USA > Illinois > Fulton County > Canton > Canton; its pioneers and history : a continuation to the history of Fulton County > Part 12
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Some one suggested to the Governor that, if he would send ~ some commissioned officer with ten men to the scene of action, with power to enforce the law, they could settle all the questions at issue. This representation was believed by Gov. Ford, and he proceeded to act upon it by issuing an order to Maj. James R. Parker, of Canton, that he should enlist ten men and proceed at once to Nauvoo for the adjustment of the difficulties there exist- ing. He was made commander-in-chief of all militia forces that might be raised or called into the field, and clothed with the powers of a plenipotentiary and envoy extraordinary.
It happened that the Anti-Mormon leaders were Whigs, and the Mormons had voted the Democratic ticket at the preceding Congressional election-voted it early and often, according to the most approved political principles. Hence the Governor, to in some degree conciliate the "mob," as the Anti-Mormon posse was designated, had selected Major Parker. In his History of Illinois Governor Ford says :
"In looking around over the state for this purpose (i. e., the se- lection of a commander), the choice fell upon Maj. Parker, of Fulton county. Major Parker was a Whig, and was selected partly from that reason, believing that a Whig now, as had been the case before with Gen. Hardin and Major Warren, would have more influence in restraining the Anti-Mormons than a Democrat. But Major Parker's character was unknown out of his own county. Every where else it was taken for granted that he was a Demo- crat and had been sent over to intrigue with the Mormons. The Whig newspapers immediately let loose floods of abuse upon him, both in this state and Missouri, which completely paralyzed his power to render any effectual service. . The constable's posse refused to give place to him, and the constable openly declared that he cared but little for the arrests; by which it was apparent that they intended, from the first, to use the process of the law only as a cover to their design of expelling the Mormons."
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Major Parker received his commission, order and instructions from the hand of Maj. Lewis Bidamon, the Governor's messen- ger, on a Saturday evening. Sunday morning he selected and secured the services of Harrison P. Fellows, Abel H. White, Isaac C. Johnson, Phillip Grim, jr., Benjamin Perry, Jacob Fox, John Thorp, Wm. Bell, G. W. Thom, and Joseph Long, and the same evening set out in lumber-wagons for the theatre of war, arriving at Nauvoo by eleven o'clock Monday evening.
Major Parker at once issued a proclamation to the mob com- manding them to dispersc. This proclamtion was received by them with shouts of derision, and the bearers were treated with great indignity. Another and another proclamation followed, but met no better reception.
It now became apparent that proclamations were not exactly the kind of ammunition with which to strike consternation into the valorous hearts of the Anti-Mormons. The Governor ac- cordingly ordered Major Flood, of Adams county, to reinforce Major Parker with a sufficient volunteer militia force. Major Flood's commission must have been a unique document, as it contained a power of substitution, by which he was empowered, if he could not serve, to hand it over to some one who would. Major Flood used his power of substitution by turning over his commission to Major Clifford, who at once repaired to Nauvoo and, contrary to his instructions, took command of the Mormon forces. Major Clifford now issued an order directed to Col. John S. Wycoff, in command of the Fulton county militia regiment, for a force of three hundred mounted militia. There was no law, civil or military, under which mounted militia could be called out. Indeed, "mounted militia" was an arm of the militia which only had its existence in the fertile brain of the great Clifford. The order, however, was received in perfect good faith by Col. Wycoff, and he at once notified Adjutant Harrison P. Fellows- who had returned from Nauvoo-to notify the commanders of the North and South Canton and Utica militia companies to mus- ter their men, and from their number to proceed to draft their proportion of the number of men necessary to fill the call. Ad- jutant Fellows at once notified First Sergeant, acting Captain, Geo. S. McConnell, commanding the North-Canton Company; Lieutenant Joseph Anderson, commanding the South-Canton Company ; and Captain Wm. Kelso, commanding the Utica Rifle
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Company, ordering them to appear on the 13th or 14th of Sep- tember, with their men, on the Public Square in Canton.
This order created an intense excitement. Very few of our citizens sympathized with the Mormons, and they were called up- on to fight their battles. Meetings were called at once, and the leading citizens counseled obedience to the order as emanating from a proper and legal authority, and they were a law-abiding people.
Sergeant McConnell appointed a full complement of non-com- missioned officers for his company, making John W. Ingersoll 2d · Sergeant, Tracy Doolittle 3d Sergeant, Abel H. White 4th Ser- geant. The corporals were Jonathan Niece, 1st; Mahlon H. Hob- lett, 2d; Thos. Ewing, 3d; and Robert Sebree, 4th. Sergeant McConnell ordered his non-commissioned staff immediately into service. It was raining, and most of them, being in business, were not anxious to face the storm; but the sergeant was inex- orable, and, dividing the roll, he gave to each the portion of it he was to notify, and sent them into the county through the mud and rain to notify the company to assemble.
When the day came, the different companies assembled on the . Public Square according to order. McConnell found that all his company had not been notified, and demanded of Col. Wycoff three more days for that purpose, and at the same time demanded the presence of the regimental surgeon to examine those who might claim exemption under the order. This claim was reasonable; more, it was in strict accordance with the letter and spirit of the law. Still, it placed Col. Wycoff in a dilemma, as there was no commissioned surgeon in the regiment, and it was too late to se- cure a commission for one in time to meet the emergency that was upon them. After some deliberation, he ordered the com- pany to hold themselves as minute men, liable to be called to the front at a moment's notice.
Lieutenant Anderson had his company notified and all on hand. He proceeded, in accordance with his orders, to draft. His com- pany were formed in line on Elm and Third streets. The draft was made in the house-still standing-then owned by. J. B. Mallory, on the southeast corner of those streets, and immedi- ately opposite to the City Hotel. The officers of Anderson's com- pany, so far as the writer has been able to obtain them, were- 1st Lieutenant, Joseph Anderson, in command; 2d Lieutenant, 17
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Charles W. Rockhold; Orderly-Sergeant, James Ellis; 2d Ser- geant, Thompson Maple.
The day was one of great excitement in Canton. Col. Wycoff and Major Hiram Snow were on the square, calmly contemplating the military preparations in progress, and counseling the one with the other, as important orders were to be issued.
Adjutant Fellows, even when acting as Grand Marshal at Dem- ocratic meetings when Douglas was the speaker, had never shown to so good an advantage. He was well mounted, had General Stillman's sword and sash girded upon him. He had appointed Col. Wm. Babcock as his aide de camp. The duties of this posi- tion were very onerous, and consisted of ordering and paying for drinks for his commander. The adjutant still bears testimony to the bravery and determination his aide manifested on the oc- casion, saying that he never faltered or hesitated, but would plunge into the thickest of the ferocious crowd surrounding Emory's bar, and order drinks with a coolness and discretion never too much to be admired. The Col. aide de camp was mounted on a powerful iron-gray charger, and wore a flaming red sash. He and the adjutant were dashing hither and yonder, and added much to the theatrical effect of the scene.
Adjutant Fellows was chief of staff to Col. Wycoff; Col. Wm. Babcock was chief of staff to Adjutant Fellows; and now it became necessary that Col. Babcock should also have a chief of staff. Hon. A. C. Babcock, then but a young man, saw and appreciated this necessity, and, with that promptness and courage for which he is celebrated, determined "to face the terrors i' the imminent and deadly breach " in his country's service. He soon found a charger to his mind, and secured its services This charger was a noble ani- mal of the female persuasion. She was scarcely more than twenty years old, her architecture of the Gothic order, and in color that magnificent shade of sorrel which is just blending into tow color. this mare had a habit of jerking up her hind feet in a rapid and energetic manner, in splendid contrast with the slower and more sedate movement of her fore feet; any deficiency in her eyes was hidden, if not healed, by the wide flaps of the huge "blind bridle" with which she was guided. In order to show off to its best advantage the architecture of his steed, Mr. Babcock had, with his usual sagacity, left off the saddle. Thus mounted, and dressed to suit his animal and his own view of the importance of
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the occasion, Mr. Babcock, urging his beast with a lath, galloped beside his martial brother, and repeated the order he received. He was careful, however, not to interfere with the colonel's duties, but found more congenial employment in aiding Adjutant Fellows in disposing of the drinks his chief of staff ordered. Thus he fought for the better part of the day, and never mur- mured even when glasses were presented thick and fast. For his heroism he received especial commendation from his superior, who several times, in the heat of the day, with an enthusiastic appreciation of his merit, would exclaim, "D-n you, what are you following me for? I think you'd better go home and behave yourself."
When the draft in Anderson's company began, the crowd con- centrated there, and then began a scene which beggars descrip- tion. Sergeant Maple held in his hand a "plug-hat," in which were sixty tickets numbered for Nauvoo, and as many blanks as there were exemptions. Sergeant Ellis began calling the roll: " Gilbert Rockhold." Gilbert, trembling in every limb and with a face as white as the ticket he was so lucky as to draw, presented himself and drew an exemption. "Glory to God !" he shouted, as Sergeant Maple announced the result. One by one they came, in response to the roll-call-some bravely like men, some white with fear; and as any trembler would step out of the ranks, shouts, jeers and taunts would meet him. Private Vittum stepped out of the line for a moment, and Private Grim was ordered to bring him back. Leveling his gun, he was about to shoot him, supposing, perhaps, he would be easier returned to the line dead than alive, when Anderson stopped him.
Kelso's company, being independent, were none of them ex- empt. They were from Utica and its neighborhood. Some of them brought first-class cases of chills-some even the old- fashioned shaking ague. They were all this while standing on the sunny side of the street, leaning against buildings and fences, and enjoying themselves bottom-fashion by shaking, until, it is re- ported, they loosened the mortar in several brick walls. N. B .- They were not scared; they were only enjoying themselves with their customary shake.
Anderson ordered his drafted men to report the next morning for the trip to the scene of carnage that awaited them. That night many tears were shed by weeping wives and disconsolate
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mothers, and sad parting words were pronounced. At dawn they began to come in and report, but were soon, to their infinite gratification, released by an order from Col. Wycoff, who had learned from some source that the order of Major Clifford was bogus. .
Thus ended Canton's part in the Mormon War.
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THE WHISKY WAR.
IN 1855, the town council, acting in accordance with the desire of the people of Canton as expressed by their votes, passed a very stringent prohibitory liquor-law. This law was openly set at defiance by some of the liquor-sellers. They not only con- tinued to sell, but sold, in at least one case, in an open and defi- ant manner. These parties selling liquor were arrested, and one · of them, finding that the suit was likely to go against him, pro- posed a compromise with the city, agreeing, if the suit against him was dropped and the city council would pay the cost of the suit, giving him fifteen days to close out his stock, he would close out his establishment and quit the business. This compromise was agreed to by the city, but violated by Mr. Mallory, it was claimed, and that he went on from bad to worse. Other prosecu- tions were brought against him, which he appealed, and, when they were brought to trial in the circuit court, obtained a change of venue to Mason county, showing a determination to contest the law, as he had an undoubted right to.
The temperance ladies of Canton were very much dissatisfied with the slow progress being made in closing up the offending saloons, and finally determined to take the subject into their own hands. Secret meetings of ladies were held to consider the ways and means by which the sale of liquor could be stopped, and a plan of action was finally agreed upon. It has been asserted that women can not keep a secret. This was proved to be a mistake in this case, at least. So secretly had the women moved that Mr. Mallory, the chief of the offenders, entirely unsuspecting, and with no premonition of the fate that awaited his whisky-barrels, went to St. Louis to make additions to his already large stock.
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The firm of Charles Smith & Co., doing business on the south side of the Public Square, had been holding a series of ladies' auctions, at which they were disposing of a considerable stock of ladies' fancy goods. To this auction, on Friday, the 4th day of April, 1856, the ladies, by previous understanding, came. The auction began about one o'clock, and it was observed that the crowd began to collect in the auction-room at an early hour. The auctioneer was delighted at the great numbers of ladies who sur- rounded his stand, and cried himself hoarse with praises of his goods; but, to his astonishment, no body bid. The women con- tinued to collect, coming in twos and threes, all wearing shawls or cloaks, although the day was bland and pleasant, until about two hundred had collected.
From some expressions let fall in the auction-room, it began to be understood upon the street that "Sebastopol," as Mallory's saloon was called, was to be taken. Mr. Mallory being from home, his friends determined to volunteer in his defense; and ac- cordingly quite a number of them took their positions at the en- trance to the building,-which was securely barricaded,-deter- mined, as they averred, to defend the establishment at the peril of their lives, if it need be. Among the defenders of the gro- cery were a constable then serving a term in an adjoining town- ship, a man of nerve, and whose veracity has never been called in question, who addressed a crowd of several hundred men and boys gathered before the door, urging them to aid in protecting the property of the saloon-keeper, at the same time swearing that no woman could enter the door without passing over his dead body. This gentleman little dreamed how soon the death he was invok- ing might be staring him in the face.
When the time for action came, over two hundred of the most prominent women of Canton marched out of the auction-store and arranged themselves in columns, two by two, on the Public Square. The excitement by this time was growing intense. Every body, male and female, appeared to be upon the Public Square, either as lookers-on or participants in the mob, upon the one side or the other. As the Amazonian column formed, a citi- zen stepped up to the leader and urged her to desist, saying that the proprietor of "Sebastopol" was not at home, and urging them at least to give him a chance to defend himself. The ladies re- sponded that they were convened for business, and that business must go on.
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The line of march was now taken up, the leader carrying a short sword in her hand, which she flourished in quite a martial manner. Arriving at the door, the crowd parted, except that three or four determined fellows maintained themselves before the door. One of these, the constable referred to above, de- clared his determination to resist the onslaught, and declared, in response to the quiet and low-spoken " Stand aside, gentlemen : we are going in there," of the leader, himself as ready for the sacri- fice by the remark: "Not by a d-d sight: you ain't going in unless you go over my dead body." Mr. Constable was a brave man; Mr. Constable was a man of truth; therefore it can not be doubted that he met with a bloody death right there, as, within one minute after his self-sacrificing declaration, the door against which he and two or three more braves were standing was shiv- ered to a thousand fragments, by blows well and vigorously aimed from gleaming hatchets that leaped out from the cover of two hundred shawls in unison. Mr. Constable, therefore, must have perished, fallen gloriously at his post of duty, then and there.
And now let it be recorded, in passing, that Spiritualism, how- ever much its followers may be reviled, has been proved true be- yond a cavil, as it can be proved that the freed spirit of the gen- tleman from "Orion" has been seen at frequent intervals in his old haunts-not as an ethereal and fleeting shadow-not as an undefined and undefinable sigh or breath of vapor,-but in form, size, shape and voice as natural as when, in the vigor of his man- hood, he stood up in defense of that spirit-ualism he loved.
The door of "Sebastopol" demolished, the work of demolition began. Bottles, unoffending candy-jars, glasses, decanters, all were smashed into a thousand fragments, and shelving and coun- ters shared the same fate. The cellar contained a large quantity of liquors. This was invaded, and barrels were knocked in, until the spirituous flood had accumulated on the cellar-floor to the depth of several inches, when they bailed it out and threw it in- to the street; determined none should be saved. Some of the women had a lighted candle in this cellar, and it was almost a miracle that they had not set fire to the spilled liquor and all have perished with the object of their wrath:
By the time their destruction of "Sebastopol" had been com- pleted, the fumes of the liquor had ascended to their nostrils, and it is no exaggeration to say that one-half of the ladies were, as tem-
# Jalan a. 4 F. B. Innan
#
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perance advocates, in magnificent order to furnish the fearful ex- ample for any ambitious temperance orator who might secure their services. About twenty barrels of liquor, besides his saloon and bar-fixtures, were destroyed for Mr. Mallory.
This work completed, they reorganized and marched to the grocery of Mr. Butters, on Main street, just south of the Public Square. Mr. Butters sold nothing stronger than beer, and rolled out the only barrel of it in his possession on the sidewalk, willing to sacrifice it rather than trust the now infuriated Amazonian army within his establishment. This barrel of beer was at once demolished and the line of march again resumed.
There was a rectifying establishment, kept by Lamon & Childs, near the present cemetery. Thither the ladies marched, and there, after overawing a feeble effort at resistance on the part of the proprietors, marched in and destroyed about thirty barrels of whisky and highwines.
This establishment destroyed, they returned to the Square and invaded the office of Col. Wm. Babcock, who had a barrel of un- tapped whisky there, that he was saving for domestic use after his boy, then a babe, should become of age. The ladies will probably remember why they did not destroy this barrel.
All the liquor of which the ladies knew having been destroyed, they reconvened at the auction-store and passed the following resolution :
WHEREAS, We, the ladies of Canton, being wives, mothers, sisters, and daughters, have experienced the dread calamity of seeing our husbands, sons and brothers, made drunkards by the lawless rumsellers of our town, and having seen the law tried to be enforced in vain; and whereas, those engaged in the damning business of rumselling have been appealed to in vain by moral suasion, to desist and save the peace of our families; we have therefore, in defense of our firesides, and with a view to save from destruc- tion those most dear to us on earth, been compelled to destroy the spirituous liquors in our city, and it is now
Resolved, That, as often as the practice is resumed in Canton or vicinity, we will rid ourselves of its curse,-peaceably if we can, forcibly if we must.
Canton, April 4, 1856.
Thus was liquor-at least until a new stock could be procured -put down by the ladies of Canton.
During the day several fights occurred, between parties who were in sympathy with the ladies on the one side and with the saloon-keepers on the other.
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For a short time the work of that Friday appeared to have been productive of good; but it begot a reaction that I am now satisfied has done more to do permanent injury to the temperance cause than any thing that has ever occurred here. The ladies . were not held legally responsible for their action, it is true : suits were, indeed, commenced, but compromised. The laws were sufficient to have stopped the sale of liquor, and mob-law is sel- dom justified, even where the provocation is much greater than it was in this case.
J. B. COYKENDALL,
from Allegheny county, New York, was one of the immigrants who came in during the latter part of the year 1835. He was a worker in metal, maker of edge-tools, augers, hammers, etc. His shop was established on Cole street, where he did general black- smithing.
To Mr. Coykendall is due the credit of doing the first casting ever done in Fulton county. This job was a pair of small burrs for grinding flax-seed, and was done for the McPheeters Oil- Mill. His furnace was an ordinary blacksmith's forge with two pairs of bellows. In this forge was fixed an immovable crucible, made with ordinary brick clay. The crucible had a hole and plug for letting out the metal. His moulds were constructed from or- dinary sand, and it is said that he succeeded in doing a very creditable job. When the pioneer blast was made, nearly the entire population of the village were present to witness it.
Coykendall afterward removed, and for many years resided in Peoria county, but is now living at Farmington, in Fulton county, aged 74 years, and still quite hale and hearty. His sons, Duke B., A. J. and Jonathan, will be remembered by all the older resi- dents. All are still living: D. B. and A. J. in Yates City, and Jonathan in Farmington, where he is a successful and enterprising business man.
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THE SWINETTE.
EARLY settlers were not always verdant, whatever appearance of rural simplicity they might have presented to the eyes of the citizens of the few cities to which they occasionally strayed.
Shaphet Dwire was an instance of the truth of this remark. Soon after beginning business in Canton, he had occasion to visit St. Louis for goods. The merchant from whom his stock was purchased, thinking to show his customer courtesy, invited him to tea at his house. Dwire accepted the invitation. During the evening, the merchant, having occasion to step out for a few mo- ments, left two aristocratic and conceited city belles, who were stopping at his house, to entertain Dwire. These ladies, understand- ing that Dwire was from the country, determined to have some fun at his expense, and began quizzing him. Dwire saw their game, and at once began playing "greeny," playing it to perfec- tion. Noticing a piano in the room, he said :
"Gals, what on airth do you have yer tables so high fur?"
"Oh, sir, that is not a table: that is a piano."
"A pianner? What on airth is that?"
"It is a musical instrument : did you never see one ?"
"A musical instrument? Gosh, I'd like to hear you blow on her."
One of the ladies opened the piano and played several short selections, Dwire expressing his gratification by such ejaculations as "Gosh !" "Golly !" "Ain't that are scrumptious!" and other equally classic phrases.
The lady soon shut up the instrument, and, turning to Mr. Dwire, the following dialogue occurred :
"Why, la, Mr. Dwire, do not the ladies have musical instru- ments where you live ?"
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