Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, Part 15

Author:
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. L. McDonough & co.
Number of Pages: 490

USA > Illinois > Edwards County > Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 15
USA > Illinois > Wabash County > Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 15
USA > Illinois > Lawrence County > Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 15

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HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.

From his sound judgment and clear ideas with regard to governmental affairs, Governor Cole saw fit to choose him as his Secretary of State in 1824. This office he held but a short time, when he returned to his little colony. It was only about a year following that he met with a sudden and tragic death, the circumstances of which are so well and vividly portrayed in a journal of that day, that we copy the same for the readers of this history : "On June 4th, 1825, Mr. Birkbeck went to Harmony, Indiana, taking a packet of letters for us to Mr. Robert Owen, who being on the eve of departure to England, had kindly promised to deliver them. On Mr. Birkbeck's return occurred the melancholy circumstan- ces of his death. In attempting to cross Fox river, with his son Bradford, they found the " flat " on which they expected to be carried over, had been taken away. They, therefore, entered the stream with their horses with the intention of swimming the river. Bradford's horse plunged and threw him into the seething water. Being a good swimmer, he, although encumbered with an over- coat, besides being weak from a recent illness, had nearly reached the opposite shore, when he heard his father's voice calling for assistance ; and turning himself around he saw him struggling in the middle of the stream, and returned to him. Upon reaching him his father caught hold of him, and they both sank together. Upon coming to the surface, Bradford desired his father to take hold of his coat in another place, which he did, and again they both sank. At this time only Bradford arose ; he finally reached the bank in safety, but he left his father beneath the waves. After some time his cries brought a person to his assistance who endeavored to re- cover the body of his father. It was all in vain, and it was not until the following day that the body was re- covered from the angry waters. When found his um- brella was grasped in his right hand, the position he held it when he went down. His body was taken to New Harmony, and there interred with every mark of respect that the living could give. So passed away the soul of one who had labored faithfully, many years of his life, to benefit his fellow-man."

he and his wife both passing away in 1876, Centennial year. But one of the family is now living, Jesse, who resides in Albion, and is among the wealthy and influ- ential citizens of the town.

Rev. John Depew came in the same year as Mr. Em- merson. He was an immigrant from the South, and on arriving in the county he located on land adjoining Mr. Emmerson. He was a zealous Methodist divine, and the first of that persuasion in this part of the country. It is remarked of him that he was a good neighbor, an honest and conscientious man, and practiced what he preached. Being at a neighbor's house one day, and asked to takedinner with the family, he refused one of the delicacies of the early times-wild honey,-as he had learned in the mean time that the Sabbath had been desecrated in felling the bee-tree. He remained here but a few years, when he moved to Marion county.

In 1818, three months after Wanborough was established, Albion was founded. Mr. Flower, in his reminiscences says, that the emigrants were con- tinually flowing in, and it became necessary to furnish them with suitable and comfortable quarters. They would first visit Mr. Birkbeck, who had but small accommodations, and would then call upon Mr. Flower, who at the time, was less prepared to receive them than Mr. Birkbeck. At this stage, says Mr. Flower, "we were experiencing the many inconveniences of a popu- lation in the wilderness, in advance of necessary food and shelter. Do as you will, if you are the very first in the wilderness, there are many inconveniences, privations, hardships, and sufferings that cannot be avoided. My own family, one day, were so closely run for provisions, that a dish of tender buds and shoots of the hazle-brush was our only resort."

Mr. Lawrence and Mr. Trimmer, who led the first ship's company, made their settlement in Village Prairie, so called from the Piankashaw Indians, who had for- merly located there. Other emigrants kept coming in, some on foot, some on horseback, and some in wagons. Some sought employment and accepted of such labor as they could find. Others struck out on their own respon- sibility and made small beginnings for themselves, while others dropped back into the towns and settlement in Indiana. At this time Mr. Flower had been unable to time having been occupied in making his own family comfortable. One evening, after he had completed his surroundings for the comfort of his family, Messrs. Lawrence, Ronalds, and Fordham called at the cahin of Mr. Flower. The question of making suitable prepara- tion for the incoming tide of emigration was discussed,and measures were to be adopted for the laying out aud build- ing a town, as a center for the useful arts, and conven- iences necessary for a prosperous agricultural district. The subject was considered iu all its various bearings, and there in the darkness of Mr. F's. cabin (they were then not even supplied with a candle) the village of Albion was located, built and peopled, iu imagination.

A prominent pioneer of 1817, was Alan Emmerson, who was born in Kentucky. When a young man he emigrated to Indiana, where he married. On coming to this State he located in section 4, township 2 south, f prepare for the reception of the emigrants, his whole range 10 east. His family then consisted of his wife and four children. He built a snug little cabin on the quarter section of land he had entered, and here commenced the hard labors of the pioneer. In a short time he was elected justice of the peace, being among the first to hold that honorable position in what is now Ed- wards county. He served several terms upon the board of County Commissioners, and for several years was the presiding Judge of the county court. He was also elected County Treasurer and Assessor, and was one term in the State Legislature. In fact for many years prior to his death, he was almost constantly serving the peo- ple in some public capacity. He lived to a good old age,

HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.

But one day was suffered to elapse between the decision and execution of what had been purposed. The gentle- men, before mentioned, had remained over night with Mr. Flower, and it was decided in the morning that Messrs. Fordham and Flower should start north from the latter's dwelling, while Lawrence and Ronalds were to go south from Village Prairie, at a given hour on the fol- lowing morning, and at their place of meeting should be the future town. Mr. Flower says: " We met the next day in the woods, according to appointment. The spot seemed suitable, the woods being rather open and the ground level." With one accord, it was decided that the spot upon which they then stood should be the center of the town. They were then standing upon the ground now enclosed in the public square. It was thus that the town of Albion was born. The first building was a double log cabin, utilized for a "tavern," and was built by John Pitcher, who, with his family, consti- tuted a portion of the first emigrants in 1818. Among these emigrants were Abraham, Isaac and Jacob Pen- fold, all excellent mechanics. The second buildings in the town were a house and blacksmith shop for the fam- ily and use of Jacob Penfold, who was the first black- smith of Albion. These families have all passed away long ago; one, a daughter of Abraham Penfold, is yet living in Albion, the wife of " Uncle Johnny Woods." She has lost her eyesight, but is active for one of her age.

Another of the emigrants, of 1818, was Joel Church- hill, an intelligent and educated young man from Lon- don. He entered quite a large tract of land about five miles south of Albion, now Dixon precinct, built a log house, and commenced the life of a pioneer in the timber of Big creek. In 1824 he married Eliza Simpkins, from which union eleven children were born. Being of a business turn of mind, Mr. Churchill re- moved to Albion, and engaged in the commercial busi- ness. Here he erected a brick store-room, and built a stone dwelling. By good business tact he had, in a few years, increased his mercantile affairs to consid- erable proportions, besides establishing a large manufac- tory for pressing and shipping castor oil. He died at Albion in 1872, having led a busy and prosperous life. His widow and two sons are prominent citizens of Albion. One of his sons, Charles, has had the honor of represent- ing the district in the State Legislature.

John Tribe came from England one year later than Mr. Churchill. He was then a single man, and first located at Wanborough. He subsequently married, and reared a large family. In later years he moved to Albion, where he carried on the business of wool-carding until his death, which occurred in the summer of 1880. Mr. Flower, in his memoirs, says of him: "He has not made that accumulation of property that many men have, that came with as little as he, but this is probably because he has not given himself up to the one idea of acquisition and accumulation. As he has labored moderately through life, he has always reserved a little

time for observation, reflection, and reading. His house is small, his living plain and simple. He reserves a small room for himself, where he receives any friends who may call. On his table are placed writing materials, books, periodicals and newspapers. In his garden are a few of the choicest flowers, that would grace the grounds of Buckingham palace. Is not a New York millionaire poor, compared to Mr. Tribe?" That he was a man of more than ordinary intelligence and reading, is fully attested by the evidences given by the citizens of Albion of to-day. Many a time has the writer in interviewing the old citizens of the town for in- formation for this volume, heard them exclaim : "How unfortunate that this book had not been written a little earlier, before the death of 'Uncle Johny Tribe ;' he was a perfect walking encyclopedia, and could have told you all about it." Mrs. Tribe is yet living in Albion, and eight of the children are residents of the county ; one son, William B., is the present Circuit Clerk of Ed- wards county.

John Woods, Sr., of Surrey, England, came in the fall of the same year as the above. He was a man of family, having a wife and five children. He settled at Wan- borough, where he remained for several years, when he moved to Albion, and thence to Shawneetown, where he died. One son, John Jr., is a merchant in Albion, and one of the oldest surviving settlers in the county. For nearly forty years he served as County Treasurer and Assessor, and is yet active for one of his years.

As previously stated, Richard Flower and his wife, father and mother, of George Flower, came from Eng- land, with the latter in 1818. They stayed one year at Lexington, Kentucky, and the following spring moved to Albion. Mr. Flower was what would be called wealthy in those days, being worth between one and two hundred thousand dollars. He built a mansion much after the style and architecture of the farm-houses in England. Thirty acres of woodland were preserved in connection with the house, the under-brush was cleared away and the entire ground sowed with blue grass. This gave the grounds an appearance of a beautiful and commodious park. Hence, it received the name "Park House." Mr. Flower, in speaking of it, says : "Old Park House, near Albion, will long be remembered by old settlers and distant visitors for its social reunions and open- handed hospitalities. Here the family party of children and grandchildren met at dinner on Sundays. An Eng- lish plum pudding was a standing dish that had graced my father's dinner table from time immemorial. Here all friends and neighbors, that had any musical tastes or talent, met once a fortnight for practice and social enjoyment. Strangers and visitors to the settlement re- ceived a hearty welcome. It may be truly said that, for thirty years, 'Old Park House' was never without its visitors from every country in Europe, and every State in the Union."

The following is a short sketch of some of the settlers in Albion and Wanborough, as given by Mr. Flower:

HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.

Brian Walker and his friend William Nichols, from Yorkshire, came to Philadelphia in 1817, and to the settlement, at Albion, in 1818. Mr. Walker, when he landed at Philadelphia, had but one guinea in his pocket. How much there was left of that guinea when he arrived in Illinois. there is no record. He and his friend Nich- ols settled on land side by side, situated on the skirts of a prairie, one mile east of Albion. They worked hard, opened land, built their houses, married, reared large families and became possessed of abundance. They, with most of the other early settlers, have passed away.

William Wood of Wormswold, Leicestershire, a small farmer, with his wife and one son, Joseph, left England for the prairies of Illinois in the spring of 1819. Ac- companying him were two young men, John Brissenden of Kent, and William Tewks, from Leicestershire; also Miss Mea,-afterward Mrs. Brissenden,-and Joseph Butler and family, from Kent. 'The party kept together, and came the usual route from Philadelphia to Pitts- burg, and descended the Ohio in an ark. When near their journey's end Mrs. Wood was taken ill, and on reaching the mouth of the Wabash, died. On a point of land at the junction of the Ohio and Wabash, on the Illinois side, far from any settlement or habitation, her grave was made between two trees, on which her name and age were carved, and thus were her remains left alone in the wilds of a new country. Who can image a more melancholy situation for an old man, left virtually alone, just at the end of his toilsome and weary journey, to lose his life-long partner, just as the promised land they had so much doted on, was heaving in sight? Mr. Wood being a man of great vigor and good sense did not yield to discouragement as many might have done. After reaching his destination, Albion, he soon opened a good farm, planted an orchard, and lived for several years, enjoying the fruits of his labors. His son Joseph, in after years, hecame one of the wealthiest and most thrif- ty farmers in the county.

John Brissenden, after working for a time, and having acquired a little money, settled on a tract of land by the side of his old friend Wood. His was the usual way to competency of the early settlers. He cleared his farm, married, reared a large family, and in time built a fine house, besides having an interest in a mercantile house in Maysville, Clay county. He died some years ago, leaving a good property to his heirs.

William Tewk's career was simply a repetition of Mr. Brissenden's. For a time he was a carrier between Albion and Evansville, Indiana. He acted in the capacity of itinerant commission man between both places, making the-purchases which his wagon brought home. He drove one of the wagons himself, and met with an accident, which proved fatal, about twenty years ago.

John Skeavington from Nottinghamshire, England, came in the same year and located on the prairie near Mr. Brissenden, and cultivated a good farm. Like his neighbors, he commenced with but little if any means,

but before his death, had amassed a good competency. Several of his descendants are good and respectable citizens of Edwards county.

William Harris, also from England, came with the emigrants of 1819. For many years he followed team- ing with an ox team. Mr. Flower says of him : " William Harris' team was a sort of institution in the county for many years. I would charter Billy Harris' wagon for a long journey across the prairie. It was strong, large, well covered, and, when well fitted up with bedding and provender, was comfortable enough. Myself and family have taken many long and pleasant journeys in it. It was the best conveyance for our rough county at that day-no hill too steep, no bog too deep for Mr. Harris' strong ox-team. Not railroad-like, but more indepen- dent, and in some respects, more comfortable." In later years Mr. Harris located on a farm near Albion, where he resided in peace and plenty.

Samuel Prichard, who sailed in the Columbia in the spring of 1819, had a family consisting of his wife, four sons and four daughters He belonged to the society of Friends, possessed a good property, was liberal minded, and well educated. He was an acquaintance of Mr. Birkbeck's in England, and on coming to the county he located near Wanborough, on the road leading to Albion. He contracted a fever soon after coming, and lived but a short time. His descendants are yet living here.

William Clark and family came about the same time as Mr. Prichard. Mr. Clark also belonged to the society of Friends, and was a valuable acquisition to the colony. He settled on one of the little prairies lying between Al- bion and the Little Wabash, and it was owing to his capital and enterprise that the first wind-mill was constructed in the county. Three other parties came at the time of Mr. Clark, David and George Kearsum, and a Mr. Sampson, none of whom are now living-at least none are residents of the county.

Another early settler was William Hall, from Surrey. He had a large family, and located on the prairies west of Wanborough, where he improved a good farm. Mr. Hall was a well educated man, a close observer and one of more than ordinary intelligence. He kept a record of all important passing events, and it is to his journal and notes that Mr. Flower acknowledges indebtedness for many points obtained in the furtherance of his history of the English settlements. We here insert a letter written by Mr. Hall to a friend in England relat- ing to the sad death of one of his boys while engaged in hunting wild turkeys. He says: "Preserve this letter, dear John, as a monument of the instability of all human felicity. The very dav I wrote it, on the fatal morning of the 24th of April, 1822, I heard the sound of my two sons passing through the porch, into which my bed-room opens. One of them I knew by his light step and cheer- ful voice, to be my beloved Ned, the other was unfortu- nate Robert. About half an hour after, I heard the report of a rifle in the woods. I lay about a quarter of

HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.

an hour longer, until it was light enough to dress. When I went out of the door it was just five o'clock. Upon going to the back of the house, where I heard most unearthly cries of distress, I saw poor Robert rolling on the ground and writhing in the utmost agony. I im- mediately concluded he was dreadfully wounded, and it was some time before he could speak. He exclaimed, Oh, father, I have killed Ned, and I wish I was dead myself! I uttered an involuntary exclamation, and sank down myself upon him. The noise brought out his mother, and the scene which followed cannot be described. Two of the neighbors, aroused by Robert's cries, assisted me in conveying him and his mother and laying them upon the bed. I went with them in search of the body, which was not found for some time. At length it was brought in, and buried in a spot which my poor boy had selected for his garden. It seems they had sighted a turkey, when Robert dispatched his brother one way, and lay down himself behind a log, to endeavor to call up the bird within gun shot, with his turkey-call. After a little while, he heard a rustling but a few yards away, and soon afterward saw what he concluded to be the turkey. He took aim, fired, and leaped up, shouting for Ned, and ran in triumph to pick up his game. Think of his feelings, when he found it to be the corpse of his brother weltering in his own blood."

Mr. Hall died many years ago, and the family have moved to other scenes. One daughter, widow of Walter L. Mayo, it is said is now a resident of Leavenworth, Kansas.

The first English settlers in Village Prairie, were John Brenchly and wife, and John Lewis and family. In speaking of them Mr. Flower says : " Mr. Brenchly had been a distiller in the old country ; not a man of country habits, or possessed of much capital. Mr. Lewis was a man of excellent education, but with small pecuniary means. These were both difficult cases for a new settlement. In a few months they both left their quarter sections in the prairie. For a year or two, Mr. Brenchly lived chiefly by his labors as accountant, etc., and finally moved to Philadelphia. Mr. Lewis remained longer, and for a time, rented the first brick tavern in Albion, built by Richard Flower, Senior. The family subsequently moved to Cincinnati.

"Speaking of the Lewis's," says Mr. Flower, " reminds me of an accident that nearly proved fatal to one of the family. I had dismounted from my horse, and hitched him by the bridle to the handle of the well-windlass, that was situated near the kitchen door at the Park House, and had run over to my cabins about seventy yards distant. Soon after ward a servant came running in haste, exclaiming that Mary Lowis had fallen into the well. The child, about twelve years of age, had been standing on the well-top; the horse became sud- denly frightened and pulled the windlass and curbing from the well, and the child had dropped in. The well was about forty feet deep and contained ten feet of water." Assisted by two or three parties at hand, the

little girl was rescued from her perilous situation, though pretty well exhausted through fright and drown- ing. This well has a further history connected with it. It was of large diameter, the sides and bottom being of smooth sandstone. At the sinking of it, the digger, William Truscott, had nearly completed his work, and was engaged in sweeping at the bottom of the well, just preparatory to coming to the surface. Suddenly a dread- ful hubbub was heard in its vicinity-the mingled voices of a man and beast in agony of distress came forth and attracted every one within hearing to the spot. The cause was at once apparent. A large, fat hog had strayed to the mouth of the well, and had slipped his hind feet over, and was struggling with might and main to recover himself. While in this position, squealing for aid, the man below looked up in terror and loudly roared for help. Seeing that the hog was gradually losing his hold, he flattened himself against the stone sides and waited the dread results. Down went the animal to his instant death ; for a moment all was silent. Shouts from the top were given, asking if the digger was hurt ? A faint voice said, " Oh, yes, do haul me up." The man was brought to the surface, nearly dead with fright. The hog was subsequently removed from the well, but was split open on the back from head to tail, as if the process had been performed with a sharp knife.

One of the great fears that the pioneers labored underat their coming, was that the place they had chosen would have to he abandoned on account of the inability to oh- tain good water. Wells were sunk to considerable depths, but no water could be obtained only as they filled hy the surface flow. We are informed that to-day, water can be reached almost anywhere, at the depth of ten or fifteen feet. Science and theory has thus far failed to give any satisfactory or intelligent reason for this phenomenon.

In 1820, Thomas Spring and his family, left Derby- shire, England, for the beautiful prairies of Illinois. The second son, Archibald, was left at a medical college, in Baltimore, to finish his studies. The family proceeded to Wheeling, Virginia, by land, when Mr. Spring was taken with a fever and died before reaching his destina- tion. His three sons, Henry, Sydney, and John came on with their mother, and located on Birk's Prairie. Sydney afterwards married here and reared a large family He subsequently removed to Graysville, White county. Henry, in after years, became a merchant in Olney. Archibald, after completing his studies, came to Edwards county, and for many years was a successful physician in Albion, where he remained until his death.

Others who came about the same time were, James Carter and family, Gilbert T. Pell, Mr. Kenton, Mr. Coles and family, Mr. Peters, Thomas Simpkins and family, Mr. Gillard, Henry Bowman, then a single man, Oswald Warrington and family, James and Robert Thread, Mr. Orange and family, Henry Birkett, Mr. Stanhope, Francis Hanks and family, J. B. Johnson,

Pll 3

HISTORY OF EDWARDS, LAWRENCE AND WABASH COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.

. William Hallum, Thomas Shepherd, Henry, John and Henry Cowling, Edward Coad and family, Joseph, Thomas and Kelsey Crackles, John May, William Cave, Thomas Swale, Moses, John and George Michels, Ellis Weaver, and many others.

A prominent settler of 1821, was William Pickering, from Yorkshire. He came a single man, but subse- quently married Martha Flower, and first made his set- tlement at Village Prairie. He was an active and energetic man, and in a few years rose to distinction in the State. Governor Washburn says of him: "Gen. William Pickering was a well-known man among the old Whig politicians of Illinois, of his day. He was a representative man in the party, in the southeastern part of the State. I often met him in conventions, and knew him well in the Legislature. He had a con- tinuous service in the State Legislature, as the member from Edwards county, from 1842 to 1852, a service of exceptional length. He was a man of great intelligence and public spirit. He had a fine presence, and was thoroughly English in look and manner. He was an intimate friend of Mr. Lincoln, who, on his accession to the Presidency, appointed him Governor of Wash- ington Territory." Mr. Pickering died at his home, near Albion, about eight years ago. One son is living at the farm a little west of Albion.

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Combined history of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash counties, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, Part 15

Author: Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia, J. L. McDonough & co. Number of Pages: 490

Author:
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, J. L. McDonough & co.
Number of Pages: 490