USA > Illinois > Cumberland County > Counties of Cumberland, Jasper and Richland, Illinois. Historical and biographical > Part 47
USA > Illinois > Richland County > Counties of Cumberland, Jasper and Richland, Illinois. Historical and biographical > Part 47
USA > Illinois > Jasper County > Counties of Cumberland, Jasper and Richland, Illinois. Historical and biographical > Part 47
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The village of Newton, on the whole, has a promising future. Two railroads now pass through the central part, another has been located near their intersection, and two more are talked of. The country about is rapidly developing, and with its prosperity the county-seat will surely thrive. The early drawback to its prosperity
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HISTORY OF JASPER COUNTY.
is removed. With the inauguration of the "Murphy" movement, the substantial portion of the community, irrespective of political affiliations, joined in the effort to root the liquor traffic out of the town, and after successive alternations of high and higher license and total prohibition, the latter has been the accepted principle, and no liquor is sold save by the drug-stores for medicinal purposes. The closing of business houses on Sunday has just begun, and step by step the village is taking rank with the most advanced position in municipal morals. This must have its natural effect upon the pros- perity of Newton, and in the next decade it seems certain to far exceed its competitors in this section of the State.
Saint Marie .- The American Revolution, followed by that in France, the Napoleonic regime, the Bourbon return, and the establish- ment of the first Republic, served to direct the attention of the French people to America. Although something of liberty was enjoyed by the French, the middle class and peasantry looked to the American Republic with vague longings as the asylum for all oppressed people. This feeling was strong in the Province of Alsace, and it was a daily occurrence to see wagon after wagon conveying the household effects of such of the peasantry as were happy enough to be able to ship to the new country beyond the sea. Among others who shared this feeling were the families of James Picquet, Sr., and brothers, Schif- ferstine and Huffman. These families were well-to-do, but desiring that their families might be reared in a freer air, determined to send some one to spy out the land. Joseph Picquet, then a lad of nine- teen years, was selected, and in September, 1835, he landed in New York. Ignorant of the language and customs of the country, he went to Philadelphia and engaged in a business house for some nine months, to gain this preliminary education. In the early part of the following year, Mr. Picquet set out on his journey of investigation. He visited the various land offices at Pittsburgh, Lima, Ohio, and Fort Wayne, Ind., then following the Wabash & Erie Canal on horse- back he came to Covington, and then struck across to Danville, Ill., from thence went to Chicago, thence to Michigan City, Indianapolis. and Vincennes. . From this latter point he started for Vandalia through this region, but in attempting to cross the Embarrass River was nearly drowned, and finally got to his destination, attacked by a severe fever. Thence he went to Saint Louis, where he lay sick for some days. In October, 1836, he returned to France and made so favorable a report that in July, 1837, he came back with a colony of four families and twelve young people, about twenty-five persons
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HISTORY OF JASPER COUNTY.
in all. A small farm was bought near Francisville, and here the colony rested to look about them. In October, 1837, Joseph Picquet bought some 12,000 acres of land in Jasper County, and about this time the colony pitched their tabernacle on the sight of Saint Marie. The name first adopted was Colonie des Freres,-Colony of Brothers, -which was subsequently changed to its present name. This colony, made up of Frenchmen and devout Catholics, took formal possession of their new home in the style of the early discoverers of their nation. Gathering on a knoll just across the railroad from the present resi- dence of Mr. Joseph Piequet. the company fired a few volleys from their guns, sang appropriate songs and concluded with other appro- priate ceremonies. The people who 'gathered here were largely of the farming class, but were little acquainted with the necessities of the frontier life that confronted them. None were woodsmen, and in building their cabins the young forgot what a useful labor-savinginsti- tution an ox-team was, and deliberately carried all their logs to the site of the cabin. Experience taught the necessary lessons, and being resolute, cheerful people, obstacles were overcome and a thriv- ing settlement founded.
In 1838, Joseph Piequet started the first store, bringing the goods from Philadelphia via Evansville, and thence by wagon. Goods were purchased at Evansville or Lonisville and wagoned across the country, save when the stage of water and the plying of steam- boats allowed a shipment by river to Vincennes. The cost of freight- ing goods was one cent per mile on a hundred weight, amounting to about $1.25 for land transportation. The early trade was principally barter, skins and honey being the principal articles the farmers had for exchange. Game was abundant, and the timber swarmed with
the honey-bec. The latter was systematically hunted, and honey brought into the store by the wagon load. In 1839, Mr. Picquet put up the first steam saw-mill in the' county, buying the machinery, second-hand, but little used, near Vincennes. AA grist-mill was added at onee, the machinery being purchased at Pittsburgh. This was the first steam grist-mill in all this region, and attracted patronage from an area of forty miles away. For years Saint Marie was the commercial metropolis of Jasper County, and in its early years bid fair to hold this position for all time. The founders were wealthy, the natural advantages good, and the early enterprise kept pace with the development of the country. The railroads, however, wrought unfavorable changes. These gave Newton an impetus, built up Wil- low Hill and Boos' Station, all of which compete with this village
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The early business men who were the life of the place either retired or removed to other places, and Saint Marie has been surpassed by more favored places. The location of the village on the river, prac- tically cut off from the east country by the poor road across the bottoms, is rather unfavorable forlits present development, but it is hoped that with improved roadways the wheat-growing country beyond will find its market here and aid in building up the town.
The village was platted in June, 1847, by Joseph Picquet. The lots and streets are run from north to south four and a half degrees west of south, and from east to west they are run four degrees north of west. The lots vary in size from 34 to 50 feet front, and from 100 to 192 feet deep. The plat consisted of 220 lots, disposed in 14 blocks. The streets are designated by numerals; numbers 1 to 4 run east and west, and numbers 5 to 11 run east to west. Streets numbers 1, 2, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are each 66 feet wide, numbers 3, 5 and 6 are 62 feet wide, and numbers 4 and 11 are 20 feet wide. One block 450 feet wide by 1,060 feet long is left vacant, but is now divided by the railroad. * The village is located on the south bank of the Embarrass River, in Saint Marie Township, seven miles east and four miles south of Newton. It was settled by the French col- onists, Piequets and others, who improved it slowly but surely. The progress of the place was seriously impeded by the destruction by fire of not one only, but the second flouring mill, yet the town grew slowly until 1881, when the Danville, Olney & Ohio River Railroad was built through the place, since which time it has taken new life. In 1851, a bridge was built across the river at the town; also a grade a mile long, to the hill on the north of the river, which connects it with Willow Hill Township, which is a great advantage to both townships. The town was incorporated under the village act in 1870. Its population is now 350-next in age and size to Newton. Its most striking buildings are a Catholic (brick) church, built in 1850, with parsonage, and an establishment of Sisters of Charity, who devote their time to the nursing [of the sick, raising orphans and taking care of old people. The schoolhouse, one of the first, if not the first, free school buildings erected in Jasper County, has been for the last ten or eleven years under the able direction of Mr. George Hubert, who is a noted teacher of our county. "Their church and schools are well attended. The principal business of the place is the saw-mill and stave factory, which furnish employment for 25 to 30 hands, two general stores, two grocery stores, one hardware store
* The following in relation to villages is copied from Johnson's historical sketch.
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HISTORY OF JASPER COUNTY.
and tin-shop, one seed store, two blacksmith and wagon shops, three carpenters, three shoe makers, one cooper and vintner. The nearness of the dark bend to Saint Marie, with its vast quantities of white oak and other timber, will be a great source of wealth to Saint Marie for years to come.
Mount Sidney .- Laid out July, 1841, on Section 20, Township 8, Range 10, in Crooked Creek Township, but it soon went back, as it is not known as a town by many now living in the township.
Grandville .- (Or Yale, as the post-office is called), was laid out October, 1847, is located near the center of Grandville Township on a beautiful elevated place in the prairie, has about one hundred inhabitants, two hotels, two churches (almost new), one schoolhouse with good school six to eight months of the year, one blacksmith shop, post-office, etc., but the Danville, Olney & Ohio River Railroad missed them about half a mile, and as the township refused to issue the bonds previously voted, the railroad authorities refuse to stop their trains near the town.
Brockville .- Was laid out February, 1853-is in the northwest corner of Willow Hill Township, has a very nice frame church and frame schoolhouse, church and school well attended, and about forty inhabitants, but no post-office.
Buena Vista .- Laid out October, 1853, in Section 32, in Small- wood Township. Several lots were sold and one or two houses built, but the town went back. A. A. Hankins now cultivates the town as part of his farm.
Centerville .- Laid out January, 1854, on Section 21, Township 8, Range 10, Crooked Creek Township. The name, or something else, was too much for the town, and it died.
Plainfield .- One and one-half miles southwest of Centerville, was laid out in the next month, February, and was a little more suc- cessful, as it succeeded in getting two or three dwelling houses, one schoolhouse and church, but has stopped at that.
Harrisburg .- One mile west of Plainfield, was laid out the same day that Plainfield was. It was not quite as successful in the way of schoolhouses and churches as its rival, but more successful in some other respects, as it succeeded in getting more dwellings, one or two stores, a blacksmith shop, etc.
Queenstown .- Laid out in April, 1854, on Section 31, Township 6, Range 8, near the west line of South Muddy Township. The inhab- itants can scarcely realize the fact now that there was once a town so near them.
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HISTORY OF JASPER COUNTY.
Franklin .- Born May, 1854, on Section 16, Township 7, Range 8, on the same section that Wheeler is now located, but Franklin is long since dead and buried.
Constantinople .- Laid out July, 1854, on Section 5, Township 6, Range 8, in the southwest part of North Muddy Township. It soon went back. The name was too much for it.
New Liberty .- (Post-orlice Willow Hill), in Willow Hill Town- ship, was laid out August, 1854, and is seven and one-half miles due east of Newton, and is next in size to Saint Marie. It is a lively town, as in the last eighteen months the S., E. & S .- E. R. R. and D., O. & O. R. R. R. have been built through the township, cross each other at the north edge of the town, which has given it new life. The town now has three stores keeping a good general stock of merchan- dise, one drug store, one grocery store, one hardware store, three restaurants, two blacksmith shops, three grain and flour dealers, one stock and grain dealer, two farming implement dealers, one butcher, one shoe maker, one milliner, one hotel, one good flouring mill, one carpenter and undertaker, one house carpenter, one police magistrate, two justices of the peace, a post-office, two depots and express offices, three physicians, and three hundred inhabitants, two churches, and one nice two-story brick schoolhouse. The town has doubled its inhabitants in two years, and they say all they want now is room, and to be let alone; and where will they be in two years more?
Pleasant Hill .- Laid out August, 1854, two miles east of New Liberty, in Section 4. It made a failure as a town, except two or three houses, a church and schoolhouse, and all together is called Pingtown.
West Liberty .- Laid out December, 1854, near the northeast corner of Section 22, in Fox Township, but never had much town excepta church, and in October. 1877, Mr. D. B. Brown and others laid out a town in the south part of the same section, on the P .. D. & E. R. R., where the D., O. & O. R. R. R. has since crossed the former road. and called it West Liberty, where they have tair prospects of a nice town. It is located on a beautiful prairie, nine and one-half miles south and four miles cast of Newton. about half-way to Olney. West Liberty is in the advance, has 100 inhabitants, one dry goods store, where they keep a very good supply of general merchandise. one grocery and notion store, one drug store, one shoe shop. one wagon and carpenter shop. one warehouse and grain dealer, a post- office, telegraph and express offices, etc. They yet need a good mill
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HISTORY OF JASPER COUNTY.
and a church in which to worship. With the railroad facilities that West Liberty has, there is no reason why it may not number its inhabitants by the hundreds in a very short time.
Point Pleasant .- In Section 10, or northeast part of Crooked Creek Township, was laid out October, 1855. It is in a fine neigh- borhood, has one store, two blacksmith and wagon shops, and eighteen or twenty inhabitants, but has so far failed as to being en- titled to the name of a city.
Haysville .- Laid out February, 1858, on Section 21, in Grove Township. It might have made a town, had not Mr. A. G. Cald- well, Sr., bought the land and laid out his large farm over it. A man by the name of Hays once started a store and run it for awhile in the town.
Embarrassville .- Laid out October, 1858, in Section 20, Saint Marie Township, on the west bank of the Embarrass River. They once had a saw-mill and a few inhabitants, but is not doing much at present.
Langdon .- Laid out July, 1861, in Section 2, in Grove Town- ship, near Island Creek. At one time they had a small store (pea- nuts and crackers and a few fire-crackers), a shoe shop and a black smith shop, and they all did some business in their line, and I am told the heaviest business done in the town was loafing.
Rose Hill .- Laid out 1878, on the P., D. & E. R. R., seven and three quarter miles north of Newton. The town took its name from a post-office that Mr. A. S. Harris got established about 1839, when Mr. H. lived on a little hill in the Embarrass River bottom, west of Harrisburg. Mr. H. moved to Harrisburg in 1840, and took the office with him. Some years after, he moved to Newton, after, which the post-office was knocked around the country for a mile or two, until the town (Rose Hill) was located as above. The town, including Harrisburg, has 128 inhabitants, three stores keeping a general stock of merchandise, and one or two of which are quite a credit to any country village, one hotel and boarding-house, a nice depot and ex- press office, two or three grain dealers, drug store, stave factory, blacksmith shop, and all other things necessary to make up quite a lively little town. They have a new frame church that is well attended, with its Sabbath-school, that is a great credit to the com- munity. There are a great many staves, railroad ties, grain, etc., shipped from the place, and should nothing happen the town. they expert to catch up with some of its older rivals soon.
The following towns have never been regularly laid out. or plats
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HISTORY OF JASPER COUNTY.
filed for record, yet some of them think they are entitled to the name of a town.
Hunt City .- (Now in Willow Hill Township) was first started in Grandville Township, in the year 1872, John A. Hunt owner of what is now known as the Hunt City farm, erected a storeroom on his premises, put in a general stock of merchandise, and petitioned for a post-office. Said office was granted and called Hunt City. In February, 1876, J. A. Hunt sold his store to S. B. Bowman & Co. In July, 1878, S. B. Bowman & Co. sold the store to E. W. Parks, who continued the business till November, 1881, when the store and post-office were destroyed by fire. In the fall of 1881, J. N. Huston, owner of the Hunt City farm, had a town laid out in Willow Hill Township, bordering on the north line of the same, four miles north of Willow Hill, and on the D., O. & O. R. R. R., and known as Hunt City.
Immediately after the town was laid out, several parties com- menced the erection of good, substantial business and dwelling houses. It now numbers 150 inhabitants, two stores, both doing a good busi- ness, one good flouring-mill doing a large business, one hotel, one grain house, one blacksmith and wagon shop, a depot, telegraph office and express office. Parties now in business, are T. H. Week, merchant; Stewart Brothers, merchants; W. C. Parks, proprietor of hotel; Jones & Debow, proprietors of mill and dealers in grain; E. W. Parks, dealer in grain; M. L. Gettinger, M. Bilby, physicians; George Beeman, G. F. Merritte and C. L. Burk, carpenters; Fred Byerly, blacksmith; William Byerly, wagon maker; Isaiah Stewart. postmaster; E. W. Parks, freight and ticket agent for D., O. & O. R. R. R. and Adams Express agent; JJesse E. Parks, telegraph operator for Western Union; Bates & Buchanan, breeders of Norman horses, short-horn cattle and Poland China hogs.
Hunt City is situated on a beautiful rolling prairie, surrounded by as good farming land as can be found in southern Illinois, and inhabited by well-to-do farmers. It ships more grain over the D., O. . & O. R. R. R. than any other point on the line, and is destined in the near future to become a place of considerable importance.
Hidalgo .- Three and one-quarter miles north of Rose Hill, was started in 1878, by G. D. Briggs, on the P., D. & E. R. R .: has two stores, keeping a general stock of merchandise, two blacksmith shops. post-office, depot, express office, etc., and has about thirty-five inhab- itants. There are a great many railroad ties shipped from the place. and of a good season, considerable grain also.
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HISTORY OF JASPER COUNTY.
Falmouth .- Four miles north, and one mile east of Newton, on the P., D. & E. R. R., was laid out in 1881, by Hunt & Brooks, on a small prairie, has one store in which they keep a general stock of merchandise, two blacksmith shops, one boarding-house, post-office, express office, depot and grain house, has about forty-two inhabitants, and considerable business is done (for a small town) in ties and grain.
Latona .- Eight and one-half miles west, and three-fourths of a mile south of Newton, in North Muddy Township. The first improve- ment was made by S. Trexler, in 1869. They have one store, keep- ing a good stock of general merchandise, one boot and shoe shop, one blacksmith and wagon shop, one drug store, two saw-mills, and one nice frame church. They have forty-four inhabitants. They also have post-office with daily mail.
Wheeler .- (First platted as Mason), eight and one-half miles west, and three and one-half miles north of Newton, in North Muddy Township, on the S., E. & S. E. R. R., was laid out about a year ago, by Mrs. Nancy J. Carter (the town was named in honor of Mrs. Carter's first husband, who first improved the land on which the town is located, but who died while in the army, in the fall of 1861). They have now sixty-nine inhabitants, two large two-story store houses, where is kept a large stock of merchandise, one drug store, one agri- cultural implement house, one blacksmith shop, one silversmith shop, one boarding-house, one brick kiln and large flouring-mill to be put up this season. The town is surrounded by as rich a soil as we have in the county, and if nothing happens the town, it will be quite a little city in a short time.
List .- Is not a town, but a post-office on the S., E. & S. E. R. R., six miles northwest of Newton. No town laid out and no houses to put on the lots if there were any lots.
Boos Station .- Five miles southeast of Newton, in Fox Town- ship, on P., D. & E. R. R., has a large store and well-assorted stock of goods, blacksmith shop, post-office, depot, etc., in a good section of the county, and ought to do considerable business.
Bogota .- At the cross-roads in Smallwood Township, at what is called Honey's Church, is promising fair to make a town if nothing happens it. They have about thirty inhabitants, four grocery stores, one store keeping general stock, one blacksmith shop, a schoolhouse, two churches and one mill that grinds corn.
Advance .- Post-office and town started on the D., O. & O. R. R.R., near the north line of Grandville Township, just starting in a good country, and may surprise us yet.
30
BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES.
VILLAGE OF NEWTON AND WADE TOWNSHIP.
J. F. ARNOLD, JR., son of Fletcher and Rebecca Jane ( Wagle) Arnold, was born April 21, 1851. He was reared on his father's farm and attended school until his twentieth year, when he began teaching in order to obtain sufficient means to pay for a college course. In 1871 he entered McKendrec College, near Saint Louis, from which he graduated with honors in 1874, after which he taught five terms of school. In 1877 he was chosen County Superintendent for one year, and was again elected in 1882. In 1876 he married Miss Selah Barton, a native of Kentucky, who has borne him two children-Edward and Eugene.
JOHN M. BELL, editor of the Times, at Newton, was born in that town in 1858. He received his carlier education at the common school, and at the age of fourteen went to Washington, Daviess Co., Ind., where he attended school as regularly as his health would per- mit. The greater part of his education was acquired, however, by hard study at home, he being naturally inclined to literature. He partially served an apprenticeship with his father at tailoring, but in 1872 began to learn printing with A. L. Walker, then editor of the Press. In 1879 he went into the Times office and worked for E. B. Gorell until June, 1882. In 1883 he formed a partnership in the Times with John P. Heap, Mr. Bell assuming the position of senior editor. In 1878 he married Miss Serinda E. Dodd, who has borne him three children-May, Don and Vernon.
W. L. BRIDGES is the sixth son of Absalom and Maria (Laray) Bridges, and was born in Rockingham County, Va., in 1841. At the age of four years he came with his parents to Jasper County, and was here reared to manhood. In 1861 he enlisted in Company K, Twenty-First Illinois Infantry, and was 'shortly afterward chosen Orderly Sergeant. He served until September 20, 1863, when he was captured at Chickamauga and taken to Richmond, next sent to Danville and then to Andersonville, where he was confined fourteen months. Absalom Bridges, on first coming to Jasper County, taught school, worked as a carpenter, later practiced law, and for some years filled the positions of Probate Judge and County Judge. Ho was born in Rockingham County, Va., in 1811, and died in this
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VILLAGE OF NEWTON AND WADE TOWNSHIP.
county in 1860. His brother William, an carly settler, helped to lay out Jasper County. W. L. Bridges was married, in 1865, to Miss L. J. Hayes, daughter of William and Elizabeth (Martin) Hayes, natives of Kentucky, and his children are two in number-Anna L. and Charles A.
M. K. BUSICK, son of George H. and Elizabeth (Byerly) Busick, was born in Madison County, Ohio, in 1844, attended school until fifteen years old, then came with his father to this State and settled on a farm near Parkersburgh. At the age of seventeen (1861 ), he enlisted in the Sixth Illinois Cavalry, and after serving five months was captured by the enemy. He was released March 16, 1863, re-joined his regiment at Memphis, and was appointed Regi- mental Quartermaster. At the close of the war he returned to Richland County, where his father had located in 1859. In 1864 he married Miss Mary Arnold, who died in 1879, leaving two children -George A. and Anna May. In 1881 Mr. Busick married Miss Clara, daughter of Harrie Edson, and to this marriage was born one child-Harrie (deceased). Mr. Busick is of Scotch descent from his father and Dutch from his mother. His father, George Busick, was born in 1823, and died in Richland County in 1871 ; his mother, born in 1825, is still living in Parkersburgh. Her father was a native of Pennsylvania and a soldier in 1812. Mr. M. K. Busick is a Knight of Pythias.
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