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 5
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38
SETTLEMENT OF QUENTINE OR CANTEEN .- The same year Delormi, a Frenchman, from Cahokia settled at the edge of the timber, near the "Big Mound," in the American Bottom, not far from Quentine Creek. The Quentine Village commenced to have an existence soon after. It extended along the creek west for several miles, and was at one time a handsome little village. Its inhabitants were mostly emigrants from Prairie du Pont.
In the year 1805 John T. Lusk emigrated fron Kentucky and settled in Goshen. By this time Ridge Prairie had also many permanent settlers and was beginning to assume the character of a flourishing colony.
About this time (1805) some efforts were made by farmers to ship their produce to market directly upon their own account. Several flat-boats were constructed and laden with corn, cattle, hogs etc., and sent down the river to New Orleans from the head of Big Island in Madison County. Some reached their destined port in safety, others were wrecked on the voyage for want of proper skill in the navigation of the river.
In 1806 the first surveys of United States lands into townships were made in the County. John Messenger was the first or among the first surveyors The Public lands in town 6, south range seven west, and country adjacent were surveyed by him as a subcontractor under Win. Rector. (Reynolds, page 279.) But from the list of surveys furnished us by F. H. Mosberger, United States Recorder of St. Louis, the earliest survey of this County was the South boundary of township 3-8, December 1807; the next were East boundary 3-8; South and East of 4.8; South boundary 5-8; and South and East of 4-9, in January 1808 by John Messenger and J. M. Moore.
FIRST CAMP MEETING .- The next year (1807) was remarkable as wit- nessing the first of those public gatherings for religious worship com- monly known as Camp-Meetings. During the year two of these assem- blies were held in Illinois, one near Shiloh in St. Clair County, and the other a few miles south of what is now the town of Edwardsville, in Madison County. 6-
42
A GAZETTEER OF
BISHOP MCKENDREE AND REV. JESSE WALKER .- It was about this time that the celebrated Bishop McKendree of the Methodist Church visited the country in his official character and organized various Churches. He was assisted in these meetings by the Rey. Jesse Walker, an intrepid and energetic pioneer preacher who appeared in the country the year previous and devoted his great energies to the advancement of the Methoisd Church in Illinois. At his request he was appointed as a preacher in Illinois by the Western Conference in 1806 and during the next year mostly through his personal efforts eighty members were added to the Church, which swelled its numbers in all the State to 220. For several years before the religious wants of the infant communities had been met by zealous, and faithful itinerants, who "rode the circuit" from one settle- ment to another, none of whom seem to have sustained relations of any especial interest to Madison County. A Baptist church was regularly organized in the Wood River settlement in 1807.
The first brick house in the county was begun the following year, (1808) by Col. Samuel Judy, who came to the county as before stated in 1801, and continued long afterwards to be one of its most valued citizens. He sustained many positions of honor and preferment in the county with dignity and credit, being elected a member of the first Legislative Council of Illinois Territory, from Madison County, which office he held for four years. He was afterward elected for many years to the office of County Commissioner, and at a venerable age was appointed by Gov. Reynolds Warden of the State Penetentiary at Alton, to serve with two others, of whom Gov. Reynolds was one, as a Board to adopt a Penetentiary system. erect a suitable building and put the whole machinery in working order, a work which was performed with signal ability and success. He died sincerely regretted at his residence in this county, in 1833, aged seventy- five years.
In the year 1809, a settlement was made upon Silver Creek, near the present town of Highland.
MONKS OF LA TRAPPE .- About the same time a very different order of emigrants made their appearance in the county, near the prosent boundary line between Madison and St. Clair Counties, in the vicinity of the mound skirting Cahokia Creek, upon one of which they had a residence for several years, and from which it derived its name of Monk's Mound. They were known as the Monks of La Trappe. The monastery of this order was anciently situated in the Province of Perche, in France, in one of the most solitary spots that could be chosen. It was founded in A. D. 1140, under the patronage of Ratron, Count of Perche. They were a branch of the order of Cistercian Monks. Their monastery had fallen into decay and their rigid discipline relaxed, when the order was reformed by the Abbe Rance in A. D. 1664. Rance was a gay man of the world, but meet- ing with a sudden misfortune-some authors say the infidelity of his wife,
43
MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
others the death of Madame Montbazon, whose favorite lover he had been -he renounced the world, entered this monastery and took the lead in a system of the most severe austerity. Perpetual silence was the vow, every comfort of life was rejected, and a stone was their pilow, bread and water their only food, and every day each removed a handful of earth from his grave. The furious storm of the French Revolution scattered the Trap- pists. A branch of the order came to the United States in 1804, first established themselves near Conewango, in Pennsylvania; then in Ken- tucky; next at Florisant in St. Louis, Missouri, and finally in 1809 or 1810 in Madison County, upon the mound and farm before referred to which was the gift of Colonel Nicholas Jarrot, of Cahokia.
They numbered eighty in all and expected an accession of two hundred others from France upon their settlement-but the climate and situation were not congenial to the austerities practiced by the order. During the summer months fevers prevailed among them to an alarming extent. Few escaped and many died. They cultivated a garden, repaired watches and traded with the inhabitants. Connected with the monastery was a sort of Seminary for boys. They seem to have been regarded generally as filthy in their habits, but extremely severe in their penances and discipline. In 1813 they sold off their personal property and left the country for France.#
*In Wild's "Valley of the Mississippi Illustrated," it is stated that these monks first sought a location in Pennsylvania, then in Kentucky, and again at Floris- ant, near St. Louis, where they remained about eighteen months, and finally located at the Mounds on the American Bottom in 1807.
Also that the first discovery of coal in the bluffs, was made by these monks. Their black-smiths complained of a want of proper fuel, and on their being in- formed toat the earth, at the root of a tree, which was struck by lightning, was burning, they went to the spot, and on digging a little below the surface, discover- ed a vein of coal.
The number, that originally came to this country, consisted of six monks and seven lay-brothers, under the paternal guidance of the Rev. Urban Guillet, it was however increased by additions from France and from different parts of the United States to thirty-six persons in all. Every thing seemed prosperous and happy about them, when suddenly they were assailed with a malignant fever, which carried off three of their number in one night. The country around them continuing unhealthy, in 1816 those remaining broke up the establishment, re- conveyed the land to Mr. Jarrot, the donator, and returned to France. * * *
No one was ever allowed to speak to another, or to a stranger, except in cases of absolute necessity ; neither could he address the superior, without first asking his permission, by a sign, and receiving his assent. They were allowed to receive no letters or news from the world, and were compelled to obey the least sign made even by the lowest lay-brother in the community, although by doing so, they might spoil whatever they were at the time engaged in. Their dress consisted en- tirely of wollen; they eat no flesh, and had but two meals a-day; their dinner was soup of turnips, carrots and other vegetables, with no seasoning bnt salt, and their supper, of two ounces of bread with water. They slept in their clothing upon boards, with blocks of wood for pillows, but in winter were allowed any quantity of covering they desired. When a stranger visited them, he was re-
44
A GAZETTEER OF
For some years previous to the declaration of war with Great Britain, in 1812 the Indians had manifested a growing spirit of hostility to the whites, which displayed itself in several murders along the whole frontier. One of these occured upon the 20th of June, in the year 1811, near Hun- ter's Spring, in the lower end of the present City of Alton. A man by the name of Price and a companion were engaged in plowing, when they saw the Indians approaching them at the spring, where there was a small cabin. As the Indians came near the spring the Americans asked then if they came in peace. One of the Indians a man of great size and strength laid down his gun and extended his hand to Price, who took it un- suspectingly, when he was held fast and immediately murdered by the others. During the struggle which ensued his companion leaped upon the horse and made his escape, being severely wounded in the thigh by a shot, in his flight. The intelligence of the battle of Tippecanoe immediately following these ontrages was peculiarly alarming to the inhabitants of Illinois and Missouri. The defence of the frontier now became a matter of anxious and momentous consideration, and prompt, vigorous and efficient means were taken by the Governors of these Territories to place the settlements in a position of greater security in view of impending war Block Houses were erected at various points of defensive importance along the frontiers, and in July 1811 a company of mounted riflemen or Rangers was raised in Goshen settlement.
Early in 1812, Gov. Edwards erected and fortified, Fort Russell a short distance north-west of the town of Edwardsville. It was named in honor of Col. Win. Russell a brave and meritorious officer, then in command of a regiment, consisting of ten companies of rangers. This frontier post was made the headquarters of Gov. Edwards in his future operations against the enemy and was fortified in such a manner as to secure the military stores and munitions of war. "The cannon were removed from old Fort Chartres, and with these and other military decorations Fort Russell blazed out with considerable pioneer splendor.#"
ceived with the utmost kindness by their guest-master, his wants attended to, and everything freely shown and explained to him, and whenever he passed one of the monks, the latter bowed humbly to him, but without looking at him. They labored all day in the fields or in their work shops in the most profound silence the injunction of which was removed, only from the one appointed to receive visitors, and those engaged in imparting instruction. When one of them was taken ill, the rigor of their discipline was entirely relaxed towards him, and every attention and comfort bestowed upon him, and if he was about to die, when in his last agonies, he was placed upon a board, on which the superior had previously made the sign of a cross, with ashes, and the rest gathered around him to console and pray for him. The dead were wrapt in their ordinary habit and and buried without a coffin in the field adjoining their residence. As soon as one was buried, a new grave was opened by his side, to be ready for the next who might need it.
*Governor Reynolds' Life and Times, page 130.
45
MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
During the spring of 1812 a small company of regulars under Captain Ramsey were stationed for a few months at Camp Russell. These were all the regulars at any time on duty at Camp Russell during the war.
Another military station was established upon Silver Creek north-east. of the town of Troy.
In September of this year all the disposable forces which could be raised in Illinois, in all about three hundred and fifty men mustered at camp Russell and were organized into an army for the destruction of the Indian strongholds on Peoria Lake. The immediate command of the expedition was vested in Col. Russell under Gov. Edwards who accompanied the forces as commander in Chief. Col. Samuel Judy had organized a small company of twenty-one men, who acted as scouts or an advanced guard to the army upon its march. This force was intended to be marched against the most dense and warlike Indian population in the west, but it was con- templated to effect a junction with the expedition under General Hopkins, who was in command of some four thousand volunteers from Kentucky, and together make an attack upon the enemy. From various causes no such union took place. The sickness of General Hopkins, after an advance of some distance into the territory, combined with discontent and desertions among his troops rendered his attempt unsuccessful, and he returned to Kentucky without accomplishing anything.
The forces under Gov. Edwards, however, succeeded to a considerable extent, in carrying out the main object of the campaign, which was to strike the Indians with terror by assailing them in their own territory and to deter them from further invasions of the settlements. They were driven from their retreat in a dense swamp where a considerable body were surprised-after a sharp conflict in which numbers of them were killed, their village burned and many slain in their flight. A few of the army were wounded, but none killed and the force returned in safety to Camp Russell, and were disbanded after a campaign of a few weeks.
In 1813 the town of Edwardsville was laid out and made the county seat of the new County of Madison-which had been organized as before stated by Proclamation of Gov. Edwards, in the previous year-and here in the same year, the first Court held in the county under the new territorial organization, convened.
The following is an extract from the original County records of that date:
APRIL, 1813.
In pursuance of an Act of the Legislature of Illinois Territory, appoint- ing a place for holding Courts for Madison County, on Monday, the fifth day of April, at the House of Thomas Kirkpatrick, appeared the Honor- able John G. Lofton and the Honorable Jacob Whiteside, Judges of the Court of Common Pleas for Madison County, and took their seats and pro- ceeded to business as a County Court.
Among the first proceedings of the Court appears the following:
Polly Snider, orphan of John Snider, deceased, appeared in Court, and
46
A GAZETTEER OF
with the approbation thereof made choice of Jesse Waddel for her Guardian.
On motion William Gillham, Esq., ordered that Thomas Good be ap- pointed Constable for the County of Madison, Goshen Township, where- upon the said Thomas appeared in Court, and took the oath of office as the law directs.
Ordered that Joseph Newman be appointed overseer of the road leading from the town of Cahokia to the Indian Ford, on Cahokia Creek. Begin- ning at the Bridge on the Canteen Creek and ending at the point of woods next above where David Moore formerly lived. Imbracing also the keep- ing in good repair the said Canteen Bridge.
Also that Anthony Cox be appointed overseer of the same road from the lower edge of the aforesaid point of woods to the Indian Ford on Cahokia Creek, and that he make and keep in good repair the banks of said Ford.
Ordered that John Kirkpatrick be appointed overseer of the road lead- ing from Mr. Samuel Judah's to Thomas Kirkpatrick's Mill, on Cahokia Creek. Beginning at the ford on Judah's Creek and ending at the said Kirkpatrick's Mill. Keeping in good repair the banks of said Cahokia Creek.
Court adjourned till To-morrow at 9 o'clock.
JOHN G. LOFTON, JACOB WHITESIDE.
Tuesday April 6th, 1813.
Thomas Kirkpatrick applied for and obtained Licence for keeping a Public House, as the law directs. Taxed at $6 50 per annum.
Tavern Rates as follows, viz:
FOOD AND FORAGE.
DRINKS PER HALF PINT.
Cents. Cents.
Breakfast
25|Rum 374
Dinner
25 Ginn 25
Supper.
25 Wine 37}
Corn per Gallon
12} Peach Brandy 124
Oats per Gallon
12} Whiskey.
122
Hay or Fodder per Night.
124
Ordered that George Caldwell be appointed, and he is hereby appointed Commissioner to receive a list of Taxable Property in the County of Madison, for the present year 1813.
Ordered that the following species of property be subject to Taxation for present year at the following Rates, Towit :
Each Able-bodied Single (?) Man. $1 00
Each Horse, Mule or Ass 50
Each Negro Slave. 1 00
1 00
Samuel Gilham
William B. Whiteside's Ferry on the Mississippi River. 1 00
Walker's Ferry on the Mississippi River ..
3 00
Also the valuation of Houses, Lands and Water Mills.
JANUARY 15, 1814.
It is stated "that Isham Gilham Sheriff, appeared in Court and Gave Bond as the law directs, as collector of the Taxes for the County of Mad- ison."
APRIL 6, 1814.
On settlement with the Sheriff it appeared to the Court, that the County demand against the said Sheriff is as follows, tow it:
William Bakers Ferry on the Mississippi River 66
1 00
47
MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
To the amount of the County Levy for 1813. $426 843 To cash paid by Abraham Prickett for License for Retailing Mer- chandise 15 00
The same to Samuel G. Mooss 1 00
To one fine imposed on James Green by the Court. 1 00
To three fines imposed by Thomas G. Davidson, Esq., on Robert Pallian, John Connor and Thos. Wadkins. 2 50
To Cush paid by Thomas Kirkbatrick, Tavern License 6 50
$466 84}
To which amount the Court ordered the following credits, tow it:
By Ex officio services eighteen months. $ 75 00
By attending General Election for the year 1812 6 00
By one Day's attendance in siting the Jail 2 00
By services in two suits, United States vs. Robert Pullian 12 10
By three quarts Whiskey the day the Jail was let 1 12}
$ 96 234
Leaving the balance of said Sheriff $370 62
GRAND JURY, JUNE TERM, 1814 .- The following are the names of the Grand Jury of Inquest for the body of Madison County, towit:
1, William Rabb, (Foreman;) 2, William Otwell; 3, John Clark; 4, Benj. Stedman; 5, Isaac Gillham, sen .; 6, William C. Davidson; 7, John Lirk- patrick: 8, Samuel Judah; 9, Robert McMahan; 10, James Renfoe; 11, James Right; 12, James Kirkpatrick; 13, Charles Gillham; 14, Francis Kirkpatrick; 15, John McKinney; 16, Josias Right; 17, Samuel G. Moore; 18, John Robinson; 19, Solomon Pruitt; 20, Martin Woods: 21, Joseph White; 22, William Perviance; 23, Samuel Brown.
The following " list of persons subject to Road Labor, March 1815," no doubt furnishes the names of a greater portion of the citizens of the County, at that date .*
"Ordered that the following persons be and they are hereby appointed and directed to work on the publick Road Leading from Edwardsville by Thomas Goods' to Samuel Judy's. Towit :
William Sherone. Francis Kirkpatrick, Josias Randle,
John Robertson Sen. William Gillhanı, James Watson,
John Robertson Jr. Thomas Good, Richard Wright,
James Robertson, James Good, Joshua Dean,
Andrew Black, Ezekiel Good, William Courtney, 17.
Charles Gillhanı, William Tilford,
"Ordered that all the following persons be and they are hereby appoint- ed and directed to work on the Public Road, leading from the New Bridge on Cahokia Creek near Edwardsville to where the said Road crosses In- dian Creek. To urt:
Thomas Kirkpatrick, William Montgomery, Field Bradshaw, Jonas Bradshaw,
John Kirkpatrick, James Gillham,
John Newman, Andrew Dunagan,
Obadiah Bradshaw,
Zadock Newman, Ryderns Gillham, John Stout, Ephraim Davidson,
William Lawless,
Rowland Heritt,
Upton Smith,
Joseph White,
John Hewitt,
Richard Standford,
John Fullmore,
John Springer,
Josiah Vaughan,
Silas Beasley,
Michael Dodd, 24.
$In the extracts from the Court Records, we have endeavored to follow the or- thography, capitalization, &c., as there found .- ED.
48
A GAZETTEER OF
"It is ordered by the Court that James Kirkpatrick be, and he is hereby appointed Supervisor of the Publick Road leading from Edwardsville to Isom Gillham's Bridge on Cahokia Creek, and all the following hands or persons are appointed under his command and control to work on said road, tow it;
Benjamin Stedman, Thornton Scepler,
Joshua Delaplane, Samuel Delaplane,
Beniah Roberson, Robert Gillaspy,
John McKinney, Isom Gillham,
John Delaplane, sen.
Henry Bonner, Micajah Cox,
Benj. Delaplane, jr.
John W. Wright, John Barnett,
William Otwell,
James Wright, James Suggs, sen.
William Lawless,
James Greenwood,
Alexander V. Bonner, Jesse Bell,
Thomas Randle, J. Kirkpatrick, Sup'r.
George Davidson,
Temple Nix,
George Coventry,
Samuel Davidson, 27.
"Ordered that George Belsha be and is hereby appointed supervisor of the Public Road, leading from Cahokia to the Indian Ford on Cahokia Creek. Beginning at the lower edge or margin of that point of woods next above where David Moore formerly lived, and ending at the said Indian ford. Imbracing also the keeping in good repair the banks of said Creek or Indian Ford. The following persons are allowed and appointed to work on said Road. Tow it.
Uel Whiteside, Henry Cook, Jacob Jndy,
William B. Whiteside, Hiram Arthur, Robert Folly,
James Reynolds,
Connelius Folly,
Thomas Smith,
Robert Reynolds, jr. Ambrose Nix,
Francis Cohne,
Thomas Reynolds,
William Cox, John Cook,
Joshua Vaughan, John Crawford,
Phillip Hewson,
Elisha Alexander,
Samuel Judy, Peter Hubbard, 22.
Joseph Wallace.
"Ordered that Jolin Waggoner be, and he is hereby appointed Super- visor of the Publick Road, beginning at the lower edge of the woods next above where David Moore formerly lived, and ending at the bridge on the Canteen Creek; embracing also the keeping in good repair the bridge on said Creek. The following hands are allowed and appointed to work the said Road, tow it:
David Lloyd, George Sadler, Andrew Robb,
Thomas Moore, John Sadler, William Robb jr.
Michael Squire, Stephen Sadler,
Joseph Newman,
William Winkfield, William Robb, sen. -- Haley, 12.
"Dan'l Stockton is hereby appointed Supervisor of the Publick Road, beginning at Isom Gillham's Ferry on the Mississippi river, and ending where the Publick Road, leading from the Town of Edwardsville crosses Indian Creek to the said Ferry. The hands or following persons are allowed and appointed to work on the said road, tow it:
Isaac Gillham, John Finley,
Joseph McFaggin,
Samuel Gillham, John Powell,
William Ryon,
Hary Gillham, Joseph Le Houre,
Thomas Cox,
David Gillham, Ghersomn Patterson,
Hezekiah Crosby,
Jacob C. Gillham, Ethan Meacham,
Joseph Meacham, 19.
Samuel Brown, Willeritt Meacham,
Samuel Stockton, Adit Meacham,
From Edwardsville by Thomas Good's to Samuel Judy's 17
From the new Bridge on Cahokia to Indian Creek.
From Edwardsville to Isom Gillham's Bridge on Cahokia. 27
From David Moore's old place to Indian Ford, Cahokia.
12
From to Canteen Bridge 12
From Isom Gillham's Ferry to Indian Creek 19
Six Road Districts. No. of Hands 121
49
MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
In December 6th, 1816, the jail, the first public building erected in the county was declared "completed agreeably to contract and received by the Court." Wm. Otwell was the builder.
August 3d, we find that "Joseph John was allowed the sum of 75 cents, for killing a wolf over six months old;" and Angnst 7th, on a settlement there was found to be $5 37} in the Treasury.
The first Court House was completed, February 12th, 1817, aud the builder Samuel G. Morse was ordered to be paid the balance on the con- tract $262 50. It was a log building on the edge of the square next the street, the square being a remarkably contracted opening not far from the lower end of the town. The jail on the same piece of ground was no more remarkable for strength or beauty. It was composed of logs, aud perhaps lined with plank. Nor could the brick Court House and Jail, built a few years afterwards be called a great improvement. When the eccentric Lorenzo Dow came to Edwardsville to preach some years afterwards. and was shown the Court House as the place of meeting, he refused to preach in it, saying "it was only fit for a hog pen." It had not yet, a floor except a very narrow staging for the Court and Bar.
The town of Edwardsville at this time was perhaps the most noted town in Illinois, though Kaskaskia was the old capital, and the new was pro- spectively at Vandalia, neither was so much a point of attraction as Edwardsville.
It was then the residence of Ninian Edwards, who had been the only Governor of the Territory of Illinois, and was a Senator in the Con- gress of the United States. Jesse B. Thomas his colleague was also a resi- dent of Edwardsville, and these two distinguished citizens with their accomplished families formed a nucleus round which the intelligent naturally gathered. Its main point of attraction was the fact that it was the place to which people came as a centre from which to go out "prospect- ing." The land district had been opened, and the land office established at Edwardsville, and consequently all who wished to settle anywhere north of the Kaskaskia district must enter lands at that place. The proprietor of the old town was James Mason. He had built a brick house on the rear of the square at this time, in part of which an inn was kept by William C. Wiggins.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.