USA > Illinois > Madison County > Alton > Gazetteer of Madison County : containing historical and descriptive sketches of Alton City, Upper Alton, Edwardsvile, Collinsville, Highland, Troy, Monticello, Mairne, Bethalto, and other towns, including some account of the resources of the various townships, to which is added a directory of the Altons,. > Part 19
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ing,-Rev. Theron Baldwin, moderator-a Constitution, Confession of Faitlı, and Covenant, were adopted, and Timothy Turner and B. I. Gilman appointed elders. Soon after James Howell was added to the session, and resigned October, 1840, on account of infirm health. Rev. Theron Baldwin was installed pastor of the church Nov. 22, 1840. A. W. Corey was appointed an elder in April, 1841. Benjamin Godfrey was appointed an elder Oet. 5, 1844.
In the fall of 1812 there was a large addition made to the church. Rev. E. Jenny was at that time supplying the place of the pastor, who was absent at the East. In the spring of 1844 Rev. T. Baldwin resigned the pastoral care of the church, and Rev. Geo. Pyle, who was then called, continued to be the pastor until his death in the summer of 1846. Rev. George L. Little, the present minister, was called to this charge in 1863.
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A GAZETTEER OF
[Godfrey.
been elected under the charter obtained for the institution. He lived its honored benefactor and patron for nearly a quarter of a century after its formal opening-long enough to see his own faith justified and his hopes realized-long enough io see it grow from a feeble beginning into a strong, self-sustaining institution-long enough to witness a success so unexpect- ed and continued as to make enlargements and improvements upon the original design absolutely necessary. In 1856-7 another story was added to the original building, and a wing 50x72 feet, with appropriate and orna- mental towers, also of stone, was erected at a cost of about $30,000. The additional accommodations thus provided were sufficient for a time, but the patronage of the institution is now so large and so steadily on the in- crease that it will soon be necessary to add the other wing and thus com- plete the building, according to the latest plans of its founder.# The grounds of the Seminary consist of about fifteen acres, five of which lie in front of the building, and are tastefully laid out with walks and or- namented with flowers, shrubbery and summer-houses. Besides this the Trustees have recently purchased about sixty acres of land adjoining.
The number of pupils constantly in attendance is about one hundred and seventy-tive, and the number of teachers employed vary from twelve to fifteen.
The village proper is situated upon the St. Louis and Chicago Railroad, four miles from Alton, and just below the junction of that road and the St. Louis, Jacksonville and Chicago Road. Its proximity to Alton has heretofore prevented its rapid growth, but it is steadily increasing, and as its larger neighbors begin to be overcrowded we may naturally expect that many business men will find homes in a spot which has so many natural and artificial advantages. Communication with St. Louis is easy and fre-
#There is in the institution a Philosophical and Chemical Apparatus; a Library consisting of nearly one thousand well selected volumes, and a Cabinet of Miner- als consisting of about one thousand seven hundred choice specimens-selected by Prof. V. Shepherd, of New Haven, at a cost of $1000.
The design of the institution is to furnish young ladies with an education sub- stantial, extensive and practical-that shall at the same time develope harmoni- ously their physical, intellectual and moral powers, and prepare them for the sober realities of life.
Since the opening of the Seminary in 1838, over two thousand young ladies have availed themselves of the benefits of it for a longer or shorter period, a considera- ble number having gone through the whole course and received a Diploma.
The healthfulness of the institution is proverbial, there having never been the death of a pupil in the institution.
The course of instruction occupies four years exclusive of the preparatory studies. There is one terin of forty weeks in each year, commencing the third Wednes- day in September and ending on the fourth Wednesday in June.
Applicants for admission should address the Principal at Godfrey, Illinois.
TRUSTEES .- Rev. Truman Post, D. D., President; Rev. Augustus T. Norton, Sec- retary; Rev. Geo. L. Little, Leander Maclean, Treasurer; A. W. Corey, Financial Agent.
MONTICELLO FEMALE SEMINARY.
153
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MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
quent; the society is of the best, and the educational and church privileges ure unequaled anywhere outside of the city.
There are two flouring mills, the largest of which is capable of manu- facturing one hundred and fifty barrels of flour per day. The other is of sinaller dimensions and is principally engaged in grinding for the neigh- borhood. In Monticello proper-the village-there are three stores, and in the township outside of the village, three more.
There is an abundance of good limestone for building and other pur- poses. The prevailing soil is a dark heavy loam of almost unexhaustable fertility, with here and there a stiff, heavy clay-and on the river bluffs a light friable soil, peculiarly adapted to grapes and peaches.
In the extreme south-western corner of the township is a small settle- ment called Clifton. It consists of a few houses inhabited by fishermen and wood choppers, with occasionally other temporary sojourners. It is, however, comparatively an old place, having been settled something like thirty-five years, and was onee intended for a town.
THE FIRST SETTLEMENT of this township was made in 1824 on the east side of what was known for many years as "Scarritt's Prairie," and the first ground broken was by Nathan Scarritt. The first eabin built and oe- cupied was by Joseph Reynolds, who some years after removed and sold to Samuel Delaplain, whose son, Benjamin Delaplain, still resides on the old homestead farm.
Soon after there came Henry P. Rundle, Simon Peter, James Dodsen, Hail Mason, Joei Fineh, Zebedee Chapman, Ezra Gilman, Rowland Ing- ham, Osear Ingham, and others, in about the order in which their names are placed-all on the east side of the prairie. Following them on the same side were John Peter, George Smith, Jolin Mason, Zebedee Brown, James Meldrum, Richard Blackburn, Henry Wagoner, Samuel Wagoner, Joseph Whyers, David Rood, and others.
The first sermon preached in the neighborhood was at the house of Nathan Scarritt, by Rev. John Hogan, Methodist, (now Representative to Congress from St. Louis,) in the summer of 1828. Also in the same sumn- mer was opened the first school, taught by Abigail Searritt, in a small cabin standing where Mrs. Martin now resides. The School was contin- ued in 1829 in the barn of Mr. Scarritt, and taught by his eldest daughter, Laura.
During the summer of 1829, the first Sabbath School was organized in the barn of Mr. Scarritt, and about that time a Methodist Society was or- ganized under the name of "Bethany Church" which still exists, a flour- ishing congregation, under the same name.
A small frame school house was built near the present Methodist Church, which with its additions, served as a school room forthe whole neighborhood, and also as a place of publie worship.
The first settlement on the west side was by Josiah Randle in 1830; 21*
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followed in 1831-2 by Judge Webb and Capt. Riley. After these came Capt. B. Godfrey, B. I. Gilman, Jolın Pattison, Aaron P. Mason, A. W. Corey, Henry Caswell, Stout Howell, Henry Howell, Father Chamber- lain, Timothy Turner, James Hamilton, Wmn. Squires and others, filling up the west side very rapidly, particularly after the commencement of Monticello Seminary, which was completed in 1838. About 1827, John Tollman, Samuel Thurston and others, settled in the sonth-west corner of the Township, on the river, at "Clifton," and soon after this Joel D. Spaul- ding, D. A. Spaulding, Henry Spaulding, Moses B. Walker, Mr. Coply, Mr. - Buckley, Parker Delaplain and others, settled on the high grounds between Clifton and Monticello.
Of the early settlers, some "remain unto this day," but many are "fal- len asleep." Of those named as among the first settlers of the different parts of the township, Samuel Delaplain, H. P. Rundle, Benjamin Dela- plain, Simon Peter, John Peter, John Pattison, Henry Howell, Stout Howell, D. A. Spaulding, Henry Spaulding, Parker Delaplain, Oscar Ingham, Rowland Ingham, Ezra Gilman, John Mason, A. W. Corey, Aaron P. Mason,-still live; although some have left the Township.
Of those who still live, and those who have passed away, it may safely be said that their families were respectable and worthy of their noble sires. They are scattered widely over the continent, at various employ- ments and professions, and for the most part may be relied on for their full share of the "world's work."
For good order, good morals, intelligence and religious culture, few settlements have enjoyed so enviable a reputation as this, and the present beauty and good name of Monticello neighborhood, is mainly due to the industry, integrity, temperance and sterling piety of these self-denying pioneers who laid the foundations of society deep and broad, and on the firm basis of truth and righteousness.
HIGHLAND.
The earliest traces of settlement in the south eastern part of Madison County appear in 1809. The first house was built by Mrs. Howard, a widow who had emigrated to Illinois from Tennessee, in that year. The family consisted of several grown sons and daughters. They selected for their home a beautiful timber crowned ridge, on the edge of Looking- Glass Prairie, from which they had an uninterupted view of the prairie for many miles. The first cabin was built on the N. W. quarter of N. E. quarter, section 31, township four north, range five west; about one mile north-west of the present site of Highland .*
In 1810 a son-in-law of Mr. Howard, Abraham Huser, of German descent, settled not quite a mile north of them, and near some springs, about the centre of section 29; the place which James Reynolds, twenty years later adopted for his home. There was no settlement as early as 1810, north of the Howard farm. About ten miles to the south of Silver Creek, a short distance north of the present town of Lebanon, a few white men had erected their cabins; likewise there were some others east on Shoal Creek; and on the west of them, near the present towns of Troy and Edwardsville.
When the war with England broke out, in 1812, and the Indians com- menced to show themselves hostile; CHILTON'S FORT was built a little south of the place where the Highland road to Troy now touches the timber of Silver Creek, about two miles west of St. Jacobs. Eleven fam- ilies received shelter in this fort, during the war. Besides the Howards and Husers there were Gigers and Chiltons, who still resided on Silver Creek as late as 1831. Chilton's Fort was never attacked by the Indians, and when the news of peace reached the settlements on the Mississippi, in 1815, most of the settlers returned to their former improvements. Abraham Huser, after the war, selected a new place some miles south of Troy, and laid there the foundation of the Huser settlement.
*In a communication from Hon. Solomon Kæpfli, to whom we are indebted for the facts in this sketch, he writes: "In 1831 this cabin had been removed to an- other place, but Joseph Howard, one of the sons of Mrs. Howard, pointed out to me the place where in 1809, they had built the first house, on the south side of the traet of land above named ; a fine spring on the north side of the ridge furnished them with water. Mr. Howard showed me a large oak stump which had been hollowed out, and whercin they had made their first meal, by beating corn with a club. A small fleid was enclosed south of this cabin."
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A GAZETTEER OF
[Highland.
From that time every year witnessed the appearance of new log cabins on the sides of the fields, and along the skirts of the timber. Most of these improvements were made on government land, the entering of which was deferred to some future time; these settlers had mostly emi- grated from North Carolina and Tennessee. Excepting the hardships which are always connected with the settling of a new country, they gen- erally lived an easy life,# raising no larger crops than was necessary for their support. Much of their time was spent in hunting and visiting each other, and on certain occasions, such as "corn-shuckings" and "horse- racings," they could be seen coming together from many miles around.
In 1823 Win. Biggs, a Kentuckian, undertook to bore for salt in Section 19, township four north, range five west, in the the bottom of Silver Creek, where a salt-lick had hitherto attracted deer and cattle. At first he sank a shaft, thirty feet deep, where he struck solid rock; he then commenced to bore again until he reached a depth of four hundred and forty feet, where the salt water began to flow. Into the shaft he set the trunk of a hollow sycamore tree, which was cemented to the rock; the salt water flowing from the top of it, a few feet above the ground.
It seems the business was so expensive that his funds soon gave out and thus ended the manufacture of salt.t
Since 1823 Silver Creek has changed its bed in such a manner that the trunk of the sycamore tree, which is well preserved to this day by the brine and out of which the salt water still flows, is now in the middle of the creek.+
In 1831 there was neither a church nor public school-house within these three townships. On Sunday could be seen on horse back, sometimes two or three persons on one horse, coming in from all directions for many miles to meetings which were held at some private house. Camp-meet- ings were held every year in section one, township three north, range six
"The greater part of the hardships of that life fell to the lot of the wives and laughters. Every log cabin contained a spinning wheel and a loom, and from the wool of a few sheep, and the cotton they raised in their fields, the women usually made all the clothing that the family required. It was not un- common then to see men clothed in dressed deer-skins. Many families made all the sugar they required, commencing on Sugar Creek, to manufacture it in Feb- ruary. "One season a man told me," says Mr. Koptli, "he had made two hundred pounds of Sugar from fifty Maple trees, in ten days. Large quantities of honey were also obtained from wild bees, at this time. Game of all kinds was very plenty. I recollect that at one time I bought twelve deer for nine dollars. The hides were worth fifty cents a piece. I have counted as many as thirty-five deer in one herd, on the prairie. The best hunter hereabouts was Thomas Savage."
+Mr. Biggs manufactured salt for a considerable time, and until he cut down all the timber for a distance around. He made about six bushels of salt per day, consuming from twelve to fifteen cords of wood.
One of the hands employed in boring this salt well, informed Mr. Kæpfli many years ago, that from the depth of about two hundred and fifty feet, every time they cleaned the shaft an offensive smelling finid, like oil, was brought up.
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MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
Highland.]
west. At these meetings preachers and people were present from a great distance. Writes Mr. Kœpfli: "I do not remember a preacher residing here, except JOSEPH HOWARD,* who I believe belonged to the Presbyterian Church. Whenever I think of the early Christians I always model them after the recollection I hold of this good man."
One of the noted men of this time was JAMES REYNOLDS, who emigated to Illinois from Kentucky in 1818. He settled first near Fort Chilton, but in 1830 he bought the land where Abraham Huser had lived in 1810. He was an energetic and enterprising character, and went into farming on a larger scale than heretofore known in this vicinity. Mr. Reynolds was elected to the State Legislature, and also served the people a long time in the capacity of Justice of the Peace.
Entirely different, and more like his neighbors, was JOSEPH DUNCAN who settled as early as 1818, on N. E. quarter section fifteen, township three north, range five west, on Sugar Creek. For many years he acted as Justice of the Peace in his precinct. The name of his residence and the first Post Office in this part of the country was "Pleasant Hill." About the year 1830, townships three and four north, range five west, formed an elective precinct. The elections then were held at Squire Dun- can's. Also the Company Muster, for these two townships was held every spring at Pleasant Hill, and the Battallion Muster some weeks later at Marine Settlement, and still later the Regimental Muster at Troy. In 1832, at the beginning of the Black Hawk war, the militia was organized and drilled under the command of General Whiteside at Troy. When the demand was made, more volunteers came forward than were required, and so no draft was resorted to.
The second Justice of the Peace in the precinct, about this time, was THOMAS CHILTON, who lived on the south-east quarter of section seventeen, township four north, range five west, and spent most of his time in hunt- ing.
*"Joseph Howard was about twelve years of age when he arrived with; his mother in this prairie in 1809. A mere boy, he served his country as a Ranger in the war from 1812 to 1815, protecting then the settlements of the Mississippi Valley. The neighbors said of him that he killed several bears and panthers in this neighbor- hood, and the tree was pointed out to me where he shot the last panther in 1818.
. In 1820 he married the daughter of Samuel McAlally, and built a cabin on a beau- tiful hill now called "Sonnenberg." Directly after our arrival I had the good for- tnne to form his acquaintance. A truer and better man I never knew. Of his learning and preaching I cannot judge, but this I know, his life was that of a true Christian. His wants were not great and it left him plenty of time to aid new- comers in their early struggles, to help them with rare disinterestedness by giving advice and assistance. When he heard of a neighbor's sickness, leaving him un- able to attend to his crops, you were sure to see Joseph Howard the next day in the sick man's field plowing his corn or attending to his harvest, and in the night waiting upon him. This he did regardless of any difference of religion; it was enough for him to know of one of his fellow-men being in distress to hasten to the place to give relief and ease should it lay in his power."
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A GAZETTEER OF
[Highland.
One of the oldest settlers, and a man of much energy and influence was WASHINGTON PARKISON, he had a large and well cultivated farm in sec- tion two, township three north, range six west. Most every Sabbath a a religious meeting was held at the house of this hospitable man.
BURTON and SAMUEL THORP, both enterprising and intelligent men, came here before 1830, from Connecticut, and were neighbors of Mr. PARK- ISON'S. They had fine farms, and also a distillery.
A new era began for this part of Madison County, on the arrival of Dr. Caspar Kæpfli, in 13331. He led the way for a large emigration from Swit- zerland to the Mississippi Valley, a portion of which settled around his new adopted home .*
In July, 1831, Dr. Kœpfli with his party arrived after a very tedious journey from New York, in St. Louis. Ho soon came to the conclusion that Missouri, t infected with the cancer of negro slavery, was not the coun- try for him and his friends. He then examined Illinois.
In 1830 the National Road was located by the U. S. Engineers from Van- dalia to St. Louis, with the intention of commencing the work forthwith. In examining the country along this proposed road Dr. Kopfli came to the Looking-Glass Prairie. He was at once so favorably impressed with the country he there viewed, that his mind was soon made up; here should be his new home. The Looking-Glass Prairie in its natural state was a beautiful tract of country. It looked more like a great park than a wild country. This was not like many other prairies, a monotonous level, where the eye can find no resting place; but out of this plain, covered with luxuriant grass and flowers of all colors, rose a great number of beautiful And shapely hills, all easy to ascend, and many covered with a growth of fine trees. Small water courses, frequently embellished with fine willows, crossed the prairie in all directions. A number of small groves made up of trees of great variety, such as linden, oak, hickory, buckeye and locust, ornamented the scenery. The landscape in all directions was sur- rounded by the timber-crowned hills of Silver Creek and the rich forests of Sugar Creek. The country at this time was in its natural state. Along the skirt of timber you might see at different points, but far apart, a small
*As early as 1816, after the spirit and influence of the Holy Alliance had over- powered all liberal institutions in Europe, Dr. Kœpfli attempted to induce his political friends of the liberal party in Switzerland, to emigrate to America. He poluted out to them, on the map of America, the country about the mouth of the Missouri River, which for many important reasons, should first be examined. Although the proposition met with no encouragement, Dr. Kœpfli did not abandon his plans, but only postponed them. Before he left Switzerland, in 1831, he published a letter directed to the Cantonal Governments, and his numerous friends, in which he pointed out the importance and necessity of a well regulated »migration, and that his object was to gather the necessary information, and lead the way.
¡A short time before this Gottfried Duden had published in Germany his work on America, and recommended to emigrants the State of Missouri.
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MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
Highland.]
field pushed out into the prairie, the cabins mostly hidden by the trees, and only the smoke arising from them disclosing the abode of man.
On the 15th of October, 1831, Caspar Kæpfli with three grown sons, Bernhard, Joseph and Solomon, one daughter, and his nephews, Joseph Suppiger, a well educated and enterprising single man about twenty-five years of age, and his younger brother, Anthony Suppiger, together with several servants, arrived from St. Louis in the Looking-Glass Prairie. Some weeks before this, several hundred acres of land had been bought, including three improvements with small cabins, which were at once occupied by the new party. All letters to Europe were now dated from "New Switzerland." The farm where the cabin stood, in which the family of Caspar Kopfli under many hardships spent the first winter, was situated on the north-west quarter of north-west quarter of section thirty-two of township four north, range five west, and was known by the name of "Gruetli." The winter of 1831-2 was a very severe one.
Preparations for the building of a house and barn, and for the enclosing of a quarter section of new land, were made. In farming, the greatest at- tention was paid to stock raising. Their herd soon numbered twohundred head of cattle.# From the milk of seventy-five cows cheese was made, a cheese maker having been brought from Switzerland. A part of his pro- duct was so fine that merchants at St. Louis shipped it to New Orleans and there sold it for Swiss cheese.
Our emigrants from Switzerland gave regular accounts of all their doings and a description of their new home to their friends in Europe. These letters were there first published in newspapers, and afterwards gathered and printed in book form.
Dr. Kæpfli differed much with Mr. Duden, who had recommended Mis- souri as best adapted for the German emigration. He now took strong ground against Missouri, warning emigrants not to settle there, as slavery sooner or later would bring on trouble. On the other hand he strongly recommended Illinois, pointing out the manifold advantages of this young State, as to its free institutions, its fertile prairies so easily cultivated, its mild climate and its good, easily accessible markets. t
*At that time a yoke of oxen was worth forty dollars, horse ; from thirty to six- ty, fresh milch cows eight, hogs two, sheep one fifty, a hive of bees one fifty, chick" ens ten cents, potatoes ten cents per bushel, wheat fifty cents, corn eighteen cents, pork one dollar and fifty cents per hundred. A farm laborer received from eight to ten dollars per month
+Dr. Kœpfli was the first to recommend to emigrants to reach the Mississippi Valley by way of New Orleans. He had just experienced the difficulties of a land journey from New York to the Mississippi, before the time of railroads. He had seen how few of the emigrants who had designed making the Mississippi Valley their place of destination ever reached it-the journeys being too expensive and difficult. The passage from the French and German sea-ports to New Orleans or New York differed very little as to price, but from New Orleans up to St. Louis the trip by steamboat was casy and not expensive. Most 'emigrants from Swit- zerland and Germany destined for the Mississippi Valley, thereafter came via New (ileans.
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A GAZETTEER OF
[Highland.
From 1833 a few families each year arrived in this settlement from Eu- rope. These people had no disposition to settle in the timber, but preferred to build their houses on the top of fine hills in the prairie, elevations which were also best adapted for vineyards and orchards. First but few came, but soon they commenced to increase in a progressive ratio.
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