USA > Illinois > Tazewell County > Washington > Early history of Washington, Ill. and vicinity > Part 6
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Farming utensils of all kinds were crude and primitive -plows with wooden mold boards and harrows with wooden teeth. Reapers and threshing machines were unknown. Grain was cradled, each cradle being followed by a man to rake and another one to bind. A good cradler could cut about three acres per day. In very early times the grain was threshed on a hard floor by horses tramping it out, and then separated from the chaff with a fanning mill. Corn planters
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had not been heard of. One person followed the plow and dropped the corn, which was usually covered with hoes- great heavy crude things, a load to lift. Many of the uten- sils were made at home, such as rakes, pitchforks and har- rows. The plows and every-day harness all were.
Every one traveled on horseback. Frequently two on one horse, and occasionally three when a mother would take a child behind her and one in her lap. If a family was large -as ours was-some were elected to stay at home, as there were not enough riding bridles and saddles for all to go at one time. I well remember with what joy we children hailed the purchase of a two-horse lumber wagon (we had a four- horse wagon), and how grand we felt that we could all go to church together.
Society was as crude and primitive as the utensils for labor. My eldest brothers and sister Nancy were invited to the house of Mr. Hughes, who lived on the Mackinaw river, to be present at the marriage of his only daughter. The house contained but one room, and that had to serve as kitchen, dining and sitting room. The weather was warm, and the neighbor women who were preparing the supper ad- vised the intended bride and her friends to sit out in the yard in the shade. The gentlemen guests and the groom were already there, so the rest repaired to the yard. The bride's father passed along and said to her, "Betsey, the place for you is in the house". Just imagine, if you can, in this age a bride sitting out in the yard with the gentlemen guests and prospective bridegroom. (Not so far out of the way now, however. Written in afterwards).
If our surroundings were crude, and savored strongly of the backwoods, there was any amount of sociability and friendship existing between neighbors, and we were neigh- bors even when living eight and ten miles apart. "The latch- string is always out" was a common expression-the expres- sion of hospitable intent and readiness to welcome all who came. It was no unusual occurrence for a sleigh load to drive several miles to spend the evening with a neighbor. No sooner did they arrive than we repaired to the kitchen and proceeded to get supper. After partaking of a bountiful supper, or the best the hostess could provide, they would start for home, but never earlier than midnight. It was a troublesome custom, but we did not so regard it at the time, really enjoying having our acquaintances come.
The stranger who nuved in, to cast his lot with those already here, was sure of a hearty welcome. All turned out
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with teams and axes to help him get a home for his family to shelter in; also giving them shelter in their own crowded homes until the newcomers' cabin was completed.
I will say in conclusion that I have written only bare facts. Have not exaggerated; indeed, I think I have kept a little on the other side of the line, not wanting to overdraw the picture or color it too highly.
My parents felt keenly the disadvantages they labored under in raising their children, and always endeavored to in- still in our minds the principles of true manhood and woman- hood. In justice to their memory I must add that their teaching was not in vain. My brothers and sisters were noble, honorable men and women. I will, right here, say my mother was one of the noblest of women. She had few equals and no superiors, so far as true worth and nobility of soul is required to constitute a true woman-for such she was, her children ever having cause to revere and bless her memory. And a more honorable, upright man than my father never lived. He was the soul of honor. "They rest from thier labors, and their works follow them". March 21st, 1901. BELLE HARLAN.
S. H. Thomas, Born in Washington, Tells of Early History in This Vicinity
Simon H. Thomas was born on a farm near Washing- ton and has lived in this vicinity all his life. His father, Henson Thomas, was one of the very earliest settlers in Washington, coming here in 1830 with a brother, Sinon, from near Zanesville, Ohio. The two brothers returned to Ohio soon after they came here, but Henson soon returned alone. His first wife was a Heath, a sister of the wife of Adam Switzer. A Heath monument is the oldest one in our old cemetery. From Henson's first marriage two children were born. Both died and are buried in the Union church cemetery, northwest of Washington. Henson's first wife died and he married later as his second wife a Miss Stevens, who came here from Ohio to visit a sister. This was about 1837. From this union three sons and one daughter were born, William, Elizabeth, Richard and Simon. Those surviv- ing are Elizabeth Kraeger who is 86 years of age and lives in Ohio, and Simon of this city.
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Henson Thomas in 1837 entered 160 acres of govern- ment land near the Union cemetery. Simon was raised on the farm and lived there until he was 25 years of age, when he was married. For five years he lived in Washington in the house now owned by Charles Norris, which was located where the George Hagenstoz residence now stands in the west part of town. When a boy Simon went to school in the winter time and worked on the farm in the summer. Mr. Thomas got his first schooling in a log school house which stood near the corner road south of the Union church. Be- sides Mr. Thomas those now living who attended that school are his sister, Mrs. F. Rickman, and Mrs. Maggie Trimmer Baker of Peoria. He says they did a good deal of hunting in those days. There were plenty of deer, wild turkeys, prairie chicken and quail. He has seen an old rail fence strung with prairie chickens for nearly half a mile. The farm boys did not get a chance to come to town very often. He remembers when the boys used to play marbles on the corner where the Denhart bank now stands. Later on they had a ten-pin al- ley on the lot.
He remembers when Lincoln and Douglas spoke at Meta- mora and attended the Lincoln meeting. There was a big crowd present and a good deal of excitement.
Simon's mother made the trip back to Ohio five times in a covered wagon. In early days that was the extent of their rapid transit vehicles. He remembers when Andrew Cress had the first single buggy in this vicinity and it caused a good deal of comment John Johnson, one of the early farmers who lived on the present Stephen Muller place, had a family carriage quite early and it was a great luxury. Johnson raised a good sized family, but they all left here years ago. One daughter, Mary Holland, lives in California and a son, George, did live in Kansas.
Mr. Thomas remembers the early days in Washington when there were no brick stores around the square. Dr. Burton ran the postoffice in a frame store building on the north side of the square, and Tom Birkett ran a big wagon shop on the old Zinser drug store corner. The first brick store building erected now standing is the building occupied by W. E. Petri. Sanford Gorin ran a dry goods store in the building. He was the grandfather of Harry and the Misses Gorin.
Among some of the old times Mr. Thomas remembers
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grain. They raised considerable spring wheat, mostly the Italian kind. They raised some corn. They hauled their grain to Spring Bay and Peoria, and sometimes to Wesley City. Corn sold as high as 25 cents a bushel in early days.
Amony some of the old timers Mr. Thomas remembers the following :
The Portman and Jacquin families came here about 1848. Portman purchased the McCorkle farm which was af- terwards known as the Portman farm. These families used to attend the Catholic church at Black Partridge. These old settlers raised large families which were well known in this vicinity.
Nicholas Huguet came here about the same time as the Portmans and was a fine old man. He bought the Fauber farm northwest of Washington from Andrew Cress. Raised a large family well known in this vicinity.
Dave Stock came overland from Ohio and first went to Lacon, later coming here. Lived on a farm north of town. Was a good citizen.
Knew Henry Kice, grandfather of Charles Kice. Think he came from Vermont about 1848. Lived north of town. One of our well liked early settlers.
John Burkey was one of my early friends. He was a brother-in-law of John Taylor of Peoria. Burkey moved to Nebraska a good many years ago. His father used to make cider vinegar on lot where Ed McManus' place stands.
The Slagle family lived on the bluff west of Washington. He used to say he settled in the timber there because the prairie land east of Washington was full of sloughs and the green head flies were so bad the stock could not stand it.
Mr. Hartman, who settled northwest of Washington, was an early settler, but he died in the early cholera epidemic. He left four sons and one daughter and Mrs. Hartman brought up a fine family. among them being Rev. Hartman who died a few years ago.
Rev. Zedick Hall was an early methodist minister. He lived on a farm five miles north of town, now owned by Jos. Belsly.
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On the "Western Trail" in 1851, by Rev. J. W. Ferner
First Letter
Three families, the Jacob Zinser, Lewis Tobias and George Ferner families, moved together in "prairie schoon- ers" from Circleville, Ohio, to Washington, Illinois. This took place in 1851, before there were any railroads to speak of. It was a pioneer venture to better conditions. Chiefly the move was made to get away from a thickly timbered country to the prairies, where farms could be started and made to yield at much less expense of time, labor and cash than in a country where trees and stumps stubbornly dis- puted every inch of progress.
There was no "race suicide" in any of these three fam- ilies. There were twelve children in the Zinser family, four in the Tobias family and six in the Ferner family. A few of these, however, did not report early enough for this "West- ern Trail", and were later born in Washington, while one or two of the older Zinser boys were left at school in Ohio.
There were no doubt many memorable events on this westward journey of three weeks, but I being only four years of age was not old enough to appreciate them. Some of these events made a deep impression upon me; the fording of streams for example, where the water flooded the wagon boxes-the houses we lived in. These "schooners" were not "water tight".
Another event was when the first prairie chicken was shot, and the entire caravan stopped to inspect the new bird.
One boy, Israel Zinser, six years of age, lost his dog, a small black dog named "Penny". It seems as if today that call of "Penny! Penny"! sad and plaintive note must still be ringing in the woods of Indiana. That was one "bad Penny" which never came back.
At Marshall, Ill., we all stopped over Sunday with rela- tives. Harry Tobias and family lived there then, but moved to Washington later. At Marshall, while the older people at- tended church, we youngsters were left home chaperoned by one of the older girls of the resident families. She took us to a spring house and divided a fresh current pie between us. The memory of that spring house and the taste of that pie have haunted me all these 75 years.
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The children of these three families have proved them- selves worthy citizens. Of the ten sons seven did service in the U. S. army in the Civil war. There were eleven girls and if they then had been honored with citizenship, as girls now are, they no doubt would have put the men in the shade in patriotic services.
SECOND LETTER
I was 4 years of age when my parents brought me to Washington, Ill. My father's family for the first year in "Black Hawk", which, for all I know, was then the leading suburb of Washington. It was located just west of town on the west banks of Farm Creek. Farm Creek witnessed my first fishing experience when I was 4 years old. My brother, George, 5 years my senior, looked after me and "bossed the job". We fished with hooks of our own manufacture. I dare not tell how many fish we caught; that is dangerous ground.
It was in 1851 when my people moved into this "Black Hawk"suburb, and one of my early recollections was a train of "gold seekers", with ox teams, headed for California.
When I was 15 years old I was passing down the streets of Washington and saw a group of men standing about Dr. Wood's office. Upon inquiry I learned that a foot was being amputated. The foot belonged to a Mr. Applegate. Mr. Ap- plegate was one of the 1851 "gold seekers" carivan, who on that "Go west, young man", expedition had his ankle sprained and now the foot was taken off to prevent blood- poison.
This "Black Hawk" suburb had but few buildings. One of these buildings was the old saw mill, just west of Farm Creek and opposite the old brick flouring mill, which I believe still stands. One night in midwinter every resident of Black Hawk was aroused by the alarm of fire, and the old saw mill burned down. For us children that was a sensation which deserved a place on the first page in our dailies.
One of the leading characters in "Black Hawk" was a Mr. Walker. He impressed us children by his profanity. The old mill fire was nothing aloneside of his blasphemous utter- ances. He operated a ditching machine with from 3 to 5 yoke of oxen. He used to say that swearing did the oxen more good than grass or hay.
These are some of the recollections of a four-year-old who is now four score. These things all happened in one year, in 1851, in the flourishing "Black Hawk" suburb of Washington, Illinois.
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THIRD LETTER The Cyclone Experience
The most exciting time we ever had on the farm was the cyclone which struck us in 1860. Father had bought his first farm, 3 miles east of Washington. This farm had no improvements, except that some sod was broken. In the early days in Ohio father maintained his family by his voca- tion as a carpenter; this fitted him for constructing the buildings on the farm. Father built his own house and barn, with all the improvements which are necessary with such buildings. The house had just been completed and we moved into it the first of year. The sills for the house were made of heavy oak, which father prepared with the ax and broad- ax. The garden fence was built of strong oak posts and oak palings which he split out himself. Everything was well built.
On the 1st of June, 1860, while father was in Washing- ton doing some Saturday shopping, my brother George and I were plowing corn one-half mile north on the Wm. Holland place. About 4 o'clock we saw a storm gathering in the west, so we unhitched and rode our horses home. When we came into the house we learned that mother was away call- ing on one of the neighbors, and looking out of the window we saw her coming about 80 rods away. I immediately took an umbrella and rushed to meet her for the rain had begun. We had harvested ten acresof rye several days before this; we cut it with the Green's reaper, a large and very heavy ma- chine, a machine people will not now look at except out of curiosity. This machine was still standing in the field of rye shocks. Mother and I had just reached the house when a funnel-shaped cloud in the direction of Washington attracted our attention, but we had time but for one or two surveys of the cloud when we saw our rye-field litterally in the air and the storm was moving toward our house with mad violence. My mother, one sister and I started for the cellar door and my brother and two other sisters for the front door, but be- fore any .of us could reach the doors the house went.
The heavy oak foundation was moved five feet off its base. The gable ends of the house were torn to pieces and some of these fragments, as well as some house furnishings, were carried miles away. The two sides of the house were thrown together in the shape of a roof. My mother was caught under the lower edge of one of these sidewalls. I was then 13 years of age and brother was 5 years my senior.
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He, my oldest sister Sarah and I raised the side of that house and released mother. How we did it no one will ever know, except that in such emergencies extra strength is given. "As thy day is so shall thy strength be". Mother never entirely recovered from the injuries she received in her shoulder. But what seemed a miracle happened in our garden, where we had four colonies of bees under a very temporary shelter. The strong new oak posts of the garden fence on both sides of the bees were snapped off, but the bees and their frail shelter were not disturbed. The old Green's reaper in the rye field was lifted up and carried some distance and then set carefully down as if to take it along was too much of an incumbrance. Our district school library, consisting of two cases of books, was in our house; these were scattered to the "four winds". An old leather- covered family Bible was found a quarter of a mile away with the cover mutilated, but the inside of the book was left intact.
"It's an ill wind that blows no one any good". We had learned all our lives to prize our good neighbors, but never before had we seen the whole region of country, including the town of Washington, pour itself out in kindness and helpfulness as we did on the following Sunday, when thousands of people came to see the wreck. Our family never forgot the vision of this community-heart of kindness.
Mrs. Geo. W. Bayler Tells of Old Times in Washington and Vicinity
Mrs. Isadore Trimble Bayler is one of Washington's oldest native-born residents, and her life has been spent in this locality. Her grandfather, Thomas Trimble, emigrated teachers. When she was 15 years of age she taught a school from Cincinnati, O., in 1834. He came by boat down the Ohio river to St. Louis and then up the Illinois river to Pekin. At Pekin he was met by Mr. Varble, who brought him up to Washington and he settled on a farm two miles north and a half mile west of Washington (now the George Bowen farm). He paid $1.25 an acre for the land to the government. Mr. Trimble with other settlers had to walk to Springfield to pay entrance money for their land. It was sold to the highest bidder. It occasioned a good deal of ex- citement for the settlers from the vicinity of Washington as they were afraid some one would bid up on the land. How- ever, our early settlers on that occasion got their lands for
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the $1.25 per acre, and started home happy.
It was a weary trip walking to Springfield and back. The Indians were bad and they had to hide and dodge around a good deal to miss them. On the trip home the weather turned cold, and Mr. Trimble froze his feet and in walking in that condition he was in a bad way when he reached home. They pulled off his boots and when they were turned up the blood ran out of them.
Reece Trimble, father of Mrs. Bayler, was born in 1827 in Ohio, and came to Washington when 7 years of age. There were eight brothers and sisters in his family. One brother went to California in the forty-nine gold rush. He came back in 1854 and married a Bloomington girl and then returned to California.
James Trimble, another brother, ran a wagon shop, and made wagons where the Danforth bank now stands.
A man named Hittle ran one of the first stores in Washington, and Dr. Burton was one of the early postmas- ters. He was a father to the whole community and a kind- hearted man. In those days they sent a letter with the post- age to be collected. It cost 25 cents to get a letter from Ohio, and they had to wait in the postoffice at times until the receiver could get the money to pay for them.
Mrs. Bayler's father and mother lived in a house on lots upon which is located the J. P. Wrenn residence. The frame house they lived in is now built over into the Jacob Rich garage.
Reece Trimble and family moved out on his father's farm northwest of Washington in 1854. His father died two years later. He now lies buried with his wife and two of the children in the Union church cemetery northwest of Wash- ington.
Mrs. Bayler was born June 24, 1850. In 1854 they had a frost on July 3 which froze down the corn four or five inches high and did a lot of damage. Mrs. Bayler remembers their talking about the event in after years.
They used to hold M. E. camp meetings at Spring Bay. Mrs. Bayler remembers one of the prominent early circuit- riding preachers, Rev. Peter P. Cartwright. When a little girl with her chum Vida Eldridge they attended one of his meetings and the preacher took them both on his knees.
There used to be a flour mill in an early day over north- west of Washington on Ten Mile creek, known as the Hor- shaw mill. They used to drive over there to take their grist to mill.
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When the T., P. & W. railroad was completed through Washington in 1856 or '57, Mrs. Bayler was among the many to go down to the station and see the first trains go through.
May 13, 1858, they had a terrible storm. Her mother had given birth to twins (Emma, now Mrs. Casper Reynolds, and William) ten days before and her father had a hard time to keep the wind from blowing in the door and letting in the hail and rain. After the storm her father went out and found that Mr. Kice and wife (grandparents of Chas. Kice) had been blown over while driving along the road in their wagon. They were unconscious and one was thrown under the wagon box. Mr. Bayler took them home, kept them over night and they revived all right.
They used to tell big snake stories in the early days and they had good reasons as there were lots of rattlers, bull, black and other snakes. She remembers seeing a big black snake down by Cooper that was long enough to stretch across the road.
Her grandfather Trimble used to haui wheat to Chicago along in the fifties. It took three weeks and they would cook up food to last him most of the trip.
Prairie chickens were plentiful in those days, and were easily trapped. Deer were also plentiful, and Mrs. Bayler would often see them come down by the dozen to drink at their pond.
The morals of the young people in Washington were pretty good in those days. The boys had quite a time see- ing the old year out by going around to the houses and shoot- ing off their guns. The housewives baked up a lot of dough- nuts and cakes to treat them when they called.
Mrs. Bayler remembers the Civil war times in Washing- ton. Her father used to walk to town in the evening to get the news. When he heard of the death of Col. Dan Miles and President Lincoln he came home and actually cried. Gilbert Jenoway and John Holsinger, two boys who lived at the home of Mrs. Bayler's parents, went to war and both were killed and buried on Island No. 10.
Mrs. Bayler remembers the Lincoln-Douglas campaign. Thos. Fish with fife, Ol Hungerford with snare drum and Mr. Trimble with bass drum furnished the music for the occa- sions in Washington. When Lincoln spoke at Metamora Hattie Fish, daughter of Thos. Fish, got up a hay rack load of little girls, all dolled up, and took them to Metamora. This was about 1859. I went in the load and I remembered see- ing Lincoln and hurrahing. We did not know he was to be-
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come such a great man or we would have tried to remember more of the details.
Mrs. Bayler still remembers the following little verse they all were shouting :
Lincoln was a gentleman,
Douglas was a fool;
Lincoln rides a white horse,
Douglas rides a mule.
Lincoln also spoke in Washington in a wigwam tent, back of where the Community Building stands. I remember they had torch light parades. They put a candle on a stick and tied paper around it. I was in the parade and the paper caught fire on my candle stick and caused some excitement.
When Mrs. Bayler was young the folks had no place to go, so they all went to church and that was their social event. About the most exciting game they had in those times was to pitch horse shoes.
The war came on and Mrs. Bayler had to help her father on the farm. She drove the horses while her father and mother did the work. Mrs. Bayler was one of the early under her aunt at Sparland. She also taught school one year in the country. She went to school in Washington and her teacher was Herman Snow, who married a Danforth, and was afterwards congressman from Kankakee.
In the fall of '67 Mrs. Bayler taught school in Washing- ton in a school house on the southwest corner of where the school park is now located. Miss Mary Italin went to school to Mrs. Bayler and Miss Italin has now been a teacher in Washington's primary school for 52 years. Mrs. Bayler taught school in the old Washington brick seminary which was located on the lots back of the Geo. M. Stimson residence. She taught there for seven years, until she married Geo. W. Bayler in November, 1837.
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