USA > Illinois > Douglas County > Historical and biographical record of Douglas County, Illinois > Part 8
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L. Lippert being retained in command of the battalion. By the same order Col. Bell, Lieut. Col. Hartman and Maj. Charles Bell were mustered out of the service.
In the following July the battalion moved with Gen. Davidson's cavalry division into Ar- kansas, taking part in the battles of Browns- ville. August 24 and 25: Bayou Metre. 27 and 28; Austin, August 31, and again at Bayou Metre, September 4. The Thirteenth was the first organization to enter Little Rock, on its capture, September 10. 1863, and was engaged in the pursuit of Price, to Red River. In the spring of 1864 the battalion accompanied Gen. Steele in the expedition to Camden, taking a prominent part in the actions at Arkadelphia, Okoloma, Little Missouri River, Prairie du Anne, Camden and Jenkin's Ferry, during the month of April. . After returning to Little Rock. the battalion was engaged in many raids and scouts, and in skirmishing with the forces of Shelby and Marmaduke, defeating them at Clarendon and Pine Bluff. In the summer of 1864 the battalion was stationed at Pine Bluff, in Col. Clayton's brigade, and engaged in scouting and picketing. On the 25th of Jan- uary, 1865, the cavalry division having been discontinued, the Thirteenth was assigned to duty at the post of Pine Bluff. In April, detachments were sent to take possession of Monticello, Camden and Washington, leaving the headquarters at Pine Bluff. August 31, 1865. the regiment was mustered out, and received final pay and discharge at Springfield, Illinois, September 13, 1865. The Thirteenth Cavalry Regiment's aggregate strength during its organization was 1.759 men, the battalion having been consolidated with a newly-formed but incomplete regiment in the spring of 1864. 5
A list of battles and skirmishes in which the regiment was engaged is as follows: Pitman's Ferry, Arkansas, July 20, 1862 ; Cotton Plant, Arkansas, July 25, 1862; Union City, Mis- souri, August 22, 1862; Camp Pillow, Mis- souri. August 29, 1862; Bloomfield, Missouri, September 13, 1862; Van Buren, Missouri, 17, 1863: Eleven Point River, Missouri, March 26, 1863: Jackson, Missouri, April
22, 1863; White River, Missouri, April 23. 1863 ; Bloomfield (2), Missouri, April 24, 1863: Union City and Chalk Bluff, Missouri, April 25, 1863: Bushy Creek, Missouri, May 31, 1863; near Helena, Arkansas, August 8, 1863: Grand Prairie and White River, Ar- kansas. August 24 and 25, 1863; Bayou Metre, Arkansas, August 17, 1863; Brownsville, Ar- kansas, August 16, 1863: Deadman's Lake, Arkansas, August 27 and 28, 1863: Austin, Arkansas, August 31, 1863: Bayou Metre (2d). Arkansas, September 4, 1863; Little Rock, Arkansas, September 10, 1863; Benton, Arkansas, September 11, 1863 ; Batesville, Ar- kansas, October 22, 1863 ; Pine Bluff, Arkanas, November 28, 1863; Arkadelphia, Arkansas, April 2, 1864; Okoloma, Arkansas, April 3, 1864; Little Missouri River, Arkansas, April 4, 1864; Prairie du Anne, Arkansas, April 10, II and 12, 1864; Camden, Arkansas, April 15, 1864; Jenkins' Ferry, Arkansas, April 30, 1864; Cross Roads, Arkansas, September 11, 1864: Mount Elba, Arkansas, October 18, 1864; Douglas Landing, Arkansas, February 22, 1865: Monticello, Arkansas, March 28, 1865.
Douglas county was represented in other organizations in the army, but concerning whom there is no reliable information. To notice the especial achievements of the volun-
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teers from this county would be a pleasant but an impossible work. Even to note the indi- vidnal experiences of companies formed in the county has been found impracticable. A brief sketch of the regiments of which they formed a part is all that can be attempted. and if
this shall show that Douglas county was not wanting in patrotism and sacrificing devotion when demanded by the nation's peril, the ob- ject of the foregoing pages will have been reached.
HISTORICAL SKETCHES
OF
TOWNSHIPS IN DOUGLAS COUNTY.
CHAPTER IV.
TOWNSHIP HISTORICAL SKETCHIES.
CAMARGO TOWNSHIP.
Camargo township enjoys the honor of being the earliest settled portion of Donglas county, the first comers of whom we have any account having arrived in 1829. The township (lerives its name from the city of Camargo in Mexico, and was suggested by Col. McCown. The first house built in Douglas county is yet standing on section 33. 16. 9. on the Iles land. west of the railroad bridge at Camargo and north of the track. It was raised in 1829 by John A. Richman, the father of John Richman of our day, and well and familiarly known as "Uncle Jack." John A. Richman lived to be over eighty, and even at that age would hardly deign to ride a horse, but would gird himself with knife and tomahawk, and with gun on shoulder would "step over" to the Okaw tin- ber, twelve or fifteen miles back, as coolly as a man of the present day would walk a mile. Mr. Richman came from West Virginia in the year mentioned-some say. however, 1827-and John Richman, then a lad, made a hand at the
raising. This house was for a long time the headquarters for elections and military mus- ters.
There was a small tribe of Indians camped at Bridgeport, now Hugo P. O., section 12, 15, o. which was a trading point with them, and a store or trading post was kept by Godfrey Vesser, a Frenchman, or perhaps Vesser & Bulbory.
John 'Hammet and his sons, Wm. S. and Jas. R., arrived in November, 1830. The fam- ily lived in a tent the first winter and were visited by large numbers of Indians who would call and sit around the fire. Their gen- eral conduct was such as to leave the impres- sion that they were honest, and although the family of the Hlammets was at their mercy, nothing was stolen, and they had no fears for their personal safety. However one or two battles with Indians from the upper Embar- rass are spoken of as having occurred, 1815- 1818: one with government surveyors, near the creek in Coles county. John Hammet and Harrison Gill, of Kentucky, were the first land
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owners in the area of the county, after the 1844. 11. 1. Thornsbrue of this township, government, having entered land on the same was born within the area of the county-1830. day. Mr. Hammet took several hundred acres north of Camargo village, and Mr. Gill enter- ing two hundred and forty acres in section 35. east of Camargo. The patents for these first entered lands were signed by Andrew Jackson. in March, 1830. Samuel Ashmore entered part of section 36. 15. to, in 1830 also. Mr. Gill came from Kentucky on horseback and in com- pany with his uncle Robert visited the Indians at Hugo.
Jas. R. Hammet was active in the interests of the new county of Douglas and also in those of the east and west railroad, of which he was one of the incorporators and a director for fourteen years. G. W. Henson, Charles Brew- er. John Brown, Martin Rice, John D. Mur- dock. Alexander Bragg and the Watsons were also of the first arrivals. C. Brewer came in 1855. John Brown, who arrived in 1838, was elected associate justice of the county of Dong- las in 1865. Mr. Rice came in 1849, and was a resident of what is now Douglas county after 1853. He actively assisted in the movement of the new county, and was a member of the first political convention held in it, in the second year after township organization. John D. Murdock was elected associate justice of Douglas county, was a member of the first county board in 1859. and re-elected in 1861. Coleman Bright, a native of Virginia, came from Indiana to Ca- margo in August. 1850, and was the senior member of the firm of Bright & Jones, of Ca- margo and Tuscola. Alexander Bragg came to the state in 1835, and served in the Mexi- can war. 1846. W. D. Watson, of this town- ship, was in the state senate at the time of form- ing the county. Geo. W. Henson arrived in
The original part of the village of Camargo was laid off in November, 1836, by Isaac Moss, Jos. Fowler, surveyor, and was called New Salem. When Moss' addition was made it was called New Albany, after which it received its present name. It is the most ancient village in the county, and in the long years pending the advent of the I. & I. C. Railway was considered "finished." It was the place of residence of many of the most successful business men of the county. The first county court of Doug- las county was held here "under dispensation," pending the selection of a county seat. The town proper composes an area of about eighty acres, lying on the left bank of the Embarrass river and upon the line of the I. D. & W. Rail- way.
The Methodists and Christians have each a church, the former being a fine brick buikling costing five thousand dollars.
Camargo Lodge, No. 440, A. F. & A. M., was instituted October 18. 1865. The charter members were: Jas. T. Orr, A. Salisbury, R. E. Carmack. A. K. P. Townsend, Geo. C. Gill, Martin Rice, W. C. Campbell. R. C. Pat- terson, J. T. Helm. J. R. Henderson, H. G. Russell. The first officers were: Jas. T. Orr, worshipful master: Geo. C. Gill. secretary; R. E. Carmack, treasurer. A commodious lodge room was dedicated October 2. 1875 ; the Royal Arch Chapter was instituted U. D. November 9. the same year. The institution of the lodge was assisted by Tuscola Masons in 1865, who came out "by land" for the purpose, the rail- road having not yet appeared.
The township took stock in the 1. D. & W. Railway to the amount of fifteen thousand dol-
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lars, payable in fourteen years, with ten per clerk in November, 1869, serving one term of cent. interest. The taxes paid by the road ma- four years. terially reduce the interest.
The area of the township is fifty-six sections of land or about equal to sixty and one-half square miles, some of the sections having over one thousand acres. The township contains thirty-eight thousand, seven hundred and sixty- nine acres.
The notable high-handed and desperate rob- bery of Wm. S. Hammet and his household oc- curred on the night of June 8, 1870. The fam- ily had retired. Mr. Hammet was aroused by a knock at the door, and upon opening it was instantly seized by two armed and masked men, who demanded silence and money. He was unarmed and partly unclothed, taken by sur- prise, with a loaded pistol pointing directly at and close to his heart, which might at any in- stant have been discharged by the trembling hand of his guard, and after carefully weighing the chances concluded to surrender, a prudence that is commended by men of bravery. He was held strictly under guard until the villains had obtained watches and jewelry to the amount of two hundred and fifty dollars and a ยท little money. They had taken care to fasten the door of a room occupied by some work hands, and, having accomplished their purpose with dispatch, released Mr. Hammet and dis- appeared with great haste in the darkness.
The town of New Boston was laid out by McDowell on section 35. 16. 9. in November, 1837, and vacated February, 1845. Par- menas Watson was made sheriff in Novem- ber, 1860, and S. S. Irwin was superintendent of schools from the fall of 1861, serving two years. Dr. John C. Parcel was elected county
Timber .- One-third of the area of the township is within the original timber limit. which grew adjacent to the river, as is usual here. Many fine tracts of timber yet remain. Good timber was held as high as ser- enty-five dollars per acre, and fifty dollars was a common price: it was used. after building with it, and for a long time, almost exclusively for fuel first, and then fencing. As the country grew older saw mills were introduced and na- tive boards appeared ; but since the multipli- cation of railroads leading to the easy trans- portation of foreign fencing and coal, timber land has depreciated, until good prairie is far more valuable. Some large farmers use foreign planks, or hedges, for fencing, and burn coal exchisively, many of them having not an acre of timber.
Railroads .- The 1. D. & W. Railroad crosses this township in an east and west di- rection, coming in on the west side and near the middle of section 32, township 10, range 9, and runs upon a straight line until shortly after passing the village of Camargo, in section 35, where it deflects to the south about twelve rods, and continues at that dis- tance from the middle line of the section till it leaves the county. It has a substantial bridge, one hundred and thirty feet long. on the west side of the village at the crossing of the Embarrass river, which resisted the ice- flow of the winter of 1882, whilst the wagon bridge, one hundred and fifty feet north of it, gave way.
The township took stock in the railroad under its former name, 1. & I. C., to the amount
.
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of fifteen thousand dollars, payable in fourteen years, with ten per cent. interest, and the bonds were refunded in June, 1880, being placed with Preston: Kean & Co., of Chicago, at six per cent. interest, which transaction was negoti- ated by Charles G. Eckhart. Esq .. of Tuscola.
CITY OF CAMARGO.
Creation and development .- The original town of Camargo was laid off in November, 1836, by Isaac Moss, being surveyed by Joseph Fowler, and was called New Salem. Mr. Moss made an addition in 1840: the name was then changed to New Albany, the voting precinct being known by the name of Albany, and finally, when, upon the suggestion of J. B. Mc- Cown, the name of the precinct was changed to Camargo, the village accepted the same name. It is the most ancient village in the county, antedating Tuscola. Arcola and New- man, and even the time-honored Bourbon, which was laid off in 1853. Camargo, with her 1836 record, leading Bourbon by seventeen years. This village in the long years preceding the advent of the east and west railroad lan- guished and was long considered finished ; the final completion of the road, however, gave it somewhat of an impetus, that may end in some distinction, it being the place of residence of some of the leading men of the county and the starting point of several of its most successful business men.
Struggle for county scat .- The village of Camargo, from its central position, had claims to the honor of being the county seat, which were strongly advocated, and which could not very well be ignored. She had no railroad,
but everybody said she would have one at no distant day, the I. & 1. C. having been chartered in 1852, and the route through the village se- lected and staked out, and further encouraged by the almost annual appearance of engineer corps along the line through which, amongst other things, the interest was kept up. Pend- ing the selection of a shiretown, Camargo was made county seat pro tem. The election returns of the county seat contest were stored at the place, and rumor hath it that interested parties. obtaining access to the tickets, procured a set of scales, and upon ascertaining the "weight" of each package of votes, took special care that their favorite point should have superior heft. The first meeting of the county court, presided over by James Ewing, of Arcola, as judge, and John D. Murdock and Robert Hopkins, as asso- ciates, John Chandler, clerk, a special term was held April 28, 1859. up-stairs over Coleman Bright's store, and here it was ordered, amongst other things, that a special election be held May 30. 1859, as between Tuscola and Arcola, which rival towns, whose vote had not been considered in the first canvass, were found to embrace the choice of the people, upon which occasion Tus- cola won.
Ancient prairie travel .- The new officers all met here to get their commissions. The county was almost covered with water, and the county surveyor, being a small man, was mounted upon a horse about sixteen hands high, and sent from Bourbon to Camargo "by way of Arcola." at which place the owner of the horse had a mes- sage to deliver, and told the surveyor it was "on the way." so it was-the way he went; he did not know any better. As there were no prairie fences, or roads, he went straight from Bour-
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bon to Arcola and straight from Arcola to Ca- margo, across the prairie, with a general direc- tion from his advisors, at Arcola, to keep the northeast wind in his face, which he proceeded to do as far as possible: but as the aforesaid northeast wind came on that occasion from all points of the compass, he accordingly got lost, as was to be expected. The wind was like old Uncle Jack,s compass, which somebody gave him to use in the woods; no matter how he held it, it would diddle-daddle to the southwest every time.
Churches .- The first church built in the vil- lage was put up by the Methodists, and we are informed was erected as early as 1850, at a cost of about five hundred dollars. It was eventually sold, and the present brick built.
BOURBON TOWNSHIP.
Bourbon township consists of forty-two sec- tions of land in the southwest part of the coun- ty. equal to about the same number of square miles, and twenty-seven thousand, one hundred and seventy-five acres. Among the first set- tlers were Geo. Dehart and his sons, Samuel and Lucas. He was road-master in Coles county and his district extended from Sadorus' Grove, on the north county line, to a point six miles south of the Springfield road. Allen and William Campbell were also of the first. Allen Campbell was, at the time of his death in 1875. with one exception, the largest land owner in the county. Isaac Gruelle, Malden Jones, Israel Chandler and sons, were among the earliest comers. Dr. Apperson was a large land owner and had an extensive medical prac- tice. He was a nephew of Dr. John Apper- son, who was the first physician in Coles coun-
ty. Malden Jones, who came in 1840, was sheriff of Coles county when Douglas county was parted from it. He was elected in 1858, and was elected to the state legislature in 1864 and again in 1866. Lemuel Chandler was the first supervisor of the township and served four consecutive terms. The Dehart sons were well known active business men. Curtis G. and Campbell McComb were old residents of Coles at the institution of the new county. Thomas Moore entered west half northeast quarter-section 23, 15, 7. in 1831.
John Campbell, called "Uncle Jack," was a brother of Allen and William Campbell, and was probably the. last representative or type of the genuine old-fashioned pioneer, scout and hunter, and wonderful stories were told of his endurance and his ability to follow a trail. IIe was widely known in the early days, passing the greater part of his time in hunting. He was found dead in the woods. His son Hiram, who died in 1864, had the reputation of being one of the best hunters of the time.
Jacob Moore, Sr., was one of the earliest settlers in the township and became an exten- sive cattle dealer and large land holder. He was also a noted hunter of great endurance. His first land was entered in section 1, 14, 7, in April, 1835. He died July 15, 1860, leaving a large estate to numerous descendants.
Isaac Gruelle, of this township, was county commissioner of Coles county, being elected in 1843, with H. J. Ashmore. The constitution of 1848 provided for a county judge and two associates, and John M. Logan was one of the first two associate justices. Gruelle and Logan have long since passed away, both leaving large estates.
German speaking people occupy a large
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area of the north part of the township, the lo- cality being widely known as the "German Set- tlement." Their farms, compared with western farms generally, are small but exceedingly well cultivated, and the proverbial industry and thrift of this class of citizens it here fully event- plified. The greater part of them arrived with little or no means, and now with hardly an ex- ception they have acquired good and well im- proved farms. The pioneer of this commun- ity is Wessel Blaase, who arrived in 1852. There are several ancient artificial mounds on his place in one of which human bones were found in excavating for a building.
In the southwest part settled the Amish, who were preceded here by M. Yoter. Miller and others in 1864. They much resemble the society of Friends in plainness of attire, integ rity and almost total exemption from pauper- ism. The name is derived from that of the founder of the society who, in the German states of Europe, saw fit to secede from the Menonites, of whom much has been heard lately, with regard to the emigration of large numbers of them from Russia to the West. The proposed marriages are publicly an- nounced, and a marriage outside of the Society is "intolerable and not to be endured." They dress plainly, partly to avoid the frivolities of fashion, and partly that there may be no nota- ble distinction between the rich and the poor. They have no churches or meeting houses, but meet at each other's dwellings, as the spirit moves them. The clothing of the men is often confined with hooks and eyes, but the notion that they wear no buttons is erroneous. The heads of the women are always covered with a neat white cap and over the neck and shoul- ders decorously spreads a plain white hand-
kerchief; this in observance of the hint from the Apostle Panl. Adults only are baptized and that by pouring. Infants are not entitled to this sacrament, they preferring to teach first, for every descendant has a birth-right in the church. Of German extraction and long set- tled in western Pennsylvania, their speech amongst themselves is an odd mixture of Ger- man and English, the "American" part of which can be readily detected by an intelligent observer, and the language is popularly known as "Pennslyvania Dutch." They all speak "American" as well as their neighbors, so that. trusting to the hearing alone, few would sus- pect the presence of a German speaking per- son. They are a good class of people in their way, but are bigoted in many ways. They do not teach their children the "American idea," preferring that they become isolated from others who are as true, or truer, in their re- ligious principles than they. They are intensely selfish among themselves and seem to "float in the creed" "we shall be happy in heaven whether we find our God there or not!"
The original village of Bourbon, section 14, 15. 7. was laid out by Maklen Jones, in Octo- ber, 1853. and is the third town in priority, having been preceded by both Camargo and Fillmore. In addition was made in the fol- lowing January by Benjamin Ellars. At the institution of the county this was a thriving village of some dozen business houses and the most important trading point in the county. L. C. Rust. Dr. J. D. Gardiner. Jos. Foster, W'm. Chandler, Benjamin Ellars, G. W. Flynn and others flourished here at the time. The location of the Illinois Central Railroad some four miles to the east, giving rise to Tuscola and Arcola, interfered with the future prospects
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of the place to the extent that the merchants, for the most part, not only removed to the new towns on the railroad but took their buildings with them. One of these, a two-story frame, was put upon runners made of large sticks of timber, and with some fifteen yoke of steers, under the conduct of Uncle Daniel Roderick, was hauled in a nearly straight line over the snow to Arcola. "Uncle Daniel" still lives on his farm in section 1, 15. 7. He entered this land on March 13. 1838. Samuel Sharpe, of Bourbon, took Rust's store to Arcola in a sim- ilar manner.
The census of 1890 gives Bourbon eighty- three inhabitants. It has a postoffice, two or three stores, two grain buyers, good church and school.
Isaac Gruelle founded the first store near the place in which for some years Malden Jones was a partner. Luther C. Rust was a leading merchant in the early days of Bour- bon and was well liked. He died suddenly in Arcola February 14, 1873. H. C. Niles clerked for Mr. Rust and Abram Cosler served in the same capacity for Mr. Fosler, another early merchant of the village.
Fillmore had been laid out by H. Russell in 1848, on section 35. 15. 7. and the firm of Bales & Throwbridge, afterward Bales, Os- born & Co., controlled the trade of a large area; but the business of this house was re- moved to Arcola, and Fillmore is among the things that were. Mr. Bales was associate justice of the county in 1861, and supervisor of the township in 1872. Bagdad is a point on the Okaw three miles west of Arcola.
Newton I. Cooper, of this township, was elected sheriff of the county in the fall of 1870, up to which time for a period, he had been
township collector. In the following March he disappeared suddenly, leaving between five and six thousand dollars of township funds unaccounted for. Cooper, a recent comer in the neighborhood, was a man of pleasing ad- dress and appearance, and that, together with his rather notable business qualifications, in- spired confidence in all who had dealings with him.
On Thursday afternoon, November 4, 1875. R. P. McWilliams. a well known and highly respected citizen of Bourbon township, was instantly killed at the highway crossing of the Illinois Midland Railway, west of Ar- cola and near the residence of Jacob Moore. He was driving a mule team attached to a wagon. He approached the crossing and, as he thought, allowed the train to pass and be- gan to resume his way, probably, naturally looking at the train, but he was unfortunately caught by tlie latter part of the train, which had become uncoupled. The team escaped.
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