USA > Illinois > Madison County > Centennial history of Madison County, Illinois, and its people, 1812 to 1912, Volume I > Part 13
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83
DECIDED BY CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
At the time of the campaign of 1824 there were thirty organized counties in the state. Of these Madison county cast 914 votes-35I for the convention and 563 against ; a majority against of 212. St. Clair cast 427 votes for the convention and 543 against; majority against, 114. Sangamon cast 153 votes for the convention and 722 against; majority against, 569. But Sangamon then extended north as far as ·what is now Putnam county and west to the Illinois river, a vast territory ; while Madison and St. Clair were confined, practically, to their present boundaries. These were the largest three counties in the state in point of population. Central and southern
Illinois decided the slavery conflict in the state. The northern counties were then unorganized and had nothing to do with the contest beyond a few scattering votes. It has been claimed that to northern Illinois, settled by eastern men, belongs the honor of winning this con- test in favor of freedom, but this is erroneous. The immigration into northern Illinois did not take place until after the question was set- tled, in fact, not until after the Black Hawk war of 1832. The southern and central coun- ties of Illinois, settled mainly (exclusive of the French), by emigrants from Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia and the Carolinas, decided the contest against slavery. Further, of the eighteen members of the legislature who voted against the convention resolution in the gen- eral assembly, ten were from slave states, one from Holland, and seven from free states ; and the leader of the opposition was Governor Coles, a Virginian. Those citizens of Madi- son county most prominent in opposition to the convention were Judge Samuel D. Lock- wood, later of the supreme court; Hooker Warren, Curtis Blakeman, Thomas Lippincott and George Churchill. The controversy over the convention between the two Edwardsville papers-the Spectator, edited by Hooper War- ren, and the Republican, managed by Judge T. W. Smith, E. J. West and Judge Samuel W. Roberts (afterwards United States senator), was exceedingly bitter. "At one time," says Mr. Washburne, "Judge Smith undertook to cowhide Warren. Failing in this, he drew a dirk on him. Warren then drew a pistol, when the combatants were separated, and no- body hurt."
CHAPTER VIII
EARLY GLIMPSES OF THE COUNTY
GOVERNOR COLES' VIEW OF 1815-GOVERNOR REYNOLDS IN 1861-PECK'S GAZETTEER-CLI- MATIC COMPARISONS.
The most interesting, as well as the most authentic, historical and descriptive matter is that which is "written on the spot," or what may be termed current literature. Madison county is fortunate in being able to present sev- eral specimens of such material drawn from historical personages and reliable sources, as witness what follows.
COLES' VIEW OF 1815
Gov. Edward Coles made his first visit to Illinois in 1815, four years prior to his settle- ment here. Following is an extract from a letter he wrote in 1861 from Philadelphia to Hon. W. C. Flagg: "Although peace had been declared for some months with England, it had not been made with the Indians on my first visit to Illinois in October, 1815. I was as- sured, at Vincennes, that there were no houses of accommodation on the way, and, moreover, it was not safe from Indian massacre to go from there direct to St. Louis, but that I would have to go by way of Shawneetown and Kas- kaskia. This I did and passed up from the lat- ter town through the comparatively old and thick American settlements to Madison, then a frontier county which had but recently been laid out, and its seat of justice (Edwardsville) located on Thomas Kirkpatrick's farm. There was but one small log cabin on the site of the old town of Edwardsville, and that having no person in it when I passed, and seeing no
marks to show the town had been laid out, I passed on the road over the site without know- ing I had done so. At the creek, at the north end of the intended county town, was a mill which, together with its dam, was in such a dil- apidated state as not to admit of its being used. I passed on through Rattan's prairie, where there resided several families, to the banks of the Mississippi river, where there was a small improvement at the outlet of a rivulet at the south of where Alton was afterwards located. I was told there were then but four or five families residing to the north of that. From this point I descended through the American Bottom to St. Louis. After examining the surrounding country and making a purchase of land, I proceeded to New Orleans, and thence through the seaboard country to my mother's home on my native spot in Virginia."
GOVERNOR REYNOLDS IN 1861
In answer to inquiries from Hon. W. C. Flagg, as to some early data concerning Mad- ison county, Gov. John Reynolds wrote from Belleville, under date of March II, 1861: “I first saw Goshen, now Madison county, in Feb- ruary, 1807, and I lived there until the close of the War of 1812 (i. e., 1815). I have been in it and about it down to the present time. I was in and saw Camp Russell, on various oc- casions, and was at times a resident of it in 1813. I first saw it in the fall of 1812. It was
56
57
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
an acre or more surrounded by a stockade, with several small block houses within. I do not recollect definitely the size or form of the camp. I think the original limits of Madison county when Governor Edwards and company formed it, were bounded on the south by the line dividing townships two and three north, and on the west by the Mississippi river. The northern limits, I think, reached the north pole, and on the east was the Wabash river. John Messenger, in 1806 or 1807, surveyed Mad- ison county, or the country that made Madison into townships, and by them the county was formed as above stated."
"PECK'S GAZETTEER" (1834)
Peck's Gazetteer, published in 1834, has the following notes on Madison county as it ap- peared at that time, which we have condensed : "Madison county is watered by Silver and Cahokia creeks and their branches, and by Wood river. Coal and building stone are abundant. Around Alton and along Wood river and Cahokia creek is one of the finest bodies of timber in the state.
"Cahokia creek rises in Macoupin county, runs in a southeasterly direction through Mad- ison and empties into the Mississippi two miles below the ferry at St. Louis. Along its borders are fifty or sixty mounds of various shapes and sizes.
"Canteen creek rises in Ridge prairie, in the south part of Madison, runs in a western course and enters Cahokia creek in the Ameri- can bottom.
"Chouteau's island is in the Mississippi river, in the southwestern part of Madison county. It is four miles long and a mile and a half wide and has several families living on it.
"Clifton-On the banks of the Mississippi four miles above Alton. Here is a landing, a steam saw-mill, an excellent free stone quarry and a quarry of water cement lime- stone.
"Collinsville-A village, postoffice and set- tlement, in the south part of Madison county. Here is a store, a large mill for sawing and grinding and several mechanics. A Presbyter- ian church of fifty members, a large Sabbath school, and a body of sober, moral, industrious citizens, render this an interesting settlement.
"Edwardsville, the seat of justice for Mad- ison county, is situated in township four, in range eight west, twenty-one miles northeast of St. Louis on the Springfield road and twelve miles southeast from Alton. It has a court house and jail of brick, a land office, four stores, two taverns, two physicians, four lawyers, a castor oil factory, various mechanics and about seventy families. Here is also a female academy taught by a lady. The Bap- tists and Methodists each have houses of wor- ship. The inhabitants are generally indus- trious, intelligent, moral and a large propor- tion professors of religion. The location of Edwardsville is pleasant, on high ground, healthy, and in the centre of a fertile, well watered and well-timbered country settled with enterprising farmers.
"Goshen is the oldest settlement in Madison county, along the bluffs west and southwest of Edwardsville.
"Howard's settlement in Madison county, on the borders of Looking Glass prairie, is thir- teen miles southeast of Edwardsville.
"Hoxey's settlement on the west fork of Silver creek, nine miles northeast from Ed- wardsville.
"Indian creek-A small stream between Edwardsville and Alton that enters Cahokia creek.
"Looking Glass Prairie-A large, rich, beautiful and undulating prairie. It com- mences near the base line, in range six west, extends north into Madison county, and is from six to ten miles in width.
"Macoupin settlement lies upon Macoupin creek and prairie in Greene county, nine miles south of Carrollton. This settlement was com-
58
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
menced in December, 1816, by Daniel Allen and John and Paul Harriford, and was then the most northern white settlement in the Illi- nois territory. Kane postoffice is in this settle- ment.
"Marine-A flourishing settlement, between the east and west forks of Silver creek and twelve miles east of Edwardsville. This settle- ment was commenced by Captains Blakeman and Allen in 1819. The settlement is large and is spread over an undulating, rich and beauti- ful prairie.
"Milton was once a town site, situated on Wood river, two miles southeast of Alton.
"Piasau-A small stream that rises in a beautiful tract of country near the line of Greene and Macoupin counties and enters the Mississippi ten miles above Alton.
"Ridge Prairie is situated near Edwardsville and extends south to St. Clair county. It is on the dividing ridge between the waters that fall into the Mississippi on the west and those that flow to the Kaskaskia east. Its surface is generally undulating, the soil is rich, has many fine farms. Ridge Prairie postoffice was es- tablished in 1833, George Churchill, post- master.
"Silver creek rises in the northern part of Madison county and runs south into St. Clair and enters the Kaskaskia. It is named from the supposed existence of silver, not far from Rock Spring, where the early French explor- ers made considerable excavations.
"Six Mile prairie is in the southwestern part of Madison, a rich alluvion with fine farms and surrounded by a heavy body of timber. Rather unhealthy.
"Sugar Creek runs through the eastern bor- der of Madison and into Clinton. Empties into the Kaskaskia.
"Wood river in Madison county enters the Mississippi nearly opposite the mouth of the Missouri. It rises in Macoupin and runs through a fine country."
We publish the above excerpts for the pur- pose of giving opportunity for the reader to compare the present with the past, and to note that while some places have advanced others have declined, and names have changed.
CLIMATIC COMPARISONS
The matter of changes of climate has al- ways been a subject of interest, but the fol- lowing observations by Dr. Peck indicate that there has been no radical change in this re- spect since the first settlement of the county. His record recites : "The mean climate of the different seasons is as follows, the figures be- ing in degrees Fahrenheit : spring, 54.74 ; sum- mer, 74.34; autumn, 60.77; winter, 34.53. The greatest extreme of heat and cold during my residence in the country of seventeen years in the vicinity of St. Louis is as fol- lows: Greatest heat in July, 1820, and in July, 1831, 100 degrees. Greatest cold January 3, 1834, 18 degrees below zero. There was a great proportion of clear days throughout the year. Dr. Beck, who resided in St. Louis dur- ing the year 1820, made observations on the changes of the weather with the following re- sults : Clear days, 245; cloudy, including all variable days, II0. The results of my own observation, kept for twelve years with the exception of 1826, do not vary in any material way from the above statement." This is so near what the record would show for any year of late that it might well be taken as a report of current conditions.
On the 24th and 25th of April, 1910, de- structive frosts visited this county, killing the leaves on the forest trees and utterly destroy- ing the fruit crop. That this was not unpre- cedented is shown by the following old rec- ord: "Destructive frost-On the night of April 26, 1834, this county was visited by a frost which killed the leaves on the white mul- berry, black locust, honey locust, catalpa, wal- nut, hickory, ash, persimmon and other trees. The foliage of the apple trees was not injured
59
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
but their fruit, as well as of all other kinds of fruit, was generally destroyed."
It will be noted that these two killing frosts in 1834 and 1910 occurred about the same
date in the month of April. The lowest sum- mer temperature known in this county since 1836 was August 30, 1863, when the ther- mometer registered 45 degrees above zero.
CHAPTER IX
KILLING OF LOVEJOY
CONSEQUENCES TO ALTON-LOVEJOY IN ST. LOUIS-RISE OF BITTER FEELING AT ALTON- LOVEJOY DEFENDS HIMSELF-STORY OF RIOT AND DEATH-THE DEFENDERS OF THE PRESS -ALTON TRIALS-ALFRED COWLES.
The most far-reaching event in the history of Madison county, the one of greatest na- tional importance, was the tragedy of the kill- ing of Elijah P. Lovejoy, by a pro-slavery mob in the city of Alton, on the night of the 7th of November, 1837. The horror that un- toward event inspired throughout the country advanced the anti-slavery cause, it is safe to say, at least a generation. It inspired the elo- quence of Wendell Phillips, increased the de- nunciation of Garrison and lighted a flame of indignation over the land. Notwithstanding the fact that sixty volunteers enrolled them- selves to defend Lovejoy and his cause the fact that the mob triumphed made the city a "bye-word and a hissing." The men enrolled were organized under the laws of the state and elected M. G. Atwood captain. The pros- pects of Alton at the time were as bright as those of any city of similar advantages, but the tragedy ca'st a blight over the young mu- nicipality that the passage of two generations hardly sufficed to efface. Emigration from the New England and Middle States which was then pouring into Alton ceased at once, but it is only fair to say that at that period no man could have expressed himself against slavery with the same boldness as did Lovejoy without causing an outbreak of the mob spirit.
CONSEQUENCES TO ALTON
Lovejoy, before coming to Alton, had suf- fered mob violence in St. Charles and St. Louis, Missouri. In the latter place his office was destroyed and he was compelled to move to Alton where St. Louis hostility followed him. Yet St. Charles and St. Louis suffered no detriment for their course towards him- perhaps because nothing better was expected from them-but Alton was in a Free state and was made to suffer in reputation, in wealth and in population because the mob spirit was not successfully curbed by the law-abiding citizens who made unavailing efforts in that direction but were not upheld by the authori- ties. Not only did immigration to Alton cease as a sequence of the riot, but many men who had settled there who held anti-slavery views, or who foresaw a shadowed future for the city, sought new homes. Many, especially business and professional men, moved to Chi- cago or St. Louis. Not for nearly two gen- erations did the city rally from the blow. But in 1896-7 the state of Illinois and citizens of Alton erected a stately monument in memory of the martyr. Since that time the city has grown and prospered remarkably. Is there anything in this fact to encourage the theory
60
61
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
that atonement for a wrong must precede ab- solution ? (I describe the monument else- where.)
Several histories of the tragedy have been written : One by Mr. Lovejoy's brothers; one by Rev. Edward Beecher, and one by Henry Tanner, one of the defenders of the press. I condense from the last two and other sources a sketch of Lovejoy's life and their account of the riot and the occurrences preceding it.
LOVEJOY IN ST. LOUIS
Elijah Parish Lovejoy was born at Albion, Maine, November /8, 1802. He would have been thirty-five years old the day after he was murdered. He was a graduate of Waterville
1-
ELIJAH P. LOVEJOY
college and soon, after receiving his diploma removed to St. Louis, where he taught school several years, and then became editor of the St. Louis Times. In a revival of religion in St. Louis, in 1832, he was converted and soon after entered Princeton Theological Seminary and, on completing his studies there, was li- censed to preach. He returned to St. Louis and became editor of the St. Louis Observer. His fearless editorial course in denouncing public wrongs made him many enemies and he was denounced as an Abolitionist, although not holding such views at the time.
Matters reached a climax when a negro named McIntosh, a deck hand, was chained to a stump by a mob and burned to death for killing a white man who had grossly abused him. The act of the mob was justified by the city judge, one Lawless. Mr. Lovejoy un- sparingly denounced the barbarity of the mob and the apologetic charge of the judge. This so exasperated the mob element that the cry of Abolitionist was again raised against him and his office destroyed. He then decided to move to Alton and continue his fight for law enforcement and the right of free speech. On being interrogated as to the course his paper would pursue there he replied that his object was to publish a religious paper, but that he claimed the right to discuss the question of slavery, or any other subject of public mom- ent if he saw fit. This was well understood and Mr. Lovejoy was welcomed as a citizen of Alton.
Another press was bought, to take the place of the one destroyed in St. Louis. The paper was called the Alton Observer and it soon aroused opposition by its course on the slav- ery question in which Lovejoy manifested an increasing interest, although he was then what was known as a colonizationist. But the old cry of Abolitionist was raised against him and on the 22nd of August, 1837, his office was wrecked and the press destroyed. The au- thorities made no serious attempt to prevent this outrage.
RISE OF BITTER FEELING AT ALTON
This action brought Lovejoy to the front as an avowed Abolitionist, pledged to oppose the further aggressions of slavery. He at once issued a call for a convention to organize an Anti-Slavery Society. The convention met at Upper Alton, October 26, 1837, with a large attendance, including many citizens bent on defeating the objects of the meeting. They were led by U. F. Linder, attorney general, and Rev. John Hogan, a Methodist minister,
62
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
rabid pro-slavery men, who succeeded in de- feating the effort of the meeting to effect an organization. The next day, however, the friends of the cause met at the residence of Rev. T. B. Hurlbut, in Upper Alton, and or- ganized the "State Anti-Slavery Society of Illi- nois," with an enrollment of sixty members. Another meeting of leading citizens and anti- slavery men was held August 30th, at the store of Alexander & Company, at which it was ad-
ment of the law in such protection and resist- ance to lawless mob elements. These resolu- tions were referred to a committee of which Hon. Cyrus Edwards was chairman (Mr. Ed- wards was then a member of the state senate and the Whig candidate for governor). This committee reported what was called a com- promise series of resolutions, the gist of which was that while Mr. Lovejoy had the right to entertain and promulgate anti-slavery views it
HOUSE WHERE FIRST ANTI-SLAVERY SOCIETY WAS ORGANIZED, ALTON
vised that Mr. Lovejoy re-establish the press and that it was the duty of the friends of free discussion to stand by him in defense of it. At a subsequent meeting the same day in the Riley building there was a much larger attend- ance, and the opposition to Lovejoy was again led by Linder and Hogan, who denounced all Abolitionists in bitter terms in order to stir up the mob spirit. A series of resolutions of- fered by Rev. Edward Beecher, asserting the right of free speech, the duty of officials to protect individuals in this right, the enforce-
was not expedient that he should do so, and in order to promote the peace and harmony of the city that he should sever his connection with the paper.
LOVEJOY DEFENDS HIMSELF
Mr. Lovejoy then took the floor and spoke in opposition to the resolutions and in defense of his course. With a tranquil air he went to the bar within which the chairman sat and in a tone of deep and tender feeling addressed the meeting. He repelled the charges and in-
63
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
sinuations made by the principal opposing speakers, Linder and Hogan, saying it was not true he held in contempt the feelings and sen- timents of the community in reference to the great question that was agitating it. He re- spected the feelings of his fellow citizens and it was one of the most painful duties of his life to differ from them. If they supposed he had published sentiments contrary to those generally held in the community because he delighted in differing from them, they had en- tirely misapprehended him. But though he valued the good opinion of his fellow citizens as highly as any man could, he was governed by higher considerations than either the fear or favor of man. He was impelled to the course he had taken because he feared God. He told the meeting he had not asked any com- promise ; he had asked for nothing but to be protected in the rights which God had given him and which were guaranteed by the consti- tution of his country. He asked: "What in- fraction of the law have I been guilty of ? When and where have I published anything injurious to the reputation of Alton? Have I not, on the contrary, labored to promote the best interests of Alton? What is my offense ? If I have been guilty, you can easily convict me. You have public sentiment in your favor. You have your juries and you have your at- torney (looking at Linder) and I have no doubt you can convict me, but if I have been guilty of no violation of law, why am I hunted up and down perpetually as a part- ridge upon the mountain? Why am I threat- ened with the tar barrel? Why am I waylaid from day to day and from night to night, and my life put in jeopardy every hour?" He planted himself his unquestionable rights ; said the question was not whether a compromise could be effected but whether he should be protected in the exercise of those rights. "This is the question: Whether my property shall be protected ; whether I shall be ·suffered to go home to my family at night
without being assailed and threatened with tar and feathers and assassination; whether my afflicted wife, whose life has been in jeopardy from continued alarms and excitements, shall, night after night, be driven from a sick bed into the garret to save her life from the brick- bats and violence of the mob. That, Sir, is the question." There his feelings overcame him and he burst into tears. Many others in the room also wept, and for a time, the sym- pathies of the meeting were with him. He apologized for having betrayed any weakness ; it was the allusion to his family that overcame him. He assured them it was not from any fears on his part; he had no personal fears. Not that he felt able to contest the matter with the whole community-he knew perfectly well that he could not-but where should he go? He had been made to feel that if it was not safe in Alton he would not be safe anywhere. He had recently visited St. Charles for his family and had been torn from their embrace by a mob. He had finally come to the determination after consulting his friends and earnestly seeking counsel of God, to remain in Alton, and here insist upon pro- tection in the exercise of his rights. If the civil authorities failed to protect him he must look to God for protection.
Lovejoy concluded his address in these words : "Sir, I dare not flee away from Alton. Should I attempt it I should feel that the angel of the Lord with his flaming sword was pur- suing me wherever I went. It is because I fear God that I am not afraid of all who op- pose me in this city. No, Sir, the contest has commenced here and here it must be finished. Before God and you all, I here pledge myself to continue it, if need be till death. If I fall my grave shall be made in Alton."
Mr. Lovejoy had his audience with him, but when he retired Hogan and Linder arose, in turn, and denounced his speech as hypocritical cant ; held him up as a fanatic and a dan- gerous man in the community, and flayed all
64
HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
who sided with him as Abolitionists. The chairman, Mr. Edwards, arose and in very decided manner expressed himself as dissent- ing from the sentiments of Hogan and Lin- der. He urged the importance of maintaining peace and good order, and said he wished to take his stand before the country on that. But the meeting was carried on the side of Linder and Hogan and their followers adjourned with the evident intention to ruin Lovejoy or pursue him to the death.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.