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Full text of "Past and present of Menard County, Illinois .."

L I E> RAR.Y 

OF THE 

UNIVERSITY 

OF ILLINOIS 

977.355 
M61 



jywm nwwni SWTH 



PAST AND PRESENT 



OF 



MENARD COUNTY, ILLINOIS 



BY 



REV. R. D. MILLER 



ILLUSTRATED 



'A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will never 

achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by 

remote generations." — Macaulay. 



CHICAGO : 

The S. J. Clarke Publishing Company 

190 5 



Deotcateo to tbe flMoneers of 
flDenaro Countp 



PREFACE 



It is an intuition in man to desire to know the events of the past. It is, also, a com- 
mendable trait in the race to desire to perpetuate their own good and praiseworth.3 acts for 
those who come after them. Who would not wish to know the history of the first inhabi- 
tants of this country — the Mound Builders:' But thai part of history, tl very-day routine, 

the ordinary affairs of life, are the ones that we most desire to know and are the very ones 
least likely to be preserved. A Local history — a liistory of a county, like this — is the mosl 
difficult to write. .Matters the most likely to interest and entertain a community are the 
hardest to write. More than twenty-five years ago, when writing a history of Menard county 
lor a company, I learned the fact that the very matter that the people would want was the ven. 

matter that the companj refused. So I began then t te down item- of interest and have 

kept it up ever since, expecting that at some time tins matter would he arranged, systema- 
tized and published. Speaking of the pas! of this country, what an interesting field opens 

before us. If some supernatural power would < liable s w. to give a correcl history of the 

events which have taken place just in the small territory of Menard county in all the past ages 
who would refuse to buy it. no matter the prici ? But these things are gone to eternal 

oblivion. Nothing is left hut the testi ly of a lew inanimate and dumb witnesses; yet with 

what eagerness and patient toil we strive ami si-arch m the effort to decipher the obscure 
hieroglyphics which dimly outline some of this dark past How men have sweat ami dun' and 
toiled in the lew small mounds of earth in this county. We unearth a stone ax, flint arrow- 
point or piece of hammered copper, and with a thrill in every nerve-fiber we grasp it with 
the thought that no human hand had touched n till ours since it was grasped by the swarthv 
hand of the long-departed Mound Builder. Then we wonder ami imagim concerning the 
condition of this country at that tune: the animals that roamed these prairies and wood-; 
the kind of people these beings were; and how main hundreds of years have rolled by since 
they gave place t<> the "noble red man.'" We know that they must have been numerous and 
powerful, and that the} mu-i have been organized m some wa\ o have performed the vasl 
amount of labor that was required to erect these \a-i monuments. Then came the Indians 
with their tribal wars and forays of murder and torture: how tin- ston would thrill with 
interest the hearts of men to-day. If all this is true, what a debt we owe to those who will 
come after us to leave 11 record of the events of the presenl that they may know to hi' reliably 
true. Events, commonplace in themselves, in the lives of our fathers and grandfathers will 
not onl\ he interesting, but they maj he of in stimable value in the years to come. Such 
has been the writer's aim to gather up facts of local interest; of family history; id' social, 
political and religious importance, which, in years to come, will give due credit to men for 
the part that they performed in the work of the development of tin country, socially, civilly, 
religiously and financially. No effort at display has been made; no effort to over-draw or 
exaggerate; hut the plain, simple truth ha- been aimed ai in even case. Bulwer says: "One 

of the mosl sub! ■ things in the world i- plain truth." Sydney Smith saj - s: "Truth is 

the handmaid of justice ; freedom is its child; peace it- companion ; safety walks in its sp.ps ; 
victory follow- in its train. It is the brightesl emanation of the gospel— if is the attribute 
of God." And Dryden said: "We find but Eew historians who have been diligent enough in 
their search for truth. It is their common method to take on trusi what they distribute to 

the public, by which mean- a false! 1 once received becomes traditional to the public." I 

have tried, in the following pages, to tell the plain, simple, unvarnished truth. 

R. 1). MILLER. 
February, 1905. 



82ol3 




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CA UfyfyU / ?f^< 



TJ^M 




HISTORICAL 



h is said that when Frederick the Greal 
,\ < ml.l have his secretary read history to him 
te would say: "Bring me my liar." Hut his- 
tory, to be such, must be the statement of 
facts, and where such is uot the ease it is ao1 

listery. General history \ be gathered and 

iompiled from various reliable sources, but the 
nstoiy of event- ami occurrences of a locality, 
is a county in Illinois, is a very different and. 
in fart, a more difficult thing, in olden times 
i g 1 man could wish no greater evil t<> be- 
fall an enemy than that he were compelled In 
write a book, for good old Job cried out m the 
anguish of his soul. "011. that mine enenrj 
would write a book," ami surely this should he 
enough to gratify the enmity of a much worse 
man than he of (Jz, especially it the hook was 
in he a detailed history of a county in Illinois, 
nrai-h one hundred years alter the county was 
settled. No doubt many important events, as 
well as the deeds of individuals, which are 
important items in the history of this count's 
are i ompletely Inst, but it is the aim of the 
writer to record all such facts as have been 
preserved, and to give nothing hut what he 
honestly believes is authentic and Inn 1 . The 
nliject of these pages is to record the known 
fads in the history of tin' past so as to pre- 
serve to those who come after us those fact-. 
events and individuals, that will serve to in- 
struct and influence for good those whom may 
read them. One especial aim is to do justice 
in ihose noble men and women who. though 
perhaps unlearned and unrefined in the modern 



sense of that term, were God's chosen agents in 
preparing the priceless heritage that they have 
left us in this land with its institutions and 
civilization. The;; made possible and gave in 
us tin- priceless boon. 

Immediately after the close of the war of 
1812, or at least as soon as the news of peace 
was confirmed through the country, the mass 
of the people was seized with a mania for west- 
ern emigration, and. although the sagacious 
editor of New York had not then given the 
advice in young men i,, go west and grow up 
with the country, yet thousands of both young 
and old were seized with the fever, and as a 
result, the "Western Territory" began to fill up 
very rapidly from the older settled portions of 
the country. During almost the whole of the 
eighteenth century the name of Illinois was 
applied to all the known region lying wesl of 
in,' Ohio river. A- earl] a- L673 French col- 
onies established themselves at Kaskaskia ami 
Cahokia. Jus! one hundred year- from the 
establishment of these colonies, the territory, of 

which tbe\ were the nucleus in conjunct 

with Canada, was ceded to Greal Britain. 
Tin- wa- transferred to the United States in 
L787. In the same year thai tin- territory was 
acquired Congress passed a law or ordinance 
that the territory lying west and north of the 
Ohio river was to lie divided into not less than 
three nor more than fi\' -late-. Congress also 
divided the region named into Ohio. Indiana 
and Illinois. When we remember that this 
legislation was only a little over a hundred 



PAST AMi PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



years ago, we may smile a1 the short-sighted- 
ness of our statesmen, especially when we re- 
flecl thai the ten-iron was bounded on the north 
by the Bril ish possessions. 

Sn rapidly did this northwestern country 
fill up, that in 1810, the Illinois territory, 
which then included a part of Wisconsin and 
Minnesota, contained a population of twelve 
thousand two hundred and eighty-two. Mich- 
igan had !»': n formed into a separate territory 
in 1805, ami Indiana m L809. The reader 
i- perhaps acquainted with the history of the 
controversy with Wisconsin over the northern 
boundary of Illinois. I f the people of Wis- 
consin arc correct in their views of the matter, 
then Illinois has no northern limit save that 
firs! given to the territory, ami her area still 
extends to the British possessions i i Canada. 

Illinois, like other new territories, was at 
fiist divided into counties covering very large 
areas, in fact, the entire state was once "Illi- 
nois county," but as the country became more 
thickly settled these counties were subdivided 
and m inan\ eases re-divided a third and fourth 
time. Illustrative of this fact, it may be stated 
that mI the time of the admission of Illinois 
into the Union, it comprised only fifteen 
counties. As the settlemenl of the state began 
in the southern portion and extended north- 
ward, it is not at all surprising that in more 
than one case it would have been impossible 
to find the northern boundary of the county, 
unless it were considered as extending to the 
northern line of the state. A:' an illustra- 
tion of this subdivision of counties, it maj be 
stated ihat the city of Chicago, or at least the 
hind that it now stands on, was once in Fulton 
county: whereas the nearest point of Pulton 
comity to the city of Chicago is now one hun- 
dred ami fifty miles on an air line. Another il- 
lustration of this may be briefly given : If the 
reader will turn to the map of Illinois he will 
observe thai Crawford county is the eighth 
county south on the state line from Chicago. 
This county at firs! included Chicago; butwhen 
Clark was formed it embraced Chicago; and 
when Edgar was cul off of Chirk the "windy 
city" was in it: and then when Vermilion was 
formed from Edgar, Chicago fell in it: so that 



ii number of Illinois counties can boast that 
Chicago was once in their territory. 

In consideration of the fact that Menard 
county was stricken off from Sangamon, it be- 
comes necessary to give a brief outline of the 
latter. Ti e reader who is familiar with the 
history of Illinois will remember that portions 
of it were settled even before the close of the 
eighteenth century. Prior to the formation of 
the county of Sangamon, by act of the legisla- 
ture, approved January 30. 1821, the territory 
of which it was formed was included in the 
counties of Madison and Bond. Sangamon 
county, when first formed, included all of what 
is now Logan, Tazewell, Mason, Menard and 
Cass, and part of Morgan, McLean. Marshall. 
Woodford. Putnam and Christian. Its bound- 
ary remained thus till the year 182-4, when the 
legislature reduced its limits. It still, how- 
ever, extended to the Illinois river and in- 
eluded all of Menard and parts of Christian. 
Logan and Mason. The boundaries of Sanga- 
mon remained unchanged till the year 1839, 
when the legislature again subdivided it. cut- 
ting oil' Menard. Christian and Logan. The 

nan f Dane was at first given to it but later 

it wiis changed to Christian. 

During the session of the legislature of 
1838-9, Menard county was stricken off from 
Sangamon and named in honor of Colonel 
Pierre Menard, a Frenchman who settled at 
Kaskaskia. Illinois, in 1790. Menard was so 
popular in his day witli the people of Illinois 
territory that when the convention framed the 
constitution of the state a clause was included 
in the schedule to the constitution providing 
that "any citizen of the United States who had 
resided in the state for two rears might he 
eligible to the office of lieutenant governor/ 5 
This was done in order that Colonel Menard, 
who had only been naturalized a year or two 
at the time, might he made lieutenant governor, 
under Shadraeh Bond, first governor of Illi- 
nois after its formation into a state. As Me- 
nard county whs named after this popular 
Frenchman it may be interesting to the reader 
to give a brief account id' his life. Pierre 
Menard was horn in Quebec, Canada, in the 
year 1767. lie remained in his native city till 
liis nineteenth year, when his inherent spirit 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTS 



iif adventure led him to seek his fortune in the 
territories watered bj the Mississippi and its 
tributaries, lie was, therefore, soon found in 
the town of Vincennes mi the Wabash river in 
the employ of a merchant, known as Colonel 
\ igo. I ii the year 1 I'm he formed a partner- 
ship with urn.' iMi Bois, a merchanl of Vin- 
cennes, and they removed their stock in Kas- 
ka-kia at the inniitli of the Kaskaskia river in 
Illinois. Menard, though possessed of bui a 
limited education, was a man of quick percep- 
tion an.l ni almosl unerring judgment. He 
was candid and honest, full of energy ami in- 
dustry, ami these qualities sunn marked him as 
a leader among the scattered population of his 

adopted home. For a i iber of years he was 

govemmenf agenl for the Indians, ami his 
candor ami integrity soon won I'm- him the 
esteem and friendship of the Indian tribes. 
This tact secured him great advantage as a mer- 
chanl as In' could buy their peltries for one-half 
as much as they could be bought by the "Long- 
knives." Hi' was a member of tin- lower house 
ni' the legislature while Illinois was under the 
[ndiana regime anil, from 1st'.' to 1818, he was 

a mber of tin' [llinois legislative council, 

being the presidenl of that body. He was 
lii'iiii'nani governor from IS18 to is?'.', and 
after that he declined to accepl further honors 
ai the bands of the people. He acquired a 
considerable fortune bui much of ii was Inst 
through his liberality in going security for his 
friends. He died in Tazewell county, Illinois, 
at the good "lil age of seventy-seven years. 
Such was tin' man I'm' whom Menard county 
was named. 

Menard count} i- near tin- center of the state 
of Illinois ami is approximately twenty miles 
square, li is bounded mi the north bj Sail 
creek ; on the wesl by Cass county ; mi the soutl 
by Sangamon, and mi the easl by Logan. Tin' 
entire area of the county is one hundred ami 
ninety seven thousand nine hundred ami sev- 
enty live acres, but it is estimated that the 
Sangamon river occupies an area of seven hun- 
dred acres in the limit- of the county, leaving 
an entire area of one hundred ami nine! j ever 
thousand two hundred and seventy five acres 

The Sanga n river flows through the county 

from smith to north, dividing it into two al si 



equal parts. A number of small streams tlnw 

into the Sangi i river, and Salt creek affords 

an abundance of fresh, pure water for all pur- 
poses. The surface of the country is gently 
undulating in the main, though for a mile or 
two back from the river it is somewhal broken. 
The greai portion of the land was. in its native 
stair, prairie, being covered with a luxuriant 
growth of nutritious grass, interspersed with a 
countless growth of wild flowers. Groves ami 
bodies of timber were interspersed all over the 
entire area ni the county, being abundant, had 
it been preserved, for all purposes of agricul- 
ture ami manufacture. Along the Sangamon 
river for a distance of a mile ami a half on 
either side there was formerly heav\ timber, 
while on Rock creek ami Indian creek are con- 
siderable bodies also. In the eastern pari of 
the county are Irish Grove, Bee Grove and 
Sugar Grove, each ni which is a considerable 
inil\ of timber. On the west side of the river 
are Little Grove ami Clary's Grove, formerly 

line hollies of llllliier. The tillllier eol n 1 1 1'isi 'S 

a number of varieties of oak, elm. ash. walnut. 
butternut, sycamore, linden or basswood, hick- 
ory, cottonwood, black ami honey locust, pecan, 
cherry, mulberry and maple, hard ami soft. 
There are several suli.-h' orchards in the vicin- 
it\ of Tallula ami Sweetwater. Near Tallula 
Messrs. Speer, Conover, Greene ami others have 
good orchards. Ground Sweetwater an' the 
orchards of Mr. Smoot, Alkires ami II. .1. 
Marbold, the la-t named having one thousand 
five hundred trees on an area of not more than 
eight: acres. 



AGRICULTURE. 



Tin' soil of this eoiinl\ i- a rich, dark loam, 
from "iir to five feel deep. This is the pre- 
\ ailing condii ton, bui in t he norl hern porl ion 
of the count} i here are considerable areas « here 
sand mounds exist, bu1 even these are surpris- 
ingly productive of a favorable season. These 
sand mounds produce melons and sweet-pota- 
toi - of the liin'-i quality and in profuse abund- 
ance. .More than ninety per cenl of the land 
of th" county is in nihil al ii m, in grass or 
planted in grain. 

The county is abundantly supplied with the 



1" 



PAST AND PEESENT OF MENAED COUNTY 



various kinds of stock, and for many years 
the farmers have taken great pride in trying 
to improve their quality, anil to this end the 

best breeds from all over the world have been 
imported till the finest breeds of horses, cattle, 
sheep and hogs may be seen on the rich pas- 
tures or in the comfortable barns of every farm- 
ing community. 

The soil produces abundant crops of corn. 
wheat, oats, rye. barley, millet, timothy, clover, 
potatoes, all kinds of vines and vegetables. 
Grapes and small fruits grow in luxuriant 
abundance, but while the large standard fruits 
in past year did well they are now practically 
a failure. Peaches are winter-killed at least 
four year- out of five, while apples and pears 
are almost a total failure mi account of the 
numerous fungoid and insect pests that attack 
them in countless hordes. 

Cattle, horses and hogs are raised in abund- 
ance, while poultry produces no insignificant 
part of the total income of the farmers. Farm- 
ing lands are worth from one hundred to one 
hundred and fifty dollars per acre. The farm- 
ers are. as a rule, well-to-do, many having 
grown rich by farming and stock-raising. We 
have farmers whose wealth i- fast approaching 
the million dollar mark, while estates of a 
quarter and half-million dollars are by no means 
rare. The last half decade has been an es- 
pecially prosperous period to the farmers, but 
as it is the writer's business to state facts and 
not theories he can not say whether this i> duo 
to the Almighty or to the administration: one 
of the two did it. "Hoch dor Kaiser!" 



MINEEAL RESOTJBCES. 

[nexhaustible beds of bituminous coal of the 
best quality underlie the eniire county and at 
such a depth that it can be mined at a trifling 
cost. This coal is deposited in three layers, 
or -trata. that have been worked to some ex- 
tent and the state geologist claims that in this 
part of Illinois the three strata will aggregate 
at least twenty-five feet in thickness. _\ toler- 
ably correct idea of the wealth laid up here may 
ne -.lined by considering the miners' estimate 
that in every foot of the vein, in thickness. 



there are twenfr) million bushels or one mil- 
lion tons to the square mile. Now, to say 
nothing of the twenty-live feet of strata, of 
which we are told, let the reader contemplate 
the wealth that i> stored up in the vein that is 
now being worked. This vein averages six feet 
in thickness. Tin- will give us five million 
ton- to every square mile. This alone is a 
source of inexhaustible wealth. A writer in 
the London Quarterly Review said a few years 
ago that no people can succeed in the arts of 
Christian civilization without a supply of coal, 
and this is undoubtedly true. When we reflect 
that manufacturers, commerce and the general 
enterprises of civilization can not he carried on 
without a dynamic agent, we see that the fore- 
going statement is not extravagant. In the 
sultry cycle- of the carboniferous period, the 
Almighty was laying up the crystalized sunshine 
in the form of these dusky diamonds in this, 
then unknown, world for coming Christianity 
to uncover and use as an energy to ]>le>s the 
world. The same writer, quoted above, says 
that tin- paddle-wheels of European civiliza- 
tion are constantly stirring up the dark waters 
of superstition in the east and every steamer 
that navigates those ocean- goes as a herald of 
Christian civilization and enlightenment, and 
thus we -ee that coal is becoming the mighty 
agent in the uplifting of humanity. Such 
were the -tore- of coal laid up in the bowels of 
England, and her supply so inexhaustible, as 
was supposed, that the expression, "carrying 
coals to Newcastle," has long been the manner 
of expressing the inexhaustibleness of the de- 
posit, out present indications hid fair for it to 
become literally true, and also that the coals 
(.in led to Newcastle shall he from America. 
This mighty force has slumbered for countless 
cycles under this soil and here is untold wealth 
tor Christian enterprise to utilize for the good 
of man. 

Stone of a good quality is also found in sev- 
eral places hi this county that might be made a 
source of great income. Considering all the 
natural advantages that we possess, we conclude 
that few localities have more or better facilities 
for manufacturing than we. Here is the tim- 
ber, the coal, the stone, the water, the sand and 
the agricultural products. Look at the vast 



PAST A\|i PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



11 



sums of monej thai go out from here even year 
to pay for the verj things that we should make 
and sell to others— plows, reapers, planters, 
wagons, buggies, threshers, etc. II' our ad- 
vantages were utilized not only would nil the 

i i\ he kept in our midst bu1 other great 

advantages would accrue to us. A market 
would be created bere at home for all our 
surplus, a demand would lie made for greater 
quantities of coal, and this would call Tor a 
greater number of laborers; the erection ot 
factories would create a demand for stone, 
brick, sand ami lime; handling tin 1 -' things 
would make a demand for teams and laborers, 
and last, hut not least, tin- would bring me- 
chanics, and their families would build up the 

towns and Jill up the scl is ami furnish a 

market for all our surplus products. Surety 
iiui- people will nut remain blind to this matter 
many years longer. 

The population of Menard county, according 
to the last eensus. i- fourteen thousand three 
hundred ami thirty-six. Petersburg, the county 
seat, is situated on the Sangamon river, near 
the center of the county . ami ha- a populal ion 
of about three thousand four hundred. Two 
railroads run through the county. Tin- Chi- 
cago <S Alton enters the county uear the 
northeasl corner of the count} and run- through 
Petersburg ami leaves the enmity near the 
southwest corner. The Chicago, Peoria & St. 
Louis runs through the center of the county 
from north to south. These two roads cross in 
Petersburg. The Peoria an. I Springfield branch 
of the Chicago & Alton run- Eor eight or ten 
mill's just in the east edge of the county . 

The first settlements of Menard count} were 
made l>\ immigrants from Tennessee, Ken- 
tucky. Virginia and the Carolinas, with a small 
percent from the states farther north. These 
immigrants were of a class of men and women 
unsurpassed lor bravery, enterprise and de- 
termination. In fact, we have in the pi iers 

of Illinois ami other western states a wonderful 
type of men and women. The first settlers of 
America were of the best stock of the various 
European countries from which they came 
Those first emigrants from Europe to America 
were the most liberty-loving, most conscientious, 
brave ami determined of the lands the\ left. 



These people h\ intermarriage through the laws 
of heredity, and amalgamation have produced 
a new and improved type of the genus homo. 
We are no1 Engl ish or < lerman or French, but 
we are distinctively Americans. We are a peo- 
ple, a race, unique and distinct, adapted to the 
condition.- and needs of this new and unique 
country. It was the men and women of this 
new type who made this countn what it is to- 
day. \ ie dare to limit the achievements 

of this country in the future unless intermar- 
riage, idleness, ease ami luxury shall enervate, 
weaken and destroy the power of the people. I 
will relate one peculiar political incident ami 
with this close this chapter. Menard county 
has been Democratic in all its history, with the 
exception that in the first years of it- existena 
a- a county, it gave a majority to the old Whig 
party. It was cut oil' from Sangamon ami 
organized into a separate county in 1839. In 
1840 William II. Harrison was the Whig 
candidate for president, opposed h\ Martin 
Van Buren, the Democrat candidate. Menard 
county gave Harrison four hundred and thirty- 
four votes and Van Buren three hundred and 
seventy-four, hi 1844 we had a third candi- 
date lor president for the first tune: ('lav. 
Whig; Folk. I lernoi rat ; and Burney, Free- 
Soil. The county gave ('lav three hundred 
ami uinety-seven ; Polk, three hundred ami sev- 
enty-eight; and Mr. Burner got one. In 1848 
tin' candidates were Taylor. Democrat; Cass, 
Whig; and Van Buren, Free-Soil. The county 
gave Taylor six hundred ami five votes; Ca 
four hundred and eighty-eight ; ami Van Buren 
one. In 1852 the candidate- were Pierce, 
Democrat : Scott, Whig; and Hale. Abolitionist. 
The county gave Pierce six hundred and ninety- 
eight vote-: Scott, -ix hundred and forty-four; 
ami Hale one. The -nine old fellow, I -appose, 
cast that one lonely Abolition vote every time. 
This was a im discouraging beginning Eor 
Abolitionism, Ian see what perseverance in fol- 
lowing honest convictions will do. But "Won- 
ders never will -ease." Aristotle -aid. "II was 
through the fi eling of wonder that men. now 
and at first, began to philosophize." Bui I 
fear that no philosophy will ever solve this 
problem. "Little Menard" went Republican in 
the vear of grace, 1904 ' Yes, tic whole thing, 



1'-' PAST AND PRESENT OF MENAKD COUNTY 

lock, stock and barrel, went down in the gen- hammered out of native copper, was found in a 

era] crash. Was it "Teddy's" popularity or mound nine miles north of Petersburg, that 

Parker's telegram, that did it? Bennett, was eight feel under ground. Several eopp"i 

Lanning, Watkins, Clan ami Miller all sank arrow-points have been found in the county. 

to rise no i v. These ran be seen in the collection of II. J. 

Marbold. at Greenview. One kind of mound 
thai was not uncommon is worthy of descrip- 
tion: This was mi the bluff, four miles north 

ABORIGIN lis. , t> , . ,, , 

oi I etersburg. tsetore it was tampered with, 

A history of Menard county would be in- '' was about sis feei high and perhaps twelve 

perfect that did nol include some acconni of feet across. Some two and a half feei below 

the aboriginal inhabitants, [ndeed, to very the top of the mound two skeletons were found, 

many men no subjecl is more intenseh interest^ supposed to be of a male and a female, lying on 

ing than this. Little can be said of the In- c ' a 3 thai had been burned almost as hard as 

dian tribes of this locality, bui thai little will •' brick'. Careful examination indicated that a 

be given. bu1 another and far more interesting mound, some thr ir four feel high, had been 

people than the\ hum' held dominion here and buill and on top of this was formed a basin, 

roamed these prairies and woods. I refer to about the proportions of a soup-dish, lined with 

the "mound builders." This strange and un- clay, made into a mortar ami then thoroughly 

known | pie were once as numerous here, no burned. This basin was about six feet across 

doubt, as the present population, but unfortu- ; ""' eight or ten inches lower in the center than 

nately they left only enough mementoes of :,t the edge. That the bodies bad been placed 

their existence to arouse in lis a desire to know '" this basin, fuel piled on them and then 

more of them. Even here m this county burned was clearly evidenced by the fact that 

there are, or were a few \ - ears ago, abundant the upper surface of the bones were burned 

evidences of the teeming thousands thai lived away, the sides charred black and the under 

here. Unfortunately nearly all the monu- s ''l'' untouched by the fire. The whole skele- 

ments they left were the earth- nnds they tons, except the smaller bones which were 

built, at the expense of untold toil and per- burned up, showed us that this was the case, as 

serverance. Many of these, by rain and storm they were found mingled with the ashes and 

and tl rosive power of the plow, have been dead coals in the bottom of the basin. Several 

partially or entirely obliterated, but a quarter sueri mounds as this were opened by the writer, 
of a century ago they were plainly visible in After the body was burned three or four feel 
many localities. Along the bluffs overlooking "' earth was added to the mound. What are 
the Sangamon river they were to be seen in these, however, compared to the works easl of 
greal numbers. Years ago the writer opened a Sl - l-" llls - m Illinois, where there are over two 
number of those mounds and was amply re- hundred large mounds in the area of one town- 
warded for his labor. In manv nothing was ship, six miles square? These mounds are all 
found except the decayed bones of the buried large, bu1 the king of them all is Cahokia 
dead, inn others were rich in relies. Pipes, mound. It was surveyed by Chicago parties 
axes, spades, totems, etc.. were found in abund- several years ago and they found that it cov- 
ance. ami I have no doubt thai \ast numbers ered eleven acres of ground ami was ninety- 
are still hidden under the soil here thai may seven feet high, after all the past years id' 
never be seen by man. unless by some accidenl erosion by the elements. There is perfect evi- 
thev are unearthed. In digging a cistern, an donee that the earth was carried a distance of 
arrow-point was found at a depth of nine feet over four miles to build it. St. Louis bears the 
below tin' surface. A stone ax was found, in nickname of "Mound City'' from the immense 
digging a grave, five feci down. The writer mound that once stood in the very heart of the 
found a sand-stone ax. a half mile from Salem, city. Vast numbers of relies were obtained 
that was embedded in the shale. A chisel. from each of these, a number of which mav be 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY L3 

:en in Marbold's collection. The huge paint- and seeing this, galloped between her and the 

r . called "The Piasa Bird," thai was on the Indians, when one of them firing at him sent 

,,,,,,,111 face of the cliff above Alton, one hun- a ball entirely through Ins horse. However, the 

,v,l f ee i from the base and seventy-five feet horse did nol fall and the father, spurring him 

elow the top, was the work of these people, forward, reached the girl and seizing her by 

'his painting was there when Marquette and the- arm, bore her back I" the whites. The 

oliel wenl down the Mississippi river in 1C72, blood was spurting E i the wound in the 

ml remained there, bright and clear, till 1848, horse's vitals but the faithful animal, with his 

I,,.,, the cliff fell into the river. When we fast ebbing strength, bore her to safety and in 

ontemplate the huge piles of earth on almosl a short time died, in the retreat the Indians 

very bluff along the Mississippi, the Missouri, crossed the Sangamon river near where the 

he Ohio, the Illinois and. in fact, almosl all iron bridge, south of Petersburg, is located, and 

he rivers of the country, we may well wonder their pursuers, returning the same way, brought 

oncerning the strange people who built them, the young lady to a settler's cabin near Salis- 

'he "Ilini" Indians, as they called themselves, bury, leaving her there till she recovered. When 

fho lived at the mouth of Piasa creek, when the the first settlements were made in the limits 

irst white man visited this country, had no of this county the Indians had nearly all been 

nore idea of who painted tins picture than we removed; a few were still in the timber on 

kivc to-day. Their principal village was al- Indian creek, in the neighborhood of Indian 

nosl in a stonethrow of the painting but they Point; and two old men. with about a dozen 

.new nothing of its history. The pictun was of their relatives, remained for some time. 

n three colors, red. yellow and black. The body These were Shickshack and Shambolee. They 

vas as large as a cow. a face like a human, lived two or three years just south of the 

10 rns like a deer, teeth of great size, outspread residence of the late Judge Robert Clary, on the 

vin.us. like a bat, lour legs, each with four high lull overlooking the lake. They then re- 

errible claws, a huge tail, wrapped three times moved to a high hill within a mile of the site 

iroiind the body, and the whole body and tail of the present town of Chandlerville. Here 

sovered with scale-, like a fish. It was a ter- Shickshack died at a very advanced age and 

•ible looking picture. The Indian- had a was buried there, and the hill is still known as 

strange and weird tradition concerning it bu1 "Shickshaek's Bill." After his death the rest 

,ve have not space to record it here. of the little hand in sadness lefl the haunts of 

Of the Indians, in relation to this county. the pale-lace and were heard of no more. 
.iit little can be said. Aboiil the time that the There being no trouble with the Indian- in 

first settlers came to this county, the Indians this section after the first settlements here and 

,,.,,!,. a ra j,| ,,,, ||| ( . settlements south of here there being various forts near the frontiers, as 

nid after killing a citizen or two they stole a fort Clark at Peoria and at other points. 

young lady and started north with her. She there was never any need of any forts or block- 

was the daughter of a Captain Whitesides and houses in tins section of the state. The trouble 

the father and a company of citizens started in spoken of above, with a hand whose town was 

pursuit. The Indians wen- overtaken just this ai Elkhart Grove, was the last, and perhaps 

side of Elkhart Grove. There a fight occurred, the only trouble, that was ever in this im- 

The young lady was on a pony, which was led mediate part of the state. Further northeast, 

by an Indian, while a rope was tied around the al ^\>\ Town Timber, in McLean enuntv. and 

"irl's neck and held by her captor. When the over toward Fori (dark, now Peoria, there had 

fight began the Indian in the excitement drop- been considerable warfare. The Mound Build- 

ped the rope and the girl Sprang oil' the pony its are gone and the Indian- are gi and the 

and started to run back m the whiles. But Hie hill- and woods ami streams have no tongue to 

Indian, seeing- bis prize about to escape, threw tell the story of the past. All the record we 

his tomahawk at her. driving the Made into have is the chipped Hint, the polished stone-ax 

the small of her back. Her father being near and the curiously wrought pipe and banner- 



1 1 



PAST AND PKESEiSTT OF MENARD COUNTY 



stone to tell their strange story. How we long 
lo extort from these mute stones the story of 
those lone gone years. Imt our appeal is un- 
heard .'Hid the hook is sealed, only as we may 
imagine, guess ami wonder. 



EARIA 7 SETTLEMENTS. 

finite a number of settlements had been made 
in the territory of what is now Sangamon 
county some time before any were made in the 
hounds of what is now .Menard. The reader 
must bear in mind that this county had no ex- 
istence till the year 1839, hence the history 
of the settlement ami development of the county 
is connected with the history of Sangamon 
county. 

Although the white man had frequently vis- 
ited the "Sangamon country," as it was called. 
and had traveled over the beautiful prairies 
and explored the deep woods of this locality, 
vet we have no evidence that any one ever 
settled in the area of the count \ prior to April, 
1819. We have indisputable evidence that the 
first settler of the county was John Clary, who 
came with his family at the date above named. 
He settled in a grove in the southwest part of 
the county, near the present site of the tillage 
of Tallula. This grove was ever after known 
by tin' name of its first settler and it is to-day 
noticed on (he maps and known and spoken of 
far and near a- "Clary's Grove." Mr. Clary 
settled mi the southwest quarter of section :'.-.'. 
township is. range i : the land now- belonging 
to the heirs of George Spears, Sr. Mr. ('. 
Clary built what was known to the pioneers 
as a "three-raced" camp; that is. he built three 
walls, leaving one entire side open, as ample 
means of ingress and egress. These walls were 
luiilt ahouf seven feet high, then poles were 
lanl across about three feet apart and "clap- 
hoards" were laid on these for the roof, and as 
nails were not to hi' hail, "weight-poles" were 
laid on the hoards to hold them to their place. 

These 1 'ds were generally four feet in length 

ami from ten to fourteen inches in width. 
They were split out of oak timber, with an 
instrument, common in those days, called a 
"froe." No door was laid in the camp, nor 



was there any such thing as a window or door- 
shutter or chimney connected with the struc- 
ture. Now these are fads and we doubt not 
that the young people of to-day are skeptical 
mi the matter. The one side left out served 
as door, chimney, window ami all. Just in 
front of the open side, a huge log-heap was 
built, which served to furnish heat in cold 
weather and lor cooking all the year round, and 
gave what light they needed at night. We de- 
scribe this camp so particularly because in 
such dwellings as this, the early settlers all 
spent the first few years of their sojourn in 
the new country. Mr. Clary had a family when 
he lirsi came to the Grove, the late lamented 
. Indue Robert Clary being six weeks "hi when 
the family reached its wild home. The large 
ami respected family of Clarys now living in 
this county are all descendants of this hardy 
pioneer. Not long after Clary located in the 
Grove, Solomon Pratt with his family took up 
In- res dence in a cabin, which he built on sec- 
tion 3, township C range ;. this going near 
Mr. Clary. During the fall of 1819 and the 
spring of 1820 emigration came in pretty 
rapidly, hut there being no record kept of the 
order in which they came and the names of 
-oine being forgotten, it is impossible to give 
the detail correctly. About this time the 
Armstrongs, Greens and Spears came to the 
grove; a more detailed account of whom will 
he given in another place. It was slated 
above that the first settlement in the county 
was made at Clary's Grove. This we believe 
to lie true, hut there is great diversity of opin- 
ion on ibis subject among the oldest citizens 
who were alive thirty years ago. with whom 
the writer often talked the matter over. 
Amherry Rankin, late of Athens, in this county, 
was of the opinion that Judge Latham was 
the first white man to take up his abode in the 
limits of (he county, and it is a known fact that 
Sugar Grove, in the northeast part of the 
county, was settled very soon after Clary's 
Grove, if not at the very same time. From a 
document left by Charles Montgomery, de- 
ceased, and from statements made to the writer 
by Alexander Meadows, we gather some very 
important facts. These statements are fully 
reliable, as the gentlemen named were members 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNT'S 



15 



of the first party that settled on the east side 
of the Sangamon river. Jacob Boyer and 
James Meadows, who were brothers-in-law, came 
to Sugar Grove from the American bottom, near 
St. Louis, and located in that grove in the 
spring of 1819. They had lived one or two 
years on Woo, I river, in the American bottom, 
a few miles from Alton. Meadows brought 
with him a wagon, drawn by two horses, a 
yoke of yearling steers, which had been broken 
to wort when sucking calves, and some thirty 
head of hogs. Boyer brought three horses, two 
milk cows and perhaps a yoke of oxen. About 
the same day that Boyer and Meadows came, the 
lilane family, consisting of four brothers, one 
sister, and the mother, came to the same grove. 
This family was of Irish blood, and it was 
from them that "Irish Grove" got its name. 
The Blanes brought two two-horse teams and six 
or seven yoke of oxen. Boyer and Meadows 
erected a cabin on the south side of the grove, 
which was occupied by Boyer, and Meadow- put 
up a "three-faced camp" on the ground now 
occupied by the Sugar Grove cemetery. Be- 
fore the Blanes settled there they had camped 
for several days in the Grove, and i'; was this 
camping that gave the Grove the "Irish" pro- 
lix, and this make- it probable that they were 
camped there when Clary settled in Clary's 
Grove. 

Tin- Blanes at once took claims, erected 
cabins and began business in earnest. These 
were doubtless the first settlers on the east 
side of the Sangamon river. Before giving an 
account of the further settlemenl of Sugar 
Grove, it may not be amiss to relate an inci- 
dent in the early history id' tin- settlement, 
illustrating the fact thai human nature is ever 
the same and that even in this earl} 'lay men 
had need of civil courts. It will be neces- 
sary to explain that although the trouble be- 
gan when hut few families had settled there, 
it wa- some time before it culminated in a 
suit at law. as there were no courts of justice 
within reach till some time later. A- stated 
above, Meadows brought two horses, thirty head 
of hogs, ami two yearling calves with him to the 
grove. Not mam' months elapsed until both of 
the horses wore missing and the hogs had all 
strayed awav and were lost. Not a i^reat while 



after these misfortunes, one of his little oxen 
was found dead in the woods. Diligent search 
was made in every direction for the missing 
stock, as they could not be replaced without 
great trouble and expense, owing to the dis- 
tance from any older settlement. In his anxiety 
Mr. Meadows applied to a fortune-teller, who 
strolled through the new settlement practicing 
his art. as the ancient troubadour i\>^i] to stroll 
from village to village to rehearse the deeds of 
In- heroes. This seer told Mr. Meadows that 
his horses were m the possession of the [ndians 
ami that he would recover them after awhile. 
though hut one al a time. Sure enough, the 
horses were found in the hands of the Indians, 
who said that they had traded for them from 
a Frenchman. The hoi-.- v. : ;•, ,-,, jaded that 
they were of no service and soon after died. 
The hogs, iie was told, had gone down the 
Sangamon river, where one-half of them had 
been eaten by a "squatter" and the rest he would 
recover. Meadows faithfullj followed the di- 
rections given, found the cabin of the suspected 
settler hut found none of the hogs. He, how- 
ever, traded for a frying-pan from the worthy 
citizen, the mi,' that he supposed his hogs had 
been fried in. hut the remainder of the hogs 
were found as had been predicted. The for- 
tune-teller further said thai the steer had come 
to its death at the hand- of one of M r. Meadows' 
neighbors in the following manner: The 
neighbor was making rails in the timber, his 
coal lying mi a log near by, when the poor calf 
came browsing along, and spying the coat, con- 
cluded to make a meal of it. The laborer see- 
ing his coal about to he -wallowed by the calf. 
ran and struck the brute on lie loins with his 
maul, ami the blow proved sufficient to kill it 
on the spot. Although this was only the slaie- 
nient of a superstitious fortune-toller, yet it 
wa- believed strongly enough to induce Meadow* 
to begin a suit against the accused party, which 
was in the curls for several years, cost a vast 
sum of money, and cause,] a feud between the 
two families which lasted to the third or fourth 
iteiiiTatioii. This i- spoken of as the first law- 
suit of any importance in the county, and also 
as illustrating a superstitious belief in fori 11110- 
tellers. which at that lime was almost uni- 
\ ersal. 



l(i 



PAST \\h PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



No1 long after the settlement "J' Boyer, 
Meadows and the Blanes, another caravan of 
immigrants came to the Grove. John Jamison, 
Mr. Hill and William McNabb, bis wife, son 
and daughter, wore of that company. James 
McNabb, son of William McNabb, above earned, 
was a surveyor and taught the first school that 
was ever taught in the Grove. A few years 
later he was drowned in the Sangamon river, 
which stream he was trying to swim, with his 
compass tied on his head. It is said that he 
had been drinking or he would not have made 
the attempt. A few months after the arrival 
of those last named, others came, among them 
Roland Grant and family. Benjamin Wilcos 
and Ward Benson. About the same time a Mr. 
Pentecost tame from Kentucky, bringing a 
family of four sons and three daughters. He 
settled near the presenl residence of Judge 
II. II. Marbold, near Greenview. Cavanis, for 
whom Cavanis creek was named, also came from 
Kentucky, about this time. The next to find 
their wa\ to this Grove was a company from 
Deer Creek. Ohio, composed of the Alkires and 
William Engle, all of whom in later years per- 
formed such an important part in the develop- 
ment of that wealthy portion of the county. 
No party of weary traveller- ever entered a 
new country that was destined to exert a strong- 
er influence on the future growth and prosper- 
ity of a community than tin- little hand. 
Leonard Alkire brought considerable means 
with him and invested it largely in "claims," 
which he entered later on. He purchased the 
claims of Meadows. Grant, Wilcox and the 
Blanes, which marked tin- beginning of change 
among the settlers of this grove. Hill, who 
was spoken of above, removed to St. J.ouis: 
John Jennison farmed for a year or two in the 
'■rove and then removed to Baker's Prairie, 
three miles southeast of Peti rsburg. Meadows 
moved to the lower end of the Grove, where 
he bought the claim of Pentecost McNabb and 
Wilcox also removed to Baker's Prairie, where 
they took claims, which they entered a- soon 
a- tlie land came into market. There they 
reared families ami many of their descendants 
were there for many years, hut almost all of 
them are now gone. Not long after the ar- 
rival of Alkire and Engle, Matthew Bracken 



came to the neighborhood, bringing a large 
family with him. and after him came Nicholas 
Propst : then Wallace and William Sweeney, 
Milton Reed, and Thomas and William Cald- 
well. From this tune the' tide of immigration 
constantly grew deeper and wider, pouring in 
its hosts of earnest, industrious and enterpris- 
ing men to develop this most highly favored 
body of country, and well did they perform 
their task. 

While the settlement was being made in this 
locality, the other portions of the county were 
not neglected. It is a remarkable fact, how- 
ever, thai no settler ventured out on the prairie 
lor a number oi years hut the groves of timber 
contained settlement and each became 
nucleus for a community. Of the more im- 
portant of the- ■ more will he -aid in the propel 
place. It may he of interest to the reader to 
Know that the first marriage in the count}', on 
the east side of the river, was John Jennison to 
Patsy McNabb; the second was Mr. Henman 
to Rosina Blane; and the third was William 
Engle to Melissa Blane. The last named 
couple were joined in wedlock by Harry Riggin, 
.1. P. Tiie :i -i death on tic east side of the 
river was an infant -on of Jacob Buyer, nan 
Henderson. The second death was Jacob Boy- 
cr: and the third was Joseph Kinney, who 
was thrown from a horse. He was brought 
home alive but -0011 afterward died. Kinney 
was buried in Sugar Grove cemetery, and soon 
after an elm tree came up out of the grave, 
almost from it- center, and it is now a largi . 
wide-spreading tree; and although its roots and 
stem have obliterated all signs of a grave yet 
it is a verdant monument to the memort of 
Joseph Kinney. 

The first -clio.illi.ai-, built in Sugar Grove 
was erected in 1822 by Meadows, Boyer. Wil- 
cox, McNabb and Grant. It was about six- 
teen feet square and was built of split logs. 
This house was furnished on a par with all 
the school houses in the earl] settling of the 
country. Covered with split hoards, held in 
place io weight-poles, the floor of puncheons. 
or -plit logs, the seats of half of a split log. 
with four legs, saplings, driven into auger- 
holes bored into the round side of the log. and 
window, if anv, was a log cut out of one 



PAST AN 



PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTS 



i; 



side of the wall. The writing desk was a 
puncheon placed on pins in the wall. The text- 

ks were few in numl er and the teacher 

made all the pens used oul of goose quills. 
The books used were the tfeu Testament for a 
reader, with now and thru a copy of the old 
English Reader; Pike's or Smiley's arithmetic, 
and Murray's or Kirkharu's grammar. The 
teacher who could "work through the single 
and double rule of three" was a genius whose 
services were always in demand. (We will say 
for the enlightenment of our school girls and 
boys thai the single and double rule of three 
mean! single and double proportion.) The 
books named above, with the indispensable 

Webster's spelling-1 k, were the texts that 

children had in those early days. Then the 
schools in those days were never held longer 
than three months, in mid-winter. These 
schools were all gotten up by private subscrip- 
tion, for ihc young people must bear in mind 
thai we had no free school system ai that time. 
I speak of these things particularly that the 
presenl generation may know the truth con- 
cerning the privations that their parents and 
grandparents experienecd in preparing the in- 
heritance that they left in them. 1 speak thus 
particularly id' the school privileges of those 
rail\ times, thai the young people may com- 
pare their own opportunities with those id' their 
ancestors. None of the statements concerning 
tin' early schools ami the helps of those times 
are exaggerated in the least, fur the writer at- 
tended such a school and used pari of the 
of the books named but could noi secure all 
m|' t la an. I f your parents accomplished w hat 
they did with such helps, what should you do 
with your opportunities? 

James McNabb, who was drowned in the 
Sangamon river, was the firsl teacher in Sugar 
Grove: he was followed by Daniel McCall ; and 

ho by one Mr. Templeman; then others ct i, 

and the count was lost. 

The firsl preaching in Sugar Grove was in 
i !i-' i abin of Roland < rrant, by one Elder I [en- 
derson, a preacher id' the "Nevi Light" faith, 
as it was then termed. The New-Lights and 
thr followers <>i' Alexander Campbell afterward 
united, forming what was at Brsl denominated 
"The Church of the Disciples," bui afterward 



changed to "The Church of Christ," sometimes 
called Campbellites. Of tins a more extended ac 
I'oiint will hr given under the head of Religious 
Denominations. When tin- settlemeni was first 
begun at Sugar Grove, and \'<<v some time after, 
the nearesl physician was in Springfield, then 
a mere village, hr. Allen of that place was the 
firsl practitioner of thr healing art that was 
called professionally to visit the community at 
the Grove. \"t a very greal while elapsed, 
however, till Dr. Winn settled near Indian 
Point, and began the practice of the profession. 
Saving thus glanced hastily at the histon 
of the early settlement of Sugar Grove, we 
turn now to other localities where settlement- 
were made in an early day. as Now Salem. 
two and a half mile- from Petersburg, up the 
Sangamon river; the vicinity of Indian Point: 
and Concord, three miles north of Petersburg. 
Tho Indian Point settlemeni includes thai of 
Lebanon and Athens, while that of New Sa- 
lem- is connected with Rock Creek. These, with 
Clary's and Sugar Grove, before mentioned, 
were the most ini|ioi'tani of thr earl;) centers 
of civilization; indeed all tho others may he 
regarded as off-shoots of these. Aboui tho year 
1820 tin- settlement at Indian Point began. 
The i'ii-i white man to take up his permanent 
abode there was Roberl White, who settled on 
the farm on which his grandchildren, John 
Whii.' ami Man VanEmons nov reside, adjoin- 
ing tin- ground "it which the Lebanon Cumber- 
land Presbyterian church now stands. With him 
came James William-, father of Colonel John 
Williams, late of Springfield. Illinois, and fain- 
consisting of iwo sons and four daughters. 
Archibald Kincaid, Jacob Johnston and Dr. 
Charles Winn came aboul the same time, with 
i hose 1 1 . 1 1 1 1 . d above, and soon after John Moore 
also settled in tins vicinity. William I'.. Short 
was also one of the early settlers here. His 
-mi. .lame- Short, now pas! eighty wars of 
age, -till lives mi tin- farm that his father firsl 
located on. These were all earnest, intelligent, 
enterprising people, and lo their industry and 
economy laid the foundation of the success of 
thai community. The descendants of those 
named above make up tho la rger pari of thi 

populal i' Indian i n ek al Hi'' present I ime. 

Ind.'.'d we are not surprised at this when we 



IS 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



reflect thai these people held in high esteem 

and regard the divine injunction to "multiply 
and replenish the earth," as is proven by the 
fact thai dames B. Short ventured no less than 
five times into the bonds of matrimony. But. 
seriously, we seldom find a community in which 
so many enterprising, industrious and success 
I'nl men are associated together; and such a 
large per cent consistent, Christian men. Most 
of these men reared large families and they 
in turn, following their fathers' footsteps, have 
Imilt up a community, noted far and near for 
its wealth, refinement and morality. 

About the year 1820 Joseph Smith, from 
Kentucky, and his brother-in-law William Hol- 
land, from Ohio, came and settled in the south 
side of the Indian Point timber. Matthew 
Rogers, of New York, came the same year 
and Ideated one mile northeast of the pres- 
ent site of the town of Athens. From this 
time on the stream of immigrants became so 
overflowing that nothing reliable can be giv- 
en with regard to the order of arrival. Elav- 
ing thus sketched these three centers i f early 
settlement — Clary's Grove, Sugar Grove and 
Indian Point — we will now turn to the most 
important locality, so far as early settlement 
is concerned, in the county: New Salem. 
This was the first town or village laid out in 

the county. At a point s two and a half 

miles above Petersburg, the Sangamon river 
washes the foot of a high hill or bluff whose 
precipitous sides and Level summit were, in 
an early day. covered with a thick and luxuri- 
ant growth of timber. The country back from 
the eresi of the hill is almost perfectly level 
for miles to the west and formerly the timber 
grew dense and heavy for the distance of a 
mile or more. From this point the prairie 
stretched on westward in unbroken sanieu -- 
for several miles. At a distance of perhaps 
three miles up the Sangamon the little stream 
— for it is hardly worthy of the name of a 
crick -of 1,'ock creek mingles iis waters with 
those of the "St. Gamn." as the Sangamon was 
sometimes called by the early settlers. This 
little stream, rising in the western part of the 
county and flowing almosl due east enters the 
Sangamon at almost a right angle. Its bor- 
ders "ii either side were formerh covered for 



a distance of a mil ■ more, north and south. 

and for six miles easi ami west, with a mag- 
nilieent growth of timber. The land north 
and south of Rock creek is neither level or 
hilly hut is gently undulating and the soil is 
of the richest and most productive quality. 
Taken altogether, there is no more attractive 
or more productive section of country m cen- 
tral Illinois than that around Rock creek and 
\e\\ Salem, dust on the brow of the impos- 
ing bluff, described above, was located the vil- 
lage of Salem. This locality, though not so 
at present, will in time become almost as his- 
toric ami sacred as Mount Vernon. Although 
Nature has not been so liberal ami profuse 
in the gorgeousness of the scenerj bestowed 
as in that of the Old Dominion, nor is the 
quiet Sangamon to be compared to the ma- 

jestii Pot ac, yet in many respects Salem is 

as sacred to the lover of human liberty as 
Mount Vernon in all her historic glory. Many 
a visitor, from far away, seeks the spot where 
President Lincoln spent the days of his early 
manhood, where he studied law and states- 
craft, where he wrestled, romped, raced and 
sported with the young men of his age. ami 
where those principles were imbibed and ma- 
tured, which, in after years, made him the idol 
of a great nation and inscribed his name on 
tablets more enduring than granite, brass or 
bronzi — the tablets of living, throbbing, lov- 
ing, human hearts. Standing on the bluff, 
near the site of the store where Lincoln served 
as clerk, you may gaze on the Sangamon river 
far below you. which in the sunshine looks 
like a ribbon of silver, as it meanders through 
the timber or among the hills; or you may 
i ii in and view the hills and groves where in 
years long, long agone, he wandered with Anna 
Rutledge by his side and told her the story 
of hi> love and the devotion of his "great big" 
heart. Could these inanimate things have 
tone ties, what stories they might tell! As you 
stand mi the hillside, you look down upon 
the fixer's hank where once the old watennill 
stood. Nothing is there to remind you that 
it ever existed save a part of the broken wall 
of the old foundation of the mill, and farther 
down some rotting timbers, half concealed in 
the hank', marie the location of the dam. over 



PAST AND PEESENT (IF M i: \ AIM) COUNTS 



L9 



which tin' mad waters were wont to pour, and 
you almost imagine that you hear, above the 
roar of the waters the shouts of the Clary's 
Grove boys as they and "honest Abe" engage 
in some rude sport. 

\ni a vestige is left of the once prosperous 
village of New Salem to tell where once it 
stood. The mill is long since gone; nothing 
remains of the dam, save a few blackened tim- 
bers, half buried in the soil; and where the 
nouses once stood and the streets ran. brush 
and briers grow in wild tangles. \<>l a single 
Location is pointed out, except the depression 
where the store, in which Lincoln sold goods, 
once stood, and oul of this old cellar two trees 
have grown— nature's monuments, rebuking the 
ingratitude of man. Not a sign of human life 
or labor is to be seen in half a mile. 

Settlements had been made in (bis neigh- 
bor! I several years before the laying oul of 

Salem. Green had settled southwest of there, 
while Armstrong, Potter, Jones, and others bad 
located not far away, with Lloyd and others 
farther up the Rock creek timber. Somewhere, 
about 1824 to L826, John Cameron and dames 
Rutledge erected a rude and primitive mill 
near the site, or perhaps on the very spot, where 
the later structure stood. A brush and stone 
dam was constructed across the river, a breast- 
wheel was put in and a pair of home-made 
buhrs were set to grinding corn for the hun- 
gry settlers. Notwithstanding tl xtreme sim- 
plicity of this mill, it was indeed a "big thing" 
in that early day. for mills were so scarce that 
people came from a distance of fifty and even 
a hundred miles in every direction to have their 
grain ground in this null. Such was the pat- 
ronage given tbis enterprise, that the propri- 
etors decided to lay out a town adjoining the 
mill property. Accordingly the surveyor, Reu- 
ben Earrison, was employed ami on the L3th 
da\ of October, L820, the town of Salem was 
duly and legallj laid oul. ( See plat. I 

The first improvements in the 'own were 
made by the proprietors. John Cameron and 
James Rutledge. Each of them began "inter- 
nal improvements" by building an up-to-date 
log cabin. The third building creeled was a 
storeroom which, when completed, wa- occupied 
b\ Samuel Hill and John MeXamar. These 



were, perhaps, the first rehants 111 the coun 

ty, except Harry Riggin and A. A. Rankin of 
Athens. At the time that Salem was laid oul 
there bad never been a postoffice in the limits 
of what is now Menard county, the people get- 
ting what little mail they received from Spring- 
field, then a mere village. A postoffice was 
at once established in Salem and Colonel Rog- 
ers was appointed the first postmaster. II i> 
duties, however, were not very arduous as news- 
papers were then scarcely known in the west, 
or in the east for thai matter, and but few- 
persons received letters. The youth of to-day 
can scarcely imagine how people lived in those 
days. To illustrate this postal system it ma\ 
he stated that while Illinois County was under 
the government of the state of Virginia, Colonel 
John Todd was appointed lieutenant command- 
ant of said county, with instructions to report 
to Governor Patrick Henry, id' Virginia, every 
month, and although Todd lived in Kentucky 
yet In- reports were often a month in reaching 
( tovernor Henry. 

Hill and MeXamar wire followed in the mer- 
cantile business by George Warburton, who soon 
became addicted to hard drink ami ended a 
wretched existence by suicide, throwing himself 
in the Sangamon river. Warburton was a 
shrewd business man. well educated, and of 
i genial, friendly turn, so much so that he 
had but one enemy, ami that was "John Barley- 
corn." lie was succeeded in the store by two 
brothers from Virginia, by the name id' Chris- 
man. bill they remained only a short time. 
following the "Star of empire" toward the west. 
About tbis time W. G. Greene, from Kentucky, 
and Dr. John Allen and his brother, both from 
the Green Mountain stale, came to Salem. Dr. 
Allen was a thorough Christian gentleman, and 
stood very high in the medical profession. It 
was through the influence of Dr. Allen that 
the first Sunday-school, and the first temper- 
ance societies were organized in the county. 
The meetings of both of these were held in a 
log cabin thai stood across the ravine (hat runs 
just south of Salem. Dr. Allen's brother soon 
tired of Salem ami removed to Minnesota, 
where he became very wealthy and doubtless 
long ago has none to his final home. The doc- 
tor remained in Salem till it began to go mt' 



20 



PAST AMi PRESENT OF MENARD COUNT! 



decline and then removed i" Petersburg, where 
he successfully followed li i^ profession for many 
years, bu1 i 'e than forty years ago tie re- 
moved where physicians are not in demand. 

In the spring of LS31 Abraham Lincoln was 
on his way to New Orleans with a flatboal load- 
ed with pork, lard, beeswax, etc., when the 
boat caught on the Salem mill-dam. It was 
here that the future president performed the 
wonderful feat of raising the sunken boat, 
by boring an auger hole in the bottom, thus 
letting the water out. (Till;- is an actual fact.) 
ilr. Lincoln was very much pleased with the 
country ami probably with the people about 
Salem, so in tin- summer or fall of that same 
year, on his return from New Orleans, he 
stopped at Salem and that place became his 
home for a number oi years. It is needless 
I'm- us t" enter into the storj oi his life and 
experiences here; already the world knows it 
by heart. It was here on this now lonely hill 
thai he sported with tho boys of the vicinity; 
it was here that he read and pondered over 
the dry and musty pages of Blackstone : and 
perhaps it was here that those conceptions of 
human liberty and human rights were con- 
ceived, cultivated, matured and made a part 
of his great soul. It was here too thai that 
other event occurred, which, ii may lie. influ- 
enced his whole after life: his first love epi- 
sode. It was sometime near the time of the 
Black Hawk war that Mr. Lincoln was first 
pierced by the darts of the cruel little blind 
god, Cupid. The "beautiful Anna Rutledge," 
.1- she was railed, was just then ripening into 
a lovely and perfect womanhood and Lincoln 
felt the force, as Lytton says, of "the revolution 
that turns all topsy-turvy — the revolution of 
love." It has been truthfully said that: 

"Love, like death. 
Levels all ranks, and lays the shepherd's crook 
Beside 1 he sceptre.' 3 

From the low old citizens who could remember 
these events distinctly and especially from old 
"Ann! .lane Berry," a younger sister of Anna 
Rutledge, I learned many facts concerning this 
evi nt in tho life of Mr. Lincoln that are inter- 
esting in themselves and go in establish the 
truth of the affection between him and Miss 
Rutledge but not of sufficient importance to 



he repeated here; suffice it to -a\ that there 
i- no doubi that if she had lived In- domestic 
history would have been different from what 
it was. 

Anna Rutledge was not a beauty in the 
modern sense of that word for brought up in 
this rural district and m total ignorance of 
tin- conventional follies of fashionable life, ac- 
customed from early childhood to out-door ex- 
ercise, and the rough, wild pastimes of the 
day in which -he lived, -he was stamped with 
a beauty entirely free from art and human 
skill— a beauty all the result of Nature's handi- 
work. That the young clerk was captivated is 
net surprising. It i- not our purpose to in- 
vade those hallowed precincts by describing 
i heir many stroll- along the margin of the 
river, or over the rugged bluffs m the vicinity 
of Salem. Suffice it to say that In- affection 
was fully reciprocated and the two were doubt- 
less pledged in the indissoluble bonds of mutual 
love, but in 1835 disease laid its cruel hand on 
the young girl and m spite id' the love o 
friends and the skill of the ablest physicians, 
on the 25th of August, 1835. death came to 
her relief, and as .Mr. Eerndon has said : "The 
heart id' Lincoln was buried in the grave of 
Anna Rutledge." He this literally true or not. 
..no thing i> sure, from that time a dark sha- 
dow seemed to hang over him. from which he 

never se* med to e rge. It is said by those 

having the means id' knowing, that even a 
this, whenever opportunity afforded, Lincoln 
would wander alone to the little hillock raised 
above her ashes, and >it for hour- pondering 
in sadness, doubtless thinking over the happy- 
hours spent with her at Salem. Notwithstand- 
ing hi- tall, ungainly form, and the abundance 
of his ever-ready humor, there was hidden in 
In- breast a heart as tender and full of sym- 
pathy as a woman's — a bean touched by every 
tale of sorrow and full to overflowing with the 
milk of human kindness. Anna Rutledge was 
buried at Concord, three mile- north of Peters- 
burg, and her remain- rested there during all 
the exciting days of Mr. Lincoln's political 
career, and through the dark and bloody times 
of the Civil war: and after he had slept for 
years under the monument at Springfield, Sam- 
uel Montgomery, of Petersburg, removed her 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY vi 

remains i<> Oakland cemetery, and there they people of to-day will wonder how the cooking 
etly rest with only a granite boulder, one was done. Meals to tempi the appetite of the 
of the transported relics of the glacial period, epicure were cooked in those days. Most house- 
marking her grave with the simple words, cut wives were equipped with a coffee-pot, a frying- 
deep into the solid stone, "Anna Rutledge." pan and a "flal oven," and with these the 

culinary work was done. And such meals as 

wen- cooked upon these three simple implements 

arc unknown ai the present day. The coffee- 

EARLY EXPERIENCES. |mi1 _ steaming ,,„ ., bed ,,,- livi " d CO als ,„, t ] ie 

The boys and -iris of to-day ran form qo dearth, the flat-oven, mired down in coals, the 

conception of the inconveniences and hardships Erying-pan, held over the blazing "fore-stick," 

of the pioneers of Illinois, nor do any of us produced the corn-dodger, the fried ham (from 

set a proper estimate on the worth of the men | 10 g s fattened on the mast) hissing in the pan 

and women who wrought out For us the -rand . m ,| ,| h . co fE e e, with all its rich aroma retained, 

inheritance that we now enjoy. I feel safe an ,| uull \ t , a mea ] that a king might desire, 

in saying that no grander type of men and There is no question that the victuals cooked 

« ii ever lived than those who opened up m this way and on these primitive utensils had 

the west lor settlement. They were not gen- a richer flavor than any of the products of 

erally educated in books— many of them being the present time, bu1 in the early days it was 

unable to read or write— yet they were edu- a se rious matter to keep the Family supplied 

cated in that higher and grander sense that a with bread-stuff. When Menard county was 

knowledge of books will never enable one to at- fj rs ( settled the settlers were obliged to go to 

tain. In rugged Nature's school they learned Edvardsville, in Madison county, for al or 

not the Follies and Frailties and vices of so- flour, or make some other shift, and as no 
called fashionable society, but they learned the wheat was raised at first, cornmeal was the 
more sublime lessons of justice, mercy and staple. In the late summer and early fall they 
love. In no period id' human history were men | lil( | recourse to the "gritter," as the grater was 
more just to their fellowmen, nor was there universally called. Every tin vessel was care- 
ever a time when professing Christian men in 1 1 \ preserved and ripped up to make this 

were more true to the prof, -ion l hey hail essential article of d stic use. This piece 

made. Men were religious then, not ■•for rev- f tin was punched full of holes, bent into the 

enue only." hut from principle. Ministers form of a -utter and nailed to a hoard, with 

preached not for the money there was in it. the rough side out. ami the ears of corn, just 

hut for the glory of God and from a sense of a ft,. r hardening from the roasting-ear state, or 

duty and for the -nod of their fellowman. at other times, after broiling the corn on the 

••Tin' groves were Cod's first temples," and cob till sufficiently soft, the com was -rated 

from them arose the incense of true devotion, oil' in the form of al by rubbing tin- car up 

and it was returned in the power of the Holy and down mi the "gritter." And 1 1 1 i ~ was no 

Spirit. Men rode circuits of hundreds of miles, play, as the writer can aver from sad expert 

preaching in the settlers' rude cabins or in the ence. It was a daily job, which gave notice to 

groves, slept upon pallet- and lived upon the all in the immediate vicinity by its "grating" 

homely Fare of the hospitable early settler and sound, that bread was on the way. And our 

received no salary whatever. At first the thers knew just how to make this bread ; and 

houses had no floors, except the din. tramped better or more healthful bread was never eaten 

hard by many feet: the logs were cut out in by man. lint in tin- case man did. indeed, 

one end of the cabin For a fireplace, with a "eat his bread by the sweat of his brow." The 

chimney built id' stick- ami plastered over with writer well remembers, when a little boy, h ■- 

mud — called "cat-and-clay" — was the means ing an old man from Tennessee, who had 

for keeping the home warm. Cooking stoves many days digging ginsang. say that he hi 

were unknown for manv Ion- vears. The young the time would soon come when he would never 



OB 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



more hear "the sound of a gritter, or the twang 
nt' a sang-hoe." B\ and by water mills were 
ljuilt on the streams, and these furnished corn- 
meal for the people, but it was a number of 
years before wheat was ground and flour was 
bolted in these mills. And this brings to mind 
a story told to the writer by Benjamin F. Ir- 
win, of Pleasant Plains, mere than thirty years 
ago, and it was written down in a diary at the 
time. Mr. Irwin said the story was told to hiin 
by the Rev. John M. Berry, the pioneer Cum- 
berland Presbyterian preacher of this pari of 
Illinois, and he vouched for the literal truth of 
the entire narrative. Mr. Berry would not give 
the names, but he knew the story was true. 
A party owned and operated a flouring mill on 
one of the streams in this vicinity. He was 
a devout Christian man. honest and benevolenl 
in all his relations to Ids Eellowmen. For 
some time lie thought that some ore was taking 
small amounts of flour from the chesl almost 
every week. Being convinced of the fact, he 
determined to watch ami see if he could not 
trap tin' intruder. So one nighl he concealed 
himself under the bolting-ehesl and patiently 
awaited developments. Sure enough, it was 
not long till a man entered the mill ami walked 
hesitatingly to the ehest. A moment's pause 
and tin' intruder kneeled down beside the flour 
chesl and in a low. hut earnest, voice began 
to pray. Astonished beyond measure at such 
seemingly contradictory conduct, the miller pa- 
tiently listened to the prayer. In low and 
trembling tones he begged the Lord to forgive 
him for what he mi- aboui to do. He told the 
Almighty how he had tried to get work — how 
his wife and little one- were hungering tor 
bread. Hi- pleading prayer finished, he arose, 
and taking a -mall amount of flour in a sacli 
which he carried, lie started to leave the mill, 
hut when he reached the door the miller called 
him by name, for lie had recognized him from 
the first, and started toward him. 'l'he in- 
truder made i Hon to escape, as a real thief 

Mould have done, hut turned and faced the 
miller. He told the miller the conditions at his 
home anil also -aid that he had taken small 
amounts of flour before. The miller made him 
go to the ehest and fill his saek. and after some 
conversation they separated and each went to 



his home. These men had hi en intimate 
friends before tin- occurrence, each having con- 
fidence in the honesty ami integrity of the 
other: nor did this break their friendship, but 
rather cemented it. The intruder and the mil- 
ler continued to live in that neighborhood for 
many years; the former, through industry and 
economy, prospered in wordly things and was 
respected and honored hv all who knew him 
as an honest Christian citizen, nor did the 
miller ever disclose his visitor's name, and the 
parties to the occurrence were never named. 

The people were far more sociable in those 
days than they are at the present time. The} 
were entirely satisfied if the} could -cure suf- 
ficient food and he comfortabl} clothed in their 
simple homespun attire Then the object was 
to live and enjoy the blessings of life: now the 
aim is i,. gel rich and live a selfish, unsocial 
life. Often one neighbor would hitch up his 
yoke of steers to the lumbering farm wagon — if 
he had one if not. a sled would do. even in the 
summer — put in some home-made, split-bottom 
chairs lor the older women, crowd in the whole 
family and drive several mile- to stay all night 
and have a good time. Then the hostess, be- 
side the eornbread and the savor} bacon, would 
bring out the crab-apple preserves i made with 
bone} i and the pumpkin pies, and they would 
feasl like lords. Perhaps there was hut one 
room, which served as kitchen, dining-room, 
parlor and bed-chamber, hut when bed time 
came the good housewife, not in the lea.-t con- 
fused, proceeded to prepare for the comfortable 
rest of all. ""Pallets"" were made on the floor 
of quilts and buffalo robes and 1 ear skins, and 
-non the floor was almost complete!} covered 
w till a mass of humanity, sleeping a- sweetly as 
if on beds of down. This picture is not in the 
least over-drawn, lor such -ecu,'- were of con- 
stant occurrence nor should anyone infer from 
this that there wa- any want of refinement mi 
the part of the people, lor purer society never 
existed any/where than among the pioneer- of 
this whole country. 



EARLY TIM. \l.s. 
The early settler- of Illinois — and Menard 
county as much as any other part — were sub- 



PAST AMi PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 

jected in an untold variety of trials and in- way of making our success possible. We are 
conveniences. Not only the labor connected sometimes almosl ashamed al the thought of 
with opening farms, clearing forests, erecting the want of refinemenl and rough exterior of 
dwellings, building bridges and highways, bu1 our fathers, forgetting that it was their fore- 
a greal variety of other annoyances were met sight and rugged philosophy that laid the solid 
"ii every hand. We spoke in another place of foundation, deep down mi the solid bed-rock 
the trouble in very early times of securing meal of all that we are ami hope in be, materially 
ami Sour ami of the ever annoying "gritter," morally and intellectually. They it was who 
as well as the want of implements and inaeliin- made possible all that we are and all that wo 
ery with which to cultivate the soil ; the wooden expect in be. One very prolific source of trou- 
mole-board plow, the sickle, and later the hie ami difficulty in the early pioneer,- was the 
scythe and cradle, with which the harvests were prevalence of disease of certain types thai pre- 
reaped. and the Sail for beating out the grain, vailed in earlv times. I will name hnt two of 
and later the more expeditious and more scien- these: bilious and malarial lexers, the latter 
tific method of tramping it nut with horses; taking the form of ague, as it was commonly 

and then, last hut not least. Hie interesting called, or chills and fever. Sonic called this 

means by which the grain was separated fr head disease the •■shakes." There was a vast 

the chaff. Two stout men would catch a c - at nt of decaying vegetation, especially in 

mon bed-sheet by the corners and while a third the fall of the year, and the vasi areas of un- 

I 1 'ed the grain, chaff and all from an elevated drained swamps ami lagoons that bred a mias- 

position, the winnowers would fan out the chaff matic poison which filled the air with lis poison- 

with the sheet. After going over it three or ous breath. True, it was not so often fatal. 

four times in this way, the grain would be fairly hut it was a living death — a Ion-- drawn-out 

well separated from the chaff. The making of agony that left just enough of life to realize 

clothing — spoken of more at length in another the bitterness of disease. One of the most ter- 

place -was an annoying hut essential part of fible features of it was its universal prevalence 

the household duties. In very early times in al -nine seasons of the year. Whole families 

Menard county cotton was raised to con ider- would be down, so that one was not able to 

able extent, while tla\ was also cultivated, and give another a drink of water, and entire com- 

every family raised sheep as extensively as the munities would he in this c litlon fur weeks. 

wolves would permit. All of these articles if not month-, at a tune. After it had preyed 
were carded by hand by the w in of the fain- upon its subject I'm- a lime, the liver wmihl be- 
lly. The ihi\ was grown in the fields, pulled come enlarged, the abdomen would assume un- 
by hand, watered, broken, skutched ami then wonted dimensions, the whole person would 
s l' lll > on the little wheel. The writer reiiiem- l» came bloated and a sickly sallow would per- 
bers distinctly to-day that when he awoke in vade all the saddened feature-. In many cases, 
the trundle bed, in the late hour- of the night, m seeming mockery, u would assume the form 
he would (d'ten hear the swish of the cards as of "the every-other-day ager," or the "third day 
bis widowed mother, prompted by maternal ager." ami return at its appointed time, as un- 
love, would ply those cards— often nil the hour erringly as the planets in their course. At the 
ol midnight — in order to clothe her fatherless appointed minute the premonitory pain.- would 
children. Ah. little do we realize the price begin to shoot up the hack, the sallow victim 
our parent- paid for the priceless heritage that would then begin to cape and yawn and the 
we enjoy. We will never know the privation, rigors of the polar zone- would seize his frame 

sacrifice, anxiety and toil that they endured in and then for fr i to two hour- the demon 

order that we might be what we are. We boast of malaria would seem to strive to shaki each 

of what we have done in the growth and devel- separate joint apart. Then came the raging 

opineut of this country, forgetting what our fever, the torturing headache and at last tin 

mothers and grandmothers in their home-spun disgusting -weat. as the sufferer reached onci 

attire and loving simplicity, accomplished in the more, the temperate zone, between the horrid 



\M 



PAST AND PEESENT <>F MFA'Al.'D COUNT!' 



expi riences that he had jusl passed through. 
Then the "well day" came, with its ravenous, 
unnatural appetite, demanding al] that reason 
or common sense would forbid. At first, before 
the physician came with Ins pill-bags, the rem- 
edies were "yarbs and leas." prescribed by ever] 
one, but Inter on same "Sappington's Pills. 
Fowler's Solution and Quinine." No mortal 
man. who never had "the chills," can form any 
jiim conception of its agony. Noi sick enough 
to be abed but a few hours a! a i ime, yel filled 
with agony, compared to which being confined 
in bed would be a solace and relief. Some 
poetaster, who knew the agony of the "ager," 
has parodied "Poe's Raven" as follows: 

Am] to-day, the swallows flitting 
Round my cabin, see me sitti ng 
Moodily within the sunshine, 
.1 usi inside my sileni door, 
Waiting for the "ager," seeming 
Like a man forever dreaming : 
Ami tlie sunlight on me si reaming 
Throws no shadow on the floor; 
For I am too thin and sallow 
To make shadows on the floor- 
Nan shadow any more. 

Bui as the prairies were broken, the ponds 
drained and the amounl ol stock increased to 
eat out the vegetation, the ague diminished 
until at last it left, to return no more, we trust 
forever. 



THE DEEP SNOW. 

One of the mosl conspicuous chronological 
landmarks in the histor] of Menard county, and 
nf all central Illinois for thai mailer, is the 
"Winter of the Deep Snow." old settlers, in 
fixing remote dates, use this as the average 
mother uses the birth of her children : she sa] r s. 
"11 was the spring thai John was born," and 
the old settler says, "11 was just after the deep 
-new." At the old settlers' annual meetings 
they have badges thai are worn by all who were 
here before L830, which are inscribed "Snow 
Bird." In the year 1830 ii rained Eot several 
davs in succession jusl before Christmas, and 
on Christmas day, as some say. and the day 
after, as others put it. ii began to snow. The 
sneu fell so rapidly thai in a fevt hours there 



was a depth of six inches mi the ground, but 
it did not cease to fall with this, bul continued 
to fall till at the very least three feet had 
fallen. Some claim thai there was more than 
this, noi a few placing it at four feet, but the 
most conservative estimate ii a1 three feel on a 
level all over the country. After tins snow had 
fallen there came a rain and this, freezing on 
the snow, formed a crust that would hoar the 
weighl of a man. After this other snow fell. 
adding to the depth. President Sturtevant, of 
Illinois College, who was here at the time, says 
thai as soon as the snow had fallen ii turned 
very cold and thai for two weeks the mercury 
never rose higher than twelve degrees below- 
zero. The ground was entirely covered from 
that time till the latter part of March. The 
settlers would break roads with ox-teams, but 
the snow would Mow in and again they had to 
he broken. Tins process packed the snow in 
i he roads till it formed a veritable ridge, ami 
these ridges remained after the -now elsewhere 
was all gone. The writer heard one old pioneer 
say that these ridges remained ami after the 
-■now was gone from the prairies they looked 
like silver threads winding across the country. 
The -now was so deep that it covered up the 
food that the wild animal- were accustomed 
to suhsisl on and thousands of them perished. 
The ernsl on the snow was strong enough to 
bear up a man. and the wolves and other like 
animals could travel in safety mi its surface, 
but the deer were noi so fortunate. As they 
run by a succession of leaps ami their hoofs 
being hard and sharp, jusl so soon as they 
started to run they broke through the crusl and 
thus they lay helpless mi the snow. On this 
aeeonni the deer were nearly all killed. I'm' the 
dogs and wolves soon learned that as soon as 
the (\^■(^Y started to run tiny would break 
through and then the] were an easy prey. The 
settlers experienced terribly hard times dur- 
ing that winter on account of the fact that the 
snow came so earl] that the] were caughl with 
their crops ungathered and they were in many 
ways unprepared for the winter. Another trou- 
ble was the scarcity of mills in the country. 
Many were from forty to sixty miles from the 
nearest mill, and, of course, it was impossible In 
go thai distance for breadstuff. As a conse- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 

quenee .-ill kinds of expedients were resorted his home here, thai there was a winter of ter- 

i". The inevitable "gritter" was called into rible suffering in .-ill this region on account of 

constant use and lye-hominy was a standard the deep snow and the long continued cold, 

article in every home. The game perished in They related thai early in the fall the snow 

such numbers thai i1 was never as plentiful began to fall and there were no warm davs to 

afterward. Unfortunately, the wild game was cause il to melt, but every few days fresh snows 

ii"i il nh thing that perished. During this would fall, and thus it continued to grow 

winter two men who resided near the south line deeper and deeper until, as they said, n wa- 
ul' what is now Menard count} perished in the deeper than the heighl of the tallest man. As 
snow. William Saxton started out hunting, and, a consequence, the game was nearh all starved 
not returning, the neighbors made search I'm' or frozen to death and many of the Indians per- 
him, luii failed to find him. The next spring ished from cold ami hunger. The early settlers 
his body and that of Ins horses were found noticed on the tall hills in the prairies there 
within a mile of his home. John Barnett started were vasi number of buffalo and deer bones in 
after a wolf while the snow was falling, but he an advanced stage of decay. The Indian- ex- 
did not return. Search was made for him. hut plained this by saying that during that winter. 
he was not found. The next spring the body as the .-now mew deeper in the low ground and 
of Barnett and that of hi- horse and dog were being blown off the higher ground, the game 
found forty miles from the point from which retreated to those spots of high ground and 
he started. It was supposed that the falling perished there from want of food and the in- 
-Mow blinded and bewildered him, and, losing tense cold. It appears that there are periods 
his bearings, he rushed on till his horse gave when the elements are "ou1 of joint"; times 
"in and horse and dog and man perished to- when the influence of the planets or of sun- 
gether. On Rock creek lived an old bachelor spots, or something else, brings about strange 
by the name of Stout, no n lati m to any of the and disastrous effects. Such was the case "the 
Stouts there now. however, who perished in the winter of the deep snow" the winter of 1830 
snow-, somewhere near where Pleasanl Plains 31. The deep -now began to fall between 
now stands. Christmas and the N"ew Year. It is a little re- 
Pages might be written of the -tone- told markable that the "sudden change" was a1 the 
by old pioneers of the privation and suffering of same season of the year. On the 20th day of 
that winter. There is no doubt thai it was the December, 1836, the sudden change came. The 
most severe winter that has ever been known weather up to this time had been mild and 
since the country was settled. The -now at plea-ant. There had been but little -now and 

three feet deep would have I r nothing re- no severe cold bail been experienced. The 

markable in the east, but it was unknown to ground was frozen to the depth of three or 

the people here, and, beside this, they were un- four inches. <)n thai morning, December 20th, 

prepared for such conditions, and the country s • time before i n, il began to rain and 

being new it is no wonder that there was great continued to ram till after noon. The rain 

inconvenience and suffering. II must have came from the northeast, and between twelve 

been a remarkable ti to mark a period that and ■ o'clock p. m. a very dark cloud ap- 

still stands as a chronological monument, mark- peared, low down in the northeast, and as it 

ing a period of time so abidingly as no1 to be came nearer a rumbling, roaring sound could 

erased by years. be heard, and in a few nts a strong wind 

swepl over the w I- and prairies and the cold 

became al once intense. Perhaps a more sud- 
den change was never experienced in this lati 

THE SUDDEN CHANGE. tude. Chickens and geese 1 their feet ca 

The Indians had a tradition, which they told in the suddenly congealed mud and water and 

to the early settlers of Illinois, that many, later had to be cut oul and their feet n 

many winters before the paleface came to make by thawing them out at the fire. I'.e 



V < . 



PAST AND PRESENT OE MENARD COUNTY 



cerning this change, as told by men of un- 
doubted veracity, are almost beyond belief. 
Alexander Montgomery, of Greenview, gives 
the following account, as told by his father, 
who then lived where II. II. Marbold now re- 
sides. West ni the bouse is a low piece of 
ground which had been tilled by the rain to the 
depth of eight or ten inches. West of this 
slough Mr. Montgomery had a lot of calves in 
a pen. and realizing the intensity if the cold 
he started a- soon as the change began to feed 
them. Pie waded across the slough, the water 
being almost to hi? boottops, and U:<\ the calves 
as quickly as he could, and return* d. as he said. 
in less than twenty minutes, and when he re- 
turned he crossed the slough on solid ice. Rev. 
Jos ah Porter, of ( lhatham, Illinois, was at that 
time a traveling evangelist and traveled over a 
large territory of Illinois. He relates a cir- 
cumstance that occurred in the vest part of 
Douglas county, near the corner of Piatt and 
Moultrie counties. Two men. brothers, by the 
name of Deeds, started out to cut a bee-tree, 
which they had found in the fall, and were 
overtaken by the cold of this sudden change. 
Not returning home, a search was instituted, 
hut they were not discovered for nearly two 
weeks, when thej were found frozen to death 
some three miles from their home-. Andrew 
Heredith, who was formerly a merchant, miller 
and pork-paeker in Cincinnati, having met with 
reverses, came to Illinois to retrieve his for- 
tune, lit- settled in Sangamon county, about 
three miles west of Loami, near Lick creek, and 
called the place Millville. He bought wheal 
and made flour, but seeing, as he thought, an 
opi uing for great wealth, he began buying hogs 
and driving them to the St. Louis market. His 
first ventures were very successful, so he de- 
cided to venture on a larger scale. So in the 
fall of 1836 he bought up a drove of twelve or 
fifteen hundred hogs and in December he 
started to drive Them to St. Louis. By the 
20th 'if December he had readied the prairie 
of Macoupin county. He had taken with him 
a number of wagons and teams for the purpose 
of hauling corn to feed the hogs on the way. 
\- -non a- tin 1 corn was fed out of a wagon 
it was utilized in hauling those hogs which 
wi re giving out. When the storm struck them 



Mr. lien dith at once realized its severity, and 
calling all the men to his aid they overturned 
the wagons and replacing the beds upon them 
they entered them and drove a- rapidly as pos- 
sible to the nearest residence, which, fortu- 
nately, was not far away. When they reached 
the farmhouse their clothing was frozen solid 
upon them and the men had their hands and 
feet and ears frozen. Tin- hogs crowded to- 
gether in order to keep warm, and as the cold 
grew more severe they literally piled up in 
piles, and as a result those in the center smoth- 
ered and those on the outside froze to death. 
Those that did not die outright scattered over 
the prairies and finally perished. Mr. Heredith 
returned home as soon as the state of the 
weather would permit, but the loss had broken 
his spirit and he pined away and in a year or 
two died. 

James II. Hihlreth and a young man by the 

nai I Frame started to Chicago on horseback 

and by the 20th of December they reached the 
region of Hickory creek, a tributary of the 
Iroquois river. Here tin- storm struck them. 
They wandered about till night overtook them 
and. seeing that they were doomed to perish, 
they killed one of their horses and. removing 
the entrails, they crawled into the carcass and 
remained there till about midnight, when the 
animal heat having been exhausted, the] came 
"in. determined to kill the other horse and 
utilize it in the same way. hut in their be- 
numbed condition the knife was dropped and 
could not be found. They stood around the 
living horse till two or three o'clock in the 
morning, when Frame became drowsy and 11 il- 
dreth was unable to keep him awake and he 
sank down and was soon beyond all human suf- 
fering. A- soon as light came Hihlreth mount- 
ed the remaining horse and after wandering for 
hours reached a cabin, where the inhuman 
wretch who inhabited it refused him aid. He 
finally recovered, with the loss of his hands 
and feet, and reared a family, the descendants 
of whom now live in Logan and DeWitt coun- 
ties. Henry and John live in Logan, and his 
daughter Sarah. (Mrs. William Weedman) 
lives in Farmer City. I can not leave this 
story without stating another fact in connec- 
tion with it. The wretch who refused Mr. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNT!' 

llilihvtli aid in his dire extremity was named that time of the year. Late in the afternoon 

Benjamin Russ. The story of his inhuman a cloud appeared in the northwesl and came up 

treatment of Hildreth being circulated in the very rapidly. It was, perhaps, between five and 

settlement, the ire of the honest pioneers was six o'clock in the after >n when the storm 

aroused and they gathered to deal out sum- broke. It came with a very high wind and the 
mar) justice, but in seme way he go1 wind of rain fell in a perfeci torrent, accompanied l>\ 
what was in store for him and fled to more a hail storm such as was never witnessed before 
congenial climes and was seen there no move, by those who experienced it. In fact, the state- 
Many other and equalh remarkable incidents ments made by the most reliable men in the 
of the sudden change have been told the writer count) at the time, and in which they all agree, 
h\ men of undoubted veracity, hut the above are almost beyond belief. The hail stones were 
will serve to give an idea of its suddenness and large — many of them larger than a lion's egg — 
severity. It was the opinion of many of those ami they fell in such vast quantities that they 
who experienced this storm thai it traveled at lay to a depth of a foot at least on the level 
a rate <>f at least seventy miles per hour. prairies. Elder William Engle, a man of un- 

impeached veracity, told the writer that he and 

Uncle David Propsi gathered the hail stones 

HAIL STORM OF 1850. thirty-eighl days alter they fell and mad.' ice 

At irregular intervals of time strange and re- water of them to drink. This is Literally true, 

markable meteorological phenomena occur for as will be explained further on. Thehailsti - 

"huh n le can aeeount — whether they are were so large and came with such driving force 

caused bj sun-spots or planetary relation-, no from their momentum ami the force of the 
one can tell, for some continue bui a few hours. wind that it is strange that much greater dam- 
while others last through an entire season. age was not done. Main hogs and calves were 
The Indians have a tradition of a winter, per- killed outright, while all the poultry which was 
haps in the firs! half of the eighteenth century, not under shelter suffered a similar fate. The 
which far surpassed anything known since the wild birds, rabbits and other -mall animals in 
p. d.-l,,,. came west id' the Ohio river. It was the range id' the storm were entirely extermi- 
nndoiilitedh confined to the west, to, if it nated. It is a fact, authenticated beyond dis- 
had extended to the east we would have had a pute, tiiat a large amount of timber, especially 

record of it by the while man. The winter whit k. was killed. The leaves and smaller 

of ls:;ii-:;i was remarkable for its severity and limbs were beaten oil', the hark on the side nexl 

the depth of the snow, and it has long been the storm was peeled off, and scores of trees 

a chronological landmark ami old settlers count two feet and two feet si\ niches in diameter 

tune from -the winter of the deep -now": an- were killed ami stood for years as silent hut 

other was the awful "sudden change" on the unimpeachable witnesses of the severity of the 

•.'Dili of December, ls:!li; ami .-till later the de- storm. The crops were a total wreck, being 

struetive freeze on the 27th day of August, beaten into the earth. Corn, wheat, oats and 

1863, which many person- now living still even grass were a total loss. A Mr. Leach, then 

distinctly remember. The coin, winch was jus! living near Greenview, was a mile or two from 

in good roast ing-ear. was frozen hard and all I i horseback and was cauglrf in the storm, 

creation literally stunk with the rotting vegeta- ami being some distance from shelter he s i 

tipn, hut the event that 1 am going to relate realized that unless he got protection in some 

was confined to von narrow limits. It is the way he would a.-smedl\ perish. So. as quickly 

hail storm of May the 87th, 1850. It was as possible, he dismounted and ungirthing the 

confined to Menard county, being only seven .-addle he put n over In- head as a helmet, lie 

miles wide and only ten or twelve miles in told the writer, thirty years ago, thai even with 

length. Greenview and Sweetwater were near this protection he thought that he would as- 

the center of its destructive power. The daj suredly he killed. Now and then a stone of 

May 27, 1850 — had been extremelv warm for unusual size would strike the saddle with such 






PAST AN1> PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



force as to stagger him and cause him to sei 
whole constellations of stars. The rain which 
fell with the hail, togethei with the melting 
hail stones, produced such a torrent of water 

that thi' small streams were s< 'aging floods. 

By these tin 1 hail was. in places, piled up to 
a depth of ten and fifteen feet. Grove creek, in 
Sugar Grove, became a raging river, piling up 
the hail in vast heaps and m many cases cover- 
ing n over with leaves and trash till a perfect 
ice-house was constructed. It was from one of 
these thai Engle and Propst, on the 4tl of July 
— thirty-eight days after the storm — got ice 
with which to make icewater for the people who 
were gathered together not far awaj to cele- 
brate the birthday of our independence. We 
have in tins story a line illustration id' the spirit 
of "grit, gumption and go-aheaditiveness" of 
our ancestors. With the fields as bare as in the 
midst of winter, the season's labor all di stroyed, 
with the ei-ops all beaten into the ground and 
the winter soon t" come, with biting, bitter 
blasl — with all this they gather together to 
spend a day in social converse, to renew ac- 
quaintance and to cultivate the spiril of patri- 
otic devotion to God and native land. Ah. that 
is what has made this land what it i> to-day! 
We boast what we have done, but we forget that 
that class of men and women who preceded us 
—our fathers and mothers — are the lone that 
made this country what it i- to-day. I verily 
believe that the world has oever known so 
grand a race of men and women as the pioneers 
of these western states. They come of the besl 
stock of the world. Out of rvery nation on 
earth, there came to this countn the most lib- 
erty-loving, the most independent, the bravest, 
the most self-reliant and determined people 
ever known, and by amalgamation and training 
they produced our fathers and mothers, who 
drove out the wild beasts, subdued the wild 
prairies ami forests, laid the foundations of 
education and of moral and religious training. 
leaving to us this glorious heritage that we pos- 
sess. Manx of them were not educated in books, 
or in the fashions and follies of some classes oi 
social life, hut they had that higher and nobler 
development of head ami heart, that titled them 
to the plant, the germs of which, under God, 
have grown into this, the grandest and greatesl 



nation mi earth. Will we preserve what they 
left to us? But I have gotten off the track. In 
my imagination i can see the people at that 
celebration. Uncle "'Bill" Engle was a promi- 
nent figure among them. True, the crop- were 
liinie, I and the prospect lor the coming winter 
was a little dark, hut what g 1 would fore- 
bodings and repinings do': I see him. with his 
kindly face and portly form, a- he tried to 
cheer up his disheartened neighbors and friends. 
With words of encouragement and cheer, he 
admonished them to look on the bright side 
and then, with an appropriate story, the whole 
company would he put in a good humor and. 
forgetting their troubles, all would go "merry 
as a marriage hell." As I spoke of "Uncle 
Bill" telling stories, I should explain that he 
was an expert story-teller. Like Lincoln, ho 
had an exhaustion -tore of "yarns" and anec- 
dotes and no one could surpass him in telling 
them. Out of thai rasl store lie could always 
find one just suited to the occasion, and when 
he told a story lie entered into the spirit of it 
as he preached — that i>. with his whole soul, 
lie and the martyred president, Abraham Lin- 
coln, had many a tilt at spinning yarns during 
i he terms of court in Petersburg. I f the old 
"Menard House" hail the power of speech it 
could entertain for days and week-, repeating 

the unnumbered "g 1 ones" that wore told 

when Lincoln, Engle and other home and im- 
ported talent spent an evening at that old-time 
hostelry. N"ot only the evenings were passed in 
this way. hut 1 have ii from the yen best 
authority of the time that on one occasion at 
least, when "Uncle Bill" had met a foeman 
"worthy of his steel," the battle raged, with 
varying fortune, until the rising of the sun 
ami even then the referees were compelled to 
declare it a -draw." Elder William Engle was 
a very remarkable man in many respects and 
left his impress upon all the enterprise- of this 
count)", an impress which will last for years 
to come. He performed a very important part 
in the development of the resources of the 
county; ho also aided largely in the elevation of 
social life, and to him we owe a lasting debt 
of gratitude for the part ho played in shaping 
the moral and religious sentiment of tin 

pie. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNT 1 ! 39 

MANNERS AN l> CUSTOMS. the back and sides of this were I. mil up of logs, 

Hie young men and women of to-day have luak "' ;l " offse1 '" the "''" somewhal ^ke a 

do conception of the mode of life among the """ l "" ba >'"" ""'"" ■ anr1 this was l """ 1 with 

earh settlers of the countr 3 and when the story mud " '"' s '"""- "' " coulcl ll " had and " n " l! 

is truthfully told they can scarceh believe it. as a fire P lace - The c 'ney was built of sticks, 

h i- ■ object in this chapter to give a very over ffhlch ;l thlck r " :l,m - " r ll "" 1 Wii> s P read > 

brief bul absolutely true account of this. We '" keep ll "'"' ''' takin * ,i,v - This u;l ~ called 

feel thai the time will not be losl in doing this, ;l "''■'" , '"" 1 '''"•' <*>"""»• and wag the onh kind 

as the lesson will be a valuable and instructive '" L,se ''"' a -"' : " "'"'"'■ N >' cars - The door was 

one can scarceh imagine hov so great als afl ''. v cutting out logs, making an open- 

a change could have taken place in the space of ■"■" "' ""' desired size ' and the shutter " ;| - 

*ixt> to eighty-five vears, and when the sim " i; " ! '' "' boards l """ ri1 to crosspieces (for nails 

and truthful storv is heard by our young peo- ""' l ' 1 '"" ' '' ha<l lo1 ' 8everal >' ears after the 

|)le they will h.old in higher esteem their grand- '"'"' settlements WL ' re ma de), and this was 

r s and grandmothers w -e those trials llung "" " Ien llin § es ' The door was fas " 

and throt gh them secured the ricl ritage , '''"'' 1 '" a "' ooden lateh ' " ll "' 1 ' eau § hl '" a 

thai wecnjw to-day. Ii will also lead them to "'"'"'"" ' k "" the " IM,lr ' A l,nl " " :| - l)ored 

hoi higher esteem those unpolished and '" li "' door above lllr latch - and a buckskin 

uncultivated people whom theA have been dis- stnng " :ls fastcnofl '" the lat, ' h and passed 

|tosed to look down upon. In' nothing are the |!,l '""- h thls ll "' 1 '- s ai "' "I"'" th< r from 

habits, manners and customs of the people like ''"' outs,de ;l " '"" liad '" do was "' l ulil ll "' 



what they were seventy or eightv years ago. 



string ami this would lifl 1 h< ■ latch mil of ihc 



We an al a loss where i gin so as to give °° k ''""' ""' '' ' vv 'P en - T " lock the 

the youth of the present anything like a jusi ''"'"' ; " " ■•"'" a]| thai was necessan «-as to 

idea of this matter. The diet, the clothing, the l '"" ""' ""'"'■- '"' Wi "'" ''"' latch-string hung 

dwellings, the social customs in fact, every- ""'""■- h ,l "' llole anyone coulcl open the door 

thing has undergone a coraplet. revolution. We l> "" 1 ""' outsi,le - This g ave the a of the 

spoke before of the "three-faced camp" in ex P ression " r liospitality by saying "the latch- 
which some of the earh settlers lived, I ii '""''"■- han ^ "'"•" We describe this thus mi- 
may be truthfully said that the dwellings in m "'' U tha1 ''"' •"""'- I I' 1 '' m:l - v understand 

which the pioneers lived for a number of years iU " ex P ression: """' latch-string is out." The 

were bul slightly in a, Kan,,, of these. The llil '"" mv '" ll "' ll0llge »as on a par with the 

house was invariably buill oi loss, the spaces ll0USe """' A '''" llome - ma de, split-bottomed 

betwe n the logs being filled with 'smaller pieces chair8; ; ' "'""'' bench '"' lw,,; a l "' llsll ' illi (in 

of n I, called chinks, and then daubed over '"'"" sc) '"'"'" l,v drivin S a fork in one 

with mortar made of clav. [f the floor was any- '""'"'' "' tlu ' cabin ' :|1 sh Pee1 from ll "' 

thing re than the earth tramped hard and "' a11 : ""' ''"' desired l " ,| -- hl for the bed = then 

- th.it was mad 'puncheons that is, logs l '" 1 ' " ni " tn '''"' ll " ;l " from this fork ' : "" 1 

were split and side was smoothed off with bo&Td * |jliU ' cd acroM made ""' Pra " E the 

an ax and these laid down for a floor The ' ' Hundreds of '"scaffold beds" were in 

openings between these puncheons were often T , ' '"' !? c " lj ~" Ui "''~ had "" ldtchen ' 

bo large thai the cats could pass in and out "" l'"' a * ,cl ? ''"' k, ?« J™™ " ''"" ""' 

,,,,. „ , ,, .... . . , simple as the furniture. A "flat-oven' or ski - 

through th, an. I he top Oi lh, cabin was drawn | , 

• f , , , ., let, a trying-pan, an iron poi or kettle, and co- 
rn, after the fashion of a boy's quail trap, and ..^i,,,,,^ ., IV , , 1,11 

,a>ionall\ a cottee-pol c(ini|)li'(i'd the millil m 



on the poles on top, clapboards, or, as the 
yankees calli ,1 them shakes, were laid on, and 



Ibis department of the besi fixed cabins. S 
wen ill, n ami fur many vears later entirely un- 



UrlL,|, '"l" ,,r - ,aid "" 1| "' 1 " to keep them in known, hence the cooking was done entirely on 
1,1:1,1 For a ^replace the logs were cul oui of the fireplace. The flat-oven was sei on a bed 
one side of the wall, six or eight feet wide, and of glowing coals, and the frugal housewife, 



30 



AST AX D 



ESEXT OF MENARD COUNTY 



taking as much stiff dough of Indian meal as 
she could conveniently hold in both hands, and 
deftly tossing it from hand to hand to mold it 
into the desired shape, tossed it into the oven, 
patting it with her hand to the desired thick- 
ness. About three of these "dodgers" filled the 
oven, when the ready-heated lid was placed upon 
the oven and the whole covered with glowing 
coals. As soon as the bread was done it was 
taken from the oven and placed upon a tin 
platter and set on the health near the tire to 
keep warm. Generally the prints of the fingers 
id' the cook were plainly visible on every dodger. 
In the oven from which the bread was taken 
the ham or venison was then fried and, in the 
fall of the year especially, the "lye-hominy," 
made of Indian corn, was seasoned in the grease 
tried on! of the meat. Thus the repast was 
prepared and sweeter bread or more savory 
meats were never eaten than were prepared on 
those rude fireplaces. As to sweetmeat- and 
ion feet ions, they were things entirely unknown. 
Sugar was entirely unknown, save in sections 
where sugar-maple abounded, hut nearly all 
of the pioneers had an ahundanee of the linest 

honey the year around, for the wild honey-1 

existed in great abundance wherever there was 
timbi ;■. Sometimes wild grapes, wild crabs and 
berries of various kinds were preserved in 
honey, hut these were only opened when the 
preacher visited or on some other great occa- 
sion. For many years alter the settlements 
were made, wheat bread was entirely unknown, 
from the fact that there were no mills in the 
country which were provided with facilities for 
"rinding the wheat or bolting the flour. In 
all the new settlements means of preparing 
grain for bread were matters of the very first 
concern. As already said, most, or we might 
say all. of the pioneers settled in the timber 
ami at almost every cabin a large -tump or 
block of wood sel on end was dm: or burned oul 
into the form of a mortar, ami a "spring-pole" 
with a heavy block of wood, in the form of a 
pestle, was suspended above this mortar, and 
in this the corn was pounded into meal. Bui a 
small amount of corn was put in the mortar at 
a time, and when this was reduced to meal, by 
working this pestle up ami down, then another 
small amount was put in. and so on till the re- 



quired amount was ground. This laborious 
task was to he repeated a- often as the meals 
were to be eaten, but the process was so -low- 
that in a large family the pestle must go almost 
incessantly or some of them would he placed 
on short rations. So important a matter was 
this of breadstuff that it overshadowed all 
others. To illustrate this we state the unde- 
niable fact that the first "milling" done for the 
settlement of Sugar drove was done b\ John 
Jennison and James Meadow-. These two men 
went in a canoe down the Sangamon to tin- 
Illinois river and then to the Mississippi, to 
Alton, and there got a canoe-load of breadstuff 
and brought it to Sugar Grove, consuming 
twenty-one days in the trip. Think of this! 
What labors were performed and what trials 
endured by our fathers and mothers to make 
tin- country what it is. Can we ever pay the 
debt of gratitude that we owe them? Even 
after those primitive mills were built — even 
after the Salem null was built — there was great 
trouble over the matter nf something of which 
to make bread. The Salem null, built by Cam- 
eron and Rutledge, though looked upon by the 
people as a marvel of mechanical skill and in- 
genuity, was incapable of overcoming all of 
these troubles. In those days the owners of 
mills made q rule like barbers have at the pres- 
ent tinu — that i-. that each one should take 
his turn. Persons would take a grisl of one 
or two bushels of corn to mill and they must 
wait till it was ground. Reliable men of Tal- 
lula told the writer that in the days of the old 
hand-mill at Petersburg that thej wen! there 
from Clary's Grovi — only eight miles — and 
using their utmost diligence it was midnight of 
the ninth day when they returned with their 
grinding. It was many years before the mills 
of the country could provide the facilities for 
making flour, and there are people still living 
who remember the time when the children 
longed for Sundaj to come, not from any spirit 
id' devotion or reverence lor the day. but be- 
cause they thought that they would have "cake" 
for breakfast Sunday morning. By "cake" they 
meant simple wheat bread or biscuits. 

Among the pioneers everything was, of neces- 
sity, plain, simple and in conformity with the 
strictest economv. This was true not onlv of 



PAST A.\l> PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



31 



their dwellings, furniture and provisions, but 
of their clothing as well. In the verj early, 
early days, the men usually wore pants and 
hunting-shirts of buckskin and caps of coon or 
fox skin, while both men and women clothed 
their feet in moccasins. Cotton goods were 
thru extremely hard to get, for two reasons: 
first, because of the great distance that they had 
to be transported by private means; and, sec- 
ond, because the manufacture in this country 
was verj limited, almosl all of such goods be- 
ing manufactured in Europe. As a result the 
pioneer of the west found this one of the very 
hardest demands to meet. Man\ were the ex- 
pedients devised by them, especially by the fru- 
gal and anxious wives and mothers, for ever 
since the wonderful expedient of preparing an 
entire wardrobe from fig leaves, devised quite a 
number of years hack, woman has been verj 
gifted in laj'ing plans and devising expedients 
m the matter of dr< -- : but, unfortunately, for 
her skill and industry, the countn afforded 
nothing for the first fi w years of its occupancy 
that could be turned to much account in this 
direction. II cotton had been planted when 
they first came, n could not have been much to 
then- advantage, because of the fact that neither 
the -nil nor the climate were adapted to its 
cultivation and the seasons were so shorl that 
it hail to be planted so very early for it to ma- 
ture that it could uol be gotten in in time in 
sufficient quantity to justify its cultivation. 
And it was almost useless to take sheep into 
these frontier settlements on account of the 
number of prairie, black and gray wolves, for 
the\ would destroy an entire thick in a single 

night. Hence the | pie had to choose between 

adopting expedients and going forth in •'na- 
ture's light and airy garb," so in a vear or two 
the settlers adopted the expedient of sowing 
crops of hemp and flax, and this the women 
soon learned to manufacture by hand into a 

coarse bul g I and comfortable linen. Bui 

these practical and observing pioneers also ap- 
pealed tn nature in their need and tin- good 
dame is seldom applied to in vain. In various 
localities in central Illinois, when the country- 
was first settled, then 1 were vast areas covered 
with wild nettles. Sometimes there would be 
two or three acres together, covered v ith net- 



tles, growing as thick as wheat, and three and 
lour feet high. After these were killed by the 
frost and rotted by the elements, the\ produced 
a lint as -iron- as flax, hut much lighter and 
liner. This lint would bleach almost to snowy 
whiteness and it had more the appearance of 
silk than of cotton. Thousands of yards were 
woven and worn h\ the pioneers. Mrs. James 
Meadows, of Sugar Grove, actually spun and 
wove thirty yards of this nettle cloth one sea- 
son. But even alter the cultivation of flax ami 
the introduction of quite a number of sheep, the 
matter of clothing was the most formidable dif- 
ficulty in the way. The task of raising the flax 
or hemp, of cutting, rotting, breaking, hackling, 
skutching, spinning and weaving it was an 
Herculean task; or raising the sheep, protecting 
them from the wolves, shearing them and then 
spinning and weaving the wool into doth re- 
quired a vast amount of labor. Then, after all 
this, garments were to be cut and made, and 
-ocks and stockings were to be knit by hand 
for all the family. What a task! We wonder 
that our mothers did not despair, and they 
would had the fashions been then as now. but 
a balloon frame was not Then to be covered in 
by the skirt of the dress. Skirls were not wide 
then as now. On a certain occasion, under tin 
old "'blue laws" of Connecticut, a young lady 
was hauled before the magistrate, charged with 
jumping the brook on the Sabbath, which of- 
fense, if -he were proven guilty, would subject 
her to a heavy line. The o i r |" s mother came 
into court mi the day of trial ami lest ilieil that 
her daughter was piously on her way to church, 
and coming to the brook, on account of the nar- 
row ins- of her skirts, she was obliged to jump 
or step in the water. Our young gentlemen of 
the present, who have dressed in the very best 
ever >ince they could remember, would he sur- 
prised ami shocked at the scanty out in of the 
boys of thai day. The summer wear of the boys 
up lo teli and twelve years of age was very 
simple ami free from any effort at display, for 
it consisted of a long tow-linen shirt, "only 
this and nothing more." Willi this indispensa- 
ble ami convenient article they explored thi 
ests. traversed the prairies, thought about the 
o i ids ami built as many castles in the air as the 
of more favorable times ami n 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENAED COUNTY 

ventional wardrobes. In the winter they were h therefore happened that some of the family 
supp] eil with buckskin or tow-linen pants, c- would have to wait till 



"The frosl was on the pumpkin 



easins or raw-hide shoes, and coats of jeans 

aftei ihi'\ began to raise sheep. This scarcity . , , , ■■ n n .' .' , - 

• Ami tbr todder in tin- shock 

ill clothing continued tor at least two decades, 

or even more. In summer time nearlj every before their feet were clad. We remember boys, 

one, both male and female, went barefoot and "'"' af terward achieved both wealth and dis- 

it was nothing uncommon to see young ladies tinc tion. uh " never g°< t 1 "'' 1 ' shoes till well on 

of the best families (mum- grandmother, per- T " Christmas, bin they went to scl I. if there 

haps, dear reader) on their way to church on " :l> an - v - ; "" 1 P la 3' ed with the othei '"'^ in 

foot, carrying their shoes in their hand till their bare feet. No scene can be imagined that 

mar the place of worship, when, carefully is re full of real happiness than the home of 

brushing the dnsl from their feet, they donned tl "' P ioneer > wheD '" t 1 "' evening all are en- 

their stockings and shoes and quietly mingled g a g' ed '" ,lu '"' work - A bright lilv burns on the 

with the throng. This continued to be com- u " l( ' hearth ancl the n " l,lv flame lea P s f;,r U P 

mon for nearly twenty years. After sheep could :l "' " '''" chimney, affording the only, but 



be protected from the wolves the people fared 



sufficient, lighl in the room. In one corner sits 

better in the matter of clothing. Flannel and the fatner > busily engaged in making shoes; 

linsey were wnm by the w< and children the mothcr •" her litll( ' u ' 1 "' 1 ' 1 bums a time in 

ami jeans was woven for the men. Fur want low harmony with its steady whirr, while in 

of other ami i, mre suitable dye-stuffs, the wool fl '"" 1 " r ll "' am P le fireplace the daughter trips 

for the jeans was almosl invariably colored with """ l,lv i,; "' k ancl fortL drawing out the long 

the -hunts of the walnut, beiiee the inevitable woolen threads, while the wheel, seeming to par- 

"butternut" worn so extensively in the west take of ll "' general happiness, swells out its 

for so many years. As a matter of course, each musical whir-r-r, which swells ami dies away 

family had to do its own spinning and weaving, "' regular ami harmonious cadence; the 

and for a Inn- term of years all the wool bad younger members of the household engaged in 

to he carded by hand mi a little pair of cards """"' aDSOrWri g pastime, all undisturbed by a 

nnt more than five by ten inches. Each family sin g le discordant ,,,,,,■. 

had its spinning-wheels, little and big reel. Boots were unknown I'm- mam years and 

winding-blades, warping bars, made by driving many of the old men never owned a pair in all 

pins into the wall of the house on the outside at their lives while none of tl e younger ones were 

some place where there was no door in the way, fortunate enough to boas! the possession of 

ami their wooden loom. These wen- indis- ' ls till they reached manhood. Boys of fif- 

pensable articles in almost every home, and teen t<> eighteen years of age never thought of 

during the Fall of the year the merrv whirr of wearing anything on their feet except for three 

the wheel and the regular "bat bat" of the loom or four months in the winter, while the nimi- 

was heard to a late hour of the night. Well her who were not so fortunate as In gel them 

dues the writ' r remember, when a little boy, as in winter was by no means small. Roys and 

be lay in the "trundle bed'" at night, of being men often went to church without shoes or 

aroused from sleep, tar on to midnight, of hear- stockings, hut what would the people of today 

in- the "swish swish" of the cards as his wid- think of the minister who would propose to 

owed mother by the lighl of a few coals on the come before his audience barefooted? This 

hearth was carding wool to make cloth to clothe may never have occurred in Illinois, yet it did 

her fatherless children. And it was truly won- in s f the older states and possibly here. 

ilerl'ul lo see the patterns of colors woven in The writer was intimately acquainted when a 

the dress flannels and the counterpanes of those boy with two old ministers, both of whom died 

times. As a general thin- the shoes worn by ut an extren Id age long years ago, wl ften 

the entire family were made at home ami mostly spoke of preaching in their younger days in 

during the Ion- evenings of the fall and winter, their bare feet. They began preaching in Ten- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 33 

nessee and were men of far more than ordinary of the crude and inconvenienl means of making 

ability: m fact, we have heard man) sermons, a living could be given, but the above will suf- 

11 finely frescoed churches, b) classical scholars fice. Amid all this the people were hajipy, eon- 
dressed in broadcloth, which were uot worth) tented and sociable. While il is true thai there 
"I comparison, n an) respect, with the ser- were some wicked and bad men among them, 

mons preached b) these men Several times yel it is also true that there were never more 

the) spoke of preaching on a certain occasion, consistent, faithful and devoted Christian peo- 

wliiii they were young men. in a private cabin, pie than among the early pioneers. Societ) 

the loft or ceiling _of which was \ ery iow, and was never purer, virtue never more esteemed, or 

one of the preachers, being a very tall num. a honor held more sacred than among them, h 

puncheon was taken up in the floor, so thai he was not then the object of every man to vet 

might stand in this opening, his head thus be- rich. The social qualities were never more 

ing belov the loft. This being in the summer highly cultivated than in those times. We do 

time, and the region being infested with rattle- qoI mean the conventional follies and deceitful 

snakes, the speaker soon fell a thrill of awful customs of later i s, but true and un- 

horror convulse his frame as the thought, unvarnished social friendship. The ox-wagon 

lashed acres- Ins mind thai perhaps he steed or slid would be hitched up and tl ntire 

111 the midst el' these unwelcome c panions. family, from the aged grandparents to the in- 

()l course, under these circumstances, the ser- fanl in arms, and all the "intermediate grades," 

" was nei painfully long. We are fully would pile into tins family coach ami they 

aware of the incredulity with which the above would drive several miles perhaps t<> "stay till 

and similar stories will he received by the mass bed tune" with seme neighbor, or perhaps to re- 

"l the present generation, hut we write fads, main over night, and at bed time the floor of 

such things as we believe are absolutely true, the one room would he covered with "pallets" 

;m 'l " r have not a shadow el' doubt el' the hi- ami all would retire, in tnodesl simplicity and 

era! truth el the story related above. These true decorum. Young gentlemen ami ladies, 

facts should be recorded, for none of the present these were your ancestors, who, amid all these 

generation have the faintest idea of the changes trials ami with unceasing toil, subdued this 

'hat have taken place- in the last seventy-five laml ami laid the broad ami solid foundation 

or eight) years. 1 1' the next eighty years should for all the untold blessings, social, civil, educa- 

be as productive of change as the past eighty tional ami religious, thai you tiov enjoy. We 

1:111,1 the probability i^ thai u will he much are uoi "building the tombs of the prophets," 

greater), who can imagine the state el' affairs bul we say, without fear of successful contra- 

1,1 thai time!' The tools ami agricultural im- diction, that no grander, truer or mere noble 

plements were all mi a par with the things we generation el' men ami women ever lived than 

have named. The ground was broken up with a the pioneers of these western Males. They laid 

one-horse wooden mold-board plow ami the the foundation of all thai wi ar -can ever 

''"'■n cultivated with a hoe ami a bull-tongue hope to I.e. ami iln- I'aei should be recorded 

plow. The ground was marked oil', both ways, and be remembered in all the years to come ami 

w ith a bull-tongue, ami the cum dropped by he impressed on the minds of all who are to 

hand ami covered with a hoe. In plowing com. conn' after us. 

the) had to go three or four times between the 

rows. Wheat, oats, rye, etc., were cut by hand 

with a sickle, threshed with a Hail and win- EDUCATION. 

lowed b) hand. Oxen were principally used, Education is the best protector of health. 

often six ami seven yoke were seen hitched to the source of the greatesl production of crops, 

the plow, breaking up the prairies. They were the richest -our,,- ,,f 30 cial enjoymenl ami the 

often worked singly for plowing corn and sim- cheapest defense of the nation. Enlightened 

ilar work, hut space forbids further detail in nations have ever hen struggling for educa- 

this direction. Score- f similar illustrations tion, Inn in the earh settling of this countrv, 



:;i 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MK.XAKD COUNTY 



the opportunities of education were very poor 
indeed. They were as poor in Illinois as in any 
other pari of the whole country because the 
people were poor, the settlements were sparse 
and qualified teachers were noi always al hand. 
Beside this, money was so scarce that it was 
impossible to build suitable sehoolhouses, but 
in the face of all this the people were deter- 
mined that their children should not go en- 
tirely untaught. So communities joined to- 
gether and erected Log bouses, at central points, 
in which to have school. For the benefil of this 
and coming generations, lei 1 lescribe some- 
what in detail inie (it these primitive schools 
and I promise you that I will net overdraw 
the picture in the least. The house was built 
id' logs, generally unhewn, hewn puncheons 
made the floor, and the roof was made of "clap- 
boards," split out el' oak, laid on logs, and held 
in their place by "weight-poles," that is. lo^s 
laid mi the boards and propped with "knees" 
to keep them from rolling off. In one end 'die 
logs were cut out for a space of sis feet, in 
which space a fireplace was constructed id' rock 
or dirt, and a chimney was built of stick*-, plas- 
tered over with mml. called "cat-and-clay." On 
one side, nearly the entire length of the build- 
ing, two logs were "halved-out," I'm- a win lew 
and just below this, two-ineb auger-holes were 
bored and a slab or plank was laid on them for 
a writing-desk. At the first, greased paper 
was fastened over this opening, in lieu of win- 
dow glass. The scats were made of split logs, 

-i' thed a little en the split side, and four 

two-inch auger-holes were bored into them mi 

the i- iding side and small saplings driven 

into them, I'm' legs. It was very rare that more 
than three of these legs touched the floor at 
once There being no hacks to them and they 
being so tall, it was a serious job lor i little 
fellow to mount one of them : it was like a 
tender-foot tackling a bucking broncho, ind by 
the time the day was over the little fellow was 
worn out with the struggle, for school, "look- 
up" at s A. M. and "let out" at .". P. M. The 
books used were the Testament, the English 
Reader, or Pleasing Companion, Pike's Arith- 
metic. Murray's or Kirkham's Grammar and 
ilie old blue-backed spelling hook. Most be- 
ginners were furnished a "horn-book" — a 



wooden paddle with the alphabet pasted on it. 
The aspiring teacher visited the families in a 
given neighborhood with a subscription paper, 
which usually began: "This article of agree- 
ment, entered into this day between A — 

B . party of the first part and the annexed 

subscribers of the second part, witnesseth. The 
said part] of the first part proposes teaching 
a common school for the term of one quarter, 
or 60 days, etc., etc." Then the branches to 
be taught were named, the price, two dollars 
per term, and other requirements on the part 
of the patrons were named, and the deed was 
done. It took a year for a child to learn the 
alphabei ; they first taught the child to repeat 
the letters by rote and to recognize them at 
sight: then they began to spell, ah, eb, ib, oh, 
uli. then ha. be. hi, im. lui. by. Iiut arithmetic 
was well taught as was grammar. The games 
and amusements were much the same then as 
they are now. The boys knew nothing then of 
townball, baseball or football as it is played 
now. hut they had one game of hall which, for 
real fun. skill and healthful exercise, was su- 
perior to any of the ball games of the present 
day. They called il "bull-pen." Running, 
jumping and wrestling were sports which were 
engaged in every noon, with a zest and earnest- 
ness which sent the rich young blood bounding 
through the veins, like an electric current. 
One branch was taught with better practical 
results than it is at the present time, notwith- 
standing our increased facilities and advant- 
ages. That branch is spelling. It is not be- 
cause of any laid', of opportunities, but because 
more pride was taken in spelling and because 
more attention was given to it. The sessions, 
both in the forenoon and afternoon, were 
closed by the entire school lined up and en- 
gaging in a spelling-lesson. On Friday after- 
noons the school would select Iwo captains anil 
they would cast lot for first choice and then 
choose alternately, until all were chosen. Then 
two came on the floor and when one missed a 
word and the other spelled it. the defeated one 
went to his seat and the next on bis side took 
his place, and so on till one side was defeated. 
In the winter season they had spelling schools 
at night, one a week'. By these methods great 
enthusiasm was aroused, and as a result a great 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 

mam boys and girls became most excellent furniture and apparatus are essentials, but the 

spellers. Among the early teachers of Menard item above all others is a teacher with eom- 

county were many men of n 'an gifts and mon-sense, education and "up-to-date." We 

among the last of the teachers under the old have the buildings, the apparatus, the ambition, 
subscription plan, may Lie mentioned, with ami our children have the brains; will we give 
honor, Minter Graham, John Tice, Clayborn them the lies! directing power? Menard was 
Hall ami Augustus K. Riggin. (See Eistory the fourth county in the state to adopt a course 
Mellaril enmity, pp. 252-4.) After the intro- of study— "the teachers went down into their 
duction of our new ami admirable system of pockets and paid I'm' it." The ••State Course 
jnililii schools, tlie work of education advanced of Study" has mm become so perfected thai 
\er\ rapidly. The county never had a teach- the work of the whole county can he us- 
ers' institute or county norma) till the summer tematized ami perfected in such w a \ as to have 
<if 1878, when m enrolled about forty pupils all the schools do the same work ami do it in 
ami continued lor a term of six weeks ami did the same way. If parents will give their 
academic work. These six-weeks normals con- earnest co-operation in the officers ami teach- 
tinned lor nine years, when the term was ers, no difficulty will he experienced in makim' 

abridged. Every district in the county has a tie' -el I- all that we could desire them to 

noat and c Portable schoolhouse, employs he. We will give a brief account of the Peters- 

firsi class teachers ami continues the school burg school. After laborious ami painstaking 

from seven to nine months. Le1 us look at search, we find it a settled fact that Charles li. 

Mime statistics: There are in the county: Waldo, a brother-in-law of John Bennett, Esq.. 

male-, under twenty-one years of age, three mentioned as one of the earbj settlers and busi- 

thousand one hundred ami nineteen; females, ness men of the town, was the teacher of the 

two thousand nine hundred ami twenty-four; first school in Petersburg. Tins was In is:;; 

total, six thousand am! forty-three. Between ami it. was taught in a log cabin in the south 

six ami twenty-one: males, two thousand two part of the town. A year or two after this, a 

hundred and twenty-two; females, two thou- small frame schoolhouse was pu1 up west of 

sand ami n met v-I'mi r ; total, four thousand the town, mi the brow of the hill, ncir the 

three hundred ami sixteen. Number of graded "old Dr. Allen place." It stood out in the 

schools, eli-M'ii ; ungraded, forty-nine: total, brush, with a winding path leading to it. In 

sixty. Number of rooms used in graded tin- primitive temple of learning the youth of 

scl Is. thirty-eight; rooms in ungraded the period laid the foundation ami learned 

schools, forty-nine: total, eighty-seven. Total to shoot paper wads — until 1855. when the town 

number of days attended, four hundred ami purchased a building from the .Masonic fra- 

eleven thousand two hundred and liftv-live. ternity, which they had used as a hall, am! 

Average wane- paid to male teachers, sixtv- changed it into a school! se, and in it opened 

eight dollars and eighty-eight cents; to females, a free school, flinging its doors open to all. 

forty-five dollars ami twenty-one cents: whole rich ami poor alike. It seems somewhat 

amount paid to teacher-, i h i rt v-so\on thousand strange, hul it is absolutely true, that although 

nine hundred ami five dollars ami thirty-seven the common school law was passed in L847 the 

cent-. Whole amount expended for schools, first (vrv school in this place was not taught 

eighty-eight tl sand eighl hundred ami sixty- till 1855. Up to this time the old subscrip- 

seven dollars ami lifi\ cents. The city of tion schools were the only kind in Petersburg. 

Petersburg i- now (August, L904) expending About the year 1845 or 1846 the Masons started 

eighteen thousand dollars on a new high-school a school in the lower storj of their hall for the 

building, with every modem appliance, con- benefit -of their children and engaged W. A. 

venience and comfort, and il is to he hoped that Dickej as teacher. The attendance was not 

such wi.-il nml care will he used by the peo- limited to their own children, other- being 

pie in selecting a school hoard that this great admitted upon certain conditions. Thi 

expenditure will not he lost. Buildings and tinued until it was bought by the town, as 



36 



PAST AND PKESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



noticed above. After its purchase an addil 

was luiilt to it. making a Large and commodious 
school building, which answered all the needs 
n!' the town till 1874, when the present third 
ward school building was begun. This was 
pushed with such energy that by February, 
1875, it was ready for use. This is a brick 
building, of six rooms, with modern ventila- 
tion, heating, etc. It was built at a eosl of 
ten thousand dollars. The first free school 
»;i- taught by Judge J. 11. Pillsbury, in 1855 
and L856. The following is a list of principals, 
in regular rotation, from Pillsbury down: 
.). 11. Pillsbury, 1855-56; John Dorsey, L856- 
'>', : Edward Laning, 1857-58; J. H. Best, 
1858 to 1860; A. Bixby, 1860-61; W. Taylor, 
1861-62; Edward Laning, 1862-63; M. P. 
Hartley, 1863-64; W. Taylor, 1864-65; C. E. 
McDougall, 1865-66; J. A. Pinkerton and J. 
11. Pillsbury, 1866-67; W. II. Berry, 1867-69; 
('. II. Crandall. 1869-70; Professor Mayfield, 
1870-1 1 : M. C. Connelly, 1871-76; C. L. Hat- 
field, 1876-7" : J. A. Johnson, 1877-78; M. C. 
Connelly, 1878-79; then came Briggs, McBride, 
Frank Hall, Mannix, Perrin, Meeker and then 
the present principal, or rather superintendent, 
II. E. Waits. Mr. Waits began his work here 
lasl September and is offered as fine an oppor- 
tunity as any man ever had to prove his ability. 
For a number of years pas! the school has been 
in a sad state of decline, having fallen into 
ruts of a quarter of a century ago. We spend 
money enough and have a patronage which, not 
only in oumbers but also in ability, is equal to 
any anywhere and we have a right to demand 
the besl in our schools. We want men and 
women of natural ability and educational train- 
ing i lucl our schools: There is a popular 

custom, found almosl everywhere, that is a 
great detriment to our schools, and that is the 
custom of employing "home talent." h is all 
righi to employ home teachers, provided they 
are as well qualified in even way as any others, 
but we cannol afford nor can our children 
afford to have out sel I system made a 'chari- 
table institution." Our children have bu1 one 
time, of a low years, to prepare for the work 
of life. Directors and patrons should appre- 
ciate tin- I'art and secure the besl opportuni- 
ties for them thai can be had. The people 



should exercise the greatest rare in the elec- 
tion of school boards, as only a lew men are 
adapted to the work that they have to do. 

About 1890 or 1891 a new and modern 

sel [house was built in the first ward. This 

i- a brick building, with all modern appliances, 
having seven rooms, furnace, etc. It cost alio" 
twelve thousand dollars. A high school, with 
primary room. library room, etc. was built some 
years ago, at a eosl of four thousand dollars, 
but this was torn away in the spring of 1904 
to give place to the new high school building, 
which will be occupied the first of January, 
1905. This bouse cost eighteen thousand dol- 
lars and is up to date m every feature. Be- 
side the class-rooms, cloak-rooms, etc., it has a 
gymnasium for hoys and one for -iris, labora- 
tory, and in fact everything that could be de- 
sired in a perfect school-building. Will we 
now- have a school such as the town has a right 
to demand? It is now "up to" the hoard ami 
tin superintendent to decide this matter. 

We have in Menard county four town- that 
have a regular high-school course of three or 
four years. These are Petersburg, Athens. 
Greenview and Tallula; and several which 
teach the high-school branches, but what we 
need mosl is a system of township high-schools. 
Th" combination of country schools is the 
rational solution of the rural school question. 
Let *our or more districts he consolidated into 

one. building a large sel Ihouse m a central 

place, and the problem is solved. By doing 
ill- i I- school can be graded in such a way that 
mm teacher will have more than half, one third 
or one fourth a- many grades as the country 
teacher now ha.-. In tin- way each teacher will 
he able to care for mere than twice as many 
pupils a- under tin' present method ami will 
he able to do the work much better. This 
would reduce the number of teachers, at least 
one half, or more, and the number of rooms 
the same, thus reducing the running expenses 
at least one half. The matter of difficulty of 
attendance, on account of the increased dis- 
tance that some will he obliged to go, is the 
chief and. in fact, almost the only argument 
against it. hut tin- ha- been tried in many 
places and found to he a very weak objection. 
It is a fact that, as a rule, the pupils farthest 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNT'S 17 

from the schoolhouse are tardy and absent the people of the town. To this end John A. 

least. Where pupils are near the school no Brahm, Isaac White, H. W. Montgomery. David 

provisions are made to gel them there, while Frackelton, J. M. Robbins and B. V. Mont- 

ii eases where they are a distance away pro- gomery formed a joint-stock company and 

visions are made and. as a result, they attend erected a building on the hill, some half mile 

regularly. This plan, instead of increasing wesl of the public square, for the purpose of 

the expenses of the schools over what they are having a "- I school." The building cost 

under the present system, would materially re- three thousand seven hundred and fifty dollars 

duce them. Bui suppose i1 increased them and the school was opened under the m i of 

twenty-five or fifty per cent, it would -till lie "The Petersburg Seminary." As seen from 

:i saving to the public in general, because the the above facts, h was a private and individual 

majority of parents, at this time, desire to enterprise and the rale charged was thirty-six 

give their children a high-school course, at dollars per pupil, tor a term of nine months. 

least, as their entire education or to prepare The first year ul' the new seminary. W. S. Ben- 

tbeni for college. When we take into consul- uett and Mis- M. A. Campbell were employed 

eration the amount of money spent by the ;!> teachers. The patronage was not what the 

farmer-, in board and tuition, in sending their projectors had hoped for bui the} continued 

children to high-school, and then reflecl that t < > conduct the institution. The second year 

this can be d.me at home. b\ the proposed svs- it. M. Bone and Miss M. 1'. Rainey were the 

tem, we are able to see what an immense saving teachers. Let me remark just here, parenthet- 

there would be in it. Township high-schools ically, as a matter of deep interesl to all our 

are coming and they are coming to stay, and [ady readers, and especially the "sehool- 

the sooner we prepare for them the better off marms." thai both of these principals married 

we will be. Before school boards spend any the assistants. Whether this fad led to the 

more ne} in building new schoolhouses or position of assistant being much sought after 

in repairing old ones, the} had better weigh bv young lady teachers or no1 we arc riol in- 
this matter and act the pari of wisdom and formed, but there was no trouble in securing 
e my. The time has come For the people lad\ teachers after this. This seminary wa- 
in exercise common sense in respect to this continued for two more years and then the en- 
question. We spend millions of dollars every terprise was abandoned. Whether the in- 
year in this matter of education; wli.\ not creased efficienc} of the public schools was the 

economize and get all the g I for our money cause of this or not we cannot say, but al any 

that we can. It i- within our reach to place r;l |,. the school closed The directors sold t lie 

within the grasp of ever} boy and girl of the building, which ha- ever since been used a- a 

land, the means of securing an academic educa- dwelling house, and Mr-. Rachel Frackelton 

lion. There are scattered all over this countn bought the ground and erected a residence 

thousands of poor boys and girls who long and upon ii. This is the onh effort ever made in 

hunger for an education; boys and girls who, the count} to build up a school of a higher 

if the} bad the opportunity, would make their grade, except the at Indian Point. Nearly, 

mark m the world; and -hall we not place this ,,r quite fifty years ago an academ} was or- 

n within their reach? How many EJdisons aanized : " thai place, which was ven succcss- 

and Te-ia- ami Darwin- ami Agassiz in em- f u ] f or -, number of years, lew. A. .1. Sti 

bryo are stretching oul their hands to us and w .as principal of that school and it wa- well at- 

pleading for the opportunit} to succeed! Shall tended and the work done would compare fa- 

we not heed the call? vorabl} wiili i he work of any school, of similar 

In 1870 the public schools, having run down grade, in the country, lan after a fev. yea: 

or retrograded, in Petersburg, several public- went down and since that time the two r< 

spirited citizens determined to provide si f the building have been occupied b} the dis- 

better educational advantages for the young trict. which employe two teachei all the tunc. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



Some misfortunes have come to school build- 
ings in Menard county in the last year but 
they have proved blessings in the end. During 
the winter of 1903-04 the schoolhouse at 
Athens burned to the ground, destroying the 
furniture and books, maps. etc. They, how- 
ever, had a fair amount of insurance and at 
once prepared to rebuild. The\ opened the New 
Year, 1905. in one of the most commodious, 
convenient and up-to-date buildings in the 
entire county. The building burned was get- 
ting old and was somewhal old-fashioned any 
way, so thai getting the insurance, and adding 
a comparatively small amount, they have a 
new and modern building, which they would 
have been obliged to build within a short 
time. 

Tallula added two mosl elegant rooms to 
their already commodious building in the fall 
of 1904. The rooms added are absolutely per- 
fect, so far as light, ventilation and comfort 
are concerned. It cost considerable money hut 
it will be a paying investment in the long 
run. 

Oakford, also, felt the educational inspira- 
tion and added two rooms to it- already com- 
fortable schoolhouse. In fact all over the coun- 
ty the spirit of improvement in educational 
advantages has been fell and results are visible 
on every hand. Petersburg, with her new 
i ighteen thousand dollar high school building, 
with gymnasium, laboratory, library, etc., and 
a score of other evidences of advancement, tells 
the trend of public feeling. Will not the peo- 
ple arouse to a sense of then- needs and their 
opportunities and at once begin to agitate the 
question of township high schools or of neigh- 
borhood high schools, it does not matter which? 
Districts have the right under the law to com- 
bine in any way that they please, for the good 
of the schools, hour, six, or any number of 
schools may combine, that ma\ see tit. under 
the township high school law or under the 
general school law. and the directors have the 
right to dictate the branches that they wish 
taught. Distance is the only argument against 
this, and this will disappear when ii is care- 
fully investigated and inquired into. 



EARLY CHURCHES. 

Notwithstanding all the toils and trials in- 
cident to the settlement of a new country, and 
many rough and vicious men who come into 
them, it is a fact that the teachings of the 
Christian religion were fell and realized in 
the mosl remote and sparsel) settled settle- 
ments. What a rebuke, too, is given to the 
ministers of the present time, by the self- 
sacrificing devotion and arduous toil of those 
men who first planted the standard of the Cross 
of Christ in the sparsely settled frontiers of 
the west. Without the most remote hope of any 
temporal remuneration, exposed to dangi r and 
disease, subject to the severest trials and most 
painful privations, they went out, foregoing 
all the joys of home and the society of loved 
ones, to be instrumental in the advancement of 
the truth ami the salvation of men. Often the 
pioneer preacher, with no companion but the 
horse he rode, would start across the wide 
prairies, with no guide but the knowledge he 
had of the cardinal points, or perhaps a point 
of timber scarcely visible in the dim and hazy 
distance, and. reaching the desired settlement, 
would present the claims of the Gospel to the 
few assembled hearers, after the toilsome and 
lonely day's journey: then after a night of n -i 
in the humble cabin ami partaking of the sim- 
ple meal, he again enters upon the journey of 
the day. to preach again at a distant point. 
Thus the "circuit" of hundreds of miles was 
traveled month after month: and to these men 
we owe the planting of churches all over the 
land, and the hallowed influence of religion as 
.-I i'ii and felt in society everywhere. At this 
late day it is impossible to learn who was the 
first minister who visited the territory now 
embraced in Menard county. This honor is 
claimed for at least a dozen different individu- 
als, and three or four different denominations 
lav claim to the honor id' beim; first to be 
represented by a minister here. There were 
at lea-t five denominations that were repre- 
sented by ministers coming here in a very early 
day. These were the Regular, Hard-Shell or 
Calvinistic l>aptists. the Separate (now Mis- 
sionary) Baptists; the Methodists; the New- 
Lights, afterward called Disciples, sometimes 
.ailed "Campbellites ;" and the Cumberland 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNT'S 39 

Presbyterians. We will give a very brief his- on the subjecl of temperance and man} were 

tory of these separately. induced to sign a pledge of total abstinence. 

Among those signing the pledge was Minter 

REGl LAR II (ITISTS. , . . . 

Graham, the pioneer teacher oJ the county, and 

These people, generally called "Hard-Shells," ., member of the Regular Baptist church. So 

have ever been anti-missionary, and generally S oon as this was known to the church, Graham 

opposed I" temperance societies and opposed was promptly tried and as promptl] turned 

in ministers receiving stipulated salaries, but , n ,t. Thus far the story is true to the Idler. 

are a good class of citizens, candid and reliable, Bui the story, as popularly told al the time, 

while their ministers arc men of good natural j s (l) t | 1( . e ffeci thai on the same day that "Uncle 

ability bul a majoritj of them are uneducated. Minter" was turned out. another brother amis 

Yd among them have been numbered some of | n ,,,| f or getting drunk and he too was ex- 

the .ureal preachers of the world, for example, pelled. After this an old brother arose very 

Charles EL Spurgeon. Being Calvinists of the solemnly, and. drawing a quarl "flask" from 

most pronounced type, it is not to be wondered | 11S pocket, the bottle being aboul half full of 

at that tlu'\ believe thai if God lias made it a whisky, and holding ii steadily between his 

man's < 1 1 1 1 \ to preach, He will enable him to do eve and the light and inclining his head slight- 

the work when the time comes without any | v |„ one s j,| r . | ie thus addressed the congrega- 

previous preparation on his part. Hence they tion: "Brethering, you have turned one mem- 

ii] their preaching give to the people the truth | MT ui because he would aot drink and an- 

•\jiist as God gave it to them." [f this be other because he go! drunk and now I want to 

true we must say, and with reverence, that He ns | c a question. It is tins; How much of 

has given them some very strange messages, the critter does one have to drink in order to 

Yen s i ni't<r settlements were begun here remain in full fellowship in this church?" 

"Regular" Baptisl preachers made their advent \\\. are „ot advised what answer was given to 

also. Some affirm very positively, that the this question but doubtless there was a i lium 

Regular Baptisi church in the neighboorhood W ell denned, and understood by the ministry 
of Salem was organized before the Baptisi if no | by the laity. This people performed a 
church ai Clary's Grove. Grandmother Potter, ven important pari in the opening up and 
who was a grown woman, and living within a development of this country and their in- 
mili of Salem, says that the church was older fluence for good is still felt all over this 
by a year or two, than that al Clary's Grove, section. Mam men and women of the denom- 
Bul the memory of all other- is at variance ination. among the besl citizens of the coun- 
with hers. Be this as it may. one thing is try, are living here, bul not in number? sufri- 
true, that this denomination had a church here cieni to organize societies, bul adhering to 
in a verj earl\ day. Other societies were per- their faith they are calmly waiting the trans- 
haps formed in the county, bul if so, they, f er to the "•ureal congregation above." 
with that of Salem, have long since become ex- 

,, , , ,, , ,, MISSIONARY BAPTISTS. 

tiiiet. so thai at the present time there is not, we 

believe, an organization in the county. Bul As before stated, the Baptists were earh in 

there are a number of g I and substantia] men this Beld, bul tins denomination was very much 

of thai faith, whose Christian life and char- divided, especiallj on the subjeel of foreign 

acter will compare favorably with any others, and do stic missions. There wire, beside the 

still living in the county. While we would ■'Hard-Shells" or Regular Baptists, the Separ- 

noi say anything disrespectful or disparaging ate and United Baptists, and these were di- 

of this venerable people, whom we respeel and vided into the missionary and anti-missionary 

honor, yel we cannot refrain from relating an parties. The opposition to missions gradually 

anecdote of them, the truth of a pari of which, declined till long since there ceased to be any 

at least, is vouched for. In the palmy days of anti-mission Baptists exeepl the Hard Shells. 

Salem Dr. Allen created quite an excitement No people can justh be said to be opposed to 



LO 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



missions who enrol] among thru' members such 
men as the Judsons. Clary's Grove Baptist 
church was organized on Christmas day. L824. 
This was the first church of tin's denomination 
organized in the county but the burden of testi- 
mony is that Rock Creek Cumberland Presby- 
terian church is entitled to the honor of being 
the first religious organization of any kind in 
the count}'. From Clary's Grove radiated an 
influence which makes it the parent of that 
denomination in all this section of country. 
The early Baptisl preachers, like all the 
evangelical preachers of that time, were earnest, 
devoted and self-sacrificing in their labors. 
Baker's Prairie congregation of Baptists was 
organized in rather an early day and is still an 
important church. A Baptist church was or- 
ganized in Petersburg soon after the town was 
laid out, and is still a flourishing congregation. 
New Hope, nn Sand Ridge, is one of the old 
Baptist churches in the county and is doing 
well. There was at one time a church in 
Greenview. hut it has gone down. They have 
in the county three good brick buildings and 
one frame. The venerable P. EL Curry, after 
over sixty years in the ministry in this county, 
is now preaching as a missionary in Athens 
and we hope w 1 1| succeed in building up a 
church in that place. The Baptists form an 
important clement in society in this county ami 
their influence for good is felt far and near. 
Baptist minister,- are mentioned in other places 
in this work, in connection with the various 
settlements, hut as there arc some of more 
importance than others we will mention them 
here. Elder 1'. II. Curry is an able and good 
man and has done more for that church than 
any other one man in all this part of Illinois. 
At over eighty years of age he is still at his 
post, battling lor the right as he sees it. Rev. 
\\ illiam Goldsby, who died many years ago, 
grew up in this county, was converted here in 
early life and began preaching ami spent his 
I il'e in (he work. He was a man of limited 
education and possessed of nothing brilliant 
intellectually, hut Ins straightforward integrity, 
unswerving honesty and devoted piety gave him 

a wonderful power lor g 1 and while he was 

not regarded as an able preacher vet in his 
simple way he won many to the way of right- 



eousness, and will doubtless have many -tar- 
in his crown of rejoicing. The Spears, lion. 
\Y. T. Beekman ami others were pillars in this 
denomination and did much for the cause of 
religion ami morals in this county, and are 
doubtless reaping their reward. 

THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. 

It would seem eminently proper to have 
placed this church first in the history of 
churches in this county for they are pre-emi- 
nently a pioneer people. It- policy for spread- 
ing the gospel is just exactly adapted to the 
want- ami aeeds of new and sparselj settled 
sections of country. The first Methodist that 
ever settled iii [llinois was Captain Joseph 
<>"Je. who came to the state in 1775. The first 
Methodist preacher to come to the state was 
Rev. Joseph Lilian!, who formed the first so- 
ciety in the state. This class was formed m 
the cabin of Captain Ogle, in St. Clair county, 
hut the exact date is not given. Some time 
late' Rev. John Clark, who had preached for 
years in the Carolinas, that is from 1791 to 
L796, desiring to gei away from slavery, wan- 
dered westward and was the first to preach 
Methodism west id' the Mississippi river, and 
subsequently came to Illinois. Rev. Hosea 
Riggs was the first local preacher to settle in 
the state. The first work in the state, under 
thi authority of conference, was in 1803, when 
Rev. Benjamin Young was appointed mission- 
ary to the territory of Illinois by the western 
conference, holding its session at Mount Geri- 
zim. Kentucky. In 1804 he reported sixty- 
seven members in the stale. He was a man 
of great zeal and energy. In ism; Rev. Jesse 
Walker came to the state ami it was he who 
held the first camp-meeting in the state. At 
the close of 1806 there were two hundred and 
eighteen members in the state. The western 
conference included Tennessee. Kentucky, Ohio 
and all the northwest. In L812 it was divided 
and Tennessee and Illinois formed a confer- 
ence. In 1816 thi' Missouri conference was 
formed and Illinois was joined to it. In 1824 
[llinois conference was formed, with Indiana 
joined to it. In 1832 Indiana was separated 
from it. ami Illinois formed a separate confer- 
ence. We have mi reliable evidence as to who 
was the first Methodist preacher in Menard 



PAST. WD PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



II 



county Im! we do have proof thai as early as 
L820 or L82] a class was formed a1 Athens. 
Rev. James Stringfield was probably the first 
Methodist preacher in the county and certainly 
the first local preacher of that faith to settle 
here. In L823 or L822 a circuil was laid out 
and Rev. Isaac House was the circuit rider 
and Rev. Simms presiding elder. The Metho- 
dists built the lir-t house of worship that was 
built in Mellaril county; ii was built on the 
farm of Harry Riggin. The land was donated 
by Mr. Riggin, to revert to him when n ceased 
to be used for the purpose for which it was 
given. Ii was a neat hewed log house, twenty- 
two by thirty-six feet, and by chance it had 
glass windows. We say by chance because it 

was a] si impossible to secure glass at that 

day. but Mr. Riggin had brought a lot with 
him and dQnated enough for the church. This 
house served the purpose till about 1839 or 
L840, when it was sold and became a ham on 
Mr. Riggin's farm and tin 1 proceeds were ap- 
plied on the church built in Athens in 1810. 
The church has been blessed in Menard county 
with the labors of some very aide men. The 
venerable Peter Akers, I>. I>.. was presiding 
elder here lor some time and Peter Cartwright 
has preached in almost every grove and way- 
side in the county. The church has now four good 
houses and four congregations in this county 
at the present time. Reminiscences of Meth- 
odist preachers rush on the mind but if the 

flood gate i> :e opened there is no safe place 

to land, so we will speak id' hut one more man. 
The portly figure and smiling face of Rev. 
Barretl rises up before us, and with the face 

an interminable store of incidents rush n| 

the memory. That eye, so full of humor, look's 

out on the world no more; the voice, So sweet 
ill persuasion, so dire in denunciation and so 
convincing in argument, is long since silenl in 
death, hul those who knew him will never for- 
ge1 the power id' his pulpit efforts or the un- 
rivaled point and potency of his witticism-. 
Always and everywhere a zealous Christian 
gentleman ami devoted minister, yel he saw the 
ludicrous side of things and he had the gift of 
leading others to see it also. Sometimes, 
though not often, tins characteristic of the man 
would manifest itself in the pulpit and when 



it did the house was "brought down." Pardon 
one illustration of the man: a stor] that is 
absolutely true and told without exaggeration. 
Mr. Barretl was a plain western man. used to 
western habits and customs, lie was also 

blessed with a powerful physical const nm 

and. being a man of very active habits, Ins na- 
ture demanded, and he relished most heartily. 
good, plain, wholesome food. At one time he 

was on a circuit in which ot f the preaching 

points was in a settlement of New England 
people and most of tin' members wen' Yankees. 
Of course their manners were very unlike his, 
ami especially in the matter of diet the;, were 
totally unlike. In that early day sweetmeats 
were scarce ami those Eastern people had no 
idea of eating meat like the Westerners. They 
lived almost entirely without meal, and the 
inevitable pumpkin-pie was a standard part of 
their living, especially in (he fall and winter 
season. Brother Barrett visited almost every 
house hut it was everywhere the sam< — the 
pumpkin pie confronted him wherever he went. 
At last, almost starving, he hinted very broad- 
ly that he wanted meat, hut to no avail. Final- 
ly on Sunday morning, at the quarterly meet- 
ing, when the Presiding Elder was present, he 
determined to present his case to the Lord in 
prayer. A large audience had assembled and 
Brother Barrett offered the opening prayer. 
After addressing the throne of grace for a 
time he went on: ••() Lord, we thank Thee 
for this good land, for this productive soil and 
for sunshine ami shower. And we pray Thee, 
( » Lord, if Thou canst bless under the Gospel 
what Thou didst curse under the Law. that 
Thou wouldsl hless the hogs. Oh, may they 
fallen and thrive"; and do Thou send abundant 
crops of corn thai the} ma\ he made tat. that 
Thy servants may have meal to eat. that they 
may grov strong i" serve Thee and do Thy 
will, lint Oh. Lord, we pray Thee to blight 
the pumpkin crop. Semi blasting ami mildew 
mi even sprout and vine, for Thou knowest 

we can not serve Th m the strength they 

give." lie then went on, closed his prayer, 
and the service; and we may say that Brother 
Barretl had meal to eal after that. This story 
is literally true. Mr. Barrett lived and con- 
tinued to preach till some time in L878, ami 



12 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNT? 



in that year he was living in Jacksonville, and 
went up to Grigg's Chapel, in Cass county. 
II,. preached morning and evening and then 
\wnt home with a friend and retired in ap- 
parently perfect health. The next morning he 
was found cold in death. Thus closed the life 
of this strong, devoted, successful, btit eccentric 
servant of God. The Methodist Episcopal 
church lias had a great many aide, devoted and 
faithful ministers who have labored in this 
county and this great church i- doing it- part 
of the work here. 

il MBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN. 

About the year 1800 the spiritual condition 
of the church all over the south was von low. 
For malice was about all there was in the 
church, especially the Presbyterian church in 
the south. That church, Icing Calvinistic to 
tin' last degree, awaited the "election of grace" 
to do the work, instead of urging men to use 
their free agency in seeking the way of life. 
A prominent elder of the church in that day 
said that he sat under the ministry of an able 
Doctor of Divinity for twenty years, ami never 
in all that time heard him mention the agency 
of the Holy Spirit in the work of regeneration. 
About this time Rev. James McGready, who 
had been preaching lor several years, was acci- 
dentally aroused to a realization of his condi- 
tion ami was powerfully converted to God. He 
was a man of finished education ami of great 
natural ability and after his conversion he 
began t<> appeal to a dead and lifeless church. 
The result was wonderful. A great revival 
swept all over the south and thousands were 
erfully converted. The church was di- 
vided into a revival ami anti-revival party. 
The revival part} could ma accept the West- 
minster Confession of Faith, believing that it 
taught the doctrine of fatality. The Calvin- 
ists were tin- anti-revival party and they charged 
the revivalists with being Arminian in faith, 
lint this they most vehemently denied, claim- 
ing to he neither Arminian nor Calvinist. 

out of tin- revival the Cumberland Presby- 
terian church was horn. They have always 

clai I to occupy a clearly defined medium 

ground between Calvinism ami Arminianism. 
Their first theological publication was called 



the •■Theological Medium," and it was set for 
the defense of this position, denying every one 
of the distinctive doctrines of each. Whoever 
charges this church with being Calvinistic or 
Arminian does it through ignorance or preju- 
dice. They do not accept a -ingle one of tin 
five points of Calvinism, a- thej teach them, 
ami they as strongly repudiate the distinctive 
doctrines id' Arminius. Calvin says, election 
from eternity : Arminius says, election at death ; 
they say, election at conversion. Calvin says, 
salvation possible to a part, and certain to the 
elct: Arminius says, salvation possible to all, 
but certain to none; they say, salvation possi- 
ble to all. and certain to the believer. This 
church was organized on the 4th day of Feb- 
ruary, 1810, in Tennessee. Hence it is not 
to l.e expected that it had spread ven far. as 
early as the lir-t settling of tin- county in 
lsi;i and 1820, especially when we remember 
that it had its origin a- far south as the south- 
east part of Tennessee. It is true, however, 
notwithstanding this fact, that ministers of this 
denomination found their way here before the 
church wa- fifteen years old. The first Cum- 
berland Presbyterian minister to visit this part 
of this state wa- the Rev. John McCutehen 
Berrv. lie was horn in the Old Dominion 
March 22, 1788. Hi- education was limited. 
When twenty-two years of age he mad.- a pro- 
fession of religion and joined the Cumberland 
Presbyterian church, lie was a soldier in the 
war of 1812 and participated in the battle of 
\ew iirlean-. The Logan Presbytery licensed 
him to preach in 1819, ami in 1822 he wa- or- 
dained by the same body. He removed to In- 
diana in 1820 hut returned to Tennessee for 
ordination. Soon after his ordination he came 
to Illinois ami settled in the limits of Menard 
county, on Rock creek, near win re the Cum- 
berland Presbyterian church there stands. 
This section of the state wa- then in the bounds 
of the Illinois Presbyter} and so remained till 
the spring of 1829. Some years before this 
Mr. Berry had organized the Sugar Creek 
church, some ten mile- south of Springfield. 
By order of the Cumberland synod (for the 
general assembly was not yet formed) the San- 
gamon presbytery of the Cumberland Prestry- 
terian church was organized at Sugar creek, on 



PAST AND PKESENM OF MENAKD COUNTY 13 

the 20th il;n of April. 1829, at the home of of drink, becoming a confirmed drunkard and 

William Drennon. The ministers forming the dying an awful death. This was a blew from 

presbyterj- were Revs. John M. Berry, Gilbert which the father never recovered. bu1 a deep, 

Dodds, Thomas Campbell, David Foster and 'lark shadow seemed ever after to be easl over 

John Porter, Mr. Berrj being moderator, and him. It appears thai while Ins sun was in the 

Gilbert 1 >< >< l< Is. clerk. Mr. Berry preached the store at Salem he strove in every way thai he 

opening sermon from Matthew xvi:15. The could to dissuade his son from a life of in- 

elders present were Joseph Dodds, from Sugar temperance, but in vain. 1 1 1 - labors, however, 

Creek church; John Hamilton, from Bethel: were not in vain, as it seems, for the council 

and Samuel Berry, from Concord and Lebanon, given to the son made a lasting impression on 

As Mr. Berry was the first Cumberland Pre-- Mr. Lincoln. Years after the close of the 

yterian preacher in tins part of the state, it little grocery store al Salem, when Mr. Lincoln 

i- due tu history and to the cause to .-ay -nine- had reached a place of eminence in the legal 

thing i ■<• of him. As said before, his edit- profession, a certain grog-shop in a community 

cation was limited, owing to the circumstances was having its usual had influence and a num- 

-u rrounding him when he was young, but his ber of married men were neglecting their homes 

natural gifts, in every respect, were far above and their wives. These wives, seeing no other 

the average. He was independent in his man- way to remedy the evil, on a certain occasion 

iiia of thought, gentle and kind, hut uncom- gathered together and made a raid on the vile 

promising and unmerciful in In- opposition to den. demolishing the barrels, breaking up the 

everything that he thought to he wrong. He decanters ami demijohns and playing havoc 

was charitable in his feelings to the views of with things generally. For tin- the ladies 

others hut unyielding in his convictions un- were arrested ami prosecuted, and Mr. Lincoln 

til lie wa- convinced by the force of argument, volunteered his services for their defense. In 

As a speaker, he was plain, solemn and unas- the midst of a most powerful argument on 

suming, making no effort at rhetorical display the evils of the use of ami the traffic in intox- 

or dramatii effect, but possessing a command- ieating spirits, while all the crowd in tin room 

ing presence and a voice full of force ami per- were intensely interested, and many bathed in 

suasive attractiveness it is not surprising that tears, the speaker turned, and pointing his 

be exerted a wonderful power over men. long, bony finger toward where the venerable 

Though usually full of force and logic, yet Bern happened to be standing, said: "There 

at times, when warmed and inspired by his stands the man who, years ago, was instru- 

theme, he arose almost to sublimity and at mental in convincing me of the evils of traf- 

SUch time- hi- appeals were almost irresistible. lacking in and using anient spirits. 1 am glad 

The method of his argument was of the clear- that 1 ever saw him. I am -lad thai I ever 

est and rnosl incisive character, and when fully heard his testin \ mi this terrible subject." 

aroused by the importance of his subject he Tin- was a higher honor than to have been 

- ' i ' to '•n-r\ everything before him. His made chid magistrate of the nation. Such an 

character and the estimate in which he was encomium from such a man speaks volumes in 

held .-an be given besl by relating an anecdote, praise of Mr. Berry's influence for good and 

or rather an incident, which occurred at an unflinching stand for what is right, 
earlj da\ here. The reader is doubtless aware Such i- a brief sketch of this pioneer Cuni- 

thal the lamented Abraham Lincoln was at berland Presbyterian preacher in this part of 

nl "' i engaged in selling groceries in old Illinois. Mr. Bern died as he had lived, with 

Salem. A son of Rev. Bern was, for a time, his armor on. He died in Clinton, DeW tt 

' partner of Mr. Lincoln in tin- grocery, and county. Illinois, in the winter of 1856 or L857, 

d is a fact, conceded by all, that intoxicants where he had lived for a number of years. 

were sold by them, a- wa- the case in all gro- His early co-laborers were equally earnest, 'I' 

<it\ stores in those lime-. I'.e this a- it may. voted ami pious in their work for the Master, 

the young Berry in si wa} formed the habil and Dodds, Campbell and others will ever !»• 



! I 



AST AM) PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



remembered with warmest gratitude by the 
people of tin- denomination. Some of the olu 
settlers are firm in the conviction thai Lebanon 
congregation of the Cumberland Presbyterian 
church was the first religious organization in 
the county, bul after the mosi careful inquiry 
we arc convinced that Clary's Grove Baptist 
church has a just right to (his honor. Lebanon 
was organized in 1824 or 1825 and Concord a 
year or two later. There are in tin 1 county, 
at this writing, seven congregations of this de- 
nomination, Eour nl' which have regular pas- 
tors. 

PRESBYTER] \N ill I Kill. 

There is such an abundance of literature. 
especially in the line of history, of this church. 
thai it is not thought necessary in this place 
to enter upon an extended account. In 1816. 
or as some say. m 1814, the Rev. James Mc- 
Gready organized the Sharon congregation id' 
that church, in White county, [llinois. It was 
under the preaching of this same . lames Mc- 
Gready in 1800 thai the great revival began in 
the smith, that swept all over that part id' the 
I tilled Sta1i>. and out of which was born the 
Cumberland Presbyterian church. About the 
same time the Rev. J. F. Schenerhorn and Sam- 
uel J. Mills visited Kaskaskia and lefl a very 
deep impression bv their zeal and fidelity, espe- 
cially in the family of the Governor, Xinian 
Edwards. Ai thai time there was not a town 
of a thousand inhabitants in Indiana. Illinois 
or Missouri, unless it was Madison. Vincennes 
or St. Louis. Sparse settlements were scattered 
along the east side of Illinois as far north 
as the Vermillion river, and on the west side 
as far as Quiney. All north of this was a 
wilderness, save here and there an Indian trad- 
ing post. Peoria was Fori ('lark ami Chicago 
was Fort Dearborn. In 1821 Rev. Gideon 
Blackburn was in the zenith of his power as 
a preacher of the Gospel, lie passed through 
thi' state and held a camp-meeting a! Shoal 
creek, in Bond county, where there was a 
great outpouring of the Holy Spirit and many 
were converted ami a church was organized. 
Rev. Abraham Williamson, from Princeton. 
New Jersey, also Rev. Orrin Catlin and Daniel 
G. Snrague, from Andover, Massachusetts, 



preached in that part of the state ami organ- 
ized a church at Carrollton. About 1825, near 
i he time that the town of Jacksonville was laid 
out. Rev. John Kirch, a Scotchman, came to 
the state and began his labors in Jacksonville. 
Here he organized a church. He was succeed- 
ed by Rev. Mr. Ellis, who laid the foundation 
of Illinois College. On the 30th of January, 
1828, Mr. Ellis organized a church in Spring- 
field and na I it Sangamon church, after the 

river and county of that name. There wen 
nineteen went into the organization, onlj five of 

wl i lived in the village of Springfield, and 

these five were all women. The membership 
was scattered over a region of twenty miles 
around, several of them (Messrs. John and 
John X. Moore) lived in what is now Men,-. 
county. It is worthy of mention that I 
church was organized in the home of Mr-. 
Elizabeth Smith, widow of Dr. John Blair 
Smith, a very eminent man and once presidi m 
nf Ilampdon and Sidney College, Virginia. 
The church of Edwardsville was also organized 
in her house, when she lived in that place in 
1819. Rev. John G. Bergen, of New Jer«"y, 
was the first regular pastor of the Springfield 
church. «)n the 20th of May. is:!-.'. Rev. John 
Bergen organized the North Sangamon or In- 
dian Point church, in the Cumberland Pres- 
byterian "Meeting-House," at Lebanon, with 
i he following as members: Elijah Scott. John 
Stone. Andrew Moore. Samuel Moore Alex- 
ander Harnett. David Walker. Milton Kayhurn, 
Phoebe Moure Margarel S. Moore. Stephen 
Stone, Ann Barnett, John X*. Moore, Mary 
Moore. Jane Patterson, Panthy Barnett, Han- 
nah Baxter, Jane Rayburn, Polly Walker. Ma- 
tilda Walker. Elizabeth Walker. Jane Walker. 
Ann Walker. John Moore, Ambers Stone, Jane 
Scott. Lucy Stone, Polly Stotts. Catharine 
Stone. Jane Casey. Isabella Walker. Alexander 
Walker and William Stotts. The same day the 
following were received mi experience: John 
Alhn. Henry C. Rogers. Sarah C. Rogers and 
Elizabeth Patterson. John Moore, John X. 
Moore and Alexander Walker were chosen rul- 
ing elders. They used the Cumberland log 
"Meeting-House" till the Cumberlands decided 
to build a better bouse of worship, when the 
Presbyterians assisted in building it and occu- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 15 

pied i! Iialf the time till L 844, when the) built lions in central Illinois, and in a community 

a very comfortable frame church, twenty-eight of enterprising, intelligent and pious people 

by thirty-sis feel in size. This house they oc- il can not but be an agenc) of great good, 

cupied for seventeen years, or nil 1867, when The following persons who were communicants 

the present brick church was finished and dedi- in this church, have entered the gospel minis- 

cated b) Rev. John G. Bergen, D. D. Among in: John II. Moore, 1». J. Strain. John W. 
the honored pastors and supplies who hfeveij Little, John J. Graham, W. C. McDougall and 

served this church we ma) name Rev. William John Howe Moore. The last named, a young 

K. Stewart, Rev. Thomas A. Spillman, Rev. man of rare piety and promise, was called 

George W. McKinley. Rev. Samuel Foster, l.o bis reward before he had completed his 

Rev. Alexander Ewing, Rev. John W. Little, studies preparatory to entering the active min- 

Rev. Thomas Gait, Rev. William Perkins Rev. istry. 

R. A. Criswell, Rev. R. A. VanPelt, Rev. Mr. rm. disciples. 
Reese, LV\ . John Crozier, Rev. 1 ». J. Strain, This body of people, known as Disciples, 
K<\ Barnabas Lyman, Rev. T. W. Leard and Christians, or Church of Christ, bad its origin 
the Rev. II. B. Douglas. Mr. Douglas served in western Pennsylvania. It originated thus: 
till L891. On the 8th of May. 1891, tlu Rev. In the year 1809 Thomas Campbell and his 
D. G. Carson began Ins ministry here which son, Alexander Campbell, having become deep- 
still continues. The mosl important event in ly impressed with what they regarded as the 
the recent histon of the North Sangamon unfortunate division among professed Chris- 
church was the erection of a Mission Chapel tian people, began an effort to bring about a 
in the town of Athens. On the 28th of March, union of all, not intending to start a new "sect" 
I892, the session of this church took the initial or party. These men were natives of Scotland 
step in this important work. Going about it and having emigrated to America they settled 
with zeal and energy, it was no great task to in Virginia. They were both regularly or- 
build a place of worship. Athens had needed dained ministers in the Presbyterian church, 
si Presbyterian house of worship for a Long but after coming to America they became dis- 
ime, as there were a number of people of satisfied in regard to baptism and seme other 
that faith who lived in the place. On the subjects of Christian doctrine and after a time 
16th of July. 1893, the) dedicated a very neat they united with the Baptist church. It. was 
find commodious house of worship, costing four nol long till they were regarded as unsound 
thousand dollars. The house was dedicated on the doctrine of the operation of the Hoi) 
free of debt, on the date given above, the serv- Spirit and the work of regeneration, by the 
i es being conducted by the Rev. W. II. Ten- Baptists, and a great deal of disputation and 
hallegan, D. D., of Decatur, III. Since the controversy followed. They had arrived at the 
house was built they have kept up regular serv- conclusion that taking the Bible alone, with- 
ices, Rev Mr. Carson preaching for them, and oul an) standard of interpretation, would unite 

they have a successful Sabbath-scl I, with all all the churches. Quite a number of people, 

the ether services. The North Sangamon mostly Presbyterians, went into the enterprise 

church is in a prosperous condition, the Rev. with the Campbells, but soon the question of 

D. G. Cars. in. who has served them as paster the i le and subject of baptism was mooted 

for fourteen years, being still their beloved and and many forsook the new party but the ma- 
trusted leader, with the following officers: jority rejected infant baptism and affusion 

Robert A. Young, McKinley Jones, John II. and the body beeam le of "immersed be 

Kincaid, Henry M. Moore and James S. Culver lievers," and were soon united with the Red- 
constituting the session; the trustee- heme I! stone Baptisl Association. Soon after tin's |],,- 
\. Kincaid, F. II. Whitney and Lee Kincaid. troubles, spoken of above, developed, and the 
No church in central Illinois runs smoother "Disciples" became a distinct sect. Thus what. 
and with less friction. It is located in the was intended to unite the sects resulted in 
ver) heart of one of the finest agricultural see- adding another to the long list of sects. About 



h; 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



bhree years before the beginning of the move 
by the Campbells in Pennsylvania, a Presby- 
terian minister in Kentucky had tried to bring 
alioul a union of all churches on the basis of 
the Bible alone. This movement was brought 

alioul and led 1>\ i Barton W. Stone, who 

had been a Presbyterian minister for years. 
Stone had collected quite a little hand together 
ami he and the Campbells met and alter quite 
a time spenl in controverting various points, 
they united their forces, the two forming a 
very considerable body of people. The follow- 
ers of Stone were called "New Lights" and 
those of Campbell "Disciples," but for the 
sake of distinction many people called the one 
party "Stonites" and the other "Campbell- 
ites" but neither of these names was given in 
reproach, but merely to distinguish them. It 
i- certain that the "New Lights." as they were 
railed here, sent preachers into this part of 
Illinois almost as early as other denomination-. 
As said before, Rev. House, of the Methodist 
Episcopal church, was the first preacher in 
this county and old Mr. Crow, the Regular or 
"Hard Shell'" Baptist, was the next. As early 
as 1820 or lS'.'l a New Lighl preacher by the 
name of Henderson came to Sugar Grove, and 
preached in the cabin of Roland Grant hut 
there is no evidence that he ever attempted 
lo form a society. Not long after this Barton 

W. Stone himself ca ami preached a number 

of times in Clary's Grove. Stone was fol- 
lowed by Sidney Rigdon, who was then a New 
Lighl preacher but he afterward became a 
Morn, on ami later one of the Twelve Apostles, 
and traveled all over Europe as a missionary 
of that church. In the year lS-,'7 a Disciple 
congregation was formed in Clary's Grove and 
a few years later they luiill a log meeting- 
house. Scmie wars later they limit a good 
frame church in the Grove which served them 
till the village of Tallula was laid out. See- 
ing thai this was to !»■ the center of the com- 
munity, they sold the frame church in the 
Grove and ahoui the close of the Civil war they 
erected the large ami commodious church in 
the village, which they >iill occupy. The date 
of the organization in the Sugar Grove is 
not definitely known, but it is admitted by 
all that it was at a verj early period. This 



soon became a very strong and prosperous 
body and it was for many years the largesl 
and most wealthy congregation in the count). 
Ii continued to hold this enviable position till 
1861 when misfortune seemed to overtake it, 

and in a short ti it was almost annihilated. 

But as this story is told in another place, we 
omit it here. This is a strong and active body 
of people, earnestly pushing their work in every 
direction. They have five strong churches in 
Menard county, each active ami aggressive, 
keeping up all the departments of their work, 
and the general enterprises of the cause. They 
have an aide and intelligent ministry, and as 
a denomination are very active in the work 
of education. 

Thus we have given a brief outline of the 
work of the various bodies of Christian people 
in the county, from the beginning of the settle- 
ment here, and we think that in the main it 
is correct. Under the head of the various set- 
tlements will he found more of the detail of 
the work of particular congregations. We 
wotdd have been glad to have given more of 
the particulars of the trials and hardships en- 
dured by the early preachers, as we believe 
that this would have been of great value to 
the people of to-day. When our modern kid- 
gloved and classically educated young preachers 
of the present time go into a congregation, 
strong and rich, and receive a good salary and 
a plea-ant home, they should know and realize 
the work that was done by those hardy pio- 
neer-, in preparing this "well-feathered nest" 
for them. They should know that, while many 
n( those early preachers had only the rudiments 
of an education and had scarcely ever heard of 
a theological seminary, they were better versed 
in the doctrines of the Bible and could preach 
the gospel with tenfold the power and effect 
that is realized at the present time. Those 
men received no salary: they endured hard- 
ships and privations almost beyond description; 
they suffered and toiled without pay. because 
they had the matter at heart, and the gospel 
was like lire shut up in their bones: and like 
I rue •"Sons of Thunder*' they went forth and 
laid this broad and deep foundation, on which 
we. of the present, are called to build. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY i; 

CLARY'S GROVE. now forgotten, or is remembered only as the 

This settlemenl of course includes Tallula last nngering memories of a hideous nightmare. 

and all that section of Menard county north of l!l " We would '"" have the reader su PP ose 

Rock creek and to the Cass county line, and "' ; " "'' ""' l '" 1 " ""' Clar - vs '"' othcr of the 

on north to the Sangamon river, 'it includes sub stantial citizens who had located there. As 

-mm, ,,f the finest lands, both tin r and before sta ted, it was the rough element always 

prairie, thai there is in the entire county. Eound m a new country and long ago left there 

Ever 3 one is aware of the fad that the early for g reener fields il1 " 1 more congenial climes, 

settlements were invariably made in the tun- '' l "' '"'"' s, ' llll ' mi ' 111 "' Clary's Grove has 

ber. [f one wished to know where the finest '" VI ' '" M s ' I,,n " ial lf seems unnecessary to 

and largest lies of timber were when the "' l "' a ' " l,ore - John Clar - V waa ll " lll,|l( '- the 

white man first came, all he would be required '"^ 8ettler '" ""' territory of wha1 '8 '"■« 

to do would be to ascertain where the first M, '"'' ml '"'"""' '"" " ls :lls J I dispute 

settlements were made and his question would f ha1 ; sl ; " ""' rer - v """' tha1 '"' was l,,, ' ;l1 " 

be answered. Tallula is the only town or vil- "'<- '" ""' Grove """''' P artiea ea '" Sll - ar 

lage in this territory and th i postoffice ( "'" v " and [ndian l '""" timber - , ' larv 



came 



at the present time. The Jacksonville divi- '"'" Lei ssee ; ""' located '" ,l "' grove ever 

sion of the Chicago & Alton railroad runs ~""''' ealled '' v llls " ; " 1 "' '" ll "' y ear ,sl!) - 

through this section from nor ast I" south- "'' '""" '' three-faced rain,,, leaving one en- 

west and passes almost immediately over the h re side open, in whic lived with his Eam- 

spot where Clary built three-faced camp when ''- v ''"' tiiree years " The "1"'" side "'' the 

he first settled there. Notwithstanding Tallula camp served ; '^ door ' window ailtl fireplace, as, 

community is now the very perfection of re- '" Cold "'• alllrl '- ""A ke Pt a huge log heap 

finement and wealth, the time was when it ,,,m,m - '" lmi " " r '•■ which serve,! to keep 



could justly have laid claim to the other ex- 
tra Seventy-five years ago Clary's Grove 

was synonymous with all the mischief and dev 



them warm, and on this fire they did their 
cooking. After three years Clary sold his 
claim to a Mr. Watkins and a little later Wat- 



iltrj that occurred within a radius of fifty kmB S,,M "'" '" <i ""''- r S l"'"' s - wl ^proved 

nnks. and the few civilize. m who had the ""' farm ' gW """''' lands and lived there 

misfortune to live there among those "border "" ""' '" ' lns death ' which occurre d s e 

ruffians" of that remote date say the 3 were fift een or twenty years back. Clary, after sell- 
ashamed to tell where they were' from when m „ g , hls claim ' rem oved to Arkansas but several 
the] went to Springfield. The settlement was 



ol his children remained in I llinois and main' 



made up largely of the "rag tag and 1 -tail" "' h ' s descendants are sW llvi "- in this coun 



who leave the mure civilized sections for their 
own and their country's good and seek the 



ty. He was a soldier of the Ke\ oluf ionan v ar 
and took part in mam of the fierce battles 



frontier, where the] are unrestrained bv law Wlth the " red coats " "'' Km " Geor S e - l!v 

and order, and again take up their line of '"''"''' a pioneer - '"' sou S h1 lhr wilds " r [lli " 

march as the star of empire wends its way '""" ''""' as people erowded lllMI ' 'lose he 

toward the glowing west. So it was here \.s rG "''''" the fresher scenes of Arkansas. 

civilization advanced this rough element pulled Thomas Watkins was from Kentucky and 

up stakes and moved to other frontier local- ^f* S" 7 °? "t "?***, """'" '" ^ ' 

;,- , • ,, , , ,. , . . . ,, lo<51. \\ lu'ii In' sold Ins claim in the grove 

ities. leaving the substantial clement m full , , , 

_, , lie removed io the tnnber near where the <-i t \ 

possession, and thus Clary's Grove developed ,,,• ,.,.(,.,. ..,, ,. . ,, ,_ , ,, , ,, . . 

1 in rereiSDurg imw stands. || c reared a lai'< r C 

]nt ' ""' '""-' "l"i'-l *** respectable familv ;]ll(l many „ r hi(J descendants ;II ,. ,,,., 

aei g hborl N "' l1 "' " , " 11 '" cou ntry, and to- dents of the county at the present time. When 

da 3 " 1S looked "I"" 1 as the very paradise of George Spears came to this Mai- from Ken 

Menard county. The ill name given it by the tucky in 1824, he bought Watkins out as stated 

lawless deed- of the "Clary's Grove boys" is above. Spears reared a large familv, somi o 



LAST AM) I'RKSKNT OF MLXAh'D COUNTY 



whom are still living.' One son lives in Tal- 
liil.-i. John Q. Spears; and one daughter, Mrs. 
George ('. Spears, lives in Tallula ; and another 
daughter, .Mrs. William T. Beekman, lives in 
Petersburg. 

Absalom Mounts came to the grove m 1820 
or L821 and remained for a time. He built a 
mill here; perhaps this was the first mill in 
the county, but it was a most primitive affair 
in pattern, dimensions and capacity. Whence 
ho came no one seemed to know, and after 
aw hilo he removed to Mason county and was 
"lost in the shuffle." James White and Robert 
Conover were brothers-in-law to George Spears 
and came from Green county, Kentucky. 
White -rilled here in 1820 and Conover in 
L821. Their wives were sisters of Mr. Spears, 
and they, having opened farms in the grove, 
reared large families, whose descendants are 
scattered all over tliis country. The old peo- 
ple, of course, have been dead for many years; 
in fact their second generation are now all 
^oiie. Rev. .lames and John G. White, noted 
Cumberland Presbyterian preachers in this 
-late years ago, were sons id' I In' pioneer .lames 
White. Solomon Matthews, from Tennessee, 
was another of the early immigrants of this 
part of the country, coining in 1821 or 1822, 
but lie was one of those transient settlers to 
lie found in new countries, who. as game thins 
out and becomes scarce, follow it to other 
fields. Matthews left in a lew years, and where 
he went, no one seems to know or care. Anoth- 
er of the very early comers was Bannister Bond, 
who came from Tennessee and remained for 
over twenty years and thru sold out and re- 
moved to Iowa. Cyrus Kirby came in 1822 
ami located in the grove, where he became a 
permanent citizen. He was originally from 
Kentucky, but first settled in Madison county, 
near Alton, somewhere about lslii or 1817. 
lie was rather poor and. having no team to 
plow Ins land, he took' a mattoc and actually 
dug up two acres of prairie and planted it in 
corn. Think of this, ye "silk-stockinged" 
farmers, as you ride over vour broad fields in 
your sulk} plow- ami watch with pride your 
reapers and headers as they glide through the 
golden grain, and remember that eighty years 
ago, perhaps, some hard run. hut honest far- 



mer like Cyrus Kirhv was toiling upon the 
same spot to make bread for his children. 
When Mr. Kirby died, some years ago, this 
same memorable mattoc was sold at his sale 
and was bought by Ins son and it is siill treas- 
ured in the family as a relic of pioneer days. 
Mr. Kirh\ died here inan\ years hark. EJia 
son George tvirbj died in 1904, at the gieal 
age of ninety-two years. Two of Cyrus Kir- 
by's daughters still live in this county: Mis. 
Samuel Watktns. far up in the eighties; and 
Mrs. Lewis Watkins, now in her ninety-seventh 
year. Mr. Kirby has a large posterity in this 
section of country, all of whom arc well-to-do 
and respected citizen-. Another of the early 
comers to this grove was Solomon Speer, who 
came in 1820, with Mr. White. He and White 
were brothers-in-law, and he located hen', hut 
alter a lew years he removed to Cass county, 
where he died many years ago. Jacob and 
Jesse Cum came out from Kentucky, where 
most of the earl\ settlers of this section came 
from, in IS'.M or is-.".', and took claims. Jesse 
died where he settled main years ago. and 
Jacob moved to Knox county, win re he died. 
William Clary came from Tennessee in 1822 
in' 1823 and in IS'.M sold his claim to George 
Spears and removed to Arkansas. Andrew 
Heard came about the same time and look a 
claim — (he same that John Q. Spears after- 
ward lived on — and -old n to George Spears 
in 1824. After selling out to Spears Beard 
-ell led on the west side of the grove, where 
he remained several years, and then sold and 
started to Oregon, hut died on the way mi 
the Gulf of Mexico. Burton Lytton, also 
from Kentucky, was an early settler, hut -old 
in- claim to George Spears in 1824 and re- 
moved to ('as> county. William Revis came 
m 1822, but -old his claim to Conover in a 
year or two and went west. Mrs. Jane Vaughn, 
a widow huh. came aboul 1822, but in a lew 
years sold her claim and moved to Knox coun- 
ty. Joseph Watkins was here as early as 1820 
or 1821, but in a short time he removed to 
Little Grove, where he lived many year.-, and 
died on the farm he had improved. John 
Cum. Si-., came to the grove from Kentucky 
in 1822 and settled on a claim, hut later he 
removed to Knox county, where he spent the 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



in 



remainder of his life. The pioneers named 
above came in the grove prior to 182<J — the 
year thai George Spears settled there. Sev- 
eral had already moved awa\ before that time, 
for the;) were of that das.- who squat in the 
wilderness where game is plenty, and when 
thai begins to fail they, like the Arabs, "fold 
their tents and silently steal away." 

Mr. Spears cami here from Kentucky in 
LS2-J and, as already noted, bought the claims 
of a number of parties whose settlement in 
the grove has been mentioned above. 1 i is 
father and mother came with him, far ad- 
vanced mi years al the time, and died there 
at a ripe old age. He bought the claims of 
these squatters, for they were only claims, and 
entered i he land after it came into market. 
After coming m l^'.'l he entered and opened 
up over three thousand acres of land and set- 
tled bis children around him on good farms. 
He saw the wilderness transformed until it 
does indeed blossom as the rose. When be 
came here the lew scattering settlers who were 
here had to go to Springfield to vote. He built 
i he second brick house that was erected in 
Sangamon county, which then embraced Me- 
nard. Cass. Mason and parts of two or more 

e ties. lie lived the remainder of his days 

in that house, dying only a short time ago 
at more than eighty years of age, and the house 
is still (1905) standing and in a good state 
of repair, -till being occupied, 'tin- brick for 
the house were made on the farm, the mud 
for them heme tramped with oxen, ami the 
finishing lumber, which was all walnut, was 
sawed bj hand with a whipsaw. lie was an 
earnest Christian man. belonging to the Bap- 
tist church, and contributed, perhaps, re lib- 
erally than am other man to the church m 
'Pallida ami as liberal to all the general enter- 
prises of the church. 

I'll i.i- < '< \er was the lir-t man who settled 

out on the prairie and. as hi- house was lour 
mill'- from the timber, many of the people 
thoughl that he was demented. Conover was 
Hun New Jersey and had an idea that he 
would always have inexhaustible pasture for 
hi- stock on nature's blooming meadows, for 
the earlv immigrants all thoughl that the 



prairies would never he settled, at leasl for 
mam generations. How far they missed their 

guess the present -tale of the country sllOWS. 

Thomas Arnold came from Tennessee in L826 
or is-. 1 ; and, being \t'v\ poor, he lived on Mr. 
Spears' land till able to secure a home of his 
own. lie lived on Spears' land till able to 
buy a piece id' his own and finally accumulated 
a fair property. John Sewell, a brother-in- 
law of Arnold, and William Tippeti came at 
the same lime with Arnold and they also lived 
on Spears' land. They were ever after spoken 
of as honest, hard-working men and finally 
secured comfortable homes. Samuel B. Neely 
came from Tennessee in L828 and settled in 
the grove. Some years later he wen! to Ma- 
son county, where he died. Ahrahaiu Burgin 
came from New Jersey in 1825 or 1826 and 
was a man of considerable prominence, bui 
after a time he went to Galesburg, where he 
later died. Abraham B. Bell came from Ken- 
tucky in 1826 and settled in the grove and 
died there many years ago. John l\ inner came 
from Virginia at the same time that Bell 
came and located here. lie reared a family 
and has been dead many years, hut his descend- 
ants slid live in that vicinity. William T. 

Beekman ci i from New Jersey at a some- 

whal later date ami married a daughter of 
George Spears. He was a man of line char- 
acter and of considerable prominence in the 
county, lie died recently iii Petersburg. 
Other settlers, coming at a little later dale. 
were George, Jacob ami Jesse Greene, William 
Smedley, Samuel Colwell, Joseph Coddington, 
Theodore Baker, Isaac N Reding and William 
G. Greene. Mr. Greene was a native of Ken- 
tucky, and he and his parents Ca here al 

a \er\ earlv day and they settled near "Niw 
Salem." where the old people died III the oarl\ 

history of the settlement. William G. Greene 
was oiie of the most prominent figures, in In- 
day, in this pari of the stale, lie was an 
intimate friend of Abraham Lincoln and at 
one time wa- associated with him in hiisnic-s 
at Salem, lie accumulated a large fortune 
which he left to In- children. A fuller accounl 
i.f him is given in another place in Ibis vol- 
ume. From this period it is impossible to 
trace the settlements of Ibis section, because 



.-,11 



PAST AND PRESENT <>]•' MENARD COUNTY 



of the vast tide which was in constant ebb and 
How. 

The trials and inconveniences of these set- 
tlers were the same as in other new countries. 
As other white people flocked to the grove 
with undaunted courage they met the ancient 
possessors of the soil, whether savage beasts 
or savage men, ami despite their strongly con- 
tested right to it, succeeded in gaining a foot- 
hold, which has developed into the stair of 
civilization and material wealth that we see 
around us today. These people knew nothing 
of railroads, had never heard of a locomotive, 
and if anyone had prophesied the railroads. 
telegraphs, telephones, etc., of the present, he 
would have been put under guard as a con- 
firmed and dangerous lunatic. Steam thresh- 
er-, sulky plows, mowers and reapers were alike 
unknown to these early pioneers and are in- 
ventions that had never entered into their wild- 
est dreams. The old sod, eary or bar-shear 
plow, drawn by three or Four yoke of oxen, 
was the only means known to them of subdu- 
ing the soil. Their nearest trading point was 
Springfield, and the stock of goods kept there 
was limited and often the funds were not at 
hand to pay the price. Springfield was also 
their nearest postoffice and a letter from the 
old home cost "two hits" or twenty-live cents, 
and often the letter would lie in the office for 
a month for want of the "quarter" to pay 
the little bill, a- Uncle Sam had a way of 
refusing credit to all alike. Milling was an- 
other great annoyance as null- were very scarce, 
and often the very early settlers had to go 
twenty-five. Iil't\ or even one hundred miles for 
Head stuff; in fact, the Athens people in an 
earh day had to go to Si. Louis, a distance 
id' one hundred and twenty miles, for meal 
ami Hour. Often lor weeks. A n(\ even months 
together thej were compelled to depend upon 
i he mortar to pound the corn, or the "gritter," 
as they called the grater, or upon "lye-hominy," 
as the only substitute for bread. And then 
the prairie fires, the prairie wolves, the deep 
snow, ile sudden cold -nap. ami other troubles 
"too numerous to mention" beset their way. 
(if these trials the present generation know 
nothing, onlj as they sit by the fire and hear 
some grandfather or grandmother tell the storv, 



and then they often think that it must he an 
exaggerated story. But eighty-five Mai- have 
passed ami lo! the change that has taken place. 
Upon the face of nature these rolling years 
have written their record and the wilderness 

ha- I n transformed into a veritable Garden 

of Eden. The railroad has supplanted the ox 
Wagon; in fact, the country is a network of 
railroads; the power of the ox and horse is 
superseded by that of steam and electricity; 
and brain i- now doing what brawn did in 
their day. What a change has been brought 
about in the last eighty-five years ! And wdtat 
will the next eighty-five years do? Judging 
the future by the pasl we conclude that no 
illumination ean paint a picture too extravagant 
to represent the changes of the coming period 
of that length. To the pioneer- of that day 
the achievements of today would have been as 
chimerical as anything that Jules Verne's fer- 
tile brain could devise. What will it be? In 
eighty-five years we will sail through the air 
as securely and comfortably as we now glide 
over these prairies in the cars. We really be- 
lieve this will he thi' ease. What a day that 
will lie. Instead id' buggies or auto- or steam 
or electric turnouts, we w-ill have double back- 
action, electric-automatic repeating sky-scrap- 
ers. The church entrance will then he down 
the spire; and on Sunday morning the sky will 
he full of gaily adorned turn-out:-, or turn-ups. 
onthewa\ to church. It's funny, but ifs com- 
ing. No more strange to us than the present 
achievements would have been to our grand- 
fathers. 

The first practicing physician in this section 
of eountrj was Dr. Allen, of Petersburg; and 
Dr. Kenier was the first disciple of Aesculapius 
to settle in Clary's Grove. When he first came 
he was a bachelor ami he hoarded with George 
Spears. This was in 1828 or 1829. In a 
little while lie took unto himself a wife and 
went to housekeeping. The conditions in those 
days were such that people could not afford to 
get sick and hence doctors were far less im- 
portant personages than they are now. A man 
who owned a mill or a blacksmith shop was a 
bigger man than any doctor. It was generally 
believed then that the women could do all the 
"doctoring" needed with catnip tea and hone- 



PAST Wl> PRESENT OF MEXARD COUNTY :,i 

set. Roberl Armstrong was the first justice of this qow venerable church was Rev. Jacob 

the peace in the grove and, as we are informed, Gum, with Robert Conover as clerk of the ses- 

had bul little legal knowledge. His familiar- sion. The first church 1 k was made of fools- 

it\ wiili legal technicalities was limited in the cap paper and bound with pasteboard. The 

extreme and his courts were the theater of early meetings of the society were held (for the 

many humorous scenes as one illustration will mosl pari alternately) at the homes of George 

serve to show: A ease came before him i Spears and Roberl Conover. From a period 

day in which a couple of lawyers were em- a lew years alter the organization nil 1843 a 

ployed. After the ease had been decided the log sehoolhouse (the one spoken of above) was 

defeated lawyer gave notice that he appealed used by the society as a place of worship. Dur- 

the case from his decision, when the other law- ing the year lasi mentioned the society erected 

yer nudged him and whispered m his ear: a substantia] frame building, thirty by forty 

"Don'i allow him to appeal." The justice drew feel in dimensions, which was used as a church 

himself up with all the dignity embodied in building until 1871. This building is thought 

the ponderous form <>r David Davis, and re- to have cost abotit two thousand dollars and 

plied: ••There is no appeal; I allow no ap- was built under a contract with William T. 

peal from tin- court, sir." Beekman, who did the principal part of the 

The firsi school taught in Clary's Grove was carpenter work. After this last date the so- 
taught h\ .lames Fletcher in a house on the ciety removed to the village el' Tallula, where 
land of George Spears about 1825. Fletcher they erected a splendid house of worship. See 
could net have gotten a first grade certificate further account of this tinder the head 
at the present day, but we are infori 1 that "Churches." Rev. John M. Berry, a Cumber- 
he could spell words of two syllables and read land Presbyterian minister who lived on Rock 
fairl\ well by skipping the hard words. lie creek, was also one of the early preachers in 
was tin' best, however, to be secured in those the grove. Ill bis day hut few church houses 
lone- and the people were obliged to be -.itis- had been erected in this pari of the stale and 
fied with him. This log temple of learning he was an itinerant in the fullesl sense of the 
served the citizens of the grove for a number word, lint he preached everywhere and all 
of years, in fact till it was burned down. The the time. A Christian church was organized 
community then erected a hewed log house, in the grove in 1834 with the following mem- 
which served them for a number of year- as hers: .John Wilson, William G. While, .lane 
a sehoolhouse as well as a church. White, Jesse I.. Trailor, Obedience Trailer and 

The first church organization in the grove Lydia A. Caldwell. Services were held in pri- 
was Clary's Grove Baptist church, which many vate residences till 1847, when a comfortable 
claim was the first organization of a religious little church was built on the farm of William 
character in what is now Menard comity. Hut Smedley. In this house they worshipped until 
some most strenuous^ denj this, affirming thai 1864, when they -old it and erected another 
the Methodist class at Athens was prior to it. house in the village of Tallula as noticed in 
Tin- dispute can never be settled now. The another place. The inevitable Methodist eir- 
records show that the Clary's Grove Baptisl cuit rider used to pass this way as t i i < ■ \ go 
church was organized on the 25th day of De- into every place with the old, old story, but 
cember (Christmas day) 1824, the ordaining thej -cent never to have gotten a hold in anj 
presbytery consisting of William P. Crow, pari of this entire territory. No Methodist 
William Rollin and .lames Bradley. The con- Episcopal church bouse has ever been built 
stituenl members were thirteen in number, or societj organized within the limits of this 
namely: George Spears, Si-.. Mary Spear-, entire settlement so far a- we can learn. We 
Rev. Jacob Cum. Samuel Combs, Sr.. .lane believe that of late years the "Sanctified" Meth- 
Coml -. Ezekiel Harrison and wife. M. Hough- odists have formed a society ami buill a house 
ton ami wife. Elijah Houghton, Roberl Con- in the village of Tallula. but we have no re- 
over and Hannah Whits. The lir-i pastor of liable data to give concerning them. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



Tallula, a real little gem of a village, is 
situated on the southwest side of Clary's Grove 
on the Jacksonville division of the Chicago & 
Alton Railroad and is surrounded by as fine 
a section of farming country ""as lies out of 
doors." In the latter part of 1857 the town 
was laid out by William G. Greene, J. G. 
Greene, Richard Yates, Theodore Baker and 
\V. C. Spears. The name was given by the 
last named gentleman and it is said to be an 
Indian word meaning "dropping water," but 
it' the existence of the town depended on the 
meaning of the word there would never be any 
Tallula except when it rained, for there is no 
other water near there to "drop." Nevertheless 
it i- a prettv name, whether it is appropriate or 
not, and it- -mind is as musical as the country 
around it is beautiful. The first house was 
erected soon after the town was laid out by 
\Y, i.. Spi ii- and was afterward owned by R. 
B. Thrapp. The next building was put up by 
Robert M. Ewing and so nearly at the same 
time with Spears' that it is hard to say which 
was really the first. The firs) store was opened 
in January, 1858, by Thrapp & Spears, which 
firm continued about eight months, when 
Spears retired, and Thrapp continued to run 
the business alone. The postofnee was estab- 
lished there in fs:>s with F. S. Thrapp as 
postmaster. Hugh Hicks opened the first 
blacksmith shop in 1859. Mr. .1. 1". Wilson 
was the first practicing physician to hang out 
his shingle in the new village. As soon a- the 
railroad began operation F. S. Thrapp began 
the business of buying grain, lie bought and 
ship'ped at first from wagons, hut later he built 
a grain warehouse. About IS76 or is;; A. T. 
Gaylord built an elevator at a cost of about 
four thousand dollar- ami ran the business for 
-ouie ti At presenl Mr. Hushman is run- 
ning the elevator. In the pasi Thrapp. Cay- 
lord. Bell Brothers and ('. 11. Laning & Com- 
pany have run this business here. The tir-t 
hotel was nm by Mrs. Brooks, hut the iir-t 
building put up lor the purposi wa- built by 
frank Spear- and run by him for some time 
Mrs. Zolman at one time kept the Revere 
House, -k V. Watheu ha- I een the veteran host 
I'm- Tallula. Charles Greene and a man by the 
name of I leal -md'. .i i in shafl here iii is;:; 



or 181 I ami if ha- been worked almost con- 
stantly since by one and another. This coal is 
about two hundred feet below the surface and 
the vein is a little over six feet thick. The tir-t 
school taught in the village was b\ Mi-- Sarah 
Brockman in 1859 in the distriel sehoolhouse, 

which st 1 jus! outside the corporate limits. 

This may seem an Irish hull, but it was termed 

the village -el 1 and wa- patronized by the 

children of the town. The German Reformed 
church was afterward used as a sehoolhouse. 
Tin present school building was erected in 
1868-9 at a cost of from eight to ten thousand 
dolli i-. beside three acres of land, on which it 
stands, donated by Mr. Greene. The original 
building contained four elegant rooms, with 

closets, cloak- m etc. During the summer of 

1904 two more elegant rooms — up to date in 
every respect — were added. Tallula has always 
striven to have the best schools in the conn! 
and ha- often succi eded. i See tinder head 
"Educat imi." i 

Tallula was incorporated as a village under 
the general law in 18-72 with the following as 
the first hoard of trustees: J. F. Wilson, R. 11. 
Bean, J. T. Bush, .1. F. Wathen and F. S. 
Thrapp, who organized for business by electing 
R. II. I',, an president of the board. At present 
the population is about a thousand and the 
the business of the town is all that could lie 
expected of a place of its size. It ha- a num ret 

of g 1 general -tore-, a bank, drug store, hotel. 

lumberyard, with shops of various kinds and 
the inevitable saloon, but in justice it may be 
said that Tallula has had saloons hut a very- 
small portion of the time since it began. I For 
churches, cemetery and schools, see under their 
appropriate head-, i 

The village of "Rushaway," once a thriving 
business place, almost equal to what Tallula is 
now. lias "rushed away" anil is now among the 
things that were. It wa- laid out by J. T. 
Rush and William Workman sometime in the 
earh fifties, but the exact date is not known. 
The first -ton was kept by J. T. Rush and a 
man by the name of Way. These two names 
connected in business combined together make 
the name 1,'u-haway. which was given to the vil- 
lage. F. S. Thrapp had a -tore there also. A 
postofnee was also established, with Rush as 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



postmaster. When the Chicago & Alton Rail- 
road was limit it missed the town a mile or 
two and on the laying out of Tallula a part of 
the town rushed there and the resl rushed to 
Ashland. The postoffice was removed to Tal- 
lula and t he name ehangi d. The proprietoi - 
of the railroad, it is said, would have run the 
road through the village if the\ had received 
the proper encouragement, I iit the people of 
Rushaway, believing thai the road would be 
obliged io go thai way. stood upon their dig- 
nity and even refused to grant the righi of way. 
only at the highest market price. As a conse- 
quence, the road was located elsewhere and 
Rushawa} was loft mil in the cold. The com- 

pleti f the road sealed their doom and. 

a- already stated, part of the town wont to 
Talhila and a pari to Ashland. At presenl 
there is nothing to show that such a town ever 
existed. The sito is now a flourishing farm ami 
orchard ami the passing stranger would bo 
surprised to learn thai a thriving; village bail 
once stood where now the "vellow harvest* 
wave." 



SUGAR GROVE. 

If wo .lid not know that the Garden of Eden 

was s ewhere on the eastern continent, some 

one would have arisen long ago with the proofs 
thai it must have been located somewhere in 
the vicinity of Sugar Grove, but only two of 
the lour rivers can bo located in tin' Grove, 
and these are Grove creek and Pike crook, near 
by, so this settles it. but the early comers must 
have thought of Eden when they behold around 
them 

"Earth's unnumbered flowers 
All turning up their gentle eyes to heaven; 
The birds, with bright wings glancing in the 

sun. 
Pilling the air with rainbow miniatures," 

and combining to restore. Ln all its loveliness, 
"lost Eden's faded glory." No liner division 
of country could mortal crave than is found in 
tin- portion iif Menard emmtv. Fine rolling 
prairie, with as rich a soil as exists anywhere. 
with here and there a grove of timber, scattered 
over the undulating plain like islands slumlier- 
ing in the ocean, is no overdrawn picture of (bis 



section of country, c^peeialh as the first settlers 
-aw it. lint the band of civilization did not 
come to mar but to adorn and under its magic 
i h ii- virgin beauty has been enhanced un- 
til it is. indeed, a veritable Eden. It has un- 
proved under the sway of man. as the fields 
of waving grain, the blooming orchards and 
countless herds of thriving stock abundantly 
testify. We do not speak of tin, section now 
as a political division, lull rather as a center 
of i arly settlement. One of the first settle- 
ments made in Menard county was made in 
Sugar Grove. In the year L819, the same year 
that Clary settled in Clary's Grove, .lanes 
Meadows settled on the easl side of Sugar 
Grove, perhaps on the land now- owned by 
Mr. Jones. Meadows came from Ohio and 
ocated near Alton in the year L818, but the 
following spring bo came to this place. ln 
ibe spring of 1823 be sold bis claim to Leonard 
Alkne. and removed to the west side of Sugar 
Grove and look a claim there, on which he 
lived till a lew years before In- death. He 
died iii Greenview in the year 1869, at an ad- 
vanced age. His last claim thai lie made is 
row owned by II. II. Marbold, of Greenview. 
lie lniilt the "t read-wheel mill" described in 
another place. Mrs. Perry Bracken, now living 
at an advanced age, with her son-in-law, John 
Blanc, of Greenview, is a daughter of Mr. 
Meadows, the only member of his family now 
living. Jacob Boyer came to the Grove with 
Mr. Meadows and they camped the first night 
at a spring on the farm that was afterward 
the home of Milem Alkire. The Sugar Grove 
cemetery is near that spring. The next morn- 
ing, being struck by the beauty of the sur- 
roundings and the abundance of pure water 
afforded by the spring, Mr. Boyer said. "This 
is my future home," and at once staked oil' 
his claim and settled there. Meadows settled, 
as noticed above, on what has for many years 
been known as "the Jack Alkire place." Boyer 
also sold nut to Leonard Alkire in Ibe spring 
of IS'. 1 .",. Only a few days after the settlement 
of Boyer and Meadows, the Blanes came to 
the Grove. The Blane family consisted of 
four brothers. Robert, William. John and 
George, and their mother and our sister. They 
were from the Emerald Isle, the gem of the 



:.4 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



ocean, and being the first Irish to settle here, 
and among the very first white people here, 
it is not strange that one of these groves 
should be called "Irish Grove." William 
Blane died in an early day; John soon returned 
to Ireland, where he remained about twenty- 
five years, and then returned to the settlement; 
Robert and the sister removed to Wisconsin, 
leaving George and the mother on the place 
that they originally settled. In 1823 George 
and his mother sold their place to Leonard 
Allure, and removed to the northwesl side of 
the grove, where they both died. The Blanes 
were well educated men. and George in early 
times held many offices of trust and honor. 
He was an old line Whig, and alter it- organ- 
ization he joined the Republican party, in 
which faith he lived and died. In the year 
L820, Roland Granl came to the Grove and 
brought with him a lot of sheep, the first of 
these animals thai were brought to this pail 
of the country. Grant came here from Ohio, 
hut he was originally from Kentucky, and 
when a. year or two later the Alkires came, 
he sold out to them and removed to Island 
Grove, in Sangamon county. His brother, 
William Grant, who came with him to the 
Grove, also sold out. to the Alkires and removed 
with his brother. Like many other settlements 
in the county, many of the pioneers were 
from Virginia and Kentucky. The following 
Kentuekians came here among the early set- 
tlers: Leonard Alkire ami family, William 
Engle, Lemuel Offille, the Hughes, Wesley 
Whipp, Samuel McNabb, the l'eiitecosts, John 
and George Stone, a man named Parsons. Mat- 
thew Bracken, William Douglas, and perhaps 
several others. The Alkires and William Engle 
came here from Ohio, hm they were originally 
from the Old Dominion, thence went to Ken- 
tucky, and afterward to Ohio. William Engle 
came in the spring of 1823, raised a crop and 
then went hack and brought mil the family of 
Leonard Alkire. (This is the statement gen- 
erally made, but the writer is satisfied that 
Mr. Engle came in 1822, for the testimony of 
all is that Alkire bought the claims of Mea- 
dows. Bover, and other-, in the spring of 
is?:;.) Mr. Engle was a bachelor when he 
came to Illinois but he soon after married the 



daughter of Leonard Alkire. Mr. Engle he- 
came one of the most prominent and best 
known men in this section of the state and 
did more for the material development and ad- 
vancement of that part of Menard county 
than any other man. He took an active part 
in the organization of the county, was one of 
the first commissioners, represented the county 
in the state legislature and was the first mer- 
chant in east Menard outside of Athens. Mr. 
Engle was liberal in his views, a never-tiring 
advocate of religion ami education, and always 
stood as an advocate of the right. As before 
stated, he married a daughter of Leonard Al- 
kire and they spent their first winter in a camp 
thai stood near where the village of Sweet- 
water now stands. He then built a cabin 
northwest of the village, where he lived and 
reared his family, lie lived to a good old age, 
respected by all. and was prominent in all the 
affairs of that section of Illinois for more 
than half a century, lie died in March. 1870. 
He reared a large Family, several of the sons 
being still living, scattered over the west. Only 
two of the family still live in this county: 
Mrs. William ('. Smoot, of Curtis; and Mrs. 
William Claypole, four miles east of Green- 
view. Mr. Engle's mother (a widow at the 
time) came to this settlement about ten years 
after hi']' son. She was a genuine pioneer lady, 
large and almost as stout as a man. kind ami 
benevolent to all. a great nurse and friend in 
times of sickness ami distress. She passed to 
her reward long years ago. her memory revered 
anil honored by all who knew her. As already 
stated. Leonard Alkire was a native of Vir- 
ginia hut emigrated to Kentucky or was taken 
there by his parents when very young. Arriv- 
ing at man's estate and having taken to himself 
a wilV. he removed to the state of Ohio, where 
la' remained until he removed to Illinois, in 
tin' spring of 1823. While lie resided in Ohio 
he to a large extent followed the business of 
buying up stock, which he drove to more east- 
em markets, a business at that day exposing 
one to considerable danger. On one of his trips 
home, after having disposed of his drove of 
stock, he traveled on horseback, having the 
money he had received, which was nearly all 
silver, in a pair of saddlebags on bis saddle. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 

"In swimming the Ohio river," says <i local I milt the second brick house thai was erected in 
writer, "perched mi his hands and feel <>n top the same county. Alkire's house was built 
of the saddle, his sturdy ami trusty roadster, seventy-seven years ago, and it was still stand- 
stemming (lie rapid current with great cour- ing a few years hack. To his sun. Milem Al- 
age and energy, when nearing the opposite kire, and to John Engle and Jesse England, 
shore suddenly went down, hut with a last we are indebted for mosl of the facts con- 
desperate struggle, as if for Life, he succeeded cerning the earh history of this section of the 
in landing his master od the solid ground, county. The writer has in his old diaries 

when Mr. Alkire made the discovery that the many stories told by these men I William 

saddle-bags, filled with the silver, had in some Engle, James Meadows, and other old citizens 

way fallen from his horse, hut had hung to all over the county. Leonard Alkire died in 

the stirrup in such a way as to greatly impede 1877. The following will shoy the energy 

the efforts of tin' horse while struggling in the ami public* spirii of the man. About L828 or 

water, thus imperiling not only the hard- L830, he was appointed by the commissioners 

earned cash of the owner hut the HIV of both of Sangamon county, road supervisor of the 

horse and tailor." Bearing so many repeated district he lived in. which was larger than the 

stories of the amazing beauty ami fertility of present county of Menard. He was ordered to 

the "far west," as Illinois was then called, he open a road from near the mouth of Salt creek 

made a trip of inspection to the country- to Havana, on the Illinois river. A great im- 

Alone and mi horseback he explored this then pediment to travel in that route in (hose days 

almost unbroken wilderness. By chance his was the Crane creek" swamp, lie called to- 

rouie led him to Sugar Grove. Entering il gether all the able-bodied men in that region, 

u| tin' south side, he reached a point from and taking wagons, teams, axes, etc., he pro- 

which the scene was viewed to advantage and ceeded to the timber, where he made rail-, 

stopped to look around him. lie was so im- hauled the"m to the swamp, and laid them down 

pressed with the wealth and splendor of what for a foundation for a road: then he cut large 

In 1 saw, that though there alone and do one quantities of swamp grass, which grey there in 

to hear he reined up his horse and shouted at abundance, ami spread this over the rails, lie 

the top of his voice: "Hurrah for old Ken- next drove forked sticks astride poles, which 

tueky, the garden spot id' the world!" Very were laid lengthwise across the ends of the rails 

-""il he came upon the claim of .lame- Mea- to keep the water from floating the rail- away, 

dows, and being so pleased with the countrj and then spread five or six inches of sand over 

ami the surroundings, he soon bought the claim the grass. In this way he constructed a road 

of Mr. Meadows. Me then returned h ■. sold over the swamp, which served the purpose fully, 

his Ohio farm and, the following spring, he and lasted for many years without repair. 
Came to the Grove and settled where the re- Lemuel Offille and the Hughes came anion:: 
mainder of his life was spent. John Alkire. the early settlers about the same time .lames 
his father, came in a few years. -101111 Alkire Hughes was a \cw Light, or a- called now, a 
had removed from Virginia in Kentuckj in "Christian" preacher, ami one of the first of 
an early day, during those bloody war- with this denomination in this part of the country, 
the Indians which gave thai state the appella- although one of their founders. Barton \V. 
ii'iu that it has ever -nice worn ami will wear Stone, had preached m the Clary's Grove set- 
in all coming time. "The Dark and Bloody tlement a little before this. One of his sons 
Ground," and like all the other pioneers of the Daniel T. Hughes, was one of the respected 
time he bore an active part 111 those war-, lie preachers of this church, in this pari of the 
died here and was buried in what is known a- state, and lived in this section iinli! his death. 

the Blane graveyard. Leonard Alkire buill the some twelve or fifteen vears hack. Oi r 

first brick house thai was built in the then .lame- Hughes' sons. Hugh D. Hughes, was 

county of Sangamon, now Menard. As noted o f the first resident- of the village of 

elsewhere, George Spears, of Clary's Grove, Sweetwater and was i of the builders of the 



..I, 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MEXAKI) COUNTY 



mill which was operated there so long. Offille 
and the Eughes came here from Indiana, 
but they were originally from Kentucky. Hugh 
I ). Eughes married a daughter of Mr. Offille. 
Wesley Whipp came about the time of "the 
deep snow. - ' He married a daughter of Leon- 
ard Alkire, died many years ago and was Laid 
to rest in the Sugar Grove cemetery. One of 
his sons. Leonard Whipp, one of the leading 
lawyers of the place, now resides in Peters- 
burg. Samuel McNabb came previous to 1824 
and his brother-in-law came about the same 
time. They have both been dead many long 
years. Pentecost, and his sons, William. John 
and George, came in 1824 or 1825. The old 
gentleman's first name is not remembered and 

he and all his sons left the neighborh I a great 

many years ago. John Stone came about the 
i ime of the "deep snow." Ee had a number of 
sens: William, .lames. Stephen, Henry. Boyd 
ami Oliver. A man named Parsons, a brother- 
in-law of the Stones, came to this country with 
them, or about that tune. He had two suns. 
William and Joseph. The old gentleman and 
William died many years ago. but Joseph was 
mail carrier between Sweetwater and Green- 
view a great many years. William Douglas 
was here as early as 1831 or 1832, and settled 
in Irish Grove. Matthew Bracken came in 
1824 or 1825, and settled here bu1 afterward 
sold ou1 to Nicholas Propsi and removed to 
Woodford county, where he died long since. 
A man hv the name "1 McKinney ranks among 
the early settler- of tin- section hut we are 
unable to learn the particulars concerning bis 
life. With several others he was returning 
from a horse race and they get up a race of 
their own. in which McKinney was thrown 
from his horse and so badlj injured that he died 
from the effect in a short time. It is said that 
he w-as probably the first one buried in the 
Sweetwater cemetery and that some one stuck 
the switch, with which he was riding when he 
was thrown, in the center of his grave and it 
took ront and grew and is now a huge live. 
Am way, the tree is still pointed out. and it 
leaves no sign of am grave having ever been 
there. Enoch B. Smith came to this settle- 
ment in 1S"21 and bis nephew. Josiah B. Smith, 
in 1824. The latter was an old line Whig, ami 



took a very active part in politics. Enoch B. 
Smith settled in south end of Irish Grove and 
his son Jordan settled in the same vicinity. 
Enoch B. Smith died in 1841 and all his fam- 
ily are dead, so far as we can learn. Mrs. 
Jesse England was his daughter. Jesse Eng- 
land settled here in 1824 and lived here his 
entire life, dying on his old homestead in 1903, 
having lived there for seventy-nine years. Mr. 
England's father came from Ohio to Sanga- 
mon county in 1819 and was the first white 
man to settle on the east or north side of the 
Sangamon river, and his daughter was the first 
white woman to settle north of the Sangamon. 
John S. Jennison was a native of the old Bay 
State, and came to Sugar Grove in 1822 or 
1823. lie sold his claim to Leonard Alkire 
and moved to Baker's Prairie. His son, Luther 
Jennison, lives on a farm near Greenview, as 
does his daughter, Mrs. Jerman Tice, ami an- 
other son, John Jennison, has lived for - 

years in California. About the year 1825, two 
brothers, Joseph and Samuel Powell, and 
brothers-in-law of Leonard Alkire, came from 
Ohio here, but were natives of the Old 
Dominion. They reared large families here 
and finally died, and their families scattered 
and moved away, some going to Fulton county 
years ago, and others going to Oregon. Nicho- 
las Propst came here from Virginia and set- 
tled in Sugar Grove before the winter of '"the 
deep snow." He was of German descent and a 
very eccentric, though a good, man. He died 
man)' years ago. A cabinet-maker in the neigh- 
borhood was indebted to him and not having 
the fluids on hand to cancel the obligation, he 
told Propst that he would make him anything 
in the furniture line that he might need. 
Propst told him that he did not need anything 
in that line just at. the preseni hut that some 
dav hi> would need a coffin and if he chose to 
make him one he might do so. The cabinet- 
maker went to work on the coffin and Mr. 
Propst superintended the work and bad it com- 
pleted to his own taste. When the coffin was 
done there was still a small balance due to 
Mr. Propst, so he bad him make a long bench 
on which to lay him out when the time 
..line for him to "shuffle off this mortal coil.'' 
Being thus far prepared for final dissolution, 



PAST A\H I'KF.SKXT OF MEXARD COUNTY 



51 



In: made further arrangements lor hi- last 
resf by having a tombstone cut oul of a solid 
limestone, with the simple inscription: "Nich- 
olas Propst," hewn mi it. When he finally 
died In 1 was laid away in Sugar Grove Imp ing- 
groundj and this same stone, without any 
other letter or mark, was set up at the head of 
his grave and marked bis humble bed till time 
crumbled it back to dust. Alter the coffin 
was completed he got into it. as he said, "to 
try it. to see how it would tit." lie afterward 
told Rev. John Alkire that il si ared him like 
h — 1 when he got into it. John Wright came, 
-miie time before L830, it is believed from 
Ohio but of this we are nut sure. lie boughl 
out Samuel Alkire, a cousin of Leonard Al- 
kire. who had settled here iii L82-J or 1825, 
and he removed t<> Indiana after selling to 
Wright. After living in the Grove fur sev- 
eral years Wright sold out and removed to 
Petersburg, and afterward be built the first 
bridge over the Sangamon river at that place. 
William Gibbs came here from Baltimore hut 
was an Englishman by birth. He bought 
Wright out when he removed to Petersburg. 
Reuben D. Black came from Ohio, and after 
living lure I'm- a time he married a daughter 

of l.i ird Alkire. Black was a physician and 

year- ago left here, removing to Missouri. 
1819-1905. 
Eighty-sis years! What an insignificant 
point of time, when compared to the ages of 
the world's past bistory ! Even time itself is 
only 

" a brief arc. 

Out from eternity's mysterious orb, 

And cast beneath the skies — : 

and yet what a vast record these eighty-sij 
years have borne with them from the world. 
Revolutions have swept over the earth, as 
troubled visions sweep over the breast of 
drea a sorrow. Cities have arisen and flour- 
ished I'm- a little season and then have perished 
from the earth, leaving not even a trace Lo 
mark the spot where once they stood. Nations 
and empires have sprung into being, gathering, 
in a few decades, the strength of centuries, 
and then as suddenly have sunk from the world 
forever. The changes and mighty events that 



bave on urred in our own county, in a few short 
years, are equally astounding. The coming of 
the steamboat, the building <>f the railroad. 
I he telegraph, the telephone, and all the won- 
derful work of electricity are hut a few of these 
astounding events. Eighty-six years ago when 
• lames Meadows erected a log cabin in Sugar 
Grove, he could not have believed that to-day 
would present the changes that we see. even 
if one had "•arisen from the dead" to proclaim 
it. Where were the wild prairies and the 
densely w led groves ami tangled dells, inhab- 
ited only by Indians, wolves, panthers, and 
other wild animals, are now vast fields <>( wav- 
ing grain : and the palatial bome of the farmer, 
with every comfort ami convenience thai tin 
heart could wish, now- stands where the hunter's 

cabin or the Indian's wigwam then sf 1. All 

these changes are difficult to realize h\ am 
hut those who have witnessed them. Think 
for a moment of some of the trials that these 
pioneers experienced: the difficulty, fur in- 
stance, of securing the absolute essentials of 
life. Sometimes a trip was made to St. Louis 
for such supplies as salt, flour, sugar and cof- 
fee, when the -oiiler could afford such lux- 
uries. James Meadows made more than oik 
i rip to that city, in a. canoe, by wa\ of the 
Sangamon, Illinois and Mississippi rivers. 
.lames MeXahh taught the first school in 

that settlement, in a log cabin that st I mar 

where Gregory Lukins lived so long, wesl of 
Sweetwater. As his old pupils, if any of them 
are -till alive, look hack to the days when he 
ruled with a rod of iron, they may call to mind, 
no doubt, the familiar lines of Goldsmith: 

"Beside yon straggling fence that skirts the 

way, 

With bloss ing furze unprofitably gay, 

There, in Ins uoisy mansion, skilled to rule. 
The village master taught his little school; 
A man severe he was and -tern to view : 
1 knew him well, and every truant knew; 
Well had the boding tremblers learned to 

I race 
'I'he day's disaster in Ins morning fai e 
Pull well they laughed, with counterfeited 

glee, 
At all his jokes, for many a joke had he; 
Full well the lms\ whisper circling round 
Conveyed the dismal tidings when he fro 
Yet he was kind, or if severe in aught, 



58 



AST 



AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



The love lie bore to learning was his fault. 
Amazed the gazing rustics ranged around; 
And still they gazed, and still the wonder 



errew 



That one small head could carry all he knew." 
If tins teacher could be permitted to return 
and see the state oi education now and look 
m ,n our schoolrooms and see the help- and ad- 
vantages that our children now enjoy, he would 
conclude doubtless that his sleep in the -rave 
had been much longer than it really has. 

The religious history of this section is £ 
in another^" place, but we will enter into some 
detail, in this case, that we may not be obliged 
to do so in other eases, as the history of the 
trials and difficulties thai one community had 
to inert, is similar to that of all others. 

Rev. John Attire, Rev. Hughes and Rev. 
Aimer Peeler (who after a few years removed 
to Woodford county) were the early divines 
of the New Light, or, as they afterward pre- 
ferred to be called. Christian church. A con- 
gregation of this faith was organized here in 
quite an early day. They first worshipped in 
a house that stood near the old horn.' of Greg- 
ory l.ukuis and was used for both church and 
school purposes. It was built of logs, had a 
puncheon floor, was covered with clapboards, 
and had a fireplace, with .tick or "cat and 
clay/' chimney, at each end. In 1838 they 
built a frame church, eighteen by twenty feet, 
o„ the same site, and it. like the former, was 
used for both church and school purposes. In 
L848 this frame building was replaced by a 
brick edifice on the same site. After the vil- 
lage of Sweetwater was laid out this church 
was converted into a dwelling, and the so. 
erected a large and substantial brick church in 
,1!,. Ullage. This building still stands and is 
upied by the congregation, seemingly in as 

g 1 a state of repair as when firs! built. It 

is s til] occupied by a prosperous congregation. 
The Presbyterians have a good house of wor- 
ship in Sweetwater and the Rev. Thomas 
preaches regularly to them. 

Sweetwater was laid out by William Engle 
and the Alkires in the year 1853. It is located 
,, n sections 31 and 32, in township 1!'. range 

g ] t j. Qear Sugar drove, which, before the 

„ [man's ax had defaced its beauty, was one 



of the prettiesl groves of timber in Illinois. 
Engle had for some time had a store on Ins 
farm and when the village was Laid out the Al- 
kires opened a store there, and soon alter tins 
Mr. Engle moved his store there too. Soon 
after the village was laid oui a petition was 
-em u)) asking for a postoffice at Sugar Grove. 
Mr. Harris then represented this district in 
congress and when he made the application hi 
waS informed that there was a Sugar Gro 
postoffice in the state already, and he wro 
to this efEeel to Mr. Engle. He consulted with 
some of the neighbors about the matter and 
they decided that as the water of the sugar- 
trees, which formed the grove, was sweet, thai 
Sweetwater would be next thing to Sugar 
Grove, and so that name was adopted. One 
citizen informed the writer, however, that the 
town had another name, that it was often 
called "Chloeville." Pointed questioning drew 
from this citizen the following statement: At 
one time there was an old lady lived in the 
village whose first name was Chloe, "and some 
one, in acknowledgement." said our informant. 
"of her general cussedness, as a burlesque, 
railed the town after her.- William Engle 
was the first postmaster in the place; Jacob 
Propst, Jr., was the first blacksmith; Dr. John 
H. Hughes was the first physician; Deal & 
[Hughes built and operated the &rst mill. The 
business of the town, at the present, may be 
thus summed up: Two good general ston -. 
a blacksmith -hop. a physician, Dr. Hill, twi 

churches, and a scl [house of two rooms. The 

town, we believe, has never 1 n incorporated, 

bu1 the general moral sentiment is such that 
they do not need such protection as this would 
bring. The writer has no disposition to make 
[ighl of sacred things, but if the story of the 
-Soul Sleeper" troubles in thi Sweetwater 
, ;,,.„,, CO uld be told, as a citizen once told it, 
thi di mand for these pages would be immense, 
bid this we will not undertake to do, and will 
close this chapter by a brief reference to the 
churches here. The schoolhouse was built in 
L868 or L870, at a cost of about four thousand, 
live hundred dollars. The Christian church 
was built veaxs ago, at a cost of about three 
thousand, five hundred dollars. The congre- 
gation was a large, peaceful and prosperous 



PAST \\I» PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 59 

one, as am in the hind, till one Elder Speer, Few old people are now living who can remem- 
of Indiana, was called to the pastorate. Hi- bet the greal ironmaster and his deeds of enter- 
preaching was all right for a time, for lie was a prise. Strange tales, however, could these few 
man of far more than ordinary ability, bul tell of his "cast iron eoliers" thai could get 
by and by lie began to preach the most material coal by machinery, of Ins eccentricity, of Ins 
form of "soul-sleeping." It is enough to say wealth, and of bis singular superstition. As 
that the church was rent asunder, thi greater an illustration of this latter, we arc told, thai 
pari of the members, perhaps, endorsing the on his deathbed he declared his conviction thai 
new doctrines, and so infatuated and insane at the end of seven years he would return to 
did they become that they were absolutely look- the earth again. His work people showed a 
ing for the immediate coming of Christ, singular aversion to handing his name down to 
Some went so far as to say that the} expected posterity, as if they felt themselves the secures! 
to go fishing with the Savior in Salt creek, guardians of bis virtue ami his fame. For Ins 
Elder J. K. Speer would not accept a stipu- wonderful ability, Tor hi- depth of scientific 
lated salary. "( ). no. all he wauled was a li\- research, Wilkinson deserves t,, live in the 
ing," and the faction thai followed him oil' annals of industry and enterprise. His friend- 
were wealthy and I'ull of zeal, and "he was skip for Boulton and Watt makes it remark- 
clothed in purple and line linen and fared able that his name should have been passed over 
sumptuously every day." Of course the church h\ biographers of the inventors of the steam 
divided: the staid ami reasonable part stayed engine. Surely, "the father of the iron trade," 
with their church, while the fanatics pulled as he has been aptly named, deserved at least 
out. The Soul-Sleepers lutilt a neat frame a passing mention in the biography id' his 
church in the village, al a cosl of two thousand friend James Watt. John Wilkinson was born 

live hundred dollars. They lived awhile, S] r in 1728 and under circumstances which the 

got all he could out ef them and left, and most superstitious people of the vicinity believed por- 

of them, from the best that we can learn, tended that •'Johnny would gome da\ be a greal 

drifted into infidelity. It took the Christian man." Hi- mother was in the habit of going 

church year- to recover from this stroke. The every day to the market with the product- of 

Methodists bought the Adventist's house, when their little farm ami on this occasion, as she 

they went up. or rather when they failed to go was returning to her home, the -mi was hom 

up. The Methodists were unsuccessful and in in the can. John Wilkinson was the inventor 

a little while they sold the house to the Pres- of iron boats. The first on,, ever tried was built 

byterians, who still own it. and have a pros- Ml his foundry and was named the -Trial." 

perous congregation there, and to whom Rev. lie was also the first to use coal successfully in 

Thomas preaches regularly. smelting iron. His life, like thai of Oliver 

Cromwell's, was attended by a verv singular 
circumstance. As September 3d was the dies 

mirabilis in the Protector's histot >. so was Jvtlv 

J')||\ \\ | i.ki \so\. . .,, ... „ ...... ,. 

1 1 1 h in t in 1 h le oi \\ ilkinson. lie came in 

The history ol Sugar Grove would !«• in- Staffordshire on July II. L756. lie attended 

complete wnl t ,i -ketch of the W'ilkiu-oii the ••.real banquet in Paris July II. 178G. lie 

family. Fred Wilkinson, of Petersburg, llli- launched the first iron boat mi July II. 1787. 

nois. i- a grandson of the great ironmonger of He obtained a patent for the improvement of 

England and a -mi of John Wilkinson of the steam engine July II. L799; and he closed 

Menard county, who died in (ireeiniew many his eventful and useful life on the 14th of July, 

years ago. John Wilkinson was intimately as- 1808. lie left a vast fortune in money ami real 

sociated with James Watt, the inventor of the estate. His children, a number of them being 

steam engine, and with mam of the greatest quite young, were left to the care of guardians 

scientific men of his day, but he never acquired John Wilkinson, the father of Fred Wilkin- 

the notoriety even in England that he deserved, -on. of Petersburg, was hut six vears of agi 



GO 



PAST AND PEESENT OF MENAED COUNTY 



when he was thus placed in the cart' of guardians 
an, I was at once placed in school, and from that 
time "ii till lie reached his majority he was 
constantly in school. Being possessed of more 
than ordinar} natural gifts of mind, it is not 
in be wondered at that his advancement was 
rapid and he acquired a finished education. 
Beside being thoroughly drilled in the sciences 
of the daw he was a thorough master of six dif- 
ferent languages besides his mother tongue. 
On reaching his majority he eami into posses- 
sion e|' a vasl estate, but net being trained in 
the intricacies of business, ail these vast in- 
terests w re placed under the control of agents. 
Beside this 3 r oung Wilkinson, having been 
reared in hixnn and having acquired some 
rather "fast"" habits, n i> net to lie wondered 
at that lie went in to gratify his ta>ti^ for 
pleasure. He was a great admirer of horses 
and went into the races with all the zeal and 
energy of hi- impetuous nature, lint we can 
no1 leil the story here. He ventured and lost. 
Hi- agents, doubtless, took advantage of him 
and soon much of the estate was -enc. In dis- 
gust, he placed the vast business under his con- 
trol in the hand- el' othi rs and bidding fare- 
well to his native land ami taking passage on a 
sailing vessel, he started for the chores of 
America to begin life anew. After a stormy 
voyage of forty-two days, he landed at New 
Orleans, thence up the Mississippi and Illinois 
rivers to Beardstown, and then to Sugar Grove, 
where he landed in is:;;. He took up his 
abode with one of the Boyer families, who then 
lived in the south side of Sugar Grove, near 
where the cemetery now i-. In 1838 he was 
united in marriage to Mis- Sarah Goble. He 
took up land and began life in earnest, lie 
farmed extensively, raising cattle and hogs, 
driving hundreds of the latter to Peoria, 
Beardstown, Springfield and other marl, - 
\i one time he owned a half section of land 
lying north o Sweetwater, now owned by Mr. 
Wernsing. In the fall of 1858 he began prepa- 
rations 1'or building the hotel ai Greenview. 
and in the spring of L859 he removed his fam- 
ily to t , reen\ iew . h here some \ ea rs later he 
died. He was. in many respects, a very re- 
markable man. II,' was an unusually intelli- 
gent man. an enterprising citizen and a won- 



derfully accommodating neighbor, lie was a 
useful man m the community where he lived. 
Fred Wilkinson was horn in Sugar Grove in 
1840. From his earliest manhood he ha- oc- 
cupied positions of importance and honor in 
the community where he lived. When barely 
more than a hoc he was captain of the anti- 
horse thief company at Grei uvie'n : a little later 
he was :-chool director there, and while he was 
in that position two new schoolhouses were 
built there. He was early in the field for tin.' 
improvement of the breed of our stock and 
brought into the neighborhood several thor- 
oughbred horses. Later .Mr. Wilkinson was 
elected sheriff in ls7o ami served the people 

-,, faithfully that he wa- elected for a se 

term to the same otliee. Hi- \\;|- elected to the 

legislature in 1886 and chosen to the same 
position again in 1890. He was collector of 
internal revenue for seven counties of the 
eighth district from 1887 to 1889. He was 
also United States ganger in distilleries 
in Pekin, Illinois, from 1893 to 1899. 
He was married to Mi— Olive Bishop. 
October L0, 1895. In 1880 he bought the 
Petersburg Democrat. (But this is told in 
another place.) Mr. Wilkinson i- one of our 
most useful ami enterprising citizens, using 
his influence for every enterprise that promises 
iln advancement and welfare of the town in 
which he is a citizen. 



ATHENS. 

In giving the early settlements of the county 
it is better to give them by neighborhoods or 
-,■11 lenient- than by precincts or other political 
divisions, because those settlements have no 
agreement with the artificial divisions made 
by man. This section includes the southeast 
part of the county, bordering on Sangamon on 

- south and touching Logan on the east. Be- 
en,' the advent of the white man it was al- 
most equall] divided between prairie and tim- 
ber land. The western part from the Sanga- 
mon river for a distance of almost four miles 
is rolling and some of it broken by ravines and 
was originally covered with forests of the finest 
timber. Some small streams of water meander 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 6] 

through this section, the largesl of which is In- children of Robert White live on tl M farm. 

dian creek, which lakes its rise in the north A venerable elm, bearing the initials "W. U.S." 

border of the territory referred to and flows was still standing a fev* years back, marking 

northwest toward the Sangamon river. The the corner of the Shorl claim, as he marked it 

timber thai was once so abundanl is nearly all when be took the claim. This same fall, or 

gone and the land is in cultivation. The Chi- possibly the following spring, that of 1820, 

cago, Peoria & St. Louis Railroad runs through Joseph Smith, who was from the southern part 

this portion of the county, having a depol at of Kentucky, took a claim on the south side 

lie town of Allan- of the Indian Poinl timber. Smith was a 

I e yeat succeeding the admission of t Hi— wagonmaker by trade and had a shop at his 

n ■ into the sister! I of states immigration home and was doubtless the firsl of thai trade 

began to flow steadily into the Sangamon coun- on li e easl side of the Sangamon river in this 

try and during the half decade following a county. He improved the farm afterward 

".real many settlements were formed in the ov. I b\ Alfred Turner. He died main years 

various parts of thai country, li is admitted ago and was buried at Indian Point. Willi, i 

b\ all thai the settlemenl of Clary's Grove was Holland, a brother-in-law of Smith, came from 

the firsl settlemenl in the county, bul very -non Ohio and settled at this t ii n the south side 

after, if not at the ver) time of thai settlement, of the Indian Poinl timber, lie was a black- 
others were locating in other parts of the coun- smith and. like Smith, was the firsl of his trade 
ty. li was the unvarying custom to make these in this whole section. He was appointed by the 
settlements in the timber and near the streams governmi nl blacksmith for the Kickapoo ln- 
of water. And here, on the very threshold of dians at a salan of five hundred dollars a year. 
our investigation, we are environed with diffi- Some years later he wenl in the same capacity 
culties. To designate an) one of the early set- to Peoria, or Fort ('lark, as ii was then, and 
tiers as being the firsl is a responsibility thai finally died in Washington, Tazewell count)'. 
we do not desire to assume. A number came In 1820 Matthew Rogers, from Otsego county, 
in ai so near the same time and the evidence is New York, buill a log cabin one mile north and 
so nearly balanced thai it is impossible at this easl of the present site of the town of Athens, 
late date to determine who has a righl to claim He did nol occupy the cabin, however, till the 
the honor. Among the very earliest, however, spring of LS21. Four years after this, when 
we may mention Robert While and William B. the land came into market, be entered this tract 
Shori. who were both from Green county, Ken- together with a large amount beside. Mr. 
tueky, and who settled in the Indian Point Rogers lived on Ibis place for many years. In 
timber. Shorl located on the place still occu- old age, however, be removed to Athens, where 
by his son James short, now a man of he died in L847. His life was so prominently 
eight) years of age, and Roberl White, connected with the early settlemenl of this see- 
where his grandson John \. While now resides, tion of country that be deserves more than a 
These men are said to lane slaked off their passing notice. lie was a descendanl from the 
claims and begun their improvements in the same stock with the celebrated John Rogers 
fall of 1819. The claims they at firsl staked who was burned ai the -lake, a martyr to his 
off and improved and afterward entered, they devotion to religious principles. He married 
lived mi the remainder of their lives. Short Anna, daughter of Timothy and Myriam Lei 

• \i'*\ in L863 and was buried in the Lebanon Morse, through wl i the family is related to 

cemetery. He was, doubtless, the "mosl mar- the late Professor S. F. B. Morse, the illustri- 

ried" man in the county, for no less than five ous inventor of the electric telegraph. While 

nine- had he plighted lii- vows a1 the hymenial in Mew York Matthew Roger occupied a promi- 

aliar. Mr. White died nearly fifty years ago nenl position in society and was ai one pun 

and his remains also resl in the Lebanon ceme- colonel of militia. The family emigrated to 

tery. The Short homestead is occupied by Illinois in 1818, or rather started then, bul did 

James B. Short, son of William B. The grand- nol reach here until 1819. Mr. Rogers buil! a 



62 PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 

frame bam in 1825 or L826 and this is said to family of sons, several of whom died vcars ago. 

be the Brst frame building erected in the state These were Daniel, Xinian. James and John, 

north of the Sangamon river. Mr. Rogers while William, l>r. Thomas L. and Abraham 

reared a family who performed an important lived to be old men. Some of the third genera- 

parl in the future development of Menard tion still live in this vicinity. Among them 

county. Henry ('. Rogers, bis eldesi son, lived we may mention Xinian 0., one of the success- 

a useful and honored life and died some years ful farmers of that part of Menard county, 

ago on the old homestead near Alliens. One id' The settlements thus far named were the very 

his daughters was the wife el' Amberry Rankin, earliest in this part of the county. 

id' Alliens, and another the wile of Harry Rig- In L820 Orimal ('lark laid claim to the tract 

gin, of whom we will speak further on. Mr. of land which Athens now stands upon, bui he 

Rogers established the first nursery in tins pail did not remain on it long, hut soon -old it to 

of the slate, and In 1 was the lirsl postmaster Rev. John Overstreet, of whom the romantic 

at Athens. When Abraham Lincoln kept the story is told in another place, (.'lark removed 

postolliee al Xew Salem he used to walk across from Athens to Fancy Creek, below Williams- 

the country, through the woods, to Athens to ville, and later lo Springfield, where he died 

gel the mail for Salem, which he earned m his many years ago. The year L820 brought a large 

pocket. number of recruits to the population of this 

In the fall <d' 1819 Thomas l'nuim came section. .Martin Higgins, son-in-law of Mat- 

1'roin St. Clair county and laid a claim south- ihew Rogers, spoken of above, John Moore, a 

cast of where Athens now stands. After taking Mr. Terry. William Armstrong, dames Haynes 

the preliminary steps necessary to secure his and John Good, all came this year. Higgins 

claim he returned to his family. In the spring was from Xew York and settled what is known 

of 1820 he returned and raised a crop, hut did as the William l'rii farm, but he -old it in 

not remove his family here till in the fall. On a few years to Thomas Primm ami located south 
his first trip he traded (he horse he rode to of Indian creek, where he lived and died. Moore 
Stephen England, in payment for which En- ami Terry were both from Vermont and set- 
gland was to build him a log cabin and make tied at Indian Point. M v was a eabinet- 

for him a stipulated number of rails. The maker by trade and hail the first cabinet -hop 

cabin was built and the rail- made in 1819, hut. in this county. Tern and wife were both highly 

as said above, Primm did not move till the fall educated ami accomplished and found them- 

of L820. selves ill al ease among their rustic neighbors, 

John Primm, a brother of the above, came so they s i sold out to Martin Higgins and re- 
in 1820. The advent of the Primm family in moved to Springfield, where lhe\ remained for 
Illinois dates hack lo a very early day. John a few vcars and then returned to their native 
Primm, the father of Thomas and John, above "Green Mountain state." Moore left in a \\'\\ 
mentioned, came from Virginia lo St. Clair years ami returned no more. William Arm- 
county in L802, and the date of the coming of strong al first settled on Indian creek, hul after 
their mother's family runs sidi farther hack, a few years he sold out to Eli Branson and 

Mrs. Primm was a daughter of Abram Stal- ved to the vicinity of what is now Oakford 

lings, who came down the Ohio river in a iioat and settled there, and there he lived and died, 

from Virginia and settled in the hounds of Many of his descendants are around Oakford 

what is now St. Clair county in 1796. John yet. Pleasant Armstrong, a single brother. 

Primm, the father of the Thomas and John lived with William and he was one of I he early 

above named, ami his three brothers. William, justices of the peace of this section. Haynes 

.1; 's and Thomas, were all soldiers in the and Good were both from Ohio. The former 

Revolutionary war ami fought in Washington's settled on Indian creek and afterward sold to 

command. Thomas Primm, who came here in Martin Higgins and moved to Texas. Good 

1819, died at his home mar Athens in 1856 at went farther west and settled on the prairie 

the age of seventy-four years lie had a large between the Indian creek and Oak Bridge tim- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 

ber. Hi', after a few years, sold to old man died where I ln\ had settled so long before 

Tin', the father of the late Judge John Tice, Their son, Jefferson Johnson, owns the old 

and in company with Haynes went to Texas, borne farm and jusl in fronl of bis i lern 

James Gardner also came in L820 and settled farm house ma) still be seen signs of where the 

mi the farm on which old Ham Riggin lived house stood in which the famih was reared, 

and died. Gardner was from Now York and Jeff Johnson is well on toward eighty years of 

his aged Eather came with him. Later he weni age and still lives on the very spol where he 

to Fulton county. In 182] Walter Turner was born. His brother, John Johnson, is still 

came and laid a claim on the south sale of the living in the same community. 

Indian Point timber, which he improved and, Williams located wesl of Johnson and farther 

being a tanner by trade, be later opened a tan- down the creek and. being a tanner, he run a 

yard, which be run for a number of years to lanyard in connection with his farming, lie 

the greal benefit of the community. He lived reared a large family and amassed quite a large 

ami died on the same farm and his youngest fortune. He died in is::; and was buried on 

sun. William, imw owns it. llarn Riggin rami' the farm where he had lived. The late Colonel 

thai same year, bough! a claim and engaged in John Williams was the son of James Williams 

tilling the soil. His ancestors came from [re- and died here a few years ago. Colonel Wil- 

land and there the name was aol Riggin, but liaras was one of the must successful financiers 

O'Regan. When his ancestors came to America, in tins pari of the state. To him more than 

having renounced Romanism and espoused to an) other man are we indebted for the com- 

Protestantism, they changed the aame to what pletion of the railroad which connects us with 

it now i- and thrv have borne it ever since. He the capital. His son George now lives on the 

was often beard to express regrel that the old homestead of his father I grandfather. 

change was ever made. Harry Riggin was one John \. Moore came from Kentucky as early 

of the must enterprising and useful citizens in us 1823 and possibly a year earlier. Included 

his time in the county. His name was often among those who came prior in 1830 we find 

before the public I'm' | >< >>• 1 1 i< ms of trusl ami the names "I' John Turner, William Stanley, 

honor, lie was a member of the board of com- Scott Rawlins, Jonathan Dunn, Asa Canter- 

missioners lor Sangamon count) who located berry, John S. Alexander, William McDougall, 

the county -eat. lie was at differeni times a Theophilas Bracken, Allen Turner, Ambern 

candidate lor office, bul was defeated, hi- com- Rankin ami Fleming Hall. NTearly all of these 

petitors being such men at Stephen T. Logan, were from Kentucky ami Ohio ami settled mi 

Ninian Edwards and Abraham Lincoln nun Indian creek ami in the vicinity of Athens, or 

who later achieved fame in a much wider field, where Athens now stands. Fleming Hall had 

His long, useful and public-spirited life closed -one from Virginia to Missouri in 1828 ami 

in 1874, after he had attained the ripe age in 1829 he came to Menard and pre-empted 

of eighty-one years and -i\ month-. land mi which part of Athens now stands, lie 

Elisha, Aimer ami .lame- Hall, brothers, lived on tin- lam! two years and thin entered 

came from Ohio and settled in the vicinity of it and soon after he sold il to Aimer Hall and 

Athens in 1822. Some of their descendants Mr. Catterlin. Canterberry and Alexander were 

aie living in and ar nl Athens still. Philip both from Kentucky and the) settled south of 

Smith, also from Ohio, came Ibis \ear ami Athens. Some of the descendants of Canter- 
made improvements where Theophilus Turner bcrr\ are -nil in the neighborhood where he at 
afterward lived. Smith was a blacksmith ami tir-i settled. Scotl Rawlins settled on ami im- 
followed his trade in connection with farming, proved the farm thai W. T. Rankin owned and 

In is-.':; William Johnson ami .lames William- lived on I'm- a iber of years. Rawlins was a 

came from Lath county, Kentucky, ami began kind of horse doctor ami horse jockey and not 

improving claim- north of Indian creek. Mr. in first-class odor with hi- neighbors. Indeed 

Johnson died in 1843. His wife survived him hi- sudden accumulation of large numbers ol 

a great main' years ami at an advanced age -lie horses at differeni times warranted the sus- 



i;i 



PAST AND PKESENT OF MENAHD COUNTY 



picion thai they were not always gotten by 
legitimate humus, so that his increasing un- 
popularity led him to dispose of his laud at an 
early daj and he removed to an island in the 
[llinois river near Bath, when 1 he died many 
years in the past. MeDougall, Bracken and the 
Rankins are dead, but have a number of repre- 
sentatives lefl in the community. 

During the years L830, 1S31 and is:;-.- but 
few recruits were added to the population of 
this vicinity on account of the excitement inci- 
dent to the Black Hawk war, which occurred at 
this time. However, in the spring of 1832 J. 
Kennedy Kincaid. then a young man. came 
from Bath county, Kentucky, and located in 
the neighborhood. He was a carpenter by 
trade and found here a very inviting field for 
displaying his mechanical skill. He landed at 
Beardstown, from the steamboat on which he 
had found passage, and walked to Springfield 
in order to husband his scanty means so as to 
be able to buy a kit of tools at the latter town. 
Mr. Kincaid worked ai his trade and also 
taught school part of the time, and by dint of 
industry and economy he soon had means 
enough to enter a small tract of land. In the 
fall of 1833 his I'athei'. Andrew Kincaid. came 
nut from Kentucky on horseback to visit his 
son and to prospect the country. He returned 
well pleased ami in the fall of 1834 he came 
with his family and settled on the farm where 
his son Thomas Kincaid afterward lived and 
died. After a long and useful career he closed 
his life in Is;-.' ;it the ripe old age of eighty- 
seven years. His wife lingered on the shores 
id' time till in March, 1879, when she followed 
the beckoning hand of her husband and died at 
t he more ad\ anced age of ninety-one. They left a 
large family and their sons were among the 
most wealthy ami successful farmers in central 
Illinois. Their grandchildren have now taken 
the places el' their parents and grandparents 
and are among the reliable and successful men 
in the various callings of life, .lame- Ra ikin 
came from Kentucky and settled here in 1S33. 
Later on, in 1839 and 1840, perhaps, further 
settlements were made by Jesse G-. Hurt. David 
and James K. Hurl, .(esse Preston, Josiah 
Francis, Thomas Hargus, William Straw- 
bridge, Charles Robinson, R. I.. Wilson, Neal 



and Archibald Johnson and others doubtless 
whose names have passed from memory. But 
-pace forbids us to give the detail of settlements 
of later years, as the task would be endless. 
These were all good and true men. as the in- 
heritance that they worked nut and left to their 
posterity abundantly proves. 

The early pioneers knew nothing of the com- 
forts and conveniences that we are surrounded 
with al the present time. Naught was here 
but the wild unbroken forest and prairie, the 
soil rich and generous, it is true, but it was un- 
subdued ami was still the hunting ground of 
the red man. Without roads, without bridges 
ami far removed from the marts of trade, the 
incentive to agricultural pursuits was very 
weak. Yet while confronted with all these man- 
ifold annoyances and threatening obstacles, the 
love of liberty for themselves and children and 
the fond ho] f one day acquiring a com- 
petency and owning these broad and fertile 
fields, they bravely erected their cabins and un- 
flinchingly entered into the long and arduous 
battle. In many new countries there is one 
obstacle to overcome that the people of this 
section did not have to meet. In most new 
countries the first settlers are a das- of roving 
adventurers who stop for a time and then move 
on to other scenes, hut the great element of 
success in the first-comers to this part of Illi- 
nois was that unyielding inflexibility of pur- 
pose in which they set about making homes for 
themselves and families. Though most of 
them were men of but limited mean-, fel with 
their determination, the aid, encouragement 
and help of the wives and daughters, and the 
health and buoyancy produced by their sim- 
ple mode of life, they entered upon the task to 
win. Al least ninety-five per cent of them 
came to make homes and subsequent events 
have fully proved this to be true. There are 
many here to-day an abstract of whose title 
is simply the patent I nan the government and 
the deed from the father to the son. Some 
of them hold their title direct from the gov- 
ernment over the signature of John Quincy 
Adams. The inconveniences and difficulties 
endured by these pioneers were of such a char- 
acter as would appall the heart of the bravest 
of the present generation. Often their milling 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 






had in be done ai points one liundred miles 
away and the necessar\ supplies for the fam- 
ily were <uil\ secured at a like distance. Mr. 
l'niniu told the writer thai his father used to 
go in St. Louis in mill, a distance of no less than 
one hundred and twenty miles, and pari of the 
way there was no road whatever. 

The firs! postoffice established north of the 
Sangamon was at the house of Matthew Rog- 
ers and was known as Rogers' postoffice. The 
exad date of its establishment is nol known, 
Imt it was nol earlier than 1826 or 182V. The 
mail was carried on this line on horseback from 
Springfield to Lewiston by way of Rogers, 
Walker's Grove and Havana and was known as 
the Spoon river route. John Renfro was the 
mail carrier on this route fur a number of 
years. At thai time n took four weeks for 
a letter to go to or from New York — two 
months to gel an answer from there. When 
the town of Athens was laid oul the office was 
removed to thai place and the name changed 
in Athens postoffice. Henry C. Rogers suc- 
ceeded his father as postmaster and held the 
position for inan\ years. The lirst school in 
this vicinity was "kept" by J. A. Mendall, in 
a cabin near the residence of Henry C. Rogers. 
Mendall was an eastern man, finely educated 
and a successful teacher, but he bad one draw- 
back, thai was thai he was too fond of the 
flowing bowl, and his occasional sprees were; 
a greal annoyance to Ins patrons. The last 
known of him was thai he wenl to Peoria to 
engage in the stud] of law, and if he did not 

succ I in the law he would, al least, be able to 

satisfy the cravings of his appetite. Henn C. 
Rogers was himself an early pedagogue in this 
section and taught in the days when it was the 
fashion for the "master" to "board around," 
and when greased paper served in place of 
window ulas-. Bui those days of "subscription" 
schools and teachers "boarding around" were 
doomed to have an end. This "new world" 
was nol held in reserve for thousands of years 
for mi purpose. Its soil of inexhaustible fer- 
tility, its deep and almosl unlimited forests, 
its unmeasured wraith of base and precious 
metals, its untold fields of coal — all these were 
nol hidden away here for naught, bul infinite 
wisdom stored iliem here for modern Christian- 



it} to make them the agents of enlightened civ- 
ilization to illume and bless the world. And 
e\ en step iii i he I me of educal ion is a pari of 
this plan and every donor of means and even 
teacher, in short, all wdto lend their aid or in- 
fluence to the work of education is an agenl in 
this work. Away back in 1856 I he Indian 

Point people fell the i d of better facilities 

for the education of their children and to the 
end of bettering tin ir opportunities they nol up 
a private subscription in order to build a bouse 
and organize a school suited to their needs. In 
this way three thousand dollars were raised 
ami North Sangamon Academy was erected. 
The building is a substantial brick of (wo sto- 
ries and -lands |n the edge of Indian creek tim- 
ber. Located as it is in a grove of native 

forest { rees and \\ here there are 

"Books iii the running brooks, sermons in 
stones, 
And good in everything," 

one would naturally infer that the enterprise 
would meet with merited success, for surely 
there is no place anywhere that could surpass 
this in the natural influences of the surround- 
ings to contribute to thought and meditation 

As till- school is spoken of elsewhere, we will 

onl\ say in this connection that the school ran 
for years as an academy to the entire satisfac- 
tion of all concerned and did a vast amount of 

g 1. A number of years ago tl ceased to he 

run as an academy, hut is conducted under the 

school law of the stale, having two r ns and 

the school graded. 

Ilarn Riggin was the lirst merchant in this 
pari of the county. As far back as 1825 or 
is-.'!', he opened a small sinek of goods on his 
farm, and lie had a considerable trade. It was 

a greal accomi lation to the community, as 

before this store was opened the citizens were 
obliged to go to Springfield or Beardstown lor 
whatever in this line they mighl want. Bui as 
the years glided by ami population increased 
villages sprang up here and there, and mam of 

Hie t rials thai tl arlier settlers experie I 

became a thing of the past. When the \ illage 
ol \i hen- wa- opened up M r. Riggin mm 
stock of g Is to that place. 

Religion wa- one of the first interests thai 



(ill PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 

claimed the attention of the first settlers of referred to another place, where a full account 

this section and the first religious society is given. 

tori I was upon a voluntary basis t eel Of the town of Athens but little will be said 

(lie spiritual wants of the period. As early as here as a fuller detail will i>e found in another 
IS20 Joseph Smith ami wife, James Baynes place. The town occupies a very eligible posi- 
ainl wife and William Holland and wife organ- tion, being surrounded by a country peculiarly 
ized themselves into a elass of the Methodist adapted to agricultural and horticultural pur- 
order under the leadership of Mr. Holland, suits The prairies adjacent to it are as rich 
This was tin' first religious society in this whole as any under the sun. while near by are vast 
-eel ion ami was the basis of the first Methodist bodies of splendid timber. Bui her wealth is 
Episcopal church in the county. Soon after not confined to her agriculture or her horti- 
this organization the Rev. .lames Simms took culture, hut the very earth upon which the 
charge of its interests. The Cumberland Pres- town stands i> underlaid with vast held- of 
byterians were in this field in a very early day. coal, a source of inexhaustible wealth, and thai 
The first church building erected in this whole coal lie- only one hundred feet below the sur- 
Athens territory was the Lebanon Cumberland face In the year ls:il James Stephenson. 

Presbyteri thurch in the northwesl part of the county surveyor for Sangamon county, sur- 

Indian crock timber. This was indeed a primi- veyed and platted the town for the owner, the 

five affair. It was built of logs and the archi- Rev. John Overstreet. Tl riginal plat con- 

teeture and all id' its furniture and appoint- tained about forty acres, to which four addi- 

ments were rude and primitive in the extreme, tions have since been made. Two log 

This I -e was put up near the close of 182-1 cabins, one for a residence and the other 

or in the beginning id' L825. Having, in a few for a blacksmith shop, had been erected by 

years, served its day and generation, it was re- Orimal Clark, who had laid a claim here a year 

moved and a better building, one id' frame, or two previous to the laying out of the town 

was put in its place, ami after some years a and from whom Overstreet purchased the orig- 

verv neat and commod'ous frame church was inal town site. A small '"hand mill." operated 

erected. Tl is house served all the purpose- of by horsepower, was also here at the laying-out 

the congregation till the year 1866. At that of the village. About is:;-.' or is:;:; Colonel 

time R. It. Miller was pastor of the church and Matthew Rogers became a citizen of the place 

under his leadership they agitated the question and made the first permanent improvements, 

of building a house of worship. This agitation building a large and commodious store-room, 

began in 1866, hut the house was not built till which was for many years occupied by 1.. Sal- 

1867. Lt is a brick building, on a stone founda- zenstein. John Overstreet purchased the rem- 

tion, and the work and material are all first nant of the stock that Harry Riggin had had on 

class, lt is of ample size and it stand- to-day U,< farm and > making some additions to this 

as g I as when first erected, so far as the stock ' lle °P ened U P '" ""' '"""• ^^than 

foundation, wall, etc., are concerned. The Dunn was the second to enter the lists as a mer- 

.,.,,,,, . i ,. ,-, chant, hut his lib' in this line was -hort and he 
nev. John Al. tserrv, the great apostle ol ( inn- 

,,,,., .' . .' , ,,,. . retired in favor of some more luckv adventurer. 

lierland rresbvtenanism in central Illinois, was , . , 

In the latter part ol 1832 or the beginning ol 

the first preacher tor tins congregation ami he , ,.,., TT ... , , . . T , . . 

is...; Harry Riggin and Amberry A. Rankin 

served them several vears. Revs. Thomas -, ' ,, , , », 

opened a store in tin- place and alter two vears 

Campbell and Gilbert Id- served then, also. ><A<] tll( . M . st()( . k tll Ma ,. tm M Morgan . Durin g 

A g the early communicants of this congre- lh( , s . ||m . year James ,, Allerj and Sl , ,„,,„, 

gation were the families of Robert White. Wil- r | :11 . k - p,.,,,,,,,, merchants of the village, as did 

liain B. Short, Francis Rayburn, .lames Wil- \\ ,. . m ,| Elisha Hall. In 1836 Sebastian 

liam- llarn Riggin and Martin Higgins and Stone became a partner with Allen and this 

many others. For the history of the Presby- linn continued for a number id' years. All the 

teiian church al Indian Point the reader is c Is thai came to Athens for a number of 



PAST AM' PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 6 1 ) 

years had to be broughi from St. Louis, a dis- Orleans market. Some two or three months 
tance of one hundred and twenty miles, and were consumed in grinding the load, the bolt- 
when we lake into consideration the fact that ing being done bj hand. This proved an un- 
the mads were poor, where there were any at fortunate venture. Overstreei and David Hun 
all. and thai the goods wciv invariably trans- never returned. They were stricken with dis- 
ported by ox teams, it is not to lie wondered at ease ami died in the Crescent City, .lesse (i. 

thai on the day that a consignmenl of o l s Hurt returned, broken in purse and in spirit. 

arrived and were to he opened there was com- In an early day Jonathan Dunn buill a steam 

motion anion-' "the natives." Such a day was grisl mill here ami after operating d a year or 

like a da} in our time when Barnum's own and two he sold out to Strawbridge & Croft. They 

only show on earth comes into town. The attached a distillery to it ami ran the two to- 

bustle and noise that was seen ami heard on gether lor a time, but this has long since been 

such a day betokened a bright ami glorious a thing of the past. In L856 John Overstreet, 

future for the young city. Hut. alas for human a relative of the pioneer, ami Alexander Hale 

prospects and calculations! Tin 1 dark tidal buill a brick steam gristmill at ai tlay of 

wave of adversity and broken hopes was soon eleven thousand dollars ami began operations in 

to break over the town. In 1839 Menard county 1857. It was a very tine mill and for main 

was organized ami. id' course, a count\ seal was rears it did a line business. It has lone since 

to he -elect,',!, ami Athens, the oldest and then ceased to he. Salzenstein, the Eebrew mer- 

the largest village in the limits of the new chant, did as much for Athens, financially, per- 

county, entered the lists of competition. Athens haps, as any other man. The first blacksmith 

played her hand with the greatest skill, hut s h p in the village was opened in 1832 by 

Petersburg won the prize and left Allien- to Charles I'. Smith. He was followed later by 

weep over blighted hope- and blasted expecta- T nas Tabor ami William Brown. A pottery 

tions. Though time and space are limited, we w;;s operated here in tl arlv times by John 

must give, as briefly as we can, the story of the Pierson, ami it did a paying business for a 

"first mill in Athens." About 1826 Elijah time. Goble & Sackel ami als le Ramse} 

Estep had erected a hand mill on the presenl tried the sa business at a later dale. Tradi- 

site of Petersburg. Mills were so scarce and It tion Says that there was once a COtton-gin here, 

was so difficult to secure "breadstuff" that the i, nt this must have been before "the winter of 

Athenians decided that they must have a mill the deep snow." as. for some reason, no cotton 

and. learning that the Estep mill could he was miH ,,| nere a ft er that dale. At one time 

bought, they got up a public subscription to -old Salty," as Mr. Salzenstein was called. 

buy it. The subscriptions were taken for brought a bale of clothing to this place ; a num- 

nioiiev or labor: the cash subscribers were to her of persons were present when it was opened 

have certain privileges and the subscribers "f and in a short lime cholera broke out and a 

labor were to have certain rights. The mill number of people died fr it. [t was observed 

wa- bought ami in 1829 it was moved and that those who were first stricken with it were 

put in running order, with John Overstreei those who were presenl when the goods were 

as manager. lie was to run the mill, keep opened. 

it in repair, charge a jusl ami equitable loll. The history of the churches, schools, business, 

and at the expiration of four years it was etc., is to he found In another chapter. 

to belong to him. There wa- some trouble 

between the "cash" subscribers and the "labor" 

subscribers, hut the mill "cracked the corn" 

for them all alike, and at the end of four SANDRIDGE. 

years the mill belonged to Overstreet. About \'<\ Sandridge we do not mean the voting pre- 

the year 1834 Overstreet -round a flatboal load cincl of that name, hut the settlement thai was 

of flour in this mill and. in company with made north of that of Petersburg ami west of 

Jesse <;. and David Hurt, took it to the New the Sangamon river, on to the wesl line of the 



68 



I'. VST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



county. In Petersburg we included the Little 
Grove, running almost as far north as the vil- 
lage of Atterberry. But it is no matter about 
tines; we arc giving settlements and the old 
settlers, and in doing this linos play no nan. 
This section, like the rest of Menard county, 
is prairie with groves of timber interspersed, 
giving it the appearance of a giant farm, with 
orchards planted bere and there. This sec- 
tion is a little more rolling, perhaps, than other 
portions of the county, with rich and pro- 
ductive soil, save a portion in its northern part, 
where ridges of sand prevail, giving tin' name 
to the locality. 

Few indeeil antedate the settlers who came 
first into this locality. There is, however, 
greater trouble in determining who was in 
reality the very first white man to locate here 
than in any other part of the county. "Who 
was the first settler of Sandridge?" Who will 
answer the question? Thirty-nine years ago 
tin- question was propounded to the oldest "in- 
habitants" at that time, ami the replies did not 
agree. One said most emphatically that it was 
Jesse Armstrong; another, just a- old and just 
as reliable, said it was Royal Potter: and a 
third, just as good a witness, said it was Wil- 
liam Sampson. Now. who can settle the dis- 
pute? It will never he settled. They were all 
la-re in 1819. and if there is any preponderance 
in the testimony it is in favor of Mr. Arm- 
strong. He was from Tennessee and laid a 
claim near where Concord churcb now stands, 
the cabin being about a half mile almost due 
south of the church. After a. few years he re- 
moved to Arkansas and later to Texas, where 
he died. William Sampson was from Ken- 
tucky and made improvement about a mile east 
ami a little north of Armstrong's claim. He 
"kept batch" for awhile hut was married in 
182:1 or L822 to Hannah Sohmick. After mak- 
ing several improvements in Sandridge he 
finally crossed the river to the neighborhood of 

tit nview, where he died. tlis sons are all 

dead, too. Potter was from Tennessee or Ken- 
tucky anil made improvement on land that now 
is a part of the Shipley estate. This land he 
afterward sold to Sampson and Sampson sold 
it to Reason Shipley. George ami Jesse Miller 
came here in 1820 and located in the northeast 



corner of this territory, near the Sangamon 
river. The Millers kept a ferry on the river 
and to this day it is called Miller's ferry. In 
days gone by a town was laid out and some im- 
provement made at this ferry, hut on the Mason 
county side. Bannister Bond, who came front 
Tennessee, laid a claim on land about three 
miles due north of Petersburg, but in a short 
time located in Clary's Grove. He was noted 
for his powerful muscular development and 
physical endurance. He would cut timber and 
work it up into rails by day and then at night 
he would carry them on his shoulder to his 
clearing and build a fence with them. George 
Budspeth came from Monroe county, Alabama, 
in 1823. Elias Hohimer, Reason Shipley. 
Jacob Short and his sons. Obadiah, .lames and 
Harrison, came in 1824. Hohimer and Shipley 
were from Kentucky and were permanent citi- 
zens here from the ti they came. Short and 

his -ons were from Madison county, in this state, 
and first settled near Petersburg and then re- 
moved to Sandridge. Jacob Short was a ranger 
in the war of 1812 and did his country good 
service. The year 1825 brought large numbers 
of recruits to this part of the county. John 
Clary, who had settled in Clary's Grove in 1819. 
came at this date, and with him came his sons, 
John A. and Hugh. William Armstrong and 
his brother Pleasant. Isaac Colson, William and 

.la s Rutledge, John Cameron, Charles Revis 

and his sons. Isham and Alexander. Absalom 
Mounts and his son .lames. Robert Davis, and 
doubtless sonic others were here before the 
dose of this year. In a former history of this 
county it is said that George Kirby and Wil- 
liam Watkins, known as "Fiddler Hill." were 
settlers of this county before 1825. Now, the 
fact is that Mr. Kirby was horn, not earlier 
than 1810, in Madison county. Illinois, while 
Watkins was horn in Menard county, and the 
very first settler in the county was not here till 
1819. George Kirby and "Fiddler Bill" Wat- 
kins were settlers in Sandridge when they were 
young men. hut they lacked a long way of being 

; ne the first settlers. Watkins was the first 

white child horn in the county, hut that could 
not have been earlier than 1819, and he would 
have been quite a juvenile settler prior to 1825. 
The Armstrongs were from Kentucky and had 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



li'l 



settled "ii Imliaii creek before they went to 
Sandridge. Colson was from the state of 
Maine and settled in the northwest part of this 
section. The Rutledges were originally from 
South Carolina, but had lived for some time 
in White county, in tins state, before coming 
here. Cameron was a brother-in-law of Wil- 
liam Rutledge and with him settled in the 
southeastern part of this section. They, of 
course, are dead, hut mam of their descend- 
ant- are here James Pantier and Ins son, 
David M., came here in 1826. The elder Pan- 
tier was a Kentuckian by birth and was the 
second male white child horn in the stale, his 
lather having accompanied Daniel Boone in 
In- hunting and warring with the savage red- 
skin- in "the dark and bloody ground." He 
settled near the site of Concord church and 
lived there till near his death, when he went 
to live with Ins son. Da\ id M. Pantier. lie 
lies iii the old burying-ground on the farm that 
belonged to Rev. A. II. Goodpasture. David 
M. Pantier died seme fifteen or eighteen years 
ago. Among those coming in 182? we name 
Thomas Dowell, John and .Tames Yardley, 
Solomon Norris, James Rt fls, George Bow- 
man, and John Brahm, Sr. Dowell was from 
the south, and settled on the river bottom, near 
w here the \ illage of l >akford new stands, .lames 
Eudspeth, Mathias Young and John P>. Colson 
were here before the deep snow. During the fall 
and winter after the deep -new. a large settle- 
mem was in and around where the village of 
Oakford new -lands. Amos Ogden, Isaac 
White, .Matthew Lownsbern and sons. Jona- 
than and Matthew, ami ether-, were among the 
delegation. Nearly all the settlers mentioned 
lefore were from the south, hut these last 
named wen- from the northern ami eastern 
-tale-, and they gave to the neighborhood the 
nam.' et the "Yankei Sett lenient" to distin- 
guish it. Passing down through the years we 
find ili'- li-i already given, increased by the 

ni - of William B. Cloe, Samuel Lownsberry, 

Isaac Ogden, Bayden Thomas, John Wald- 
ridge, John Kirby, Milieu t;. Combs, dames 
Mini. George R. Watkins, J. L. Short, James 
Tetter and E. < '. Stith. These were all here 
prior to the year 1840. All of these have cross- 
ed the dark river except Samuel Lownsberry 



and Milton G. Combs, and thev are nearins 
the crossing. 

The pillage oJ Oakford was surveyed and 
platted for the proprietors, William Oakford 
and William Colson, h\ surveyor A. .1. Kelly, 
in March, 1872. The town plat contains sixty 
acres and is in the midst of a magnificent 
agricultural district. The land on which the 
town i- located belonged to Colson and Oak- 
ford secured a half interest by using his influ- 
ence getting a station there. A public sale of 
lots wa- made mi the l Lth of April, is;-.', and 
over two thousand dollars worth were disposed 
of, and in a short time the work of improve- 
ment wa- begun. The first building was called 
the railroad store, a shanty in which was kept 
supplies I'er the railroad hands. Soon after the 
village was laid out William Oakford buill a 
storeroom, and opened a stock of groceries in 
it. In the summer of 1872 a stock of goods for 
a general store was opened by Calvin Atter- 
berry, who had been in business in "Bobtown." 
In is;:: Isaac Ogden and A. G. Colson bought 
Aiierhcrry out. In January, 1874, 1.. W. 
Roberts bought Colson out and the firm became 
Ogden & Roberts. In October, is;:,, the] -old 
out to Sutton Brothers, who operated the -tore 
three years, and then sold out to S. I.. Watkins 
& Brother. In dune. 1873, IT. A. Bennett, •■( 
Petersburg, opened a -lock of drugs and shelf 
goods, in the old railroad store. This changed 
hands several tune-, and finally, in L876, s. L. 
Watkins bought the establishment. In the 
spring id' 1875 Dr. .1. D. Whitney ami W. ( '. 
Roberts opened a drug -lore. In L876 <>. J. 
Vlaltby and John M. Walker opened a harness 
-hop. The first dwellings were built in 1872 

by Dr. .1. D. Whille\ and Charles Me\er-. 

Thus the town started oul ami steadily view 
from year to .ear. I ill it is a town of live 
or sis hundred inhabitants and is a good busi- 
ness point. The first marriages in the town 
were: A. i;. Colson to Rachael Skaggs, in 
L872, and I.. W. Roberts to Carrie C. Ogden, 
in is;:;. Dr. .1. D. Whitley wa- the first prac- 
ticing physician there, and Dr. .1. T. Miers, 
now of Petersburg, also practiced for a time. 
I >r. Bolinger pract iced medicine there for a 
number of years, and died there two vears ago. 



70 



PAST AND l'RFSKNT OF MENARD COUNTY 



They had saloons in the place during almost 
all of its history. 

Oakford has noi grown much of late years 
but is a substantial little business town, having 
two large general stun-, carrying dn goods and 
groceries, one owned by Oliver Maltby, who 
has been in business in the place for over twen- 
ty year.-. There is one grain elevator, which 
handles a large amount of grain. Marion At- 
terberry owns a large drug store and also keeps 
a stock of hardware. They have also a black- 
smith simp and a splendid little hotel. They 
have net neglected the matter of education for 
they have an excellent school building of four 
rooms, fully equipped with all that a modern 
school requires. The veteran teacher. 1. N. 
Hartley, is at present superintending the educa- 
tion of tin' youth of the village ami surround- 
ing community. Some years ago the Method- 
ist church, which Formerly stood some Eour 
miles southwest of the town, was moved to the 
town. During the summer of 1904 the house 
h;i> remodeled and i.- now one of the neat ami 

c Eortable houses of worship of the county. 

The congregation also owns a comfortable par- 
sonage on a lot adjoining the church. Five or 
six year- ago the town built a good town hall. 
at a cost of about one thousand dollars. Oak- 
ford has a very lino farming country around it. 
ami the trade of the town i- equal to thai of 
any town id' the same size in central Illinois. 



ROCK CREEK. 

■•Time writes no wrinkles upon the brow of 
Old Ocean, as upon those of the fading race of 
man." With some degree of truth, the same 

might he -aid of the countl'N oil Rock Creek. 

The last eighty years, it is plain to be -em. 
has wrought as little change on the general ap- 
pearance ..i' the country as upon any part of 
this county. The storms and sunshine of more 
than lour score years have flung light and shade 
over its hills and vales since the men. whom 
Cod made white, laid their claims and built 
their cabins in its sheltering timber. These 
i ,i -in- have rot led away, their weight-pole roofs 
are gone, and the smoke is seen no more as it 
curls from the low top of the mud-daubed stick 



chimney, and the wild game i- gone forever. 
hut the timber has been better protected than 

in other localities, while the hill- and fields and 
rippling streams have been lcs> distorted by 
the hand of civilization than elsewhere. The 
little stream. Rock creek, which gives its name 
to this settlement. Hows almost east, in it- gen- 
eral direction hut it meander- in its course. 
dallying ami playing on its way, a- if charmed 
h\ the beauty of the scene and loath to mingle 
it- ivaters with the turbid, murky flow of the 
Sangamon. The territory that we include in 
what we term "Rock Creek" includes what is 
known as "Wolf county." Why this name was 
ever given to this section we cannot learn. 
After diligent enquiry for many years, we have 
no idea why the name was ever applied. 

The first cabin ever built by a white man 
in this settlement is said to have been put up 
by Anmr Batterton. Amor Batterton was from 
Kentucky and built this cabin on Rock creek 
in L819. Some claim that he came to this 
vicinity in the fall of 181S. and put up the 
cabin lun that it was noi occupied till the next 
year. No matter how this may he. it is beyond 
dispute that he settled here in 1819. He reared 
a large family and many of his descendants 
are still living in this county. The same year 
thai Batterton settled here, a man by the name 
of Ratliff and his four sons. — James, Job, 
William and Joshua, — .lames Fisher and George 
Gamerel settled in the timber along the creek. 
Jacob Miller settled at Farmer- Point in 1819. 
Solomon Keltner and William Stephenson came 
also in L819 or 1820 and located in the same 
neighborhood. Rev. James Simnis and his son- 
in-law, dames Black, also came in 1819-20, 
and took claims. They were from Kentucky 
and Mr. Simms told the following story, which 
we give as he told it. and the reader ma\ set 
his own estimate upon it: "That he was a 
Cumberland Presbyterian minister, a greal re- 
vivalist and a leader at the camp-meetings. He 
established a •camp ground' soon after he came 
in the neighborhood, which for many year- was 
ili. scene of an annual camp-meeting, and that 
some of the remains are still to be seen on the 
sacred spot." This man Simms must have 
taken an active part in temporal as well as 
spiritual things, for he was the first repre- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTS 7] 

sentative in the legislature from Sangamon particulars whatever. Elihu Bone died in IS56. 
county. Bui the camp-meeting storj seems a rsaac Cogdell was a Kentuekian by birth and 
little fishy, for qo such man was known to the came to Rock creek in 1826. He died twenty 
historians of the early Cumberland Presbyterian years ago, on the old homestead. The father 
church in Illinois. Absalom Matthews came of Isaac Cogdell, Joseph Cogdell, was a Baptisl 
a l so tins year. This comprises the settlement preacher, and came to that settlemenl in LS23. 
U p 1,1 the year 1821, when the following re- He died in 1828, his being one among the firsl 
eruits were added to those already here: Tarl- deaths in that little settlement. Rev. John M. 
ton Lloyd, George Miller, Marshall Duncan, Berry, a Cumberland Presbyterian minister, 
David S. Taylor, Matthias, James and William came in 1821, and soon after organized a con- 
I r oakum, and perhaps others whose names arc gregation of thai church, on Rock creek. He 
forgotten. Lloyd was born in Virginia in 1784 was a man of unblemished Christian character 
ami died in 1885,— over a hundred years old.— and of great power. He was the "apostle" of 
he settled where he died. He said there were his church in central Illinois. He died in Clin- 
iu,, cabins on the place when he came One ton, Illinois, sometime in the '50s. Elijah 
of these was twelve by sixteen feel and into il Houghton came from Kentucky and settled on 
he moved his family, in which they lived till Rock creek in 1824. His lather. Aaron Hough- 
the nc\t summer. Two years later he built a ton, was a native of New Jersey, though oJ 
hewxd-log house, eighteen by twenty feet; after- English stock. He was a soldier in the Revo- 
ward this was weather-boarded and a frame ad- lutionary war. He emigrated to Kentucky. 

dition built to it. This house was standing when il was, indeed, "the dark and bl ly 

a short time ago, bul it wore the marks f time, ground," it being the battle-field of the south- 
looking weather-beaten, moss-grown and near era and northern Indians, as it was later the 
itsend. Lloyd had nothing when he came here, battle-field between the northern and southern 
only a few household articles, — no stock or whites. Elijah Houghton was a man of con- 
money. Soon after he came he boughl £ cow siderable prominence in the community and 
from Shipley— probably Reason Shipley,— giv- died in 1852. A. M. Houghton, a son of 
ing in exchange Tor it a wagon; he also bought Elijah, and who was horn in Illinois, was a very 

, ther from George Greene, giving a feather prominent man in this section of the state. 

bed for it. lie was a soldier in the war of Ho was known far and near a- "Hickory 

L812, serving under Captain Henry West. Houghton. X an in central Illinois si I 

Fourth Regiment, and was in the battle o1 New higher in public regard than he. Ih- word 

Orleans. This Miller settled in the Sangamon was as good as his bond ; his judgment was good 

bottom, and Duncan on what is known as Gar- on even subject; and no man- counsel was 

den Prairie. Taylor boughl the place origin- soughl more than hi-, lie died - e years 

all\ settled by Batterton and also the claim of ago in the same house in which be was born, 

Matthews. The Yoaktims were natives of Vir- al the age of nearly seventy years. Hi- widow 

ginia bul had migrated to Kentucky in an is >till living, at the home of her daughter. 

early day an.] from there they came to Illinois. Mr>. John S. Hurie, within a shoii distance of 

firsl stopping in Madison county, and after a the old home. Charles Houghton, a brother of 

while they went to Montgomery, where they Elijah Houghton, came in 1824 and settled on 

stopped a while, and then came on to Menard, the farm afterward owned bj Isaac Cogdell 

Samuel Combs came from Kentucky in 1824 an. I on which Cogdell died. In the period of 

and settled mi Rock creek, and two years later. 182(1 to L828. there were several additions to 

in 1826, his brother. Jonas Combs, came and the settlement; Roberl Johnson, Jesse Vowell, 

settled near him. The\ are both dead main Michael Davis and William Irwin came iii that 

years ago, dying on the places thai they settled, time. .1. H. Smith was also an early settler 

Elihu Bone came from Tennessee, in 182 f. and here. He was a son of Samuel Smith, of Rhode 

boughl a claim from a man named Flvnn. on Island, who married a Rhodes, of the family ol 

Bock creek. Of 'this Flvnn we could learn no Rhodes for wl i, n is -aid. Rhode Flam! 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



originally named. C. J. F. Clark may also be 
ranked as one of bhe early settlers of this sec- 
tion. Be \\a> one oi the first county commis- 
sioners of Menard county and was the first 
county judge, after the county was organized. 
He served eight years as judge and four as 
commissioner. He died many years ago. in 
Cass county . 

The above includes all the early settlers 
whose names we could learn, though doubt- 
less some were missed who deserve to lie men- 
tioned among them, hut when we look hack 
over a period of eighty-five years, it is not 
strange that many of the pioneers who came to 
tin- wilderness then and remained hut a short 
time, or died in a few years, are forgotten by 
the few left. We are soon forgotten. 

"If you or 1 to-day should die, 

The birds would sing as sweet to-morrov\ ; 
The vernal Spring her flowers would bring, 

And few would think of us with sorrow. 

Yes, he is dead, would then he said; 

The corn would floss, the grass yield hay. 
The cattle low, the summer go, 

And few would heed us passed away. 

How soon we pass! How few, alas! 

Remember those who turn to mold! 
Whose faces fade, with autumn's shade. 

Beneath the sodded churchyard cold! 

Yes. it is so. We come, we go — 

They hail our birth, they mourn us dead, 

A day or more, the winter o'er, 
Another takes our place instead." 

It is with no intention of injustice to anyone 
thai we quote these lines. They are beauti- 
fully pathetic and as true as beautiful. None 
mi— n> when we pass away hut our immediate 
relatives and in a little time the\ forget us 
and laugh as merrily as when we sat by their 
side. Such is life, and such is human nature; 
ami it is well that we can forget and that time 
does thus heal our sorrows, or life would be- 
come a burden that none of us could bear. 

\|o-i of ill,' f 1 i-i e. liners to Rock Creek were 
from Kentucky and Virginia, where timber and 
running water existed in profuse abundance. 
and the\ looked upon the timber that bordered 
Rock creek and the Sangamon as a second 



paradise. They then regarded the prairies as 
barren wastes, lit for nothing but pasturage, 
and tin,- was the reason that all the first set- 
tlements wire made along tin 1 water courses, in 
the edge of the timber. Drive wells were un- 
known and to move out on the open prairie 
would have been considered as great an act of 
insanity as to attempl to cross the desert with- 
out water. 

One of the very lirst religious organiza- 
tions formed in Menard county, was the Rock 
(feck Cumberland Presbyterian church. It 
was organized by the Eev. John M. Berry, 
some claim as early as 1821 or is-.'-.', certainly 
not later than IS-?:!. Rev. John Simms came 
a short time prior to the organization of the 
society and these two veteran pioneers and 
preachers of the gospel laid out a camp-ground 
in the timber of Bock creek and held camp 
meetings there for many years. It was the 
good -ceil sown in good ground that brought 
forth the abundant harvest in after years, which 
is still seen in the Bock Creek Cumberland 
Presbyterian church. The church building 
stands near where the camp-ground was lo- 
cated. The lirst start at a place of worship 
was the shed that was put up on the camp- 
ground, but some time later they put up a log 
house, which was used for a number of years 
as a sehoolhouse and also a church. Some 
years afterward they erected a frame church 
of ample dimensions to nice, all their wants, 
and this house served all their purposes till 
some twelve or fifteen years ago whin they put 
up the house that they how worship in. as neat 
and comfortable a country church as can he 
found in this or any other county in central 
Illinois. They also have a comfortable par- 
sonage, standing near the church. The Rev. 
J. W. Elder is their pastor. A cemetery ad- 
joins the church. This is beautifully located. 
tastefully laid out and is kept with the greatest 
care. 

The lirst school in this settlement was taught 
by a man of the name of Compton. in a little 
log cabin on the claim of Tarleton Lloyd. Tin- 
school was taught in is-.' I am! 1825. The fol- 
lowing year Ira MeGlassen taught a school in 
a cabin on the claim of Elijah Houghton, the 
old "Hickory" Houghton place. Illustrative of 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



,3 



the schools of those clays, a story is told of an 
occurrence that is said to have taken place in 
this vicinity. A young man learning thai a 
certain neighborhood was contemplating hav- 
ing a school if they could secure a teacher, 
visited the community and was referred to a 
certain citizen, who, he was told, was empow- 
ered to deal with him. 1 1 < • called on the old 
gentleman who said they wanted a school 
teacher, and thai he was to examine him as to 
his qualifications. He set the young fellow to 
reading in the Bible, in the genealogical pari 
of Genesis where were numberless hard names 
in pronounce. After reading a chapter or two 
the old man stopped him with tin- remark thai 
he thought he could teach their school. Then 
he told the voung man to write out a cerl ifi- 
cate of his qualification, which, when done, 
he handed to the old man to sign. The latter 
said to him: "You jusl sign it too with my 
name, and 1 will make my mark as I can not 
read nor write." This is not an unreasonable 
sinn by any means. In Menard county not 
fifteen pears ago, ami under our boasted free 
school system, there was a school district in 
which not one of the three directors could write 
his name. 

Tarleton Lloyd opened the first blacksmith 
shop in this territory, in L822 or 1823. and did 
this line of work for the surrounding country 
for a number of years. Rev. Mr. Simms built 
a mill here, of a very primitive type, in f823. 
h was propelled by horse-power and served to 
crack the corn for the community, and they 
even "mashed" wheal with it and then sifted 

nut the brand, s • careful housewives bolting 

ii through home-made cloth, thus having a 
semblance of wheal flour. This mill long, long 
ago ceased to be, and the people now do their 
milling at other points. The firsl justice of 
the peace is supposed to have been a man by 

the Qi f Syniard, who was among the early 

settlers bul who lefi here in a Eew years. One 
iif the Bones was, a1 one time, a justice of the 
peace for this section. A- illustrative of the 
courts of this early day. the following is told 
at the expense of Esquire Syniard: Two of 
the neighbors had gotten into a wrangle over 
a debt which one owed the other and which 
the debtor agreed to pay in hogs. In the fall, 



when the hogs had grown I'al on the mast and 
the debt was to be paid, it happened that fat 
hogs were a good price, so the debtor sold his 
fat hogs for cash, and delivered an old ->\\ 
ami pigs to the creditor. To this the creditor 
demurred, saying that he was to he paid in 
hogs. The debtor replied thai he u;is to pay 
in hogs, anil that he had brought the sow and 
pigs. The creditor demurred still and a law- 
suit was the result. It came up for trial be- 
fore Esquire Syniard, and after very patiently 
hearing both sides of the question, he rendered 
judgment in favor of the creditor, deciding thai 
in a legal sense a sow and pigs were not hogs. 
In the year 1ST; a postoffice was established 
here, located on the creek, near the old tsaac 
Cogdell place, and was called the Lloyd post- 
office, in honor of the then-living oldest citi- 
zen. L. B. Conover was the first postmaster. 
Politically Rock creek has always heen Demo- 
cratic to the backbone. When the election 
drew near John S. Hurie and Frank Duncan 
rallied the faithful, ami on election day the 
gathering elans wont to the polls and victory 
was achieved. This has heen the story in all 
the past. Even in the dark days of 190 I. the 
prairies and woods of this section sent out its 
undaunted mossbacks, ami when the returns 
came in from over the land, bringing the story 
of disaster and defeat on everv hand, word came 
thai in spite of Parker and Plutocracy, Wolf 
county had maintained her old lime integrity 

and was tl ne green oasis in the drearj deserl 

of Democratic disaster. 

During the f'i\ il war !><» k i reek was loyal to 
the core and turned out as large a number of 
soldiers in proportion to her population as an} 
part, of Menard county. The men of this sec- 
i urn volunteered into the regiments in the ad- 
joining country, which drew their chief s1 rength 
from this counts, and among these were the 
Fourteenth and the One Eundred ami Four- 
teenth Regiments of Qlinois Infantry. Mo 

n had better records as soldiers than the boys 

from this seetion of "Little Menard." 

1,'nek ( 'reek is to-da\ one of the finest sei 
tions of farming country in the entire county. 
By nature -ume of the -mi t in;u ihii he as rich 
as may he found in some other localities, hut 
taken all in all il stands in the very front 



; i 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



\\ lull 1 i! has no towns or villages, nor railroads, 
yel ii is one of the must delightful communi- 
ties in the land. They have a coal shaft in 
their midst, and what other parts of the county 
do not have, they possess,- we mean stone for 
building purposes. Their farms are produc- 
tive and well cultivated; their homes are ele- 
gant and comfortable; their schools are of the 
best, and no more social or happy and pros- 
perous people can be found in central Illinois; 
and when the interurban electric mad is fin- 
ished, as it will be soon, running through the 
very heart of this community, and connecting 
them with Springfield. Petersburg and all the 
world, their cup of fortune and happiness will 
be full tn overflowing. 



1XD1AX CREEK. 



The prairies of the west, though possessing 
a soil equal to any in the world, and having a 
climate unsurpassed, and being splendidly 
watered, were yet slow to attract the early 
emigrant, because mosl of these were from sec- 
tions of the country abounding in timber and 
the pioneer seemed to think that no one could 
survive on these bare plains. When Illinois 
began to attract the emigrant, we find him 

steering his "prairie scl ter" toward the 

groves of timber. In fact they really believed 
that those prairies would uever I" 1 settled up. 
.Tames Short told the writer that in an early 
day. as he and his father wore looking across 
tin- strip of prairie lying between their farm 
and Sugar Grove, a distance of a little more 
than two miles, the old man said: "Jimnrie, 
there will he open range for our stock there 
for a hundred year- to come."' In less than 
a score of years it was a solid, unbroken sea of 
corn. It was not till almost ever} acre of tim- 
ber land lying adjacent to the streams had been 
claimed that an\ one thought of venturing i at 
on the prairie. With the utmost caution they 
ventured out beyond the shelter of the protect- 
ing trees, and as cabins rose up on the broad 
plains the croakers uttered dire predictions 
about freezing to death or being blown ava\ by 
storms. Tin- was the case in this sett lemi m . 
a- well a- elsewhere, and no settlements were 



made beyond the timber till necessity compelled 
the increasing population to "move on." In- 
dian Creek settlement included as line a sec- 
tion of country as is to he found anywhere. 
consisting of timber along the -I reams, with 
broad areas of the Bnest prairie. The surface 
is iioi hilly, nor is it flat and level, hut the 
whole surface gently undulates, more like the 
swelling waxes of the ocean, than anything sve 
can compare it to. It is well drained and 
watered by Salt creek on the north, the Sanga- 
mon on the west, and Indian creek and other 
small streams flowing through it. Xo village 
or town now breaks the monotonj of the scene 
at the present time, though years ago New 
Market, a thriving village, was located here. 
Curtis, a way-station and postoffice on the Chi- 
cago & Alton railroad, is in this area, hut as 
there is hut one family there and no buildings 
adorn it. except the one residence, a store and 
a grain elevator, it is not entitled to the name 
village. This settlement was first made by 
people mo-tl\ from Kentucky, with a Ei w from 
Virginia, to give dignity to the community. 
From the host information that can he had. 
.Tame- Short was the first wdiite man to settle 
in this territory, lie located here in 1824 hut 
in L828 he removed to Sangamon county. The 
"Id Blue Grass state sent in the following re- 
cruits: Solomon Taylor, Robert and .lames 
Bracken. Andrew Trumbo, Abraham Horn- 
hack and sons, Elijah Scott, Francis Rayburn, 
William Brewer and son, Samuel Rogers and 
son. Alexander Crawford. David Onstott, John 
Pentecosl and sons. Michael Kill ion. William 
Denton, William and .lames Estill. Coleman 
Smoiit. Hamilton Elliott. Isaiah Bow and per- 
haps others. Robert and .lames Bracken, 
brothers, came in 1826-27. Solomon Taylor 
came in 1828. Andrew Trumbo came in 1828 
or 1829. Abraham Hornback and Ins sons. 
John, .(esse and Andrew, came in 1826. All 
of these are long since dead hut Andrew lived 
until not a very great number of years ago and 
died at a very advanced age. Francis Ray- 
burn came in 1828 and after a great many 
years he removed to Iowa, where he died. Wil- 
liam Brewer and his son John came in 1827 
"i- 1828, and both died here. Samuel Rogers 
and his son, Joseph Rogers, came in 1S25. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 75 

Alexander Crawford came in 1827, and has both living, enjoying a peaceful old age, for 
been dead almosl or quite fifty years. David although Mr. Smoot has been entirely blind for 
Onstotl came in L825 and erected a mill and several years he still enjoys life. When he is 
distillery. The mill was run l>\ horse-power gone he will be universally missed and Ins 
and a little copper still was attached. In this memory will be revered by all who knew him. 
null the corn was cracked for meal and hominy The settlers thus Ear named were all from 
[or the settlers, and the little still — such as the Kentucky, though many, or most of them, were 
moon-shiners now use in Tennessee and North originally from Virginia, as Kentucky was 
Carolina — worked n|i the surplus corn into largely settled by Virginians. From Virginia, 
spiritus frumenti, which the citizens used only the venerable mother of presidents, the follow- 
er the ■•chills" and snake-bite. Tins is the ing additions were made : Russel Godby, Isaac 
extenl of the milling there, except thai later Snodgrass, Fielding Ballard. William Samp- 
tRere was a water-mill on Indian creek, at son ami probabh a few others. Godby came 
what is now .ailed Indian Creek hill. Onstoti in the spring of 1830 ami his lirsi winter, 

was a I i thai could not he surrounded, as therefore, was that of the deep snow, and it 

one old citizen expressed it. and when tin- set- east a damper (especially in the spring when 
tlenieiit began to lill up he pulled out for it began to thaw) over the feeling with which 
Arkansas, lie said he had waded through he had regarded the fair prairies of Illinois, as 
h — 1 to get here and he did not propose to be compared with the red hills of "Old Virginia." 
crowded. John Pentecost and his sons, Wil- He was the first man in all this region to ven- 
liam, Henry and John, came in 1827. William ture out into the open prairie and he did not 
Denton came in 1830 and died long ago, and all get far from shelter. Snodgrass and Ballard 
of bis children are gone except George W. were brothers-in-law to Godby ami came the 
Denton, who is still living, a citizen of Green- same season that he did. Sampson came some 
view. Michael Kill nm came in 1830. When time before Godby, Snodgrass and Ballard, 
Russel Godby came in 1830 ami built a cabin probably in 1826. lie lived in the community 
out on the prairie. Killion said thai the fool till his death, which occurred in 1870. Philip 
Virginian would freeze to death. William Harnett was an eastern man and a brother-in- 
EstilL a brother-in-law of Killion. came in law to Godby. These four gentlemen, Godby. 
1825 or 1826. .lames Estill, a brother of Ballard, Snodgrass ami Barnett, married sis- 
William, came ;it the -nine time. The} are ters. John Kin- came from North Carolina 
both long since dead. Hamilton Elliotl and in 1826. He was horn in 1 ;;.'.. ami died in 
two sons, Richard and Madden, came in 1830. 1876, at the age of one hundred and one years 
Richard later removed to Fulton county. lie and twenty-nine days, lie was a soldier in the 
is described a- an enterprising man. who en- Indian wars of the south and in the war oi 
gaged considerably in speculation. <>ui in- 1812. in winch he served under General Jack- 
formant said that he would risk his life for -on. an. I he was a firm believer in and a greal 
a con-kin. Afterward he went to California admirer of "Old Hickory" to the dose of Ins 
ami amassed a large fortune. Hiram Chapin life, lie liist came to Illinois in lS'.'l and 
and Benjamin Pay come at a very early day settled in the south part of the state, where 
but did not remain long. Coleman Sino.it he lived until coming here. Before his death 

came in 1831 and bought out <>nst.-tt. lie he and Tarleton Lloyd were tl aly living 

was an intelligent, active business man. and soldiers of that war in the county. IP' was 
acquired a handsome property. He .lie.] many buried in Rose Hill cemetery. Dedman Power 
years ago. His son. William C. Sm lot, is one vvas an early settler hut of linn we could gather 
of the wealthy men of Menar.l countj'. He is no particulars. William Hull' came in 1827, 
a conscientious Christian man. gained bis hut where from no one can tell, lie is spoken 
wealth h\ hones! means and no one envies him of a- "a hard old customer," rough, profane ami 
in the enjoyment of it. He married a daughter a | r acquisition to an\ community, lie re- 
nt' William Engle, of Sweetwater. They are maine.l only a few years. John Clary was an 



16 



PAST A\D PPFSFXT OF MENARD COUNTY 



earlj corner, for Esquire Godby says lie was 
tending Onstotfs mill when he came in 1830. 
This brings this settlement down to the time 
when the tide of immigration was becoming 
so strong that it would be impossible to secure 
any correi r account of it. 

One of the first moves made by the early 
pioneers, after getting a shelter for the wife 
and children, was in the direction of education 
and religious worship. In the summer of 1830 
John Pentecost walked three miles from his 
homi to a cabin on the land of Samuel Rogers 
tn teach a little school there. The next school 
was taught by Dr. David Meeker, in an aban- 
doned cabin on the land of Coleman Smoot. 
The firsi regular schoolhouse built in this set- 
tlement was on the land of Mr. Smoot and was 
of the primitive pattern. This was built in 
1833, and the firsi pedagogue to preside here 
and imparl wisdom within its classic walls, 
was Silas Alexander. In this log cabin, known 
a- the "Smoot schoolhouse/' many of the old 
men and women of this vicinity, when children, 
took their first Lessons in Webster's old blue- 
backed spelling book and in shooting paper 
wads. We make great sport of these old 
schools, but we are impressed to say that three 
things were often better taught then than they 
are in a great many of our boasted up-to-date 
schools of to-day: we refer to spelling, arith- 
metic and English grammar. Those old text- 
books, -nine way or another, led the pupil to 
understand the fundamental principles of the 
branches of which they treated. Pike's and 
Smiley's arithmetics and Murray's and Kirk- 
ham's grammars left the pupil no excuse for 
not mastering the subject, but with the ad- 
vantages that we have now. as compared with 
those o!' that time, our teachers and pupils 
should do marvelous things. 

The Brsl minister who preached to the peo- 
ple of this settlemenl was the Rev. John M. 
Berry, the greal apostle of the Cumberland 
Presbyterian church in central Illinois. We 
wonder what he would think and say if he 
could rise up now and see what those snobs, 
who an- trying to destroy the church that he 
labored so hard for, have in view. 

Tin first birth and marriage are forgotten 
bul as everything musl have a beginning these 



did have a beginning here, as the present popu- 
lation emphatically shows. The first death is 
supposed to be that of Fielding Ballard's 
mother. She came here with him and being 
very old and feeble she died the next year. The 
first physician in the neighborhood was a Dr. 
Walker but whence he came or whither he 
went no one know.-, however, he remained but 
a short time. The next was David Meeker, 
who combined physic and school teaching as 
the practice of medicine was not then a very 
paying business, for people did not call a phy- 
sician for every little ailment, and a- a result 

there was less sickni no offense meant to 

the medical fraternity — and fewer doctor's 
bills. Coleman Smoot was the first justice of 
tin- peace and Russell Godby was the second. 
We mentioned the village of New Market in 
another place, but we feel that it should be 
spoken of here, because many people do no1 
know that there was once a village here which 
not only aspired to be the county seat of Me- 
nard county hut actually set herself to In- tin- 
capital — the seat of government, of the greal 
state of Illinois. Such is the unvarnished 
truth. It was laid out by Dr. Ballard and a 
man by the name of Speer. Ballard put up a 
large two-story building, intended to lie used 
as a lmtel. but the glory of the town waned so 
East that it was never used. A -tore was 
opened by one Clark, who later sold out to 
Ballard & Spier. A blacksmith shop was 
opened by George Saunders ami William F. 
Rogers, and the plate pul on quite a town-like 
appearance. Then, as -aid above, she aspired 
to lie the county seat and not only this but she 
was actually a rival of Springfield for the state 
capital, but alter the location of the seat of 
justice at Petersburg, it faded into nothing- 
ness. It became a village of the dead, rather 
than the living; a grave for ambition; an 
antidote for pride. The ruins of Baalbee are. 
in ni.in\ respects, a mystery; Palmyra, at leasl 
in vastness, surpassed even Baalbee; Athens. 
Rome, Jerusalem, and other scenes of decay 
appeal to our pit}" and touch our hearts, hut 
for New Market, the mighty city of lofty as- 
pirations, we can only, like the Hebrew cap- 
tives of old. hang our harps upon the willows 
and weep for fallen pride. It owed its origin 



PAST A\H I'KKSKNT OK MKXAKl) COl'NTY 



77 



to a rather wild ambition and waned to its ex- 
tinction when fate decided adversely to its 
hopes and wishes. 

"Sweet smiling village, loveliest of the lawn. 

Thy sports are fled, and all thy charms with- 
draw 11 ; 

Amidst thy bowers the tyrant's hand is seen, 

And desolation saddens all thy green; 

One only master grasps the whole domain. 

And half a tillage stints thy smiling plain; 

No more ih\ glass;; brook reflects the day, 

But. choked with sedges, works its weed] way: 

Along thy glades, a solitary guest— 

The hollow-sounding bittern guards its nest; 

Amidst thy desert-walks the lapwing Hies. 

And tires thy echoes with unvaried cries. 

Sunk arc thy bowers in shapeless ruin all. 

Ami the Long grass o'ertops the moldering 
wall. 

And trembling, shrinking from the spoiler's 
hand. 

Far, far away thy children leave the land." 

Finally when it was evidenced to them be- 
yond a doubl that tin- town was "born to blush 
unseen, and waste its -weetness on the desert 
air." it was vacated, by legislative enactment, 
and nothing now remains to point out where 
once it stood. Where its busy inhabitants once 
toiled, the rank corn now rustles in tin- passing 
breeze. 



GREEN-VIEW AND IRISH GROVE. 

Greenview, as a precinct, is one of the 
youngest in the county. Until some years ago 
it was included in what is new Sugar Grove 
precinct, with the voting place at the village ol 
Sweetwater. The later was remote from the 
people in the extreme northern part, and the 
intelligent voter, from this small drawback, 
often neglected to exercise the right of fran- 
chise. Heme the resull was a division of Su- 
gar Grove, or Sweetwater as it then was, and the 
creation of a new precinct, now known as 
Greenview. It includes almost the entire 
northeast part of the county, it is well drained 
b\ Salt creek and Pike creek, with other -mall 
branches, which carry off the surface water. 
Irish Grove lies oast of Greenview, running to 
the I.ouan coiintv line. As an agricultural re- 



gion this is not surpassed b\ an\ section of 
country anywhere Its farmers are among tie 
most thrifty and most wealthy in central Illi- 
nois. The Chicago & Alton Railroad runs di- 
agonally through Greenview precinct. Green- 
view, the metropolis of this section, is an en- 
terprising little town in tin' southwest part ot 
Greenview precinct, on the Chicago & Alton 
Railroad and will he more fully spoken of 
further on. 

i: w;l.Y SETTLEMENT. 

There is no reliable proof that any white 
man settled in the boundary of this territory 
earlier than 1823. Eighty-one long years 
stand between that point and the present, and 
that period, what changes have taken place 
not only in Menard county, hut throughout 
the world. Ancient palace-, in whose spacious 
halls the mightiest monarchs proudly trod. 
now- show- "tin' ivy now- clinging to their mold- 
ering walls." Thrones tottering, have crum- 
bled into dust: empires have fallen, and their 
place- blotted forever from the map of the 
world. In our own beloved country, intestinal 
war has raged with tornado-like fury, drench- 
ing the soil in fraternal blood: and for a time 
threatening the very life of tin 1 republic. Four 
millions of beings in human form, once in 
chains, have been made freemen. Spain's op- 
pressive tyranny over millions of helpless peo- 
ple has been broken forever: and revolutions 
have shaken the civilizations of the earth to 
the center. And in these eighty-one years the 
territory of Greenview and Irish Grove, one of 
the minute units that go to make up this 
mightv country, has been transformed from i 
wilderness, into a blooming paradise compared 
to its original state. 

In the year 1823 Ji IS Meadows settled in 

the limits of this territory on the farm where 
II. IT. Marbold now lives. II" came from 
Ohio to Edwards county, near Alton, in 1818, 
the vear that Illinois was admitted to the 
I nion. The next year he removed into the 
territory of. what is now-. Sugar Grove pre 

cinct, when' he resided till lie removed to tin 
place above mentioned. Mr. Meadows built a 
mill on the Marbold place, which was the sei 
ond mill erected in east Menard. Soon after 
Mr. Meadows settled here, George Blano and 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



his mother came to the neighborhood. They, 
like Mr. Meadows, had settled on the east side 
of Sugar Grove, but in the spring of 1823 the\ 
sulci out tn Leonard Alkire and removed here 
as above stated. A large majority of the firs! 
installment of settlers in this section were 
"Buckeyes" and settled in Irish Grove. From 
that state came a number of recruits, namely: 
Joseph Lucas, George Borders, John Martin. 
George and Peter Price, John Waldron and 
John lianiill. Lucas "squatted" in the Grove 
about 1825 or 1826. He was a genuine fron- 
tiersman and onlv remained till game began 
to grow scarce. When that occurred and the 
Indians had gone he followed in the wake of 
the "noble rod man" and died some years lat- 
er in the settlement at Mackinaw. The next 
settlor found his cabin standing, with three 
acres of land around it cleared and fenced, 
lie had two sons who settled in what is now 
Logan county. Another son. Abraham, settled 
in Irish Grove, where he lived and died. Bor- 
ders and Martin came in 1827. George Price 
came in 1826, and his brother, Peter Price, 
came in 1829. They were of the regular fron- 
tier type and followed the Indian and the 
game as they wandered toward the setting sun. 
William Walker boughl the claim of Peter 
Price in 1830. John Itamill came in 1842, 
lived there all his life, rearing a large and re- 
spectable family, and died a number of years 
ago. 

Following close on the heels of this "Buck- 
eye" outfit came a large delegation from "The 
Dark and Bloody Ground." From Kentucky 
came William Walker, his son, Joseph M. 
Walker, and his brother-in-law, David Walker. 
William Stotts, William Patterson, Alexander 
Kilmer. William A. Stone. John W. Patterson 
and Roberl Rayburn. This last named gentle- 
man was horn in the Old Dominion, but em- 
igrated to Kentucky when it was the hunting 
ground of numerous tribes of hostile Indians. 
From Kentucky he came to Illinois in 1827 
ami settled m I rish Grove. Some of the de- 
scendants of Mr. Rayburn are still in that sec- 
tion of country. Robert Bayburn's wife was a 
Logan, of the famih of Logans so celebrated in 
the Indian wars of Kentucky. Robert Ray- 
burn died in 1836. William Walker came to 



Illinois in the fall of 1828 and stopped in Mor- 
gan county. He spent three weeks riding over 
the country on horseback, searching for a cab- 
in to shelter his family in during the winter, 
but failing, he went hack to Clark county. In- 
diana, and wintered there. In February 1830, 
as before stated, he came to Irish Grove and 
boughl the claim of Peter Price. He died in 
August, 1836, and his son. Joseph M. Walker. 
lived and died on the farm. David Walker, a 
brother of the wife of William Walker, and 
who came to the settlement soon after the lat- 
ter, bought the claim of Joseph Lucas, lived on 
it till 1837, when he removed to Iowa and died 
there years ago. Captain William A. Stone 
was also born in Virginia but was taken to 
Kentucky by his parents, when quite young, 
whence he emigrated to Illinois in 1830. His 
father. Moses Stone, came to the settlement at 
the same time and was the head of a large fan ■ 
ily. Both he and wife died the next year, 
leaving a family of twelve children to battle 
with the world. John W. Patterson came in 
1830, and his brother William in 1832. Stotts 
came in 1830, but in 1840 he removed to Iowa. 
William Eldridge came in 1840. He came 
from the chalky cliffs of old England; lived 
for many years in the Grove; then removed to 
Greenviev ; and died there a few years ago, at 
a ripe old age. Dr. Eldridge, of Greenview, is 
his son. This comprises all of the early set- 
tlers of which anv knowledge is to be gained. 
Doubtless there were other transient settlers 
who were there for a time, but we have given an 
account of all the permanent old settlers. The 
winter of the deep snow, — a landmark that all 
will recognize, — (1830-31) hut remembered bv 
Ei w. if any. now living, was a tune that 'lid in- 
deed try men'- soul-. The snow- began to fall 
just before Christmas and continued till, as 
many claim, a depth of four feet on the level 
lay all over the land. The -round was not 
visible any mon till after the middle of the 
following March. Joseph Walket told the 
write] many years ago that this snow caught 
his father's family without meal or llour. For- 
tunately, they had laid in a supply of meat and 
this, with pounded corn, was all they had to 
eat for oyer six long weeks. 'The .urn was 
standing in the Held or in shocks anil every 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNT1 7 

,| ;n , they were obliged to open a pathway to a was buiU in 1865 al a cosl of aboui three 

shock of mn, in order to secure enough for thousand dollars and al thai time the congi 

themselves and their limited a uni of stock, gation aumbered over one hundred. 

James Meadows, who was a millwright by The first death in this section of country 
trade. buiU a mill in L831 on whai is now tho that is remembered with any degree of certam- 
H M Marbold place. It was of the old tv was that of Miss Mary Ann Walker, who 
'tread-wheel'" 5 type, hut it served to "crack tin died September 8, L830. Bui doubtless there 
corn" for the hungry natives till they could do were deaths of early pioneers before tins time, 
better. This mill continued in operation A son of Mr. Lucas died here at an early date, 
aboui eighi years and then became obsoleti the date can nol be definitely fixed, bul it was 
The mill at "Now Salem" did the greater pari probably before that of Mi-. Walker's daughter, 
of the work supplying the people with corn- Moses Stone mentioned among the early set- 
meal during this period, however. Many of tiers in another place, died in 1831, and his 
the settlers got their supply of bread stuff wife survived him only about two weeks. They 



from Springfield for a great many years. The 



left a famiU of twelve children, four of whom 
Methodist eircuil rider and the school teacher died within a year after the death of their pa- 
came into the settlement aboui the same time. rents. These dead were laid to rest in the Irish 
Robert Rayburn taughi the firsi school in Irish ({rove cemetery, a regularly laid-oui plot of 
Grove. He had been a teacher in Kentucky ground on section 24, where most of the pio- 
before he came In Illinois. Tins was a sub- neor dead "sleep the sleep that knows no wak- 

scription scl 1 and was taught in a log cabin ing." These grounds were afterward enlarged 

i n the grove. Tin- was before the day of and incorporated, ami it is now neatly kept 

schoolhouses and long before the day of tree mid is i f the beautiful -'Cities of the 

scl Is. That old Methodisi pioneer, Peter Dead" in Menard county. The Brs1 birth in 

Cartwright, is claimed by many Methodists to this section was that of George Borders bui the 
have preached the first sermon that was ever exacl date could not he given. The first mar- 
preached in Irish Grove, but this is evidently a riage was that of Alexander Gilmer and Miss 
mistake for there had been services there be- Jane Walker, on the tth of November L830, 
fere he came to Illinois True he preached at the ceremony being performed by Rev. Bur- 

the cabin of Mr. St< no1 only before the gen. Thej went, immediately after marriage 

building of churches bul before there were any to Kentucky, where they remained for three or 

schoolhouses built. Also two Methodist itin- "our years, and then returned to the same 

erants, Revs. Hargus and MeLemore, were ear- neighborhood, where they spent the remainder 

Iv in the field doing the work of the Master, of their lives, and were buried in the Irish 

About the vear 183] or 1832, a log scl I- Grove cemetery, near their old home. 

I se wa- luiilt in the Grove, and soon after- In-. Vlorgan, of -old Sangamon Town," 

ward the l!e\. John <;. Burgin, of Springfield, was the lirst disciple of Aesculapius to practice 

organized the Irish Grove congregation of the medicine in this section. At that time there 

Presbyterian church, ( < >. S.) in that same was not a doctor's shingle swinging to the 

house. This, in time, grew into an active and breeze at everj crossroads ami every country 

flourishing congregation, built a neat and sub- store as there was some wars later. Nor did 

stantial brick house of worship and a parson- the people get sick then as often and ea-; as 

age, and for mam years had a settled pastor they do now- ami when they did gei sick- will: 

and did a great deal of good. Hut times of the malaria (' .breakbone" fever, a- they called 

dearth at last came and by deaths and removals bilious fever) or the inevitable chills, they 

they became so weak that the\ removed to combated it with "roots and herbs," and either 

Sweetwater and that is now the center of the cured it or died without the aid of the doctor 

congregation. See a further accounl of them or the burden of his hill, 

in the history of the Presbyterian church in an- The Srst justice of the peace wa- John W. 

other place. The brick church in the Grove Patterson, bul several vear- before hi- ap] 



SO 



PAST AND PRESENT OP MENARD COUNTY 



incut there had been two 01 three such dis- 
pensers of justice in the Sugar Grove. Polit- 
ically this section is Republican, usually giving 
a safe majority to that party. In the Civil war 
this section did its duty fully, turning out a 
large number of brave and efficient soldiers. 
An entire company was raised in [rish Grove 
at an early period of the war. but by some in- 
excusable mistake the company was credited to 
Logan county. By failing in this manner to 
get credit Eor recruits, the precinct afterward 
had to stand a draft — the result of pure neg- 
lect. This draft, however, was small as the 
quotas were Idled in advance. Samuel H. 
Blane enlisted as a private and rose to the rank 
of captain of Company K of the One Hundred 
and Sixth Regiment of Illinois Volunteer In- 
fantry. Owing to ill health he was forced to 
resign and was succeeded by Gage S. Grit- 
man, who was promoted to fill his place. Both, 
of these were from Irish Grove and were the 
onlv commissioned officers thai the Grove could 
boast. The private soldiers were the sturdy 
sons of the soil and they most gallantly sus- 
tained the reputation of Illinois" soldier- on 
many a bloody and hard-fought field. 

VILLAGE OF GREENVIEW. 

The town of Greenview is eligibly located in 
as fine a section of farming lands as the birds 
fly over. Tt is four miles from Salt creek and 
six miles from the Sangamon river on the 
Jacksonville branch of the Chicago & Alton 
Railroad, in section 23, township 19, range 6 
west of the third principal meridian. It was 
laid out October 2, 1857, by Elder William En- 
gle, elsewhere mentioned in this work as one 
of the pioneers of this county and as one who 
did more to make this section of country what 
it is than any oilier of the obi settlers perhaps, 
and whose influence for good in many respects 
is still felt and will be felt for years to come. 
The land on which the town stands was orig- 
inally owned b\ ( 'harles L. Montgomery. The 
name Greenvievi was given in honor of Hon. 
William 0. Greene, a prominent and wealthy 
citizen of Tallula, who died there some years 
ago. The first dwelling bouse erected in 
Greenview was put up by Robert McReynolds 
soon after the town was laid out and in a verv 



short time James Stone erected a dwelling also. 
The first brick house was built by John Wil- 
kinson, who was an Englishman by birth, and of 
whom we speak more at length in another 
place. This was a substantial and room) lions,.. 
two stories high and, for that day, it was a fine 
building. Tt has been for years, and is now. 
used as a hotel. The first business house of 
any importance was built by Robert McRey- 
nolds and was occupied by him as a store. 
There is a question as to whether McReynolds 
or Emanuel Mover & Brother were tin first 
merchants in the place. It is a question of ab- 
solutely no moment but it serves to illustrate 
how easy it is for a whole communit} to for- 
get, just in a few years, matters that it would 
seem that all would remember. The Chicago 
& Alton Railroad was completed through here 
in 1867, and about this time Silas Biickman 
opened a general store here. The first hotel 
was kept by John Wilkinson. Jacob Propst 
opened and conducted the first blacksmith shop 
in the place; and Drs. Davis and Calloway 
were the first physicians to dispense quinine 
and Fowler's solution to the denizens of the vil- 
lage. Some years later a flouring mill was 
built by McCormic Brothers at a cost of alH.nl 
ten thousand dollars, [n January of 1878 this 
mill was burned to the ground and tin town 
has never since possessed a mill. Harvey Yea- 
man was first to handle grain in Greenview. In 
1868 he built an elevator on the ground now 
occupied by the one just across the railroad 
tracks from the depot. Yeaman run it for a 
i inie and then sold out to Morse A Company, 
who raised it and built a story under if. This 
was on the principle of the Irishman's mode 
of building a chimney: "Laying down a brick 
and then putting some others under it." Rut 
while it is common to build a story on a house, 
it is a recent addition to architectural skill to 
build a stor\ under one. Uni m irw years back 
the obi State lion-,, at Springfield — a solid 
stone building, — was raised and an eleven foot 
story was put under it One or two elevators 
have been burned in Greenview but they still 
have two elevators there, which do an immense 
business. 

The Methodist Episcopal church was organ- 
ized in Greenview in 1858, the original organ- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MEXAUI) nil \TV 



8] 



ization was formed in Old KTewmarket, but 
when thai historic town went down tlio church, 
or rather the congregation, was moved to the 
town of Greenview. Later they built a com- 
fortable building there, but at present they 
have do preaching. Sec the history of the 
Methodist church elsewhere. 

Greenview was incorporated as a village by 
special act of the legislature and its charter 
dated May 6, 1869. The first hoard of trus- 
tees were C. K. Pierce, G. W. Hatch. John 
Anderson, Fred Wilkinson and A. H. Bogar- 
■ lus. This was the board upon organization 
under the charter, but as far back as March, 
1868, the records show regular proceedings of 
a board of trustees, which was as follows: C. 
R. Pierce, J. \V. Guyer, John Anderson, Fred 
Wilkinson and A. II. Bogardus. These wire 
sworn in by II. II. Marbold. Of the first 
hoard iiinler the charter. ( '. K. Pierce w;r 
president, and W. S. Morse, clerk. On the 7th 
of March. 1877, it was re-incorporated under 
the general law of the state, under which char- 
ter it is still run. rt now has a population of 
about fifteen hundred and is a thriving, active 
business town. It has one large coal shaft do- 
ing an immense business; three first-class dry 
-n. ids stores; five grocery stores; two hardware 
stores; two restaurants; two butcher -hops: 
one drug store; two jewelers : one harness shop : 
two lumberyards; one undertaker; one fur- 
niture store; two grain elevators; one hank: 
one hotel; two blacksmith shops: three sa- 

1 s; five churches; and two carpenter shops. 

Besides these there are five resident ministers; 
four physicians and one printing office, in 
which "The Greenview Leader" is printed and 
which does all kinds of job printing in the 
besl of style. They also have a splendid pub- 
lic square, beautifully adorned with trees; they 
also have electric lights, and an excellent sys- 
tem of water works. One strange feature of 
the town is that it has no cemetery. Their 
dead are mostly taken to Petersburg for burial. 
There are several small cemeteries near there 
where many of their dead repose, but most of 
them, as above stated, are taken to Petersburg 
for interment. There certainly should be a 
cemetery, owned and controlled by the citi- 
zens of the town, nothing can be needed more. 



But the day is not far distant when some large- 
hearted and philanthropic citizen will rise up 
to supply this great nerd, and thus, imi only 
do the community a lasting favor, hut at the 
same time will rear a monument which will he 
more enduring than granite, brass or bronze. 

There was never any school in the village 
proper till the year 1877. A long time back 
(in the latiei- part of the '50s, perhaps) a 
brick school house was built southeast of tho 
town and here for several years they had school. 
In 1870 they completed a brick school building 
in the then south part of the town at a cost 
of al out ten thousand dollars. This continued 
lour large rooms, with halls, cloak-rooms, etc. 
1'rofessor I). M. Harris taughi the first school 
in this building. Some years later another 
building was erected on the adjoining lot-. 
containing two large ami elegant rooms, one for 
the high school and the other for the -ram- 
mar grade. Since the erection of the first 
building they have hal from eight to nine 
months school in the town every war. Tin- 
have a regular four years" high school course, 
with a full corps of teachers for the lower 
grades. Professor Robert C. Eietl has been 
principal of this school for the past five years 
and under his efficient direction it i- accom- 
plishing a noble work. See further account 
under the head 'Education." 



ol.I) SALEM. 



"New Salem." the ancient village of .Menard 
county, now so completely obliterated by time 
that not ,-i vestige of ii i- loft, save a low place 

in the ground w heir i he store st I in w hich 

Lincoln sold goods, was once the center of 

bllsllles- for a large -rope of < mill! IT. I I i~. 

or was. situated on the "Heights of Abraham," 
some hundred feet or more above the waters of 
the raging Sangamon, and about two miles 
south of the town of Petersburg. On the 13th 
of October. L829, it was surveyed and laid .mi 
by Reuben Earrison, for Rutledge and I !am 
eron. the "u ners of the land. The first build- 
ings were a pie of cabins, erected a- dwel- 
lings loi' John ('; roil and James Rutledge. 



82 



PAST AND 



RESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



The first business house was erected by Samuel 
Ihll and John McNamar fur a store, in which 
the} soon after opened a stock of goods, prob- 
ably the first store opened in the limits of what 
is now Menard county. The next store was 
opened by George Warburton, who, in a short 
time removed to Petersburg and became cue of 
the proprietors of thai town. Ii is said that 
Warburton was an excellent business man, a 
fine scholar, and without an enemy, only his 
terrible appetite for strong drink. Afterward 
he was found drowned in the Sangamon where 
the water was not over six inches deep. Wheth- 
er it was a case of suicide or not. no one ever 
knew. He sold his store in Salem to two 
brothers by the name of Crisman, who came 
from Virginia. After remaining only a short 
time ihc\ sold all their possessions and moved 
away. A postoffiee was established at Salem 
in 1830, ami some say this was the first in the 
county. John McNamar was the first post- 
master, hut after a couple of years he was suc- 
ceeded by Abraham Lincoln, who served in that 
capacity till he removed to Springfield. Dr. 
Allen was the first practicing physician to set- 
tle in Salem. He and his brother came here 
together. Dr. Duncan was another early prac- 
titioner in this locality. Joshua Miller was the 
first blacksmith in the place. Edmund Greer, 
deep learned in law, was the first magistrate to 
deal out justice to the denizens of the infant 
city, and when the law hnsiness ran slack lie 
played the pedagogue to [ill in time ami was 
i he firs! school teacher here, as well as the iir-i 
justice of the peace. John Kelso opened the 
first hotel, and in the hospitable walls of this 
botel he played the host to whatever strangers 
might pass that way. Rutledge and Cameron 
built the firs! mill that was here and it sup- 
plied a much-felt want to the settlers in an 
area of at least fifty miles in every direction. 
This is the mill over the dam of which Abraham 
Lincoln piloted the flatboat anil, with a display 
of tact ami ingenuity wholly astonishing to 
those who witnessed the operation, relieved the 
boat of water, by a new style of pump, not 
much in use on hoard of \cs-els in that day or 
at the present, for he bored an auger hole in 
the bottom of the sunken boat and let the 
water out. This is an actual fact, hut the 



story has been told so often that we will not 
tax the reader's patience by repeating it here. 

Salem mill was known far and near and was 
patronized by a very large district. It stood 
under the bluff on which the town was located 
and was a ven primitive affair. It is thus 
described by a local writer of the time: "It 
consisted of two or three log pens, anchored 
with rocks, upon which was erected a platform, 
where a pair of rough stones were placed, and 
driven by a water-wheel attached to an up- 
right shaft." It was considerably improved, 
however, before Salem became extinct. In 
L852 it was bought by Abraham Bale, who set 
to work to remodel ami improve it hut before 
he accomplished this purpose he was taken ill 
and died. His sons, however, finished the 
work that he had undertaken, completed it and 
operated the mill for many years. One of 
these sons, T. A". Bale, continued to tain it till 
about twenty or twenty-five years ago, when it 
was burned to the ground. No sign of any 
part of the mill remains hut a few rotted 
sticks, protruding from the mud and sand. 
showing where the dam once was. Imt the river, 
in seeming disgust, has changed its channel and 
left the site of the dam out on dry land. On 
the hill where the village stood there is no 
sign to tell where it was. save the depression 
in the ground, where the cellar id' Lincoln's 
store was. Out of the center of this, seeming- 
ly from one root, arises two trees, an elm and 
a sycamore, hut, one is dead, ami the other dy- 
ing, from the countless names that have been 
cut in their bark. No human habitation is 
near and it seems the dwelling place of desola- 
tion. This i- a synopsis of the early history 
id' Salem except the connection with it of 
Abraham Lincoln. [Jpon this point there has 
been so much written that we will not dwell 
upon it here. With the statement of a few- 
facts we will close this chapter. Mr. Lincoln 
was horn in Kentucky. Stuve in his history of 
Illinois says: "Abraham Lincoln was born in 
La Rue (now Hardin) county, Kentucky, about 
two miles south id' the village of Hodgens- 
\ ilk-. February 12, 1809. Here his father had 
taken up a land claim of three hundred acres, 
rough, broken and poor, containing a fine 
spring, known to this day as the 'Lincoln 



PAST A\H PEESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 

spring. 5 Unable to pay for the unproductive Let him take his lone sleep, and genth rest, 
land, the claim was abandoned and the family Wul ' aaugb.1 to disturb or awake him; 

moved from place i ice, in the neighbor- W !i:'" &* *?&** shall come to gather the blest 

, , . . i ,., .,,, i ' ° Abrahams bosom, t ! x \ II take mm. 

hood, hemg very destitute. I liese removals, 

occurring while Abraham w :is scarcely more 

than an infant, have given rise to different 

statements as to the exact place of his birth. 

It is said that in thai pari of Kentucky no 

less than four places claim the honor. Thomas 

Lincoln, Abraham's father, moved to Spencer 

county, Indiana, in 1816. Here he remained ""' "".-""""- "'' the ™r, ber oldest son, Wil- 

i . 1 1 1830, when he removed to Illinois, and bsm > " Dllfl as '"' was called ' was , ' Ik "'- 1 " 1 

settled in Macon countv, on the north fork Wlth the cnme "' murder ' S;U ' 1 to have beeD 

of the Sangamon river, ten n s northwest of '•""""»"" 1 "' M ason county. All are familiar 

Decatur. In 1833 he removed to Coles county, ""'' ''"' s, '""- v ' thai lias been ' thousand 

where he died several vears later. There in a ,im, ' s - "' Lmeokl defeDcllI1 g u»d clearing him 



When Abraham Lincoln lived a1 < > I • I Salem 
he hoarded with John Armstrong. Some 
years later Mr. Armstrong was killed l>\ a 
horse and his wife was left a widow, with a 
house full of little children. Shortly before 



quiel little cemetery, known as "Gordon's grave- 



of the charge, and of Mrs. Armstrong's eternal 



yard," he s ps the lasl sleep. In 1869 Robert - l ' i,n "" 1 '' for tU] ~ ae1 of kindness on the pari 

oi Mr. Lincoln. We feel that it is a duty to 
give, in "The Past and Presold of Menard 



T. Lincoln visited his grandfather's grave and 
erected over it a marble slab, with suitable 

inscription. So after almost fortv vears this ( '""" lv -" " bri ef sketch of this family, as they 

hu le grave has m marked. As appropri- Ilved "' ' ln> '" l "" v - 

ate in this place, we give a poem, written by a Mrs - Armstrong's maiden nam.- was Hannah 

citizen of Coirs county, on Thomas Lincoln's J " 11 '-- sister of Fiddler and Butcher Jones, as 

death, which went the rounds of the press at ,,1( ' v were nick-named. She was born in 1811. 

the time and appeared in several of the lead- Wll, ' n 'I 111 '" young she was married to John 

ing magazines, entitled the "Craw of the Armstrong. They lived for a time near Old 

Father of Abraham Lincoln." Salem, and during thai nine Lincoln boarded 

with them. After Armstrong was killed she 

"In a low. sweet vale by a murmuring rill. llu '' 1 "" ;l l '" rt . v arivs " r laml lh:l1 sllr llarl 

The pioneer's ashes are sleeping; bought, in Mason county. It was while liv- 

Where the white marble slabs are lonely and ing there that this great trouble on account of 



still. 
In silence their vigils are keeping. 



"Duff" came upon her. After -ome year- she 

was married to John Wilcox, with whom she 

On their sad. lonely faces are words of fame. Iivri1 happily for many vears. They removed 

But none of them speak of his glorj ; to Iowa and Air. Wilcox died there. In Au- 

When the pioneer died, his age and his name. „ 1M . ISIM |. «^un1 Hannah" died in Winterset, 

N " ' ™' '" ^ispers the story. Tmv:l . .,„,, ,,„,. remaing „,.,.,. ,„,„„,,„ ,,, p eterg . 

\ m-iIc. no inn. no,- hyacinth blows '""- Eor buria1 ' IIMl1 ,l "' writei P reached »'"■• 

O'er the lonely grave where they laid him; funeral, in the Cumberland Presbyterian 

\" cedar nor holly nor almond-tree grows church, in that place. She did August 31, 

Near the plebeian's grave to shade him. L890. William ("Duff") died at his h - in 

„ . , Ashland, Illinois. Mai 7, 1900, at the age of 
Bright evergreens wave oxer many a grave, ,, 

O'er some bow the sad weeping willow; sixty-three years. E ■ ol the Armstrong 

But no willow tree l„,ws. nor evergreens wave, children are still living: A. P. Armstrong, 

Where the pioneer sleeps on his pillow. Ashland, Illinois; John Armstrong, Oakford, 

I llinois : Eliza Smith. Mason ( 'it v. [llino 

Some are inhumed with the honors of state, i t> i , v , n i i r 

.,,-,, , , ., and Koiiert Armstrong, Winterset, [owa. Mrs. 

And laid lieiieiith temple- to inoldc!' : 

The -ra\e of the father of Lincoln the Great, A| '" M ''""■- " ;l ~ ;l " uneducated woman, but on 

Ts known bv a hillock and boulder. of the clearest-minded women the writer 



.86 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



met. Her gratitude to and admiration for Mr. 
Lincoln was something sublime. 



OVERSTREET. 

John Overstreet. Sr., was born in Bedford 
county, Virginia, in 1758, and served in the 
patriot army during the seven years ol the 
Revolutionary war. He was married to Nancy 
Dabney, in the year L783. They had four 
children born to them in Bedford county. 
TIh'\ afterward removed to Cabell county, \Tesi 
Virginia, where they lived the remainder of 
their lives. Their son John Overstreet, who 
was born in Bedford county, Virginia, was mar- 
ried to Susan Roberts, in Cabell county, Wesi 
Virginia, some time prior to the breaking out 
of the second war with England, in 1812. He 
volunteered in the American army (the son 
of a Revolutionary soldier, could noi well do 
otherwise), and leaving his young wife, he 
went tn the front, to fight the battles of his 
country. At thattime the Indians, taking ad- 
vantage of the disturbed state of the country, 
and. perhaps, incited by British emmissaries, 
gave greai annoyance to the people of the 
Virginias, by frequenl forays of murder, pil- 
lage and rapine. While in the army, he hi ard 
that his wife had been murdered by the In- 
dians, — a c mi hi event in those times, — and 

in >t a great while after lie was. himself, made a 
prisoner by one of the savage allied tribes of tin' 
English. Soon after his capture preparations 
were made ti> burn him at the stake. As was 
the custom el' the red demons, the) began to 
prepare to subject him to all the torture that 
their fiendish natures could invent, lie knew 

i was bul death, in its most cruel form, am! 
-,, when mie nf the "big braves" offered him 
a foul indignity, Overstreet's blood boiled at 
the insuli and collecting all his strength, he 
gave the heartless brave such a crushing blow 
that it sent him headlong into the lire that hail 
oeen kindled to torture Overstreet. Tins act 
nf daring bravery, in the face nf what seemed 
certain death, so aroused the admiration of the 
other [ndians, that he was saved from torture. 
In' being considered too noble a brave to die 
thus. Some lime afterward lie was sold to 



another ti ibe ami by them taken to < lanada, 
where alter a time he by some chance fell into 
the hands nf white men. by whom he was held, 
for two nr three years, in a kind of semi- 
slavery, hut was finally given his full liberty. 
Not long after this he met a woman between 
whom am 1 himself there sprang up a mutual 
affection and they were married. In due course 
nf time a child was born to them, hut 1 tame 
Fortune seemed again to frown upon him. for 
Mum after this the child ami then the mother 
died. Once more he found himself alone in 
the world and for a time wandered aimlessh 
from place to place, until at last he was seized 
with a yearning desire to again \ i -it the scenes 
of his earlier and happier life. So he ai onei 
began preparations I'm - the long and weary 
journey from Canada to Virginia. Alter many 
hardships and dangers he at last arrived, foot- 
sore and weary, in the vicinity of Ins former 
home. .\ strange and impelling power led him 
to visit once more the cabin where he had 
lived fin- a few short nmiiths. in comfort and 
happiness, with the wife he had loved so fondly, 
lie came in sight of the old home; there stood 
the same rude cabin, under the shadow of 
the same wide-spreading trees, and from the 
chimney that his own hands had built, the blue 
-moke -urleil upward and his heart filled with 
emotion, as memory carried him back to other 
and happier days. Aimlessly ami dreamily he 
approached the door ami rapped for entrance 
In a moment footsteps were heard within, the 
rude door turned mi its wooden hinges, and 
the wife of his youth stood before him. They 
gazed upon each other for a few moments in 
amazed and bewildered astonishment. She had 
heard if Ins capture h\ the Indians and his 
death by torture. Being a woman of refine- 
ment and beauty, she was not compelled to live 
Inn- in widowed loneliness, but for a long time 
she repelled the advances of a host of suitors, 
until convinced in her own mind ol' her hus- 
band's death, and wearying of her lonely life, 
she at length married again. Overcome by 
the sudden appearance of one so long supposed 
to he dead, -he fell to the floor, in a deathlike 
swoon, dust at this time the husband appeared 
mi the seene and after she had sufficiently re- 
vived, the three held a most solemn and painful 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY s; 

council, ;ii which two husbands solemnly agreed der the village law bul is a place of some im- 

to leave the whole matter to the decision of the portance. It is located on the old Tice Earw 

wife, both men sacredly agreeing n> abide by and is surrounded by a fine farming communi- 

the decision thai she would make, each one ty giving it the opportunity of becoming a 

pledging his sacred honor thai if the decision place of some commercial interest. There ha- 

was againsl him thai he would leave that sec- I a a store there for several years as well as 

linn of eountn and never anno] them in any a postoffiee. They have an excellenl sehool- 
way. This must have been a terrible ordeal house, in fact, one of the neatesl and mosl con- 
for all concerned, especially for the wife, but, venieni in the country. It is heated with a 
doubtless after a terrible struggle in her own furnace, splendidly lighted, and i> all that 
In-cast, the smouldering tires of youthful love could he desired in every respect. For forty- 
prevailed and she chose the long-absent husband odd years the Methodists have had a church 
nl' her youth, and the rejected husband, dazed in thai vicinity bu1 the old frame house which 
ami disappointed, hut true as steel to his stood some distance from where the station now 
plighted word, hade them a sad adieu, walked stands had become until for service and three 
out of the door ami they never heard of him or four years hark they built a neal and com- 
after. Soon after this most romantic experi- I'ortable house in the village and now have reg- 
ence, Mr. and Mrs. Overstreel removed, in 1819, alar seniors. During the summer of 1904 a 
to what is now Menard enmity and settled near company sunk a coal shaft there and are lak- 
the presenl site of the town of Athens. In ing out quantities of an excellenl quality of 
earlier life Mr. Overstreei had learned the coal. This will tend to build up the town. The 
trade of a millwright and the greal difficulty school already enrolls aboul seventy pupils and 
of securing breadstuff induced him, in a year in a year from the presenl thei will have to 
or two. to erect a horse-mill, in the town of arrange for another room. 
Athens, in which he manufactured a passable 
grade of Hour. Soon after this he huilt a small 
Hail Ki.it on the Sangamon river, and loaded it 
with Hour. Aboul 183-J or is;::, he. m com- PETERSBURG A.ND VICINITY. 

I ,i,n - V with hv ' others > Jesse (; - anc1 David Mount Vernon, the ancestral home of thi 

Hun. started to New Orleans with their cargo, | . ||||( , | . nf ffig ,. „ mln ._ ls dear io even Ameri . 

,| """ the Silll .- i " '" ll "' [llillois - and down can heart. His mortal remains l,e entombed 

the 111, no,, and the Mississippi, to New Orleans. |||(i|v ^ |v| ,,. ( , |(1( | ,,.„.,. ,■,,„,, ,,„, S( . |(i „, sl|n . 

The Vl ' lllmv P roved a successful in a linan- Ag Collimbia » B n ,. sl ;lll(1 greates t son. he is em- 

cia] " ew > ^1 unfortunate i at Mr. Over- || . |]|| , ( , i| m |||( , nati<m , g mn| . v ^ ; ,_ Jogeph w; ,, 

stred ,l1 "' 1 '" New Orleans in is:::,. The Hurt en , balmed ,, v his bre thern, and reverently as- 



sij lied a plai e 

"Among the l'i - w immortal names 

That were not horn to die." 



brothers started home, bul David died near 

( 'aim. at the nl h of the ( )hio river. -I, sse 

(,. Hurt, the only survivor of the voyage, re- 
turned Safely to Athens, where he lived and 
died, .lesse (i. Hurt's wife was a niece of Mr. Iii thai portion of Menard to which this chap- 
Overstreet. Pembroke Hall was a grandson ter is devoted is an historic spot that, nexl I" 
of John Overstreet, his mother being a daugh- Mount Vernon, should ho cherished and held 
tor of Mr. Overstreet. sacred as Ion- a- love of liberty ami true patri- 
otism prevail in thi- greal Republic. We al- 
lude to old •'Salem." mice the I ie of Abra- 
ham Lincoln, and the writer might till page 
''" with incident- ami anecdotes of thai greal 
Tice is a station on the Chicago, Peoria & St. man. which have never found their way into 
Loins Railroad four and a half mile- southeasl print, enough to lill a small volume. But we 
of Petersburg. It hasnever been organized mi- inflicl none of this upon the reader. Here, it 



88 



'AST AMi IMM'.SKNT <>!•' MK.\AI!H UH'XTY 



may be said. Lincoln made his start in the 
world, ami although nothing remains of the 
original town the spol is endeared to the peo- 
ple of tlie county as the early home of the 
martyred president. It serins to us that it is a 
duty that the state, — thai the nation — owes to 
his memory, to purchase the site of the old 
town, appropriately care for it. as the national 
governmeni does Eot Mounl Vernon, and we 
doubt not that the time will come when this 
will be done. 

Petersburg and vicinity, as we use the term. 
covers a large territory and is one of the most 
important parts of the county, for several rea- 
sons. The territory, as we apply the term, in- 
cludes parts of towns 18 and 19 and ranges 6. 
"t and 8. The Sangamon river How- through 
its center, affording ample drainage; timber is 
abundant : the soil is of the besl : coal exists in 
abundance; and all that nature could have done 
to prepare tins to he a great manufacturing 
center has heen done. The Ja< k-.in\ .lie di- 
visioD of the Chicago. Alton & St. Louis Rail- 
road, and the Chicago. Peoria & St. Louis 
Railroad cross ai the town, so that taking all 
together, there is no more favorably situated 
town in central Illinois. Petersburg is the 
county seat of Menard county, and the only 
town of any size that it can boast. The first 
settlements made in this part of the county are 
involved in some obscurity and authentic in- 
formation concerning them seems almost be- 
yond reach at the present time. Tn fact, near- 
ly forty years ago the writer began to take 
notes ami gather data in this direction, hut 
■ en ai thai comparatively early day there 
were differences of opinion among the oldest 
settlers, concerning important facts. That be- 
ing the case, what may we expect at this day. 
when eighty-five years have interposed then 
veil between the now and then? With these 
eighty-five years stretching between the advent 
of tin' pale-faced pioneer and the present pe- 
riod, it i- Qoi strange thai there should be con- 
flicting statements, as to whom belongs the 
rightful honor of settling Petersburg and its 
vicinity. From long and careful investigation 
and the most reliable sources of information 
at hand, we are fully convinced that the Estons 
were the first white men in this locality. Thev 



were originally from North Carolina, hut early 
in the beginning of the nineteenth century 
they emigrated to Tenne.-see and from there 
they came to St. ('lair county. Illinois, and lo- 
cated in a very early day. In the spring of 
1820-21 James Estep came to Menard, — then. 
Sangamon county. — and made a claim near 
or within the limits of the present city of Pe- 
tersburg. Tie was followed in a few months by 
his father. Elijah, and his brother, Enoch Es- 
tep. Upon the arrival of his lather James 
gave his claim to him and he went cast of the 
Sangamon river and located a claim on what i- 
since known as Laker'- Prairie. Elijah Esti p 
built a small horse-mill which was afterward 
embraced in the city limits, and he others 
improved the claim by erecting on it a cabin of 
the true pioneer type. He died in a very early 
day and very little was remembered of him, 
even many years ago. Enoch Estep removed to 
Arkansas long years ago and doubtless died 
there half a century or more in the past. James 
Estep was a roving character. Tie soon left 
Baker's Prairie and removed to Mason county 
and later to Arkansas, then to Missouri and 
finally back to Mason county, where he died in 
1857, at the home of his son. He is described 
as a man of considerable eccentricity, and 
with all bis wandering around he never rented 
a home but always bought and sold. True the 
old saying is that "A rolling stone gathers no 
moss," and Ah-. Estep accumulated hut very 
little of this world's goods, dying in indigent 
circumstances. This pioneer, supposed to be 
the first white man to settle in the vicinity of 
Petersburg, now sleeps in Xew Hope cemetery, 
in Mason county, beside the partner of his life, 
who preceded him by a few years to the land of 
shadows. Soon after the settlement of the Es- 
tops — probably the same year — the Watkins 
brothers and a man by the name of Teeters 
i ame to the neighborhood. There were Joseph, 
Samuel, James. John and Thomas Watkins. 
They were from Kentucky and some of them 
came to Clary's Grove as early as 1819-20. 
Thomas Watkins bought the claim of John 
Clary, who was admittedly the first white set- 
tler in Menard county. Later he sold this 
claim to George Spears, and removed to the 
"river timber" where he lived and died. Joseph 



PAST AND PKESENT OF MENAED COUNTY 



89 



and Samuel Watkins made claims here in 1821, 
but James Watkins rl id not come to Illinois 
till 1825-26. Tl - old, original Watkins* stock 
are all dead and gone, but many of the descend- 
ants of the family are honored citizens of the 
county. .Jacob Short, and bis three sons, 
Obadiah, Earrison and James, came in 1822. 
They were from the south part of this state, 
where they had resided for sonic time before 
coming to this county. In 1824 the Shorts 
removed to what is now railed Sandridge, and 
there Jacob died in 1825 and there Harrison 
also died a few years later. Obadiah died in 
Xattvoo and James removed to Iowa, where he 
died. During tin; next two or three years the 
little community was increased by a large num- 
ber of additions, among whom were Jesse Ba- 
ker. Henry and William Clark, Ephraim and 
William Wilcox, Eenry McHenry, Daniel At- 
terberry, Andrew, Jacob and Spencer Merrill 
and perhaps others. Jesse Baker settled on 
Baker's Prairie, from whom it got its name. 

lie i'i ved from here to Mason county about 

1836 an.l located in the vicinity of Kilbourne, 
and was afterward mentioned as cue of the pio- 
aeers of that section. Henry and William 
Clark, who were brothers, came here Erom Ken- 
t ink \ and settled on the east side of the San- 
gamon river. William died a great many years 
ago, 'mi llcniN lived to a great old age, dying 
at Last on tin' place where be first settled. He 
and his wife had Lived together lor over sixty 
years. They left a large and respected poster- 
ity, many of whom are still residents of Me- 
nard county, [f a in one should happen to 
know any Clarks and wish to learn whether 
they are related to this family, they can settle 
the question, at least negatively, very easily; 
if they art' not Democrats and liaptists they 
are not this -(nek of ('larks. Ephraim and 
William Wilcox came from Kentucky and set- 
tled in Baker's Prairie, ami both died there 
long \ear- ago. Ilenn Mcllmn Lived to be 
a \er\ old man. and died in Petersburg. Dan- 
iel AttcrWcrn came from Kentucky in an early 
day. settled here and reared a Large family, 
lie died soon after the (dose of the Civil war. 
The second generation of the Atterberrys are 
all dead: bm there are a Large number of the 



third generation stil 



tv tils' neie. 



Andrew 



Merrill and his sons. Jacob and Spencer, were 
also from Kentucky and settled west of the 
present site of Petersburg. The old gentleman 
died in 1835. It is said that just a few days 
before be died he pointed out to his son the 
spot where he wished to be buried, and when 
lie passed away bis sou had bis wish carried 
out and laid him where lie desired to lie laid. 
In 1859 the old ladj was laid by his side. 
Thomas Edwards was one of the very early 
coiners but he is described as a hard character 
and soon left for wilder scenes in the wilder 
west. Thomas K. Dowel! came m L825 or L826 
and located in Ibis vicinity but later removed 
to what is now Sandridge. and Lived and died 
there. Jesse Gum. from Kentucky, noticed in 
another place as one of the earlier settlers of 
Clary's Grove, came to this section and his 
-mis settled west of Petersburg. Charles Gum. 
son of Jesse Gum, lived and died on a farm 
west of Petersburg. His brother. John B. 
Gum, also lived for many years northwest of 
Petersburg, but the latter part of his life was 
spent in Mason county. He lived near Kil- 
bourne and was one of the largest landowners. 
in Mason or Menard county. In addition to 
those already mentioned, the following recruits 
were added to the settlement before the "deep 
snow": George Curry. Ilenn Bell and sons. 
John Jones. Zaehariah clary. Bartley Milton. 
John and Anno Hitter, Pollard Simmon-. Wil- 
liam Edwards and sous. John Jennison, Bart- 
lett Conyers, Henry and David Williams, Con- 
rad Strader, Josiah Crawford, and others whose 

names have been forgotten. G 'ge i'\]\-v\ 

came from Green county. Kentucky, and set- 
tled ' near the farm owned and occupied 

for the last fort] years i>\ his son, the Rev. 1 1. 
P. t lurry. George ( lurry died in L876. II. P. 
Cum has been constantly engaged in preach- 
ing the gospel in this part of Illinois for nearly 
sixty years and is still engaged in the work 
llcun Bell and sons were also from Kentucl 
and settled here, opened farm- and did their 
part in the development of the country. The 
old gentleman died many, many year- ago, and 
the sons have also gone to the other shore 

John J s was another Kentuckian who settled 

in Clary's Groi e in 182 I but a little later re- 
moved i" the vieinih of Petersburg and finallv 



Ill I 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



located in Little Grove and spent the remain- 
der of his days thru 1 . Zachariah Clary, ;i bro- 
ther of John Clary, the pioneer, came from Ten- 
nessee and settled in Clary's Grove in 1819, 
but in 1825 he removed to a claim one and a 
half miles north of Petersburg. Here lie con- 
tinned tn live till some twenty or twenty-five 
years ago, when he died. He was well pa-t 
the four score station when he died. Some of 
his sons are still alive but most of them are 
gone in the great beyond. John and Anno Wit- 
ter also came from Kentucky. Anno died here 
and John went to Mason county and died there. 
Pollard Simmons and Josiah Crawford removed 
to Mason county also, and died then'. Conrad 
Strader died many years ago, and his son tsham 
who lived on the old farm adjoining the Baker's 
Prairie Baptist chnrch, also died a few years 
ago. This completes the list of the "Simw 
Birds.'" or the pioneers who were here before 
the deep snow of 1830-31. This is a chrono- 
logical landmark that all understood. It is a 
waymark that was never forgotten by any who 
experienced it. When those old pioneers were 
interrogated about it their faces would brighten 
up anil their eves would sparkle, as they told 
of the lime when "All the land with snow was 
covered," and lay (as many aver) to a depth 
of four leei or over, lor nearly three months 
before the ground was seen. See an account 
of thi- iii another place. Tin- five or six years 
immediately after the deep snow brought im- 
mense additions to the settlement. True, from 
183] to 1833 the tide was not so strong on 
account of the disturbance of the Black Hawk- 
war, hut the next two years made up for if. 
We give quite a list of these newcomer-, the 
large majority of whom were from old Ken- 
tucky, that land famed for blue grass, pretty 

w ii. line horses and good whisky: The 

Davidsons, the Taylors. William Butler. Dr. 
John Lee. William I'. Cox, William G. Greene, 
Thomas Epperson. William J. Hoey, the Ben- 
netts, C G. Brook-. S. and C. Levering, A. 
1 1. Wright, Jacob II. Laning, .lames S. Carter. 
John McNamar, A. Humphrey, John McNeal. 
Samuel Hill. Nathan Dresser. Charles B. Wal- 
do, Zachariah Nance and .-mis. George 1". Miles, 
Chester Moon, Thomas L. Harris. W. C. Daw- 
son, Martin Morris. .Ionian Morris. J. W. 



Warnsing, William Haggerty, Dr. John Allen. 
George Warburton, Peter Lukins, the Rutledges, 
Jonathan Colby, Roberl Carter, .1. A. Brahm, 
.lames Goldsby, Nicholas Tice, Abraham Bale. 
Jacob Bale. Hardin Bale and others. The 

Davidsons were fr Kentucky and were among 

the first merchants of Petersburg. They first 
settled in Bond county. Illinois, and lived there 
for years before coming to this part of the 
state. John Taylor was the lirst nieivhant of 
Petersburg and one of the proprietors of the 
town, when it was organized. The Bennetts 
came from old Virginia, the home of states- 
men and the birthplace of presidents. There 
were three brothers, John, William and Richard 
E. Bennett. John came to Illinois in 1835 
and to this place in 1836. He was one of the 
early merchants and prominent business men 
of the place, lie was a member of the state 
legislature during the session of 1840-41, and 
wa.- als ie of the directors of the old Peters- 
burg & Toniea Railroad, now the Jacksonville 
division of the Chicago, Alton & St. Louis Bail- 
mad, besides holding many other positions of 
honor and trust. He died m Petersburg many 
years ago. William Bennett came to this set- 
tlement one year later than his brother John, 
and died not many years after he came. Dr. 
Richard E. Bennett came about the time that 
his hrothers came and followed his profession 
with marked success till the time of his death. 
some twenty years ago. Dr. Bennett's son. 
Theodore C. was circuit clerk for this county 
for thirty years, and was then succeeded, for 
four years, by his son, David R., and he might 
have continued in the place indefinitely had 
it not been for the Barker w reek, in 1904. < '. 
G. Brooks was from Kentucky, came here in 
1836 and died many rears ago. Septimus and 
C. Levering were half-brothers and came from 
the city of Baltimore; Septimus came in is:i; 
and his brother came a little later. Septimus 
died many years ago hut In- brother lived to 
he over eighty years of age. His widow is still 
living. Septimus has no descendants in this 
country hut his brother reared a large family 
who are all dead except one in Petersburg. 
They were active and successful business men. 
.lames S. Carter came from Virginia in 1838 
and the same year Jacob II. Laning came from 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENABD COUNTY 



9] 



New Jersey, ami bis sons are among the prom- 
inent business men of the place. John Mc- 
Namar was a "dow d easter" but we are unable 
to learn what stale he hailed from. Ee was 
one of the early merchants in old Salem and 
when that historic town went down he removed 
to Petersburg and there embarked again in the 
in. 'nantilr business. He died about 1870 oi- 
ls;!. Dr. John Allen was an eat l\ merchant 
of Salem, as well as a practitioner of medicine 
there. Samuel Hill was from Ohio and in a 
M'i\ early day went to Salem, where he was 
engaged in selling goods. Later he came to 
Petersburg and engaged in the same business 
there until his death, which occurred many 
pears ago. Charles I'.. Waldo ami Nathan 
Dresser were both natives el' Connecticut hut 
went to Virginia ami Erom there in Petersburg. 
Waldo was the first pedagogue in the place. 
They both went to the south pari of the state 
many years ago. Thomas I.. Earris was also 
a native of Connecticut and like the two men- 
tioned above, he went to Virginia ami then 
came to this place, lie served two terms in 
congress with distinguished ability, Inn just 
in the prime of his life death blighted all his 
plans and he passed to that land of shadows, 
from which none ever return. Zachariah 
Nance was a soldier of the Revolutionary war 
ami lived in Kentucky, hut in 1833 he, with 
several -mi-, emigrated to I llinois ami located 
on Rock creek. There the old gentleman died 
and was buried in Farmers' Poinl cemetery. 
Among his -on j were Thomas ami Washing- 
ton. The latter settled on Sandridge and 
reared a large family there but later moved to 
Petersburg, where he died about 1886 or 1887. 
Albert »... a son of Thomas Nance, served two 
terms in the state legislature ami then became 
a candidate for the state senate, hut died a few 
days before the election. Samuel Hill, the 
Salem merchant, married a daughter of Zacha- 
riah Nance. These are all long since (Kail. 

<; 'ge 1'. Miles was a Kentuekian by birth and 

came first t" the southern pari of the state, 
ami in 1839 he seii led in Petersburg. Martin 
ami Jordan Morris, though of tin- same name, 
and both blacksmiths, were in nowise related. 
Both worked at their trade here. .Ionian Mor- 
ris was an unstable character ami after a few 



years he. in company with William Eaggerty. 
a blacksmith who came here with him. loft for 
other part-. .Martin Morris worked al ln> 
trade here main year-, and then removed to 
Savannah, Missouri, ami died there. .1. \\ . 
W'ernsing, a German by birth, was an earlj 
settler here and died many year.- ago. lie was 
related to John 11. Marbold, who came to Pet- 
ersburg later on ami remained hereabout three 
years and then removed to Greenview, where 
he died several years ago. at the advanced age 
of over ninety years. Speaking of Germans 
suggests the fact thai John Earmon Schirding 
came here from Germany in 1847, and a year 
later his father and mother and II. 11. Schird- 
ing, his brother, came. They later settled jusl 
north of tin' town of Petersburg, and h\ hard 
work and economy thej became wealthy. John 
Harmon Schirding died a number of years ago. 
lie was never married. John Henry Schirding 
lived to the -real age of ninety-eight years ami 
seven months, ami his wife did at the age of 
eighty-nine years and four months. They both 
died in Petersburg, within a few weeks of each 
other. Judge II. II. Schirding still live- here 
he and his son Harry (Ins only child) being en- 
gaged in hanking. George Warburton was from 
the east ami came here m an early <la\ . lie 
was pari owner of the tract of land on which 
the town was located. Ee was afterward 
drowned in the Sangamon river, it is said, 
where tin' water was ,,nlv six inches deep. Ili- 
was addicted to drink and it is supposed that 
this was the cause of his death. Peter Lukins, 
the .joint proprietor with Warburton, of the 
land that the town is located on. and for whom 
the town was named, came from Kentucky and 
was the first hotelkeeper in the place, lie and 
Warburton owned one hundred and sixty acres 
of hind and laid out the town on it. Afterward 
they sold out. to Taylor and King, who thus 
became proprietors of the village. Lukins was 
afterward found dead in his bed, the re-ull 
of hard drink, for he also wa- too close a friend 
of John Barleycorn. 

••.\h! Brandy, brandy, bane of life; 
Spring id' tumult, source of strife: 
i lould I but half lh\ curses tell. 
The w ise would wish thee safe in In II." 

The Rutledges wen- originally from Ken- 



92 



PAST AND PRESENT <>F MENARD COUNTY 



tuck} bul wont from there to South Carolina 
and thence came in an early day to Illinois, 
settling in White county, whence they came to 
this count\ in L825, settling in the vicinity of 
<)|,| Salem. William and James Rutledge and 
John Cameron came together. William Rut- 
ledge and Cameron wen' brothers-in-law. 
These all died here many years ago, leaving 
a long line nl' descendants. Jonathan Colby 
came from New Hampshire in 1834 and settled 
mi the farm where he died, his son G-rosvenor 
Colby now owning it. Roberl Carter came 
from Kentucky in L830 ami settled on the 
farm thai Ins daughter, "Aunt" Jemima Gum. 
lived and died on. Hi' died in 1866. The el- 
der lirahni. father of John A. Brahm, came in 
1852. .lames Goldsby came from Kentucky in 
1830 and settled here, lie was the lirst sheriff 
el' Menard county, lie was a sun of Rev. Wil- 
liam Goldsby. a Baptist minister, who preached 
the gospe] bere for a half century. Nicholas 
Tice came from Virginia in 1831, locating lirst 
in Athens, but in 1832 be bought a farm where 

(he village el' Tice new stands and spent the 
remainder of his life there. .Indue John Tice, 
recently deceased, was bis sen. The Bales weri' 

from Kentucky and Jacob Bale located near 
the present site el' Petersburg in 1830. lie 
was a minister ami father el' Hardin Hale, who 
was proprietor of the Petersburg Woolen Mi II-. 
A-bram Hale came to the vicinity in 1839 and 
located at Salem. In lS-ln he bought a farm 
and moved onto it. In 1852 be purchased the 
mill site at Salem and began repairing ami 
remodeling the eld mill but died in 1853. His 
sens completed the repairs that he bad begun 
and in is;:! T. Y. Hale became the solo pro- 
prietor and conducted the mill till it ceased to 
he. some twenty or twenty-five years ago. 
Judge Joseph II. Pillsbury was a son of Alpha 
Pill-bun and was a native id' \Vw Hampshire. 
His lather died there in ls:il and in ls:',ii the 
family came to Petersburg, when' his mother 
died in L868. Judge Pillsbury was a promi- 
nent man, filling some positions of trust and 
ho ■. He died some years ago. Elijah Pot- 
ter ei from White county, Illinois, where he 

was born in 1819 or 1820. He settled Five 
miles south of Petersburg, where he died in 
March. 1876. Robert McNeely was an early 



settler in Morgan county, and his son, Hon. 
T. W. McNeely, early became a citizen of Pe- 
tersburg and became one of our ablest attor- 
neys, lie ha- represented ibis district in con- 
gress. 

This comprises the list of the early settlers 
of tins section of the county. After the year 
1835 the stream of immigration became so 
ureal that ii would he impossible to give any- 
thing like a correct account of them. True we 
have mentioned some who came at a later date, 
hut only a l\'\v of the more important ones. 
while sonic prominent pioneer- were not named 
in this list because they are spoken of in an- 
other place or are noticed in the biographical 
part of this work. We have used the utmost 
care in trying to get the facts and dates cor- 
rect hut doubtless there are mistakes. The 
writer began almost forty years ago to gather 
this material. For thirty-eight years a daily 
diary has been carefully kept, and had it not 
been lor this fact this work could never have 
been done, even one-half as well. II' people in 
general would take an interest in such matter-, 
the record of the past might he kept entire. 

If some of those early settler- could rise from 
the grave and come hack to their haunts of 
eighty years ago, their surprise would lie far 
greater than that of Rip Van Winkle when he 

awoke from his long sleep in the Catskill ne- 

tains. When the white man came here eighty- 
five years ago the forests were unbroken; the 
prairies were yet in their pristine beauty fresh 
from their Creator's hand, and were the abode 
of the wolf and wild deer: the canoe of the 
Indian glided over the waters of the "Sanga- 

mo," and tin' forests eel I to his savage yell. 

while the paths worn by his moecasined feet 
served as a guiding trail to the invading pale- 
face. The flight of years has clothed these 
"verdant wastes" with flocks and herds, with 
waving harvest-fields and vast forests of rust- 
ling corn, in which great armies might find 
secreting ambush. The Indian trail has been 
obliterated by the railway track, and the ox- 
team and "prairie schooner" are displaced by 
the locomotive and the automobile. The land- 
scape where the Indian sol his tepee and where 
his pale-faced successor built his pole cabin 
or his three-faced camp. is now dotted with 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



i:; 



hundreds of happy homes, churches and school- 
houses. The silence broken by the war whoop 
and ili" death song of the savage, now echoes to 

"The Laugh of children, the sofi voice 
hi maidens and the sweet and solemn hymn 
Of Sabbath worshippers." 

The early pioneers of this section met with 
the same trials and inconveniences that others 
experienced, and which are described in another 
place. Churches, schools, soi teties, etc., are de- 
scribed in appropriate chapters, but we feel that 
at this point a word should be said aboul one 
particular church — The Baptist church at Ba- 
ker's Prairie. This is one of the old congrega- 
tions of that dei lination in the county. It 

was organized in 1835. by the Rev. John Antic 
The first place of worship, after the private 
houses, wa< a loo house which served as a church 

and sehoolhouse. it -t I about three miles 

easl of Petersburg and about the same distance 
north of where Tice is now located. Later they 
built a frame chinch and after it became some- 
what dilapidated tiny creeled a splendid brick 
edifice, which the: now occupy. 

The town of Petersburg, the metropolis of 
Menard county, is beautifully situated on the 
west bank of the Sangamon river at the cross- 
ing of the Chicago, Alton & St. Louis, and 
the Chicago, Peoria & St. Louis Railways, 
twenty-one miles north of Springfield and 
twenty-seven miles from Jacksonville. It ex- 
tend- back from the river on the bluffs, where 
many beautiful residences are situated. The 
streets are broad and lined with trees, adding 
much to the beaut} of the place, and in sum- 
mer protecting from the burning heat of the 
sun. The public square is a -real ornament 
in the town, being well supplied with forest 
trees, and in its center stands a splendid court- 
house, built in 1897 at a cost id' fifty thou- 
sand dollars. The greater pari of the business, 
a- in other Illinois towns, is around the square, 
ami the buildings are far better than arc gen- 
erally found in towns of its size. Speaking 
of the streets of Petersburg brings to mind an 
anecdote of Abraham Lincoln, that we believe 
has never found its way into print, and as 
if i- absolutely true, and as it illustrates the 
kind anil benevolenl nature of the man. we 
feel it to he a dutv to record it. here ami now. 



Mr. Lincoln surveyed and platted the town but 
it happened that, before the plat was though! 
of a widow lady had built her a house within 
its limits. When they came to make the sur- 
vey they found that this house was a few feet 
out into the projected street. It would cost 
something to move the house, and the owner 
was a widow; the survey was almost done and 
it would entail both labor and expense to change 
the whole plat; so Lincoln cut the Gordian knot 
by making "a jog," as he called it. in the street. 
This "joe" is in the plat, ami in the street— 
a visible and lasting monument to the kind 
heart of Mr. Lincoln. 

Peter Lukins and (ieore'c Warnurton were 
the original owners of the one hundred and 
sixty acres of land that Petersburg now -lands 
on. This tract was part <<( section II. town- 
ship is. ranee ; west. In 1832-3 they laid 
out the entire trad of one hundred and sixty 
acres into blocks and (own lots and when this 
was done they quietly sat down to wait for 
the city to grow. This one hundred and sixty 
acres was rather ait extensive foundation for a 
town seventy-five years ago, and it was prob- 
ably these ponderous proportions that retarded 
its growth. At any rale it failed to gro^i 
ami the proprietors, becoming disgusted, sold 
out to llezekiah Kin." and John Taylor. These 
gentlemen employed Abraham Lincoln, then 
deputy surveyor of Sangamon county, to sur- 
\e\ and replat the town, and this plat was 
filed for record February 22, L836. The town 
was named for Peter Lukins, one of the origi- 
nal proprietors. The incident, or accident, 
which led to the naming of the future ,n\ 
Petersburg, instead of Georgetown, occurred in 
this wise: Peter Lukins ami George Warbur- 
ton, the original projectors of the enterprise, 
were each very anxious to he immortalized in 

history by bestow ing In- nan n the incipient 

city and they became involved in a very warm 
dispute over the question whether it should 
he called Georgetown, for Warburton, or Peters 
burg, I'm' Lukins. ,\t last they decided to play 
;i game of "old sledge," or "seven-up," then the 
national game (instead of base or football), 
and allow the winner to name the town. Lu- 
kins won. and rising from his costly seat, a 
nail-keg, he solemnly and impressively pro- 



94 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



nounced the word "Petersburg," and the mo- 
mentous question was forever settled. Elijah 
Estep doubtless built the first cabin, or build- 
ing of any kind thai was ever built in the ter- 
ritory of what is now Petersburg. Estep put 
ii)) a "tread-wheel" mill here in 1826. This 
is spoken of more fully in another place. The 
first -tore opened in the town was by John 
Taylor, in 1833. Not a meat while after Tay- 
lor began business, the Davidson Brothers came 
in with a stock of goods ami opened the sec- 
ond store. It was only a short time after this 
till John Bennett bought Taylor out and en- 
gaged in a business that was destined to ho 
his employment for a long time. Ho was for 
many years one of the leading merchants and 
business men of the place, lie is spoken of 
more at length in another place. Jordan Mor- 
ris was the lir-i blacksmith and Peter Lukins 
looked after the soles of the people, being a 
shoemaker. The postoffice was established here 
hi 1834, with James Taylor as postmaster. 
This office was then a very small affair, and 
the whole thing could have been easily carried 
in a man's hat. The first practicing lawyer 
was David M. Rutledge, a brother of "'the 
beautiful Anna Rutledge," the fiancee of Abra- 
ham Lincoln, and who. hail she lived, would 
have been his wife. Dr. R. E. Bennett was the 
first resident physician. The first •■tavern" 
was kept by Peter Lukins. It was located in 
th( south part of town and was a very un- 
pretentious affair but it accommodated in a 
comfortable way those who patronized it. Aft- 
er the primitive mill spoken of above, a nan 
by the name of Dorrell built a combined saw 
and grist mill, and this served the purpose 
for the people for a great many year-. After 
tin- a Mr. Sanford erected a very line mill at 
a cosi of eighteen thousand dollars. After 
operating it for several years his -en-. .1. D. 
and E. D. Wright, took charge of it. In a nw 
years E. D. Wright withdrew from the firm 
ami mil Long after this J. D. Wright failed in 
in-iih--. necessitating the -ale of the prop- 
erty. In 1878 the property was bought by 
E. 1. (.. nili ami I). Fischer, who ran the mill 
for a number of years, with very Lined suc- 
cess. Later ii went into the hands of a Mr. 
Welch, who ran it for a time, hut after his 



death it was changed into an elevator and is 
being so run at the present time. In 1867 
the Eagle Mills were built by Nance, Brother 
& Company, at a cost of over twenty-four 

thousand dollars. The Nances ran it about 
eighteen months when it was bought by Philip 
li'ainov. In connection with Thomas Barfield 
he ran it for a time and later he was alone in 
the enterprise. He put in rollers and the "new 
process," and made it in every respect a very 
fine mill. After his death his wife ran it for 
a time. Finally, some twelve or fifteen years 
ago, Mr. Heil'ner. of Virginia. Cass county, 
bought the property ami is running the null 
with great success. Aaron Hatfield built a 
mill in the easl part id' town about the early 
'80s and ran it for a time. Afterward Charles 
Carman ran it for some time ami failed to 
make it pay. Seme years ago it was dis- 
mantled, the machinery taken out and the 
building ha- since stood unoccupied. While on 
the subject of nulls it is net out of place to 
mention the fad that the first steam mill (the 
one put tip by Taylor) was run by an engine 
that came off a steamboat. (See the chapter 
on "Steamboats.") Alone somewhere about 
that time a steamboat worked its way up the 
Sangamon a- far a- Petersburg, and landed at 
her busy wharf, hut when starting time came 
she could neither advance nor hack out. so 
ilc on|\ thine t (j UJ> remain, which she did. 
Taylor bought the machinery and put it into 
the mill, as above stated. There are two grain 
elevators running in Petersburg at the present 
time. Wilms & Company operate a new ele- 
vator, built by them some five or sis years ago 
near the track of the Chicago, Peoria A St. 
Louis Railroad, in the northeast part of town. 
David Frackelton, Jr.. is running the old mill 
in the south part of town as an elevator. Both 
are doing a good business. 

In 1901 Mr. Brass, of Virginia, Cass coun- 
ty, erected a canning factory in the north part 
of town and engaged in canning tomatoes, sweet 
com and pumpkins, which at once hid fair to 
he a success, lie induced the neighboring farm- 
ers to engage in raising these product- and 
the enterprise has proved a blessing to the 
town. The farmers have realized splendidly 
on the crops raised: employment has been fur- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 95 

nishod for a °rea1 number of the people of Hamilton changed the Index to a Republican 

tin town; and the owners have done well, paper the Menard County Axis was started as 

Some years ago D. M. Bone and Charles Mont- a Democratic organ, with C. Clay as editor 

gomen i rected a bed-spring and excelsior Eac- and publisher, tts firsl issue was dated April 

tory in the easl pari of the city, which for 1"-'. L859, and it was continued by clay till 

several vears proved a great success and a 1867, when it was purchased by a joinl stock 

blessing to the country. Unfortunately just company. \ i t h M. I!. Friend as editor, and 

as it had becomi a decided success, ii burned its name changed in the Petersburg Democrat, 

down and the moneyed men of Hie town re- under which name it still continues to be 

fused i" lend the accessary aid. and .me of published. Mr. Friend continued in charge 

the proprietors opened the same business in of the paper till 1871, when E. T. McElwain 

Springfield and the other in Lincoln, Illinois, became editor. He continued in editorial con- 

and both are now large and paying factories, tro] till July 1. 1877, when he was succeeded 

It is extremely unfortunate that these enter- by A. E. Mick. On duly 1. L878, Mr. Mick 

prises did not receive the sympathy and en- associated with himself S. S. Knoles, and so 

couragernenl of the men of means of the place, the firm continued for several years, nil Fred. 

There is no town in central Illinois that has Wilkinson becan litor and after a time John 

in,, re natural advantages and facilities for Onstotl was associated with him. and this con- 
manufacture than Petersburg and aothing tinues to he the linn at the present time. The 
would pa\ our men of means better than to Petersburg Democral has been the exponent oi 
1 1 1 1 1 their money into such enterprises. It Democracy in Menard counts For almost fifty 
would build up the town in population, ii would years. The last two gentlemen have, for many 

afford a market for our coal, timber, sand and years, wielded the quill and snapped tl li- 

produce, and furnish employment to hundreds torial scissors, in disseminating Democratic 

of our citizens. It is strange that this has not doctrine to the denizens of "Little Menard." 

been done long ago. The Democral is a stanch and reliable paper. 

Petersburg has had a very good share of has a large circulation, and is regarded as an 

newspaper enterprise, lirsl and last. The first essential in many households of the county. 

newspaper was published in this place in the During the campaign of Filmore, Buchanan 

fall of 1854, h\ s. B. Dugger, who called his and Fremont, in 1856, William Glenn started 

paper the Petersburg Express. After running a paper called The Fillmore Bugle hut it 

the paper for about a year Mr. Dugger sold closed out at the end of the campaign. In 

out in Henry L. ('lav. who changed the name dune. 1868, the Menard County Republican 

of the paper to the Menard Index, which was was established, with Richard Richardson as 

Democratic in politics. In September, L858. editor. In aboul a year he sold out to John 

Mr. ('lav sold out io llohart Hamilton, and a T. McNeely who conducted it nil 1871, when 

Mr. Brooks and they changed the politics of Bennett and Zane became the proprietors. 

the paper to Republican ami ran it thus till Aboui a year after this Zane was succeeded by 

L863, when it was sold and re \ed from the John Frank, who soon retired and was fol- 

county. Brooks remained with the paper about lowed by F. M. Bryant, who likewise remained 

one year after he and Hamilton took it. and hit a short time, and Bennett was alone for 

retired from it, saying that after changing a time. I-'. .1. Dubois then became a partner 

the politics <d' the paper ami sending out the and assumed editorial control for a year. Early 

first number a- a Republican -heel thai the m is; I the material of the Republican was 

patrons came in by scores, carrying the paper. -old to John frank, who hail stalled a nevi 

and would throw it down saying, "There, take paper the August preceding and called it the 

your - Abolition paper." Shorth after Menard Count) Time-. II and the Republican 

there val of the Index the Northwestern Bap- were then consolidated and published under 

ti>t. a religious paper, was ]>~nrt\ from the In- the name of The Times. Frank now -old out 

de\ office, and edited tn \1. I'. Hartley. After to F. M. Brvant, who continued the paper till 



96 



PAST A\l> PRESENT OF MKXAIM) COUNTY 



May :i. ls;s. when he sold to 6. W. Cain and 
William Parks. Cain had been running a pa- 
per in Tallula, and when he bought Taylor out 
he changed the name of the paper to the Peters- 
burg Observer, and under that name it is still 
published. Parks sold out about 1902 to Mr. 
Ruth, who is -till running the paper. It is a 
clean, well edited and popular Republican pa- 
per. Mr. Ruth also runs a paper in Athens. 

We tried hard to secure full data concern- 
ing the papers in other Menard county towns 
but failed, as our letters of inquiry were for 
-nine reason unanswered. Athens. Tallula and 
Greenview have each had a weekly paper for 
several years. The "Greenview Leader" is pub- 
lished by James Arnold and is a spicy and up- 
to-date paper. Mr. Arnold also runs a good 
job office. 



PETERSBURG, THE COUNTY SEAT. 

The act of the legislature for the formation 
of Menard county was passed in the session 
of 1838-39, the new county including a large 
part of Mason county, which was no1 sel off 
till two years later. One of the first questions 
agitated was that of the location of the seal 
of justice. The contestants were New Market, 
Huron. Miller's Ferry. Athens and Petersburg, 
and after a short but sanguinary struggle, it was 
decided in favor of Petersburg, and, in the 
spring of 1839 it became the capital of the 
county. It- competitors in the struggle for of- 
ficial greatness, all except Athens, have long 
since been submerged " 'neath the waves of 
dark- oblivion" and few people now know that 
such place, ever existed in this county. From 
this time on Petersburg rapidly grew in popu- 
lation and increased in importance. After the 
formation of Mason county it was found that 
by a stroke of good fortune, the county seat 
had been located almost in the exact geograph- 
ical ci nter. Fer four years after the forma- 
tion of the county, the courts were held in 
the stpn of Grimslei & Levering, but in 1843 
the courthouse was erected at a cost of six 
thousand, six hundred forty dollar-. This old 
house, with the moss of passing years gather- 
ing on it. stood till 1897. It was of the old 



Kentucky tobacco-barn style of architecture, 

and in perfect harmony with the scores of 
courthouses built sixty-live and seventy years 
ago. About the time that the courthouse was 
built a jail was erected which served the pur- 
pose till l87n. when a new one was put up 
at a cost of twenty-two thousand dollars, a far 
more imposing building than the courthouse. 
The first jail cost three hundred dollars. In 
1897 a new stone courthouse was built on the 
site of the old one. It cost fifty thousand dol- 
lars, hut while the old courthouse was an old 
fashioned, weather-beaten affair, it was with sad 
hearts that the old citizens saw it razed to the 
ground, on account of the associations connect- 
ed with it. Its walls had echoed to the voice 
of Mich men as Stephen A. Douglas, Abraham 
Lincoln and many other of the celebrities of 
those old times, for "there were giants in those 
days" in the truest sense of that word. This 
i- the bistory of the county scat, as such, and 
we now proceed to give a brief sketch of the 
place as an organized city, under the laws of 
the state. 

Petersburg was organized as a city under 
the laws of Illinois in 1882, and Dr. F. P. Antle 
was elected the first mayor of the city. He 
continued to fill this office, by re-election, till 
1885. In April. 1885, Charles R. Collier was 
eh •(ted the second mayor. Mr. Collier served 
till 1887, when in April of that year James 
Thompson was elected to that office. During 
rhi< administration thi system of waterworks 
was put in, Diedric Fisher being awarded the 
contract for the tank. pump, building, etc.. 
at seventeen thousand dollars. In April, 1889, 
Anson Thompson was elected mayor and server, 
till 1891, when Jesse M. Ott was elected, and 
by re-election served till 1SH7 . During the 
term- of L893 and 1894, the large well was 
-link to supply water for the waterworks. It 
is thirty feet from out to out. being twenty-five 
feet in the clear between the walls and thirty- 
eight feet deep. This well cost the city, all 
told three thousand dollars. In 1892 the first 
sanitary -ewer was pu1 in. at a total cost of 
three thousand, live hundred dollars. In 1897 
Ishani Catlett was elected to the office of may- 
or, and served till 1901. In this year Anson 
Thompson was again elected and served till 



PAST AMi PRESENT OE MENARD COUNT!' 

L902, when Jesse M. Oti was again elected and be expended in 1905 in further improvements, 

is serving at the presenl time. In the year the by erecting a hotel in keeping with the demands 

city bought the Town Hall, paying for tin.' and claims of the Chautauqua, 

building and lots three thousand, six hundred Petersburg has ten church houses, all of 

dollars. During the fall of 1904 the large which have regular services. She has three 

drainage sewer, on the north side of the square, fine school buildings, with a total of over twen- 

was put in. at a cost of four thousand dollars, ty commodious rooms. Her growth has never 

So that in the last fifteen years the city has been rapid, bui always steady and permanent, 

expended, in much needed improvements, be- During 1903 and 1904 more than twenty resi- 

side the running expenses of the town, no less deuces were erected, cost from two thousand 

than thirty-one thousand, eight hundred dol- dollars to eight thousand dollars each. The 

Lars. The city is in a very prosperous eondi- city government is contemplating the paving 

tiou financially. In LS91 the old courthouse of the more important streets in the near fu- 

was torn away and a fifty thousand dollar huihl- ture. 

ing erected in its place, which is an ornament to The present city government is as follows: 

the city and county. A system of electric Jesse M. Ott, mayor; aldermen, first ward. Ed. 

lights was put in years ago. The w leu Goodman and McLean W'atkins; second ward. 

buildings, which used to he so numerous around Gaines Greene and Otto Lenz; third ward. A. 

the square, are nearly all torn away, and large, J. lih'ss and W. W. Williamson. 

modern, brick buildings have been built in their 

place. We have three large dry-goods stores. 

four clothing stores, two jewelry stores, three OFFICERS OF MENARD COUNTY. 

drug stores, three hardware stores, six grocery 

, i i " SHERIFFS. 

.-lores, two lurniture stores, two harness shops, 

,, l/he sheriffs oi the county have been : James 
three restaurants, two ten-cent stores, three 

. . . . Goldsbv, 1839-1844: \. A. Rankin, L844-1848; 
meat markets, one -hoe store, two photograph 

,. ... , ,, , ... r . ' James Taylor, 1848-December, 1848 : James G. 

galleries, one mill, lour blacksmith shops, two 

; , , , , ,. .... Long, 1848-1850: B. D. McAtee. L850-1852; 

bakeries, lour barber -hop-. Pair mi II inerv 

■ J. B. Gum, 1852-1854; J. B. Goldsby, 1854- 

Stores, Ihree hoiel- ami one luarlilc shop. lie- 

, . . , ' 1858: J. M. Hurt. 1858-1860: W. C. Smoot, 
side ilu- we have m the oroiessions : tour clen- 

, , ',. , 1860-1862: J. M. Quinn, 1862-1864: J. M. 
tists, eight phvsicians, thirteen lawvers (an 

■ , . ' , , ' , , ,. Quinn, L864-1866 ; Robert Clarv, 1868-1870; 
unlucky number) and ten preachers. In L89 < 

,, ../o, cj i •• ™ i Fred Wilkinson. 1870-1S72; Wolf Feulner, 
Hie (lid Nalein ( liautauiiua was organized. 

,... , , . ' 1874-1876; Fred Wilkinson, 1876-1880: M. T. 
i he i loan I oi managers purchased a mosi beati- 

.... , c i , ii, e u a Hargraves, 1880-1886; William J. Brewer, 

tilul piece ol laud on ihe bank- ol the Sanga- 

... . .. , ,,,,', 1886-1890; Joseph W. Estill, 1890-189J : (I. 

mon river, within a mile and a hall 01 the 

. , ,. ... W. Hatch. 1894-1898; J. \. Rutledge. 1898- 

CltV, and opened the institution 111 AllgUSl ol 

., ,. ., ,. L902; Edward J. Fahav. 1902-1906. 
thai year. From the very first it seemed to 

be a success. Under the direction of such men probatj judge. 

as \. W". Branson, George Luthringer, II er As;l "■ Wright, from 1839 to 1846; Nathan 

J. Tice and others, it could not but be a success. Dresser. 1846 to 1847; Asa I). Wright Iron 

Thei have a system of waterworks on the 1S,: '" 1848, when tl ffice ceased. 

ground, as fine and commodious an auditorium recorder. 

as an\ similar institution in the land. A large William G. Spear-, from 1839 to is 1 1 ; Jacob 

number of cottages have been erected on the 11. Laning, from 1841 to 1847; Cornelius 

grounds and thousands of dollars have 1 n ex- Ronrke, from 1841 to 1849, when the "Hie, 

pended in improving and beautifying the ceased. 

grounds. The attendance from the very first coroner. 

has been phenomenal and success has marked Martin S. Morn-, from 1839 to 1840; George 

its every step. Fifteen thousand dollars will D. Adam-, from 1840 to 1842; John E. R 



98 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



lins, from 1842 to 1844; I va MeGlasson. from 
isii to 1848; McLean Wood, from 1848 to 
1850; T. 1'. Garretson, from 1850 to 1852; 
C. Levering, from 1852 to 1853; W. T. Hutch- 
inson, from 1853 to 1854 ; William Trent, from 
is."> I to 1856; F. C. Davis, from 1856 to 1858; 
.1. T. Brooks, from 1858 to iscii: ('. Levering, 
from I860 to 1862 ; A. L. Clary, from 1864 
to 1869; I.. Montgomery, from 1869 to 1871; 
<;. \\. Hicks, from 1871 to 1874; .1. .1. Erwin, 
from is; I to 1876; L. Ahronheim., from 1876 

to 1877; Charles Cowan, fr 1*;; to 1880; 

John Degge, from 1880 to 1882; John Baches. 
from 1882 to L884; William D. Cowan, from 
1884 to 1885; William I >. McAtee, from 1885 
to 1892; A. L. Clary, from 1892 to 1904 ; Dr. 
Wilkin, from 1904 to 1908. 

SURVEYOR. 

Edmund Greer, from 1839 to lsi:',: John B. 
Cum. from 1843 to 1849; Anno Ritter, from 
L849 to is:,:,: F. Hall, from is:,:, to 1859; I>. 
X. Carithers, from 1859 to 1863; John B. 
Cum. from 1863 to 1864; A. E. Mick, from 
L864 to 1869; A. J. Kelly, from 1869 to is;:,; 
John Th-c from Is;:, to 1879; Abe Hall, from 
1879 to 1883; Anthony Austin, from 1883 to 
l^s; George ( . Power, from 1888 to 1892; 
James M. Large, from 1892 to 1S96; John 
Tier, from 1896 to 1904; Hobart Hamilton, 
from 1904 to 1908. 

PUBLIC AHM IMSTK 4.TOR. 

Lewis B. Wvnn. from 1843 to 1845; George 
U. Miles, from 1845 to 1849; McLean Wood, 
from 1 s4'.c till the office ceased to be, two years 
after. 

COUNTY JUDGE. 

Jacob Garber, from 1849 to 1853; C. J. F. 
Clark, from is:,:', to 1861; .1. II. Pillsbury, 
from 1861 to 1865; M. I'.. Harrison, from 1861 
to 1865; C. M. Robertson, from 1865 to 1869; 
.1. II. Pillsbury, from 1869 to 1873; John Tice. 
from is;:; to 1881 ; II. H. Hoagland, from 
issi I,, 1898; Frank E. Blane, from 1898 to 
1902; George B. Watkins, from 1902 to 1906. 

ASSOCIATE JUSTICES. 

James Mott, commissioned November 20, 
is:,:',: .!. Reed, commissioned November '.' : '>. 
is:,;; ; C. .1. Hutchinson, July, 1854 and \.85''i : 



Robert Clary, is:,; and 1861 ; D. T. Hughes, 
1861; R. Woldridge. 1869; II. Warnsing, 1869. 

I i,l \T\ CLERKS. 

Cornelius Rourke, from 1849 to 1865; Ho- 
bart Hamilton, from lsi;:, t<> 1869; A. E. Mick. 
1869 to is;:',: Anson Thompson, from ]s;:', to 
1882; F. W. Eads, from 1882 to 1886; Adam 
W. McGeachin, from 1886 to 1890; H. W. Lev- 
ering, from 1890 to 1902; Albert W. Hartley, 
from Chi-.' to 1906. 

CIRCUIT CLERK. 

.\. K. Riggin, from 1S48 to 1860; Joseph 
Jonson, from 1860 to 1SC4; William J. Estill, 
from 1864 n> 1872; Theodore C. Bennett, from 
1872 to 1900; David L. Bennett, from 1900 
t,, 1904; William F. Thompson, from 1904 
in L908. 

STATES ATTORNEY. 

II. W. Masters, Iron, 1876 to 1879; Reub 
Stevens, from 1879 to 1884; S. II. Blane from 
issi to 1888; Charles Nusbaum, from 1888 to 
1896; John M. Smoot, from 1896 to 1904 : T. 
J. teep, from 1904 to 1908. 

SCHOOL COMMISSIONER. 

o. D. Clark, from is:,:; t,, is:,; ; .1. H. Pilfe- 
bury, from is:,; to 1863; Edward Laning, from 
1863 to 1865. 

SUPERINTENDENT Of SCHOOLS. 

Edward Booth, from 1865 to 1869; William 
H. Berry, from 1869 to 1873; K. B. Davis, 
from 1873 to January, is;; : R. D. Miller, 
from January 3, is;;, to December 15, 1898; 
George C. Power, 1898 to 1903; R 1>. Miller, 
f rom December 1. 1903, to December 5, 1904 : 
T. E. Cantrall, from 1904 to 1906. 

ASSESSOR AND TREASURER. 

John Tiro, from is:,; to 1869; .1. W. Chea- 
ncv, from 1869 to 1871; Charles 11. Thomas. 
from is;:, to 1881 : .1. G. Strodtman, from 
1881 to 1886; Jasper V Rutledge, from 1886 
to 1890; F. R Oltjcn. from 1890 to 1894 : 
Henry Burfiend, from 1894 to 1898; Lew B. 
Golden, from 1898 to 1899 (died in office) ; 
J. IF McMichael, from 1899 to 1902; .1. IF 
Clary from 1902 to 1906. 

COUNTS COM MISSIONERS. 

James Altig, is;; to 1880; F. W. Duncan, 
from 1878 to 1880; Andrew Caddie, from 1879 



PAST AND PRESEN' 



ol 



MENARD COUNTY 



99 



to L8S2; James Altig, from 1880 to 1883; 
Wood Greene, from 1881 to 1884; Andrew 
Gaddie, from 1882 to 1885; 11. II. Schirding, 
from 1883 to 1886; Wood Greene, from lss| 
to 1887; Andrew Gaddie, from 1885 to isss; 
II. II. Schirding, from 1886 to 1889; Emley 
Eewett. from 1881 to 1890; Johrj C. Claypole, 
from 1888 to 1891; II. 11. Schirding, from 
1889 to 1892; George U. Spears, from 1890 
to 1893; James K. McAtee, from 1891 to 1894 ; 
II. II. Schirding, from 1892 to 1895; George 
U. Spears, from 1893 to 1896; .hums K. Mc- 
Atee, from 189 I to 189'i : Johrj B. Gum, from 
1895 to 1898; George I'. Spears from 1896 
to 1899; Kirliy S. Johnson, from 1897 to 

1900; limn s. Eoughton, fr 1898 to 1901 ; 

W. E. Johnson from 1899 to 1902; II. J. Mar- 
bold, from 19DO to 1903; Elias Watkins, from 
1901 to 1904 ; Charles B. Greene, from 1902 
to 1905; II. J. Marbold from 1903 to 1906; 
Frank A. King, from 190 I to 1907. 



CHURCHES OE MENARD. 

PRESBYTER] \\ CHURCH OF PETERSBURG. 

The Presbyterian church of Petersburg, Illi- 
nois, was organized by the Rev. Thomas Call 
in December, 1839, in the old courthouse in 
Petersburg. Six men and four women went 
into the organization. Mr. Gait preached to 
them occasionally till 1842. Their services 
were held at first in the courthouse or in the 

liall over Mr. Bennett's store, which st I 

where the National Hank now stands. By the 
spring ill' 1842 the} had Imilt a neai frame 
church two blocks north of the northeasl cor- 
ner of the square. This house was dedicated 
mi the 15th of May. 1842, the sermon being 
preached by the Rev. J. W. Little from 2 
Corinthian.-. 6:40, II. The firs! regular supply 
began September 1. 1846, by Rev. George Mc- 
Kinlcx. In is:,; Rev. McKinley resigned and 
Rev. John A. Pinkerton began his service at 
once. Mr. Pinkerton was a man greatly beloved 
by all. in and mil ol' the church. After a \.t\ 
successful and efficient ministry, Mr. Pinker- 
ton resigned in 1870. Rev. Joseph Malum be- 
gan in attend the church, as supply, in the 
month i'l' February, 1871. lie served onlv seven 



months, when he resigned, and Rev. George 
('. Wood supplied the congregation until 1872. 
In February of the year 1872 Rev. Maurice 
Waller began his pastorate, which lasted till 
1878. Mr. Waller was a man that was uni- 
versally respected and loved and he did good 
service for the church. In the year 1873 the 
foundation of the present church edifice was 
laid, but the building was no1 completed till 
the year Is; I. On the 8th of November of that 
\car the house was formally given to God. The 
Rev. W. W. Marsha. D. D.. of Jacksonville, Illi- 
nois, preached the dedicatory sermon from 1 
Timothy, 3 :5. In the year 187S Mr. Waller 
resigned and Dr. Kevins and Rev. F. M. Bald- 
win supplied the church Mil January, 1882, 
when Rev. A. .1. Berger became pastor ami 
served till July, 1883. The pulpil was then 
vacant nil in September, 1884. when Rev. T. C. 
McFarland began his work. In 1886, during 
the pastorate of Mr. McFarland, the lecture 
room was built and the audience room was re- 
frescoed in very tasteful style. In February, 
1887, Rev. McFarland resigned, and mi the 
call of the church, in August, 1887, Rev. Wil- 
liam Miller began his work as pastor of the 
church. Me served faithfully and success- 
fully nil August, 1891, when he resigned and 
was succeeded by Rev. W. E. Williamson. D. D. 
Dr. Willi son served the church most ac- 
ceptably for five years and resigned in 1896. 
Me was succeeded, in August, 1896, by Rev. 
T. d. Stephenson, who in turn also served 
five war.-, resigning in August, 1901. During 
the pastorale nf Rev. Stephenson the church 
purchased a very desirable residence propert\ 
within a block and a half of the church, which 
is used as a parsonage. In August, 1901, Rev. 
D. .1. Mitterling was called to the pastorate of 
the church and served them till August, 1904, 
when he resigned. 

At this time i I imber. 1904 ) the church is 

without a pastor, but is being supplied regularly 
and the probability is that the sn|,|i|\ u ,|| soou 
he the regular pastor. This is a strong and 
wealth} church, enrolling anion"; its members 
some "I' the lies! people of the city, and its 
influeni e I'm' good is in he calculated. 

The Presbyterians hai e a -i rong congre ;ei 
lion, a.- is seen in the preceding history, at 



1(1(1 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENAED COUNTY 



Alliens. To them and Indian Point the Rev. 
It. (i. Carson has ministered for a number of 
years. In Irish Grove, where there was for- 
merly a strong congregation, they now have no 
service, deaths and removals having reduced 
the congregation till they can no! support 
preaching. They have there a good brick edi- 
fice, but it is net occupied. 

At Sweetwater and Greenview they have com- 
paratively new frame churches and the Rev. 
Mr. Thomas preaches to the two charges. The 
writer made all due effort to get full statistics 

of all these ehnrehes. but tailed. In the county 

this denomination has five congregations and 
six church houses, with a good membership, 
made up from the best class of people of the 
county. They have flourishing Sabbath-schools 
and keep up all of the enterprises of the work. 

ROM VN CATHOLICS. 

In the latter part of the year 18(52 a society 
of the Roman Catholic faith was organized in 
Petersburg. The first services of this denomi- 
nation were held in the private residences of 
Cornelius Rourke, Adam Johns and John 
Lucas. As the meetings increased and as the 
attendance became larger and the interest be- 

ea greater, the services were held in the 

schoolhouse or courtroom. In less than four 
years their numbers had increased to such an 
extent that a house of worship was neces- 
sary. So the money was raised and a house 
built in time to Ik- dedicated in the fall of 1866. 
The house cost li\e thousand dollars ami was 
dedicated by Rev. Father Mettinger, and at that 
time the society numbered about fifty adults. 
The following is a partial list of the priests 
who have had charge of the church: Fathers 
Quigley, Zebell, Jarnsen, Fitzgibbons, Custa, 
Clifford (the latter at the laying of the corner- 
stone), Mettinger (at the dedication), .laqnes. 
('leu-,'. Wegman, Saner. Alme. Hogan, ami 
Father Futterer, who is now (1905) in charge. 
The presenl priest in charge is very popular, 
not oiil\ with the Catholics, hut with tin' 
Protestants as well. While he is a good Cath- 
olic in even respect, he is at the same time 
a man of good sense ami reason. 

The Catholics at Greenview have a church 
house and occasional service, vet they have no 



resident priest. At Athens they have an or- 
ganized congregation ami are erecting a splen- 
did church. 

In Petersburg they have a first-class parson- 
age ami a schoolhouse, making their property 
very valuable. The Catholics of Petersburg 
owe a ( lid >t of lasting gratitude to Cornelius 
Rourke and Frank Luthringer for their zeal. 
energy and perseverance in securing tins church. 
The congregation is now strong and prosperous. 

GERMAN LUTHERAN CHURCH. 

This denomination has had a congregation 
and house of worship in Petersburg for a great 
many years, and. although representatives of 
the church are found all over the county 
wherever there are Germans, yet no other 
church was organized in the county, we believe, 
(ill about is;; oi- 1878, when Professor Win- 
nckin, of the Theological Seminary of Spring- 
field, Illinois, organized a congregation in the 
neighborhood of Tallula, and they later elected 
a neat hut cheap house of worship. About this 
same tunc a large congregation of German 
Lutherans was organized in Greenview. Not 
long after being organized they built a very 
neat and comfortable church at a cost of be- 
tween three and four thousand dollars. Rev. 
Mr. Iloniiner. now of California, served the 
Greenview and Petersburg churches lor a 
number of years. 

In the spring of 1861 the first German 
Lutheran church was organized in Petersburg. 
Among the original members were Harmon 
Scherding, John Scherding, Henry Messman, 
Henry Fischer, J. P. Bela, J. II. Stagemann, 
Jerry II. Stagemann, Jerry Bonties and others. 
They at lirsl boughl a house used by Dioclrieh 
Fischer as a carpenter shop, which they fitted 
up for a temple of worship, and there they met 
and held service for a time without a preacher. 
They finally secured the services of Rev. Paul 
Lorentzen as pastor, and purchased a parsonage 
adjacent to the church at a total cost for both 

edifices of i thousand seven hundred and fifty 

dollars. In 1863 Mr. Lorentzen was succeeded 
by Rev. Peter 1 >ahl ami later he was sui i eeded 
by Rev. Mr. Schmidt and he by Rev. William 
II. Schmidt, who remained pastor till his death 
in is;-.'. Rev. Mr. Schmidt was succeeded by 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



lit! 



Rev. Dubiel, whose pastorate was only of a 
year or two's duration, when Rev. Dr. John 
rTarminsky was railed to the pastorate. After 
a time l«V\ . Mr. Deichmann became the pastor, 
was succeeded by Rev. Charles Behrends and 
he by Rev. Mr. Conrad, who served them for 
some time. Mr. Conrad's ministry brings us 
to somewhere in the '80s, and here perhaps we 
miss the names of a pastor or two: when Rev. 
Mr. Hommer was called to take charge of the 
congregation. Rev. Eommer served them for 
a number of years, to the satisfaction and de- 
light of tlio entire congregation. Mr. Hom- 
mer was a scholarly Christian gentleman, re- 
spected by the entire community. <>n accounl 
of Ids health he removed several years ago to 
California. Rev. Mr. Weil was then invited to 
take charge of the church and has served them 
ever since, dividing his tune between (his place 
and Greenview, but living in Petersburg. The 
services arc all in the German language. They 
have a flourishing Sabbath-school and a large 
congregation. Some twelve or fifteen years 
hack they tore away the old church house, which 
was not large enough to meet their demands, 
and built a splendid house, of larger size and 
more modern in style. 

There i- another branch of the German 
Lutheran church which has a congregation in 
Petersburg. The writer is not informed as 
to the difference between these two branches 
of the church. This last named congregation 
is composed of some of the best people in 
Petersburg and it is a strong and prosperous 
bodj of people. They have a commodious 
house of worship and a parsonage located on a 
lot adjoining the church. They keep up all the 
regular services and these are well attended. 

The Lutheran chun-h is made up from the 
besl class of Germans and they arc an earnest, 
devoul people, devoted to their church, and 
promptly and cheerfully respond to all the 
demands that it makes al their hand. Their 
services are simple and unostentatious and no 
people are mole ready to respond to the calls 

of charit y and benevolence t ban they. 

EPISCOP VI. ( in mil. 

Dp to Januarj . 1905, there is but one Prot- 
estant Episcopal church in Menard county. 



Through the energy and untiring zeal of Mrs. 
Harris, relicl of the late Hon. Thomas L. Har- 
ris, this congregation was organized more than 
a quarter of a century ago. Soon after its 
organization the same earnest Christian lady 
raised funds to erect a house of worship. She 

•hit led in building Trinity church, which 

is a substantia] brick, of the Gothic style of 
architecture, with line art windows ami tasle- 
full\ frescoed. It stands on the hillside, com- 
manding a most excellent view of the oll\ and 
landscape across the Sangamon river. The firsl 
rector id' Trinity was the Rev. Mr. Steel, who 
served the church very acceptably For a time, 
hut gave up this charge to accept one in Alton, 
Illinois. After this they were served by differenl 
pastors and passed through the \anet\ of ex- 
periences that conic lo all such organizations. 
Mis. Harris has gone lo her reward. Inn the 
fruits of her efforts are slid being gathered. 
The membership of Trinity church i- not large, 
hui it embraces among its numbers representa- 
tives of the hot people of the city. .1 llsl at this 

writing they have no rector, hut as a rule they 
keep up regular service, with the Snndav-school 
and midweek prayer meeting. 

METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH l\ PETERS- 
BURG. 

Rev. George \lm\ served the Petersburg 
chun-h in 1876-7. He was followed by Rev. 
W. i '. Peel . i hen i he\ came in order : l,'e\ . R. 
G. Ilohhs. Rev. J. D. Fry, then the beloved and 
revered Chaplain \V. J. Rutledge, Rev. Peter 
Slagel, Rev. Edwin Ward. Rev. J. Scott Carr, 
Rev. S. II. Huber, Rev. John McPhail. Rev. A 
Sloan. Rev. II. L. Mitchell, then in 1896 the 
Rev. Theodore Kemp came and soon began to 
agitate the subject of building a new church. 
They had a fairly good bid old fashioned brick 
church, wilh a very nice parsonage on a lol ad- 
joining the church. Main' hallowed memories 
clustered around this old house. Here the 
venerable Peter Cartwrighi had preached in 
the early days; those walls had echoed to the 
voice of Peter Akers; from Ibis pulpit the 
lamented Barret, Hardin Wallace, Chaplain 
Rutledge and a host of others, now in heaven, 
told the "old. obi -lory." Inn lhe\ needed ;i nev 
church and Rev. Kemp, with faith, zeal and 



102 



PAST AND PRESENT (IF MENARD COINTY 



perseverance, went into the work and suc- 
ceeded. In L898 a new and modern house was 
erected and dedicated. It is modern in every 
respect — an ample basement, pastor's study, a 
lecture room, an auditorium of ample size 
with inclined floor and all modem furnishings. 
It is a brick building with slate roof and beau- 
tifully fivse I. The windows are large and of 

stained glass. The building cost a little over 
seven thousand dollars and is fully out of debt. 
Rev. Kemp remained in charge till 1900. whon 
he was followed by the Rev. R. A. Hartrick, 
who remained till 1903. In 1903 Rev. A. L. 
Plowman came and remained one year. Rev 
S. N. Wakefield is uow the active and efficient 
pastor, with prospect of great good before him. 

Oakford Methodist Episcopal congregation 
remodeled their old church during the sum- 
mer of 1904 and now have a house of worship 
that would be an honor to any community, and 
the church is out of debt. 

Athens Methodist Episcopal church has a 
neat and comfortable brick church and is in 
prosperous eondit ion. 

CUMBERLAND l'l; i:si; Vila; I \ \ CHURCH OF 
PETERSBllai. 

The history of the Cumberland Presbyterian 
church in Petersburg is rather a brief one. 
Back in the early '40s, must likely, the Rev. 
A. II. Goodpasture organized a congregation 
here and preached to it for a time, but it was 
short lived. In the latter part of the '60s the 
Rev. James Knoles formed an organization and 
preached to them For a time, hut the little 
band lost courage and for a time seemed extra ■■ . 
till Rev. .lames White, about 1870 or 1872, col- 
lected the scattered fragments together and for 
awhile he preached to them, but again they lost 
heart and for several years there was no con- 
gregation of this people in the town. In L87o 
Rev. R. D. Miller collected together a little 
hand who desired to reorganize a church here 
and formed them into a congregation. These 
charter members were Dr. II. A. Earris, C. L. 
Eatfield. W. I!. Edgar, C. II. Thomas, I). M. 
Bone. T. E. Clark. Miss Anna Shepherd, Miss 
Elizabeth Barclay and Mrs. Lucy Thomas. 
Earris, Eatfield and Clark were elected as 
elders and C. 11. Thomas, deacon. At first 



they held their services in the German Lutheran 
church, which at that time had no pastor. In a 
short time they had to give that up and they 
removed to the Baptisl church. Here, in the 
winter of 1878-9, they had a very successful re- 
vival and the congregation was greatly strength- 
ened. Soon after tins they were compelled to 
remove and went to a hall on the north side of 
the square. In a few weeks they removed-to the 
courthouse and for three years their Sunday- 
school, prayer meeting and preaching services 
were all held there. It was generally crowded 
to overflowing. Dr. and Mrs. F. P. Vutlc 
united with the church, while the congregation 
worshiped in the courthouse. Mrs. Dr. Antle 
determined to build a church house. It was a 
gloomy prospect, hut her indomitable spirit, 
the zeal of the membership and the help of the 
unconverted gave them success. To Mrs. Antle 
we owe thanks for the church, hut the writer 
can not refrain from mentioning the material 
and moral aid given the enterprise by the ever- 
remembered Aaron Thompson, deceased. The 
house was enclosed and occupied in due time, 
but it was not fully completed till some time 
later. Mr. Miller continued pastor of the 
church for uearly seven years, hut having a 
large family and the congregation still owing 

something on the I se, he fell that it would 

be better for him to resign and let the church 
employ a man without a family, one who could 
live on less salary and use the difference on 
the church debt. The session employed Rev. 
R. .1. Beard, a single man, but paid him more 

than they had I n paying the former pastor. 

Mr. Heard's pastorate continued two or three 
years, hut the church was nol built up. He 
was a most excellent man and a devoted Chris- 
tian, but did not succeed here. Mr. Beard was 
succeeded by Rev. J. W. Elder, who served the 
church for two or three years. After him the 
session engaged the services of Rev. J. if. 
Johnston and his pastorate was of two or three 
years' duration. After this the pulpit was va- 
cant for quite awhile, but in 1893 or 1894 Rev. 
W. T. Ferguson became pastor. He served the 
church four years and left the congregation in a 
better condiion thai it had been in for a num- 
ber of years. After Mr. Ferguson left Rev. W. 
G. Archer was called to the charge lie came 



PAST AXD PRESENT OF MENARD COUNT! 



L03 



with a flourish of trumpets and for o time it 
seemed thai all would be well. Ha i emodeled 
the church, put in a reading-room and intro- 
duced many modern ideas. He left ifier threi 
years, under a dark cloud, bu1 tin' presbytery 
Liter exonerated him. Rev. W. T. Olmstead 
was then called to take charge of the church. 
lie remained for two years, faithfully perform- 
ing his duties as pastor, but unfortunate di- 
visions ci me and he lefl the church in a state 
of terrible division. For some time they were 
without a pastor. Imt finally employed the Rev. 
M. ( '. Cockrum. He is struggling against a 
tide that will only be overcome by the lapse of 
years. He is an earnest, energetic pastor, striv- 
ing to do his whole duty. 

CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH 0] 

TALI. I I \. 

We have not the full history of the organiza- 
tion of this church, but some detail is given in 
another place. The firsl church edifice erected 
in the village of Tallula was the Cumberland 
Presbyterian church, a frame, built in 1861, at 
a cost of about three thousand dollars. Rev. 
J. G. White, of anti-Catholic lame, was the 
first pastor. He served the church for a time 
and was followed by others. Many strong men 
have been pastor of this flock, among them may 

be tied James White. Dr. Pendergrass and 

others. The congregation owns a parsonage 
adjoining the church, but both buildings are 
getting old and need repair. II has passed 
though many vicissitudes, but still survives. At 
present they are without a pastor. 

LEBANON CI MtBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH, 

NO. 1. 

Lebanon congregation of the Cumberland 
Presbyterian church was organized in is? I oi- 
ls'.'"!. At first they built a log church house. 
Inil after Mime years they built a frame build- 
ing, which amph served their purpose till 
1867, when under the lead of Rev. R. D. Miller 
a splendid brick building was erected. It still 
stands, the walls and interior as good as when 
lirsi erected. For some years they have had 
regular preaching but a small portion of the 
time. At present they are without regular 
preaching, though they maintain a flourishing 
Sunday-school. 



ROCK CREEK CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN 

ten. 

This is one of the oldest church organizations 
in what is now .Menard count}'. It was organ- 
ized by the Rev. John M. Berry, the pioneer 
preacher of this denomination in central Illi- 
nois. In 1821 or L822 this society was fori I. 

A short time before this Rev. Berry and Rev. 
John Simms, another pioneer Cumberland 
Presbyterian preacher had laid off a camp- 
ground ami held two or three camp-meetings on 
the grounds before this society was formed. 
This congregation, now Rock Creek church, at 
first u^ft] the camp built by Berry and Simms 
as a place of worship. Later on they built a 
log "meeting house." which served their pur- 
pose lor a number of years, after which they 
erected a frame house, which was occupied for 
many years. Later on another frame church 

was erected, a house ■<■ modern ami more 

Comfortable. This fully met all the need- id' 
the congregation till some (en or twelve years 
ago, when they erected, at a cost of about three 
thousand dollars, a building modern in ever} 
particular. It is a frame building, with base- 
ment, healed by furnace, with a Sunday-school 
room, opera chairs and all modern conveniences. 
Tin' congregation also owns a neat and roomy 
parsonage, standing near the church, with all 
necessary conveniences. Rev. J. W. Elder is 
their present pastor, having been there some 
four or five years. They have a. flourishing 
Sunday-school and preaching every Sunday at 
eleven o'clock a. in. This church has done a 
vast amount of good and il I- to he Imped that 

her work of usefulness has hut just begun. 

CONCORD el \| m i;l \ \|i PRESBYTERIAN 
CHURCH. 

This congregation was organized in IS'.'ii or 
Is?; by Rev. John M. Berry. The ground 
where Concord church now -lauds was for many 

years occupied as a "camp-i iting" ground. 

I [ere lor a long period of \ ea rs t he people used 
in gather once a year for a camp-meeting of a 
week or ten days. From all over the country 
the people would come, move in and camp on 
the grounds to engage in nothing Inn the wor- 
ship of Cod. Every one who attended these 
meet ings from a distance was led and lodgi ' 



I'M PAST AND PEESENT OF MENAED COUNTY 

llVl ' nl ah charge. The g I ace plished by removals, the membership was so reduced that 

these meetings will never be known till the they did no1 haw preaching but a part of the 

grcal day shall come. A log church was built time. Some four wars ago Rev. R. D. Miller 

in the early history of the congregation, which was called as a supply, preaching half the time, 

served its purpose for mam years. \',\ and by For several war- prior to this time, through 

a frame building was put up, which served them the earnest effort of Mis. Emma King and 

till 1864, when they erected a new one on the George Lake, a Sunday-school had been kept 

same spol of ground. This h.. us,, was dedi- up, bul the attendance was n ,,t large and the 

eattd "ii the 19th of February, 1865, by the work was discouraging. After a time the 

l' ev - •'• C. Van Patten, assisted by Rev. Wiley Sunday-scl I began to grow ami the eongrega- 

Knoles. This house was remodeled and modern- tion grew also, so that the people became en- 

ized about four years ago. It is a neat, c mo- couraged, but they were discouraged by tin. 

dious ami comfortable church. Rev. M. ('. fact that the church stood a hall' mile from 

Cockrum, pastor of the Petersburg Cumber- the Peoria & Springfield Railroad, which had 

land Presbyterian church, preaches for the Con- I ecu recently built, ami to which the village 

cord peopk- alternate Sabbaths. had been removed. At first they talked of 

CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF GREEN- Moving the old house to the railroad, hut this 

view, was not popular. Many thought that the money 

Tin- congregation was originallv organized COuk1 "'" '"' raised '" l "" M ;l Qew house > 1,ut 

in the Ion- since extinct village of New Market Mrs " Emma Km - i " ,,1 Mrs - I!u " started out to 

and later removed to the "Knoles Schoolhouse," ' ake ""' effort ln raise the fundiJ Mrs " Km & 

which was east of the town ol' Greenview. In "' "" '""' P ass and '" a ~ l ""' t tlme ra,sed over 

iq,-q ,1,. , ,,, ,.,,>*; ,, , i . ti ii '' u ' thousand two hundred dollars. Work was 
Lboo the congregation removed to the village 

c p ,,,,,„. . ,1 i ti ,, i i, i :! t once begun and on the first Sunday in Mav. 

oi (jreenview, and the same year lunli a house ' • 

,,!• ... ,.],,,, i,, iqiq 4i ..p n in 1904, the house was dedicated, the Rev. Dr. 
oi worship, in im.i the Bethel congrega- 
te ,, , ;. ,,. , .ii ill j. \- -ii i . Bushnell, of Alton. Illinois, preaching the ser- 

iioii. as il was i ailed while at .New Market, was ' 



mon. Xo monev was asked for on that d 



aw 



organized by Revs. J. R. Torrence and A. 11. 

,■ i, ,.,,,,. 'ia i- i ., ,, the entire hill being paid. It is a neat, modern 

<■ [pasture. I he tormer served them as their ' 

e, . , f ,,,-,.;t,, ,i i,i,. rni iii j. building, with basement, lecture-room, incli I 

tirst spiritual leader. I lie church house at 

c,. ,,, : „. „i j.i n j. , ii,, floor, regular pews, I'ullv carpeted all over and 

trreenvieu cost one thousand two hundred dol- . ' 

,,. 1 i -i, , , i . ,, lighted with acetylene gas. The congregation 

lars when lnii It. It has I n repaired more than 

i ,,, + c i,. i ii ;lll d the communitv owe a lasting debt of grati- 

ollce. hut the\ sorely need a Hew and luodi I'll 

i ,,;i I- , rp, , .. . . tude to Mrs. King; John W. Shaver, the ef- 

buildmg. Lhev own a neat and comfortable 

,...„,. , , ' , , v • • ,, , , , liiient treasurer: Dock Drake and Grant King, 

parsonage on a lot adjoining the church, and 

,i i> i i- n , ,,' ■ the faithful building committee: .lame- King 

the l,,\. .1. I- . Kodgers is their present pastor. 

i, ,,-,, i ii ,, . , . and Abram Fulkerson, the trustees, and to the 

iia\ine served them in all some eight or ten 

„ , ' i. • ,, , , . ,, whole coiiiinuiiii \ for their liberal gift of 

years. It is rather a strong church numerically, 

i. ,i-ii ', money. Thus Rev. Miller has had charge of 

keeping up the midweek prayer meeting and 

c, ■,, „ t ,i„ ,„„. o -i , , ,, tbe congregations when, three of the neatest and 

having one nl the best Sunday-schools m the 

. „.„ rp, .,, i ii i I, , ,. best ( 'iiinbcrlaiiil Presbyterian churches in 

town, lhev will probably build a new house ol 

„.„,.,!,■ ; xi P . ' Menard county were built, namelv: Peters- 

worship in the near future. 

burg, Lebanon and Fancy Prairie. 
CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH OF l'\M \ 

PRAIRIE. 

This church was organized by Rev. J. C. Van 

Patten in 1864. Soon after the organization SECEET SOCIETIES. 

they erected a neat and substantial house of Fre; niasoinw and Odd Fellowship, those 

worship in the village of Fan, \ Prairie at a benevolent institutions that exert so wide an 

cost of about two thousand dollars. The church influence for good, usually follow closely in 

prospered for a time, but later, h\ deaths and the wake of Christianity. We know that the 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNT! 



105 



incentives which prompt them are good, be- a large number of them are gone to the greal 
cause ilic results achieved are so grand and lodge which never adjourns, 
glorious Freemasonry was introduced into Bennetl Chapter, \". 19, Order of the Bast- 
Petersburg over sixty years ago. Clinton Lodge ern Star, was organized Januan is. is; - .'. The 
was organized under a dispensation, in October, first officers were: John Bennett, W. P.; Mrs. 
1842. [ n due time it was chartered as Clinton tsaac While \V. M.; Mrs. James W. Judy. 
Lodge. No. 19, A. F. & A. M. The first of- A. M.; Mrs. A. D. Wright, Treasurer; and 
ficers were: John Bennett, Worshipful Mas- Mrs - ■ l " hn Bennett. Secretary. Every one of 
ter; Martin S. Morn,. Senior Warden; Johr, these have gone to their Ion- home, but their 
McXeal, Junior Warden; Jacob West, Treas- influence is still felt, nol only in the lodge, bu1 

urer; John Br Iwell, Secretary; David Me- '" " l " community at large. 

Murphy, Senior Deacon; and W. B. Kirk. 'I'!"' Masonic fraternity, in connection with 

, i, mi ; i i i,,. i,, i .,,,,1 (1"' Harris Guards, :i militan company thai 

Junior Deacon. I ins lodge has 1 1 \ < ■< i anci ' 

,,, i ii ,i r ,.,,.;,,,. was formed here in 1 1n ■ '70s, but disbanded sev- 

prosperecl through all these wars, performing 

its work quietlv an,] Eaithful'lv. As a matter cral J' ears '''■-"■ m 1879 = be S an the ereetion "'' an 

of interest to the members of tins fraternity, °P era nouse > Wlth ;l |,Hl - , '- r ' above - :mi1 " n 

wo make the following statement: Clinton the 9th day of September of that year the eor- 

Lodge was named in honor of ex-Governor aerstone of the edifice was laid, with appro- 

De Win Clinton, of N T ew York. To per- P riate ceremonies, under the auspices ol the 

petuate his memorv and greal virtues the "'•''"' Lod g e " r Masonp l,v Mos1 Worshipful 

Masonic brethren have caused to be buiH William Lavel . v ' Pas1 Grand Master "' ""' 

for the ornamentation of their lodge-room a State - This ls a -I' 1 " 1 " 1 "! building ol brick, 

shell monument, consisting of a collection of with a large and well arranged hall, having a 

shells, arranged with genius and skill. A, the r "" ,liv sta S e and '''I'"! a Wlth a11 the P ara " 

numberof ('In, ion Lodge indicates, n is one of phemalia of a first-class 
the old lodges of the state 

Ho Win Chapter, No. 1 19, Royal Arch Ma- 
sons was organized March '.'">. iscs. with tin' the independent order of odd fellows. 
following a- the first set of officers: Hobarl ()|l ,1,,, cm, f A.pril, is is. Salem Lodge. 
Hamilton, M. I-:. High Priest; T. W. McNeely, \ ( , ]-_. : ; j () g y was organized under dis- 
I".. King; .1. T. Brooks, E. Scribe; John Ben- pensation, with the following charter members: 
nett, Captain of the Host: II. W. Montgomery, g y steplienson, C. X. Goulding, .1. II. Col- 
Treasurer; and .1. G. Strodtmann, Secretary. !h , v _ Theodore Baker and /,. I'. Cabanis. The 
This Chapter is strong and prosperous. ( ;,. s( ffi cers we re: John II Collier, Noble 

Si. Aldemar Commandery, No. 17, Knights Gr I: I!. I-'. Stephenson, Vice Grand; /.. I'. 

Templar, was organized October 27, L875, by Cabanis, Secretary; and Theodore Baker, Treas- 
Righl Eminent Sir Hiram W. Hubbard, Grand urer. Tim lodge continued un.hr the >U>- 
Commander of tin' State. The first officers pensation to the 11th of October, of tin' same 
were: Eminenl Sir Hobart Hamilton, Com- year, when i1 was chartered, and for the first 
uiander; Sir T. W. McNeely, Generalissimo; few years after iis organization il prospered 
Sir Charles B. Thatcher, Captain General; to an almost unprecedented degree, but the 
Sir Anson Thompson. Senior Warden; Sir Ed- ('i\il war coming on and other difficulties being 
ward Laning, Junior Warden; Sir F. I'. Amir, m the way. it.- membership waned ami iis pros- 
Treasurer; Sir .1. (i. Strodtmann, Recorder; pects became wr\ dark. During its firsl year 
Sir .1. M. Sawyer, Standard Bearer; Sir .1. 'I'. if added aboul fifty members. I low discouraged 
Brooks, Sword Bearer; Sir T. C. Bennett, the} must have been when in 1862 their mem- 
Warder; ami Sir J. E. Dickinson, Captain of bership had fallen far below that mark. The 

the Guard. These men, like those of the lodges few remaining members beci so discount 

spoken of above, are scattered to and fro, while that they even contemplated a forfeiture of 



above is said by those who have a right to know 
to !«■ first-class in every respect. 



L06 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENAliD COl'XTY 



their charter, and, as we are told, a vote was 
actually taken to thai effect, but failed by a 
very small margin. Hut this trial aroused tin' 
dormant energies of the Lukewarm ami they 
tools en new zeal anil tin 1 lodge revived to new 
life ami power. The financial difficulties that 
had for some time harassed them were over- 
come ami they started again on the upward 
course. Since that time the lodge has known 
nothing hut prosperity. To-day it is a strong 
ami wealthy lodge. Rebekah Degree Lodge, 
No. 92, 1. <). 0. F., was instituted May 5, 
1876, and reinstituted March 3, 1879, with a 
membership id* sixteen. This lodge has passed 
through a varied experience in the past years, 
lint has survived all its troubles and is to-day 
in a very prosperous condit ion. 

Other organizations of secret societies are to 
hi' found in Petersburg, hut as they are mostly 
insurance institutions a detail of their history 
would he uninteresting to the public. 

We have not been able to secure the history 
of all the lodges of Masons and Odd Fellows 
in the county, though we made as diligent an 
effort as could he made by any one. If this his- 
tory in this respect i> imperfect it is because 
those who alone could give the needed in- 
formation were loo indifferent to do so. A 
Masonic lodge was organized in Greenview un- 
der a dispensation, May 12, 1870, and chartered 
at the following session id' the Grand Lodge. 
Tin- is Greenview Lodge. No. 653, A. F. & A. 
M. The charter members were: F. E. Wilson. 
W. II. Crites, II. K. Rule, Charles Atterberry, 
W. S. Morse. .1. A. Rule, Aimer Engle, Jacob 
Propst, dr.. Fred Wilkinson. M. S. Fhv. Wil- 
liam Houston. 1>. A. Petrie, Robert Hornback, 
Jacob Killion. John Johnson, F. A. Craig, <'. II. 
Pierce. R. 11. Godby, A. II. Whitney and Eosea 
Dockum. The first se1 of officers of this lodge 
were: F. F. Wilson, Master; William ('rites. 
Senior Warden: II. I\. Rule, Junior Warden; 
Charles Atterberry, Treasurer: W. S. Morse, 
Secretary ; John A. Rule, Senior Deacon; F. A. 
Craig, Junior Deacon; ami Jacob Propst. 
Tyler. The) own no building and therefore 
hold their lodge in a rented hall. The lodge is 
strong and prosperous. 

At one time the I ndepem lent Order of Odd 

Fellows had a lolerahlv strong lodge in Green- 



view, hul for some cause it went down years 
ago. 

On November Hi. is;;. Floral Lodge, No. 
647, I. o. (i. V., was organized under dispensa- 
tion in the town of Athens. A charter was 
issued from the Grand Lodge bearing the sig- 
natures of John Lake. (I. M., and N. C. Wason, 
G. S.. in October, 1878. The charter members 
were: C. C. Scott. T. B. Turner. Jacob Boyd, 
Louis Salzenstein. Charles I'.air. W. ( '. Fisk 
and Julius Kerst. The first officers were: C. 
C. Scott, X. 0.: T. B. Turner. V. G.; Jacob 
Boyd, Secretary: and Louis Salzenstein. Treas- 
urer. They meet each week and are a prosper- 
ous lodge. 



BANKS AND BANKING. 

The first hank established in Menard county 
was opened by John A. Brahm, of Petersburg, 
and William 0. Greene, of Tallula, in 1865, 
under the linn name of Brahm & Greene. Xo 
more popular hank was to he found in central 
Illinois and ii did a very prosperous business 
for a number of years. There being hut one 
other hank in the county for a considerable 
time, this one received an immense patronage. 
After a number of years Mr. Greene withdrew 

and for s e time Mr. Brahm ran it alone. 

Mr. Brahm built a tine stone building on the 
west side id' the square — steel vault, burglar 
and fireproof, time-lock, a deposit vault and 
all the modern conveniences and improvements 
of the day. He did a successful business Eor 
sonic time, hut his accommodating nature and 
sympathetic disposition, together with other in- 
fluences, led to his failure in 1883. lie gave 
up everything, left his luxurious home and in 
In- old age wcni out into the world in poverty. 
The writer can not refrain from saving here 
that as sad a scene as he e\er witnessed in his 
life was the burial of John A. Brahm. After 
In- failure he and his aged wife went to Chi- 
cago, where some of their children resided, ami 
lived there till his death, some five years ago. 
Lis remains were brought to Petersburg for 
burial, and one dull, gloomy morning, about 
nine o'clock, a little company of a dozen or so 
people stood around the open grave, under the 



PAST AM) PEESENT OF MENARD COUNTS LO" 

trees in Oakland cemetery, to witness the inter- every branch and is prompt and in every wa) 

nii'Mi. \i> display, qo concourse of people, no reliable. 

long line of carriages, but a feu silent mourn- About 1883 Charles C. Scoti opened a private 
ei-. a brief talk, and a word of prayer, and Ins bank in the town of Athens and run a sueci — 
body was lowered into the grave, the earth ful business (ill the close of 1885. <>n the Ls1 
shoveled in and all was over. As we Left the daj of January, 1886. Lee Kincaid bought an 
cemetery the thought came to the writer : What interesl in the bank and ii was run under the 
a commentary on human life and character! name of Scott & tincaid till the close of thai 
Here is a man who did more for Petersburg year, when Mr. Kincaid bought the interesl of 
and Menard county than any other man ; a man Mr. Scott. Since thai time Mr. Kincaid lias 
who accommodated and assisted move men just run the business alone, doing a general bank- 
starting in life than any other man: a man ing business to the full satisfaction of the pub- 
who in prosperity — while he had money — was Lie who patronize him. The bank, being located 
honored and Looked up to ; now, when his money in a wealth)' community and where two Large 
is gone, and Lie is brought hack to Ins old home coal shafts are located, lias a large and paying 
to be buried, a handful gather around Ins patronage. It is full} responsible in every re- 
grave, and even those whom he had befriended speet. 

bad not time to attend the burial and qo tears In 1876 a bank was opened in Greenviev mi- 
ni' sympathy to shej at the grave. Will not this der the firm name of Alkire & Company. The 
ingratitude bring its return to them, or to their firm was composed of J. 1 >. Alkire. Milem 
children? Alkire and V. Y. Alkire. It ran till the fol- 

On the 19th of September, 1883. this hank lowing year, 1877, when the linn was changed 
was organized as the "first National Hank" of to Marbold. Alkire & Company. The members 
Petersburg, Illinois, with a capital of fifty thou- of this firm were II. II. Marbold, J. I> Alkire 
sand dollars. Seven years later, the business of and M. M. Engle. This linn did business two 
the concern having greatl] increased, on the years and in 1879 it again changed to Marbold 
I'.Hli of September, 1900, the capital was in- & Company. This firm consisted of II. II. 
creased to one hundred thousand dollars. This Marbold and M. VI. Engle and did business till 
hank doe- all kinds of banking business and is 1883, when it was succeeded bj II. II. Marbold, 
now more prosperous than at any time in the who has since continued the business. Thus for 
past. Tl llieers at present are: ('. B. I. an- over twenty-one years Mr. Marbold has con- 
ing, president; John Tice (deceased), vice- tinued this business alone. Perhaps there is 
president; Samuel II. Rule, cashier. The di- but one hank in the county which does more 
rectors are: John Tice (deceased), Samuel business than this. Located in the midsl of an 
II. Blane (deceased). ('. L>. Laninu'. Charles agricultural country that is surpassed by no 
Xiisliauni and Anson Thompson. section in or out of the stale in the production 

The nc\i hank to open business in Menard of stock and grain, it would indeed be strange 
county was opened in Petersburg the same year if the business was not a success. Mr. Mar- 
that the First National opened. 1865. This was bold is one of the most successful farmers and 
opened by 1!. and I). Frackelton. This is a stock-raisers in central Illinois, and beside this 
private bank and is regarded as one among the he is equally successful in general business, 
most reliable and responsible banks of the state, having the unlimited confidence of the entire 
It has always commanded its full share of the community', and as a result bis banking busi- 
business of the country around it. A number ness is a success, 

of years ag ie of the firm — Robcrl Frackel- On the Lst of .Line. 1904. II. II. Schirding 

ton- died and i be business was carried on by & Son opened a private bank in Petersburg, 
the other meml er of the firm. The title is now making the third hank in the place. The -t a mi- 
ll. S. Lrackelton & Company. The members ing of the Messrs. Schirding, financially, so- 
of the firm are D. S., C. C. and I >. W. Frackel- ciallj and every other way, puts the success of 
ton. This bank is doing a splendid business in this enterprise beyond a peradventure. Their 



108 PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 

business ability and financial standing are such were about in break camp, the leader of the 

as to insure universal confidence. company, then in perfect health, said: "Boys. 

We bave no1 been able to secure the data if I should die anywhere in this section of the 

necessary to give a Pull history of banking in country, I want you to bury me on this im 

Tallula. From the best thai we can learn, the spot of ground." They moved on toward the 

first bank opened in thai place was thai of Wil- mouth of Salt creek, when' some work was to 

son & Greene, which was opened some years ago. be done, and in a week or two this leader was 

The firm consisted of Dr. Wilson, a wealthy taken sick. It was not thoughl to be serious 

ami prominent citizen of thai place, ami the at the first, but lie gradually grew worse and in 

late William G. Greene with whose life historv a shori time he died. His companions, remem- 

all are familial'. Mr. Greene, when hut a boy, bering his request, broughl his body hack and 

was in husiness in New Salem with Abraham buried it on the spot id' ground that be had 

Lincoln. He died several years ago in Tallula, thus selected. This was the first grave in this 

wh re hi' had lived more than hall' a century, cemetery and it may he seen in the northwest 

Tin' present Tallula Hank is owned by the son corner of the grounds. This cemetery is duly 

and grandson of William G. Greene, ami the incorporated; has all the necessary officers; an 

title is Greene i\' Greene. It is one of the exc llent system of by-laws, and already has 

strong and reliable hanks of Menard county, quite a large sinking fund laid by. They have 

Located in one of the most wealthy farming a sexton, employed by the year, who lives in a 

localities iii central Illinois and the linn having neat cottage on the grounds belonging to the 

a wide acquaintance in adjoining counties, it cemetery. In the cottage is a room, or parlor, 

is hut natural that they should receive a large which is arranged as a waiting-room for the 

and profitable patronage. accom lation of mourners ami their friends 

Thus it will he seen that there are no less ;i t time of funerals. The grounds are beauti- 

than six hanks doing business in the county, fully kept and quite a number of beautiful and 

and each one is doing a large ami lucrative costly monuments adorn the place. Such a 

business. This is, to some degree, an index cemetery is an honor to any community, and 

to the commercial enterprise and activity of the thought that our loved ones repose in a 

the people. A county that is not more than place so lovely softens the sting of bidding them 

twenty miles square and one whose people are good-bye. Many pioneers who aided in making 

nearly exclusively an agricultural people who this country what it is sleep undisturbed in 

can support six large banks, is one certainlv these quiet grounds. 
possessed of remarkable resources. 

OAKLAND CEMETEEY. 

Oakland was organized and incorporated in 

1878 under the enterprising ami efficient lead 

CEMETERIES. ,,r |t. \[. Bone, now of Kansas City. Mo. It is 

INDIAN POINT CEMETERY. located mile southwest of Petersburg, on 

Indian Point lias one of the most beautiful a tract of land perfectly adapted to the pur- 
and neatly kept cemeteries in central Illinois. pose, a part of the -round hem- level and a 
Locale, I in one of the wealthiest and most ad- part formed of romantic bills, covered with a 
vanced communities of the state and on a site growth of most beautiful forest tic-. It is 
that nature certainlv designed as a resting governed under a most perfect system of by- 
place for the dead, it meets every requirement linvs - regulating the most minute detail in its 
for the purpose to which it is devoted. Before management : it was laid oil' by one of the 
(be stream of immigration bad set int.. this mosl noted artists in Ins line in the country, 
country and it was yel a wild, a company of be bavin- planned sonic of the finest parks and 
government surveyors, passing through that vi- cemeteries in the large cities of the cast. It 
(•in i t \ . chanced to camp over night on this very already has a substantial sinking fund laid 
spot of ground. The next morning, when they h\ : it is tastefully kept and is already adorned 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY L09 

l>\ a number of costly monuments. Many of other cemeteries. 

our prominenl citizens repose there. There, |n>h (;| ., 1U ,_ Farmers r ,, ml . Rock Creek, 

among the tenants of this "silent city," are the Qakford. Lebi i and Murray are all large 



remain 



s of Lincoln's fiancee, tin- "Beautiful 



; 1 tlil nieeh 



located cemeteries, mil we have nol 



Anna Rutledge." Several years ago her re- the data to give an extended account of any of 

mains were removed from the Concord ceme- them |( jg |iu , ji|s| _ nowever> ,,, saVj m pasg . 

terj by Samuel Montgomery to Oakland and in& ,,,.„ , h( , Murraj ,.,,,„,,, , rv na g some as 

buried in a beautiful lol in the southwest part r|is||v monuments a8 am ,, r the county ceme- 

of the ■-'■ lds - sl "' lies a P ar< lr " m a11 other terie's of the county. 

graves; 1 1 n • onlv mark to tell tin* spol is a ,.,. „ ,, , , ,,, , •• 

1 There arc some i>l 1 1 n • old burving-grounds 

rough, gra^ granite, glacial boulder, with the , , . , ,. ' , ., 

.■■■.' .. thai are verv much neglected, tor example, t in- 

simple words "Ann Rutledge cut di ep m the ,,,,,', , , , i 

• •lil Hornback graveyard, near Lebanon, and 
solid rock. Twentv miles I mm her grave, as „,. ' . . , . ,, 

some others. I he Slnplev graveyard, ai the 
the hi nl Qies, rises the ninetv-thousand-dollar ,, . , ., . ,", ,-, , ,. 

Shiplev schoolhouse, is one <>l the < > I < t places oi 
shaft above the ashes of President Lincoln, hut . ,,,, , , ,. ,. 

interment. I here are also a number ot lam- 
it his words tn William II. llernilon are true. .... , ,, ., 

il\ burving-grounds in the eountv, as that at 
while his bones repose under the proud man- ,. ' . ,, , , ' , i 

George Kerbv s, at Hashes and other places, 
solemn in <>ak Ridge, his hearl rests under the , , ,', ,, ,. , , 

i in the nlil Smedle\ farm, two or three miles 

rough boulder in nuiei Oakland. , „ „, ,,', , , ,• 

.' . inn i Invest ol I allula. is a large number ot 

Oakland is destined, in lime, to he one ol the . , . . .. , n 

graves in ground that is not eared tor al all. 

most beautiful and popular cemeteries in the , . ,, . , , , 

1 ' Last October the writer visited this neglected 

eolllltv. , ..,,!,. I- 1,11 1 

home ol the dead. ( rawlmg under the tangle 

ATHENS CEMETERIES. „ , , . . , ■ , , . ■ 

ol brush and vines, which was almost impene- 

Athens has two cemeteries: the Athens ceme- ti . ;|li|| ^ )|( , |nl|]1(| .,„ .,,„.„.,„ IM . ir |, | ( . slab with 

ten- and the Hall cemetery. The latter was l|n _ inscription: "Christopher Smedley; born 

donated by Mr. Abram Hall, a public-spirited j >,.,-,.,,, | ». i- 25, 1738; died .Line 28, 1850." He 

i "" 1 l '■'"'^ '" citizCT " r tha1 vicinity. Loth vyag |]|( , „,,,,„! r ,,,|„,. ,, r ,|,,|,,, Smedley, of Cass 

" r these are wel1 k, 'I» > m] speak well for the coimty _ He was born in England and when he 

community. reached manh 1 he entered the British Davj 

TALLULJ CEMETERY. , |]|(| H . mi(| j]|( . ,.,,,,,,, rv f or several years. Ill 

Of the incorporated cemeteries of the county, the battle fought between Commodore Rodney, 
none are more beautiful or better kept than thai f t | M . British navy, and Commodore DeGras, of 
of Tallula. Being in a wealthy, refined and the French navv, he losl his left leg by a can- 
Christian community, we could expect nothing ni , n s hot and, of course, was obliged to leave 
else. In this sacred spot repose the remains of the naw. Later he came to America, and 

many of the men and women, who by their comin° to Illinois he entered the land when 

foresight, industry and economy wroughl oul |, e i||,.,|. || ( . died at the °rea1 age of one hun- 

the rich inheritance thai we enjoy to-day. ,| r ,.,| an ^| eleven years, six month- and three 

Beautiful monuments tell where they lie, but davs. 

monuments more enduring than -ramie, brass T||( , Qeglee1 f these burying places is a 

'"' bronze in the living tablets of loving and WTmg ,|, ;l , should in some way lie remedied. 

grateful hearts tell of their works of love. h| these ,,„„. . m ,| lieg lected graves lie the re- 

SWEETTS ITER CEMETERY. niaiir- ol 801 £ OUT IllOSl worthy dead. Men 

Sweetwater cemetery was improved, enlarged and women who were loved and honored while 

and incorporated a number of years ago, but they lived and who performed a most impor- 

the writer was unable to gel the data to give tan! pari in the development of this country, 

an extended or particular account of it. It is deep in these forgotten graves, wherein a feu 

a beautiful locality, is well kept and is beauti- years the plowshare will crash through the soil 

Red with many costly monuments. above them and yellow harvests will be reaped 



1 in 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



over where they lie and be gathered in with 
shout ami song. This shameful desecration can 
only !«' avoided by removing the remains to a 
cemetery where they will be protected and eared 
for. If the descendants and friends of these 
pioneers will no! attend to this, it should he 
taken in hand by the authorities and dune at 
the expense of the public. 



STEAMBOATS. 



The location of Menard county being so re- 
mote from the large rivers, the roads ven poor, 
or in most places not opened at all, and rail- 
road transportation being then unknown, it is 
not to be wondered at if the early settlers did 
seriously and anxiously consider the navigation 
of the Sangamon river. It is accessary for the 
reader to take into consideration a number of 
Pacts: the forests being then undisturbed, the 
ground antrampled by thousand.- of stock, tin? 
tlat prairies unplowed and undrained, it fol- 
lows, of course, that tlie average amounl of 
water flowing in our creeks and rivers was at 
least one-third or one-half more than flows in 
them at thi' present tune, for there being more 
vegetation then than now and the timber be- 
ing then undestroyed, there was a much great- 
er rainfall than there is in later years. Also 
tin' ground being then untrampled and loose, 
the water from all the rain and -now sank di- 
rectly into the earth, thus forming permanenl 
springs which flowed the year round, feeding 
i lie wan r courses everywhere with an abundant 
supply. But a- it i> now the case is very dif- 
ferent; tlie ground is trampled hard beneath 
the hoofs nl' thousands of stock, so thai tin 
water thai fall.- instead of sinking into the 
ground runs off at once. A- a result id' this 
we now have greater and mure sudden freshets 
ami tlnn lower waters than we had in earlier 
day-. The markets then were far away, located 
on the navigable rivers; the roads were un- 
opened, and owing to the natural condition of 
the country there were man\ place- where n 
would have been impossible in construct passa- 
lile roads; and the >lnw ox-teams being almost 
the sole mean- of transportation, it i- no1 in 
he wondered at that the people wen- intensely 



anxious tn find some mean- of reaching the 
older and mure important settlements. ("ii- 
sequenth they grasped most eagerly at the 
scheme proposed, and would have grasped at 
one even more chimerical than this. Beside all 
tin-, the rivers, a- -aid above, had a much 
greater flow of water then than they do now, 
and the belief was then almost universal that 
they would become practical and profitable ave- 
nues of commerce in all the land. 

Walking along the hank- of "The Raging 
Sangamo" in the fall of the year i specialty, one 
would hardly think thai any one would ever 
have thought of it being a navigable stream. 
Nor when we look at Clary's creek or Indian 
creek we would never dream that they had 
once driven water-mills for nine months of 
the year, yet such is the fact. In the early 
settlement of this country these streams carried 
almost double the amount of water that flows 
in them now. As early as the year 1832, Y. 
A. Bogue, of Springfield, conceived the idea 
nf navigating the Sangamon with a steamboat. 
About that time some visionary poet -aid: 

"And we will make our Sangamo, 
Outshine, in verse, the river Po." 

Mr. Bogue threw his whole energy into the 
enterprise and the citizeii> of Springfield gave 
him their nm-t hearty support. In a letter 
to the public Mr. Bogue said, among other 
things: "I shall deliver freighl from St. 
Louis, at the landing on Sangamo river, oppo- 
site the town of Springfield, for thirty-seven 
and a half cents per hundred pounds." The 
Springfield Journal of February 16, 1832, con- 
tained the following paragraph: "We find the 
following advertisemenl in the Cincinnati Ga- 
zette nf the 19th ult. We hope such notices 
will Minn cease to be such novelties. We seri- 
ously believe that the Sangamo river can he 
made a navigable stream for steamboats for 
several months in the year. Here i- the adver- 
tisement: 'For Sangamo River, Illinois — The 
splendid upper-cabin steamer Talisman. .1. M. 
Pollock, master, will leave fm- Portland, Spring- 
field, en the Sangamo river, and all interme- 
diate ports and landings, say Beardstown, 
Naples, Si. Louis, Louisville, mi Thursday. 
February 2. for freight or passage apply to 



PAST A\H PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 



1 1 1 



Captain Vmcenl A. Bogue, at the Broadway 
Eotel, or to Allison Owen.'" The Talisman 
was a vessel of one hundred and fifty tons bur- 
then, and she landed at Portland, on the 23d 
of March, 1832. Portland was the town on the 
smith side of the Sangamon, situated between 
where the bridges of the Chicago & Alien and 
Gilman & Clinton Railroads new are. The 
Talisman was unable to turn around, and so 
after a time it backed down the river, aever 
to return, for, getting as far as St. Louis by 
the latter pari of April, that same spring, right 
opposite that city she burned to the water's 
edge. In an earl\ day a subscription was 
raised among the business men of Petersburg to 
clear the Sangamo of drifts, etc., in order to 
render it navigable for small steamboats. In 
tin- way li\e thousand dollars was raised, but 
the enterprise finally failed. Aboul the 20th 
of April. L853, a small steamboat, the Wave, 
or Ocean Wave, commanded by Captain Mon- 
roe, landed at Petersburg but she aever wenl 
further up the river, aor down it. for that mat- 
ter. Captain Monroe supposed the distance 
from Petersburg to the mouth of the Sanga- 
mon was about ninety miles. He was firmly 
of the opinion that a comparatively small ex- 
penditure would render the river a profitably 
navigable stream. So little conception did 
the early settlers have el' the effect el' culti- 
vating the land, cutting out the timber, en the 
rivers and streams that they were led into 
this absurd opinion. The "Wave" waited for 
a long time for a rise in the waters el' the San- 
gamon hut the wished-for never came and 
finally the proud conqueror el' the "raging San- 
gamo" was forced to succumb, noi to its rag- 
ing floods hut to its logs ami sandbars ami was 
dismantled here, and it ^ gorgeous trimmings 
were used to decorate the dwellings of the 
eiii/ens ef Petersburg. Thus ended forever 
the efforl i" navigate the Sangamon river. 
Some old citizens, however, aver that another— 
a third — steamboat came up the Sangamon as 
far a- Petersburg, while others just as strongly 
denv it. It' such a crafi ever grated ii> keel 
over the -and- el' the Petersburg "wharf" it- 
name was never known t<> the good people el' 
the village or has been entirely forgotten. It 
is true thai the citizens pent Major Hill to 



Cincinnati and had a heal built expressly "for 
Sangamon river ports." h is doubtless true 
that the boat was huilt ami started to this 
"port," Inn it never reached its intended des 
tination. lint other eld citizens unequivocally 
asserl that it made the voyage to Petersburg 
hut it was tee large for this river and after a 
little while it was sunk in the depths ef "The 
raging Sangamo." They even go so far as 
to name the buildings which wen- adorned with 
the windows, doors, and ether parts el' the dis- 
mantled steamer. So the Eaets in the case 
are losl in the oblivion ef the forgotten past. 
Se much for "Navigation." 



RAILROADS. 



There are three railroads that enter Menard 
county. Two of them run almost through its 
center, while the ether barely enters the coun- 
ty on its eastern herder. The Jacksonville di- 
vision of the Chicago, Alien & St. Louis runs 
through the countj from the northeast corner 
to near the southwest corner; and the Chicago, 
Peoria & St. Louis runs almost centrally 
through the county from north to south. These 
two lines cross in Petersburg. In an early 
day the navigation of the Sangamon river was 
serioush considered, and some attempts made. 
as the reader may see in another chapter, hut 
when this was proven to he a failure another 
scheme was proposed. That scheme was to 
open a canal from Beardstown to Decatur, by 
way of the Illinois and Sangamon rivers. The 
legislature in it- session of 1834-5 aetualh 
granted a charter to this enterprise. The nexi 
spring a careful survey was made of the route, 
em after I he expenditure of a vasi amount oi 
gas and calculation and suggestion, the scheme 
was abandoned; bu1 the popular mind was all 
excitement on the subject of transportation. 
So in IS52 tin' legislature granted a charter 
to ill,' "Springfield >\ Northwestern Railway 
Companv" to build a road from Springfield 
to Rock Island, and the route was surveyed 
crossing Menard county just as the Chicago, 
Peoria & St. Louis has since been built. This 
enterprise was pushed so far that Menard 
eoiintv voted lil'tv thousand doll;,!'- :,, aid in 



L12 PAST AND PEESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 

its construction. The people were so enthnsi- to mill, and of the conductor's strictness in 

as tic thai the} thoughl thai it could uol fail carrying oul the time table; so strict that he 

am ] the}' wenl so Ear as to colled a small per helped shell the corn. Of the lady who had 

,.,,,,1 f the money voted to pay for the survey, eleven eggs to send to markel on the train, and 

But it is true that of Mr. Bacon waiting for the hen to lay the 

., . . . other ess, bu1 they do nol say thai he hurried 

"The best laid schemes o nine an men , . . ' , ■ .1 u 

, .. the lien. One thing is sure: that is that Mr. 

Gang alt agley, , . ., , ,, 

Bacon was always a gentleman. About the 

and the enterprise weni up. The people of e i ose of the war the Chicago, Alton & St. Lords 
this county, after this failure, became almost in . |(| proposea > to ta ke this Tonica road and 
despondent, but in 1856 a new enterpr:se was ^^ j( (o Blomnington and to Godfrey. This 
proposed which aroused them to action, and wag .,,.,.,, |llr( | . 111(] the rnai | was bnilt on the 
their hopes revived. The scheme was the build- n|(] grade ;|S |a| . ag Delavan in Tazewell county 
ing of a railroad from Jacksonville to Tonica, ;m(] t]|(1||( . ( . directly to Bloomington, intersect- 
in I. a Salle COUnty, tO llltel'seet the lleune|,m ^ ^ m&in y ]w , |( ^ ^^ S()|||(1 V( ,. irs 

& Streator road. Tonica is a village on the |;i j ( , r t]|(i K . 1|IS . IS city branch was built from 
last named road, nine miles I'roin the town R odhouse tl , that city. The Jacksonville divi- 
of La Salle. As tins road was to pass through sjnn wag (ims | ]( . (1 nl ls , ; ; 
Petersburg the people of the county became [d , s -._, the ,.],.,,.(,.,. was g ran ted to the 
wild with enthusiasm. The county as a cor- Springfield & Northwestern company to build 
porate body voted one hundred thousand dol- ;| ni;((| from Springfield to Rock Island. Al'i- 
lars' stock, and thirty thousand dollars' st.ocK er (]|js t .] yAvU , v j,. l(1 ] ;lm ,| ( , i|( | f 0T seventeen 
was subscribed by individuals. A charter was yearSj it was rev ived by the Legislature, in 
granted the "Petersburg & Tonica Railroad, t869, to a new company, however, allowing them 
and the subscriptions were legalized. Hon. to construct a road on the old survey. Menard 
Richard Yates was made president, and John ( , llin(v Vlll( ,,| ,,,,,, hundred thousand dollars 
Bennetl and Hon. William G. Greene, both of , t(K . k ' in t his road and the town of Petersburg 
Menard county, were made directors. Work voted fifteen thousand dollars. There was a 
was soon begun on both extremes and a great v;lst | | ( ,. | | ttf trouble over these town bonds, as 
amount of grading was done, but in spite oi jt Krn[ in1(i ,| |( , eour t s an d created no end of 
the zeal of the people subscriptions ran short persona ] D ad f ee ]ing, and as the courts settled 
and the work came to a dead stop About tins i( ^ Uv ^ l ) iUl ^ to do is to let it lie in the 
time Mr. Yates resigned and W. G. Greene oblivion ,, r f rgetfulness. 
was made president and Hon. \V. T. Beekman | M ,| |r | :l | h ,,. ^ aT \ f L870 work began on the 
was made a director and superintendent ot | mi , ;1) fj avaiLa |, m it progressed very slowly, 
the load. By almost superhuman efforts funds D urrn g the year 1871 it was completed across 
were raised and the road was completed from \f. 1S(lll C0U nty an d a (rw miles into Menard. 
Jacksonville to Petersburg, a distance of twen- | n ]s; ._, ||l( , carg !„,„.,,, tl , nm as f ar as from 
ty-eigh1 miles, ami in the fall of 1861 the Havana to Petersburg. By late autumn in 
whistle was heard for the lirst time in Peters- ls - :; tne ni;|l | was finished all the way to Can- 
burg. Milton Moore was the lirst agenl in [v .^^ ;| distance of no less than thirteen miles 
Petersburg and William Bacon, the very prince f roni Petersburg! Here another much needed 
of conductors, had charge of the lirst tram. r(ig j. wag tn i c ,, n ;1 nd a fter recuperation from 
Many were the anecdotes told of the speed ( | |r arc i uous summer's work it was at last com- 
of this first Irani. There being one train, and pleted in 1874. It is now the Chicago, Peoria 
the time-table requiring the round trip every & gt. Louis Railroad, with a firstclass roadbed, 
1 wcni v-four hours, of course the train must run. number one rolling stock, and is doing a splen- 
Fiftv-six miles in twenty four hours! Think ,n,| business. 

f jt! They still tell of the train waiting for The Peoria & Springfield road was built by 

a farmer to shell a "grist" of com to take the Peoria & Northern Railroad Companj and 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENAKI) COUNT!' 



I L3 



was completed in IS98, the first through (rain very brief paragraph left. For nearly all of 

■-11 1111 i ii Lji mi May of thai year. The right of history is the record of war and intrigue, and 

wax was paid for liberally and secured with- surely these are crimes. Some one lias said: 

out litigation or trouble of any kind. Tins "One murder makes a villain; millions, a hero; 

road runs through the cast edge of Menard numbers sanctify the crime." II becomes now 

county, nut being more than a mile from the my duty to record some of the murders com- 

easl line at anv point, and only runs in the mitted in the territory of what is now Menard 

county for a distance of five and a half miles, county. 

There are two stations in the county, however, There lias been a large number of crimes 
Croft and Fancy Prairie. This is one of the committed in this count} bu1 only one exeeu- 
besl huilt and equipped roads in the state and I|nn nas ever taken place. The murder of 
it does an immense freighi and passenger busi- ty[ rs _ VanNoy, by her husband (see account in 
ness, especially for as shorl a line as it is. another place) was the first murder on the 
Two or three years after it was finished ii s ,,,| ,,r m,.,,;,,,] . for it was while (Ins county- 
was sold to the Chicago, Alton & St. Louis was sl ,n a p ar j f Sangamon county. Among 
Railroad Company, and has since been run as tne lllnsl | ae artless crimes thai have disgraced 
a part of that system. And it is a very i i ii- the , , , u 1 1 1 \ were the following: Watkins, shol 
portanl part of that system, for two reasons, through Ins window while holding his infant 
first, because it connects the important cities, ( .] n | ( | IM |, ls [ a p. Robert Carter, of Mason City, 
Springfield and Peoria, il being sometimes murdered in Athens and sunk in an unused 

called the Peoria & Springfield Short Line: and U( ,p :m ,| r lllm ,| ,,,,1, ..r,,,,.. . m ,| ,]„. Iimr ,| el - 

second, because it connect- the two branches of ,,r M rs Charles Boulden, by her husband. Be- 

the Chicago, Alton & St. Louis Railway, name- M ,| r t h ese there have been a number of kill- 

l.v the mam line at Springfield, and the -lack- m „ s ln tne ,. im]1 | V . Thn r four at Athens; 

sonville division at San Jose. This mad runs ,1,,.,,,, ;|| Oakford, two at Tallula, one at Cur- 
through one of the linest agricultural sections tjs ;lll( | tnr ,. f our .,, Petersburg. 

" f '•" limi ' v m 1| "' s,i '"' 0f lllln " ls and " baS In March. 1883, the hodv of a young ln.lv. 

P roved """ l,r the £ reates1 ns '" a l: "'-" Miss Missouri Burns, was found, in the early 



morning, lying in an unused street, with tin 
throat cut and other evidences of a foul and 



section of country that could have been given 
In a people. Thus it is seen that Mi nard coun- 
ty is anuiK supplied with railroad facilities , , ,,,, : i i i i , i i 
1 i heinous murder. I he bodv had been hauled 

''"'■ li: '' sl "l '" "'' Lts Products and for the (||(i|v m g buggy ;|||(| ,| ||m|lr(| lll|( m the str|1| . K 

convenience of travel, bu1 the p. e are not Eviclence |Himi ;. ( | ln ,,„,, Carpenter, a grain 

yet satisfied and still clamor for more, hut dealer and promineni citizen, as the murderer. 

when the interurban is built from Springfield ,. v a chang ■ X(i||11(l |hl , eage ( . ;||||1 , ,,, M( ,,, nl 

to Beardstown and running th: gh Petersburg cmnty |u| . tn;|| . m(| n|i (h( , „„„,,,„„ ,, r |hl . 

"'" ""'> be satisfied then? ) ., |h " rf M;||vk ]ss|> (|i( , |1|n brougW Ml a 

verdict of not guilty, doe Sutton, living sis 
miles south of Petersburg, on his way home 
was hailed bv Charles Houlden, who inquired 
CRIME l\ MENARD COUNTY (No. I). wh||( ,,,„ ,,,,,„, ,„ the Houlden case was. Re- 
Edward Gibbon said: "History is little ceiving the answer, he went back to his house, 
more than the register of the crimes, follies « lllrl1 stood some fifteen rod- from the road. 
and misfortunes of mankind." And Washing- This was about sunset. Soon after this, scream- 
ton Irving says: "History is but a kind of ing was heard by neighbors at the Houlden 
Newgate calendar, a register of the crimes and home, and on their arrival there they found 
miseries that man has inflicted on his fellow- Mrs - Houlden lying with her head hanging over 

man." Take the record of cria ut of the the doorsill, her throat cut from ear to ear, 

annals of the world and there would he hut a fifteen or twenty knife-stabs in her body, her 



Ill PAST AND PKESENT OF MENARD COUNTY 

he-Hi crushed with an ax, and the bod} terribly of age. Aboui nine o'clock ai night he was 
bruised by the bootheels of her murderer. As shol through the window with a shotgun, the 
there was no question as to who committed the load taking effect in Ins back He lived a 
crime, her son and daughter, aged eleven and day or two. While there was no doubi of the 
thirteen years, having been witnesses of it, a identity of the murderer, he was never pun- 
search was ai once begun for the murderer, ished. Through some means he was admitted 
All thai night the search continued, but he was to bail, forfeited it and ran awav. and his se- 
nut found till the following morning. The eurities paid the bill and he never returned to 
murdered woman was Houklen's third wife tins pari of the country. 

and he was her I' -th husband. Their mar- On the 6th of Maw 1879, Scoti Judy shot 

ried life had been a scene of strife and bit- Dr. \V. I'. Cos on the streets of Petersburg 

terness from the first. Houlclen claimed in the within a block of the hitter's home. Two balls 

very last thai he had no recollection of the struck him, one passing through his lungs, 

crime and always told the same story aboul it. causing his death in i\\ ■ three hours. Judy 

lie said that lie remembered aboui going to the was tried, hut was not punished, 

house after inquiring about the result of the <>n the 26th of October, 1S!U. Benjamin 

Carpenter trial, sitting down ai the supper Ross, of Greenview, killed Albert Stone on the 

table and beginning to drink a glass of milk, street of Greenview by shooting two load of 

I in t after that all was a blank till he came to hirdshot into his body from a shotgun. This 

himself, as they were hauling him to Peters- was done aboui midnighl ami Stone lived two 

burg on a sled. Only three minutes before he days. Ross was never indicted for the murder, 

dropped to eternity he repeated this story to his On March 7th, 1892, Jefferson Lewis killed 

spiritual adviser, with all the seeming candor frank Luck, in Tallula, by shooting him with 

that a man could possess, telling the story just a pistol. Lewis was sent to prison lor a short 

a- he had narrated it a score of times before. term. 

During the time he was iii jail and while he About tell o'clock at night, on the 18th <>( 

was awaiting execution he was as mild ami July. 1894, Oscar S. Hilton killed George 

tractable as a child, never showing any irrita- Hohimer at the Lenz Opera House door, almost 

hdit\ or viciousness. On the scaffold he was severing his head from his body with a razor, 

calm and collected and without a tremor he This was done in a fray and Eilton was cleared. 

took his plac the trap and in a very lew On the 2d of April. I'.Mit). Llmer ('lark' shot 

seconds he dropped to the end of the rope and Harry I.. Ball, on the public highway, with a 

died without a tremor or a struggle, his neck repeating rifle, putting five halls into his body, 

being broken by the fall. Charles Houlden killing him instantly. Clark was tried and 

died on the gallows for the murder of his wife. cleared. 

but the "conviction of the writer, after days and In February, 1900, Robert Carter of Mason 

nights of association with him, in the loneliness City. Illinois, paid a visit to the town of 

of his cell, is that lloulden was of unsound Athens. Menard county, and speni a number of 

mind when he committed the crime and was days in drinking in company with a crowd of 

of unsound mind at the time of his execution. miners and other rough fellows. About the 

He was hanged in the jail in Petersburg ai last of the month he was missing and search 

12:10 p. in. on May 15, 1885. was begun for him. All that could be learned 

Man\ awful crimes have been committed in was thai the last seen id' him he was in com- 

Meiiard county during its history, hut we have pany with a crowd of fellows in the timber 

not space lo relate the particulars here. W'e southeast of the town, where they hail a keg of 

will only mention a few of the most serious. beer, which they were drinking. The disap- 

In is. - .; Joseph Watkins shot and killed his pearance of Carter became a question in every- 

cousin, David Watkins. The latter was sit- one's mouth and all were on the lookout, (in 

ting by the window in his home, holding in the 28th of March, jusf one month to a day 

his lap his little girl, some two or three years after Carter was last seen, a gentleman, pass- 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY LIS 

ing an old abandoned well a mile and a half fifty years. One of those convicted, Frank K. 

northwest of Athens, noticed thai the rails Gilcrease, got oul of prison, through pardon 

that had been used in covering it were dis- or some other vvay, and nol long after he was in 

placed. Ih- suspicions being aroused, he at a railroad accidenl and had both legs cul off, 

once began to investigate. Suffice it to say bu1 recovered, a cripple for life. The other, 

that the body of Carter was found sunk in the Thomas Scantlin, is still in prison at Chester, 

well, a stone weighing eighty pounds being hut Governor Yates has commuted his sentence, 

wired to his body, his overcoal and other cloth- so (hat he will he set free in a few months. 

ing being all mi him. The cold water had pre- The | pie of the county have always thought 

served the body perfectly, so thai there was that the sentence was ton severe, as the deed 

no question as to his identification. Four men. was done in a general row and the parties had 

Leslie Harvey, Richard Garrison, George Moore no intention of killing Rakestraw or. perhaps, 

and .lames Dixon, were at once arrested under any one else. 

the charge of murder in the first degree. It On the 7th of April, 1902, John W. Bare, a 

developed at the trial that they killed him in saloonkeeper of Oakford, was shot by a pistol 

the woods southeast of Athens, as they claimed, in the hands of Harry Colson, of the same 

accidentally ami put his body in an abandoned place, ami instantly killed. Witnesses said 

coal shaft lieai' by. A day or two after, some there seemed to he little, if any, provocation for 

children playing near the shaft. Lighting news- the act. Colson is serving a sentence in prison 

papers ami dropping them in the shaft, ran for the crime. 

home in great terror, telling their mothers Crime is not a very entertaining theme, nor 

that they saw by the light of the burning pa- is it a kind of literature to put in the hands 

per- a man's body lying at the bottom of the of the young, hut in a history of this kind the 

pit. The thers, thinking it to be just a wild had as well as the good should he told. Such 

stsn of the frightened children, said nothing events as those related above are history ami 

about it for awhile, hut something was said and will hi' often sought for in years to come. 

a day or two after a search of the place was Many other killings have occurred in the 

made, hut no body was found, hut the trial county in the past, hut those given above arc 

disclosed that the guilty parties, hearing the the most remarkable. Ninety-five per cent id' 

sion of the children, wont to the shaft at night them may he traced to the influence of strong 

with a rope, drew the body out ami carried it drink, directly or indirectly. We are not going 

to the old well and dumped it in. Tin' four to preach a sermon, hut just at this point it 

young men were tried and convicted and are seems fitting and proper not only to enter a 

now serving a long sentence in Chester prison, protest against tins awful curse, hut we can not 

Scarcely four month- after this awful trag- refrain from denouncing the detestable habit 

vt\y at Athens, the little town of Oakford came of carrying weapons in this civilized land in 

in with a less awful sensation. <>n July 28, this age. Some boy/s, and some who are men 

L900, Matthew Thomas killed George Strow in years ami avordupois, will persist in this 

with a billet of wood. Thomas escaped punish- detestable habit. It is sure evidence of a gross 

incut by some technicality. coward to see a great big hulk of a man with 

On the 5th of March there was a dance at a a revolver in bis hip pocket or a huge knife in 

private bouse in the town id' Athens. Some a belt. And some hoy- think it is the first step 

rough characters were present ami had whiskey to manhood to get a pistol and get out ami 

being freely used, it is not surprising that in -hoot it oil' ami yell like a wild Indian. It i< 

the course of the evening a row began. Soon a invariably indicative of cowardice ami mental 

fighl opened ami a shot or two were fired and weakness. Ami tin.- halm ha- led to the com- 

an innocent party, who had no connection with mission of hundreds of crimes that would never 

the trouble, was -hot ami killed. His name was have been committed but for this practice. 

George Rakestraw. Two men were convicted I will relate the first murder in tin- count] 

of liic crime ami sent to prison for a term of and close this chapter with it. 



in; 



PAST AND ITJKSENT OF MK.NAKP COUNTY 



The tirst murder committed in the territory 
hi what is now Menard county — and, in fact, in 
Sangamon — was committed in 1826. This was 
thirteen years before Menard was organized. 
A man l>\ the name of VanNoy, or, as some 
spelled it. YayNoy, had settled on what is 
now the Louis Campbell place, two miles north 
.if Athens and noi far from when' the Demas- 
cus schoolhouse now stands. IK' had built a 
log cabin, in which he lived with In- wife and 
a babe, some eight or ten months old. Near 
the cabin he had built a -mall shop, in which 
ho repaired guns ami did other little jobs. 
On the morning of the 27th of August, 1826, 
a neighbor, whose name is not remembered, 
came earl) to the simp to have a gunlock re- 
paired. Nathaniel VanNo} was in the shop, 
but, it seems, had not yet eaten his breakfast. 
VaiiNiiv invited the neighbor into the house 
till he should eat his breakfast. They started 
into the house ami when they entered the wife 
was in the act of putting corn dough into an 
oven on the hearth, bending over for the pur- 
pose, when YanNoy inguired in an angry tone 
if the meal was ready. She replied that it 
would he ready in a few minutes. Without a 
word Van Nov picked up a slick, or had it al- 
ready in his hand, and struck her a blow on 
the side. When she was struck she fell over 
the cradle, in which the child lav. dropping the 
dough mi the child in the fall. The neighbor 
saw at once that she was dead and said to the 
husband: "You have killed her." lie -aid: 
"No. she often falls over that way." They 
picked her up ami laid her on the bed and at 
once -aw that -he was indeed dead. YanNoy 
reached up to where his rifle hung in the rack 
ami hurriedly left the house. When he first 
took down the gun the neighbor thought that 
Van Nov was going to shoot him in order to 
get rid of the witness «h<> saw him kill his 
wife. Su -nun as YanNoy had gone the neigh- 
bor mounted hi- horse and started to give the 
alarm. The nearest neighbors lived near In- 
dian Point ami he rode at full speed to the 
Williams heme, ami Mr. Jacob Williams, his 
sister. Miss Salina Williams, a young lady some 
eighteen years of age (she afterward married 
Mr. Samuel Moore), i nted their horses ami 



rode with all haste to the -eene n< the murder. 
When they arrived they found the babe lying 
in the cradle with its face ami clothing cov- 
ered with the dough and the mother lying dead 
mi the bed. Miss Williams cared for the child 
and other neighbors came in and a runner was 
sent to Springfield and the sheriff came out, 
ami the next morning VanNoy came in and 
gave himself up. lie stated that he could have 
taken one of his horses ami left, hut some 
strange fascination compelled him to linger 
around the place where he committed the 
awful crime. A special grand jury was at 
once called by Judge Sawyer and a term of the 
circuit court was called. The grand jurors 
railed, from territory now in Menard county, 
were .Tame- White. Robert White. John N. 
Moore. Robert Conover ami Aaron Eoughton. 
A hill of indictment was presented ami a pet it 
jury was called, some of them of Menard coun- 
ty, namely: Bowling Green, foreman. Jesse 
Armstrong and Levi W. Gordon. The jury 
was sworn in and the trial was begun on the 
29th of August, only two days after the crime 
was committed. The attorney general of the 
state acted as prosecutor ami two Springfield 
lawyers, .lames Adams ami Jonathan 11. Pugh, 
defended the prisoner. A verdict of guiltj was 
rendered on the 30th and on the same day sen- 
tence was passed mi the prisoner ami the execu- 
tion set for the 26th of November, 1826. The 
execution took place at the appointed time in 
the hollow just east of the new eapitol in 
Springfield. The execution was public and the 
citizens of the whole country turned out to 
the show. It i- -aid that it was the largest 
gathering that, up to that time, hail ever met in 
central Illinois, it being estimated that at least 
five thousand people witnessed the death strug- 
gles nf the heartless wretch. Among those 
present was Miss Williams, afterward Mr-. 
Samuel Moore. She was a sister of Colonel 
Williams, who. in his day, was one of the lead- 
in" financiers of Springfield, dust before bis 
execution the culprit sent for one Or. Addison 
Philleo, or. as some write it. Filleo, ami wanted 
to kimw of him if he thought a man could he 
brought to life after being hanged. The 
learned physician opined that if the neck was 



Ilr sang the entire hymn and then the cart 
was drawn from under him. 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNT? L11 

not broken and the subject had not been hang- nected with thai hanging was never forgotten 

ing loo long, thai there was a possibility that by those who witnessed it. <>n the scaffold the 

a strong galvanic batterj might bring the pil- murderer, who was a i excellent singer, 

grim back. VanNoy then told the doctor that asked permission of the sheriff to sing. Being 

if lie could bring him hack to this world he granted the privilege, he si I on the platform, 

would he willing to remunerate him quite lib- or cart, and sang in lull, round tones thai old 

oral I \ for his trouble, or, if in case he failed in hymn, composed by Dr. Walts, the first verse 

this benevolenl effort, he would generously of which is: 

donate to him Ins body for dissection in the Hark from the tombs a doleful sound. 

interest of science ami human advancement. My ears attend the cry; 

Executions were performed at that time by Y ''J, IU "- " rl , u, ' 1 " the ground, 

........ ... ', Where \iiu must .shortly he. 

placing the victim m a cart, fastening one end 

of a rope to a beam and noosing the ether end 
around the victim's neck and pulling the cart 
from under him. The doctor advised VanNoy 
to lean as far forward as he could at the crit- 
ical moment and thus preserve his neck intact, \y ^l> 'piMFS |\ MEN \I'D 
if possible. Me followed the doctor's kind 

advice and hi. neck was not dislocated, but M, " ;ml '"" M,v was headquarters during the 

the sheriff heard something of the arrangement Civil war for Missouri refugees. They invari- 

between the two and, fearing some mishap, al- abl 3 ll,m " 1 ll " t v a refuge, bu1 a hearty 

lowed the body to reman, hanging over an hour. welcome : " - Republicans a, well as Demo- 

, 4-1 i , ■ i ,, i' i i crats. Hundreds, ves, thousands of Missouri- 

and as a consequence the doctors battery tailed 

, .it i „• i \-' v ■ illls - for every reason, were compelled to leave 

to have the desired elicit and pour VanNoy s - ' 

, i-ii,-,, . !• i i *. home, propertv, famih and everything else 

-mil never got hack to its tenement oJ claw but .' ' 

,, I,, -ii ' j j i i l j i' i • all 'h w'ithout money or friends, seek a more 

Dr. Philleo was not In lie cheated nut ol doing 

, • , , , . , , genial climate. In thousands of eases men who 

good m one way or another, so he began right 

'. .. ' ,, , , , ,- x- ' , '., had done nothing disloyal were compelled to 

there t" dissect the bod\ ol Van. Nov. luit the ... 

Leave there i order to secure a living for their 

families. Nhthing was doing there; life was in 

danger every hour, and all the father could do 



citizen- of Springfield indignantly resented any 
such barbarity ami compelled him to seek a 
more secluded place I'm- his scientific investiga- 



notoriety did nol end here, lie removed to 
Galena, Illinois, ami entered the editorial pro- 
fession. When the Black Hawk war broke out 
he went with the army as newspaper corre- 
spondent. Ford, in his history, relates that 
on the chase of Black Hawk by Genera] Henry, 
•'on the third da\ out. about noon. also, the 



was in leave his dear one;- in the midst ol pil- 
lion- than the open common, nut Dr. Philleo s , . , , , . ,,,,,-, 

„ , , la.ee. bushwhacking ami bloodshed ami seek a 

place where he ciiuhl make enough to feed and 

clothe them and -end it back to them. Main 

piti fill ca-i - of this kind could I e related, hut 

out of dozens I select just one case, and 1 beg 

the reader', indulgence while 1 relate it just 

as briefly as I can. ami I pledge the writer's 

honor (hat ii is every word true, jusi a- related, 

scouts ahead came suddenly upon two Indians. ,• ,, ■. , t , ■ ., . ,, 

1 tor the writer has means ol knowing its truth. 

and as they were attempting to esca] f A , ||a|| _ „„, „„„.,, |||an twenty . five vears 

them was killed and left dead on the field. Dr. of agGj ]|;|V ,„„. ;| W]|r ;1||i| |u „ ,,,,,,. girlSj 

Addison Philleo, comins shortly after scalped r i ,i , i . , i ■ ,• i 

■ • ''"i"' 1 1 hi iif I that he must emigrate or see Ins family 

tbe dead Indian ami for a long time afterward 5uffer . Missouri was then under martial law 

exhibited the scalp as an evidence of his valor." anc ] ,. im , I1;1M r,,, m ,| outside of his own county 

We said above thai vast crowd- attended the was liable to arresl and imprisonment in a mili- 

hanging of VanNoy. Among these was Miss tary prison, perhaps for a long time. He had 

Williams — afterward Mrs. Samuel Moon — and to cross the entire state in order to get to t Hi— 

many thousands of others. One scene con- nois. To get a pass was oul of the question 



118 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENAKD COUNTY 



u was impossible. To Leave bis family there 
without any friend would be heartless and 
cruel. What should be do? He had a neigh- 
bor who had always been kind to him, so be 
told him the secret of his intended effort to gel 
to Illinois. So. raising what little money he 
could, he gave half of it to his wife, kept the 
other half ami started on the perilous trip. 
Ai St. Joseph he waited till the ten o'clock 
train was just read} to -tart, then he rushed up 
to the ticket-window in great haste and said: 
""Aren't you going to give me that tickel a1 
all?" "What ticket?" the agent said. "Why. 
that ticket to Quincy," he replied. Hurriedly 
the agent gave him the ticket and he as hur- 
riedly gave him the exact change, ami in a mo- 
ment was on the opposite side of the train from 
the depot. The night was intensely dark and 
in consequence he was completely concealed. A 
squad of soldiers hail none through the train. 
requiring every passenger to show his pas>. He 
stood on the platform till the train got under 

S I headway and then he went into the ear, 

but at every station of any size a squad of 
blue-coats came into the ears, going to every 
one and requiring each one to show his pass, 
and if he happened to have nolle he was hustled 
off in short order, and God only knows where 
he finally brought up. But the subjeel of our 
story, by some strange fortune, was never seen 
h\ a soldier on the entire trip. Twice the train 
was wrecked and they were belated twelve hours 
and arrived at the Mississippi river at one 
o'clock a. ni. The ice had beeD strong and 
tram- had been passing over it safely, hut it 
had become so dangerous that rigs were afraid 
to risk it. and ferry-boats could not get through 
the iee. so tin- only way to cross was for several 
to club together and hire some one who knew 
the ice to pilot them over with a lantern. Hut 
when our friend started down to the edg ot 
the ice to join a club ho saw, to hi- utter dis- 
may, that the ubiquitous blue-coat was there 
also, to demand the fatal pass. This was de- 
spair, indeed. So he backed off into the dark, 
to meditate ami pray. Yes, pray; for he has 
been often heard to say that he never did pray 
more devoutly and earnestly than then. He 
often said that he thought if he was doing right 
God would take care of him ■ if not. he had bet- 



ter end all his troubles in the bottom of the 
Mississippi river. So he boldly marched out 
on the ice. In place- the water was more than 
two inches deep on the ice: other place- he 
could hear the water gurgle in open places in 
the ice. and these he went around. At last he 
landed on the lllinoi- -hot.' and dropped on his 
knees and gave devout thanks to God. But it 
is a remarkable fact that one of those who were 
following a lantern broke through and was 
with difficulty saved from being drowned. 

lie wandered around, looking for work that 
he felt able to do. hut finding nothing he en- 
gaged to rut cord-wood. He hail not per- 
formed one day's hard labor in year-, having 
been engaged in school-teaching. He engaged 
to cut wood at a dollar and a quarter per cord. 
He bought an ax. on credit, for three dollars 
ami engaged board at four dollars and a half 
per week. At noon the hi— started him into 
some old. knotty sugar trees and he went at 
them with a will, thinking all the time of the 
wife ami babies so far away. First hi- hands 
blistered: then the blisters broke; then his 
head began to ache dreadfully. Before night 
he went to the hotel with a raging fever and 
in a few hours he was in a wild delirium. 
Three long weeks he lay there, expenses going 
on and not a cent coming in. hut the Good 
Father always provides a way. While lie was 

sick - e friends learned that the stranger had 

I n teaching a short system of practical arith- 
metic, and by the time he was up they had 
made up a school that would pay five dollars 
per evening. In twelve evenings he had money 
enough to pay all his hills, -end his wife ten 
dollars, make a present of ten dollars to a Mis- 
souri refugee there-, who was blind, and to 
have a little change left. From there he went 
into Mason county, taught night-school there 
some, hut diil not succeed very well, and about 
February loth he found himself without a 
iint. Wishing to go to Menard county and 
not having the dime to pay the ferriage, he 
joined a visiting party with two wagons. Dick 
Witt aiel George Carpenter, who were on a 
visit to their kinsman, (reel Stith. But let 
mi go hack a little, as I wish to tell the had as 
well as the g 1. On Sunday evening, Decem- 
ber 25th, L864 i many will remember that 



PAST AND PRESENT OF MENARD COUNTY II!) 

Christmas Eel] on Sunday thai year), after snack to eat." The other replied thai be did 
walking over thirty miles, thai day, he and a not wanl the old miser's grub. The nexl morn- 
bo} from Missouri began to in to gel lodging ing the boy arose betimes and when the other 
fur the night, bul they were invariably told came down the stairs he was met by the host, 
thai 1 1 1 1 ■ \ would each have to pa\ a dollar and who was all smiles, and asked to lead the morn- 
;l half, an amounl they did ool have. So they ing^s devotions, bul this was declined. The de- 
traveled on, trying to get cheaper rates. After votions were very brief and all were invited out 
dark the} approached a nice looking farm- to breakfast. The bo} wenl and did ample 
house, in which they beard the sound of an justice to the meal, bul the other linnl\ refused 
organ and a number of voices, playing and to go. After the meal the older man tendered 
singing Sunday-school songs. This, said the the rumpled dollar hill, which the hos! made 
boy, i> the place; these are Christian people, a shovi of refusing, hut the traveler said a bar- 
ter they are singing Sunday-school songs. So gain is a bargain and. laying it on the stand- 
they called the man id' the house out and made table, bid them good morning, and the two wenl 
then- wants known. He said they could stay, on their way. Our devoul host will appear 
"What will you charge us?" they inquired, again in this true story. 
"A dollar and a hall' each." was the reply. One l'>\ going in the wagon the traveler gol a< ross 

of them explained the} had only a dollar and the Sangai river without paying ferriage. 

thirty cents between them, and he refused to They arrived at Stith's after dark and the 
let them stay. The} plead thai it was night stranger was going on, bul Witt and Carpenter 
and cold, and they had walked over thirty insisted that he inusl slay: thai Stilh would 
miles and hail had no dinner. No, that was not. take pay, no matter how much money he 
his price and he could keep them for no less, mighl have. So, finally, hut very reluctantly, 
Finally, the older man offered him one dollar he agreed to stay. Arising early in the inorn- 
to allow them to sleep in the lioiise. This hr inc. he noticed that the clock on the mantle was 
was about to refuse also, when the wile, who not running, lie asked Mr. Stith if he might 
had been listening at the door, interposed and repair it. The reply was that it was old and 
begged him to let them stay. "Well. I suppose the jeweler hail worked mi it time and lime 
you can come in." he said gruffly, and led the again, "but if you think you can help it. pitch 
way into the house. A number of young people in." So by the time breakfast was called the 
were there, singing and playing, among them a old clock was ticking away on the shelf, having 
red-haired lady, who presided at the organ, been boiled in ashes, rubbed up ami thoroughlv 
After playing and singing quite a while, the put in order. (It ran without repairs for 
dining-room door was thrown open, revealing thirty-two years after thai fixing.) On Sunday 
a long table loaded with all the luxuries of the after this, February 19th, our stranger con- 
land: the family and miests. all except the eluded lo attend the dedication of a church. 
strangers, were invited out. Inn the} were left which was to take place m the neighborhood. 
to then- own uninterrupted thoughts. After The clothes he had on were mere tatters and 
supper and more singing the man of the bouse, rags, hut he determined lo go any way. The 
addressing the strangers, said thai they were congregation was a ver} large one and a very 
in the habii of having family prayers, and if finely dressed one. ||i' succeeded in finding 
they so desired they could remain up with a very obscure corner and was observed by 
them, or if they wished to retire they could do hut very few. After service he was invited 
so. They chose to remain up I'm- prayers. to dinner with one of the old brethren, riding 
They occupied a ver} | • bed, bin being in the hack of the spring-wagon, bis legs hang- 
tired and not troubled with an over-gorged ing over the hind-gate, the minister who had 
stomach, they slept sweetly. Before going (*• preached the dedication sermon, riding in one 
sleep, the bo\ .-aid to Hie older man: "Why of the seats. To his surprise, when dinner was 
did vim not tell the old skinflint that you are announced, he was invited lo the table with 
a preacher; maybe he would have given us a the rest. B} some means, some one had learned 



120 



PAST AM) PRESENT OF MENAKD COUNTY 



that he was a preacher, and the minister in- 
sisted on his preaching that evening, but he ex- 
cused himself on account of the condition of 
his clothes. The man of the house offered to 
loan him a suit, but this In- declined. His 
clothes were in perfect tatters, but he finally 
consented to preach, and in that suit of clothes. 
To his dismay a larger crowd was present than 
in the morning. When In 1 arose in the pulpit 
to announce the hymn many in the audience 
dropped their heads for shame, but he went on 
and preached the lust he could, and at the close 
of the service he invited the anxious. A lame 
number came and some were converted. The 
people gathered around him. insisting that he 

si Id continue the meetings, and twenty-nine 

dollars were voluntarily handed to him by all 
classes. Saving uothing else to do. he agreed 
to continue the meetings. The women gath- 
ered m. the next morning, sent him to town 
for material, and by the time for service thai 
night they had him a new and decent suit of 
clothes in preach iii. The meetings continued 
five weeks ami resulted in thirty-six profes- 
sions and thirty-two additions to the church. 
Before the meetings closed lie was employed 
to preach to that congregation for one year, and 
had money to send to Missouri for his family 
ami met them in Jacksonville the night that 
Booth murdered Lincoln. Now, the sequel to 
tin-, regarding the man who prayed hut would 

not f I the hungry: In June, following the 

events just related, our stranger ami tin- la- 
mented Rev. Hardin Wallace were invited to 
speak at a Sunday-school picnic at Pecan 
Grove, in Cass county. A verj large concourse 

pie attended, for Brother Wallace always 

drevt largi crowds. Brother Wallace and the 
stranger were sitting in the stand, the stranger 
en the lookout. Soon the sound of music was 
heard ; then a banner came in sight, carried 
by none other than the sandy-complexioned host 

of the morable Christmas eve. Just behind 

him was the red-headed organist, whose 
tures tin- stranger could not forget. They both 
certainly recognized the stranger's features, for 
ed him furtively all the time. By and 
by it came the time for the stranger to speak. 
lb' in,!.!.' a very passable speech to the children; 
then at the close he gave them a lesson in prac- 



tical Christian kindness, charity and benevo- 
lence, and in this he gave an illustration, tell- 
ing them that not a thousand year- in tin- past, 
nor a thousand miles from where they were 
then assembled, two men were traveling and. 
unfortunately, they were out of money.