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M45h
History of Massac County
GEORGE W. MAY
-
LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS
977.3997 M45h cop. 2
ILLINOIS HISTORICAL SURVEY
52
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2012 with funding from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
http://archive.org/details/historyofmassacc00mayg
JOHNSON COUNTY
SAMOTH
N
GEORGES CREEK
BIG BAY
CACHE RIVER
· NEW COLUMBIA
LOGAN
BOAZ CHICAGO AND
L. C. R. R.
PULASKI COUNTY
GRINNELL
MERMET
MERMET LAKE
EASTERN HILLERMAN
60
ROUND:
KNO B
.MIDWAY
·HILLER MAN
OU
ILL. 145
SHAWNEE NATL. FOREST
CHOAT
NTRAL
JUSSVW
WASHINGTON
JOPPA
U.S. 45
COUNTY
NITE
LINCOLN WEST EAST BROOKLYN BROOKLYN
METROPOL
: U.S. 45
METROPOLIS
FORT MASSAC
JACKSON
C. B. 4 Q. R.R. BRIDGE
I. C. R. R.
BROOKPORT
· UNIONVILLE
LOCK AND DAM 52
MASSAC COUNTY
IRVIN COBB BRIDGE
PADUCAH
KINCAID MOUNDS
SCALE IN MILES 012 3 4
THE LAKES
FURESY
1
OHIO
MCCRACKEN
AND QUINCY
RIVER
MAP OF
KENTUCKY
BENTON
POPE COUNTY
GRANT
HISTORY OF MASSAC COUNTY ILLINOIS
BY
GEORGE W. MAY
Teacher, Public Schools of Illinois
WAGONER PRINTING COMPANY GALESBURG, ILLINOIS
COPYRIGHT 1955 BY GEORGE W. MAY
177.3117
9
A spot of local history is like an inn upon a highway; it is a stage upon a far journey ; it is a place the National history has passed through. There mankind has stopped and lodged by the way.
-Woodrow Wilson
PREFACE
As a little boy four years old, the author remem- bers his parents taking him to old Fort Massac one Fourth of July. At the age of seven he was taken to live with his grandparents for one year. The home was in an area which commanded a sweeping view of most of the county and part of Kentucky. Those were impressionable days. At night the grandparents would tell many tales of yore about the region. A love for the home county was thus early engendered in the child. As time went by he became curious to know more about Massac county. Some of the fruits of his inquiry follow in this book. No county in "Egypt", or Southern Illinois, has a more interesting history than Massac. It has played its part under the rule of five distinct peoples. It has held from earliest times a strategic position.
Interest in our county history centers around old Fort Massac. It was early visited by the French, and here in 1757 they staged their last struggle for possession of the fairest portion of the New World -Illinois. "Probably the most outstanding event that ever happened in Massac County," said the late Roy R. Helm in a memorial address, "was when Clark landed on the north bank of the Ohio on June 28, 1778." Part of Aaron Burr's conspiracy was planned here. Many other stirring events have occurred in the county and in the adjacent region. Massac has played its part well in the unfolding of the progress of the Nation-through the tide of im-
migration, the various wars, and the quiet daily tasks of economic life.
Flowing past the entire south side of Massac County is the beautiful Ohio River, "La Belle Riviere," as the French called it when they first be- held the glistening, undulating body of that stream. It is a river which vies with the Mississippi in im- portance. Nations struggled for it. It is the "Gate- way to the North and the South." The river has been the scene of many dramatic incidents and also the cause of some leading historical events. The Ohio ranked as a personage in the legends of the Indians, and they reliquished it with much bitter- ness. Illinois and Kentucky both can look with just pride upon "Ohiopechen," "the Deep Broken Shining River," as the native Indian did before the coming of the white man broke the dual continuity.
This rich heritage of local history was, until a few years ago, scarcely known to thousands of people in the county. Only brief mention was made of the legend of Father Mermet. Clark's visit in 1778 was vaguely treated. The situation in 1846, such as is now almost unbelievable, was neglected. Social and cultural history was only dimly seen in the discus- sions of the larger State and National development. There has been an upsurge of interest in local his- tory all over America during recent years. Interest in Massac County history has awakened among the local citizens as well. Perhaps the Metropolis Cen- tennial gave the spark in 1939.
This former neglect has been only natural and in no way reflects upon the interest and pride which
the people have in their county. With the exception of O. J. Page's History of Massac County, published more than fifty years ago, the accounts are frag- mentary. No average person or school child would be expected to read the material in such form. Page's book has been out of print almost since it was pub- lished, and copies are rare.
It is the aim of this little book, if not to present many new facts or aspects of our local history, at least to revive interest in its history. There are few attempts at original interpretations of historical points in dispute. That is left for academic research workers with their mass of references and footnotes. The aim has been rather to present briefly some of the high spots for school children and for those adults having only a casual interest. It is hoped a reading will inspire a deeper esteem for Massac County. If certain viewpoints do not seem conven- tional, if the reader detects any gross errors, if there seems to be a lack of literary expression or show, bear in mind that the purpose is to arouse a new in- terest, especially in the children who are now in school. It is suggested that when a period is studied in National or State history, that Massac be drawn into the picture whenever possible. In that way, children will see the relation of local events to points in their regular text books. It is hoped also that a phrase or sentence here and there will generate a spark which will lead some future embryonic his- torian to delve deeper. This lengthy preface may well indicate the possibilities.
Let it not be supposed that all available material
has been used. Much detail has been omitted. Several chapters of a secondary character have been entirely deleted. As Samuel Crothers has said in his book, The Gentle Reader: "Kind-hearted historians over- load their works. There is no surer oblivion than that which awaits one whose name is recorded in a book that undertakes to tell all,"* so some principles of selection must guide. Bits of reminiscences, anecdotes, and oddities are interesting but com- promise is made necessary by the demands of reality. The extremely high cost of publication is a very real factor. Often the only alternative to a small book is no book at all. As a convenient book of reference, a "clearing house" for the scattered material, it is hoped this book will commend itself to all.
Numbers in parentheses inserted in the text refer to the authorities as numbered in the bibliography.
O. J. Page has been largely drawn upon. Much in his book is worthy of being incorporated in any proposed history of the county. In several instances material may not be credited to Page, for which acknowledgment is hereby made. But throughout, the most natural order has been attempted, declining to copy Page's, which, in some instances, does not seem the most logical.
Especial thanks are given the Illinois State His- torical Society for blanket permission to use material from its various publications and from the Centen-
*Samuel Crothers-The Gentle Reader (Houghton Mifflin Company. 1903), P. 182. By special permission.
nial History of Illinois. Grateful acknowledgment is made to those who from time to time have had articles printed in the local newspapers. Such ma- terial has been used freely. Among the writers are Mrs. Ella K. Moseley, Mr. Robert Dollar, Mr. Thrift Corlis, the late Roy R. Helm, W. P. Bunn, Tom Willis, Jesse Jones of Joppa, and many others.
The writer acknowledges himself indebted to many who granted personal interviews or answered letters of inquiry, among whom are many church pastors and other community leaders. A personal "thank you" is extended to Miss Hattie Mann and Mr. Charles C. Feirich of The Metropolis News; Mr. Howard Miller; Mr. Floyd Cougill; former county clerk, Mr. Henry Morrow; Mr. Clyde Tay- lor ; and to the author's wife for her continuing faith. Further thanks are due Dr. Louis A. R. Yates, Head of the History Department, Bradley University, who took time out from a busy schedule to read the manuscript and offer helpful criticism. Gratitude is tendered to all others who in any way helped make this volume possible, and who thereby manifested an admirable interest in their home county.
Metropolis, Illinois G. W. M.
November 1, 1954
CHAPTER I
GENERAL FACTS
AREA AND BOUNDARIES-Massac county has an area of 246 square miles. It is much smaller than the average of 555 square miles for Illinois counties, ranking ninety-sixth. It is nearest in size to Scott and Edwards Counties. The county is three and one- half times larger than the District of Columbia, and lacks 48 square miles being one-fifth as large as Rhode Island. Massac County has 157,400 acres, or about equal to the combined area of Chicago and Indianapolis.
Massac is bounded on the north by Johnson County. For a short distance, in the northwest cor- ner, flows the Cache River. To the west lies Pulaski County. Along the entire south side flows the Ohio River which, however, is claimed by Kentucky. Pope County borders on the east. In shape, the County resembles a low-topped shoe, if some imagi- nation is used. The boundaries total about 64 miles, of which 24 is the Ohio River.
SURFACE AND DRAINAGE-The average eleva- tion of Massac County is 325 feet above sea level.
16
HISTORY OF MASSAC COUNTY
The highest place is at a point not far west of Choat. The elevation of Metropolis is 328.5 feet.
The county is divided into three drainage basins : Bay Creek, Cache Creek, and the Ohio. Between the Cache basin on the north, and the Ohio, on the south, runs the divide, extending across the county roughly southeast and northwest. The northeastern area is drained by Bay Creek. Eventually, both the Cache Creek and Bay Creek waters reach the Ohio. At one place the divide lies less than two miles from the Ohio, but the water, falling on the north slope, must journey fifty miles down the Cache before reaching the Ohio.
A peculiarity exists in regard to the headwaters of Cache and Bay Creeks. When the Ohio is high the headwaters of Bay Creek tend to drain into the Cache bottoms and flow west. When the Ohio is at normal stage, the waters drain into the respective systems as usual. This phenomenon occurs because of the extremely low divide.
Along the north side of the county extends a range of irregular shelved rocks. Rising abruptly from the lowlands of the Cache Basin, they extend from Indian Point eastward to Reevesville. They are the utmost foothills of the southern part of the Ozark Spurs. The hills through the center of the county are seldom rocky. Along the Ohio occur many steep river hills clothed with trees. In the southeastern end of the county there is much low swampy land, formerly covered with dense forests,
17
GENERAL FACTS
and known as the Black Bottoms. Increased popu- lation and demand for land has brought about recla- mation of the Cache Basin, which on early maps was lettered as Cypress swamps. In the Cache Basin only a vestige of Long Lake remains since drainage. Part of the area will soon be covered by Mermet Lake as a conservation project. In the Black Bottom area are several lakes, some lying in Massac and some in Pope County.
LOON LAKE
Seven-mile Creek and Massac Creek are the two largest streams entirely within the county, the latter being 14 miles long and draining 33 square miles. The large streams of the Ohio Basin are all in the east one-half of the county.
SOILS AND MINERALS-Massac County has a great variety of soils. Much of it is comprised of old river bottoms, and swamp areas, unequalled in pro- ductivity. Much of this land, if transferred to
18
HISTORY OF MASSAC COUNTY
Northern Illinois, would bring hundreds of dollars per acre. In the central hills of Massac are the more depleted clays. Even those have been improved to good productivity under the various soil-building programs. Because of the variety of soils varied types of agriculture can be profitably pursued. Fruits grow well, and because the gray silt loam has much iron in it, gives the fruit excellent color and flavor. The Ozark Ridge also tempers the north winds.
The nearest approach to minerals of present commercial worth is a conglomerate or gravel-like substance good for road building, sand, and lime- stone. The rocks are not only an asset materially but also add a characteristic beauty to the bluff area. There are some good clay deposits but they have not been utilized for many years. Within a radius of 50 miles there are ample resources of coal, fluorspar, shale, Fuller's earth, Kaolin, tripoli, and clay.
GEOLOGY-The Egypt region of Illinois is the youngest geologically. There is evidence of early animal life. In the Age of Reptiles the Ohio River emptied into the Gulf of Mexico near Cairo. Ages ago the Ohio perhaps flowed across the Bay-Cache Basins.
The last geologic era was the Cenozoic which had two systems, the Tertiary and the Quaternary. The first approached from the south and reached only the counties bordering the Ohio. The Quater- nary period is sub-divided into Glacial and Post- Glacial formations. Life had been going on for ages.
19
GENERAL FACTS
Where we live today was tropical. Great beasts roamed about the luxuriant vegetation. With the Quaternary period came a great change. The tem- perature fell; the animals died or moved southward. A huge glacier pushed down from the north. The Ozark Hills seem to have been a bulwark against the advance of the ice sheet, for Massac and neigh- boring counties remained unglaciated. All of the superficial material-soil, gravel, clay and sand-is of the Quaternary system. In places there is no mantle rock, or superficial material, the solid rock being exposed. (1)
Under the Quaternary deposits are found the older rocks of the Tertiary formation. The Chester group is exposed along the bluffs. Even the older and deeper St. Louis limestones crop out south of the swamps and in the western part of the county. (2) The upper Mississippi Rocks underlie the Black Bottom area. The larger central part of the county is of the Ripley Formation, a thick bed of sandy clay under the topsoil, but even here sometimes the Mississippian layer crops out. (3)
CLIMATE AND RAINFALL-The latitude of Massac County is 37° 10' 48" to 37° 18' 54" north, or a width of about 8 minutes or 19 miles. The lati- tude almost parallels that of Norfolk, Virginia.
The climate closely approximates that of Western Kentucky and the Middle South. To the southeast the Cumberland and Tennessee rivers empty their
20
HISTORY OF MASSAC COUNTY
warm waters into the Ohio, tempering the climate to make it similar to Nashville. The mean annual temperature is 58° F. The average range is 114°. Thermometers may fall below zero or rise above the century mark. Winds, storms and cyclones some- times occur in March and September. In 1930 a low temperature of 22 degrees below zero was re- corded. The last average killing frost is April 15 and never later than May 15. The autumn average is October 15. Indian Summer brings a gorgeous display of vari-colored leaves. The growing season lasts from two to four weeks longer than the rest of Illinois. Any temperate plant will grow, and flax, tobacco and cotton have been grown successfully.
The average annual rainfall from 1878 to 1936 is 40 to 45 inches. Although the south third of Illinois has heavier precipitation, only 21.6 inches fall in the summer months when growing crops need rain most. It makes Egypt less well adapted to farming. (1)
The ground water source is minor rock and alluvium. In Metropolis the source is drift wells. The Ohio River has over 100 million gallons flow daily ; Cache Creek zero to one million gallons daily. (4) Rural wells, cisterns and ponds sometime fail in drought. The need for more surface water is being met by the construction of larger and better reservoirs.
FLORA AND FAUNA-The two southern tiers of Illinois counties have no prairies. The region is broken by bluffs and hills which were once, and to
21
GENERAL FACTS
a great extent yet, forest-clad. About 75 species of trees, mostly hardwoods, grow in the county. In pioneer days the woodlands were of great value. They provided material for houses, furniture, tools, fuel, and fences. The sawmill reduced labor but also reduced good stands of timber. Lumbering as an industry has dwindled in Massac County. About 28 per cent of the county is forested today, of which Shawnee National Forest comprises 2978 acres gov- ernment owned.
The fauna of this region was exceptionally rich in the early days. Bear, buffalo and beaver abounded as well as many smaller animals. Deer were plenti- ful and rather increased with the population. By 1837 the buffalo was entirely extinct in Illinois and bear and elk were seldom seen. Wolves were com- mon and destructive. In water areas bird life was abundant. Massac is in the center of the Mississippi flyway of bird migration. Snakes abounded, in- cluding the dangerous rattler, copperhead, and water moccasin. There were squirrels, gophers, rabbits, raccoon, muskrats, opossums, otter, martens, bees, and various edible birds such as grouse, quail and turkeys. (5)
There were bears, wolves, elk, deer, panther, otters and beavers in Massac County as late as 1855. Near Tucker's Mills, in lower Massac, was an elk- glade, where an elk was killed, and a bear was killed at Indian Point by David Sherer. (6)
KINCAID MOUNDS-Excavations begun in 1934
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HISTORY OF MASSAC COUNTY
and carried on in several successive years have re- vealed much about the so-called Mound Builders. There are ten mounds on the Kincaid farm in south- eastern Massac County, and nine on the Lewis farm across the line in Pope County. Work carried on by the University of Chicago revealed an extensive village site. Six of the larger mounds are pyramids used for ceremonies. Upon the most imposing mound rests the Kincaid homestead. It is a trun- cated mound 30 feet high with a base 300 by 200 feet and has a top area of almost an acre. The work uncovered many artifacts as well as skeletons. The Kincaid Culture was of the later and more settled agricultural type which existed perhaps as recently as one thousand years ago. (7)
INDIANS-Bear, buffalo and beaver drew the In- dians to forested Egypt. There also were the salines. The region has been occupied by no less than seven distinct Indian nations. The Tamaroas were prob- ably the first to be seen by white men, the Mas- coutens perhaps sharing the honor. In their footsteps came a few Shawnees around 1684 and some scatter- ing Cherokee. The Mascoutens were a sixth tribe of the Illinois Indians. (8) Another ill-defined nation consisting of the Weahs, Miamis, Pianki- shaws and Cahokias was the Ninneway who occu- pied Southern Illinois for a time. The Cherokees and Chickashaws almost wiped them out. The latter constantly stirred up revolts among the Central Illinois Tribes. They crossed the Ohio on seditious
23
GENERAL FACTS
expeditions. The crossing must have been near the Fort Massac site, as they came down the Tenenssee and Cumberland. The Shawnees were quite war- like and Tecumseh visited Fort Massac around 1754 in the interest of his conspiracy. Egypt, rather than a habitation, seems more likely to have served as a neutral hunting ground for many nations. The In- dian relinquished his lands with extreme reluctance. The Treaty of Vincennes in 1803 practically ex- tinguished his title. But there were a few Indians around Fort Massac in 1811.
PEOPLE-With a population in 1950 of 13,594 Massac County ranked 1963 among American counties. This was a decrease of nine per cent from 1940. The average number of persons per square mile was 55. Those age 65 or over constituted 12.9 per cent. Households numbered 4325; families 3860. Almost 60 per cent had incomes less than $2000. Those in the civilian labor force were 4909 of which 25 per cent were in agriculture and 23 per cent in manufacturing. Urban population in 1950 was 6,093, rural non-farm 3866, and rural farm 3635. There were 257 live births and 181 deaths. (9) Within a 10-mile radius of Metropolis live almost 30,000 persons.
The people are almost all native born Americans. There is a large element of Scotch with origins in the South, Pennsylvania, Ohio and other states. Many of them are in the professions. There are some of English, Irish and Scotch-Irish descent.
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HISTORY OF MASSAC COUNTY
The German element is great. Few German-born people remain, each year having seen one or more pass on at an old age. In 1900 one-third of the pop- ulation was of German descent. Their taste ran to farming, but they have increasingly turned to busi- ness. (6)
The pioneers endured many hardships and met the tests of good citizenship. They toiled and con- quered so that they might have government, schools, churches, roads and farms. We enjoy an abundant life of which they never dreamed. We should ap- preciate our heritage and strive to pass it on with whatever improvement we can add.
At one time approximately 20 per cent of the population was of the Negro race. It was once 25 per cent in Metropolis. From 1940 to 1950 the colored population declined 3.7 per cent. There are now 1185 of which about 75 per cent live in Metrop- olis, Brookport and Joppa. (9) They are a law- abiding and industrious people. The earliest colored families were the Yanceys and Chavices, the former always free. (6)
GOVERNMENT-Massac County has the county or commission form of government. The three County Commissioners, constituting the County Board, are elected at large by the people, one each year, for a term of three years. Due to the Southern origins of the people, they have never favored the township form of local government. In the Con- vention of 1871 the county voted against it.
25
GENERAL FACTS
The county is divided into eleven voting pre- cincts. They are Logan, Hillerman, Georges Creek, Benton, Grant, Metropolis, Washington, Lincoln, Jackson, West Brooklyn and East Brooklyn. Metropolis is the county seat.
Metropolis and Brookport have the Aldermanic form of government. Joppa has the Village Board. These are the only incorporated places.
What makes a region distinctive? So one may ask of Massac County. A conglomeration of answers is almost sure to be given. Some may say Fort Massac; others say the Ohio; still others its vast but former cypress swamps, or its friendly homo- geneous people. There would be other different answers.
The history of Fort Massac is essentially the history of Massac County to 1820. The historical field is rich around the old fort. One only needs to secure a few fundamental facts to put oneself in an attitude of subservience to enjoy its spell. Randall Parrish adequately expresses the sentiments of true Massacans when he exclaims: "Fort Massac! What wealth of romance forgotten and lost forever lies hidden beneath your green-clad ruins! What brave hopes have been buried here! What great deeds have here found birth ! Careless, indeed, is that child of Illinois who will fail to give you honor." (12)
It shall now be our duty to relate in several suc- ceeding chapters the story of Fort Massac.
CHAPTER II
TRADITIONS
DESOTO-The debunking of history and historical personages is not always a good thing and some- times boomerangs upon the author. It is common practice, however, to include legend as a part of history. Crothers has said that "the legend is often more significant than the colorless annals."* When there is any chance to verify the details of a legend it should be done. The historian-educationalist Henry Johnson, however, would go so far as to sup- press controversy forcibly, believing that children and the general reading public should be given something definite to believe in.
Three first-class traditions exist concerning Fort Massac. The first is that De Soto stopped at the site in 1542 and built a palisaded fort. The exponents of this tradition have little or nothing upon which to base such a belief. As Mulcaster says: "De Soto was a gold hunter and not a builder of forts." (13)
*Samuel Crothers-The Gentle Reader (Houghton Mifflin Company. 1903), P. 176. By special permission.
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TRADITIONS
No type of evidence has been uncovered and the account must remain conjectural.
FATHER MERMET-The second tradition is by far the stronger rooted not only among local citizens but also among some older historians. Briefly the story is that Father Mermet accompanied Charles Juchereau de St. Denys on his expedition to estab- lish a tannery on the lower Ohio about 1702. Father Mermet built the Mission of Assumption and preached to the Indians. The site was Fort Massac. So strong has been the belief that the village of Mermet was so named many years ago. Troubles with the Indians arose and the French hastily fled back to Kaskaskia. Juchereau, the leader, died and was buried at the post. This is the first and older version.
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