Railroad during its continuance, and its reconstruction in
1847, brought a corresponding increase of business and population to the
town. In 1850, the inhabitants numbered 2,745; in 1860, the number
was 5,528, and in 1870, 9,365. Should the same ratio of increase prevail
during the decade following the last enumeration, the populatio'n in 1880
will be nearly 20,000.
Until the building of the present system of water-works, the city was
without an adequate supply of this most necessary article. Aside from
the burning of the Illinois College, but few disastrous conflagrations
occurred. The citizens were generally prompt in rendering aid wherever
a fire happened, and thus saved their homes from destruction. It became
evident, however, that a better system of protection should be secured.
The General Assembly, in 1835, passed an act entitled " An act for the
incorporation of fire companies,' 1 which was approved February 12th of
that year. Under the provisions of this act, the first fire company in the
city was formed on the 23d of April, 1840. The names of its members
show that its numbers were composed of some of the best citizens of the
place. The buildings were generally of wood, mostly of a small size, and
but few disastrous fires occurred. Their equipment consisted of a
double-decked hand-engine. It was a very heavy "machine," and
required quite a number of hands to work it. The same engine, with
some improvements, is still used when occasions require. In addition
to the old " Union " engine, the company had several hundred feet of
hose, buckets, ladders, axes, and other necessary equipments. As the
list of members comprising this company will be of interest to the readers
of these pages, it is here inserted :
James Berdan, Morris Collins,* J. D. Stone,
A. V. Putman,* Stafford Smith, Jos. O. King,
James H. Lurton, B. B. Chamberlain,* Robert Hockenhull,
Thomas Anderson,* James Stark, William French,
William Branson, John Hurst.* D. P. Palmer,
Orlando C. Cole, John Fisher, J. A. McDougall,
Nicholas Milburn,* Patrick Cresap,* J. Johnson,
Samuel Galbraith,* F. Campbell, J. McAlister,
John W. Goltra, C. B. Clarke, I. D. Rawlings,
Timothy D. Eames, Henry Keener, J. Harris,
Morton Mallory, F. Stevenson,* I. S. Hicks,
William S. Hurst,* G. A. Dunlap,* J. S. Anderson,
Benjamin F. Gass, B. F. Stevenson, D. A. Bulkley,*
A. C. Dickson, B. R. Houhton, S. Hunt,*
James Hurst,* William G. Wilson, Geo. Henry,
S. H. Henderson, Moore C. Goltra, Phillip Coffman,*
* Deceased.
HISTORY OP MORGAN COUNTY.
353
R. S. Anderson,
R. Bibb,*
William H. Corcoran,*
John W. Chambers,
David Smalley,
William Smalley,
Cornelius Goltra,
F. C. Sutton,
William C. Gwin,
John Henry,
Eli Harp,*
A. W. Tilford,*
C. Ogle,
W. B. Lewis,
A. B. Hathaway,
John Mathers,
Michael Rapp,
I. A. Graves,
H. S. Carson,*
M. A. J. Hunter,
W. W. Happy,*
Stephen Sutton,
A. Lohr,*
W. Akins,*
John Gregory,*
W. B. Warren,*
J. M. Lucas,
J. B. McKinney,
Joseph Gledhill,
M. Dulany,
J. W. McAlister,
Geo. M. Chambers,
L. Berry,
J. Harkness,*
A. Smith,
J. T. Jones,*
W. Patterson,*
J. Cosgrove,*
E. T. Miller,
L. Filson,
W. Braidwood,*
J. J. Cassell,*
W. C. Sweet,*
W. C. Scott,
John Freeman.*
The earliest facilities of Jacksonville were quite meager compared
with those of to-day. When the town was created, and a few families
had established themselves therein, a post office was of necessity required,
for people loved to write then as well as now, and were only deterred in
the number of letters by the rates of postage and the facilities for trans-
mission. The postage on a letter was twenty-five cents, and generally
paid by the receiver. Money was a scarcer article then than now. The
United States Government did not receive " coon skins " or " beeswax "
in payment for postage, and it was not an uncommon affair for a letter to
lie several months in the office before the person to whom it was
addressed could raise the required twenty-five cents. When the express
companies came into existence, they began to carry lecters for a less rate
than the United States Mails, which department lowered the price of
postage gradually until it reached ten cents per letter. This was thought
to be a great reduction by the people, and the number of letters began to
increase very rapidly. Jacksonville received, at first, a mail from St.
Louis, brought by stages once in two weeks. Another route was estab-
lished from Springfield west through Jacksonville to Meredosia, and
thence on to Quincy. By the alternation of these mails, a weekly
budget of letters and papers was received in the town, and the people
thought themselves well provided for in this way.
The post office in town was kept in various stores, shops, or offices,
removed from time to time, as a change in administration and postmasters
occurred. As time passed on, a semi-weekly mail was secured, then a
tri-weekly, and, finally, by the time the first railroad was built, a daily
mail had been firmly established. The number of daily mails increased
as facilities for transportation were furnished, until now there are
more than a dozen daily mails received and forwarded. During the
twelve months, ending March 31, 1878, the. number of mails received
daily, was fifteen, the same number being dispatched. Number of letters
mailed during same time, 510,000, and the number received was 540,000.
The receipts from the sales of stamps and envelopes was $16,000; number
of money orders issued being 4,940, amounting to $45,000 ; number of -
money orders paid 7,890, amounting to $65,000. The number of letters
registered was 875, and the number of registered letters received was
* Deceased.
354 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
1,160 ; number of large packages in transit, 1,440. The present post-
master is David M. Simmons, Esq., who has held the position for several
years.
We have thus far traced the city through its successive stages of
development. We will leave this portion of the narrative, and note the
history of its business enterprises, its societies, churches, schools, improve-
ments, city government, its newspapers, and other portions of its history
that may come under various topics connected therewith.
BUSINESS INTERESTS.
Banks The banking .house of M. P. Ayers & Co. is the oldest in
the city, and indeed the oldest in this part of the State. The firm is
composed of M. P. Ayers, W. S. Hook, and A. E. Ayers. The first
named of these established the bank in 1852, taking as its New York cor-
respondent the American Exchange Bank of that city, and continues to
correspond with the same bank.
The Central Illinois Banking and Savings Association was established
in January, 1867, as a stock association, under the above name, with
L. W. Brown as president, H. C. Wiswall vice-president, and L. L. Adams
cashier. In 1874, Mr. Adams resigned, and Mr. W. E. Veitch, who had
been associated with the bank many years, was elected to the vacancy.
This banking houe was originally established in 1856, by Elliott and
Brown. After a time it was changed to Brown's bank, the late William
Brown being sole proprietor. It was again changed to W. & E. W. Brown,
and then to its present name and condition. Its capital is now $100,000.
Mr. L. W. Brown is still president ; Mr. Wiswall having resigned, Mr.
A. C. Wadsworth is now vice-president, and Mr. Veitch cashier. The
savings department is separate from the regular banking department, both
of which are exceedingly vyell managed.
The First National Bank was founded in August, 1864. It has a
capital of 8100,000, and a surplus of $150,000. Mr. Edward Scott is
president, and F. G. Farrell cashier.
The Jacksonville National Bank was established in 1870, in a room
just east of the present quarters. Its capital is $200,000, and surplus
$40,000. Mr. O. D. Fitzsimmons is president, and Mr. B. F. Beesley
cashier.
Hockenhull, King & Elliott's Bank was established in January, 1866,
by Robert Hockenhull, Reynolds King, and Edward R. Elliott. The
bank is still continued by its original founders, and is considered one of
the soundest in the city.
The Jacksonville Benefit Building Association, was incorporated
under the State law, and began business October 2, 1872, with about
one hundred shares, since increased to over eight hundred. The incor-
porators were Horace Chapin, Robert Mason, A. W. Cadman, S. D.
Lindsay, Frank Stewart, Ebenezer Mason, Charles H. Williamson, and
W. F. Goheen. Each share is valued at one hundred dollars, payable in
installments of twenty-five cents per week. When a sufficient amount
accumulates it is immediately sold to the highest bidder, who repays the
loan he secures, in weekly installments. This money is again re-loaned,
and it is this weekly interest upon interest from which the profits of the
association are derived. It enables a person of limited means to place his
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
355
money where it will bring him a large percentage, and to secure a home,
where otherwise he would be unable to do so. The present officials are :
Wm. Guy, president : Wm. Mason, treasurer ; Edward P. Kirby, attorney ;
S. Tefft Walker, secretary. The association meets in Temperance Hall,
every Monday evening.
Building and Loan Associations, or Co-operative Banks, as they are
often appropriately called, had their origin in Scotland, where a few
friends formed themselves into a society for the purpose of building them
homes. The plan they adopted worked so admirably that it was not long
before other friends used the same means for the same ends, and were
equally successful. From this beginning there sprang up such societies
all over England and Scotland, and in time they became so popular, and
were handling so much money, that Parliament made laws regulating such
associations the same as other corporations of a banking nature.
From England the transition to the United States of so easily and
plainly understood a scheme, enabling the industrious working classes to
procure homes, and aiding the person of moderate income to invest profit-
ably their small savings, was not long in being made.
Philadelphia, the " City of Homes," was the landing place of this,
her future benefactor, and to this fact she owes the appellation, " City of
Homes." Philadelphia has about one hundred and fifty active Building
Associations, probably more than any other city in the United States ;
and they are rapidly spreading over the Western States. Peoria, Quincy,
Bloomington, and Springfield, each have one or more, and in Peoria and
Quincy they are becoming very popular.
A Building and Loan Association is composed entirely of one class
of stock-holders, and its assets or property is represented by stock. Its
original capital is derived from the weekly installments or dues paid on
account of each share of stock, by means of which the association is
enabled to work out the ultimate value of one hundred dollars per share
in a given number of years, and these profits are obtained from loaning
the accumulated weekly installments of dues and profits to such of the
stockholders as may, under the rules, wish to borrow.
Manufactures. For the size of the city, Jacksonville has but few
factories. The oldest one in operation is that of Jos. Capps & Sons, who
operate a woolen mill, situated in the north part of the city. Mr. Jos.
356 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
Capps came to this county from Kentucky. In his native State he had
learned the trade of a wool carder, and in 1838 established a small factory,
where he carried on his trade in Jacksonville. In 1855, he erected the
present woolen mills, now operated by his sons. They employ about sev-
enty-five hands, keep five traveling men, and manufacture from one to
three thousand yards per day. A foundry and machine shop has been in
operation in the northeastern part of the city for a number of years. The
old buildings were torn down in the Fall of '77, and a new and more
commodious one erected on the spot. New machinery is being placed in
it. The foundry is owned and operated by Akers & Russel. This
foundry was opened in 1859, by Ellis, Shields & Dangerfield, who, after
conducting the business for some years, disposed of it to Dangerfield &
Co. It was afterward sold to Mr. Dangerfield, who carried on the
business alone for a while, and then disposed of it to Mr. John Fidler,
who, after carrying on the business for several years, sold it to the
present firm, who have erected a large brick building on the ground
formerly occupied by the old building. They have added new machinery
and made numerous improvements. They are now making stationary
steam engines, and elevator machinery. The foundry is at the junction
of the railroads.
The woolen mill and the foundry are the two largest enterprises of
their kind in the city. There are three brick -yards, two or three grain
elevators, four flouring mills, several small factories of various domestic
articles, and a large number of shops of all kinds. The chief business in-
terests of the city of Jacksonville is trade with its own inhabitants and
with the people of the immediate surrounding country. The city is an
educational center, and as such is the best in the State, yet it has abun-
dant room for large manufactories, and did its citizens devote more atten-
tion to such institutions, its business interests would be largely aug-
mented. Its lines of transportation are abundant for all shipping facilities
required. Its easy access to the Mississippi River and to large cities, both
East and West, render it as important a center for manufacturing pur-
poses, as it is for educational facilities.
THE WATER WORKS.
Prior to the building of the present water works, the inhabitants of
the city were greatly inconvenienced by being deprived of an adequate
supply of water. In case of fire the only dependence was cisterns or
wells, and in times of drought these were a poor reliance. These facts
showed the people plainly the necessity of having an improved system of
water works. In 1868 Mr. James O. King secured the services of a Mr.
Fowler, of Philadelphia, to draw him plans for water works, and make a
survey of the ground. The plans furnished by Mr. Fowler called for an
appropriation of $174,000. Mr. King took the plans, and securing a pe-
tition signed by numerous citizens, presented both plans and petition to
the city council, who appropriated $150,000 for the purpose asked. Here
the matter rested for three or four years, being delayed for want of action
by succeeding councils. About 1872 an ordinance was passed for the
building of water works on a plan submitted by Mr. Chesbrough of Chi-
cago ; $150,000 were appropriated and their construction soon after
begun. The impounding reservoir was constructed in Pullam's ravine,
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 357
about two miles south of the city. The capacity of this reservoir, or as
it is now known, Morgan Lake, is abundant for all practical purposes.
The pumping works were built seven-eighths of a mile north of the lake.
From there the water is forced to the distributing reservoir, built
on College hill, a mile and an eighth west of the city. This reser-
voir is eighty-six feet above the level of the public square, and one hun-
dred and thirty-four above the pumping works ; its capacity is two and
a half million gallons. The pumping capacity is 880 gallons per minute.
At the present time every facility is afforded to prevent extensive confla-
grations throughout the business parts of the city, as well as on the prin-
cipal streets. In case of fire all that is needed is the attachment of hose
to the hydrants, as the force of the water is sufficient to throw a stream
to a height of eighty feet. The present superintendent is Mr. E. Wol-
cott, who has held that position for a number of years, and has taken an
active part in its success from its commencement.
THE GAS WORKS.
The Jacksonville Gas Light and Coke Company, was organized in
1856, with Marshall P. Ayers, president ; Judge Wm. Thomas, secretary;
Joseph O. King, superintendent ; and Edward J. King, collector. It is
now in successful operation, there being more than three hundred gas
posts in use in the city.
THE STREET RAILWAY.
The charter for the incorporation of this company, was obtained about
1866, and its construction soon after began. M. C. Goltra, Ralph Rey-
nolds, James H. Lurton, and. others, were the principal movers in this
enterprise. The first line was built from the public square to the termi-
nus on South Main Street. It was afterward extended from the public
square to the railway junction, passing on East State Street. The third
and last extension was made westward from the public square on West
State Street beyond the city limits.
MUNICIPAL HISTORY.
Prior to the year 1840, Jacksonville was governed under the general
village law of the State. This law authorized the citizens of any town
to annually elect a board of trustees, who assumed and controlled
all the interests of the town, and who constituted its municipal assembly.
The growth of the town had by this year demanded a better form of
government, and influential citizens assuming control of the matter,
through their representative in the General Assembly, succeeded in
getting a special act passed by that body, incorporating the town. The
act, passed Feb. 3, 1840, came in force April 6th, and provided that
the trustees then in office, Matthew Stacy, John Hurst, R. T. McNeeley,
William Branson, and E. T. Miller, should constitute a board of trustees,
to remain in office and discharge the duties pertaining thereto, until the
first Monday in April, 1840, when an election for trustees should be held,
and annually thereafter on that day. The act also declared that the cor-
porative limits of the town should be one mile square, and farther pro-
vided for other matters pertaining to the town.
This act of incorporation, with various amendments, remained in force
358 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
twenty-seven years until 1867. By that date the growth of Jacksonville
had been such as to demand a still better system of government. The popu-
lation was about eight thousand, and the formation of a city government was
agitated. Meeting with sufficient encouragement from the citizens, a few
prominent persons presented the matter to the General Assembly, which
body, on Feb. 15, 1867, passed an act incorporating the city of Jacksonville.
This act denned its boundaries, its general powers ; provided for the
election of officers, and defined their duties ; provided for the revenue of
the city, for assessments, for opening streets and alleys, for public im-
provements, for the collection of taxes, for a fire department, for graded
schools, and for miscellaneous matters. On March 29, 1869, this act and
one passed in Feb., 1849, relating to incorpo felted towns and cities, were
amended. Under the amended charter, with a few alterations made by
the legislature, as the improvement and growth of the city demand,
Jacksonville is still governed.
The original city charter divided the city into four wards, known as
first, second, third, and fourth, and provided also that the city council could,
at its discretion, create additional wards, as the city might require. The mu-
nicipal government of the city, by article second of the act, was to consist of
a city council, to be composed of a mayor and one alderman from each
ward. The other officers of the corporation to be "a city clerk, a city
marshal, a city treasurer, a city attorney, a city collector and assessor, a
a city street commissioner, and a city surveyor."
These officers have been elected annually since the establishment of
the city government, and with the exception that since 1869 two aldermen
are elected in each ward, remain the same. A police department is now
in force, having been established several years. The fire depart-
ment was established Jan. 13, 1873, and the board of education by the
original charter of 1867.
The municipal history of Jacksonville would be incomplete without
a list of its officers. As the town received its first charter from the legis-
lature on Feb. 3, 1840, the list commences from that date, as they appear
on the records in possession of the city council. Until the city charter
was obtained, the following were the trustees :
1840 Matthew Stacy, John Hurst, Ebenezer T. Miller, William
Bransom, R. T. McNeeley.
1841 Matthew Stacy, E. T. Miller, John Hurst, Isaac D. Rawlings,
Cornelius Hook.
1842 Isaac D. Rawlings, John Hurst, E. T. Miller, Peter Haden-
burg, Cornelius Hook.
1843 Cornelius Hook, John Henry, John Hurst, Isaac D. Rawlings,
E. T. Miller.
1844 Phillip Coffman, George A. Dunlap, Michael Rapp, Richard
Bibb, William G. Johnson.
1845 Phillip Coffman, David A. Smith, Dunlap, Andrew New-
comb, Joseph O. King.
1846 Phillip Coffman, William G. Johnson, William Branson, John
W. Lathrop, Benjamin F. Gass.
1847 William Branson, J. R. Simms, John W. Goltra, Benjamin
Pyatt, John Hurst.
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 359
1848 William Branson, James Hurst, Joseph O. King, William G.
Johnson, William N. Ross.
1849 William Branson, William G. Johnson, Joseph H. Bancroft,
Andrew F. Wilson, John W. Lathrop.
1850 Joseph H. Bancroft, Michael Rapp, Martin H. Cassell, Jon-
athan Neeley, William Ratekin.
1851 Michael Rapp, William Ratekin, Fleming Stevenson, David
A. Smith Stephen Sutton.
1852 Michael Rapp, Joseph Capps, Stephen Sutton, William Rate-
kin, William Branson.
1853 Ira Davenport, Michael Rapp, William Ratekin, Alexander
McDonald, Stephen Sutton.
1854 Stephen Sutton, Michael Rapp, Joseph Capps, William Rate-
kin, Alexander McDonald.
1855 William Branson, Nimrod Deweese, Joel Goodrick, Benjamin
Cassell, Timothy D. Eames.
1856 Stephen Sutton, Michael Rapp, James S. Anderson, Edward
Elliot, Cyrus Mathews.
1857 Michael Rapp, Edward Lambert, William H. Broadwell,
Lewis Hatfield, Stephen Sutton.
1858 E. T. Miller, William G. Gallaher, Charles Daltou, Jonathan
Neeley, Henry C. Coffman.
1859 Isaac D. Rawlings, Michael Rapp, Jesse W. Galbraith,
Robert C. Bruce, Isaac L. Morrison.
I860 William Ratekin, Thomas W. Wright, Wesley Mathers,
Edward R. Elliott, Robert C. Bruce.
1861 Jonathan Neeley, Cyrus H. Knight, Charles Sample, Abraham
G. Link, Isaac S. Sieter.
1862 Elizur Wolcott, Oscar D. Fitzsimmons, William Branson, Ben-
jamin F. Gass, Edward Lambert.
1863 William Branson, Benjamin F. Gass, Oscar D. Fitzsimmons,
Elizur Wolcott, Edward Lambert.
1864 William Branson, Oscar D. Fitzsimmons, Benjamin F. Gass,
Alexander Edgmon, Charles H. Howard.
1865 Michael Rapp, Charles McDonald, Stephen Ellis, A. Clark
Wadsworth, William C. Woodman.
1866 Ralph Reynolds, Charles H. Howard, Elizur Wolcott, James
H. Lurton, Isaac J. Ketcham.
The next year the city government came in force. The officers of
the City of Jacksonville, as they appear on the records in the clerk's
office, from that date until now, are as follows :
1867 Mayor, John Mathers ; Clerk, H. O. Cassell ; Marshal, E. M.
Allen ; Assessor and Collector, A. N. McDonald : Street Commissioner,
Charles Rockwell ; Attorney, Wm. L. English ; Aldermen First Ward,
R. T. Osborne ; Second, C. H. Howard ; Third, D. M. Simmons ; Fourth,
Alexander Edgmon.
1868 Mayor, Wm. P. Barr ; City Clerk, John C. Pyatt (resigned),
J. J. Rowen ; Marshal, Geo. W. Smith ; Street Commissioner, Henry
Rice ; Assessor and Collector, W. W. Happy ; Attorney, Wm. Gallaher,
jr.; Aldermen, First Ward, James Redmond ; Second, Edward Lambert;
Third, D. M. Simmons, Fourth, Wm. Branson.
360 HISTORY OP MOEGAN COUNTY.
1869 Mayor, John Mathers; Clerk, James H. Kellogg; Marshal,
James A. McKay ; Attorney, Edward Dunn ; Assessor and Collector, W.
W. Happy ; Street Commissioner, Charles Rockwell ; Aldermen, First
Ward, Irvin Dunlap, L, Weigand ; Second, Geo. M. McConnell, William
Knox ; Third, E. T. Miller, Win. Hamilton, jr.; Fourth, Alexander Edg-
mon, R. C. Bruce.
1870 Mayor, Wra. Branson ; Clerk, A. N. McDonald ; Marshal,
J. M. Swales ; Attorney, James H. Kellogg ; Assessor and Collector,
Wm. G. Johnson; Street Commissioner, Wm. D. Humphrey; Aldermen,
First Ward, Irvin Dunlap, Daniel Redmond ; Second, Jonathan Neeley,
Joseph Caups; Third, John H. Fink, Wm. Hamilton, jr.; Fourth, J. H.
Bancroft, J. \V. Hall.
1871 Mayor, Wm. Ratekin ; Clerk, A. N. McDonald; Marshal,
Wm. Needham ; Attorney, O. A. DeLeuw ; Assessor and Collector,
Wm. G. Johnson; Street Commissioner, Alfred Boungard ; Aldermen,
First Ward, R. M. Gregory, F. F. Shcmalz ; Second, Jos. Capps, Jona-
than Neely ; Third, Jas. Montgomery, Jas. M. Mitchell ; Fourth, Josiah
Gorham, Chas. K. Sawyer.
1872 Mayor, George M. McConnell ; Clerk, John N. Marsh : Mar-
shal, Wm. Needham ; Attorney, Edward Dunn ; Assessor and Collector,
Bazzil Davenport ; Street Commissioner, Francis Long with ; Aldermen,
First Ward, M. H. Walsh, L. Weigand ; Second, Charles E. Ross, Henry
R. Johnson; Third, M. Rapp, J. M. Ewing; Fourth, D. W. Fairbanks,
Dr. C. Fisher.
1873 Mayor, Mat, Stacey ; Clerk, Ben. R. Upham ; Marshal, F. M.
Springer; Attorney, George J. Dod ; Assessor and Collector,
; Street Commissioner, Ellis M. Allen ; Aldermen, First Ward, B.
F. Gass, W. S. Hurst; Second, C. E. Ross, J. I. Chambers ; Third, B. W.
Simmons, W. S. Richards; 'Fourth, Dr. Clinton Fisher, A. W. Jackson.
1874 Mayor, James O. King ; Clerk, B. R. Upham ; Marshal, Jas.
S. Hurst ; Attorney, Jas. N. Brown ; Assessor and Collector, B. Daven-
port ; Street Commissioner, T. N. Jewsbury; Aldermen, First Ward, W.
P. Gallon, V. E. Higgins ; Second, Phillip Lee, Easley Moore ; Third,
H. C. Stewart, Wm. Hackman ; Fourth, Abram Wood, A. W. Jackson.
1875 Mayor, Wesley Mathers; Clerk, Ben. R. Upham; Marshal,
Charles O. Sperry ; Attorney, R. D. Russell; Assessor and Collector, B.
Davenport ; Street Commissioner, John A. Schaub ; Aldermen, First
Ward, V. E. Higgins, W. P. Gallon ; Second, S. H. Thompson, S. E.
Greenleaf ; Third, E. Hamilton, A. R. Gregory; Fourth, Abram Wood,
Jos. Tomlinson.
1876 Mayor, Ed. S. Greenleaf; Clerk, Ben. R. Upham; Marshal,
C. O. Speiry ; Attorney, John G. Morrison ; (no Commissioner appointed);
Aldermen, First Ward, L. S. Olmsted, C. Widmayer ; Second, Jas. Scott,
W. C. Carter; Third, A. R. Gregory, T. J. Bronson ; Fourth, G. S.
Russel, Geo. Hayden.
1877 Mayor, E. S. Greenleaf ; Clerk, Henry W. Hunt; Marshal,
C. O. Sperry; Attorney, Robert D. Russell; Street Commissioner, John
A. Schaub; Aldermen, First Ward, G. W. Hobbs, Nat. Kitner ; Second,
V. E. Higgins, James Scott; Third, Dr. J. P. Willard, W. S. Snyder ;
Fourth, G. S. Russel, Geo. Hayden.
1878 Mayor, S. Henry Thompson ; Clerk, Henry W. Hunt ; Mar-
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 361
shal, David Schoonover, jr.; Attorney, J. A. Bellatti ; Street Commis-
sioner, T. N. Jewsbuiy ; Chief Fire Department, William Harrison ;
Treasurer, Win. E. Veitcli ; Aldermen, First Ward, J. H. Myers, Nat.
Kitner; Second, John Hopper, M. H. Carroll ; Third, W. S. Snyder, J.
R. Loar ; Fourth, D. B. Smith, Geo. Hayden.
The Police Department, under the present system, was organized
in 1867, when the city charter was adopted. The force consists of the
city marshal, who is chief, and five policemen. The marshal is the only
one elected by the people, the others being appointed by the mayor and
confirmed by the council. One of the policemen is also keeper of the
calaboose, or city prison. The headquarters of the force is at the city
prison.
THE FIRE DEPARTMENT
Is composed of volunteer companies ; the chief and his assistant
being the only persons receiving pay. The department was created by
an ordinance passed in 1867, and within thirty days from its passage,
they were equipped and ready for duty. There are three hose compan-
ies, one engine and hose company, and one hook and ladder company.
The force consists of fifteen members to each hose company, twenty
members to the hook and ladder company, and thirty-five members to the
engine and hose company. The engine is used only in cases where fires
occur away from the water-mains, and where fires are confined to high
buildings.
The Fire Department is most efficient in its work, being supplied
with all the modern improvements. Mainly through the efforts of Mr.
George Hayden the Chairman of the Fire Department Committee of
the City Council is due the fact that Jacksonville has one of the b.est
equipped fire departments in central Illinois. Captain William Harrison
is the present chief.
CEMETERIES.
Diamond G-rove Cemetery, was purchased by the city of Jacksonville
in 1866. It is located about southwest of the square. The site chosen is
a beautiful one, and contains about forty acres. Its rolling ground is
plea-ing, and is interspersed with a natural growth of trees and shrubs,
making its landscape beaut}' unsurpassed, for the purpose designed. It
is a picturesque retreat, well adapted as a sacred spot for the reception
of the departed, where monuments to their memory are preserved and
tenderly cared for. Many monuments have been erected, and other
improvements made, which add beauty to, and adorn the grounds, mak-
ing it one of the most beautiful cemeteries in this part of the State.
Jacksonville Cemetery contains about thirty acres, and lies one mile
northeast of the public square. This is the oldest cemetery used by the
city, and is a beautiful place ; being nicely shaded by large forest trees.
The grounds are beautifully laid out, and are adorned with evergreens and
flowers. Many of those who, during their lives, held high positions in
this community and elsewhere, lie buried here. In this cemetery lies the
remains of the great " war governor," Hon. Richard Yates. Of
late years the " Diamond Grove " cemetery has been used more than this
one.
362 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
LODGES, ASSOCIATIONS, AND SOCIETIES.
A. F. and A. M. Harmony Lodge, No. 3, was chartered April,
1840. Present membership, 108. Meets first and third Mondays in
each month. Jacksonville Lodge No. 570, was chartered October, 1867.
Present membership, 100. Meets first and third Thursdays of eacli
month. Jacksonville Chapter, No. 3, was chartered October, 1850. The
present membership is 150. Meets second and fourth Mondays in each
month. Jacksonville Council, No. 5, was chartered September, 1855.
Present membership, 75. It is under the control of the Chapter officers.
Hospital Commandery, K. T., No. 31, was chartered October, 1869. Its
present membership is 102. Meets first and third Tuesdays in each
month. All of the Masonic bodies meet in Masonic Temple, on West
State Street.
/. 0. 0. F. Illini Lodge, No. 4, was chartered July, 1838. Pres-
ent membership, 175. Urania Lodge, No. 234, was chartered August,
1850. Present membership, 140. Ridgley Encampment, No. 9, was
chartered 1850. Present membership, 140. These bodies meet in Odd
Fellows Hall, north side of the square.
A. 0. U. W. The Ancient Order of United Workmen, No. 19, was
chartered October, 1876, their present membership is 75. Lodge room,
Music Hall, south side square.
K. of H. ' Knights of Honor Lodge, No. 828, was chartered Dec. 26,
1877. They have a membership of 40, which is rapidly increasing. Place
of meeting, Music Hall, south side square.
Military. The Militia consists of two companies of young men,
sworn in under the militia law of the State, for a term of five years. The
Morgan Cadets, Co. I, Fifth Regiment, I. N. G., number 56 men, and
were organized July 26, 1876. They are commanded by Captain Wm.
Harrison, who served as Captain of Co. A. Thirty-ninth Regiment, Illinois
Volunteers, during the war. The Light Guards, Co. K, Fifth Regiment,
I. N. G., was organized in 1876, and number 50 men. Their Captain,
James M. Swales, served during the war as Lieutenant of Co. A, Tenth
Regiment. Illinois Volunteers. Both companies are uniformed and
equipped ; and did good service at East St. Louis, during the Summer of
'77, aiding in the suppression of the railroad strike. Both companies
meet for drill on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, of each week. The
Cadets occupy Odean Hall ; the Light Guards, Osborne Hall.
Y. M. G. A. This society was organized in 1874. It was an out-
growth of a revival held by Mr. E. P. Hammond, so well known in reli-
gious circles. About twenty persons joined the association. Dr. H. A.
Gilman was chosen president, which position he held until 1876, when he
resigned, and Mr. R. D. Russell was chosen to fill the position. Their
first meetings were held in a hall on the north side of the square, after-
ward they occupied a room on East State Street, where they opened a
soup house and reading room. From this place they removed to their
present rooms in Ayers' block. There are now about 150 members. The
association corfducts a Sunday school, on South Main Street, and a night
school at its rooms, during the winter. They also conduct a young peo-
ple's meeting, every Sunday afternoon.
Heading Room and Library. The Jacksonville Free Reading Room
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 363
and Library Association was organized in April, 1874, by members of
the Jacksonville Library, acting with members of the Woman's Temper-
ance Union. A board of seven managers was elected, a subscription
paper circulated, and a free reading room opened.
At this stage the Odd Fellows of Jacksonville offered their library
and bookcases, containing nineteen hundred volumes, to the Board
of Managers, for six hundred dollars. Another subscription-paper was
circulated, the necessary amount was subscribed and collected, and the
library bought and opened to the public in connection with the reading
room.
At the same time, the Association was incorporated under the
General Incorporation Law of Illinois.
The Constitution of the Association forbids the creation of any debt.
One member of the Board of Managers goes out of office on the first
of each year. The vacancy so created is filled by the nomination by the
mayor, and the ratification by the board, of a person to that office.
The office of Librarian is filled by Mrs. M. V. Hook, who has been
annually elected to that position.
The number of books in the library has been increased by purchase
and by donations, to 2800 volumes.
The use of the papers on the tables, and of the books in the cases,
is free to all persons within the room. Those who draw books for home
reading, pay twenty-five cents per month for the privilege.
The annual expenses of the Reading Room and Library have been
about five hundred dollars. Two hundred dollars of this sum has been
met by fees paid for the use of the library. The remainder has been
received as donations, or as proceeds of public lectures or entertainments.
Owing to the liberality of Col. Chambers, and of M. P. Ayers & Co.,
no rent has ever been paid for the use of the rooms occupied by the read-
ing room.
The Library and Reading Room is kept open every day and
evening in the week except Sunday, and on Sunday it is open from
2 till 6 o'clock p. m.
The Jacksonville Medical and Scientific Association has placed its
books and periodicals in the library, subject to the rules and regulations
of the reading room.
The Jacksonville Horticultural Society has also adopted the same
plan with its five periodicals, and its special library of one hundred and
fifty volumes.
Owing to the prudence and catholicity of the Board of Managers,
all disturbing questions have been avoided in its management, and the
reading room is one institution in Jacksonville to which all wish the
greatest prosperity.
The Jacksonville Library Association was organized in January, 1871,
and was incorporated under the State law (of Illinois) in December,
1871. The ownership of the books and other property of the Associa-
tion is represented by certificates of stock, which are transferable,
and the present par value of which is the amount of the original assess-
ment and all subsequent ones. The number of stockholders is limited to
fifty. The affairs of the Association are managed by a board of seven
trustees', elected annually by the stockholders.
364 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
The library now contains nine hundred volumes, representing an
actual cost of eighteen hundred dollars. An inspection of the catalogue
will indicate, in some measure, the character of the books, and the care
which has been exercised in their selection. Additions will be made
twice a year, or as often as the funds of the association permit. A
department consisting of standard works of reference, such as encyclo-
paedias and dictionaries, has been commenced, and will be enlarged as
soon as practicable. In periodical literature, the library receives regu-
larly the British, Edinburgh, London, Westminster and North American
Reviews (quarterly), the International Review (bi-monthly), Black-
wood's Magazine, and the Popular Science Monthly. It is the design of
the trustees that on all subjects the library shall furnish standard infor-
mation to inquirers, students, and the reading public generally.
A full participation in the use of the library is now offered to
any person for the sum of one dollar and twenty-five cents per quarter,
or five dollars per year. Certificates of stock can be obtained, and
subscriptions for use of library made at the office of Hon. E. P. Kirby, in
the court house, or at the library room, where the librarian attends on
AVednesday from 2 to 3 p. m., and on Saturday from 2:30 to 4 p. m.
The present officers are William S. Andras, president ; Edward P.
Kirby, treasurer, John H. Woods, librarian and secretary.
The Art Association of Jacksonville was organized in 1873,
chiefly through the efforts, and at the instance of Mrs. Ella O.
Browne, and was incorporated under the general law of the State,
in March, 1875. Its aims and objects are the study and appreciation
of the fine arts, especially the arts of design, by the formation of
a public collection of art treatises, pictures, engravings, photographs,
casts, models, and such other material as may aid in this purpose ; and
furthermore by lectures, essays, and discussions on art subjects. It holds
monthly meetings, chiefly of a literary character, at which various topics
pertaining to the history, theory, and practice are freely discussed. There
is also a fortnightly meeting for the more particular study of certain
branches of art.
Four annual exhibitions have been given, made up of works by home
artists, or from private collections, with several valuable paintings loaned
by artists in Chicago, St. Louis, and neighboring cities. These exhibi-
tions have not only proved pecuniarily successful, but have had an excel-
lent and pervasive influence upon the whole community, in educating
their tastes, and cultivating their perceptions of the truly beautiful. The
association is in a prosperous condition, with a small collection of works
of art, and a goodly balance in the treasury, available for further pur-
chases.
The present officers of the association are : T. J. Pitner, president ;
John H. Woods, secretary ; Henry H. Hall, treasurer.
Jacksonville Literary Union. This societ}' was organized fourteen
years ago. Its object, as stated in its constitution, is to promote useful
knowledge and correct taste among its members, and to devise plans for
the good of society.
The number of members is limited to twenty, and its ranks are
always full. It includes law\ T ers, doctors, ministers, teachers, and others,
of every shade of political and religious belief. Including the acting
' COUNTY COMMISSIONER
JACKSONVILLE.
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 365
members, sixty-one persons have been connected with the Union since its
organization. Election to membership requires a unanimous vote.
Meetings are held weekly at the houses of the different members.
Visitors are freely admitted on the introduction of a member.
The exercises are introduced in a conversation, a debate, an essay,
or a select reading. After the topic is introduced, each member is at lib-
erty to express his views on the subject. In this manner three hours a
week are usually spent in instructive and entertaining discussion.
At each meeting any member can propose topics for consideration,
and if there is no objection they are entered on a topic book, subject to
future selection. In this manner a list of 1,170 topics has been recorded.
Two hundred of these were added during the past year. More than half
of these topics have been discussed, at different times, before the Union.
The free expression of educated and liberal thought which obtains
in the Literary Union, exerts much influence on society.
The Club is a voluntary association of gentlemen residing in the City
of Jacksonville, for the purpose of mutual entertainment and instruction.
It was organized at the house of ProfessorW. D. Sanders, September 17,
1861, by sixteen gentlemen adopting a constitution and signing their names
to the same. Any gentleman may become a member by being proposed at
any regular meeting, and at a subsequent meeting receiving the unanimous
vote of all the members present. The number was originally limited to
seventeen, but afterward increased to twenty, besides a few who, for
special reasons, have been placed on the emeritus list, and excused from
regular attendance. The club meets twice each month, on the second
and fourth Monday evenings. The place of meeting, leader, and topic,
are designated at the meeting previous to the discussions.
The leader is the presiding officer when he leads the discussion, which
may be written or oral.
After the leader each member is called upon in regular order, passing
from right to left, and may occupy ten minutes.
Meetings are held at the houses of the members by invitation. The
following are the names of the gentlemen who originally signed the
constitution: J. M. Sturtevant, Henry Jones, Samuel Adams, David A.
Smith, Rufus C. Crampton, Andrew McFarland, Wm. G. Gallaher,
Marshall P. Ayres, D. H. Hamilton, Wm. D. Sanders, E. Wolcott,
C. H. Marshall, Rufus Nutting, jr., Edward P. Kirby, J. B. Turner,
W. S. Russell. At this first meeting E. Wolcott was chosen secretary,
and continued in the active service of the club nearly eleven years. Of
the sixteen original signers, ten are still members of the club. Three
have died, and three moved away. James Berdan was admitted at the
second meeting. Since the organization the following persons have been
admitted : David Prince, Henry E. Dummer, Isaac L. Morrison, C. M.
Morse, H. V. D. Nevins, H. E. Storrs, S. M. Morton, M. Grosvenor,
W.W. Harsha, Eli Corwin, D. W. Fairbank. These are all still members.
Besides these, nine others have been admitted, some of whom have died,
and the rest removed. Since Mr. Wolcott, three have acted as secretaries,
James Berdan, H. E. Storrs, and Mason Grosvenor.
The Plato Club is an association of ladies and gentlemen for the dis-
cussion of Plato and his writings. Meetings are held every Saturday
forenoon, at the house of Joseph O. King, Esq., at which time interesting
K
366 HISTORY or IIO&GAN COUNTY.
discussions are held. The club has been in existence for a period of six-
teen years, during which time the meetings have been presided over by
Dr. Hiram K. Jones.
The Club is composed of some of the best and most influential citi-
zens in Jacksonville.
Jacksonville Horticultural Society. This society was organized July
3, 1869, having for its object the advancement of the horticultural inter-
ests of Morgan Co. The following officers were elected to serve for the
term of one year : E. Lambert, president ; R. Reynolds, vice-president ;
E. Mason, secretary ; Mrs. E. Walcott, treasurer. The third article of
the constitution reads as follows :
" Its members shall consist of all persons who have paid an
annual fee of one dollar, and subscribed their names to the constitution ;
and of such honorary members as the society may unanimously elect at
any regular meeting. The wives of members shall be members without
fee."
Forty persons paid the necessary fee, and became members of the
society. The regular meetings occur upon the first Saturday of each
month, at such place as the society may designate. These meetings have
been held regularly during the past nine years. The proceedings have
been published in the local papers, and their influence has been very valu-
able and widespread. Exhibitions have been held annually, and the rapid
increase in their popularity proves that the people are not slow to appreci-
ate an organization which labors unceasingly for the advancement of their
welfare. The interest awakened in the cultivation of house and bedding
plants alone, has built up and liberally patronized two large establishments
for their propagation here in this city. Twelve standing committees, each
consisting of three practical hoiticulturists, whose duty it is to study the
different branches of the art and report the result of their investigations,
are appointed annually, and have been the means of developing many
interesting and valuable facts in connection with their different fields of
labor. Through the zeal of its early officers, and the liberality of the
citizens of Jacksonville, the society was enabled to accumulate an excel-
lent library, comprising the choicest scientific and practical works upon
horticulture now extant. It has been transferred to the Free Reading
Room, where it is accessible to the general public as well as to members
of the society. The officers for the current year are : Hon. Ed. Scott,
president ; Charles Catlin, vice-president ; Dr. H. W. Milligan, corre-
sponding secretary and librarian ; A. L. Hay, recording secretary ; Miss M.
E. Catlin, treasurer. Any questions upon horticultural subjects will be
cheerfully answered by the corresponding secretary, through the press or
by mail, if desired.
The Jacksonville Natural History Society was organized in 1871. The
number of active members is limited to twenty. Meetings are held twice
a month at the houses of members. The object of the society is to extend
and improve the knowledge of the different departments of natural his-
tory among its members and the community. During the first two years
of its existence the society was engaged in the study of geology. While
Professor Dana was followed as a text, every obtainable authority was
consulted and discussed. The next two years were devoted to the study
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 367
of botany. Professor Gray was considered the text in this branch, but
the discussions often took a wide scope, involving the economic and social
relations of plants to man. The next two years were given to zoology.
In this department Professor Tenney's classification was followed. The
whole animal kingdom, from zoophytes to man, was discussed, and the
functions, structure, relations, and classification, discussed. The society
next took up Darwin's " Origin of Species " as a text, and is now busied
with the problems of " Natural Selection," and the " Survival of the
Fittest."
Sorosis. This society, composed entirely of ladies, was organized
November 30, 1868. It object is the moral, mental, and physical culture
of its members. Its meetings are held on Friday evenings of each week,
at the residences of the members. The exercises consist of essays, debates,
readings, discussion of authors, and social conversation. The maximum
membership is twenty-five.
The Microscopical Society. On the 20th of January, 1887, Dr. H. K. f
Jones, Dr. David Prince, Prof. H. E. Storrs, W. O. Pollard, Esq., and
Dr. G. V. Black, met at the residence of the lalter, for the purpose of
forming a society which should have for its object the advancement of
microscopical science and its allied branches. A constitution was adopted
which provides that the number of members shall not exceed fifteen, and
that the officers shall be a president, vice-president, and secretary. At
each meeting some one member is responsible for a suitable subject for
discussion and illustration, and is responsible for specimens directly illus-
trative. The regular meetings of the society are held on the first Friday
evening of each month, when there are generally several interested
visitors present. The officers of the society are : Dr. H. W. Milligan,
president; Miss Alice Rhoads, vice-president, and Miss Louise Fuller,
secretary.
The Morgan County Medical Society, was organized in 1866. It is
composed of doctors throughout the entire county. Meetings are held
monthly, at which time papers are read, and discussions are held on various
topics relating to the medical profession. The design of the society is
the promotion of knowledge among its members, and to cultivate a more
intimate acquaintance one with another. The officers are: Dr. E. D.
Wing, president ; Dr. G. V. Black, secretary, and Dr. W. H. H. King,
treasurer.
The Jacksonville Medical Club, was organized in March, 1878. It is
composed of physicians living in the City of Jacksonville. The object
of the club is similar to that of the Morgan County Medical Society. Its
meetings are held bi-weekly, and are well attended.
P. E. 0. This Chapter was organized in this city in 1870, by the
young lady graduates of the Presbyterian Academy. The object of the
society is for the mental culture and social improvement of its members.
The meetings are held two Saturdays of each month, at the residences of
its members. The membership is gradually increasing. The officers
are : Miss Ida Harsha, president ; Miss Julia Lathrop, secretary.
THE CHURCHES.
The First Presbyterian and Central Presbyterian Churches were
organized as one on the 30th day of June, 1827 over fifty years ago
with twelve members, five male and seven females. It was then called
368 HISTORY OF MORGAN COTTXTY.
the * k First Presbyterian Church of Morgan County," b.eing the first of
that denomination organized in the county, and the first to erect a house
of worship within its limits. The names of these pioneer founders con-
stituting this church appear on the record as follows : " John Leeper and
Fidelia his wife, Edwin A. Mears and Sarah his wife, James Hears and
Polly his wife, and Harvey McClung, all from the Shoal Creek Church ;
James Kerr and Janet his wife, from the First Reformed Church in the
city of New York ; Wm. C. Posey and Sarah his wife, from Winchester
and Paris churches in Kentucky, and Hector C. Taylor from Hindsbury,
Vermont." The organization took place at the house of John Leeper,
about one mile south of town, in a grove directly east of where the
Asylum for the Insane now stands. " This little Christian community,"
says the Rev. L. M. Glover, in a sermon preached at the quarter century
celebration of the First Presbyterian Church, and from which these items
are taken, "took for their name ' The First Presbyterian Church of
Morgan County.' In 1837, the style became ' The Presbyterian Church
of Jacksonville;" and subsequently," after the division of the Presbyte-
rian Church into the Old and New School Assemblies, " the name it now
bears." Among the constituent members, Mr. Posey seems to have been
the leading spirit. Rev. W. W. Harsha, pastor of the Central Church,
in a sermon preached at the dedication of their present house of worship
on April 19, 1874, and from which extracts are also made, says of him :
" He was a son of the first Territorial governor of Indiana. He had been
a merchant in Kentucky, but desiring to better his condition, made a
journey on horseback from that State to Missouri. Not pleased with
what he saw there, he decided to return to his former home and remain.
When in the Mississippi bottom he missed his path, and instead of taking
a southeasterly direction, he went northeasterly, and was far on his way
toward Morgan County before he discovered his mistake. Making then
some inquiry as to the character of the country before him, he received
such glowing accounts of this region of Illinois from the early settlers
along the road, that he concluded to see Jacksonville before returning to
his former home. He came, he saw, he was captivated. He returned to
his family, and as, soon as his affairs in Kentucky could be arranged he
moved to this place, settling on the land he had purchased, one and one-
half miles southeast of town. His first concern, as appears from his
diary, was to secure a church, where he and his family could worship
the God of their fathers.
" The Rev. John A. Brich, a Presbyterian missionary, was present and
presided at the organization. Wm. C. Posey and John Leeper were
elected and ordained ruling elders. Mr. Brich continued to act as Stated
Supply for about one year, when, in 1828, Rev. John M. Ellis was called
and installed as the first pastor. Mr. Ellis remained and labored efficiently
with the church until December, 1831, when at his own request he was
released. For four years the church was without a settled pastor, when,
in December, 1835, Rev. A. H. Dashiell, was installed. Mr. Dashiell
remained but about one year, when he resigned, and in December, 1837,
Rev. Ralph W. Gridley entered upon the pastorate, and was in the active
exercise of his ministerial functions, when the division of the Presbyte-
rian Church in the United States took place, resulting in what was known
as the Old School and New School Assembles.
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 369
"The Jacksonville Presbyterian Church, like many others throughout
the land, was rent in twain by this division. There were three elders in
the church at that time: Wm. C. Posey, David B. Ayers, and Daniel C.
Pierson. Mr. Posey and a minority in the church sympathizing strongly
with the Old School Assembly, adhered to that body, and carried their
cause before the Synod of Illinois, which met in Peoria in September,
1838. The Synod after hearing the case took the following action :
"PEORIA, Sept. 28, 1838.
" On motion resolved : In accordance with the act No. 1, and its
sections, of the late General Assembly, that the minority of the session
and church of Jacksonville, be and they are declared to be the session
and church of Jacksonville.
" A true copy of the records of the Synod of Illinois.
" J. G. BERGEN, Stated Clerk."
The majority of the church with its elders, were, of course, recog-
nized by the courts adhering to the New School Assembly, and thus
there were here in existence two churches, each tracing its origin to the
original act of organization, and having a common history from 1827 to
1838. The records and property were surrendered without litigation to
the party which adhered to the New School Assembly. This church
retained the old name, The Presbyterian Church of Jacksonville, until
1870, when, upon the re-union of the two Assemblies, it took the name
of the "Central Presbyterian Church," the other church having adopted
some years ago the name of the " First Presbyterian Church." In June
1877, the semi-centennial celebration of Presbyterianism in this county
was held in Jacksonville. The Journal of Friday, June 29th, contained
an excellent resume of the history of that denomination in the county,
which we here quote. Speaking of the First Church, the paper says :
" At the time of the separation the majority, probably about one
hundred, of the Jacksonville church adhered to the New School Assem-
bly, and with Rev. R. W. Gridley, pastor, and a majority of the session,
continued to occupy the old church, on West State Street, where the
Central is now located. The first edifice upon the present site was
built in 1847 at a cost of $10,000. It was a brick structure, 45x70 feet
in size. This church just after having been refurnished in 1861, was
totally destroyed by fire, December first. The congregation occupied
Strawn's hall (now Opera House), until the present commodious and
comely structure was erected at a cost of $60,000. The corner stone
was laid August 4, 1864, and the completed church dedicated January 6,
1867.
Rev. R. W. Gridley continued as pastor only about two years, dying
in office February 2, 1840. Rev. William H. Williams succeeded, being
installed in May 1842. He resigned in September, 1853, to take charge
of the Jacksonville Female Academy. Rev. Chauncy Eddy was installed
June 30, 1844, and remained until the Spring of 1848. In October of
that year, Dr. L. M. Glover, the present pastor, entered upon his labors
in connection with this church, and has continued them until this date.
The Central Church was found, after the division, to contain forty-
two members. They secured the services of Rev. Andrew Todd, of
Flemingsburg, Ky., who entered upon his labors in the Autumn of 1838.
370 HISrORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
They worshiped first for a few months in a frame building which stood on
the north end of the lot now occupied by the Parkfhouse. The use of
the building was given by Governor Duncan. Afterward the Congrega-
tional church was secured, at a nominal rent. In the meantime prepara-
tions were made for the erection of a sanctuary for themselves, and in
the year 1840, about two years after the division of the church, the frame
building on West State Street was completed the lot having been
donated by Colonel John J. Hardin, at a cost of eighteen hundred dollars,
as his subscription. In this sanctuary the congregation worshiped for
nearly thirty years, leaving it only a few months before entering the
lecture room of the present building, in 1871.
Since the division in 1838, this church has had four settled pastors.
Rev. Andrew Todd, from November, 1838, until failing health compelled
him, in the Autumn of 1849, to seek a warmer climate. He continued
to fail, until on the second day of September, 1850, in the fifty-first year
of his age, he fell asleep in Jesus, at Casa Bianca, near Monticello,
Florida.
After the death of this gifted man, Rev. J. V. Dodge was called to
the pastorate. Mr. Dodge continued his labors but four years and a half,
from the Autumn of 1850 until the Spring of 1855, when wholly at his
own desire, the pastoral relation was dissolved. He still lives, at Evans-
ville, Indiana, a highly respected minister of the gospel, in connection
with the Presbyterian Church.
After the resignation of Mr. Dodge, the Rev. John H. Brown, D.D.,
afterward pastor for some years of the First Presbyterian Church, Spring-
field, Illinois, acted as stated supply for one year. From September,
1856, until the following spring, the pulpit was supplied by different per-
sons, chiefly by Rev. Dr. Bergen, of Springfield. In 1857, Rev. R. W.
Allen, formerly pastor of the Pisgah Presbyterian Church, of Kentucky,
took charge of the church as stated supply. Having received a unani-
mous call to the pastorate, Mr. Allen was installed December 5, 1858,
and continued his faithful labors until May, 1867, when he resigned.
After Mr. Allen's resignation, the church was without a pastor for two
years, during which time they were dependent upon transient supplies for
preaching, with the exception of six months, when they enjoyed the
very efficient labors of Rev. R. J. L. Matthews, formerly of Vandalia,
Illinois.
In 1869, the present pastor, Rev. W. W. Harsha, D.D., was called
from the South Presbyterian Church, Chicago. He was born in
West Hebron, Washington County, N. Y. He received his collegiate
education in Union College, Schenectady, N. Y. He studied law,
but shortly after entering upon the practice, changed his profession
and entered the ministry, in connection with the Associate Presby-
terian Church. Joined the Old School Church in 1854. He com-
menced his ministry in Galena, in 1846. His pastoral charges have
been at Galena, Hanover Savanna, Dixon, Chicago, and Jackson-
ville. He took charge of his present Church in May, 1869. Received
the degree of Doctor of Divinity in 1872, from Fulton College, Missouri,
of which institution Rev. Dr. Price was at the time President. Ongoing
to Dixon, in 1855, he founded the Presbyterian Institution, known as the
Dixon Collegiate Institute, and acted for some years as its President.
HISTOBY OF MOliGAN COUNTY. i>71
During the thirty-nine years and including since June, 1877 that
this church has maintained a separate existence, about eight hundred
persons have been received into its communion. Its present house of
worship was completed in 1874. Its cost, including the lot, was thirty-
three thousand dollars.
Referring to the Westminster Church, the Journal continues : This
is the youngest of the English speaking Presbyterian Churches of the
city. It was founded by thirty-four members of the First Church in the
Spring of 1860. A plain brick house of worship was erected that year
on Westminster Street, the present site. Dr. David H. Hamilton was
installed as the first pastor in October, 1860, and continued as such until
January 1, 1872. Dr. H. V. D. Nevins was next called. His pastorate
continued until his resignation, early in 1874. The present pastor, Rev.
S. M. Morton, was installed in October, 1874. The church and lot origin-
ally cost seven thousand dollars, with extensive improvements in 1866
and 1875.
In reference to the Portuguese Presbyterian Churches, the paper says :
In addition to three English churches, there are three Presbyterian con-
gregations among our Portuguese fellow citizens. In November, 1849, a
company of about four hundred of this nationality, reached this section
of the State, settling in Waverly, Springfield, and Jacksonville. They
were religious exiles, mostly from the island of Maderia, and having been
under the spiritual guidance of a Scotch Presbyterian clergyman, they
naturally allied themselves with that denomination in this country.
Churches were formed in Springfield and this city. From the latter
sprang, in May, 1858, a second church. In 1872 the latter organization
was again divided. In the three churches there are now some four hun-
dred members. They occupy two substantial frame buildings on Jordan
and North Streets. The last formed congregation are using the court
house for worship at present. The pulpits are supplied now by Rev.
Henry Vieria, Rev. Charles Barton, and Rev. Emanuel Pires.
Within the present bounds of Morgan County, outside of the citj r ,
there are three Presbyterian Churches which joined in this semi centennial
celebration, as follows: Murrayville, Pisgah, and Unity. Besides these
there are five others, located within the boundaries of Morgan County in
1827, when the church on the Leeper farm was formed, viz.: Manchester,
Winchester, Beardstown (German), Virginia, and Little Indian.
The Baptists. This denomination have two churches in the city.
The first was organized in 1841. In 1856, they dedicated their present
house of worship. At their organization Rev. Alvin Bailey presided,
the meeting being held in the Christian church. Rev. Mr. Bailey remained
four or five years, when failing health necessitated a change and he
resigned. The congregation occupied the market house a year or more,
and then built the present German church on West State Street. Among
the constituent members were John and M. C. Goltra, J. D. Rawlins and
wife, Mrs. Bibb, and Mrs. Ellen C. Spencer. The present house of wor-
ship cost $15,000. The membership is about two hundred.
The other Society is the colored church, with over one hundred
members. It has been in successful operation since its organization, and
maintains an excellent Sunday School.
The First Gierman Lutheran Church was organized in 1858, with
372 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
eight members, among whom were John Knollenberg, Fred. Walker,
Edward Beer, Henry Bachlefel and Joseph Kackmann. The organization
was effected in the Christian church, then situated on North Main Street.
They met for divine services in various places, until 1863, when they com-
pleted their present house of worship. This was used until 1877, when
they purchased their present church, selling their old one.
The Q-erman M, JE. Church was constituted in 1856, with thirty-two
members. They met in the Grace M. E. church, where they held divine
services about six months, when they purchased a church of the Baptists,
which they now occupy. They have now about forty members.
The Catholic Church has at present a very large membership. In
1851 the Rev. Gifford, the priest at Springfield, came to Jacksonville and
finding four or five families professing that faith, held divine service, and
appointed George Eberhard, Edward Keyes, and Henry McDonnell as
collectors to raise funds and assist in the establishment of a church here.
The meetings for services were held in a private house at first, but soon
the increase of the congregation demanded more room and the old court
house was occupied. Murray McConnell donated the society a lot near
the railroad depot, on which a house of worship was erected. This, how-
ever, became too small, and during the war the present fine structure was
commenced. It was completed about 1866, and including the school and
convent property is worth about $65,000. The church was dedicated by
Archbishop Purcell, of Cincinnati, Ohio. The parsonage, now used for
the school, was built about two years after the completion of the church.
The school is under the control of the Sisters of the Order of St. Dominic
and is supported by the congregation. It is conducted ten months in
the year.
The Soule Congregation is small at present and does not sup-
port a regular ministry. Among its constituent members were E. B.
Hitt, S. S. Spurgeon, Silas Veitch, Mrs. Becraft, James Cravan, and
D. C. McCoy. The congregation has a very neat house of worship on
East College Street which cost about $5,000.
The Church of Christ was organized in January, 1832, with seven-
teen members, prominent among whom were Josephus Hewett, John T.
Jones, Jacob Cassell, and Peter Hedenberg. Of these Mr. Hewett became
the first preacher. In October, Fred. B. Stone was instrumental in
effecting a union of this and a similar organization which had been organ-
ized some time previously. In 1835, Elder Gates, of Louisville, became
pastor. The next 3 r ear their first house of worship was erected, and from
this date until 1850 some of the prominent ministers were D. P. Hender-
son, John T. Jones, Jerry Lancaster, Bryson Pyatt, and Elder Trimble.
In 1850, a larger house of worship was erected on North Main Street.
The first pastor here was Elder A. J. Kane, now at Springfield. His suc-
cessors were Elder Jonathan Atkinson, W. S. Russell, John Underwood,
Dr. Cox, and Enos Campbell. The Congregation began to hold meetings
in its present church, on East State Street, under Elder Campbell, who
remained until 1873, when he was succeeded by the present pastor, Rev.
J. W. Allen. The membership is now four hundred and fifty, and the
Sunday School two hundred and fifty.
The Christian Church was organized in the old court house in 1866,
by twelve persons adhering to that denomination. Prominent among
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
them were Workman Curley, L. B. Ross, Charles E. Russell, and Hiram
Smalley, and their families. Rev. J. E. Wright was the pastor, and con-
tinued to serve them until 1869, or 1870. They occupied the court
house until the completion of their present house of worship, on South
Main Street, in 1868. The pastors succeeding Rev. Wright were Revs.
J. J. Summerbell, C. W. Garrutte and P. W. Sinks. They are without a
pastor at present. They have now a membership of near seventy.
The Centenary Methodist Church is now the oldest congregation in
the county. It was organized in 1822, by a few persons who held their
meetings for worship in the large log cabin of "Father" Jourdan.
It stood just back of the old Berean College building, and was
erected here before Morgan County was created. Its members were
scattered about over the country, many of them coming several
miles to attend divine service. When the city was platted, in
1825, they were holding meetings in this cabin, and continued to
occupy it until the completion of the log school house in which
Judge Thomas taught the first school in Jacksonville. They worshiped
in this log structure when not occupied by other denominations, until
about 1830, when they erected a brick church, which stood on East Mor-
gan Street, near East Street. This was the first brick church in the
county. They worshiped in this building until 1838, or 1839, when they
sold it to be used as a chair factory, and erected a more commodious
church on the south side of East State Street, where the marble front
now stands. This church was dedicated by Peter Akers, D.D., who
preached the dedication sermon from the words, " This is the house
of God, this is the gate of heaven." This house they occupied until the
centennial year of Methodism in America, 1866, when they dedicated
their present house of worship, at a cost of $35,000.
The congregation, small at first, grew in numbers during all these
years, and it was known as the Methodist Church of Jacksonville. When
the Grace Church was organized, being on the West side of the city, it
was called the West Charge, and the church of which we are writing
was called the East Charge. By this name it was known until the erec-
tion of the present church, when it was, in commemoration of the year of
its erection, called the " Centenary Methodist Church."
The first regular minister here was the Rev. Mr. Starr. Among his
successors have been Revs. J. S. Barger, John T. Mitchell, Wm. M.
Grubbs, Thomas Chandler, Chauncy Hobart, Wm. J. Rutledge, James
Corrington, and others. The present pastor is Rev. English. This
church is now one of the largest and most influential in the county.
Trinity Episcopal Church. The parish of Trinity Church, Jackson-
ville, was organized on the llth of August, 1832. It was the first parish
belonging to the Protestant Episcopal Church that was organized in
Illinois. In June, 1833, by invitation of the Wardens and Vestry,
the Rev. John Bachelder, of Providence, R. I., accepted the rectorship
of the parish. The church edifice stands upon a beautiful lot of ground
donated for the purpose by Dennis Rockwell, Esq., lately deceased. The
corner-stone was laid June 9, 1834, by Rt. Rev. Benjamin Bosworth
Smith, Bishop of Kentucky, and now Presiding Bishop of the House of
Bishops. The rectorship of Rev. J. Bachelder terminated June 4, 1838,
from which time until August 16, 1840, there was no regular minister.
374 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
From that time the following have been the rectors of the church : Rev.
William Grant Heyer, Rev. Edward J. Daiken, Rev. John Stamer,
Rev. John T. Worthington, Rev. T. N. Morrison, D.D., Rev. I.
L. To \vnsend, Rev. Joseph Cross, D.D., and the Rev. John D. Easter,
D.D., the present rector of the church. In 1867, the church edifice was
remodeled and greatly improved, at a cost of some $16,000, by the addi-
tion of a recess chancel at the south end, and an addition of thirty feet,
with tower and spire, to the north end, stained glass windows, and height-
ening of the roof and ceiling. In 1875, the church premises were sur-
rounded by a neat and substantial iron fence, and in 1876, the inside
of the church was improved, and an elegant organ, of twenty-six stops,
was placed in it. The church has about two hundred members, and is
n a prosperous condition.
The Congregational Church was organized December 15, 1833, in
the M. E church on East Morgan street, that society having kindly
offered the use of their house of worship for that purpose.
The names of those who composed the church at its organization were
Timothy Chamberlain, Abraham Clark, Melisent Clark, Elihu Wolcott,
Jeremiah Graves, Mary Ann Graves, Benjamin Allyn, Cynthia M. Allen,
Edwin A. Mears, Sarah Mears, Maro M. L. Reed, Elizabeth L. Reed,
Daniel Mann, Benjamin B. Chamberlain, Asa Talcott, Maria Talcott,
Salem Town, Joseph Town, Eliza Town, Jesse R Clark, Ralph Perry,
Robert B. Lord. James K. Morse, Edward Schofield, George B. Hitch-
cock, Elizabeth Scott, Mary Chamberlain, Abigail Chenery, Eliza Hart,
Lucy Town, Frances J. Wolcott, Abigail Graves, and on December 18,
1833, George T. Purkitt and Calvin S. Beach.
The first meetings of this society were held in the house of Elihu
Wolcott, which stood on the block at the southwest corner of the public
square where the Athenaeum now stands : afterward in a log building on
West State street, where Ayres block now stands. The society at this
time was building a large frame church (on the east side of the square,
where the stores of W. B. Johnson & Son and James T. King now stand),
which was dedicated in September, 1835, and was considered the best edi-
fice in the town, at that time. The Church was abundantly blessed from
its organization, and members were added on every Communion Sabbath,
which occurred monthly, for several years; and more than twenty young
men of its number were licensed to preach. The building was sold in 1858
to aidin the erection of the present edifice, and was known long after as
" Union Hall," and was burnt in December, 1876. The building now
occupied by this Church is situated on West College avenue, and was
dedicated in December, 1859. This Church was the third Congregational
Church organized in the State, the other two being organized the same
year in Adams County, and were at that time the only Congregational
Churches within five hundred miles. These were the pioneer enterprises
of Congregationalism in the Northwest.
The pastors have been William Carter, Truman M. Post, D.D.,
Edwin Johnson, Charles H. Marshal, James Roberts, D.D., William H.
Savage, and Eli Cor win, D.D., the present pastor.
The Grace M. E. Church, first called M. E. Church of West Jack-
sonville, was organized in the Fall of 1850, with five classes ; James L.
Crane was appointed first preacher. Rev. W. D. R. Trotter was the first
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
375
presiding-elder, Joseph Capps and William Thomas, stewards. First
rented the old frame church built by the Presbyterians, on the northwest
corner of Church and West State streets, building afterward owned by
Universalist Society. Central Presbyterian church now stands upon the
spot. Removed to the southwest corner of same streets when the Brick
church was completed, which cost $6,000. While undergoing repairs,
six years ago, a strong gale of wind blew down the west gable and dam-
aged the building so much that it was taken to the ground and an
entire new edifice was erected, at a cost of about $17,000. The new
church, is built in form of a cross, and is finely frescoed and is provided
with handsome stained glass windows. Present membership 320.
GRACE M. E. CHURCH.
The Brooklin M. E. Church was organized in the Fall of 1867, with
about seventy members. First held preaching in a private house, after-
ward in the school-house, until the brick building now occupied by
them was completed, in 1868. First preacher, Rev. John M. Lane,
followed by S. R. Harshman, Harden Wallace, George Barret, W. W.
Roberts, J. M. Sinnock, and W. H. H. Moore. Present membership 120.
THE CITY SCHOOLS.
" There, in his quiet mansion, skilled to rule,
The village master taught his little school.
*****
I knew him well, and every truant knew :
*****
Yet he was kind ; or, if severe in aught,
The love he bore to learning was in fault.
The village all declared how much he knew,
'Twas certain that he could write, and cipher toe." Goldsmith.
The present system of public schools in the city, has been in opera-
tion eleven years. During this period they have advanced to the front
rank, and are among the best in the State. In another portion of the
history of Jacksonville, will be found a letter from Judge William
Thomas, in which he gives his experience as a teacher, during the Win-
ter of 1826 and '27. He states that at that time there was an unfinished
log house, situated in the south part of town, which had been built for
376 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
school purposes, and which in the month of November was completed.
Here, on the first Monday in December, the Judge, then a young lawyer,
opened his school. He most fitly describes this school, in the letter
referred to. With the exception of a short term taught by a young man
named Carson, in the court house, Judge Thomas' school was the first
taught in the town of Jacksonville. The young man Carson, opened a
subscription school in the old court house, in the Summer of 1826. Not
being adapted to his profession, his efforts were unsuccessful, and after
about two weeks' trial he dismissed the school.
The old log school house in which the young lawyer taught his
school, was used for school and church purposes several years. The
Methodists and Presbyterians alternately held services therein, and
undoubtedly ministers of other denominations proclaimed the gospel
within its walls. When Dr. J. M. Sturtevant came to Jacksonville, in
1829, he preached his first sermon in the growing village, in the old log
school house. This primitive educational structure occupied a lot of
ground on the south side of East College Avenue, nearly opposite the old
third ward school house. The doctor very accurately describes the old
log church and school house, in a sermon preached in later years, and
which is quoted elsewhere in these pages.
When Illinois was admitted into the Union, in 1818, a large provision
for the education of its youth was made by Congress, in providing that the
^proceeds received from the sale of ever} r sixteenth section of land should
! be set aside as a permanent school fund. /In 182^, Governor Duncan
1 drew up a bill for the establishment and maintenance of common schools
throughout the State. This bill was adopted by the General Assembly
and became a law that year. It was, however, in advance of its time,
and though containing most excellent provisions, was by subsequent
legislation repealed. No further attempt to the establishment of a
permanent common school system was made by the General Assembly
until about 1839, when Judge Wm. Thomas framed a bill which is the
foundation of the present school system in this State. This bill, which
became a law at that session of the legislature, has received various
amendments, but to it the citizens of Illinois owe an unbounded debt of
- gratitude./ On January 22, 1829, the General Assembly passed an act
providing for a Commissioner in each county to sell each sixteenth section
therein, that fund for common school purposes might be established. In
accordance with the provisions of this act, Judge Thomas was appointed
Commissioner for Morgan County. This duty the Judge faithfully
discharged. About 1833 or '34, a public meeting of the citizens of Jack-
sonville was held to take action in regard to the establishment of a school
in their midst. This being prior to the act of 1839, and no provision
being made for township organization, it was decided to support the school
by private subscription. This method of support was used for some time.
Several schools existed in the city at different times, among which was
one taught by a Mr. Robertson, of Kentucky, and another by Mr. Devore.
None of the schools of this time were under any organized system, and
any one could teach a school who could gather together the necessary
pupils and find a room in which to instruct them.
It was not not until i860 that the first public school house was built
and a school opened therein, under the district organization. This was
378 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
what has always been known as the " West District School/' The build-
ing was used at first as a school house, the upper story being used by the
Masonic fraternity as a lodge room. When the growth of the district
demanded more school room, the Masons withdrew from the room occupied
j by them, and it was used for school purposes.
A few years after the erection of this building, the east district, or
that part of the town lying east of the public square, built two school
houses, in which school was at once opened. Under the formation of
these two districts the schools of Jacksonville were maintained until the
adoption of the city charter in 1867. When the buildings already men-
tioned became too small for the school population of the growing town,
rooms were rented in various parts of the town, so that all who desired
the benefit of a free school could be accommodated. Private schools
were also opened at different times, and were generally well patronized.
The Illinois College, the Jacksonville Female Academy and Methodist
Female College, the Young Ladies' Athenseum, the Berean College, the
Parochial School of the Catholic Church, all furnished excellent means
for the education of the young, and all were well patronized.
By 1867, the growth of the town had reached such proportions that
a better form of government, and a better system of schools, became
necessary. Under the city charter, granted that year, the present system
of graded schools was adopted. The city was divided into four wards,
and a school located in each. Mr. Israel Wilkinson was appointed super-
intendent, which office he held until 1869, when he was succeeded by
Mr J. M. Alcott, who held the office one year. He was followed by Mr.
D. H. Harris, the present superintendent. Each ward maintains a sepa-
rate district school, the grades in all being the same. The Washington
High School is situated in the Fourth ward. Its course of instruction is
thorough and complete, and fits the pupil for the actual duties of life.
Mr. Harris, in his report for the year 1877, gives an interesting resume of
the schools for the past ten years, which we here append :
" Jacksonville has long been known as an educational center of
great reputation, whose influence is felt far and wide. The early estab-
lishment of the public schools is due to the earnest efforts of two of our
citizens the late Gov. Duncan and Judge Win. Thomas. The latter
survives to witness the success of the cause which he so ably advocated.
" The honor of first popularizing the public schools in Jacksonville
belongs to the well-known educator, Hon. Newton Bateman, who, for
several years, was principal of the West Jacksonville school.
" Judge E. P. Kirby, of our city, immediately succeeded as principal
of the same school, which he conducted three years with eminent success ;
following him Michael Sanderson, Esq., nobly sustained the well-deserved
reputation of the school for three years, when, in his valuable life-work,
he fell at his psst.
" Before the schools of Jacksonville were organized into a system
under the present city charter, there were several independent schools,
sustained in part by the general school fund of the State. A male
teacher was employed as principal and superintendent of each of these
distinct schools. The course of study in each of these schools therefore
comprised not only the common branches, but also Latin, Greek, Natural
Sciences, Higher English, and Mathematics. The new school charter, in
380 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
1867, at once introduced a new regime which centralized the general
supervision in one superintendent, and abolished the extravagant idea of
sustaining four high schools of small classes by organizing one central high
school for the accommodation of the entire city, which was found to be a
great improvement in a pecuniary and educational point of view. The suc-
cess of this system has led to a more economical expenditure by the gradual
introduction of female principals into the ward schools. The new organ-
ization also led to a more careful and thorough classification of pupils, a
more uniform course of study, resulting in a more efficient preparation of
the pupils in the advanced studies."
The condition of the schools shows a steady progress and increasing
efficiency of the public schools as an educational force in the community.
ILLINOIS COLLEGE.
From the December, 1877, Number of Illinois Schoolmaster. By Professor Rufus C. Crampton.
Illinois College is, in many respects, singularly fortunate in its loca-
tion. Jacksonville is a beautiful, half rural city, of twelve thousand
people. Beyond any other city of equal size it is adorned by fine church
edifices, and by large public and educational buildings.
In 1829, before any college had been established in the State, Illinois
College was founded here. It became the nucleus around which clustered
the Jacksonville Female Academy, Illinois Conference Female College,
and later, the v Young Ladies' Athenaeum and Illinois Conservatory of
Music. The trustees of the college have also under their control Whipple
Academy and Jacksonville Business College. At an early day, such
character was given to the place that it was selected as the home of the
great charitable and educational institutions of the State, for the insane,
for the deaf and dumb, and for the blind. In the midst of these schools
of literature, science, art, and commerce, Illinois College is surrounded by
most favorable social influences.
The college campus is a beautiful inclosure, of about twelve acres, on
College Hill, at the west end of the city. It is elevated ninety feet above
the general level of the highly cultivated farms of rolling prairie around
it, and is unsurpassed for healthfulness.
The college buildings are shown, some of them poorly, in the accom-
panying cut. They are in good repair, well warmed and ventilated, and
and well adapted for the uses for which they were built. The original
building, erected partly in 1829 and partly in 1830, is now occupied by
the halls and libraries of the two literary societies, the Sigma Pi and the
Phi Alpha, by the college library, the cabinet of natural history, and
the Greek recitation room.
College Hall, built in 1856, contains the chapel, six recitation and
lecture rooms, and the apparatus room.
The dormitory building, completed in 1874, contains twenty-eight
suites of rooms, with excellent accommodations for fifty-six students. The
rooms are heated by steam and lighted by gas. Each study-room is fur-
nished with a large study table, and each bedroom with a woven wire
mattress bed.
The janitor's cottage and the club house are the only other buildings
on the campus.
JACKSONVILLE.
HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 381
The building erected for Whipple Academy, now occupied by the
Business College, is three-fourths of a mile from the college, and near the
business center of the city.
The philosophical and chemical apparatus is extensive, and adequate
to full courses of experimental lectures. The college library contains
eight thousand volumes, and the society library about three thousand
more. A reading room, free to all, is maintained by the members of the
Sigma Pi Society. A very creditable beginning has been made in the
cabinet of mineralogy and* natural history.
These are the externals of Illinois College. They present a goodly
appearance, but it is hoped that soon other buildings will adorn the
campus, and additional appliances serve the uses of scientific education.
The first board of trustees was elected December 5, 1829, at a meet-
ing held in the first college building, then nearly finished. This meeting
represented two separate efforts in the cause of the higher education.
One of these efforts originated in the Christian zeal and public spirit of a
few individuals residing in Illinois, prominent among whom were Rev.
John M. Ellis, Rev. Thomas Lippincott, Col. Thomas Mather, William
Collins, Hon. Samuel D. Lockwood, John P. Wilkinson, and William C.
Posey. Of these the three last named were elected trustees. The
remaining seven of the original trustees represented an association of
theological students in Yale College, who had resolved to make some one
of the Northwestern States their future home and the field of their evan-
gelical labors. Becoming acquainted with the plans of Mr. Ellis and his
friends, they agreed to unite with them in founding Illinois College at
Jacksonville, and to furnish, through their eastern friends, $10,000 in aid
of the project. Their names were Theron Baldwin, Julian M. Sturtevant,
Mason Grosvenor, John F. Brooks, Elisha Jenney, William Kirby, and
Asa Turner.
Application for a charter was made to the legislature in the Winter
of 1880-31, but a charter was refused, on account of prejudices then
existing against institutions with educational, charitable, or religious aims.
Four years later the application was renewed, and at this time the friends
of Illinois College were joined by those who had just founded Shurtleff
College, at Alton, and McKendree College, at Lebanon. Like charters
were granted to all at the same time. The names of John G. Bergen,
John Tilson, and Gibeon Blackburn were added to the trustees of Illinois
College*
It is natural that the character of an institution of learning should
be determined by the spirit and aims of its founders. These were men
of the purest piety and patriotism. They were trained under the social
and educational influences of New England. They regarded learning as
an handmaid of religion, and the Christian religion as the most efficient
promoter of learning. They intended that Illinois College should do for
Illinois what the colleges of New England have done, are doing, and are
destined to do for her. But neither had they, nor have their successors,
ever had any thought of making the college an instrument of denomina-
tional propagandism.
Those who co-operated in founding Illinois College, and in sustaining
it during the early years of its history, attained greater usefulness than
commonly falls to the lot of man. They were among the foremost of those
L
382 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
strong men who gave such character to the then rising State. Theron
Baldwin, D.D., was the first principal of Monticello Female Seminary,
and was largely instrumental in founding it. He was afterward, for many
years, secretary of the Society for the Promotion of Collegiate Education
at the West. Rev. Mason Grosvenor, after a long life of varied useful-
ness, now gives a portion of his time to the college of which, in his youth,
he was almost the originator, as Professor of Moral Philosophy. Edward
Beecher, D.D., was the first president. Appointed in 1832, he resigned
in 1844. His ability and his history are well known to the American
public. J. M. Sturtevant, D.D., LL.D., was the first instructor in Illinois
College, and has spent his entire life in its service. He is well known
throughout the country as a man of the purest life, of vigorous and inde-
pendent thought, and of eminent ability. To his unwearied efforts and
self-sacrificing devotion the college owes very much of what it is and of
what it may become in the future. He was appointed president in 1844.
Having resigned that office in June, 1876, he still renders most valuable
service as instructor in studies of the senior class. Early associated with
him in the work of instruction was Samuel Adams, A.M, M.D., a man of
great learning and worth, long ably filling the chair of Chemistry and
Physics ; Truman M. Post, D.D, now pastor of the First Congregational
Church of St. Louis, and J. B. Turner, now so well known as a leading
agriculturist and reformer.
These men, both trustees and faculty, were wise master-builders.
They and their associates laid well the foundations of the present and
future greatness of the State. To them is largely due the pre-eminence
which Illinois has long enjoyed among her sister States of the Northwest.
And no small part of their work was done through Illinois College. Her
students and graduates, in all parts of Illinois, and in many instances in
neighboring States, have been leaders in thought and action, both in
church and civil state. Hon. Richard Yates, the first graduate, as a most
patriotic and efficient governor during the war, won laurels for himself
and great honor to our Commonwealth.
Richard Yates was born January 18, 1818, on the banks of the
Ohio River, at Warsaw, Gallatin County, Kentucky. In 1831, his father
removed to Illinois, and, after stopping at Springfield, settled at Island
Grove, Sangamon County. After attending school awhile, Richard
joined the family here. Subsequently, he entered Illinois College, at
Jacksonville, where, in 1835, he graduated with first honors. He chose
for his profession the law, and began at once its study with General John
J. Hardin as instructor. Gifted with a fluent and ready oratory, he soon
entered the arena of political life, and being an ardent admirer of Henry
Clay, he joined the political party of his leader. In 1840, he engaged
with great ardor in the "hard-cider campaign," for General Harrison.
Two years after, he was elected to the legislature from this county, then
a Democratic stronghold. He served four years here, and in 1850 was
elected, after an exciting contest with Major Thomas L. Harris, to Con-
gress. At the expiration of his term, he was re-elected, and coming into
the political field the third time, was defeated by a small majority, owing
to his decided stand against the repeal of the Missouri Compromise act,
and his strong anti-slavery views, which, in a speech of great power and
brilliant oratory, he advanced, and which gained for him a national repu-
384 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
taticm. Six years afterward, he was elected to the chair of State, and dur-
ing the most critical period of the nation's history, held that important
place. Here his true patriotism shone with a brilliancy and strength of
will, and saved the State in the threatened crisis. He, like Governor
Morton, of Indiana, earned the title of the " War Governor." The fate
of the nation was involved in the destiny of the State. Governor Yates
was equal to all emergencies ; and when a Democratic House attempted
to thwart his purposes, and place the State where many of its members
wanted it, he promptly squelched that body by his famous act of proro-
gation. His loyalty was as undoubted as true, and through all the long
and bitter contest he was a close and intimate friend of President Lin-
coln, and one of his most earnest supporters. What Illinois did in that
great conflict, can be partially learned by the reader in the history of
the State, elsewhere in this volume, though volumes could be written on
this subject, and yet not exhaust it. Morgan County's record is shown
in the names of her volunteers, also printed in these pages.
Governor Yates' public career briefly resumed, shows : " Six years in
the Legislature of Illinois, four years in the Congress of the United
States, four years governor of Illinois, and six years senator of the United
States ; twenty years in political public life, with few men his superior,
in any field of duty." He died in St. Louis, on November 28, 1873,
at the age of fifty-five years. He had been viewing the Cairo and Ful-
ton Railroad, as one of its commissioners, having been appointed to that
important position by the government. He had been to Little Rock,
Arkansas, and was on his way home, when, becoming too weak to travel,
he stopped to rest in St. Louis, where, in the midst of his many friends, he
quietly passed away. His remains were brought home the next evening,
and, after being viewed in the parlor of his own house by thousands,
were carried to the grave, followed by an immense assembly.
Newton Bateman, LL.D., for eight years Superintendent of Public
Instruction, did more than any other man for our noble system of public
schools, and is now the second of the graduates of Illinois College to
become president of Knox College. But space will not permit even the
mere mention of names to show how much the college has done to make
Illinois what it is. The good work already accomplished would amply
repay its friends for all their labors and self-sacrifice in its behalf.
But the college has not yet completed its first half century. The
best of our American colleges have not been the creation of a day.
They have had their origin with the communities in which they were
founded. They have often struggled for existence while material pros-
perity was being developed around them, until accumulated wealth
should flow into them. This college is no exception to the rule. With
the struggles of the past we are now concerned no further than to know
that they are safely passed, and that future prosperity seems well assured.
Aside from grounds, buildings, and other appliances, the invested endow-
ment fund is about $110,000, with from $10,000 to $15,000 available in
the future.
The present faculty consists of ten earnest, faithful men, each of
marked ability and experience in his department, fully alive to the increas-
ing demands of the times upon those who would be found worthy to
represent the higher culture.
HISTOJRY OF MORGAN COUNTY. 385
The standard of attainment for admission to the classical course is
not so high as in Yale or Harvard, but it is the same as in the majority ofj
Eastern colleges. The work of instruction is done entirely by professors,
and throughout the whole course the students come into close daily
contact with teachers of experience and of enthusiasm, who take a friendly
personal interest in their pupils. Habits of good order and industry pre-
vail, and cases of serious discipline are extremely rare. The faculty
regard it of prime importance to maintain a high standard of scholarship.
The student is required to pass through examinations, for the most part
written, on all the studies required for graduation. The graduates of
Illinois College, in respect to mental culture and intellectual ability, do
not suffer in comparison with those of the older Eastern colleges. The
present number of students is one hundred and thirty-seven.
The Scientific Course. The true American college seeks to lead
public sentiment in all matters pertaining to education. It would be very
gratifying if all who desire to avail themselves of the advantages of the
college could be induced to pursue, in full, the classical course. But in a
country comparatively new, there are many young men who have not
time and means for such an education. They want the best education
they can get in three or four years. In none of our high schools or
academics can they enjoy the benefits of a faculty of experienced teachers,
of apparatus, and other appliances that are found in the college. To meet
the wants of these, our scientific course is a necessary and useful adapta-
tion. For admission, the student is examined in the common-school
studies, and in algebra to quadratics. The course embraces all the
studies of the classical course, except Greek. It includes three years'
instruction in Latin, and adds special studies in history, German, geology,
meteorology, and the higher mathematics. Physics are taught by recita-
tions and full courses of lectures. It is in contemplation soon to require
for admission, physical geography, four books of geometry, and one year
of Latin.
Whipple Academy. Every Western college finds a preparatory
department a necessity. In 1869, Dr. S. L. Whipple founded the
academy, by a donation of $10,000. At present it is carried on in the
College buildings, with a separate study hall, and with a principal whose
whole time is devoted to its care. He is assisted in the work of instruc-
tion by some of the College faculty, who hear recitations, each in his own
department.
The College Club, for the boarding of students who room in the
dormitory, is an exceedingly well-managed and successful part of the
college machinery. The dining-room is pleasant, the tables well fur-
nished, and good board is had for $2 to $2.25 per week.
The entire annual college expenses of a student who rooms in the
dormitory, for board, tuition, room-rent, fuel, gas, and text-books, are less
than $175.
The faculty seek to pervade the entire institution with a strong moral
and religious influence utterly free, however, from all sectarian bias.
All students are required to attend morning prayers and the Sabbath
afternoon lecture. This is conducted by Dr. Sturtevant, whose pungent
and powerful discourses produce lasting impressions. A weekly prayer-
meeting is maintained by the students.
386 HISTORY OF MORGAN COUNTY.
The following is the present faculty of the college: Rufus C.
Crampton, A.M., acting president, and Hitchcock professor of mathe-
matics and astronomy ; Julian M. Sturtevant, D.D., LL.D., professor of
mental science and science of government ; Mason Grosvenor, D.D.,
professor of moral philosophy and evidences of Christianity ; Hiram K.
Jones, A.M., M.D., lecturer on anatomy and physiology ; Edward A.
Tanner, professor of Latin language and literature ; - - Collins pro-
fessor of the Greek language and literature ; Henry E. Storrs, A.M.,
PH.D., Hitchcock professor of natural sciences, and instructor in German ;
George W. Bailey, A.M., instructor in Greek ; S. S. Hamill, A.M., pro-
fessor of elocution, rhetoric, history, and English literature ; Alfred H.
Sturtevant, A.M., principal of Whipple Academy, and instructor in
mathematics ; Charles B. Reynolds, instructor in English studies and
mathematics : Henry B. Chicken, instructor in business penmanship.
The following table shows the number of graduates composing the
alumni of the college :
1835 2 1844 6 1853 5 1862^10 1871 8
1836 4 184511 185412 1863 * 1872 7
1837 3 1846 3 1855 7 1864 7 1873 9
18389 1847-8 185614 18656 18746
1839 8 1848 7 185712 1866 7 1875 4
1840 9 1849 6 185814 1867 9 1876 9
1841 4 1850 2 185915 186811 1877 4
1842 7 1851 5 186012 1869 5
184310 1852 7 186116 1870 9
The entire number of graduates is three hundred and forty. Of this
number forty-six are in their graves. Many of them became prominent
in state and national affairs, and many are now holding eminent positions
in life.
JACKSONVILLE FEMALE ACADEMY.
From the Catalogue of 1876.
Jacksonville Female Academy grew out of the home missionary spiri^
which, some fifty years ago, began its beneficent enterprises in Illinoi 8
and other Western fields. Rev. John M. Ellis, the first pastor of the
First Presbyterian Church of Jacksonville, came to this State in the year
1828, and his mind was full of the idea of planting, not only churches,
but institutions of learning. To him is due the inception of Illinois
College and of Jacksonville Female Academy. During his pastorate here,
of three or four years, his excellent wife opened, in their own house, a
school for young ladies, which may be regarded as the germ of this insti-
tution, the first organized one of the kind west of Ohio.
From the first record, it appears that "a meeting of gentlemen favor-
able to the establishment of a female seminary in the Town of Jackson-
ville, was held at the house of Mr. J. P. Wilkinson, September 29, 1830.
A committee, consisting of Hon. S. D. Lockwood, Rev. John M. Ellis, and
Rev. J. M. Sturtevant, was appointed to report on the subject, which they
did at an adjourned meeting held October 2, 1830, as follows :
" WHEREAS, The vast importance and urgent necessity of extending
* No graduates on account of the absence of students in the Union army.
HISTORY OP MOEGAN COUNTY. 387
the blessings of education to all classes of American citizens are felt and
acknowledged by all enlightened patriots and Christians ; and whereas,
the power of female influence over the intellectual and moral character
of the community must ever be too great for any or all other causes
entirely to counteract, commencing, as it does, with the first dawn of
infant intelligence, and forming, perhaps, the most important and certainly
the most desirable part of that character, before any other causes can
begin to act upon it, and accompanying it through all the subsequent
stages of its development ; considering, too, that in the present important
crisis of our beloved Republic, not one effort ought to be withheld which
can tend to give permanency to its foundations, the intelligence and virtue
to the people, therefore,
" Resolved, That an academy ought to be immediately established in
this State, to be devoted to female education ; and that Jacksonville, in
Morgan County, is, in our opinion, a situation highly favorable for suc-
cessful operation of such an institution."
This was adopted, and a board of trustees immediately appointed,
consisting of the following persons, viz. : Bezaleel Gillett, Dennis Rock-
well, Ero Chandler, John P. Wilkinson, Julian M. Sturtevant, Joseph
Duncan, John M. Ellis, Joseph M. Fairfield, Samuel D. Lockwood, David
B. Ayers, Elihu Wolcott, James G. Edwards, Ignatius R. Simms.
At the same time a lot of land in Jacksonville was donated by Dr.
Ero Chandler, on which to locate the institution, and the gift was accepted.
In due time a small brick edifice was erected, and the school formally
opened in the year 1833.
The academy was chartered by the legislature of Illinois during their
session in the Winter of 1835.
The following are the names of the principals of the institution :
Miss Sarah Crocker, 1833 to 1835 ; Miss Emily Price, 1835 to 1837 ; John
Adams, LL.D., 1837 to 1843 ; Rev. W. H. Williams, A.M., 1843 to 18 
