USA > Illinois > Champaign County > A Standard history of Champaign County Illinois : an authentic narrative of the past, with particular attention to the modern era in the commercial, industrial, civic and social development : a chronicle of the people, with family lineage and memoirs, Volume I > Part 6
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Art. V. The term for which the officers of the association shall be elected shall be one year from the 1st day of January next ensuing after their election.
Art. VI. The annual election of officers shall be held each year at the October quarterly meeting.
Art. VII. At all elections the holder of one share shall be entitled to one vote; the holder of two or more shares to two votes.
Art. VIII. This association shall have a seal, which shall be circular in form, and hear the following superscription on its face: "The Champaign County Agricultural, Horticultural and Mechanical Association."
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
Art. IX. This Constitution and By-Laws may be altered or sus- pended by a majority vote of all the capital stock.
Art. X. Quorum-At all meetings one-third of the stock taken shall be represented to constitute a quorum.
THE FARMERS' CLUB AND FAIR ASSOCIATION
The Farmers' Club was also an early organization which did a good work, and the first farmers' institute was organized about 1873, but was a short-lived affair. The so-called Fair Association had charge of the agricultural and live stock exhibits, originally held in and near the courthouse square. The first regular fair grounds were four blocks south of the courthouse. H. J. Dunlap, now of Kankakee, who was prominently connected with these organizations in the early days, says that the Fair Association went out of existence about 1900, and adds : "The first fair was held in courthouse square in 1852, the first one which I attended being in 1856. In a year or so ground was purchased for the fair north of the city, near the new cemetery. I think that fairs were held there until about 1870 when the old association disbanded, and a new company purchased forty acres of what is now known as Fair- view, or then ground west of the university."
After the disbandment of the old Fair Association, as just stated, the Champaign County Fair and Driving Association was incorporated on March 3, 1905. The former fair grounds in Champaign were sold and platted into a city addition known as Fairland Place, one of the most desirable residence sections of the city. The new organization procured commodious grounds just north of Urbana, on which the county fair is held annually. The officers of the association for 1917 are: Fred Rising, president; H. D. Oldham, secretary ; Lewis Prather, treasurer.
CHAMPAIGN COUNTY FARMERS' INSTITUTE
The present Champaign County Farmers' Institute was organized in January, 1891, more than four years before the creation of the Illi- nois Farmers' Institute. The State body came into being through a legislative Act approved June 24, 1895. The original Act, with its several amendments, provides that the body shall consist of three dele- gates from each county of the State, elected annually, and that its affairs shall be managed by a board of directors, consisting of the state superintendent of public instruction, the professor of agriculture of the State of Illinois, president of the State Board of Agriculture, president of the State Horticultural Society and president of the State
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
Dairymen's Association. Its superintendent of institutes "shall devote his entire time to the organization, promotion and general super- vision of the farmers' institute work in the State, under the direction of the board of directors and the executive committee. He shall organize a bureau of speakers, the same to include farmers, dairymen, horticulturists, live stock breeders, feeders anl others who have adopted scientific and practical methods-secured beneficial results, and are able to tell about them, together with such instructors from the College of Agriculture and Experiment Station as may be assigned to the institute
A CANNING CLUB IN ACTION
work and whose allotment of time shall be under his direction. These speakers shall be assigned work as far as possible, in accordance with the wishes of the district directors, officers of the Department of House- hold Science (where their interests may appear) and the county institute officers. He shall make recommendations as to lines of work which he believes will prove profitable for the ensuing year, together with general plans for their execution and estimates of expense."
The State body cooperates closely with the county farmers' insti- tutes, delegates heing called together for conference who comprise one general representative from each county institute and one delegate from
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
the Department of Household Science, when organized, as well as the county superintendent of schools. The purpose of these conferences is to arrange the times and places for holding the next county insti- tutes and to cooperate in securing speakers. If the officers of a county farmers' institute fail to arrange for the holding of meetings as pro- vided for in the act of incorporation, the Board of Directors of the Illinois Farmers' Institute may furnish instructors for, and hold such meetings as may be beneficial to the agricultural interest of said county. The sum of $75 is provided for the purpose of holding one or more annual meetings of the county institute, and in 1911 the Legislature
MODERN DUMP CRIB AND FEED MILL
passed an Act authorizing a county board to appropriate $300 (no more) "for use of county farmers' institutes in their efforts to promote the adoption of the latest approved methods of crop production, the improvement of live stock, the conservation of soil fertility and the improvement of agricultural conditions generally."
The membership of the farmers' institute is unlimited. There are no initiation or membership fees, and the meetings are open to the public free of charge; anyone who wishes may be present and take part in the discussions, in the administration of the business and in the election of its officers.
Through the courtesy of Mrs. H. A. McKeene, secretary of the Illi-
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
nois Farmers' Institute, the following information is furnished regarding the Champaign County Farmers' Institute, comprising, as will be seen, the time and places of meeting of the different institutes, and the years of service of its principal elective officers :
Meetings-January 7-8, 1891, Champaign; January 19-20, 1892, Homer ; February 4-5-6, 1893, Rantoul ; February 23-24, 1894, Fisher ; January 2-3, 1895, Champaign; January 2-3, 1896, St. Joseph; Feb- ruary 25-26, 1896, Urbana; January 21-22, 1897, Champaign; December 14-15, 1897, Urbana; January 18-19, 1899, Sidney; January 18-19, 1900, Philo; January 17-18, 1901, Rantoul; February 13-14, 1901, Tolono; January 7-8-9, 1902, Champaign; February 13-14, 1902, Mahomet; September 23-24, 1902, Philo; January 13-14, 1903, Fisher; October 7-8, 1903, Pesotum ; January 13-14, 1904, St. Joseph; October 12-13, 1904, Sadorus; February 14-15, 1905, Urbana; January 16-17, 1906, Philo; October 11-12, 1906, Tolono; January 16-17, 1908, Peso- tum; December 10-11, 1908, Homer; January 14-15, 1909, Ludlow; December 16-17, 1909, Fisher; January 13-14, 1910, Sidney ; December 15-16, 1910, Mahomet; February 8-9, 1911, Rantoul; October 10-11, 1911, Sadorus; December 12-13, 1911, Ogden; October 15, 1912, Sey- mour ; October 16, 1912, Tolono; October 17-18, 1912, Ivesdale ; October 14, 1913, Ludlow; October 15, 1913, Gifford; October 16, 1913, Foos- land; October 6, 1914, Pesotum; October 7, 1914, Sidney; October 8, 1914, Seymour; October 9, 1914, Newcomb; March 4-5, 1915, Homer ; October 5-6, 1915, South Raymond; October 7-8, 1915, Newcomb Cen- ter; September 26-27, 1916, South Raymond; September 28-29, 1916, Fisher ; October 3-4, 1916, St. Joseph.
Presidents-C. Dyer, Mahomet, January, 1891-97; J. M. Love, Philo, December, 1897-99; Isaac S. Raymond, Philo, 1899-1911; M. O. Stover, Mahomet, 1911-13; W. B. O'Neal, Sadorus, 1914; Wilson P. Jones, Champaign, 1914-17.
Secretaries-Z. R. Genung, Rantoul, 1891-97; J. A. Hossack, Cham- paign, 1897-1914; J. Ray Stanner, Urbana, 1915-17.
Treasurers-Z. R. Genung, Rantoul, 1891-97; M. A. Dewey, Urbana, 1897-99; Z. R. Genung, 1899-1915; W. B. O'Neal, Sadorus, 1915-16; J. Ray Stanner, Urbana, 1917.
The Department of Household Science, to which several refer- ences have been made, was organized in 1898 as a distinct division of the Illinois Farmers' Institute and the county organizations. Its objects are well set forth in the following paragraphs published in the year books of the State body for 1914 and 1915: "The conservation of the home is woman's chief business, and scientific home management is the only executive plan for us to follow. Let us give to the world our
THRESHING SCENE
STEAM TRACTOR IN ORCHARD
1-3
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
experiences. History and records of home-making are as valuable to humanity and civilization as the history of any other phase of life."
"No community can rise higher than the standard of its homes. We believe the home can reconstruct better than school, better than church and better than state, but all must stand together, for whatever affects the home affects the state. To interest women in all that per- tains to home-making, their highest known profession, is the object of this organization."
Another, and perhaps even a more definite conception of the scope of the Department of Household Science, may be gained by a mention of the titles of some of the addresses presented and discussed at its meetings. They follow : "A Four Course Vegetable Luncheon ;" "Com- fort and Beauty in the Home ;" "Common Sense in Dress ;" "Cooperation in the Business of the Home ;" "Foods for Health ;" "Millinery ;" "Neigh- borhood Cooperation ;" "The Underaveraged Child in the Home;" "The Farm Woman's Birthright;" "Home Canning of Fruits and Vegeta- bles ;" "Boys' and Girls' Clubs ;" "Quick Breads;" "Salads and Sand- wiches ;" "The Building of a Country Home;" "The Planning of Meals."
THE FARM BUREAU
The Farm Bureau, which is doing work somewhat similar to that of the institute, is an outgrowth of the Farmers' League, and was incor- porated in September, 1913. Its annual expenses of over $5,000 are met by the subscriptions of its 435 members, amounting to about $3,000; a $1,000 appropriation from the board of county commissioners; $900 contributed by the University of Illinois and $300 by the National Department of Agriculture. The subscriptions are graduated according to the size of the farms, and the active lecturer and adviser, known as the "farm expert," is C. H. Oathout. The president of the bureau is W. P. Jones, and the secretary James A. Hossack, who held the position so long with the Champaign County Farmers' Institute.
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CHAPTER II
HISTORIC RULE OF THE WHITES
PROGRESS OF THE FRENCH THROUGH GREAT INTERIOR WATERWAYS- MARQUETTE AND JOLIET ON ILLINOIS SOIL-INDIAN PAINTINGS ON THE BLUFFS-SLAYING OF THE MONSTER-OUTLINED IN DEATII- THE SO-CALLED "PIASA" BIRD-THE RETURN JOURNEY-UP THE ILLINOIS RIVER-JOLIET LOSES DATA IN THE ST. LAWRENCE- DEATH OF MARQUETTE-TRIUMPHS OF LA SALLE-HIS BRAVE LIEU- TENANT, TONTI-LA SALLE STARTS FOR THE ILLINOIS COUNTRY -- TONTI JOINS LA SALLE AT FORT MIAMI-IN THE ILLINOIS COUNTRY -DESERTED KASKASKIA VILLAGE WITH SUPPLIES-INTERVIEWS THE KASKASKIAS-BUILDS FORT CREVECOEUR BELOW PEORIA-SENDS EXPEDITION TO UPPER MISSISSIPPI-DEPARTS FOR FORT FRONTENAC, LEAVING TONTI BEHIND-IROQUOIS RAVAGES AT STARVED ROCK AND FORT CREVECOEUR-LA SALLE ASSASSINATED-DEATH OF TONTI- PERMANENT PIONEER SETTLEMENTS OF ILLINOIS-FORT CHARTRES, CENTER OF ILLINOIS DISTRICT-FIRST LAND GRANT IN DISTRICT- PRAIRIE DU ROCHER-LIFE AT THE PIONEER FRENCH-ILLINOIS SETTLEMENTS-ILLINOIS COMES DIRECTLY UNDER ROYAL CONTROL -ILLINOIS SPIRITUALLY ASSIGNED TO THE JESUITS-FAILURES RESULT IN GOOD-FORTUNATE AND PROGRESSIVE ILLINOIS-FRENCH- ENGLISHI CONTESTS FOR THE OHIO VALLEY-FORT CHARTRES REBUILT BY THE FRENCH-ILLINOIS TRIUMPHS OVER VIRGINIA- FORT DUQUESNE ABANDONED-NEW FORT CHARTRES PASSES INTO BRITISH HANDS-ST. LOUIS FOUNDED UNDER A MISAPPREHENSION -LAST FRENCH STRONGHOLD FALLS-ENGLISH JUDGES SIT AT FORT CHARTRES-PONTIAC BURIED AT ST. LOUIS-LAST OF FORT CHARTRES -KASKASKIA TAKEN BY AMERICANS UNDER CLARK-BLOODLESS CAPTURE OF VINCENNES-VIRGINIA CREATES COUNTY OF ILLINOIS- CONDITION OF ILLINOIS WHEN TODD ARRIVED-MILITARY AND CIVIL PERSONNEL-AMERICAN CIVIL GOVERNMENT NORTHWEST OF THE OHIO-OLD ST. CLAIR COUNTY-THE COUNTY DIVIDED LEGISLA- TURE OF NORTHIWEST TERRITORY-DIVISION INTO TWO TERRITORIES- ILLINOIS TERRITORY CREATED-FIRST ILLINOIS PREEMPTION LAW- FIRST STATE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION-STATE MACHINERY IN MOTION-ILLINOIS BLACK CODE-ILLINOIS COUNTIES IN 1818-NEW
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
CAPITAL, VANDALIA-EARLY PERIOD OF WILD-CAT BANKING THE SLAVERY ISSUE (1822-24)-THE FAMOUS SANGAMON COUNTRY- FUNDAMENTAL SCHOOL LEGISLATION-STATE BANK IN LIQUIDATION -SYSTEM OF INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS-CAPITAL MOVED TO SPRING- FIELD-REMAINS OF INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS SYSTEM-REVISING THE OLD CONSTITUTION-THE CONSTITUTION OF 1848-BANKING LEGISLATION-REAL WILD-CAT BANKS-THE NATIONAL BANKING SYSTEM-THE CONSTITUTION OF 1870-BUILDING AND LOAN ASSOCIATIONS AUTHORIZED.
What was the old Northwest Territory, between the Ohio and the Mississippi Rivers, and what are now the State of Illinois and Champaign County remained under French dominion for nearly a century-from the historic voyages of Marquette and Joliet, in 1672-73, to the sur- render of Fort Chartres to the English in 1765. These pioneers of French discovery revealed to the world two great waterways from their northern domain to the portentious Father of Waters, which was discovered to cleave a new continent in twain, instead of being either diverted to the South Seas or the Atlantic Ocean. Their ascent of the Illinois, on their return voyage, as a shorter and easier route between the Great Lakes and the Great River, was significant of the commencement of an era which marked the trend of the most wonderful development in North America of every material and intellectual force which advances the civilization of the white man of the western hemisphere.
PROGRESS OF THE FRENCH THROUGH GREAT INTERIOR WATERWAYS
The grand march of French exploration and discovery up the valley of the St Lawrence, through Cartier and Champlain; around the fringes of the upper Great Lakes and gradually into the outlying country by the same far-seeing, brave and patriotic Champlain; the wonderful combination of Church and State, which penetrated the wilderness, subdued its savages both by the mysteries of Catholicism, gentle and brotherly offices and the pageantry of a gorgeous government-all these successive steps leading to the voyages of Marquette and Joliet which drove the wedge into the very center of the American continent and commenced to let in the light of the world, have been so often told that they comprise the common knowledge of the reading universe.
MARQUETTE AND JOLIET ON ILLINOIS SOIL
A landing on Illinois soil was effected on their trip down the
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
Mississippi, in June, 1673. On the 17th of that month their canoes, containing Joliet, Marquette, five French boatmen, or voyageurs, and two Indian guides, shot from the mouth of the Wisconsin into the broad Mississippi. The voyagers were filled with a joy unspeakable. The journey now began down the stream without any ceremony. Marquette made accurate observations of the lay of the land, the vege- tation and the animals. Among the animals he mentions are deer, moose, and all sorts of fish, turkeys, wild cattle, and small game.
Somewhere, probably below Rock Island, the voyagers discovered footprints and they knew that the Illinois were not far away. Marquette and Joliet left their boats in the keeping of the five Frenchmen and after prayers they departed into the interior, following the tracks of the Indians. They soon came to an Indian village. The chiefs received the two whites with very great ceremony. The peace pipe was smoked and Joliet, who was trained in all the Indian languages, told them of the purpose of their visit to this Illinois country. A chief responded and after giving the two whites some presents among which were a calumet and an Indian slave boy, the chief warned them not to go further down the river for great dangers awaited them. Marquette replied that they did not fear death and nothing would please them more than to lose their lives in God's service.
After promising the Indians they would come again, they retired to their boats, accompanied by six hundred warriors from the village. They departed from these Indians about the last of June and were soon on their journey down the river.
INDIAN PAINTINGS ON THE BLUFFS
As they moved southward the bluffs became quite a marked feature of the general landscape. After passing the mouth of the Illinois River, they came to unusually high bluffs on the Illinois side of the Mississippi. At a point about six miles above the present city of Alton, they dis- covered on the high smooth-faced bluffs a very strange object, which Marquette describes as follows : "As we coasted along the rocks, frightful for their height and length, we saw two monsters painted on these rocks, which startled us at first, and on which the boldest Indian dare not gaze long. They are as large as a calf, with horns on the head like a deer, a frightful look, red eyes, bearded like a tiger, the face somewhat like a man's, the body covered with scales and the tail so long that it twice makes the turn of the body, passing over the head and down between the legs, and ending at last in a fish's tail. Green, red, and a kind of black are the colors employed. On the whole, these two monsters are
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
so well painted that we could not believe any Indian to have been the designer, as good painters in France would find it hard to do as well; besides this, they are so high upon the rock that it is hard to get conveniently at them to paint them."
SLAYING OF THE MONSTER
In an early day in Illinois, the description of these monsters was quite current in the western part of the state. So also was a tradition that these monsters actually inhabited a great cave near. It described, however, but a single monster and but a single picture. The tradition said that this monster was a hideous creature with wings, and great claws, and great teeth. It was accustomed to devour every living thing which came within its reach; men, women, and children, and animals of all kinds. The Indians had suffered great loss of their people from its ravages and a council of war was held to devise some means by which its career might be ended. Among other schemes for its extermination was a proposition by a certain young warrior to the effect that, upon the departure of the beast on one of his long flights for food, he would volunteer to be securely tied to stakes on the ledge in front of the mouth of the cave, and that a sufficient number of other warriors of the tribe should be stationed near with their poisoned arrows so that when the bird should return from its flight they might slay it.
This proposition was accepted and on a certain day the bird took its accustomed flight. The young warrior who offered to sacrifice his life was securely bound to strong stakes in front of the mouth of the cave. The warriors who were to slay the beast were all safely hidden in the rocks and debris near. In the afternoon the monster was seen returning from its long journey. Upon lighting near its cave, it discovered the young warrior and immediately attacked him, fastening its claws and teeth in his body. The thongs held him securely and the more it strove to escape with its prey the more its claws became entangled in the thongs.
At a concerted moment the warriors all about opened upon the monster with their poisoned arrows, and before the beast could extricate itself, its life blood was ebbing away. Its death had been compassed.
OUTLINED IN DEATH
The warriors took the body and, stretching it out so as to get a good picture of it, marked the form and painted it as it was seen by Marquette. Because the tribes of Indians had suffered such destruction of life by
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
this monster, an edict went forth that every warrior who went by this bluff should discharge at least one arrow at the painting. This the Indians continued religiously to do. In later years when guns displaced arrows among the Indians, they continued to shoot at the painting as they passed and thus it is said the face of the painting was greatly marred.
THE SO-CALLED "PIASA" BIRD
Judge Joseph Gillespie, of Edwardsville, Illinois, a prolific writer and a man of unimpeachable character wrote in 1883 as follows: "I saw what was called the picture sixty years since, long before it was marred by quarrymen or the tooth of time, and I never saw anything which would have impressed my mind that it was intended to represent a bird. I saw daubs of coloring matter that I supposed exuded from the rocks that might, to very impressible people, bear some resemblance to a bird or a dragon, after they were told to look at it in that light, just as we fancy in certain arrangements of the stars we see animals, etc., in the constellations. I did see the marks of the bullets shot by the Indians against the rocks in the vicinity of the so-called picture. Their object in shooting at this I never could comprehend. I do not think the story had its origin among the Indians or was one of their superstitions, but was introduced to the literary world by John Russell, of Bluff Dale, Illinois, who wrote a beautiful story about it."
The bluff has long since disappeared through the use of the stone for building purposes.
As Marquette and Joliet proceeded down the river they passed the mouth of the Missouri, which at that time was probably subject to a great flood. When considerably below the mouth of the Kaskaskia River they came to a very noted object-at least the Indians had many stories about it. This is what is known today as the Grand Tower. This great rock in the Mississippi causes a great commotion in the water of the river and probably was destructive of canoes in those days.
On they went down the river past the mouth of the Ohio, into the region of semi-tropical sun and vegetation. The cane-brakes lined the banks, and the mosquitoes became plentiful and very annoying. Here also, probably in the region of Memphis, they stopped and held councils with the Indians. They found the Indians using guns, axes, hoes, knives. beads, etc., and when questioned as to where they got these articles, they said to the eastward. These Indians told the travelers that it was not more than ten days' travel to the mouth of the river. They proceeded on down the river till they reached Choctaw Bend, in latitude 33 degrees and 40 minutes. Here they stopped, held a conference, and decided to go no further.
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HISTORY OF CHAMPAIGN COUNTY
THE RETURN JOURNEY
They justified their return in the following manner: First, they were satisfied that the Mississippi emptied into the Gulf of Mexico, and not into the Gulf of California, nor into the Atlantic Ocean in Virginia. Second, they feared a conflict with the Spaniards, who occupied and claimed the Gulf coast. Third, they feared the Indians of the lower Mississippi, for they used firearms and might oppose their further prog- ress south. Fourth, they had acquired all the information they started out to obtain.
UP THE ILLINOIS RIVER
And so, on the 17th of July, 1674, they turned their faces homeward. They had been just two months, from May 17th to July 17th, on their journey. They had traveled more than a thousand miles. They had faced all forms of danger and had undergone all manner of hardships. Their provisions had been obtained en route. France owes them a debt of gratitude which will never be fully paid. Indeed not only France, but the world is their debtor.
Nothing of interest occurred on their return journey until they reached the mouth of the Illinois River. Here they were told by some Indians that there was a much shorter route to Green Bay than by way of the upper Mississippi and the Wisconsin and Fox portage. This shorter route was up the Illinois River to the Chicago portage and thence along Lake Michigan to Green Bay.
Marquette and Joliet proceeded up the Illinois River. When passing by Peoria Lake they halted for three days. While here Marquette preached the gospel to the natives. Just as Marquette was leaving they brought him a dying child which he baptized. When in the vicinity of Ottawa, they came to a village of the Kaskaskia Indians. Marquette says there were seventy-four cabins in the village and that the Indians received them kindly. They tarried but a short time and were escorted from this point up the Illinois and over the Chicago portage by one of the Kaskaskia chiefs and several young warriors.
JOLIET LOSES DATA IN THE ST. LAWRENCE
While in the village of the Kaskaskias, Marquette told the story of the Cross to the natives, and they were so well pleased with it that they made him promise to return to teach them more about Jesus. Marquette and Joliet reached Green Bay in the month of September, 1673. Prob- ably they both remained here during the ensuing winter. In the summer
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