USA > Illinois > Champaign County > Early history and pioneers of Champaign County : illustrated by one hundred and fifteen superb engravings by Melville : containing biographical sketches of the early settlers, the early history of the county obtained from the most reliable sources and many graphic scenes and incidents from the bright and shady sides of pioneer life > Part 1
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org.
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25
977.366 M42e 1891
LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN
977.366 M42e 1891
-
.
-
EARLY HISTORY
AND
PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
ILLUSTRATED BY ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN SUPERB ENGRAVINGS BY MEL- VILLE, CONTAINING BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES OF THIE EARLY SETTLERS, THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE COUNTY OBTAINED FROM TIIE MOST RELI- ABLE SOURCES AND MANY GRAPHIC SCENES AND INCIDENTS FROM
THE BRIGHT AND SHADY SIDES OF PIONEER LIFE.
There are no times like the old times, They shall never be forgot ! There is no place like the old place, Keep green the dear old spot! -Holmes.
BY MILTON W. MATHEWS AND LEWIS A. McLEAN EDITORS OF THE CHAMPAIGN COUNTY HERALD.
PRICE, IN PAPER, FIFTY CENTS. CLOTH, ONE DOLLAR.
PUBLISHED BY THE CHAMPAIGN COUNTY HERALD, URBANA, ILLINOIS. 1886.
TABLE OF CONTENTS.
PAGE. 78
MeLean, Lewis A. 15
Authors
3
McCain, John L .. 16
Bryan, Malinda
10
Munhall, Rev. Wm ..
Blackshaw, Edward. 20
Morehouse, Calvin R.
86
Butler, Thomas L
MeNichols, Arthur W.
94
Boyd, James
30
Mosier, Dr. Phillip C. 105
Benedict, John A
60
Owens, W. H. 10
Brown, Dr. M. S.
66
Osgood, Samuel
Boyd, Stephen.
74
Old Settlers' Meetings
Brownfield, John ..
79
Phillips, John T. 21
Busey, Fountain J
99
Parker, E. W.
46
Boltin, Rezin
104
Prather, Benjamin P 83
Barr, Andrew.
104
Porterfield, J. B. 84
Boyd, Samuel. 106
116
Preemptors' Fight. 121
Cantner, David ..
9
Riley, N. A ...
13
Cunningham, J. O.
12
Radebaugh, William
Campbell, Archa.
25
Roc, James T. 31
46
Coler, William N.
69
Radebaugh, S. B
47
Condit Township. 116
Redhed, William .
54
Dodge, John W
50
Riley, Rev. G. W
Drullinger, Harrison W
63
Roughton, John.
9%
Dunlap Hon. M. L. 96
Renner, Henry W
100
Ely, George .. 51
Rugg, Daniel.
103
Early History
107
Rantoul Township.
14
Early Sunday Schools.
192
Silver, David ..
18
Spence, Alexander.
21
Ford, W. J.
Stayton, David B.
Foot. W. J.
Strong, John H
Gill, Z. E ..
44
Somers, James W.
36
Griggs, Clark R
63
Silver, Wallace .. 38
Gere, John.
84
Somers, William H. 41
Graham, William W
89
Scott, Fielding L. 48
Gere, James S.
98
Hubbard, Thomas S.
8
Stidham, Penrose. 55
Somers, Dr. Winston. 56
Sale, F. B. 58
Sim, William 59
65
Hays, Asa F
57
Shawhan, George R.
68
Howser, Jonathan N
Somers, James L ..
80
Harvey, Rufus A.
101
Sim, Joseph W
89
History
119
Snyder, Francis M.
9)
Hensley Township.
5
Somer Township.
112
Johnson, James.
39
St. Joseph Township
Jones, Samuel D.
82
Stanton Township
117
Jaques, William H. 92
Sunday schools.
16
Kelley, Barnard
Thomas, John C.
62
Kerr Township
120
Lincoln, Abraham
Urbana Township ..
112
Lindsey, Thomas
26
Wright, Randolph C. 18
Wright, James S. 23
Lowenstern, Morris 40
Leal, Thomas R.
Lyons, Alonzo. . 53
Ware, James C.
Ludlow Township. 119
Webber, George G.
Wilson, George ... 38
Webber, Thomson R. 45
5-4
Kerr, A. M ....
61
Thornburn, John
Tenbrook, J. P.
93
Thompson, James G.
85
Lewis, Andrew. 30
107
Spencer, John M.
Harwood Township.
1:20
Schools .. 110
Illinois, Discovery ot.
Somers, William D. 41
Garman, William S ..
Somers, Abner W 49
Hunt, Dr. C. A. 11
Heller, Eli J. 24
Harvey, Moses D
Halberstadt, Eli. 39
Smith, Henry C ..
95
Shawhan, William M
Harwood, Hon. Abel.
28
Rogerson, John.
Carle, Albert G ..
Champaign Township. 120
Rinehart, Martin.
61
East Bend Township 117
Stevenson, Elisha Sr
125
Errata 19
Preface ... 4
Brown Township
67
Ogden Township 118
Busey, S. T
Newcomb Township 116
Busey, Simeon H.
PAGE.
Allen, Richard.
McGee, Giles F 70
Burton, George W.
Kelley, Joseph T ..
THE AUTHORS.
We present the above portraits of the authors of the "Early History and Pioneers of Champaign County," and editors of the CHAMPAIGN COUNTY HERALD, the newspaper which conceived and carried ont the first enterprise of this kind in the United States, or in the world for that matter. It is doubtless the fore-runner of many similar enterprises that will follow. The HERALD was established in 1877 by S. C. Harris & Co., and shortly afterward it absorbed the Republican, and with the exception of the Bulletin, published for a short time by F. M. Snyder, it has been the only paper published at Urbana. It has been republican in politics, and in the campaigns since its establishment it has given no uncertain sound. It was purchased May 21, 1879, by M. W. Mathews and C. B. Taylor, who at once enlarged the paper to its present size and form. Mr. Taylor sold out to M. W. Mathews in 1881, who still owns it. It takes especial interest in the schools of the county, and has secured and still retains the superintendent of schools, G. R. Shawhan, as a contributor to its columns. By its use he has organized the brigade of teachers in this county in a manner that enables them to largely increase their efficiency and usefulness. It also gives a liberal share of its space to the churches and Sunday schools of the county and is regarded as the organ of that large and respectable class of our people.
Its corps of correspondents at the principal centers of population in the county are selected with reference to their good standing and reliability. It is compelled by reason of its large advertising patronage at times to make the paper double the size of its co- temporaries and once or twice a year it issues large special editions three or four times the size of a county paper. Its growth has been phenomenal in newspaper history and its list of subscribers has gradually grown larger without any special effort in that direction until the families into whose homes it goes number nearly three thousand. It has attain- ed this position in the newspaper world by assiduously shutting ont all advertising or reading matter of a questionable character, and taking high moral grounds on all publie questions. While it is radically republican in polities, it treats its political opponents with fairness and thus holds the respect of all political parties. It eriticises its own party man- agers, local or general, for any dishonest schemes or attempts to gain unfair advantage and thus wields an influence for honesty in polities both at the primaries and at elections.
Thus it is at all times fit to enter the family and its patrons have no fear of anything being admitted to its columns which cannot be read aloud in the family circle. It has done and is still doing much to elevate the profession of journalism in Illinois and is re- ceiving its reward by an unparalelled patronage by the intelligent people of Champaign county.
PIONEERS AND EARLY SETTLERS,
THE MEN WHO MADE A GARDEN OF A WILDERNESS AND BUILT AN EMPIRE ON THE VAST PRAIRIES OF THE WEST.
After weeks and months given to a patient investigation of the early history of the pi- oneers and early settlers of this rich and populous county, and of the lives of the brave men and women who laid the founda- tions of its present prosperity, we submit with pleasure and a degree of pride, the re- salts of our labors. True, these necessarily lack completeness, but so far as they go they will be found interesting and trust- worthy.
We are prone, in the midst of the activi- ties of the present, to forget our obligations to the bold, self-sacrificing pioneers and early settlers who, amid privations and dangers, founded an empire in the wilder- ness and thus made passable the comforts and blessings of the civilization that we, to- day, enjoy. Heirs of the past we are also its debtors, and it is fit that we often recall to grateful recollection the early settlers to whom the present generation are under so many and lasting obligations. The facts set forth in these pages, not heretofore hav- ing been embalmed in print, had to be col- lected from interviews with the grayhaired representatives of the "good old days," who, crowned with the respect and honor of all thoughtful men, yet linger among us. We deem it fortunate that the work of preserv- ing their recollections of the first days of this county and the life history of these he- roos of days gone by, has been undertaken before the last old settler shall be gathered to his fathers. This work, undertaken with some misgivings, has proved a labor of love to us: whatever of interest and worth it em- bodies, whatever of credit shall attach to it, belongs to those who in various ways have
aided us in its preparation and especially to those, whose life work nearly done, have generously contributed the facts and inei- dents herein contained. Thus have we been enabled to gather from the living the tender memories of those whose sacrifices have opened up this garden of the west. Let the present kneel at the shrine of the past and drink in the lessons it teaches. Many of them left pleasant homes, surrounded by the luxuries of life, where human toil had gar- nered much into the store of comfort, and here by their iron wills and correct habits, yet survived the dangers that ambushed on either side their pathway. Many a spot has become saered because the dust of the de- parted pioneers have been enshrined there- in, whose lives were taken in the struggle to bequeath these splendid prairie homes and build up these beautiful thriving cities and villages that dot the land.
The soldier who risks his life in battle for his countrymen receives the highest praise and glory ; but these hardy men and women, who battled with malaria and disease in blazing the pathway of posterity through a wilderness of latent dangers, to such a goal of health and happiness as we have reached, deserve to have their memories preserved as we are doing now, and handed down to those who follow us. We beg to urge upon the young men and youth whose eyes shall fall upon these pages, to ponder well the records of these busy lives, that they may rightly estimate the great inheritance they have received, and thus be led to emulate, and if possible, to equal the virtues of the great generation they are to succeed.
1',
5
PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
THE DISCOVERY OF ILLINOIS,
Illinois, though young in statehood. reaches back for two hundred years in in- teresting annals and they are connected with one of the most remarkable religious orders the world ever saw. It was in the pontifi- cate of Paul III., in 1536, that it arose when the billows of the Reformation rolling on- ward to their destiny, threatened the speedy overthrow of Papal power in Europe. Its founder was a soldier in Spain, Ignatius Loyola, and it was known as the "Society of Jesus."
Loyola became its general and head, and dying was canonized as Saint Ignatius. They labored with untiring zeal and indus- try, defending the faith then so violently at- tacked by Luther and others. As spiritual teachers they had no equals ; they possessed the learning of the age and became the con- science keepers of kings, emperors and no- bles, They mingled polities with their re- ligion and they had wily, able and untiring actors at every court in Europe; they found- ed schools and colleges, and thus handed down their teachings; they became rich and haughty; the crowned heads became alarm- ed at their influence and power, and expelled them from their dominions. Their enthusi- asm and energy knew no bounds; they were well calculated to convert the heathen ; alike to them were the wintry blasts, the summer's heat, the pestilence or the scalping knife, the stormy billows of ocean or the eyelones and hurricanes of the land; they dreaded nothing. No spot on earth, however seelud- ed, could escape them, for with falcon glance and eagle daring they darted their serutiny into every nook and corner of both hemispheres, where, planting the eross and erecting rude altars for the occasion, they gathered the wondering savages around them, remained with them and finally won them.
On this continent they labored in a very early day. Relies of their presence are to be found in Maine, whilst the explorations of Champlain opened to them a new and en- larged field for their operations and it was through that channel that this peculiar peo- ple approached the valley in which Illinois is situated. Before 1647 the Jesuits had traced the course of the ocean lakes, except Michigan, and bravely contended with the savages that roamed their borders, enduring perils and sufferings of which there is no parallel.
In 1665 Claude Allouez established on the
bay of Chegoimegon, on the south border of Lake Superior, the Mission of St. Esprit, or Holy Spirit. To it came, besides other scat- tered bands, the Pottawatomies, from Lake Michigan, the Saes and . Foxes from their desert plains, and the Illinois from their beautiful and plaeid river.
In 1667 this same intrepid man, with Claude Dablon and James Marquette, two equally zealous and intrepid brothers of the, order who had that year come from France, estab- lished the "Mission of Saint Mary of the Falls" at what is now known as Sault St. Mary, In 1671 Marquette established the mission of St. Ignace, so-called from the founder of the order, at a spot on the main- land near where Mackinaw now stands, and in the following year, with Allouez and Dablon explored the country of the "Mi- amis" and of the "Mascoutins" about Chicago and made excursions over the plains of Wis- consin and into every part of those regions wherever a nation of Indians was under- stood to reside, meantime keeping up com- munication with Canada. With no weapons but the erncifix and the breviary, with no aids but the faithful compass and their sav- age guides, prompted alone by religious en- thusiasm, did they wander upon the great inland seas amid the dangers from savage tribes of the forest to display their little tapers amid the dark and dreary regions of the great west and plant the cross and cruci- fix in advance alike of the spirit of com- merce and of conquest.
To the adventure of Marquette, with Allonez and Dablon, to the western extrem- ity of Lake Superior in 1678, is the world in- debted for the discovery of Illinois and the vast valley of the Mississippi. The roving Sioux, who lived upon the prairies which this great river drains, on their visits to the mission of the Holy Spirit, had much to fell of the country they inhabited-boasted of its beanties, its verdure and of the river which they called the "Mississippi" running to the south; but they knew not the ocean into which it flowed. Marquette drank in their story and being satisfied he should find upon its banks new nations among which he could ereet the symbol of his faith, he pro- pared to visit their hunting grounds to the southward. He was joined by Joliet from Quebec: these two, with a few Frenehmen to paddle their canoes and two Indians ot the Algonquin nation as guides to the Wis- consin, which they reached in June, 1673.
1
6
PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
where re-embarking, escaping all the dan- gers of that stream, its current bearing them upon a course new and unused to them, on the 17th they stood upon the banks of the great river of which the Sioux had spoken, and which Marquette had longed to behold. If we except the steel clad followers of De Soto, who Spanish story tells us crossed the Father of Waters in 1535 and penetrated to Missouri in search of glittering treasure, and in whose bosom he found an unexpeet- ed grave, these were the first white men to behold it. Then for the first time was eivil- ized man upon its banks.
Their canoes glide safely on its placid bosom; the rapids of Rock Island are passed. The scenery of the shores cap- tivated them. No human foot print is seen until after they pass the lower rapids; then one is discovered. They follow it and it leads them to the banks of another river shining with verdure and dotted with In- dian wigwams. They are met by the savage owners bearing the calumet and are kindly received. A great council is held and Mar- quette tells them of the great king over the the water and of his power to protect them.
Descending they came to the mouth of the illinois coming in from the east. thence through varying scenes they pass the mouth of the unobtrusive Kaskaskia then the mouth of the Ohio, thence through the region of the cane and they find a hotter sun; they meet red men with steel axes for weapons below the mouth of the Arkansas; the pipe of peace wards off all danger; the mysteries of their faith are unfolded to the wandering savages. They cease their journey to the southward and start on their return up the rapid stream toiling many a weary day revealing to the tribes he encountered the Christian God. Back to the mouth of the III- inois they proceed up the tranquil stream. The country seemed an earthly paradise and they passed the beautiful prairies cov- ered with flowers of every tint and with the most Inxuriant herbage, vast herds of buffalo and deer, past singing birds of every variety of plumage, they poured out their gratitude to Him who had led them safely to this land of beanty so full of glorious gifts for man.
But few Indians were discovered until they arrived at Peoria Lake: here the Illin- ois Nation urged him to remain with them. but he pursued his journey passing through Chicago to Green Bay where he arrived at the close of September 1673, having by his ardnous voyage given an empire to his sovereign and immortality to himself. In the fall of 1674 he determined to visit the missions he bad planted in Illinois at Utica, in LaSalle county, the site then called or
known as Kaskaskia, and at Peoria. Being taken siek when he reached Chicago in December 1674, he remained till the follow- ing Mareh 1675. During this stay about six miles from the east end of Madison street, (then the mouth of the Chicago river) near where MeCormick's reaper factory now stands, was built by him a cabin, the first abode by civilized man within the limits of the state of Illinois. Here died and now lies buried in an obscure and forgotten grave, the discoverer of Illinois his only dirge the sullen moan of the wild waters of Lake Michigan for more than a century. What a resting place for such distinction; what a sépulchre for so much glory ; what obsequies to so much piety, so much fortitude, so much energy, so much unflinching zeal.
Since then the spirit of commerce and worldly enterprise following as it ever has behind the form of Christian inquiry and zeat has built above the unmarked grave of the great discoverer, that magnificent city of Chicago; and now and for the cen- turies to come it must be the monument to the memory of Marquette, the first settler of Illinois. Other explorers and priests fol- lowed, but it is only the purpose of this article lo gather for our readers something of the civilized man whose eyes first looked upon these broad prairies and first made his habitation within the borders of Illinois. We have in doing this freely used the very interesting work of the late Judge Sidney Breeze, entitled, "Early History of Illinois." We submit this brief resume as a fitting pre- lude to the biographical sketches and early incidents of our own county of Champaign, appearing elsewhere in this publication. It will be observed that a church and not a fort was the foundation stone of the history of Illinois. The erneifix and not the sword was the weapon of the advance guard that took possession of this vast prairie state. The spirit of religion and devotion to Al- mighty God, and not that of avarice or con- quest nerved the arm of the first settler of Illinois. Let us hope that the same high as- pirations and sublime faith may be the her- itage of those who now or may herafter in- habit this glorious garden of Illinois.
7
PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
The reader will naturally ask "Why do you place the portrait of Abraham Lincoln among the okl settlers of Champaign coun- ty?" We answer, because he practiced law here for many years, and many of the okt settlers whose biographies appear in this is- sne were well acquainted with him; then another reason is that while practicing here he one day went to a gallery in Urbana in 1557, before he became famous, to have his picture taken; he was in his shirt sleeves, and the artist Joaned him his coat to sit for the picture. William H. Somers, now of San Diego, California, while a resident of Beatrice, Nebraska, had a large number of photographs taken from that old picture. Ile kindly complimented the HERALD with one of these photographs. Our artist and engraver has made the above picture from this photograph and shows the great eman- cipator as he looked when he was a western lawyer residing quietly in Springfield, 11., and practicing law here and in other coun- ties. It is the only engraving of Mr. Lin- coln which shows him as he was before he became famous in the history of the workl. A biography is unnecessary.
MEL VILLE
MRS. MALINDA BRYAN.
The above portrait is that of the first bride in Champaign county, and for that reason we take especial pleasure in presenting it and a brief sketch of her life. She was born in Shel- by county, Kentucky, in 1812, and resided with her parents, Isaae and Sarah Busey, until she was nineteen years old, when she came with them to Vermilion county, in 1831. Champaign was separated from Vermil- ion in May, 1933, and Miss Malinda Bu- sey was married to John Bryan July 25th, of the same year by Esquire J. B. Thomas, of Homer. Soon after her marriage they went to Kentucky to visit the scenes of her youth and spend the honeymoon with the friends of her girlhood days, not in a palace ear nor in a fine carriage, but on horseback. Mrs. Bryan rode the same horse to Kentucky and baek five times before the iron horse came to supplant this primitive method of locomo. tion.
She was converted and baptized in May, 1834, under the ministration of Isaac B. Newell, who was the preacher that in la- ter years organized the Baptist church in Ur- bana.
Mrs. Bryan remembers vividly a number of Indian scares, especially during the time of the Blackhawk war, when she deelares that they felt certain that old Black- hawk himself was coming on more than one occasion. John Bryan died July 6, 1863.
8
PIONEERS OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY.
Mrs. Bryan has a daughter in Chicago, one in Rantoul, wife of F. M. Avey, also one son there. Three sons and four daughters lie buried by the side of their father in the Bryan graveyard, near Mahomet.
Mrs. Bryan resides in Rantoul and regu- larly attends the old settlers' meeting every year, where she is an object of great inter- est because she is the first woman that en- tered upon the sea of matrimony within the borders of Champaign county. She is active and intelligent and it is to be hoped she may continue to meet with the pioneers of the connty each succeeding year for many years to come.
MELVILLE C
THOMAS S. HUBBARD.
The New England states have contributed more to the growth, development and per- manency of western institutions than all the other states combined. Evidences of Yan- kee thrift. push and superior intelligence are to be found on every hand throughout the great west. A new era marked the ad- vent of the New Englander in the west; he brought with him culture, education and ideas, the outgrowth of his superior advant- ages and education obtained in the schools of states that were the first to recognize the importance of the education of the masses and the fostering of institutions of learning. Soon after their arrival school houses and churches began to spring up and dot the land and the crude, rough ways and pioneer customs gave way before superior intelli- gence and education. Their intelligence, thrift and energy made them valuable acqui-
sitions and welcome visitors in every new settlement.
The Hubbard family are originally of English ancestry, and of an old New Eng- land family. George Hubbard, the father of Thomas S., was a native of Middletown, Conn. In his early life he followed the call- ing of sea captain. When the embargo was laid upon the shipping interests in 1829 by President Jackson, he abandoned the sea and engaged in hotel keeping and farming. He died in 1833. He married Electa Bron- son, who was born in Farmington, Conn. She died in August, 1863. Thomas S. was the only son and eighth child. Ile was born in Middletown, Conn., September 25th, 1825. He received his education primarily in the excellent schools of his native village, and in 1845 entered Yale college from which in- stitution he graduated in 1849. In that class was Timothy Dwight, now president of Yale; also Dr. Fisk, professor in the Con- gregational Theological Seminary, of Chica- go, and Dr. Morris, who now occupies the same position in the Lane Theological Semi- nary, of Ohio. After Mr. Hubbard's gradu- ation he engaged in the manufacture of Japanned tinware and hardware in Meri- den and Durham, Conn. He continued thus engaged until 1854, when he closed out his interests and came west, landing in Urbana December Stlı, 1854. Here he went to church in the primitive M. E. meeting house that stood on the spot where Heller & Toy's liv- ery stable now stands, with puncheon seats, and heard the gentle murmur of the festive hog as he scratched his back upon the sleep- ers from his lair beneath the floor, regard- less of prayer or song or of the usual church proprieties.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.