USA > Illinois > Knox County > Annals of Knox County : commemorating centennial of admission of Illinois as a state of the Union in 1818 > Part 7
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her marriage to John Wilson in 1862, they were moved across the road in Truro township.
The first Post Office in Elba, however, was at the home of Jacob Kightlinger, and in 1870 one was established on Section 15, called Spoon River, but the following year the name was changed to Elba Centre. There was also a store here, Miss Rebecca Boyes, an aunt of County Superintendent of Schools, W. F. Boyes, being Postmistress and store-keeper.
Felix Thurman put up the first saw-mill in the township, on French Creek. It was a small mill, run by water power. There was at one time a tile factory on the farm of George W. Smith, on Section 24; E. A. Ellsworth also owned one on Sec- tion 1, and there were brick kilns on Section 13 and 14, but these industries have long since passed away.
In early days Samuel Tucker kept a tavern at his home, a double log house on Section 2.
Coal was discovered in 1847, on Section 15, by Jacob Kightlinger.
Elba township was organized in April, 1853, as Liberty township, but the same year its name was changed to Elba. N. S. Barber was named Moderator and J. W. Himes, Clerk. Forty-nine votes were cast, resulting in the choice of James H. Nicholson for Supervisor ; H. L. Bailey, Assessor ; Henry Smith, Collector; J. W. Himes, Clerk ; H. Oberholtzer, John West and K. Himes, Commissioners of Highways; John West and B. F. Johnson, Justices of the Peace; William Searles, Overseer of the Poor; Henry Smith, Constable.
The present officers are: H. W. Oberholtzer, Supervisor; J. P. Cecil, Assessor ; Thomas Stroub, Highway Commissioner ; Ralph Baird, Clerk ; William Fuller, Justice of the Peace.
Rev. S. S. Miles, a Methodist minister, preached the first sermon in the township at the home of Mr. Lambert, in 1839. Preachers would come through the country and services would be held at different homes, on any day. After the school houses were built, services were held in them. The Rev. Cross, who figures prominently in Underground Railroad affairs, lived in this township and preached at various places. In Oct. 1854, he lectured to a fair-sized crowd in the newly-built Pleasant Hill school house, the first meeting held in the building. For years quarterly meetings were held in groves through the township and "protracted" meetings in the various school houses. Sun- day School was held in the school houses, also.
The first church was built by the Methodists, in 1874, on Section 17, and was dedicated in June of that year, by Presi- dent Evans of Hedding College. No regular services have been held in this church for some time now. In 1875 the Presby-
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terians built a Church on Section 10, but as many of the mem- bers soon after died or left the township, the building was sold and moved. In 1876 the Methodists erected a church on Sec- tion 13, which is called Bethel. No services have been held here for some months. In early days the Bible and religion were the principal subjects for discussion whenever thinking men got together, taking the place now filled by politics and events of the day.
At one time there was a strong leaning toward temper- ance in the community and a Good Templar Lodge was organ- ized in 1867, and a hall built on Section 16, but gradually inter- est died out, and the members dropped out one by one. In 1876 the building was sold and turned into a dwelling.
The first farms received very little cultivation; indeed it was not needed to raise a good crop. When the hazel-brush was cleared off the land, the soil was very productive, and it is said that on this newly cleared land, after the seed had been scattered by hand, it was sometimes brushed into the soil by drawing the bough of a tree over it. On prairie land the sod was sometimes cut with a spade and the seed dropped into the cut. Usually however, new land was broken with a breaking plow drawn by several yoke of oxen. With these plows, brush eight or ten feet tall would be turned under. A free negro, named Solomon Bradley, did considerable breaking for Elba farmers.
When ready to harvest the grain was cut with a cradle and threshed out on the barn floor either with flails or trampled by horses. Corn when harvested and even wheat was often piled up on the ground outside, with no protection but a rail pen around it, but little spoilage resulting.
At first the amount of live stock raised was comparatively small, as there was not a very good market for it. Hogs had to be killed and dressed on the farm, then hauled from 10 to 40 miles or even farther, to market. After the railroad from Peoria to Galesburg was built, and it became possible to ship live stock to market, more cattle and hogs were raised on the farms, until at the present day it is no uncommon thing to see a drove of from 100 to 200 on a farm.
There are many good herds of cattle found on the farms of Elba, some being pure-bred, while others are high grade. The first pure-bred Shorthorn cattle were brought into the township by G. W. Kennedy in 1866, and at one time he had a herd of 126 head. Some years ago there was a strong inclin- ation toward the raising of Dairy cattle, but of late, owing to the inability of the farmers to secure competent help, and to the high price of dairy feeds, more dual-purpose and beef cattle are being kept.
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At first there were very few sheep kept, because the wolves and dogs were so destructive to them, but about the time of the Civil War, when wool became so scarce and high- priced, many farmers bought flocks or added to those they already had. Within the last few years, also, there has been considerable increase in sheep-raising, caused by the high prices of wool and mutton. The first sheep were the coarse- wool kind, but were soon succeeded by the Merino variety. Today the medium wool are about the only kind that are raised here. Many farmers of the township are also interested in raising pure-bred horses.
June 5, 1844, a most destructive wind and rain storm vis- ited Elba township as well as the rest of the county. Houses and barns were unroofed or destroyed and other damage done. It is likely that this is the storm which took the roof off the Widow King's home, destroying much of her personal property.
In May, 1858, another severe storm visited this township. Mrs. James King recalls that all the windows on the west side of their house, both upstairs and down were broken by the hail, and the rain poured in in such volume that, the upstairs floors being tight, it ran down the stairway, like a river. In the northwest part of the township a Mrs. Farster was killed by the storm, and on the farm of J. H. Nicholson a large new born was blown off its foundation.
In August, 1907, a storm of wind, rain and hail passed through the township breaking windows, up-rooting trees and destroying crops. Hail stones, having the circumference of baseballs, but with uneven, jagged edges, were picked up in the path of the storm.
There have been several notably severe snow storms, the worst ones in January and February, 1885, and December, 1917 and January, 1918. In both of these a great amount of snow fell, accompanied by high winds which caused it to drift badly, completely filling and blockading roads, making travel impos- sible for several days. Even railroad trains were caught in snowdrifts and unable to get through for a couple of days. As the temperature was well below zero, much. suffering was caused both to people and animals.
In the Fall of 1869 or '70, in the northeast part of the township, a little Cowley child wandered away and was lost. The mother was attending a quilting at the home of a neigh- bor. She supposed the child, a little boy of some 2 or 3 years, was playing with the others, but when she was ready to go home he was not to be found. Search about the place failed to reveal him, and soon the entire neighborhood was aroused. The little fellow, thinly clad and without wraps, was found the ยท next morning, face downward on the frozen ground, by his dis-
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tracted grandfather, William King. He had died of exposure.
In pioneer days the homes were very simple and scantily furnished. Because of the great distance the early settlers had to come to reach their new homes, and the difficulty of transportation, only such articles were brought along as were deemed necessary. A few dishes and cooking utensils, some chairs, a table, a bed or two, and their bedding would comprise their household furnishings. Often beds would be built into the side or corner of the home, thus simplyfying matters. Many families also owned spinning wheels and looms, and the mother spun yarn and wove cloth for her family's garments. Later rag carpets were woven on these looms, and the homes were thus made more comfortable.
At first fireplaces served both for heating and cooking ; these gradually gave place to cook stoves and heating stoves, which today are replaced in many homes by the kitchen range and furnace. The dirt or bare wood floors and rag carpets gave place to carpets of ingrain and brussels and these in turn to polished hardwood floors and velvet rugs.
At first the tallow dip, or candle furnished light, but was superseded by the kerosene lamp, and this in many homes by electric lights or acetylene gas.
The heavy stone-china or pewter dishes have been replaced by china, glass and silver, and the iron pots and skillets by those of aluminum and enameled ware.
The washing and sewing machines, the power churn, vacuum cleaner and bread-mixer have been brought into many homes to make easier the farm woman's work.
Where fifty years ago the organ in an Elba home was a novelty, today there are very few homes without an organ, piano, phonograph or musical instrument of some sort.
As the pioneers became prosperous and conditions easier, the old log cabin was found insufficient and new and more commodious homes of frame or brick were built. Many of these houses, built fifty or sixty years ago, are still in use, and, so substantial were the materials of which they were made, and so thorough the workmanship employed in their construction that today they compare favorably with houses built many years later. Of these homes, probably none is much if any older than the brick house built by J. H. Nicholson on Section 25 in 1848, which is at present the home of his grandson.
Life was by no means all work and no play for the early settlers. There were house-raisings and barn-raisings to call the men together and quite needless to say there was always much pleasure to be had at such a time. At butchering time also
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several neighbors would be called in to help. The women had their quiltings and apple-parings, while the young people took especial delight in singing and spelling school and dances. Vis- iting played an important part in the lives of these hard- working people and helped to keep alive in the community a spirit of neighborliness and good-fellowship.
They were a very hospitable people, and though their accommodations might be meager, seldom was the traveler turned away from their door, even though he were a stranger.
On the whole the residents of Elba are very prosperous ; most of the farms are attractively located, well cultivated and improved and the houses generally comfortable and commod- ious buildings, some having all the conveniences of city homes.
Elba has always done her part in whatever way she was called upon. During the Civil War she sent her share of sol- diers to the front, and fine young men they were, too, some of whom did not live to come back to their homes, but found graves in Southern battlefields. During the recent World War she sent her quota of noble manhood, regardless of the fact that they could ill be spared, and gave generously of money to help the Red Cross and other war activities.
This is the only township in the county without a railroad. Neither is there a Post Office or business house of any kind within its limits. About three-fourths of the township is fine, rolling prairie, with a rich, black, loamy soil, especially suited to the production of cereals, being one of the best townships in the county for that purpose. A yield of 52 bushels of wheat per acre and 75 bushels of oats has been known.
The population in 1910 was 619.
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ANNALS OF GALESBURG By Martha Farnham Webster
The annals of Galesburg are cherished in the hearts of her children. The children of the Founders, their children, and their children's children, for generations to come, may well look back with emotions of pride and veneration upon the suc- cessful fulfillment of a worthy purpose by those men and women of sterling worth and noble achievement-the Found- ers of Galesburg-the Colonists of 1836-37.
The founding of Galesburg was the fulfillment of a dream which took hold upon the fancy of the Rev. George W. Gale of Whitesboro, N. Y., and which held him under its potent spell until it became a ruling passion with him. It came to him not only as a "dream, in a vision of the night when deep sleep fall- eth upon man," but by day and by night, for many days and nights in succession it held in thrall, until no longer able or willing to ignore its influence, he yielded to its spell and gave up a work which he had successfully promoted for seven years and devoted his every talent and energy to the carrying out of a plan which had been maturing in his thought and seeking fulfillment at his hand.
Before entering into a discussion of this plan, viz., a scheme for the founding of an institution of learning somewhere in the far, unknown western country which had begun to stretch forth beckoning hands to the substantial citizens of New York and New England to come out and possess the land, let us learn something of the previous history of that man who was above all others the founder of the town, the college, and the church, and whose name set as a signet in the name of our fair city, shall be held in honored remembrance so long as the city itself remains.
George Washington Gale was born in Stanford, Dutchess County, New York, December 3, 1789. He was the only son and the youngest child of his parents, and was of frail consti- tution and delicate health. At eight years of age he was left an orphan to the care of his older sisters, of whom there were eight, all of them well-married and living in the home neigh- borhood. Naturally their oversight of the young, only brother was most tender and loving, but it was also tinged with the austerity which characterized the rigid methods of family government in that period. They kept him constantly em- ployed, either in study, or in the thousand nameless duties that fall to the lot of a willing and obedient boy on a large farm.
George Gale was ambitious and much devoted to study, and at an early age he entered Union College in Schenectady,
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N. Y., successfully completed the course of study and was graduated with honor. From Union College he went to Prince- ton Theological Seminary, then, as now, one of the leading Theological schools of this country. But his health did not permit him to complete the course of study in the Seminary, and greatly to his regret, he was compelled to leave the school, hoping, however, to return at some future time to finish his course. This he did in 1819, at thirty years of age. In the meantime he had been licensed to preach, and during the period of rest from his studies, he labored as a Home Missionary in a comparatively new territory in northern New York. During this period he was actively engaged in evangelistic work and was the means of organizing a number of churches in that ter- ritory. Returning to Princeton and completing the course there, he immediately thereafter accepted a call to the church at Adams, Jefferson County, N. Y., riding thither on horse- back from Princeton, New Jersey.
After a time failing health again compelled Mr. Gale to give up his work, and he resigned from this, his first and last regular pastorate, much to the regret of all. Seeking health in a milder climate, he went to Virginia and spent some months there. His experiences in the South and his contact and inter- course with people of a different type broadened his vision and taught him lessons which were of value to him in later years. Step by step he was led into experiences which would especially fit him for taking up the crowning work of his life.
Improved in health, Mr. Gale returned to New York, but found himself still unable to take up the duties of a pastorate. He therefore found a temporary home in a comfortable old- fashioned house on a small farm in Oneida County, N. Y. This old farm house proved to be the source and inspiration of the dream to which we have referred-the dream which led him on to the establishment of a school for young men with limited means, and later to the development of a plan which resulted in the founding of Knox College and the City of Gales- burg.
Briefly, the plan was to provide an opportunity for young men of small means, or of no means at all, to secure an educa- tion; preferably for those who had the gospel ministry in view. He invited young men of the neighborhood to come to him for instruction. Half a dozen young men responded, and to these he gave instruction and furnished books, while they each agreed to perform three hours' daily work upon the farm in return.
The plan was a success, and attracted much attention with the result that after a time with the aid of interested friends, he founded a school in the village of Whitesboro, Oneida County, New York, which bore the name of Manual Labor In-
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stitute. This experiment proved to be the germ and the grad- ual development of the project which resulted in the organiz- ation of the Galesburg colony and the founding of Knox Col- lege.
Mr. Gale remained with the school at Whitesboro for seven years. In 1834 he retired from the management and entered into a new scheme looking toward the founding of an institu- tion of learning in the far away western country, then so largely unoccupied or even unexplored.
He carefully prepared a "Circular and Plan" clearly set- ting forth his enlarged scheme. (This interesting document is quoted in full, beginning at page 9 in the volume entitled "Seventy-five Significant Years-The Story of Knox College," prepared by the writer of these annals at the request of the trustees of Knox College.)
Mr. Gale sent out his circular and set about securing sub- scriptions to his enterprise, making a personal canvass among his friends in Central and Eastern New York, striving to inter- est both clergymen and laymen in the plan in which he himself was so deeply and vitally interested. In the early part of the year 1835, he had secured a sufficient number of subscriptions to justify an organization of the effort, and the action was therefore taken which was to be of such untold influence and importance in the years to come.
An organization was accomplished in the First Presbyter- ian Church in Rome, New York, on the 6th of May, 1835. A Prudential Committee was selected which was composed of six men who were empowered to fill out their number to eleven members. These six men were Walter Webb of Adams, Nehe- miah West of Ira, Thomas Gilbert of Rome, John C. Smith of Utica, George W. Gale of Whitesboro, and H. H. Kellogg of Clinton. Where should the new enterprise be located ? Where should be found the ways and means for carrying it to com- pletion ? These were the questions which involved long and earnest discussion on the part of this committee.
An exploring committee must be named. Who should be selected to undertake this highly important and responsible work? The choice fell upon Nehemiah West, Thomas Gilbert and T. B. Jervis for the exploring committee, and the Rev. George W. Gale was to enlist families and secure funds for the new colony.
By June, 1835, about one-half of the proposed sum was subscribed ; that is, about $20,000. Only about $6,000 of this was ever paid. But, having "set their hands to the plow," the promoters of this enterprise would not turn back, and so, on the 6th day of June, 1835, was held in Rome, N. Y., the first meeting of the subscribers. Of that meeting the Rev. John
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Waters, afterward a conspicuous figure in the Galesburg col- ony, was made chairman and T. B. Jervis, secretary. The fol- lowing were appointed trustees of the fund: Messrs. Wal- ter Webb, Nehemiah West, Thomas Gilbert, John C. Smith, G. W. Gale and H. H. Kellogg; and as already stated, Rev. George W. Gale was general agent.
Thirty-three persons had given their approval to the plan and had subscribed $21,000 toward carrying it into execution, but only about half the names on that orginal subscription list became permanent names on the records of the colony. The list contained, of course, the names which have been men- tioned above in connection with the various committees, and others, making forty-six in all, many of the names never ap- pearing in the annals of the colony. (A list of the original sub- scribers may be found on page 12-13 in the volume to which reference has been made, "Seventy-five Significant Years." The book may be found in the Galesburg Public Library and the Library of Knox College, the State Historical Library at Springfield, Ill., and the Library of Memorial Continental Hall, Washington, D. C.)
The exploring committee was instructed to explore the prairie state of Indiana and Illinois between the fortieth and forty-second degrees of north latitude, with reference to the best location for the proposed settlement. The intructions give evidence of shrewd calculation on the part of those who drafted them and are so explicit In every detail that unwise or ill ad- vised action on the part of the committee could scarcely have been possible. (An interesting outline of these instructions may be found on page 15 of "Seventy-five Significant Years.")
The committee went out as instructed, explored the re- gions designated, fixed upon a location in Knox County in the State of Illinois, and returning made their report to the sub- scribers at their second meeting, August 19, 1835. The report was accepted and a purchasing committee was appointed, con- sisting of Rev. George W. Gale, Silvanus Ferris and Nehemiah West. Their instructions were to purchase not less than twenty sections of land and as much more as their funds would allow, one-tenth of which must be timber and the rest prairie, and for which the government price of $1.25 per acre was to be paid. Three sections should be reserved for college and village purposes and the rest sold to actual settlers at $5.00 per acre. The surplus thus accruing was to constitute the endowment of the college; while the proceeds from the sale of village lots were to be used toward the endowmnt of a Fe- male Seminary.
And so the purchasing committee set out upon that final mission in this great enterprise-the purchase of the land on
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which now stands the fair city of Galesburg as a monument to their wise and far-sighted investment.
The story of the journey of the purchasing committee is most interestingly told in a letter written by Nehemiah West, one of the committee, to a relatives, immediately after his re- turn from the trip. We quote portions of the letter. After describing the experiences of the journey, some of them peril- ous and all of them interesting and which occupied three months for the round trip, he referred to the purchase of the site selected by the exploring committee; he says: "We pro- ceeded to Illinois and after examining all the places visited by the committee in the spring, we selected a location in the county of Knox, lying nearly central between the Illinois and Mississippi rivers in the Military Tract, 150 miles southwest from Chicago and about 40 miles west of Peoria. We pur- chased about 20,000 acres nearly in a square form, mostly prairie. It is a fine tract of land in a very healthy country, well watered and supplied with abundance of stone and coal. We surveyed it out into lots of eighty acres each, agreeable to our plan of distribution among subscribers.
In the center we laid off three contiguous sections of 640 acres each, for college and village purposes-two for the col- lege and one for the village-stuck the stakes of our college building and returned home. * * We have about thirty fam- ilies, all pious, who are to settle together, so you see we have the prospect of a good socciety and the facilities for educating our children. We expect to start with our families as soon as the roads are passable in the spring. I have a log cabin ready to move into till I can build and 40 acres broken up all ready for any kind of grain. We expect to break and fence 200 or 300 acres of the college land next season and sow it to wheat.
Crop Conditions
Thirty bushels to the acre is the usual product for the first crop. It is worth six shillings per bushel, eighty bushels to the acre of corn, worth two shillings per bushel, but it is worth more to feed, as pork is worth $4.00 per cwt. to send to New Orleans." The last paragraph quoted gives us an idea of the crop conditions of that period and the financial returns which the early settlers received from their produce.
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