Combined history of Randolph, Monroe and Perry counties, Illinois . With illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, Part 20

Author: McDonough, J.L., & Co., Philadelphia
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.L. McDonough & Co
Number of Pages: 578


USA > Illinois > Perry County > Combined history of Randolph, Monroe and Perry counties, Illinois . With illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 20
USA > Illinois > Randolph County > Combined history of Randolph, Monroe and Perry counties, Illinois . With illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 20
USA > Illinois > Monroe County > Combined history of Randolph, Monroe and Perry counties, Illinois . With illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 20


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The most serious and dreadful tragedy that ever occurred in the county, or, indeed, in the State, wa. the murder of the wife and four children of Robert McMahan, in January, 1795, three miles southeast of the New Design station. Me- Mahan was a native of Virginia, from which he emigrated to Kentucky where, at C'rah Orchard, he married Margaret Clive. In the year 1793 he came to Illinois, and settled at New Design. In 1794 he lived in a house near the station belonging to James Lemen ; he had selected a location in the prairie, and desiring to improve a farm had moved on the land which was part of the northeast quarter of section nineteen, township three south, range nine west. No other house was in sight. Ile made preparations to defend himself and family from an attack by the Indians. He had a rifle, and only a week before the tragedy, had run two hundred riffe balls. He also kept at the house a blunderbuss loaded with six charges of powder and nine balls. "When you hear the report of my bluuderbuss," said he to his friends at 11


1


the station, "you may be certain that I am attacked." The door of his house was so constructed that it might be strongly barred, and port holes were made in the walls through which he might shoot any one who should attempt to ascend to the roof. The murders took place on the twenty-sixth of Jan- uary, 1795. On the morning of that day McMahan went out to hunt for his oxen, when he precived that his horse, which was confined in a pen, appeared to be frightened. He cast his eye over the prairie in every direction, but saw no enemy. A lone hickory tree, one hundred and fifty yards from the house, had been blown down the previous fall while in full leaf, and thus furnished a convenient hiding place for an attacking party. Unfortunately he did not think that a deadly enemy might be hid behind this convenient covert.


He entered his house but had not been ind voors more than two or three minutes, when four Indians, frightfully painted black and red, entered the house, two by two, saying " Bon jour ! Bon jour !" (good day ! good day ! a salutation which they had evidently learned from their intere mr-e with the French. They stood motionless a few seconds, when one of them attempted to take down McMahan's rifle from the hooks, and MeMthan took down his blunderbas; but his wife took hold of it and begged him not to resist as she hoped their lives might be spared if they submitted peace- ably, but otherwise they would be killed, The Indians then seized the blunderbuss, and wrenched it from his hands. Every one then made for the door. Mrs. McMahan ran half way around the house, when she was shot in the left breast and salped. McMahan was then pulled back into the house, thrown on the floor, and his hands pinioned close behind him, with deer sine as. Sally MeMahan, the oldest da ighter, then less than three years ofdt. remained in the house, and saw one of the Indians knock her brother and two of her sister- on the head with the pole of his tomahawk. It was a light blow, only sufficient to stun them. This Indian was proceeding to open the cradle where lay a female intant, only one month old, when Sally ran out of the house, and once around it, when she was also seized by him. Three of the children were scalped. The infant likewise was mur- dered.


The Indians took from the house such articles as they wanted, packed a part of them upon McMahan, untying one of his hands so that he might hold the load on his back. They were in a great hurry to get off. Sally MeMahan was also taken along as a prisoner. They set out for the Indian town in the northeast part of Illinois. They crossed Prairie du Long ereck, not far from its mouth, and camped the first night on Richland creek, about half a mile below the present town of Belleville. MeMahan meditated an escape, but did not make known his intention to his daughter. The first night the Indians tied him securely, and took away his shoes and hat and part of his clothes, so that he had no op- portunity. They alsotied on him a belt, partly wrought with porcupine quills and small bells, so that if he stirred, the bells would rattle and give the alarm. After the journey was commenced the Indians were kind and friendly, fixing the shoes of Sally McMahan, and making her as comfortable as possible. The second night MeMahan quietly slipped the


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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.


cords from his limbs and body, and was about to rise, when one of the Indians raised up his head, and looked around, but laid down again without noticing him. When the Iodian had again gone to sleep, McMahan made his escape, without his shoes, hat, and with but little of his clothing. He covered some of his clothing over the belt of bells, so that they made no noise. He slipped back to the camp, and tried to get his shoes, or a pair of moccasins from the Indians, but could get neither. He started for the New Design, as well as he could judge of the course. He was nearly fam- ished. While with the Indians a small pittance of dried meat bad been his only food. The Indians, themselves, were without provisions, and in an almost starving condition. He lay out one night, making his bed of leaves under a large fallen tree, which was held up from the ground by its branches. His feet and elbows were partially frozen, but with the daylight he resumed his journey He visited the New Design settlement, but near Prairie du Rocher saw Samuel Judy. When he reached New Design his condition was deplorable. His clothing was torn and tattered, his feet bruised and bleeding, and his limbs partially frozen.


His wife and children lay dead for several days before the murder was discovered by the neighbors. A small dog, which had been much admired and petted by McMahan's family, came frequently to the house of James Lemen, whin- ing, and running backward and forward in an unusual manner. No oue took any hint from the actions of the dog, though the cause of its distress was plainly enough afterward made manifest. Old Mr. Judy was the first to discover the dead bodies, and shed tears when he told the sad story of the murder. The neighbors went out and buried the dead all in one grave, and on the night of the same day funeral services were held at the house of James Lemen. At nine or ten o'clock, just as the meeting closed McMahan entered the house from Prairie du Rocher. The little dog at first did not know his master, so changed was he by his hardships and sufferings, but the moment he looked into his face he leaped into his lap with extravagant demonstrations of joy. The whole assembly was profoundly affected, and McMahan burst into loud lamentations over the fate of his family.


After McMahan's escape the Indians traveled with their remaining captive, Sally McMahan, to the home of the Putawahs, southwest of Lake Michigan. Here she was transferred to an Ottawa Indian named Sukkonok, who had become a chief in the Putawah tribe and whose wife was the sister of the three who had been concerned in the massacre. By the treaty of Greenville, following Wayne's victory over the Indians in 1795, the Indians engaged to bring to the white settlements all the captives in their pos- session. In accordance with this agreement Sukkonok, in April, 1796, brought Sally McMahan in a canoe, down the Illinois and Mississippi rivers to Cahokia where she was de- livered to the white people. It was during the session of the court, and a great many people were present. The Indian chief made a speech in which he said that he had no hand in the massacre and had paid a considerable sum for the captive, and had brought her from a great distance to the white settlements. He therefore appealed to the liberality of the


white people to make him a just compensation. A subscrip- tion paper was drawn up, and one hundred and sixty-four dollars raised, which amount, in goods, was advanced to Suk- konok by Mr. Arundel, a merchant of Cahokia. Robert McMahan married a second wife, and raised a large family. He lived for some years on Ralls' ridge, near Red Bud, in Randolph county, and was justice of the peace and judge of the Randolph county court. He afterward removed to the vicinity of Troy, in Ridge prairie, in Madison county, where he died in the year 1822 at the age of sixty-three. Sally, his daughter, who was born in March, 1785, married David Gaskill, in Ridge prairie, Madison county, where the greater part of her life was spent. She died in the city of Alton, on the twenty-third of January, 1850 .*


EARLY MILLS.


The first water mill in the county seems to have been Judy's mill, built a short distance east of Whiteside's station by Jacob Judy in 1794. It was of great service tu the pioneer settlers. A few years afterward a number of mills were built in the same neighborhood. Some were propelled by water, and some were the old band mills. George Valentine was the builder of a mill on a stream nearly west of Judy's mill. On Fountain creek, west of Waterloo, an Irishman, named Halfpenny, one of the early school teachers in Illinois, built a water mill about the year 1795. On Ryan's creek, between Monroe City and the bottom, a mill was built by Josiah Ryan in the year 1798. All traces of this mill, and that on Fountain creek, have long since dis- appeared. Andrew Kinney was the first builder of a mill on the site of Monroe City. It did a prosperous business in early days, and made considerable quantities of flour for the St. Louis and other markets. Soon after the opening of the present century more mills were built. Two men named Tate and Singleton built a good stone mill on Fountain creek, a few miles south west of Waterloo, in the year 1802.


DESTRUCTIVE HURRICANE.


The most terrific hurricane that ever swept over the county occurred on the fifth of June, 1805 It moved from the northwest to the southeast, and crossed the Mississippi about a mile below the mouth of the Merrimac, passing through the present Moredock precinct. Its track was about three- quarters of a mile in width. It prostrated trees, and even swept the water out of the river and the lakes in the Ameri- can Bottom. William Blair, who had a boat moored in the river, near the place where the storm crossed it, asserted that for three-quarters of a mile the water was raised out of the river by the violence of the tempest. Fish from the river and lakes were scattered all over the prairie in its course. It occurred about one o'clock in the afternoon. The sun previously had been shining, and the atmosphere had been clear. Col. James A. James, resided with his father nearly in its course, and was an eye-witness to the terrible storm.


* The acconot giveo io Reynolds' Pioneer History of the McMahan massacre is, in some instances, incorrect. He states that two daughters were taken prisoners, when there was only one. The facts, as above narrated, agree with the statements made by the daughter, Mrs. Gaskill, to George Churchill, a careful and accurate writer of Madison county, who prepared an account of the affair in 1855.


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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.


The family fled from its track. Dr. Cairnes and his family were directly in its course and saw it approaching, and sue- ceeded in saving their lives As the Doctor and his family were running for safety the storm overtook them. His wife was behind, and she lay flat on the earth and held to a bush. Rails, tree-tops and almost every movable thing were dashed around her with great force, and she was wounded in the head, but not fatally. The rest of the family escaped unhurt. Dr. Cairnes' cattle came running home before the hurricane reached the house and barn, bellowing and much terrified. They all perished. A horse in a lot near the house was killed by a fence rail running through him. Every log in the house and the last roek in the foundation of the chimney were swept away. Everything movable was destroyed and torn to pieces. A large bull was raised high in the air, and after being carried a considerable distance, was dashed to the ground with every hone in his carcass broken. By the time the storm reached the Mississippi bluff's, its force was nearly spent, and no injury was done on the hills. The clothes and all the household furniture of Dr. Cairnes were destroyed, and scattered far and near. One of his waistcoats was found in the Little prairie, where his father resided, six or eight miles distant. Tops of pine trees from Missouri, which did not grow nearer than fifty or sixty miles from the American Bottom, could be seen. In the midst of the storm it was very dark.


PERRY COUNTY.


The early settlers chose the timbered sections of the place where they chanced to locate in preference to the open prairie. Many ascribe as a reason for such choice, that they believed the prairies were so poor that they would not produce timber, and hence were too barren to yield crops for the sustenance of themselves and families. This, however, is an error. The true reason for the selection of homes in the timber may be thus enumerated : First, the pioneers put up their cabins where wood was plentiful for building and fuel, and where the timber afforded shelter from wintry blasts and the scorching sun of summer ; secondly, in the early days the prairies were covered with a dense growth of grass, and during the greater portion of the year the surface was covered with water, thus preventing a supply of that article in a wholesome state, which could be readily obtained in the timber ; thirdly, the prairie sod was so strong that they were unable to break it up for cultiva- tion, owing to the primitive nature of their agricultural implements.


The first white man to locate permanently in Perry county, of which we have any reliable data, was John Flack, who settled in Four Mile prairie, with his family, in 1799. Hle built his rude log cabin on the southwest quarter of see- tion eleven, in township six, south of range three, in what is now a part of Pinckneyville precinct. When John Flack came to his new home, he found but one white man in the county. This man's name was Cox, and with his family, he had taken up his temporary abode on claim No. 1,410, snr- vey No. 459-the only survey or claim within the limits of


the county. The claim was located in sections seventeen and eighteen, in towuship six, range two, on Beaucoup ereek ; and also in Pinckneyville precinct. The abode of Cox, prior to his advent to this county, or whence he removed, is no longer known. The old pioneer, John Flack, left a son, John Flack, whom the later settlers found living in the Four Mile prairie.


B A Brown and family were among the early settlers and neighbors of John Flack. They lived in the Six Mite prairie ; bat all traces of the family have long since been lost. We find an entry of the west half of the northeast quarter of section nineteen, in township six south, of range three west, in the name of Benjamin Brown, as early as March 16, 1819. The next to locate permanently in the county was the Hutchings family. In May, 1816, John and William Ilutehings, brothers, with their families, camped upon the banks of Beaucoup creek, in what is now Beau- coup precinct. They were on their way from Tennessee to Missouri, and had no intention of remaining permanently. After a few days rest they pushed onward, and on reaching Rateliff's or Sawyer's point, in Washington county, fifteen miles distant, they abandoned their journey, and returned to their old former camping place, where they had found game and honey in abundance, and where the productive appear- ance of the surrounding country had favorably impressed them during their transient sojourn. John Hutchings' family consisted of a wife, four children, and three slaves. Landon Parks and Agis, his wife, and a colored woman named Dinah. William Hutchings' family was composed of a wife, six children, and a young woman named Delilah Jones, who afterward became the wife of John R. Hutch. ings, his eldest son. This party of emigrants had made the journey in old-fashioned wagons, drawn by horses, and com- prised eighteen persons in all. The Hutchings were natives of North Carolina, where they married. John Hutchings built his first cabin on the northwest quarter of section nine- teen, in township four south, of range two, which he entered July 25, 1817. Ile subsequently built a two story frame house near his cabin. This was known for many years as the " Travelers' Inn." William Hutchings built his first house in the south edge of the prairie, which took his name. Here he resided until 1819, on what is now known as the Watson place, and died in 1826. The Hutchings family were prominent and useful citizens, and the chtest son of William, John R. Hutchings, was one of the earliest teachers and Baptist ministers. He was also one of the commissioners chosen to select the site of Pinckneyville, and hell many of the county offices, among the number that of judge. Wesley W. Hutchings, born at the pioneer home, on the 4th of October, 1822, is the only survivor of William Hutchings' family, and now resides in the Three Mile prai- rie, Washington county, this state. Mrs. Mary Rice, widow of Hiram Rice, and daughter of John Hutchings, is the only survivor of the eighteen pioneers, and was but five years old when brought to the territory by her father in May, 1816. The nearest trading points at the time of the settlement by the Hutchings, were Kaskaskia and St. Louis, and the only articles of trade were deerskins, honey and beeswax, which


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HISTORY OF RANDOLPHI, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.


were exchanged for such necessaries as were required. Jobn Huggins, who was an early settler of Cutler, came to Ilinois in 1802. He yet lives in section twenty-one, and is a native of South Carolina.


The first to seek a home within the limits of what is now Du Quoin precinct, was Jarrold Jackson, who exacted a toll from travelers for crossing a bridge over Little Muddy, in 1803, on the road leading from Shawneetown to Kaskaskia. Thomas Taylor, a native of South Carolina, came into this precinct in 1812, from Jackson county, to which place he had emigrated in 1803. Lewis Wells, also a native of South Carolina, an old neighbor of Taylor, and one of the early county commissioners, moved to Jackson county in 1804; and from there came with Taylor, to what is now Perry county, in 1812. Mr. Wells resided in Du Quoin precinct until 1846, the year of his death. He had reached the ripe age of ninety-six years. John Campbell, who, at his death, left his children, John, Washington, Isaac, Alexander and Charles living in the precinct, came from Tennessee in 1812, and settled in the neighborhood of Wells and Taylor. In 1815, Tamaroa precinct received its first permanent resident in the person of the parents of Edward T. Rees. They settled near a water course, now known as Rees' creek. Edward T. Rees has been honored with the responsible position of County Judge, by his fellow citizens.


Du Quoin precinot received within its borders as perma- nont citizens, in 1816, Hiram Root and Ephraim Skinner and their families. They were natives of New York. Mr. Skinner lived but four years after their arrival.


Simon Williard and family settled in the southwest in 1817. He located on section two, township six south, range four ; and when the land came into market, he entered it January 19, 1819. There were 504.60 acres in the traet. His neighbor, James C'raine, improved and made his home on the northeast quarter of section thirteen, township six, range four. Mr. Craine entered this tract in the land office in Kaskaskia, May 14, 1818. Benjamin Brown was also a neighbor in 1817. His home was on the west half of the southeast quarter of section eleven of the same township. Richard Green, Robert Crow and Robert John- son with their families, were living in the neighborhood. William H. Threlkel, Jacob Short and John Stuart were also residents of this section, and their names are intimately interwoven in the earlier civil history of the county as men of unquestioned honesty and ability. They were natives of New York, Tennessee, and Kentucky. Stephen Kelly was also a pioncer of this neighborhood. The Pyle family, whose names appear prominently in the civil history of the county, in pioneer days, and many of whose descend- ants are now respected citizens of the county, came to what is now Du Quoin precinct, from Tennessee, in 1819. There were three brothers, John, William and Abner, all men with families of well-grown children. Grand Cote received its first settler in 1819. Thomas Swanwick, a native of Chester, England, entered the northwest quarter, and the east half of the southwest quarter of section eleven in town- ship four south of r nge four, on the thirteenth day of February, 1818. The land entered by this old pioneer is


now occupied by his son, Joel J. Swanwick, now past the meridian of life. James McMurdo came with Mr. Swan- wick, and now resides in Randolph county. The next ac- cession to the settlement of Grand Cote, was William P. Elliott, who came from Georgia in 1820. He located on the twentieth section, built his cabin, and in the spring of 1821, brought his family to his new home. He was an en- terprising citizen, and was the first to operate a mill in this section of the county. He built a tug or band mill as early as 1822. The burrs were made from boulders picked up on the prairie.


In 1522, Shadrach Lively made an improvement in the southwest corner of Holt's Prairie. Between the years 1820 and 1830, Du Quoin precinct received a large number of settlers, among whom were Robert McElvain, Rodney Bolin and others. The widow of Rodney Bolin died a few years since, being past ninety years of age. In this decade, Daniel Dry, the first county treasurer, after the organization of the county, arrived in Du Quoin precinct. It is said that Mr. Dry, in company with his wife, made the entire journey from Pennsylvania, on foot, bringing his entire worldly wealth in an old barrel, mounted on two wheels. This improvised cart he propelled before him as he trudged on his wearisome way in search of a home in the western wilds. He spent the remainder of his days in the county, leaving behind him an unsullied reputation, and a large number of descendants, who have kept the family name un- tarnished. David H. Mead was also a pioneer of the same neighborhood. His name appears prominently in the civil history of the county. In the year 1824, Du Quoin re- ceived other permanent and enterprising settlers in the per- sons of Zachariah Clinton, Green Durrington and Micajah Phelps, all with families, who came direct from their homes in Kentucky. Also, Dr. Joseph Brayshaw, an En- glishman ; Avery Chapman and Joshua Davis, who settled upon what is now the site of Old Du Quoin. Cutler pre- cinet was colonized in 1825, by a band of sturdy pioneers, who made permanent settlements. They were natives of Smith county, Tennessee. Enoch Eaton, who still lives upon his old homestead, the northeast quarter of section twenty - four, in township five south, range four, was the first of the company to arrive with his wife and two children. One of his sons, R II. Eaton, is now a resident of Pinckneyville. He made the journey with the old-fashioned wagon, drawn by horses. He was soon followed by his father, who brought his family in a cart drawn by a bull. With Eaton, Sr., came John Murphy, father of Robert, James, Richard G., and William C., all of whom came with their father and were prominent in the early history of the county. Hon. Wil- liam K. Murphy, of Pinckneyville is a grandson of this pioneer, Richard Green and family of New York ; Hugh Brown from South Carolina; Matthew Vann of Tennessee; Andrew Cooper of South Carolina were among Enoch Eaton's first and early neighbors. James Brown, also a native of South Carolina, settled near Galum as early as 1825. The next accession to Grand Cote was Jonathan Petit, who came from the " Irish settlement " in Randolph County, in the spring of 1825. He settled on section thirty


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HISTORY OF RANDOLPHI, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.


of township four south, of range four. In the same fall, he disposed of his improvement to Absalom Wilson of Wash ington County, Virginia. Mr. Wilson did not occupy his new house, however, until 1840. George Cherry from the Chester District, South Carolina, also came into Grand Cote the same year, and settled on section five, where he continued to reside until his death, which occurred in March, 1857.


The year 1826 brought so many permanent settlers into the territory now comprising the county, that toward the close of the year the necessary steps were taken to secure the organi- zation of the county. Among the number who took up their abode within its limits were : David Deal, a native of Ten- nessee. He brought a wife and family of six children, two sons and four daughters ; two of the latter are now residents of Franklin county, this state, the rest being dead. He built his humble cabin on section twenty-eight. He subse- quently purchased the improvement of David Rees, who had made his appearance about the same time as Mr. Deal, and had built his cabin on section twenty-one. After purchas- ing Mr. Rees' improvement, Mr. Deal entered the land. Abraham Morgan and family made themselves houses in what is now Tamaroa precinct, as early as 1826. They lived upon, and were the first occupants of, what is now known as the Samuel Benson place; and there entered the southwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section eighteen of township four south, range one west.




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