USA > Illinois > Morgan County > Jacksonville > Historic Morgan and classic Jacksonville > Part 3
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Rev. J. E. Roach, of Virginia, Cass county, once said at an Old Settlers' Reunion :
"I do not feel fully prepared for the work of representing Cass county. I will speak about what the country was then and now. When Cass, Morgan and Scott counties were first formed they blossomed then, but they were wild, and now they are tamed. The people who then occupied the county were just the ones to hand down
17
MEREDOSTA DISCOVERED-AN OLD PLOW.
the country in is present condition. Mr Job was among the first. He settled about 1822, when there was nothing but wild Howers. In one respect we are all kiu and come here to have what may be called a family reunion. It is not necessary to de- scribe the people that settled these counties and are here to-day, because we all know them. In the olden days we came very near having nothing but a grand and glorious country.
The first man that built x mill was a Mr. Sweet, and we have n man (Mr. Gatton) thit wis al that mill waiting to get his grain ground when the deep snow began to fall The first mill was built on a stump. Now we have a different kind of milling business. The first place of business in Cass county was in a log cabin, now near Little Indian, and was kept by Mr. Gatton. Soon after this Beardstown became a place of considerable business, and even competed with Chicago, aud for a long time we held it at arm's length in the packing business. Ashland is on the other end of the county, and was named for Henry Clay."
In the west part of the county, situated on the east bank of the Illinois River, is the thriving town of Meredosia. In 1819 Gen. Murray McConnel, in passing up the river, found one man residing near the present site of the town. This is the earliest mention that we have of the town. This man was a priest by the name of Antoine D'Osia, and the town was named from the circumstance of a man by this name living on a lake ( Mere). In 1833 Mr. Pickett opened the first school in that town.
Col. Joseph Morton, recently deceased, was once called upon and gave a lengthy and interesting account of his experience in the days of the first settlement of this county-coming to the neighborhood of Alton in 1819, and raising a corn crop the first year in Madison county. In 1821, in company with Mr. Bradshaw, he came to the new settlement in Morgan county, or what was afterwards called Morgan county. Here he made rails to enclose thirty acres -- quite a farm in those days. They went seventy- five miles to mill, and hauled wheat to St. Louis and sold it at fifty cents per bushel, which was thought a good price.
Judge Lewis Solomon, of Macoupin county, in 1874, gave a history of the queer old plow which his father brought from Kentucky in 1824, and which was placed on the table before him. The speaker had used that plow many a day. It was drawn by a horse named Pace, (a voice, "Where is the horse ?") "He has gone where all good horses go. There were ten children, besides, father and mother, and the old plow, and they all moved from Kentucky in a cart." He asked them to look at this plow and compare it with what they now used, and they would have an idea of the progress made since then. Ile told the difficulties they had in carrying their grain two days' journey to mill, sometimes getting entirely out of provisions and nearly starving, and illustrated the hospitality of the settlers to each other. Flies, wolves, panthers and everything of the kind obstrueted their path, and almost every fall they had to look for at least twenty- five shakes of ague. The country was entirely destitute of the arts and sciences, and had to do without them. They endeavored to make all the corn and pork they could, and that was their salvation. It took from three to five yoke of cattle to break the tough sod so that they could cultivate the soil. They had to labor hard to secure homes -- and every dollar went to the land office to pay for them. The young men of to-day ought to eut wheat with the sickle as they did. He bore one of the marks of the sickle on his hand now. Several in the audience showed scars obtained in the same way. And one said, "I'd rather have the hook now."
After they got the wheat cut they had to thrash it on the ground, and then hold it up in the air so that the winds would take the chaff ont. Finally they got a horse-mill started, and he never knew it to stop as long as the team could keep going. The young folks don't know anything about it now.
When they got to raising more wheat thau they could consume they had to carry it off, and he had hauled it to Alton and got twenty-five cents a bushel. "And now you grumble when you get a dollar." It just about took a load of wheat to get a bolt of domestic. They were a set of energetic, industrious men, who brought us to where we are now. They had no bridges; they crossed the streams by fording or in canoes.
18
FIRST BIRTHS, DEATHS AND SERMONS.
To-day within the limits of this county nearly all agricultural products are raised with profit. Corn is one of the principal crops, although wheat, oats, rye and barley are raised. In the days of Strawn and Alexander cattle raising was followed very ex- tensively and grazing was one of the principal nses to which the land was put.
The Hon. Samuel D. Lockwood, in January, 1821, was elected, by the Legislature, Attorney General of the State, which office he resigned in December, 1822-having been nominated by Gov. Coles for Secretary of State, and confirmed by the unanimous vote of the Senate. This office he resigned during the same or succeeding year, and accepted the office of Receiver of public monies at the land office at Edwardsville. In 1835 he was elected by the Legislature, Associate-justice of the Supreme court, which office he heid until after the election of judges under the constitution of 1847, when he resigned before his term expired.
By the act incorporating the Illinois Central Railroad Company, he was appointed one of the trustees of the road, and continued in that position until his death. He re. sided in Jacksonville more than twenty years, during which time he served as trustee of each of the State institutions located here.
According to Elder D. Pat Henderson :
The first death in Morgan county was Isaac Fort Roe.
The first death in Jacksonville was David Ditson.
The first marriage in Jacksonville was John Smith and Deborah Thornton.
The first sermon preached in Morgan county was by Rev. Jos. Basey a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
The first Sunday-school in the county was organized in Jersey Prairie, at or near Princeton, by a Mr. Leonard, whose widow is still living, having married a gentleman of the name of Rucker.
The Methodists and Baptists held meetings at different places in the county in 1821. The house of Janes Deaton was one of the places where the Methodists held their worship.
The Baptists held meetings for worship at the house of Major Peter Conover, in Jersey Prairie, and at one or two more places in that part of the county. All of these meetings were held in private houses, after the apostolic example, there being no pub- lic houses erected for that purpose.
Peter Conover was the first President of the Morgan County Bible Society. He was a native of New Jersey, removed to the neighborhood of Lexington, Ky., and from there to this State. He was a man of more than ordinary information and intelligence, and an active member of the Baptist church.
Other authorities inform us that :
The mother of the first white female child born in the county was Mrs. Crain, the wife of James Crain, who settled near Diamond Grove in 1820. Sarah Crain was the name.
The first physician was Dr. Ero Chandler.
The first preacher was Rev. Joseph Basey, of the M. E. Church ; the next was Rev. N. Pickett, who is now living in St. Louis. Joseph Basey is living in Pittsville, Wis., a worthy man.
The first bridge was built in 1821.
The first tavern was opened by a Mr. Brown.
The first mill was put up in 1821, by Rowland Shepherd.
According to Mr. Anderson Foreman :
Rev. Wm. Drinkwater was the first Baptist minister- about the year 1822.
Rev. John Glanville was the first Methodist preacher who travelled this circuit- about 1822.
Rev. Thomas J. Starr was the first Methodist pastor to be stationed in Jacksonville. He came from North Carolina.
Rev. Mr. Brich was the first Presbyterian sermonizer, coming in 1824.
19
OLD TIME PERSONALS.
Mrs. Martha Davenport and Mrs. Charles Chappell are the only living members of the Methodist church, now living here, that were here when the first M. E. society was organized.
Joseph Coddington was the father of the first white male child born in the county. Its birth occurred in a tent in Diamond Grove.
Of the Wyatt's mentioned in the first part of this chapter, John was the father of Col W'm. J. Wyatt, now of Franklin and William the parental ancestor of Col. W. D. Wyatt, of Lincoln, Logan county, Illinois, who was born near Diamond Grove Septem- ber 1821.
There seems to be no certainty as to the exact year in which Gen. McConnel came to Morgan as a settler. His account as given in this chapter of the first court and the jury deliberations is, of course, quite entertaining, but is quite indignantly denied by the only settler of '20 that is now living here-Mr. Huram Reeve, whose brother Laza- rus, still living but not in this county, was on the first jury impannelled.
Florentine E. Kellogg, who came to this county in 1818 with his father Elisha, one of the original Kellogg brothers, lived in that pioneer log cabin with him a year and then moved some three miles northwest of Jacksonville, where he resided seven years. He and his father moved to Rushville, Schuyler county, and built the second house in that place. They lived there one year when they returned to Morgan county. In 1832 they moved to Galena where the younger man married in 1837. In 1846 he moved to California where he resided twenty-five years, engaged in raising fruit, grain and stock and carrying on a machine shop. In 1871 a second time he returned to Morgan where lie now resides.
Of those whose arrival in the county dates between 1820 and '24 and whose names have not been already mentioned are Win. H. Broadwell, '23, Mrs. Catherine F. Barton. '27, W. S. McPherson, '22, Mrs. Minerva J. Rector, '24, John Robertson, '23, B. B. Rich- ardson, '21, Charles Sample, '23, C. R. Wilson, '20, Thomas and Joseph P. Deaton, '20, S. B. Smith, '24, John Smith, '24, Patterson Hall, '21, S. J. Mattingly, '24, J. M. Wilson, '24. Clayborn Coker, '23, George Curts, '22, H. R. Green, '24, Michael Huffaker, '23. Samuel Magill, '21, A. K. Barber, now living here, '24. The Bartons, three families, came together; also, Verian Daniels and wife, the latter a Barton -- in all twenty persons.
CHAPTER II .- 1819-24 .- Continua.
"The Regulators of the Valley" -- A Tragedy in Real Life-A Chapter of the Dark Side of Pioneer Days in the Mauvaisterre Country-Captain Pistol-The Wild Hunter- The First Grave on the Banks of Magee's Creek-The First Settlers of Cass (then Morgan) County-Sales of Public Lands in 1823-Venison, Blackberries and Milk.
"Across the stretching scene, where years had died, The spirit of the past swept to my side: Silent and sad and haggard, for to him Earth's visage had been dark and cold and grim."
"The good and bad he kindly laid away In one dark fold to wait the judgment day ; .And spread the turf, and with paternal care, Wept o'er the dead and planted flowers there."
[N view of the commendable and continually increasing desire to rake up from among the ashes of the dead past all the incidents and legends of the early set- tlement of this county manifesting itself everywhere in our midst, we are en- couraged to give to our readers a sketch of a thrilling scene which occurred in our county at a very early date, and although it may read much like a fictitious narrative of border life, yet we are assured that every part of the following narrative is a literal fact. The whole story in much fuller details than we have room for was once before made public ; in February, 1832, a communication appeared in the Illinois Patriot, chronicling at considerable length these stirring events. The article was sign- ed "J. G. R." but was from the pen of Gen. Murray McConnel, who was himself cogni- zant of many of the doings of these "regulators."
At that time it was not prudent or discreet to reveal the true names of any of the parties, hence false ones were used throughout the article, but now, as none of the relatives of any concerned are living hereabout, we give their proper appellations, and the facts, as given by the general.
The hero of this story was one of a gang of desperadoes and renegades from good society, which infested our county at a very early period of its existence.
The persons who now emigrate to Illinois have but a faint idea of the hardships, privations and troubles of the first settlers. Few have been the years which have rolled away since the county of Morgan, now so populous and flourishing, was a frontier county. The settlers were few and far between ; many of them were without dwellings to shelter them and their families from the storms, and none of them had more than a cabin of round logs thrown together in the rudest manner. Provisions of every kind were scarce and very dear; the means of the inhabitants were small and their wants great. The county was infested by a set of unprincipled renegades from a more civil- ized society, who equally disregarded the rights of the citizens and the laws of the land.
We, who are living now in a county teaming with life, and under codes of laws, (executed by multitudinous officers,) which guarantee protection to our lives and proper- ty, can have but a faint idea of the hardships and privations of the first settlers in Mor- gan. Yet comparatively few have been the years since ours was one of the frontier counties with inhabitants few and far between. Many were without a sheltering roof of any kind, and society was troubled by unprincipled men.
21
THE OUTLAW AND THE WILD HUNTER.
Of one of these uneasy spirits we propose to unfold a "tale," his name was Abra- ham Williams Keller, but for reasons best known to himself, he dropped his proper surname before he came to our county and was known here as Abe Williams. In the fall of the year 1820, a small cart bearing this man and his family pushed forward into the wilds of the valley of the Illinois. Then all was wild and dreary here, the site of our flourishing and beautiful city was surrounded and inhabited only by the wild beasts. "Westward, ho!" was this traveler's cry until he reached a romantically beautiful grove in a small prairie at the extreme west end of what is now Morgan county. There was his first "squatting ground," that was the first sod breaking in the valley of our little Mauvaisterre. Williams' trail was soon followed, until, within a year, a settlement of six families was made, all choice spirits for frontier life, ready for cabin raising, bear hunting, or Indian fighting. All was then peace and quietness in the colonies.
The next season brought other families, until enough were living within helping distance to rear up new cabins with ease. This mutual help was a great blessing, but we have "no rose without a thorn," so this blessing brought evil in its train. Among the new comers came "certain lewd fellows of the baser sort" as St. Paul says. With only three of these will we deal particularly, John Cotrill, Henry Percifield and his brother Jerry, were of the very worst of men, and settling near Williams, (south of the Mauvaisterre,) in a short time became his intimate friends and associates. During that autumn Jerry Percifield, the eldest and by far the worst of the lot, brought up to the little settlement two barrels of whisky, the first of the cursed stuff brought to the county after its settlement by the whites. Williams', the depot of the liquor, soon be- came the headquarters of the male portion of the colony, and from this date the down- fall of Williams and others began. Robberies occured in this and neighboring counties, and the goods from plundered stores were by rumor said to be secreted near or in Wil- liams' grove, and he and his trio of cronies were suspected. The law-abiding citizens were anxious to have their settlement retain a fair name for honesty and good order, hence warrants were issued, the suspected parties searched and some stolen goods were found. Upon examination by the magistrate however, they were allowed to testify in euch other's favor, so all were acquitted.
Soon after, horse theft, house breaking, store robbing, and other depredations began to multiply. Williams became suddenly rich, having horses, cattle, and household goods in abundance. To his house came all the idle and profligate of the region. Their daily occupations were drinking, gambling, horse racing, pocket picking and horse stealing, with all their concomitants.
At this time two new characters appeared upon the scene of action, one a respecta- bly wealthy old gentleman, who settled near the mouth of the Mauvaisterre. As his house was said to contain much money, it was soon visited by Williams and his crew who laid plans to ascertain how much money the owner of the house had, where it was concealed, when he would be absent from home, when he woukl return, &e.
The other emigrated here from Kentucky, whence Williams had come, a singular sort of a man, yet a good type of the daring backwoods seouts of those days. He was clad in a leather hunting shirt which trailed almost to his knees, (decorated with fringes of various lengths,) and in pantaloons of the same material. Deer skin moccasins were on his feet, and an enormous catamount skin upon his head. His weapons were an un- erring Kentucky rifle and a knife of a frightful length. The "wild hunter of the prairie," was the only name by which he was known. His movements were mysterious; one day he would be seen in one part of the settlement, the next in another. He visited every house in the little colony except Willianis'.
Our characters being introduced, we proceed :
One evening as Williams and Percifield were returning from a visit at the house of this wealthy and aged gentleman, (whose name was Lewis G. Newell,) they perceived by the aid of the moon's bright rays which were adding beauty to the already charming Illinois prairies the form of a man moving towards them.
22
NEWELL'S HOUSE ROBBED.
"There," said Jerry, "is the wild hunter-did you ever see him ?"
Before Williams could reply, the mysterious man stepped up, exclaiming, "Abraham, do you know me ?"
The stern glance and thrilling voice chilled the very heart of the cowardly Williams; his cheek paled, his knees smote together, and he trembled like a leaf. "What's the matter ?" asked Jerry, "do you know the man ? If so, come forward and speak for your- self." No reply was needed, for the stranger continued to address the scoundrel, using these words:
"Abraham, you know me well; you know, too, that I am acquainted with your un- natural deeds; your ill-gotten wealth shall avail you little. Before many days pass by I will see you again, when circumstances are different, and times more favorable than now." Immediately he was out of sight, having fled to an adjoining grove.
Percifield was astonished, and Wilhams troubled, especially by the threat "I will see you again," but the latter obstinately refused to impart any information as to the stranger, moreover immediately began to dispose of his property, and shortly removed with his family to the west side of the Illinois River, not far from the spot where his bones were shortly laid to moulder back to their native dust.
A few days before Williams moved away, Newell, who was supposed to have so much money, also left his home on business, leaving his wife and a small boy to guard their treasures. A few nights after this man's departure, the roof of his house was broken open, and the dwelling robbed of all the money and valuables that could be found. This glaring robbery alarmed and aroused the citizens of the whole settlement. "Something must be done," was the cry. A publie meeting was held, and among other things, a company was formed, consisting of ten law-abiding men of well known courage, who bound themselves together, under the name of the Regulators of the Valley, to rid the country of horse thieves and robbers, and not to cease their operations until they had accomplished that great object. A regular constitution was drawn up and subscrib- ed to, and this paper is still in existence.
There was another man in the community at this time, who needs introducing. By his vain boasting and braggadocio, he had induced his fellow-citizens to believe that he was a man of great courage, a daring warrior. He lived, at that time, near the place where now is built the town of Exeter, in Scott county. By his own bold-facedness he was chosen the captain of this little band who were taking the law into their own hands. He was dubbed Captain Pistol. (James H. Pistol was his ordinary appellation.) Or- ganization being completed, the party resolved to perform their first operations on Williams himself.
The plan agreed upon was to go to his house in disguise, seize him by force, tie him to a tree and scourge him with whips, until he should surrender the money and goods which they believed were in his possession unlawfully, and also disclose to them his associates and accomplices, but by no means or under any circumstances to take his life. This arrangement was known to none but this little band of associated law pre- servers. The little band proceeded immediately to the Illinois River for the purpose of commencing the work of reform with Williams, but before they proceeded far, Captain Pistol became very sick ; it was totally impossible for him to proceed any fur- ther on this enterprise, and down he laid himself on the prairie. He entreated his soldiers, however, to go on and not wait for him. He instructed them that if he did not overtake them before they crossed the river, to appoint some one as leader in his stead. They were no sooner beyond his sight than he rapidly recovered, and with 2:40 speed made for his home, and within an hour he was by his wife's side, armed with a spoon and filling his empty stomach with hominy. Thus ended the valorous feats of this "twilight glory" hero of ye olden times. Would that such men were confined to those days.
The band of regulators marched on-crossing the Illinois River near the mouth of
23
"STAND BACK OR I'LL BLOW YOU DOWN."
the Mauvaisterre, and having arrived in the vicinity of Williams' house, halted to make further arrangements. Several fruitless efforts were made to elect another captain, but no one seemed to wish to take this responsibility upon himself. While thus debating and waiting their sentinel gave the warning cry, "Who is there ?" "A friend !" was the answer, and the Wild Hunter appeared upon the scene. Grant-like, his speech was short and to the point, as follows: "My friends, I know all your intentions. I have overheard your conversation. There is nothing hid from me-Williams is my enemy -I am his. Why it is so, is not material for you to know, suffice it to say that he has years gone by planted a dagger in the heart of my domestic peace, and did me an injury I am bound to avenge. You, I have discovered, are without a leader, will you accept the services of a true soldier ?"
The animated words and prepossessing manner of the speaker gained for him im. mediately the coveted command. They chose him their captain, and under him marched directly to Williams' house, which they surrounded. They selected two of the band to force their way into the cabin, with the hunter captain, and seize their victim. Before the eneireling lines could be formed, however, and the outposts stationed, the family became alarmed by the noise, and the fierce barking of the dogs. One of the house- hold cautiously opened the door, and by means of the light proceeding from the room, discovered one of the attacking party. The immediate cry was, "Indians! Indians!" supposing that the house was surrounded by the savages, Williams, seizing his rifle, rushed out of the house, and the first object that met his eye was the mysterious captain. Ile immediately exclaimed, "Thomas G- -, stand back, or I will blow you down," and presenting his rifle, attempted to suit his actions to his words. By some unaccountable accident, the weapon snapped but missed fire. He was again making ready, when, from all sides came the shouts, "fire! fire!" One single report was heard, and Williams fell, exclaiming, "I am a dead man, Thomas G- You have taken my life." The regu- lators gathered around their leader and his victim, and stood in speechless astonishment gazing at the convulsed limbs and twinging muscles of the dying man. It was an un- expected event, but they did not remain long in this silence. Their reveries were in- terrupted by the screams of a woman, who, running from the house in her night dress, with disheveled hair, and crying piteously, exclaimed at the top of her voice, "Oh, you devils! - you devils !- you have killed my husband. I knew it would come to this. It all comes by associating with them drunken thieves, Henry and Jerry. Murder! mur- der! Stand back, you black-looking monsters. Iwill see my husband. O, dear, O, dear." Two of the party, in order to frighten her back into the house, discharged their guns near her head, but all in vain. She pressed on until arrested by the strong arm of the hunter (it seems she had seen him before); he forced her back into the house and closed the door upon her. Now, the question arose quickly, what was to be done ? Many asked, but none answered. Williams' rifle was picked up, and the adjoining hills echoed back the sharp, keen crack, for so near were the preparations completed for a second shot at the revenging hunter. "Retreat, retreat," was now the reply of all to the query, "What shall be done ?"
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