USA > Illinois > Edgar County > Our first one hundred and fifty years : Hunter, Stratton, Elbridge Townships, 1818-1968 > Part 1
USA > Illinois > Edgar County > Stratton > Our first one hundred and fifty years : Hunter, Stratton, Elbridge Townships, 1818-1968 > Part 1
USA > Illinois > Edgar County > Elbridge > Our first one hundred and fifty years : Hunter, Stratton, Elbridge Townships, 1818-1968 > 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
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS LIBRARY AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN ILLINOIS HISTORICAL SURVEY
977.369 Ou7
OUR FIRST
NE HUNDRED AND FIFTY YEARS
HUNTER - STRATTON - ELBRIDGE TOWNSHIPS
RES. OF J. M. BLACKBURN, STRATTON T P. EDGAR, CO. ILL.
1818
1968
1
L
L
977,369
ON THE FRONT COVER
The picture on the front of our History Book is that of the home of one of the more prominent of the early settlers in Wayne Precinct.
This farm home is located just north of the Blackburn Cemetery. You will note in the history of Stratton Township that he was one of the leaders of his day.
James Maxwell Blackburn one of the pioneers of Edgar County, was born in Harrison County, Kentucky in 1797. In 1819 he was married to Miss Casandra Windner, the first white child born on the Wabash, and had seven children, four sons and three daughters. In 1820 he commenced improving a farm in Stratton Township. He was engaged in farming and stock raising. He served his country as Colonel in the Black Hawk War for ninety days. In business he was successful, and sustained a reputation for honor and integrity. He was the great-grandfather of W.A. Dennis.
The farm is now owned by J. Ward Watson.
This picture was taken from the 1876 Atlas of the State of Illinois.
Published by Union Atlas Company of Chicago, Illinois, in the year of 1876.
****
Il "Hear Neer
1
Foreword
FRONTIER FESTIVAL
Whoever reads the contents of this booklet should keep the fact in mind that every man has his own particular angle of vision.
Other writers would, in all likelihood, report things differently and em- phasize other points more or less sharply.
It has been truly said that history is the record on which are recorded the victories and defeats, the joys and sorrows, the accomplishments and failures of the past.
"Frontier Festival" is being held in Vermilion, Illinois since it includes the townships of Hunter, Stratton and Elbridge. It is being recorded on the following pages and is mostly on the credit side of the ledger. Accomplishments have far outweighed the failures and joy has been predominant throughout the one and one-half century.
Ora E. Raffety
Mrs. Henry Walling
Mrs. Herschel Brown
The Committec
1
ILLINOIS EARLY HISTORY
The French Explorers, Marquette, Joliet and LaSalle, were the first white men to invade the region known as Illinois. These great loyal Frenchmen claimed the country for their beloved France in the seventeenth century, which for a time, was a part of "New France", but later was attached to Louisiana until the British ac- quired it by treaty in 1763.
In 1765 the English flag was run up on old Fort Chartres, and Illinois was counted among the treasures of Great Britain.
In 1779 it was taken from the English by Col. George Rogers Clark. This man was resolute in nature, wise in council, prudent in policy, bold in action, and heroic in danger. Few men who have figured in the history of America are more de- serving than this Colonel. Nothing short of first-class ability could have rescued Vincens, and all Illinois from the English. And it is not possible to over-estimate the influence of this achievement upon the republic. In 1779 Illinois became a part of Virginia. It was soon known as Illinois County. In 1784 Virginia ceded all this territory to the general government to be cut into States, to be republican in form, with "the same right of sovereignty, freedom and independence as the other States."
+
+
+
+
+
+
+ + +
+
2
THE COMPACT OF 1787
In 1787 it was the object of the wisest and ablest legislation found in any merely human records. No man can study the secret history of "The Compact of 1787" and not feel that Providence was guiding with sleepless eye these unborn states.
The Ordinance that on July 13, 1787, finally became the incorporating act, has a most marvelous history. President Jefferson had vainly tried to secure a system of government for the Northwestern Territory. He was an emancipationist of that day, and favored the exclusion of slavery from territory Virginia had ceded to the general
government but the South voted him down as often as it came up.
In 1787 as late as
July 10, an organizing act without the anti-slavery was pending. This concession to the South was expected to carry it. Congress was in session in New York City. On July 5, Rev. Dr. Manasseh Cutler, of Massachusetts, came into New York to lobby on the northwestern territory. Everything seemed to fall into his hands. Events were ripe. The state of the public credit, the growing of Southern prejudice, the basis of his mission, his personal character, all combined to complete one of those sudden and marvelous revolution of public sentiment that once in five or ten cen- turies are seen to sweep over a country like the breath of the Almighty. Culter was a graduate of Yalo - received his A. M. from Harvard, and his D.D. from Yale. He had studied and taken degrees in three learned professions, Medicine, Law and Divinity. He had thus America's endorsement. He had published a scientific examination of the plants of New England. His name stood second only to that of Franklin as a Scientist in America. Ho was a courtly gentleman of the old style, a man of commanding pre- sence, and of inviting facc. The Southern members said they had never seen such a gentleman in the North. He came representing a company that desired to purchase a tract of land now included in Ohio, for the purpose of planting a colony. It was a speculation. Government money was worth eighteen cents on the dollar. This Massachusetts company had collected enough to purchase a 1,500,000 acres of land. Other speculators in New York made Dr. Cutler their agent(lobbyist). On the 12th. ho represented a demand for 5,500,000 acres. This would reduce the national debt.
3
Jefferson and Virginia were regarded as authority concerning the land Virginia had just ceded. Jefferson's policy wanted to provide for the public credit, and this was a good opportunity to do something.
Massachusetts then owned the territory of Maine, which she was crowding on the market. She was opposed to opening the northwestern region. This fired the zeal of Virginia. The South caught the inspiration, and all exalted Dr. Cutler. The Eng- list Minister invited him to dine with some of the Southern gentlemen. He was the center of interest.
The entire South rallied around him. Massachusetts could not vote against him, because many of the constituents of her members were interested personally in the western speculation. Thus Cutler, making friends with the South, and, doubtless, using all the arts of the lobby, was enabled to command the situation. True the deeper convictions, he dictated one of the most compact and finished documents of wise statesmanship that has ever adorned any human law book. He borrowed from Jef- ferson the term "Articles of Compact, " which, preceding the federal constitution, rose into the most sacred character. He then followed closely the constitution of Massachusetts, adopted three years before. Its most marked points were:
1. The exclusion of slavery from the territory forever.
2. Provision for public schools, giving one township for a seminary, and every section numbered 16 in each township; that is one thirty-sixth of all the land for public schools.
3. A provision prohibiting the adoption of any constitution or the enact- ment of any law that should nullify pre-existing contracts.
Be it forever remembered that this compact declared that "Religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall always be encouraged."
Dr. Cutler planted himself on this platform and would not yield. Giving his un- qualified declaration that it was that or nothing - that unless they could make the land desirable they did not want it - he took his horse and buggy, and started for
4
the constitutional convention in Philadelphia. On July 13, 1787, the bill was put upon its passage, and was unanimously adopted, every Southern member voted for it, and only one man, Mr. Yates of New York, voting against it. But as the States voted as states, Yates lost his vote, and the compact was put beyond repeal.
Thus the great States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin - a vast empire, the heart of the great valley - were consecrated to freedom, intelli- gence and honesty. Thus the great heart of the nation prepared for a year and a day and an hour. In the light of these eighty-nine years I affirm that this act was the salvation of the republic and the destruction of slavery. Soon the South saw their great blunder, and tried to repeal the compact. In 1803 Congress referred it to a committee of which John Randolph was Chairman. He reported that this ordinance was a compact and opposed repeal. Thus it stood a rock, in the way of the on-rushing sea of slavery.
With all this timely aid it was after all, a most desperate and protracted struggle to keep the soil of Illinois sacred to freedom. It was the natural battle- field for the impressible conflict. In the southern end of the State slavery pre- ceded the compact. It existed among the old French settlers, and was hard to eradi- cate. The southern part of the State was settled from the slave States, and this population from the North poured into the Northern part of the State. These. sections misunderstood and hated each other perfectly. The Southerners regarded the Yankee as a skinning, tricky, penurious race of peddlers filling the country with tinware, brass clocks, and wooden nutmegs. The Northerner thought of the Southerner as a lean, lank, lazy creature, burrowing in a hut, and rioting in whiskey, dirt and ig- norance. These causes aided in making the struggle long and bitter. So strong was the sympathy with slavery that, in spite of the ordinance of 1787, and in spite of the deed of session, it was determined to allow the old French settlers to retain their slaves. Planters from the slave States might bring their slaves, if they would give them a chance to choose freedom or years of service and bondage for their child- ren till they should become thirty years of age. If they chose freedom they must
5
leave the State in sixty days or be sold as fugitives. Servants were whipped for offenses for which white men are fined. Each lash paid forty cents of the fine. A negro, ten miles from home without a pass was whipped. These famous laws were im- ported from the slave States just as they imported laws for inspection of flax and wool when there were neither in the State.
These Black Laws were wiped out. A vigorous effort was made to protect slavery in the State Constitution of 1817. It barely failed. It was renewed in 1825, when a convention was asked to make a new constitution. After a hard fight it was de- feated. But slaves did not disappear from the census of the State until 1850.
* *
6
TERRITORY OF ILLINOIS
In 1809 it was deemed advisable to divide the Indiana Territory. This was done and the Territory of Illinois was formed from the Western part, the seat of govern- ment being fixed at Kaskaskia. It was then known as the country of the Illinois Indians, a powerful tribal combine, individually and collectively superior to many of the primitive people of North America. The particular tribe or tribes, which used to roam as hunters over what is now Edgar County, were the Piankashaws, and Kickapoos. The Indians never had any title to the land. Such title could only be proven by the Government becoming the purchaser and grantee in treaty transactions, and thus ad- mitting the title of the Indians. It is supposable that, as each individual Indian came into the world unwittingly, and lived somewhat in accord with the environment, he had some right to be where he found himself.
Whatever in the way of title the Indians had to the lands within Edgar County, was extinguished by the Government in two treaties. By the first, negotiated by General William Henry Harrison at Vincennes in 1805, and commonly known as "Harri- son's purchase, " the Government acquired from the Piankashaws over two and a half million acres of land, mostly in Indiana but included all the land in Edgar County lying east of the "Boundary Line, " which runs through the county from the boundary in a direct line, but not exactly South. This line was to have been true with the cardinal points, north and south, using the sun at 12 o'clock, noon, as a guide that being the Indian Way, but the start was delayed until 1 o'clock and thus the Govern- ment got more land than the Indians were paid for.
Previous to the organization of the Territory of Illinois, a strip along what is now the eastern border of the State, and comprising a part of the territory now in- cluded in Edgar County, was embraced in Knox County, which chiefly lay within the pre- sent boundaries of Indiana, the region west of the Knox County line falling within the limits of St. Clair County. Simultaneously with the organization of the Territory of Illinois, by proclamation of the acting Governor, Nathaniel Pope, this whole region, from the western boundary of Indiana was assigned to St. Clair County, which extended
7
northward to the Canada line. The subsequent political changes brought Edgar County territory successively within the jurisdiction of the following counties :
Madison (1812-1814) Edwards (1814-1816) Crawford (1816-1818).
* *
*
* * *
*
ORGANIZATION OF EDGAR COUNTY.
The name of this beautiful Prairie State (Illinois) is derived from Illini a Delaware word signifying Superior Men. The population of 12,282 that occupied the territory in 1800, increased to 45,000 in 1818, when the State Constitution was a- dopted and Illinois entered the Union of States (United States) on Dec. 3, 1818, as the 21st State, with $183.20 in the treasury. This was one year after the first people came to Edgar County in 1817. The First Governor was Shadrack Bond. The simple economy in those days is seen in the fact that the entire bill for stationery for the first Legislature was only $13.50. Yet this Legislature actually enacted a very superior code.
The same year as Illinois was admitted to the Union, Clark County was organized and Edgar County became a part of Clark County, which then extended to Lake Michigan. Edgar County was detached from Clark County when it was organized as a munici- pality in accordance with the act passed by the State Legislature, and approved Jan. 3, 1823.
The bill authorizing the formation of Edgar County was passed by the Legis- lature January 23, 1823, and was approved and signed by Edward Coles, then Governor
8
of the State. In pursuance of the act of organization, an election was held in the spring of 1823 when John B. Alexander, Elijah Austin and Charles Ives were elected by County Commissioners.
The election referred to was not, however, the first held in what is now Edgar County. Col. Mayo states that, in the spring of 1818, an election was held in his house, on the "North Arm" to choose delegates to the convention to form the State Constitution. He says there were 14 votes, 3 of which came from Sugar Creek. In the fall, another election was held in the Colonel's house, for Governor, Congressmen and a member to the Legislature. The next election was doubtless after the County was formed, and was the one already referred to. When the County was organized, Judge Wilson appointed Col. Mayo, Clerk of the Circuit Court. It was his duty now to put the county in proper shape to hold the election for County Commissioners. We went to Clark County, where he took the oath of office. Gov. Coles had appointed him Rocord- or and Notary Public, and, on his return from Clark County he swore in Lewis Murphy, as Judge of Probate Court, and all the Justices of the Peace that had boon com- missioned by the Governor. William Reed was appointed Sheriff and as soon as the Commissioners were elected and qualificd Edgar County was a reality.
The County received its name from Hon. John Edgar, one of the first three Judges of the Illinois Country, when that municipality was a part of the "Old Dominion. "
On the organization of Elgar County in J.n. 3, 1823, it was divided into five precints, viz: Wayne, Pike, Fairfield, Carroll and Ri,ley.
In 1857 Edgar County adopted township organization and Wayne precinet became Brouillet and Stratton townships, and Pike precinct became Eibridge Township.
In 1661 at the March Meeting of the Board of Supervisors, a petition was pre- sented to the board by John Hunter, and signed by ninety-three of the citizens, for a new township to be made from Stratton and Brouillet Townships, most of it, howover, from Stratton. At the same meeting, Mr. Van Houtin presented a remonstrance, signed by 243 of the citizens. In face of this remonstrance, the new township was made by the majority of one vote. And thus Hunter became a township and was given the name
9
Hunter for Mr. Hunter, who was instrumental in getting it.
The land of these townships Stratton, Elbridge and Hunter was subject to entry back when it was a territory and settlers came to what comprises these counties as carly as 1716 and 1817.
*
*
*
* *
*
*
*
*
THE EARLY TILES
In the carly development of a country, the pioncors usually fare hard for a time. They leave all the luxurios and comforts of civilization behind them when they emigrate to a new country and give themselves up to toil and exposures. They went forty or fifty miles to mill; of half a dozen families crowding into one small cabin for weoks at a time, until each could provide himself a cabin of his own, Says Col. Mayo "We went to the big field after corn, which we hauled home on a sled. "This "big field" was east of Terre Haute, and had been opened by Mrs. Mayo's grandfather. It contained eighty acres-all in corn-and was considered a very large field of corn for these days. Then people grew their flax and cotton, and some raised sheep, and manufactured all their clothing at home. Carding mills, or machines were es- tablished, at which the wool was carded into rolls. The rolls were spun by the wives and daughters on the "big wheel" and then woven into cloth, and by the same dexter- ous fingers made into garments for themselves and their families-and tho men, their mode of farming was so far behind what is today. The old "Cary plow" for in- stance, with its moldboard, part of wood and part of iron; What a curiosity it would be now to see a man trying to plow with it. "We had to stop" says Col. Mayo, "two or three times in a forty rod furrow, and scrape it with a paddle carried for that pur- pose, in order to plow with it at all. Harrows with wooden teeth were quite a
10
contrast to the splendid implement of that class now in use. And the small in- convenient cabin in which they had to live, glad to get any kind of shelter that would protect them from the rigors of winter, and from the wolves and bears. The regulation cabin seems to have been from sixteen to twenty feet square, daubed with mud, covered with "clapboards, " a log cut out for a window, with greased paper in lieu of glass, and a kind of partition across one end forming a fire- place the width of the cabin. Their furniture was such as the settler himself could manufacture with an ax and an auger. Bedsteads were often made by boring a hole in the cabin wall, putting in pins, supported by others from the ground, a pole laid across the structure, and straw filled in. This composed the bed, as well as the frame, and, though scarcely as soft as downy pillows are, sufficed the humble dwellers until a more luxurious couch could be afforded. But, even under these trying circumstances, they enjoyed life better, perhaps, than we do today. People were more sociable then, all were neighbors for miles and miles, and their term Neighbor came nearer the meaning the master gave it, than it does now. A man would divide his last crust with another, and loan him anything he had - except his wife and babies; and, to know that a man needed help to "raise a cabin" or "roll his logs", was all the invitation required.
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
x
STRATTON TOWNSHIP
At the time the first settlers came to what is now Stratton Township it was part of Wayne Precinct. Wayne Precinct embraced in its boundaries the present townships of Brouillett, Stratton, Hunter and the northern tier of sections of Elbridge Township.
For years after township organization, Stratton bore the honor of containing the first settlement of white men made in Edgar County. In 1818 settlements were made in this township as originally bounded. Such names as Mayos, Blackburns, Simes, Scotts, Darnalla and others were settlers in the original Stratton Town- ship. This township took its name from John Stratton, one of the five first white settlers in this section of the country, and who is said to have been the first white man who ate his dinner in his own house in Edgar County. He located in the territory now embraced in Hunter Township. The organization of Hunter Township gave it the honor that had originally belonged to Stratton, that of the first settlement in the County.
The first settlement made in what is now Stratton Township was by Daniel Lane, in Spring of 1818. Edward Purcell was probably the next to locate in Stratton in Fall of 1818. William Van Houtin, James Farnham, Chancy Adkins and John Van Daw- son came from New York and settled in Stratton Township in 1818 and 1819. Isaac Sanford settled in south part of Township, also from New York in 1819. Col. Black- burn came to Stratton Township in 1820 and entered land around what is now Black- burn Cemetery. Reverend Samuel McGee was one of the early preachers. He settled in this Township in 1825, and will be mentioned in connection with carly church history. James Cummins came in the Spring of 1830 and entered the land where the town of Vermilion now stands. That fall James S. Vermilion came to the County and bought the land owned by James Cummins.
There were plenty of Indians in this Section of the country when white people first came. They were of the Kickapoo Tribe and for a half century or more, had made this a part of their hunting ground. They were on friendly terms with the
12
white people and aside from their natural propensity for stealing, were harmless. In 1833 a large number, in moving to their reservation, somewhere in Iowa encamped on Sugar Creek, just below where the railroad crosses it. They remained in camp over Sunday and when they again started on their journey Westward they went through the Village of Paris. They behaved with propriety while in town, as did the white people and they moved on without molesting any one or being molested themselves.
Game of all kinds was plentiful at the first settlement of the county. Deer, wolves, wild turkeys, bears and many species of birds and smaller animals were abundant. The wolves were the greatest pests of the people. It was almost im- possible to raise pigs or lambs on account of them. Herds of forty and fifty deer were often seen together. Many of the early settlers depended almost entirely upon the forest to furnish them with meat, and spent much of their time hunting deer and bears. While as to prairie wolves they were very numerous. Organized bands for the purpose of wolf-hunts were common. At one time in Illinois there was a premium on wolf-scalps; a man could pay his taxes with them, and they might almost have been termed the currency of the country. It was said that a man could go into some saloons - (groceries they were called then) and buy a pint of whiskey, hand out a wolf-scalp and get change in coon, ground hog, or oppossum skins.
J.M. Blackburn was Colonel of the Militia of Edgar County at the beginning of the Black Hawk War, in 1932-33. During the Black Hawk War Gov. Reynolds of Illinois called upon Col. Blackburn for four Companies (200 men). He received his orders on Saturday and so rapidly did he push forward his recruiting that on Monday week following he marched for the front with full complement of men. Of eight Townships in the County at that time, each had formed a Militia Company for the regular drills, and from each two companies he called for one company of volunteers. The Townships of Stratton and Elbridge made one company; all volunteered as pri- vates. After the complement was made up, the company proceeded to elect its officers, with the following result: J. M. Blackburn, Captain; Isaac Sanford, First Lieutenant and Aloysious Brown, Second Lieutenant. Upon the arrival at
13
Main Camp they elected Field Officers. Blackburn, Mayo and Sanford were candi- dates for Colonel and Blackburn receiving a majority was elected to the position of Colonel. Then Isaac Sanford was elected Captain of the Stratton and Elbridge Company when Blackburn was made Colonel.
During the Revolutionary War the people of Illinois showed much patriotism and bravery. With one-thirteenth of the population of the loyal States, Illinois sent one-tenth of all the soldiers. The Mothers and Daughters went into the field to raise the grain and keep the children together, while the Fathers and older Sons went to the battlefield. It was told of one father and four sons who agreed that one of them must stay home; and they pulled straws from a stack to see who might go. The father was left, but the next day after the boys went to camp, the father came into camp, saying, "Mother says she can get the crops in and I am going too." There were large churches from which every male member went to the Army. It is common history that the greater victories were won in the West. Illinois soldiers brought home 300 battle flags. The first United States flag that floated over Richmond was an Illinois Flag.
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.