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LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS AT URBANA-CHAMPAIGN
977.352 H62
I .H.S.
PEORIA.
THE HISTORY
OF
PEORIA COUNTY
ILLINOIS.
CONTAINING
A HISTORY OF THE NORTHWEST -IIISTORY OF ILLINOIS - HISTORY OF THE COUNTY ITS EARLY SETTLEMENT, GROWTH, DEVELOPMENT, RESOURCES, ETC., ETC .- A SKETCH OF ITS CITIES AND TOWNS, THEIR IMPROVEMENTS, INDUSTRIES, MANUFACTORIES, CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, ETC., ETC .- A WAR RECORD OF ITS VOLUNTEERS IN THE LATE REBELLION -GENERAL AND LOCAL STATISTICS - BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES - PORTRAITS OF EARLY SETTLERS AND PROMI- NENT MEN - MAP OF PEORIA COUNTY - CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES - MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS - TABLES, ETC., ETC.
ILLUSTRATED.
CHICAGO: JOHNSON & COMPANY. 1880.
ESTERE 4 MINUT ACT OF CON KES IN THE YEAR I SO, FY JOHNSON & COMPANY,
IN TITE OFFICE OF THE LIBRARIAN OF CONGRE , W "HINGTION D) C-
-
DON AUF. ACETTE & LOAL
TK| TFP . .
977.352 HG. BU Nele
PREFACE.
051
A sage has truly said "Of the making of books there is no end." And it is well, for though in literature, as in society, the wheat and the chaff are intermingled in promiscuous confusion, and careful selection and winnowing are necessary to obtain the pure bread of life, yet the " survival of the fittest obtains," and upon the bookshelves of the world's libraries lie the crystallized brain and deeds of the centuries. It is the province of the historian to gather up the records of the onward march of human progress, and through the "art preservative" transmit them, condensed in convenient form for future use, to the coming ages. "History is a faith- ful narration of facts of yesterday, registered upon time's leaf of to-day, to be turned over to- morrow."
In the incipient stages of settlement in all countries, when civilization is in its birth throes, existence is little else but a struggle for food and raiment and shelter. The heroes who brave the dangers and hardships of frontier life little conceive, while they are waging the un- even contest with Nature in sowing the seed of a mighty nation or commonwealth, that the commonplace every day transactions of their lives will to their great grandchildren be matters of transcendant import, as drops forming the rivulet upon which their ancestral barques floated down the ever swelling stream of time toward an unfathomable eternity. And did those conquerors of the wilderness and its hordes of primeval inhabitants, the wild beasts and wilder- men, understand the value of their acts to future generations; their brawny hands are wont to wield the ax and the plow rather than the pen. Thus the years that witness the early improve- ments of any country march silently into the sepulcher of the entombed cycles of the past with their events unregistered, save as they linger in the memories of the participants. By and by, when the haunts of the savage have been converted into fields of golden grain ; his wigwam has given place to the stately mansion ; the bark canoe to the floating steam palace, and transporta- tion and traffic lifted, by wings of steam and electricity, from the back of the red man's pony, then the grandchildren of those patriarchs open their eyes in wonder at the marvelous changes wrought, and inquire wherefore? It is then the historian steps upon the scene and endeavors to rescue from oblivion the pioneers and their labors which have made the "wilder- ness blossom as the rose." His task is neither an easy nor enviable one. To gather up the scattered fragments and forge them into a continuous, harmonious narrative with no "missing link " requires much careful research and arduous labor.
Two hundred and seven years will have elapsed on the 25th of this coming June since the Territory now embraced within the boundaries of Peoria county was first visited by white man ; a century has intervened since the French colony was planted on the site of Peoria City,
79.
Illine. List survey 12818 Powner 275
-4
PREFACE.
and more than three score years have passed since the first American settlement was made. In the absence of any diary of consecutive events and incidents, an effort to resurrect and embody all the matters of historical interest must of necessity be attended with great difficulty. Many months of zealous labor have been devoted to this end, culminating in this volume, and the publishers hope and confidently believe this History will be found comparatively free from errors, and containing much that will render it highly prized as a reference book and a keep- sake to the inhabitants of Peoria county.
The State and Territorial History was revised and a considerable portion of it written especially for this volume. The abstracts of State Laws were prepared by one of Peoria's lending Attorneys for the book, with great care and labor, and will be found reliable and useful to the farmer and business man. The War Record is a feature upon which considerable work w.is expended, and will prove an heirloom to the friends of the boys who fought in blue. No pains have been spared in the compilation of the History of Peoria county and City to have it embody a comprehensive narrative of the establishment, growth and present status of the multi- tudinous financial, social and religious enterprises of this great commonwealth. The aim has been in the biographical feature to avoid fulsome eulogium, and present a plain condensed statement of facts.
The publishers tender their grateful acknowledgements and heartfelt thanks to the friends, too numerous to name, who have in many ways aided and encouraged the progress and completion of the enterprise. Most loyally and generously have the representative men and women of the county and city, responded when solicited for facts and data necessary to em- body in the History; and to them, including the members of the Press, and the patrons who have given it substantial encouragement, and to their posterity the work is respectfully dedicated by the Publishers,
JOHNSON & CO.
CONTENTS.
PART I .- NORTHWESTERN HISTORY.
CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER VI.
Discovery of the Mississippi River.
Indian Wars
10
CHAPTER II.
CHAPTER VII.
Early Settlements in the Northwest
15
Early Navigation of Western Rivers.
44
CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER VIII.
Northwestern Territory.
21
Archaeology of the Northwest.
47
CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER IX.
The Louisiana Purchase.
27
Western and Northwestern States.
54
CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER X.
Expedition of Lewis and Clarke.
31
Sketch of Chicago.
70
PART II .- GENERAL HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.
CHAPTER I.
The Indians.
75
French Occupation.
CHAPTER II.
79
English Rule.
88
Duels and Dueling.
I86
Formation of Illinois Territory.
92
Dress and Manners.
190
CHAPTER V.
CHAPTER XVII.
Physical features of Illinois. Agricultural and
other resources.
192
CHAPTER XVIII.
Governors and other State officers. United States
Senators and Members of Congress of Illinois.
195
CHAPTER XIX.
CHAPTER IX.
Black Hawk and the Black Hawk War.
121
CHAPTER X.
Slavery in Illinois.
The Black Laws.
1.46
CHAPTER XI.
American Immigration.
152
CHAPTER XII.
Northern Illinois Internal Improvements. Love-
joy, and Freedom. Mormons and Mormon
War.
CHAPTER XIII.
157
Illinois and the Mexican War.
171
CHAPTER XIV.
The War for the Union. Election of Lincoln.
Fall of Sumter.
Death of Lincoln.
173
CHAPTER III.
CHAPTER XV.
CHAPTER IV.
CHAPTER XVI.
First American Settlers.
95
The War of 1812.
CHAPTER VI.
CHAPTER VII.
99
Illinois Territory Admitted as a State.
108
CHAPTER VIII.
Northwestern Indian Troubles.
117
States of the Union
203
CHAPTER XX.
Miscellaneous. Population of Illinois. Agricul-
tural productions.
Population of cities of the
U. S. and principal countries.
Practical busi-
ness rules
208
CHAPTER XXI.
Modern Chicago.
223
CHAPTER XXII.
Constitution of the United States, and Amend-
ments.
Digest of State Laws.
Miscellaneous
Forms.
230
6
CONTENTS
PART III .- HISTORY OF PEORIA COUNTY.
Prologue.
261
CHAPTER I.
Geology of Peoria County. 265
CHAPTER 11.
Early History. French Settlements.
271
CHAPTER JII.
American Occupation. 279
CHAPTER IV.
Organization of Peoria County. 285
CHAPTER V.
Prefecting the Organization. First Election .. 2SS
CHAPTER VI.
Physical Geography and Geology. 201
CHAPTER VII.
Natural Ilistory. 293
CHAPTER VIII.
Political Economy.
301
CHAPTER IX.
Political Economy Continued. Chicago. First
Ferry and Tavern License. 311
CHAPTER X.
The County Seat 316
CHAPTER XI.
Old Time Bridges. Modern Structures ..
322
CHAPTER XII.
County Ihildings. Circuit Court. Personal Men-
tion. Official Record. 324
CHAPTER XIII.
War Record. Black Hawk War. Mexican War.
In the War of the Rebellion. Lincoln's Proc-
lamation. Peoria County War Record .. . . . 351
CHAPTER XIV.
Educational Interests.
421
CHAPTER XV.
Old Settlers Union,
431
CHAPTER XVI.
Peoria City History 44S
The Press.
457
CHAPTER XVIII.
Township Ilistories. County Statistics 572
Akron. 572
Brimfield. 572
Chillicothe.
577
Elmwood. 553
Hallock 591
llollis. 595
Jubilee.
597
Kickapoo. 598
Limestone 602
Logan.
Medina.
606
Milbrook. 608
Princeville. 610
Radnor. 613
Richwoods. 615
Rosefield.
615
Timber.
617
Trivoli.
CHAPTER XIX.
Biographical Directory.
021
Peoria City
621
Akron.
707
Brimfield ..
713
Chillicothe.
723
Elmwood.
736
Hallock.
753
Ilollis.
766
Jubilee
767
Kickapoo.
770
Limestone.
756
Logan.
790
Medina.
700
Milbrook.
Princeville.
Radnor. $21
Richwoods.
829
Rosefield.
S37
"Timber. S41
Trivoli 8.45
7
CONTENTS.
ILLUSTRATIONS.
Map of Peoria County. Front.
Starved Rock on the Illinois River, near Peru. 77
Iroquois Chief. 83
Gen. Geo. Rogers Clark. 89
Illinois Industrial University 209
Gen. Arthur St. Clair. 94
Old Fort Dearborn.
IOI
Old Kinzie House 103
Pontiac, the Ottawa Chief. 105
Black Hawk, the Sac Chief .. I23
Illinois Institute for Deaf and Dumb 165
Illinois Charitable Eye and Ear Infirmary.
169
Peoria County Court House
328
PORTRAITS.
Aiken, Mark Morrill
620
Moffitt, John. 735
Baldwin, E. F.
493
Moffatt, Aquilla. 676
Ballance, Charles.
624
Monroe, James. 794
Barnes, J. B. 493
Mooney, Thos. 802
Belcher, Daniel. 717
Moss, John. 712
Bootz, Lydia.
490
Norton, Orrin H
656
Bootz, Fannie L
490
Nurs, Isaiah 762
794
Brooks, Cyrus.
712
Pettengill, Moses
682
Brown, Edwin R
738
Phelps, Wm. E., Hon.
746
Clute, Joseph.
717
Phelps, Wm. J., Hon 748
Corcoran, Geo. L.
717
Plumer, S. R., M. D 8.48
Cratty, Thomas.
636
Reed, Simon. 762
Cremer, Bernard.
493
Regan, John. 753
Darst, Jacob.
638
Richardson, James. 794
Dickinson, Griffith E
S22
Robinson, Wm. So2
Detweiler, Henry
6.40
Rogers, Henry P. 738
762
Dowdall, Wm. T
490
Stevens, J. S.
692
Stowell, Ebenezer.
822
Greenwood, Geo. G.
656
Stuber, Adam, Capt.
656
Hamlin, John, Hon
656
Tomlinson, Joshua O., M. D.
735
Tracy, A. L.
738
Henderson, S. R.
493
Higgs. Thomas.
8.48
Tucker, Cyrus ..
822
Tucker, H. C.
717
Hopkins, Samuel A., M. D.
660
Warner, John, Hon.
698
Hines, John, Senr.
802
Washburn, Silas Howe, M. D.
753
Ingersoll, Robt. G., Hon
Frontispiece.
Jack, Edward H.
662
Will, Robt. 762
734
Lobaugh, John J., M. D.
753
Wilson, A. W. 712
McClure, John D., Hon
3-16
Wrigley, Robert. 738
Miller, Jas. B. 794
Vickery, Elias. 753
Yates, John C. Hon,
350
Miller, Robt. H. 712
Lincoln Monument, Springfield. ISI
Scene on Fox River. I9I
Central Hospital for the Insane. 209
Southern Illinois Normal University. 2II
Illinois Asylum for Feeble-minded Children 219
Lake Crib, Chicago Water Works. 225
Passenger Depot, L. S. & M. S., and C,, R. I. & P. R. R. Co's., Chicago. 227
Inter-State Industrial Exposition Building.
229
Dunlap, Napoleon.
S22
Root, Erastus C.
Gove, J. K. 848
IFarkness, Isaac. 846
Truitt, Henry
735
Holman, Harvey
735
Wells, Henry W. 700
Linck, Jacob.
8.18
Wilmot, Asahel, M. D.
Bradley, Tobias S. 629
Patterson, Jas. H.
PART I.
THE
NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
CHAPTER I.
DISCOVERY OF THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
De Soto-Le Caron-Samuel de Champlain-French Adventurers-James Marquette-Louis Joliet-Embarkation to Explore New Countries-Lake Michigan and Green Bay-The " Quisconsin "-Indian Accounts of the Country-Discovering the Great River-Indian Name of the River-Joy of the Explorers-Interview with Indians on Iowa Soil-Feast-Speech of an Indian Chief-The Des Moines River-" Muddy Water"-The Arkansas-Return-Indian Nations-Marquetle's Record-His Subsequent Voyage-La Vantum-Marquette's Death-Removal of His Remains-Joliet's Subsequent Explorations-Robert La Salle-Louis Hennepin- Chevalier de Tonti-De La Motte-Fort Crevecoeur-Hennepin's Voyage-Falls of St. Anthony-Seur de Luth-Hennepin's Claims as an Explorer-Colonization of Louisiana-Dissensions-Murder of La Salle.
The three great colonizing powers of the Old World first to raise the standard of civilization within the limits of North America were France. England, and Spain. The French made their earliest settlements in the cold and inhospitable regions of Quebec ; the English at Jamestown, Virginia, and at Plymouth, Massachusetts ; and the Spaniards on the barren sands of Florida. To the French belongs the honor of discovering and colonizing that portion of our country known as the Valley of the Mississippi, including all that magnificent region watered by the tributaries of the Great River. It is true that more than one hundred years earlier (1538-41) the Spanish explorer, De Soto, had landed on the coast of Florida, penetrated the everglades and unbroken forests of the South, finally reaching the banks of the Great River, probably near where the city of Memphis now stands. Crossing the river, he and his companions pursued their journey for some distance along the west bank, thence to the Ozark Mountains and the Hot Springs of Arkansas, and returning to the place of his death on the banks of the Mississippi. It was a perilous expedition indeed, characterized by all the splendor, romance and valor which usually attended Spanish adventurers of that age. De Soto and his companions were the first Europeans to behold the waters of the Mississippi, but the expedition was a failure so far as related to colonization. The requiem chanted by his companions as his remains were committed to the waters of the great river he had discovered. died away with the solemn murmurs of the stream, and the white man's voice was not heard again in the valley for more than a hundred years. De Soto had landed at Tampa Bay, on the coast of Florida, with a fleet of nine vessels and seven hundred men. More than half of them died, and the remainder made their way to Cuba, and finally back to Spain.
Four years before the pilgrims " moored their bark on the wild New England shore," a French Franciscan, named Le Caron, penetrated the region of the great lakes of the North, then the homes of the Iroquois and the Hurons, but a French settlement had been established at Quebec, by Samuel de Champlain, in 1608. This was followed by the
2
10
THE NOTHWEST TERRITORY.
establishment of various colonies in Canada, and the hardy French adventurers penetrn- ted the country by the way of the St. Lawrence and the lakes. In 1625 a number of missionaries of the Society of Jesus arrived in Canada from France, and during the succeeding forty years extended their missions all along the shores of Lake Superior.
In 1637 a child was born at the little eity of Laon, in France, whose destiny it was in the fullness of time to be instrumental in the hands of Providence in giving to the world a definite knowledge of the grandest and most fertile region ever opened up to civilization. That child was James Marquette, the descendant of a family of Celtic nobles. He entered the Society of Jesus when seventeen years of age, and soon conceived a desire to engage in the labors of a missionary among the Indians. He sailed for Quebec in 1666. and two years later founded the mission of Sault Ste. Marie at the Falls of St. Mary. The Winter of 1669-70 he spent at Point St. Ignatius, where he established another mission. Here the old town of Michillimackinac, afterward called Mackinaw, was founded. It was from Indians of the different tribes who came to this mission that he received some vague intimations of the great river-the father of all the rivers. He at once conceived a desire to penetrate to the banks of the wonderful river, and carry his missionary work to the tribes which he had learned inhabited its borders. He applied to his superior, Claude Dablon, for permission to " seek new nations toward the Southern sea." The authorities at Quebec were equally desirous of having new regions explored. and therefore appointed Louis Joliet to embark upon a voyage of discovery. Joliet was a native of Quebec and had been educated in a Jesuit college. He had, at the age of eighteen, taken minor orders, but had abandoned all thoughts of the priesthood and en- gaged in the fur trade. He was now twenty-seven years of age, with a mind ripe for adventure. He left Quebec, and arriving at Mackinaw, found Father Marquette highly delighted with the information that they were to be companions in a voyage which was to extend to the domain of the King of France, as well as to carry the Gospel to new nations of people. The explorers, accompanied by five assistants, who were French Canadians, started on their journey May 13, 1673. Marquette has himself recorded in the following simple language their feelings on this occasion : "We were embarking on a voyage the character of which we could not foresee. Indian corn, with some dried meat, was our whole stock of provisions. With this we set out in two bark canoes, M. Joliet, myself and five men, firmly resolved to do all and suffer all for so glorious an enterprise." They coasted along the northern shore of Lake Michigan, entered Green Bay, and passed up the Fox river, carrying their canoes across the Portage to the "Ouisconsin," now called Wisconsin. At Lake Winnebago, before crossing the Portage, they stopped at an Indian village, which was the furthest outpost to which Dablon and Allouez had ex- tended their missionary work. Here they assembled the chiefs and old men of the village and told them of the objects of the voyage. Pointing to Joliet, Father Marquette said : " My friend is an envoy of France to discover new countries, and I am an ambas- sador from God to enligliten them with the truthis of the Gospel." The Indians furnished two guides to conduct them to the Wisconsin river. It is related that a tribe of Indians endeavored to dissuade them from pursuing their perilous journey by telling of desperate and savage tribes that they would meet; that the forests and the rivers were infested with frightful monsters ; that there were great fish in the rivers that would swallow up men and canoes together, and of a demon who could be heard from a great distance, and who destroyed all who approached. Unmoved by these frightful stories. Marquette, Joliet, and their five brave assistants, launched their little ennoes on the waters of the Wisconsin, and moved slowly down the current. After a lapse of seven days, June 17th, 1673, they reached the mouth of the Wisconsin and glided into the current of the Mis- sissippi, a few miles below the place now known as Prairie du Chien. Here, and on this day, the eye of the white man for the first time looked upon the waters of the Upper Mississippi. Marquette called the river "The Broad River of the Conception." The
11
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY.
Indian name is derived from the Algonquin language, one of the original tongues of the continent. It is a compound of the words Missi, signifying great, and Sepe, a river.
The explorers felt the most intense joy on beholding the scene presented to their enraptured vision. Here was the great river whose waters somewhere thousands of miles away flowed into a southern sea, and whose broad valley was the fairest and richest in the world, but unknown to civilized man, save as an almost forgotten dream or a vague romance. They had solved one of the great mysteries of the age in which they lived. As they glided down the stream the bold bluffs reminded Marquette of the " castled shores of his own beautiful rivers in France." The far-stretching prairies alternating with forests, on either side, were adorned in all the wild glories of June. Birds sang the same notes that they had sung for ages amid these "forests primeval," while herds of buffalo, deer and elk were alarmed and fled to the dense retreats of the forest or the broad prairies beyond. Not until the 25th of June did they discover any signs of human habi- tation. Then, about sixty leagues, as they thought, below the mouth of the Wisconsin, at a place where they landed on the west bank of the river, they found in the sand the foot-prints of man. Marquette and Joliet left their five companions in charge of the canoes and journeyed away from the river, knowing that they must be near the habita- tion of men. They followed a trail leading across a prairie clothed in the wild luxuri- ance of Summer for a distance of about six miles, when they beheld another river and on its banks an Indian village, with other villages on higher land, a mile and a half from the first. The Indians greeted the two white strangers, as far as their ability permitted, with a splendid ovation. They appointed four of their old men to meet the strangers in coun- cil. Marquette could speak their language. They informed him that they were "Illini " (meaning " we are men "), and presenting the calumet of peace, invited them to share the hospitalities of their village. Marquette told them of the object of their visit, and that they had been sent by the French, who were their friends. He told them of the great God that the white man worshipped who was the same Great Spirit that they adored. In answer, one of the chiefs addressed them as follows :
"I thank the Black Gown Chief (Marquette) and the Frenchman (Joliet) for taking so much pains to come and visit us ; never has the earth been so beautiful, nor the sun so bright as now ; never has the river been so calm, nor so free from rocks, which your canoes have removed as they passed ; never has our tobacco had so fine a flavor, nor our corn appeared so beautiful as we behold it to-day. Ask the Great Spirit to give us life and health, and come ye and dwell with us."
After these ceremonies the strangers were invited to a feast, an account of which is given by Marquette. It consisted of four courses. First, there was a large wooden bowl filled with tagmity, or Indian meal, boiled in water and seasoned with oil. The master of cermonies, with a wooden spoon, fed the tagmity to their guests as children are fed. The second course consisted of fish, which, after the bones were taken out, was presented to the mouths of the strangers as food may be fed to a bird. The third course was a preparation of dog meat, but learning that the strangers did not eat that, it was at once removed. The fourth and final course was a piece of buffalo meat, the fattest por- tion of which were put into the mouths of the guests.
The stream on whose banks took place this first interview between the explorers and the untutored Indians, after parting with their guides, was the Des Moines river, and the place of their landing was probably about where the town of Montrose is now located, in Lee county, Iowa. One of our sweetest American poets has rendered Marquette's nar- rative in verse, as follows :
"Came a people From the distant land of Wabun ; From the farthest realms of morning Came the Black Robe Chief, the Prophet, He the Priest of Prayer, the Pale-face,
12
THE NORTHWEST TERRITORY
With his guides and his companions. And the noble Hiawatha, With his hand aloft extended, Held aloft in sign of welcome, Cried aloud and spoke in this wise :
'Beautiful is the sun, O strangers, When you come so far to see us ; All our lown in peace awaits you ;
All our doors stand open for you ; You shall enter all our wigwams ; For the heart's right hand we give you. Never bloomed the earth so gayly. Never shone the sun so brightly.
As to-day they shine and blossom
When you came so far lo see us.' And the Black Robe Chief made answer.
Stammered in his speech a little,
Speaking words yet unfamiliar :
' Peace be with you, Hiawatha, Peace be with you and your people,
Peace of prayer, and peace of pardon,
Peace of Christ, and joy of Mary !' Then the generous Ifia watha, Led the strangers to his wigwam,
Seated them on skins of bison,
Seated them on skins of ermine,
Brought them food in bowls of bass - wood,
Water brought in birchen dippers,
And the calumet, the peace - pipe.
Filled and lighted for their smoking. All the warriors of the nation,
Came to bid the strangers welcome ;
' It is well,' they said, ' O brother. That you came so far lo see us.'
Marquette and Joliet remained at the Indian villages six days, and were then accom- panied to their canoes by an escort of six hundred Indians. Invitations were extended to the strangers to renew their visit, after which the explorers embarked in their boats and floated on down the stream, passing the sites of future great cities of the valley, and passing the mouths of the Missouri and Ohio rivers, and as far down as the month of the Arkansas. Marquette named the Missouri river Pekitanoni, or " Muddy Water," on ac- count of the now well - known character of that stream.
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