USA > Illinois > Montgomery County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Montgomery County, Volume II > Part 6
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"Northeast of Irving, on East Fork, and down stream for a mile, there are ocasional outcrops of an ash-blue shard shelly limestone, abound- ing in a large variety of Products Prattenianus. It also contains P. costatus P. punctatus, P.
Nebrascensis, Spirifer cameratus, Aviculopecten carboniferous, Chonetes, Verneuiliana, Ch. Fem- ingii, and a branching coral. A quarter of a mile up stream, the limestone appears in a regu- lar layer, stretching across the bed of a small branch. Three miles up stream, many fossils were collected, weathered out of the shale beds in a fine state of preservation, including beauti- ful specimens of Pleurotomaria, sphoerulata, P. tabulata, Orthoceras, Macrocheilus paludia- formis, and one like the M. primigenius, but with body, whorl and spire more elongated; Goniatites globulosus, Bellerophon carbonarius, Leda bella-striata, Nucula ventricosa, Astartella vera, Consularia, Leda Oweni, Euomphalus, sub- rugosus and Polyphemopsis peracuta. These shales contain round and oblong clay and iron- stone concretions. In section 28, township 10 north, range 3 west, a few fossils were obtained indicating the presence of the same beds as those last named. The upper blue limestone, named above, undulates along East Fork for about eight miles, which is regarded as equiva- ient to No. 22 of general section. Near section 36, township S north, range 3 west, there crops out eight feet of sandy shale and sandstone. On West Fork, at the bridge on the Hillsboro and Walshville road, there is a bluff of thirty-five feet of bluish-gray sandy shales with a thin bed showing markings resembling those of Fucoides cauda galli, and containing one Bellerophon. East of Litchfield, at the creek bluffs, is seen thirty feet of sandy shale, and below that ten feet of thick-bedded sandstone, resting on lime- stone. Four miles up stream, this sandstone is quite ferruginous at the base, and contains many remains of plants, Calamities, Sigilarae, etc. One mile farther up stream, there were observed forty-eight feet of darkish, micaceous sandy shale. On Five Mile Creek, in section 26, town- ship 10 north, range 5 west, there are twelve feet of sandy shales, with a thin bed of partially carbonized wood, containing a fossil fern. A quarter of a mile up the creek, there is an ex- posure of sixteen feet of this olive-drab clay shales, with ironstone nodules. These shales are evidently continuations of the same beds and make the total thickness of No. 26 not less than eighty-five feet. The best exposures of Nos. 27 to 33 inclusive are on Lake Fork and at Litch- field. The section on the Lake Fork, at the Bond County line, near McCracken's, coal, is as follows :
644
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
ft.
Dritt slope 20
No. 27-Lead blue limestone, with crin- oid stems, and Athyris subtilita. 2
No. 28-Coal 0
No. 29-Blue clay shales. 10 No. 30-Shale and shaly limestone abounding in fossils, but many are much crushed including Spirifer cam- eratus, Productus punctatus, P. Ne- brascensis, Spiriferina, Kentuckensis, Hemipronites crassus Productus, Prat- tenianus, Athyris subtilita Terebra- tula bovidens, Myalina subquadrata, a Macrocheilus, a Pleurotomaria, and one in fish tooth .. 4
No. 31-Ash-gray limestone; in the lower part there is from one to one and one-half feet of dark, ash-colored limestone, often traversed by fine lines of calespar; fossils not abundant cou- tains Productus longispinus. 13
Bituminons shale
4
No. 33-Coal No. 11. 1
5
"Part of No. 27 appears two and one-half miles northwest in the bed of the creek, con- taining Spirifer cameratus, Fistulipora, Pro- ductus costatus, P. Nebrascensis, P. Prattenianus and Myalina subquarata. The fossils have here a well preserved and nacreous appearance. One and one-half miles southwest of Bethei, part of No. 31 crops out along the creek ; the upper por- tion is an even bedded bluish-gray sub-crystal- line limestone ; but below it is more irregularly bedded. Productus longispinus abounds, asso- ciated with Ariculo Pectan carbonniferus. Four iniles northeast of Litchfield, the upper part of No. 31 is a thick bedded Brownish-gray lime- stone, abounding in Rhynchonella Uta.
COAL ..
"On J. Wilson's land, section 7, township S, north, range 2 west, coal No. 13 (No. 24 of upper coal measures section) has been mined ; that used was from near the outerop, and does not appear very favorable ; the quality and thick- ness might improve by thorough opening. The same coal has also been taken out on the land of John L. Newman, in section 28, township 10 north, range 3 west, some eighteen inches thick, but could not be thoroughly examined on account of the overlying debris. On the land of Mr.
in. MeCracken, near the south county line (prob- 0 ably in Bond County) Coal 13 is seventeen inches thick. Occurring as it does below the bed 0 of the creek; it can only be reached at low water, 2 and even then the labor of one man is re-
0 quired most of the time to keep the pit suf- ficiently dry for two others to work; but with this trouble it will repay very well to work for neighborhood purposes. The sanie bed has also been worked at Ross' old mill on Shoal creek, at the south county line, and may also be reached just below the surface of the water on Shoal creek above Long bridge. At the lime- stone quarries on the creek near Butler, it may he reached at about ten to fourteen feet beneath 0 the bed of the creek, also about four feet be- neath the darker colored limestone at the base of Michael Cleary's quarry east of Litchfield.
COAL ANALYSIS.
"Montgomery County Coal Company, Chicago. CHICAGO, ILL., March, 1910.
GENTLEMEN : We are pleased to report below the results of analyses on samples of coal re- cently sent to us from your Montgomery County mine at Hillsboro, Ill., as follows :
Our Laboratory No. 4441. Nut Coal.
Dry Commercial
Moisture
12.32
Ash
8.36
7.23
V. C. M.
41.11
36.04
Fixed Carbon
50.53
44.41
100.00
100.00
B. T. U.
13142
11522
Sulphur
3.82
3.33
Our Laboratory No. 4442.
Screenings.
Moisture
12.14
Ash
8.99
7.89
V. C. M.
41.13
36.23
Fixed Carbon
49.88
43.74
100.00
100.00
B. T. U.
13033
11450
Sulphur
3.77
3.31
Our Laboratory No. 4443. Lamp and Egg Coal.
Moisture
11.64
Ash
8.51
7.51
0
645
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
V. C. M.
41.50
36.66
Fixed Carbon
49.99
44.19
100.00
100.00
B. T. U.
13180
11645
Sulphur
3.70
3.26
FUEL ENGINEERING Co." .
Log of test hole drilled for coal, for American,
Zinc. Lead and Smelting Company, in center of sections 27-8-4, Montgomery, Connty, Ill., in 1911, Howard Hargrave, driller.
21' (21') Gray and yellow sand.
56' (35') Dark sand shale.
57' (1') Dark limestone.
64' (7') Blue shale.
72'6" (S'6") White limestone.
74' (1'6") Soft slate and shale.
89' (15') Blue shale.
120' (31') Sand stone and shale.
137' (17') Dark shale.
141' (4') Black slate.
141'6" (6") Coal.
145' (3'6") Light shale.
146' (1') Limestone.
167' (21') Blue shale with limestone bands.
186' (19') Dark shale.
18S' (2') Sand limestone.
191' (3') Dark shale.
196' (5') Limestone.
232' (38') Dark shale.
233'S" (1'S") Coal.
236' (2'4") Fire clay.
244' (S') Gray shale.
260' (16') Dark shale.
262' (2') Limestone.
336' (74') Dark shale.
33S' (2') Soft light clay.
341' (3') Light blne shale.
345' (4') Dark shale.
347' (2') Light shale.
355' (S') Red and yellow shale.
361' (6') White limestone.
372' (11') Shale of many colors.
374' (2') Lime shale. 375'6" (1'6") Black slate. 377' (1'6") Dark shale.
384' (7') Lime shale.
387/2" (3'2") Limestone.
387'7" (5") Blue slate. 38S' (5") Limestone. 301' (3') Blue shale. 393'11" (2'11") Limestone. 396'5" (2'6") Black slate.
396'S" (3") Snlphnr kidney. 404'1" (7'5") Coal No. 6. Fire clay.
BUILDING ROCK.
"On the East Fork, about section 26, township 8 north, range 3 west, there is a tolerably good bed of hard blnish limestone. On Rocky Branch, east of Litchfield, there are extensive quarries of pretty good limestone; the beds are rather irregular, but the rock is very extensively used for ordinary stone work, and makes very good lime. North of the railroad on the West Fork, there are several outcrops of a brown and gray limestone in three-foot beds. The same rock is also fonnd fonr miles further up stream. At the latter place, part of it presents a beantiful bluish-gray variegated appearance. This lime- stone possesses much durability, and being in a thick even bed, may become in time very nse- ful for large columns. It is believed to be equivalent to that used in the construction of the old State honse at Springfield. West of Butler there are good quarries of limestone for lime, and it is also much used in the neighbor- hood for ordinary building purposes."
CLIMATE.
Like the surrounding sections of Illinois, Montgomery has a variable climate, which is well described by an early geographer as fol- lows :
"The melting snows of winter, generally at- tended by rains, convert the rich soil of the prairies into mud, and render the early spring the most unpleasant season of the year. The heat of summer, although more intense than that in the same latitude on the Atlantic. is greatly relieved by the constant breezes which fan the prairies. Autumn, with its slowly diminishing heat, terminates in the sevene and beautiful season known as Indian Summer. Its mild and uniform temperature, soft and hazy atmosphere, and forests beantifully tinted with the hnes of dying foliage, all conspire to render it the pleasant part of the year. Next comes the boreal blasts of winter, with its social fire- sides, and tinkling bells in the mystic light of the moon, as merry sleighs skim over the level snow-clad prairies. The winter has its sndden changes of temperature, causing colds and other diseases arising from extreme vicissitudes of weather. This is the most unfavorable feature
646
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
of the climate, which in other respects is salu- brious."
These sudden changes seem to increase both in number and in extremes, a fact doubtless at- tributable to natural causes, the settling up and cultivation of the country.
NATURAL VEGETATION.
When the early settlers arrived in Montgomery County they found many conditions that do not now prevail. As a large portion of the county was prairie land, there was much tall, coarse grass which grew so high that a man on horse- back could scarcely be seen while traveling through it. Those who desired to cross these stretches of grass had great difficulty in keeping from getting lost, and once a path was made, the travelers kept close to it. Wonder is oftentimes expressed that the pioneers passed over what are now the most valuable lands in favor of those that had to be cleared of timber and under- growth before crops could be planted, or often- times a rude cabin be erected, and yet to the person conversant with conditions of those early times, the reason is not far to seek. It was absolutely necessary for the early settler to have firewood and building material, and nearly all of the water courses ran through the tim- bered regions. In the timber along these creeks could be found the tall, straight trees which could be readily felled and made into logs suit- able for the walls of their homes. The task of clearing off the timber was not as difficult after all, as breaking the sod of the prairie with the tools the pioneer possessed. A method often- times pursued by the pioneer was to "gird" the larger trees by cutting a band around the tree out of its bark, near the ground, thus causing the tree to die. It then bore no more leaves, and its roots took no moisture from the soil. The settler would plow close up to the trees almost as easily as he could around stumps, and in time the tree, dying, could be removed.
The soil of the timbered regions is generally of a light gray colored clay, and on this land was originally a heavy growth of black, white and red, oak, pin oak, laurel oak, walnut, but- ternut, white and red elm, hickory, iron weed, sassafras, redbud, hackberry, soft and sugar maple, swamp white oak, chinquapin, sycamore, pawpaw, cottonwood, wild cherry, locust, black and red haw, shellbark hickory and other varie-
ties usually found in this part of the state. Other natural growths were: the prairie grass that made the breaking of the prairies so diffi- cult for the illy prepared pioneer, the hazel with its edible fruit, but sweat producing to get rid of, when the land was wanted for cultivation ; the boneset used extensively as a chill and fever tonic, the sarsaparilla and wahoo, used largely as a tonic, or in "bitters," and occasionally gin- seng, a valuable and high priced product.
SURFACE AND SOIL.
As before stated, a large portion of the sur- face of Montgomery County consists of prairie ; and there was considerable timber land and low swamp, although the former has in large part been cleared off, and the latter drained and made into very productive land. The prairie lands are now all broken and placed under a cultivation that is of the highest type, and the fields now yielding banner crops are exceedingly valuable. The soil of the prairie is of a rich, dark color, having the general characteristics of the other prairie soil of the state. The timber land is suitable for vegetables, cereals and es- pecially winter wheat. The soil of the timber regions is generally of a light gray colored clay, The soil assimilates with all kinds of clover and other legumes, thus insuring easy inoculation, and responds to phosphates readily, so necessary in overcoming acidity.
FAUNA.
Montgomery County is noted for the large variety of its fauna, and among the birds found here are : mourning dove, black and yellow bill cuckoo, woodpecker, flicker, night hawk, king bird, fly catcher, wood pewee, Phoebe bird, bobo- link, red-winged black bird, cow bird, crackel or crow black bird, orchard oriole, Baltimore oriole, blue jay, song sparrow and many other varieties of sparrows, rose breasted grossbeak, Indigo bird, scarlet tanager, warbler, vireos, wrens, wood thrushes, meadow lark, prairie horned lark, chicadee, chewink, common robin, gold finch, cardinal, shrike, cat bird, mocking bird, whippoorwill, blue bird, kingfisher, ducks, geese, brants, herons, cranes, pheasants, grouse, prairie chickens, wild turkeys and other fowls indigenous to this region. Some of these species are nearly extinct, but all were found by
McBilly. nellie & Betty
Clarence Bety
647
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
the pioneer, together with others as follows: the long necked sand hill crane, now gone, but once very numerous, though migratory in habits, and the passenger pigeon, also a migratory bird, and one which in some mysterious manner has almost become extinct throughout the United States.
When the first settlers of Montgomery County came into this region they found buffalo, roe- buck, fallow deer, hind and stag, bears, panthers, wild cats, big prairie wolves, gray timber wolves, foxes, racoons, opossums, numerous varieties of squirrels, otter, beavers, muskrats, minks, weasels, skunks, rabbits, moles, ground hogs, ground squirrels and gophers. It is many years since any buffalo or deer have been seen, but some of the smaller animals are still to be found, especially the rabbits, squirrels and gophers. Coon and fox hunting were favorite pastimes during early days, but now there are not enough of these animals to inspire any ap- preciable sport in this line.
RIVERS AND CREEKS.
Montgomery County is bounded on the north by Sangamon and Christian counties; on the east by Christian, Shelby and Fayette counties ; on the south by Fayette, Bond and Madison counties ; and on the west by Macoupin County. It contains 702 square miles. It is watered by Ramsey Creek, East, West, and Middle Fork of Shoal Creek, Lake Fork, Hurricane Creek, and other water courses which are tributary to these.
DRAINAGE.
The introduction of modern drainage systems and methods have very materially altered the original conditions, and redeemed from worth- lessness many hundreds of acres of land that are now very productive. As a natural conse- quence of these changes, vegetation has some altered, and new varieties have been introduced with excellent results.
No one act of the state legislature has done more for the Montgomery County low prairies than the enactment of the present drainage laws; thus providing extensive drainage, and the liquidation of the bills for the same. By this means miasmatic diseases were driven out, and the soil prepared to produce the enormous corn crops for which the county is noted.
CHAPTER III.
INDIAN HISTORY.
FIVE TRIBES-THE ILLINI-INDIANS OF THE COUNTY -LOCATION OF INDIAN CAMPS-INDIAN CAMPS FOR DEFENSE-INDIAN RELICS-HISTORICAL SO- CIETY'S COLLECTION - INDIAN MASSACRES - BLEVINS ON INDIAN HISTORY-INDIAN MOUNDS.
FIVE TRIBES.
In speaking of the Indians of Illinois, our historians especially mention the five leading tribes that composed the aggregation of tribes known as the Illini. These were the Metchi- ganies, the Kaskaskias, the Peorias, the Caho- kias, and the Tamaroas. But aside from these great tribes, there were several other smaller tribes, or divisions, and our information is not very accurate as to what tribes occupied, tempo- rarily this county, at the various times in which it is supposed they were here. Besides their habits were migratory, and more than one tribe may have occupied the several locations where they are known to have had their camps at various periods of time.
THE ILLINI.
Once away back in the misty past, there roved over the wild woods and unbroken prairies where now are to be found comfortable homes and thriving communities, broad fields and pros- perous industries, a tribe of Indians, strong and powerful, a type in strength of what was to come after them, aborigines, which bore the poetic name of Illini. Fathers Marquette and Joliet, two enterprising and roving Jesuit priests, traversed the upper Mississippi, starting from New Orleans, and with the authority of the French governing body in that quaint old town, about 1673, made their initial trip up the Mis- sissippi River at a time when the Illini were numerous, and they reported the presence of the tribe. The results of their trip bore no im- mediate fruit, but about six years later, another Frenchman. La Salle, with a few followers, pushed through the Indian camps to a point about the present site of Peoria, and there he
648
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
built a fort on Lake Peoria, calling it Creve Coeur. It had an existence covering only about three years, when it was attacked and destroyed by the Indians who set fire to it.
Undaunted, La Salle and Henry Monti, fol- lowing the course of the Mississippi River, reached the now historic Starved Rock, and a fort was built on its crest about 1682, and in honor of the French king, they named it Fort St. Louis.
The Illini and other tribes were gradually crowded back into the more remote fastnesses, so that some eighteen years later, following the building of Fort St. Louis, other French rovers began a settlement at Kaskaskia, and another at Tamaroa, being encouraged by the seeming ab- sence of the savages. These discoverers re- ported their settlements at New Orleans, and preparations were commenced relative to estab- lishing some kind of permanent government as soon as the population would justify such action. About 1718 another fort, called Fort Chartres was built at Kaskaskia, it being the best struc- ture of its kind to be found anywhere in the new world. The year prior to the erection of this fort. the territory from which the state of Illinois was to be carved, was declared the pos- session of Louisiana, the governing power being located at New Orleans. The French, however, regarded the new found territory as an incum- brance, rather than of great value, and when the opportunity offered, gladly ceded the terri- tory to the English in 1763. Until the territory passed into the possession of the English, no local courts had been established, so that the Indians had been subject to little or no con- trol, and in this fact lies much of the later trouble the United States government experi- enced with them.
INDIANS OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY.
From the best obtainable information, it is generally conceded that the Kickapoos was the most numerous tribe that inhabited this county. This tribe extended from Chicago south- ward through a good portion of the state, and gradually kept extending their line of camps southward. Such were the conditions up to 1770. Camps were found of this tribe on the Mackinaw and Sangamon rivers, and villages were known to be located at Elkhart and on Kickapoo Creek. This tribe was unusually in-
telligent, and more nearly civilized than most of the other tribes, but its members seemed to have more hatred for the white man than those of other tribes. It was the Kickapoos chiefly that Generals Wayne, Harmar and St. Clair had trouble with, and to some extent had to subdue. In 1805 an account is given of these Indians manifesting their hatred of the whites by cap- turing a lot of children near Kaskaskia, and carrying them off to their villages. In 1810 and 1811 Governor Edwards was compelled to suppress them by military force, but this action was also taken against the Sacs, Foxes and Shawnees who were related to the Kickapoos and frequently aided them in their periodical disturbances. Captain Whitesides, a renowned Indian fighter, it is said fought a battle with these united tribes on Shoal Creek, somewhere near Chautauqua, possibly just northwest on the creek.
INDIAN CAMPS.
Many camps of the Indians have been located in nearly all parts of the county, and much evi- dence has been found of them. Mr. Hosman has located these camps as follows: One on the William J. Atterbury farm; one on the Amos Barry farm, south of Hillsboro; one on the J. H. Bremer farm ; one on the John Williams farm; one on the J. W. Osborn farm; one on John Glenn's farm, and one on the Charles Salzman farm, all north of Hillsboro. Mr. Hos- man relates the fact, from reliable sources, that on one of the trips of the Indians from Kas- kaskia to Peoria, they camped on the Bremer farm as usual, and their chief becoming very sick. he was left in the camp in the care of an attendant, and after a short illness he died and was buried there. That many years after that some persons were digging into the ground near the location of the camp, and found an old skull supposed to be that of an Indian, and from evidence in the grave it was plain to be seen that he was an Indian of high standing, and the conclusion was an almost certainty, that the skull was that of the chieftain who had many years before been buried there.
INDIAN CAMPS FOR DEFENSE.
On McDavid's Branch in East Fork Township, was located another important camp of the Kick-
649
HISTORY OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
apoos, but probably the larger oues were south of Hillsboro near the Pepper mill, and at Mc- Pherson's Ford. Frank Hosman says that he has examined all the Indian camp grounds near Hillsboro, and invariably found them located for defense, having the front and two sides open, with the higher background for a camp. Lewis McPhersou, who was reared near these camp grounds at McPherson's Ford, says: "There are quite a number of camps and burial grounds near my home, and while my father was familiar with them, he did not think of them being built for defense until Gen. Jesse J. Phillips, on his invitation, visited him to inspect them. After looking tliem over a little, and studying their strategic location, the general stood on one, and after seeing its position of frontage, said, point- ing to another ridge, that there was probably another camp over there fronting the one on which he was standing. It was found that he was correct, and the general coutinued to do this for several locations, each time pointing to a fortified camp a quarter of a mile or more off, and every time his supposed camp location was found to be correct, showing that the Indians were intuitively possessed with certain military strategic instincts that surprised the general aud those with him, and would have only been de- tected by oue skillful in military maneuvering. as the general was."
INDIAN RELICS.
From Lewis McPherson, the Montgomery His- torical Association received a large collection of battle axes aud other tools found in the graves of those buried near his home. Several graves were opened on these apparently fortified camps. and the skeletons found in stone vaults under- grouud, and several of the large flat rocks taken from these graves, now used as a walk by Mr. McPherson, are interesting relics. Among thie peculiar things seen in these caup grounds, ac- cording to Mr. McPherson, is, that at places a distance from the camps, will be found large quantities of mussel shells, indicating that the shells were gathered and taken there, and opened for eating purposes. It appears that the deer in an early day had regular trails. These were formerly plainly visible, aud led exactly by sev. eral Indian camps. This gives rise to the ques- tion whether this is merely an accident, or that the camps were placed convenient to the trails, but no definite answer seems forthcoming.
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