USA > Illinois > Madison County > Centennial history of Madison County, Illinois, and its people, 1812 to 1912, Volume I > Part 81
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eventually became the owner of nearly a thou- sand acres of choice land which he farmed at a profit. The homestead of the family, in sec- tion 9, stands on a sightly knoll and is visible from a long distance.
GENERAL ITEMS.
Pin Oak township is well supplied with means of transportation, both the Clover Leaf and the Illinois Central passing through it. Fruit, a station and post-office on the Clover Leaf, is on the line between Hamel and Pin Oak townships. It takes its name from the pioneer family of that name. The writer re- calls a volunteer soldier of the Civil war, by the name of Fruit, from this neighborhood, who was very fleshy. The officials sent him home from Camp Butler because on drill his breadth covered any two men in his company and spoiled "the count." However, he was a good man and a patriot.
The population of Pin Oak is now largely German or of German descent, many of the de- scendants of the original American settlers having moved away. They are frugal and in- dustrious, and have made the township a gar- den of productiveness.
The first supervisor of Pin Oak, after the adoption of township organization, was James B. McKee, in 1876. Since then a long line of prominent citizens have filled the position.
THE COLES PLANTATION
The Edwardsville Democrat of August I, 1912, has contained the following article by its editor, Captain A. L. Brown, than whom no one is better posted on the history of Madi- son county :
"Last Tuesday W. T. Norton, inspected the site of Gov. Coles' farm homestead, where the latter lived in the '20s. The 80-acre tract where the house stood is in Pin Oak township, S1/2 SW. of Section 4, now owned by Mrs. Frank Tunnell, and lies on the north of the road running directly east from Edwards- ville through north part of Town 4, Range 7.
"The Coles plantation originally embraced nearly 400 acres. It was in that vicinity that Gov. Coles planted his colony of freed slaves that he brought from Virginia and which caused him so much legal persecution after- ward. Among those slaves was 'Uncle Bob- by' Crawford, who was an able preacher, re- nowned as a Christian among whites as well as blacks. There are a very few people now living in Edwardsville who recall 'Uncle Bobby' and his wife. They moved to Mont- gomery county in the '50s and died there many years ago.
"In the days of camp-meetings at Silver Creek, on the Edwardsville Marine road, 'Uncle Bobby' was a foremost figure thereof. Days when it was announced that he would preach, scores of white people were there from neighboring towns."
CHAPTER LXXIII
ST. JACOB TOWNSHIP.
FIRST SETTLERS-FIRST BIRTH WITHIN THE FORT-DR. GERKE, PIONEER GERMAN-THE TOWN OF ST. JACOB-AS A VILLAGE.
Settlement of this township began at about the same time as the eastern part of Helvetia township, and almost as early as in any other part of Madison county. Being a part of the extensive Looking Glass prairie region, the de- scription of Helvetia and Saline townships re- garding the beautiful parklike landscape, fer- tility of soil, and consequent attraction for set- tlers, applies to it as well, and need not be re- peated here.
FIRST SETTLERS.
Like in the adjacent townships, the first set- tlements were made along the timber's edge, on the east side of Silver Creek, by hardy pioneers from Kentucky and Tennessee, in 1810. The first were the families of John Lindley; of Augustus, William and Cyrus Chilton, and the Harrison and Schmeltzer families. They lived in peace until the Indians in 1812 became hostile, when the settlers built for their protection a fort or stockade (de- scribed elsewhere), where eleven families from this and adjoining townships found shel- ter. The fort (in the n.w. corner of section 17) was commanded by Major Isaac Ferguson and Captain Abraham Howard. It was never attacked. During the winter of 1814 Jesse J. Renfro, a ranger during the war of 1812, and a dozen other rangers, were on guard there un- der the command of Samuel Whiteside. It is related that during the early Indian troubles
an Indian committed an overt act near the fort. Captain Howard daringly pursued him alone and after a chase of ninety miles in the wilder- ness and among savages, succeeded in killing the Indian and bringing his scalp back to the fort.
FIRST BIRTH WITHIN THE FORT
Within the fort occurred the first birth, that of Thomas Chilton, also the first marriage, of Joseph Ferguson, brother of the Major, and Virginia Schmeltzer. The first death, that of Augustus Chilton, also occurred in the fort. He died of old age and was buried near the fort. The first school was taught in this fort by David Schmeltzer, and in 1818 the first school house, a log cabin, was built near the fort. Alexander Truesdale and John Kyle (who later settled in Helvetia township) were also among the first teachers. The first church was built by Methodists about 1852, a brick building, called the Augusta church, near the site of the old log school house. Prior to the building of the church services were held at the residence of John C. Dugger.
John Giger (Geiger), a Pennsylvania Ger- man, entered land in section 5, Nov. 8, 1816, where he improved a farm. Gilmore Ander- son, from Kentucky, settled in section 17, in 1816. His son James G. Anderson, was the first blacksmith of the township, who, with Wm. Faires (a woodworker), made wagons
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and the wooden mould-board plow for the early settlers. He had served as major of a regiment in the Black Hawk war, was a re- spected citizen and a member of the County Commissioners Board at the time of his death in September, 1847. John Herrin settled Her- rin's Grove, section 16, in 1816. His son, G. W. Herrin, improved a farm in section II, and died in 1880. Phil. Searcy came from Ten- lessee in 1817, and improved a. farm adjoining Giger's. George W. Searcy was constable and justice, and had a store in town up to his death years ago. Wesley Dugger came from Ten- nessee and settled in section 3 in 1817. John C. Dugger improved a good farm, and Jerrett Dugger started an ox-mill about 1828, which he, after several years, sold to A. Zwilchen- bart, a Swiss settler, who ran it for a long time. Henry Burton Thorp came from Con- necticut in 1819, having previously ( 1817) en- tered 150 acres on which he started an im- provement. His brothers, Samuel and Nathan Thorp, also came to the township some years later. Henry Burton and Samuel ran a dis- tillery for years. David Thorp and Albert Judd also built a distillery on the Silver Creek ford. John Howard, son of the widow How- ard of Saline township, settled near the Au- gusta church. He was a ranger during the Indian troubles, member of the Legislature of 1818, and the first justice of the township. Nicholas Kyle (son of Adam Kyle, one of the first settlers of Marine township) located at the edge of timber northwest of St. Jacob, where he improved a large farm and built one of the first brick houses in this part of the county. He was the first constable of the township. Wm. Parkinson came from Ten- nessee in 1816, lived on the original Chilton place, and entered his first land in 1817. Many years later he moved to Wisconsin, where he died. His brother, Washington Parkinson, en- tered 80 acres in 1816, but came here two years later. His son, Alfred J. Parkinson, born in Tennessee 1816, became one of the most prom-
inent farmers of the township, on the well known beautiful location in the eastern part of the township. He was a member of the Senate in the state legislature in 1882. He and his wife died many years ago. One of his sons, Prof. Daniel B. Parkinson, is president of the Southern Illinois State Normal Uni- versity. Several of his children died, the others moved away, leaving only one grandson as farmer in this township. Among the other prominent early settlers were. Elam Faires, E. Ellif, N. Burnham, E. Traver, F. S. Pike, G. W. Herrin, E. Ellis, E. C. and G. W. Searcy, W. M. Giger (Geiger), the Ander- sons, Jeff. Virgin, the Pyles, and others.
DR. GERKE, PIONEER GERMAN.
Dr. Henry C. Gerke, of Hessen Cassel, Ger- many, was one of the first Germans coming to this county in 1824. Having left his family behind, but after visiting Germany several times, he finally located with his family (which he had brought over at that time), on the Her- rin place in 1834. He had previously traveled for years extensively throughout North Amer- ica for observation and study of the institu- tions and conditions of the country, gathering material for his books on the history and con- ditions of North America and especially the Mississippi valley, several volumes, published at Hamburg in 1833, and widely circulated in Germany, influencing in a large measure the German immigration to this part of the state. His eldest son, Wm. H. Gerke, settled in Ma- rine township in 1831. The late Judge Hy. C. Gerke, of Marine, who later lived and died in Edwardsville, was a grandson of the old doctor. Dr. Gerke was a classical scholar and able lawyer, who studied the poli- tical and other conditions of the United States so thoroughly that his works on the new world were rightfully held as authentic. John P. Gerke, his other son, who came over with the family in 1834, was an artist of considerable fame, who died in St. Louis in 1847.
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
The influx of other German settlers, who became prominent farmers, began about 1835, when Theodore and Joseph Miller arrived. The others, who followed from year to year, were : Henry, Samuel and Valentin Frey, A. Zwilchenbart, Jacob Leder, Peter Frutiger, J. A. Kirri, Henry Ritter, Rudolph Baer, Chr. Hirni, Jacob Leutwiler, John Schmidt, E. Pah- meyer, Martin and Chr. Branger, M. and F. Noll, G. Gaffner, Jacob Widicus, Conrad Meyer, F. Sohler, G. W. Schoeck, P. Zuck- weiler, Jacob Zobrist, E. Pahmeyer, F. Becker, Phil and Louis Wasem, Chr. Reusser, Henry Laengle ( farmer and hotelkeeper), and others. Most of these pioneer settlers have passed away, but the names of nearly all of them are perpetuated here by descendants.
The township is bounded on the east by Helvetia, north by Marine, west by Jarvis, and south by St. Clair county. Silver creek is the principal stream flowing through the north- west part in a southerly direction, with con- siderable timber along the stream, but other- wise the township is. substantially prairie, the landscape being similar to that of Helvetia township, the description of which also ap- plies here. The old Oak Grove school house, half way between Highland and St. Jacob, was completely destroyed by cyclone in 1903 and rebuilt the same year.
THE TOWN OF ST. JACOB
Was started as a crossroads place when Jacob Schutz built the first house, where he sold whiskey by the gallon. In 1849 Jacob Schroth bought several acres of land off the corner of Schutz's farm in section 16 and built a small house, which he afterwards enlarged and operated therein a store, saloon and tavern (called the St. Jacob House). In June, 1851, a post office was established, and because his name and that of the original owner of the land and the blacksmith's was also Jacob, they agreed to name the place St. Jacob. When Mr. Schroth died in 1860 his wife was ap-
pointed postmistress and continued so for many years. Jacob Willi (deceased), one of the leading men of the township and owner of a fine farm just north of town (now in pos- session of his son, Supervisor Ed. Willi) start- ed a blacksmith shop in 1850. Louis Schiele, who built the third house, laid out the town of St. Jacob in 1866, at which time there were about twenty houses in the village, mostly near the Schroth place on the St. Louis wagon road. At that time Joseph Somm, one of the most corpulent men to be seen, also conducted a tavern opposite to Schroth's. Dr. Buck was the first physician, and Isaac Anderson started the first drug store.
When the Vandalia railroad was completed in 1868, passing the old place a distance of about six blocks on the north side, the town grew rapidly in that direction, and has since developed to a progressive village of about 550 inhabitants, with the various lines of hu- man endeavor well represented, the surround- ing country, being one of the most fertile ag- ricultural regions, settled by prosperous farm- ers, securing for the town a good trade.
Louis Karges, for very many years a promi- nent merchant of the town, died in 1905. F. Sohler, another old time successful storekeeper and grain dealer, died about five years ago. E. N. Peterson, who started the first lumber yard in 1866, and was a leading man of the town, also died about II years ago. G. W. Searcy, the old time constable, justice and storekeeper, passed away some years ago.
AS A VILLAGE.
St. Jacob was formally organized as a vil- lage on November 2d, 1875, the first board being composed of G. W. Hays, president ; Louis Schiele, clerk; John Schaefer, treasurer ; and Christopher Moore, Jacob Schrodt and Melchior Fischer as members. The present members of the board and officers are: Fred. Sohn, president; Fred. Spies, John Weidner, E. N. Michael, J. L. Noll, and Jacob Kirri,
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
members; F. J. Buehlmann, clerk; John Hochuli, treasurer ; W. P. Sweeney, justice of the peace.
The school building is a two-story brick of four rooms. The Lutheran Church, a neat brick structure, was built in 1869, destroyed by cyclone in 1905 and rebuilt the same year. The Methodist church is a frame building, erected in 1879. A Catholic congregation was organized in 1893, and a frame church built in 1894. A Turnverein was organized Sept. I, 1875, and a fine hall built in 1884. The lodges are: Odd Fellows, Modern Woodmen, Court of Honor, Eastern Star, Royal Neighbors, and Rebeccahs.
Present business-General Stores: Hochuli & Co., Widicus & Co., and Chas. Grueneberg. Hotels: Commercial (Oscar Appel), Rail Road Hotel (Fred. Schmidt), Alpine, former- ly Pfaelzer Hof (Walter Sackett). Lumber, Hardware and Implements: Val. Liebler, and Schwarz & Blumer. Blacksmiths and Wagon Makers: Becker Bros., Fred. Spies, and F. Maurer. Tin Shop: L. Schaefer. Furniture :
Wm. Baer & Co. Drug Store: John Gaffner. Also a branch of the St. Louis Dairy Co.
The State Bank of St. Jacob was organized in 1903, with a paid up capital of $25,000. Its resources are $200,000, surplus and undivided profits $10,500, and deposits $184,600. The directors are: Charles Valier, L. A. Valier, Daniel Widicus, L. W. Adler, and Robert Valier. Frank Pike, cashier.
In 1866 Ed. Dee and Wm. C. McAllily erected a saw mill a short distance north of town and sawed the timbers for a small grist mill which they built and put in operation in 1869. Chas. Valier, a practical miller, became a partner. After it had been improved and run for a num- ber of years under several different owners it burned down. Rudolph Baer & Sons then erected a large new mill on the south side of the railroad in 1882. In 1889 it burned down entirely, but was rebuilt on a larger scale by the Valier & Spies Milling Co., and is now one of the best modern flouring mills of large capacity, still owned and operated by the firm that built it.
CHAPTER LXXIV
SALINE TOWNSHIP
FIRST TRACES OF SETTLEMENT-THE MCALLILY FAMILY-MILITARY AND POLITICAL CHAR- ACTER-JAMES REYNOLDS-NEW SWITZERLAND-INDUSTRIES-EDUCATIONAL AND POLITICAL -TOWN OF SALINE (GRANTFORK P. O.)-PIERRON.
By J. S. Hoerner
Saline township, evidently so named on account of a salt well in the southwestern part, contains all of town four, range five, bounded on the north by Leef township, on the east by Bond county, south by Helvetia and west by Marine township, Silver creek running through the northwestern and Sugar creek through the southeastern part. The township contains, according to first surveys, 22,562 58-100 acres. Originally the township was about equally divided between timber and prairie land, but now comparatively little timber remains standing, nearly all along the creeks. The township is noted for its attrac- tive, romantic scenery.
FIRST TRACES OF SETTLEMENT
The first traces of settlement are found in the southwestern part in 1809, in which year the first house was built by a widow Howard, who had come from Tennessee. Her family consisted of several sons and daughters, the two eldest sons being Joseph and Abraham Howard. She selected a ridge at the edge of timber, affording a fine and extensive view of the surrounding country-Looking Glass prairie. Later this became the Rilliet place and was named "Sonnenberg" (sun hill.)
The next year, 1810, Abraham Huser, of
German descent, a son-in-law of widow Howard, settled about three quarters of a mile north of her place, about in the center of section 29, where twenty years later James Reynolds located, the place now owned by Simon Bargaetzi. About 1815 Huser moved to within a few miles south of Troy, where he founded the Huser settlement. Previous to 1810 there were no settlers within many miles in either direction, and no white per- sons north, according to known records. Only after that time settlements began and increased from year to year, usually at the edges of timber or in the woods. Among the first were the Geiger and Chilton families, who located in section 17. Geiger was of German descent, but later changed his name to Giger. On account of Indian troubles he soon removed with his family several miles northwest into Marine township. The first birth in Saline township was that of William Geiger in 1810, and the first death of Polly Geiger about 18II.
Thomas Chilton was the first magistrate, but not having acquainted himself sufficiently with the law, his decisions as justice of the peace did not show the desired knowledge and judgment.
Archibald Coulter was the first settler in
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the northern part of the township in 1816, coming from Kentucky, locating upon the present Mudge place. About ten years later he removed to the northern part of the state.
THE MCALLILY FAMILY
About 1818 the Samuel McAllily family, also from Kentucky, settled between the Howards and Huser at the timber heights on the Marine road (site of the present ceme- tery), but finding no water at that place, they removed some distance south, starting the farm that later became the property of Frank Lorenz and is now owned by his son Edward Lorenz, where the Koepflis first stopped (with McAllily) upon their arrival in 1831.
Father McAllily was an active man. He planted the first fruit trees in this section, which was then called the McAllily settle- ment. He was of Scotch descent, born in South Carolina, and is well spoken of in old records. One night he shot and killed one of. the largest panthers in the settlement, measuring nine feet from tip to tip. The ani- mal had been in a tree upon the present Am- buehl farm. At that time deer were also seen daily, trooping over the prairie in droves from ten to fifty, and other game of all kinds was also plentiful. Even an elk was killed, while there were bears, and wolves very nu- merous.
MILITARY AND POLITICAL CHARACTER
In 1823 William Briggs, who came from Kentucky, finding a salt brine in section 19 near Silver creek, sunk a salt well to a depth of 440 feet and started salt works, which, however, did not pay sufficiently, so that the project was soon abandoned. Mr. Briggs had a military and political record. He was a subordinate officer under General Clark in the conquest of Illinois, 1778 and 1779, and in 1790 was appointed sheriff of St. Clair county, holding the office many years, having
also been a member of the first legislative body of the territory which convened in 1812.
Most of the earliest settlers of this and ad- jacent townships came from North Carolina, Tennessee and Kentucky. After they had com- pleted their improvement on Congressional land, they took life easy, hunting, trapping, and planting only what they needed for themselves, their necessities otherwise being most moderate. Solomon Koepfli, describing these settlers as he met them upon arrival, says in his history of Highland: "It is true that our eyes were often offended when we met men whose naked knees and elbows were exposed through their tattered clothes, look- ing miserable. These indolent and aimless people composed at that time the greater part of the inhabitants of Illinois, probably caus- ing the origination of the nickname 'Suck- ers.'" And yet he speaks of these sturdy pioneers in the rough and rude surroundings as being honest, sincere, hospitable and kind in their relations with the neighbors, always ready with alacrity to help in case of need without even being asked to do so.
JAMES REYNOLDS
Among those who settled in the township . in 1830, James Reynolds was, in great con- trast with the other settlers, the most promi- nent and influential, honored for his energy, enterprise, perseverance and sterling charac- ter. He came to Illinois in 1818, and in 1830 bought the Huser farm, which is now the Bargaetzi property. Unlike most other native American settlers, who took things easy and were satisfied with the simplest necessities of life, he began systematic farming and stock raising on a large scale, according to best methods and with the best implements obtain- able, so that he was considered an expert and model for other farmers. In 1840 he was elected to the state legislature, and also served many years as justice of the peace.
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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY
He had four children, Reuben, William, Nancy and Sarah. Nancy married Samuel Thorp, and after his death became the wife of his brother David. Sarah married Curtis Blakeman Jr.
Thos. Johnson Jr. settled, 1817, a short dis- tance south of the village of Saline (Grant- fork). He planted an orchard, which was considered the best in that section.
Solomon H. Mudge, father of E. W. Mudge (now of Edwardsville), one of the prominent early settlers, coming from Port- land, Maine, engaged in banking in St. Louis, and in the spring of 1836 bought 1,800 acres of land, building a fine summer residence on the heights in section 3, a short distance southeast of the village of Saline, affording a grand and distant view of the landscape south and east. The grounds around the residence were laid out and improved in beautiful park- like style, admired by all who had the pleas- ure of seeing it. Several years after building the residence he engaged in the hotel business in New Orleans, but spent the summer months at his country home, where he was buried after his death in 1860.
Other first settlers were: Robert Coulter in 1817, James East in 1816, H. Carson 1829, Ben. Reimer 1818, McCullum 1822, James Pierce 1817, H. Lisenbee about 1822, and John Carter about 1835.
The first preaching was at the cabin of mother Howard by the Rev. Jones, then by John Barber (who also taught school), his son Joel, and John Knight.
NEW SWITZERLAND
With the year 1831 began a new era for the agricultural, industrial and commercial development of this and adjacent townships, upon the arrival of the Koepfli family, two Suppiger brothers, and others, who started the Swiss colony, naming it "New Switzer- land." The party was headed by Dr. Caspar Koepfli, Sr., the other members being his wife,
his sons Solomon, Bernhard and Joseph, a hired girl, Joseph and Anthony Suppiger, and Alois Kappeler (a carpenter), all from Sursee, Sivitzerland, together with four other men from other towns in Switzerland-Joseph Vonarx, Sebastian Keller, Caspar Helfenstein and Moritz Geisshuesler. These were fol- lowed in 1833 by the families of Joseph Sup- piger, Sr. and his brother Johann Suppiger, each succeeding year bringing an increased number from Switzerland, as well as many from different parts of Germany and some from France.
Joseph Suppiger, Sr., died a few months after his arrival and was the first person bur- ied in the present Highland cemetery in sec- tion 30. His sons were Joseph, Anton and Melchior. The sons of Johann Suppiger were Xavier, John and Bernard, besides two daugh- ters. Among the other immigrants from Switzerland in 1833 were the Blattner broth- ers (Johann and Rudolph), Wm. Hagnauer, Jacob Eggen, and the Buchmann family. In 1834 five daughters of John Suppiger, Sr., and his son David arrived, also Moritz Huegy, who was the first of the Swiss settlers to marry here. In consequence of the increas- ing number of new immigrants the monoto- nous life was broken more and more. Among the arrivals up to 1840 were the Nagel, Am- buehl. and Staffelbach families. On the 22nd of August, 1840, another party of sixty-eight persons arrived from Switzerland being the families Bardill, Marcut (Marcoot), Ruedy, Branger, Florin, Ulmer, etc.
In March, 1841, ten years after their arri- val, all of the Koepfli family returned to Switzerland, after selling most of their land. Solomon and Joseph, however, returned again after two and a half years, father Koepfli also returning later, after seven and a half years.
Among the immigrants of 1841 were many from Baden and Wuertemberg, Germany, the families Trautner, Hotz, Spengel, Bader,
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