USA > Illinois > St Clair County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of St. Clair County, Volume II > Part 31
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Another land title arose from the so-called militia rights of 100 acres each, for service ren-
(1) See footnote at beginning of Chapter IV. 11
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
dered as militiamen before 1790, of which rights fully 255 were claimed before the County Clerk in November, 1798. According to the county records, in addition to these, claimants arose for forty-three Virginia improvement rights and for about one hundred and sixty Cahokia head rights, Governor's confirmations and Cahokia court-rights. Some of the claimants were each entitled to head and militia rights at the same time; so that there were only about 400 individual grantees within the present limits of St. Clair County. The many grants, however, became a source of wealth only to the few who could buy the claims with pre-vision of their value. In the archives of the court-house, at Belleville, is a memorandum book written by John Hay, which gives an almost complete ac- count of these grants, by who mowned origi- nally, and to whom conveyed.
"At an early date, speculation became active in land claims of different kinds. Head rights, improvement rights, militia rights and fraudu- lent claims were produced in great numbers. The French claims were partly unconfirmed, owing to the poverty of that people, and these were forced on the market with the others. The official report of the Commissioners at Kas- kaskia, made in 1810, shows that 890 land claims were rejected as being illegal or fraudu- lent; 373 were reported as being supported by perjury, and a considerable number were forged. There are fourteen names given of per- sons, both English and French, who made it a regular business to furnish sworn certificates, professing an intimate knowledge, in every case, of the settlers who had made certain improve- ments upon which claims were predicated and where and when they were located. A French- man, clerk of the parish of Prairie du Rocher, 'without property and fond of liquor,' after having given some 200 depositions in favor of three land-claimant speculators, 'was induced,' in the language of the report, 'either by com- pensation, fear, or the impossibility of obtain- ing absolution on any other terms, to declare on oath that the said depositions were false, and that, in giving them, he had regard for some- thing beyond the truth."1
The Commissioners' report, above referred to, caused doubt as to the validity and propriety of certain confirmations by the Governors and
aroused, in already disaffected claimants, the most intense dissatisfaction. In 1812, Congress passed an act authorizing a revision of the Kaskaskia land claims, and under it John Caldwell, Michael Jones and Thomas Sloo were appointed Commissioners to carry out its pro- visions. As a result there was a disclosure of much that was damaging to persons of exalted standing. It was declared that "the English claim of 30,000 acres, confirmed by Governor St. Clair to John Edgar and the Governor's son, Murray St. Clair, was founded in neither law nor equity, that the patent was issued after the Governor's power ceased to exist, and that the claim ought not to be confirmed." But, as has been seen, Congress confirmed it, perhaps with- out apprehension of the rights of the matter.
Immigration was retarded for years by delay in adjusting land titles. The Congressional enactment of 1813, opening land to pre-emption by settlers, ushered in an era of settlement and improvement. Among the most difficult matters that the early courts had to decide were ques- tions involving grants of land to individuals by the different governments that had held jurisdiction over Illinois since the advent of the French within its borders, and, in conse- quence, there has been much litigation over these questions in the Supreme Court of the State. Such litigation may continue until it is quieted by laws of limitation.
In 1786 Congress adopted a uniform system of land surveying, measuring east and west from meridians six miles apart, which are measured from a principal meridian; and measuring north and south by parallels six miles apart, which are measured from a con- venient line called a base line. These lines enclose a square known as congressional town- ship, and each congressional township is di- vided into thirty-six sections, of one square mile each.
In 1814 a survey was made of Congressional townships by John Messinger, a sub-contractor, under William R. Rector. The first entries of these lands were by Robert Lemen, namely: 441.63 acres in August, 1814; by John Scott of 320 acres, August, 1814; by Hugh Alexander 320 acres, August 13, 1814. After August 15, of the same year, many more surveys were made. Many claims on the ground of military service had also been made, which have been earlier mentioned.
1 Brink's "History of St. Clair County," 1881.
8II
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
CHAPTER XXIV.
AGRICULTURE AND HORTICULTURE.
ST. CLAIR COUNTY SOIL AND PRODUCTS-HISTORY OF FARMING METHODS-EARLY SHIPMENTS OF CORN TO NEW ORLEANS BY FLAT-BOAT-DEVELOP- MENT OF THE COUNTRY AS A GRAIN PRODUCING REGION-WHEAT THE LEADING AGRICULTURAL PRODUCT-GRAINS, FRUITS, GRASSES AND VEGE- TABLES-STATISTICS OF CROPS ACCORDING TO THE CENSUS OF 1900.
(BY GREEN C. PATTERSON.)
Because of the French settlements in the Mis- sissippi Bottom, the fertility and varied charac- ter of the soil, its natural waterways in easy . reach in all directions, its location opposite St. Louis, already a thrifty trading post, St. Clair County early attracted the attention of enter- prising immigrants. It is said that, in 1800, its entire white population did not exceed four or five hundred souls, many of whom were ad- venturers seeking hidden mineral wealth, scorn- ful of the more staid and stable calling of the commonwealth-builder.
At that time, agriculture was in a primitive state; the farms were small; the implements crude and imperfect, many not having a particle of iron about them. One writer states that corn was shipped to New Orleans on flat-boats. The markets were uncertain, the means of transportation slow and unsafe, it frequently requiring six months to make tne round trip.
The purchase of Louisiana, followed in a few years by the treaty of peace with England, gave to the farmers an outlet to the markets of the world. These two incidents caused a rapid in- crease in population and encouraged the loca- tion of permanent settlements in various parts of the country. St. Louis rapidly changed from a mere trading post to a commercial center, in which all kinds of farm products found a limited market. The continued inflow of immigrants, year after year, whose wants had to be supplied from the local market-for one season at least-enlarged the market for all kinds of farm products, advanced prices and stimulated greater enterprise throughout the county. The adoption of better methods in cultivation and the introduction of better im-
plements, together with the opening of new farms and the enlargements of old ones, with no further dread of Indians, left only the one great hindrance to the development of agriculture-the want of a market that could be reached at reasonable cost. The surround- ings had given to the different settlements a safety and fixedness that they had not before enjoyed. There was, perhaps, no county in the Territory in 1814 that equaled St. Clair in pro- duction of grain and live stock.
Wheat early became the staple crop of the county, corn ranking next. All kinds of grain, fruit and vegetables that could be successfully grown in a temperate climate, yielded well here. From 1814 to 1818 there was a continuous in- flow of immigrants, and among them came many men educated, refined and fitted for any calling. A large majority were farmers; while many others opened farms as a means of secur- ing a living temporarily, until something more congenial to their taste and training offered. It may be truly said, that, up to this time, com- paratively little had been accomplished in the development of the first and most important of all human callings. These conditions con- tinued for a decade or more after Illinois was admitted into the Union as a State.
Although the population and number of farms continued to increase, little was done to in- crease the production beyond local wants. In 1820, there were no established roads or bridges, no merchant mills, no commercial manufac- tories in any line; so the people supplied their wants as to food and clothing largely by their own labor. Farm stock had been much im- proved by the introduction of better grades of animals, all of which yielded some revenue- especially beef and pork produced for the New Orleans market. While continued advancement was made in agricultural production, there was but a slight increase per capita.
Notwithstanding the population of the county in 1830 amounted to more than 7,000, there was not a mill in the county that could claim the dignity of a merchant mill. The use of steam as a motive power was begun in 1831 in Belleville; this enterprise was followed by the building of many other mills, until in 1876, when according to E. W. West in his historical sketch of the county, there were twenty-one mills representing an invested capi- tal of nearly $500,000, and requiring six hun-
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
dred employes. He also states that the man- ufacturing capacity required more than 3,000,- 000 bushels of grain annually. These facts, of themselves, show that there had been a won- derful development in agriculture in St. Clair County after Illinois became a State, although the progress was slow for two decades.
Previous to 1828 the reaping-hook and sickle were the only tools used in harvesting grain. The cradle was introduced about that time, but did not come into general use for some years. One objection to it was, that it did not save the grain well; another, that there was too much straw to handle when it came to stack and thresh, but finally it was popularly adopted, and was the only harvester for twenty years or more.
In 1830 a twenty-acre yield of wheat-the staple crop of the county-was considered a large crop, which would require an average reaper twenty days to cut with his sickle, bind and shock; while the cradler would do the same work in half the time. Grain was threshed by hand with a flail or tramped out with oxen or horses, on a large floor cleaned off the ground, sometimes enclosed with a temporary circular fence. The sheaves of grain were carefully laid in a swath eight or ten feet wide and to the depth of two bundles. The driver stood in the center of the floor. The horses, young and old, were turned into the enclosure and with the entrance closed, the driver kept them moving at a lively rate in a circle over the swath until the grain was thoroughly threshed out. Then the animals were turned back into the adjoining yard or other enclosure. The straw was then forked and raked off, and thrown outside of the enclosure and the grain was heaped into the middle of the floor. This process was repeated, and' sometimes continued for a week, or until the grain accumulated to such an extent as to be in the way. It was then winnowed and re- moved. The process was varied sometimes by placing two or three boys, each on a horse and leading one or two other horses, and following the same process, except that when that varia- tion of the method was employed it was un- necessary to fence the floor. This process was slow, and could be followed only when the ground was very dry or frozen. Some of the more wealthy farmers built barns with tight floors in which to store their grain. This storing was done immediately after harvest,
and sometimes the grain was not threshed until cold weather, the clean bright straw making good winter food for stock.
About 1835 the Diamond Plow was intro- duced, which was a great improvement upon the plow of earlier days and greatly lessened the labor of preparing the soil for a crop, still there was little development or enlargement of production above the proportion of increase in population. In 1840 the population is com- puted to have been nearly 14,000, almost double what it was in 1830. The growth in wealth and population for the previous thirty years had been satisfactory; but the production above that required to supply the local demand had not been great; a fact chargeable to the two causes heretofore suggested-first, the want of a market large enough to handle the surplus products, second, the lack of safe and rapid transportation to the outer world.
The year 1840 closed an era of semi-financial stagnation, but opened one of unsurpassed en- terprise and development throughout the county. All grain crops were grown success- fully, and the demand for wheat was much greater than for other farm products. The up- land soil of the county was well adapted to the growth of wheat, producing grain of fine quality. When the land was first brought un- der cultivation, a wet season causing a great amount of humus in the soil, caused too rank a, growth of straw, with a lighter yield and grain of inferior quality. After a few years of continuous cultivation, however, this rarely happened. There was a system of ro- tation followed by the better class of farmers, which had many advantages. It consisted of corn, first, followed by oats and then wheat.
Another factor that did much to make wheat- growing popular, as well as profitable, was the ease with which machinery could be used in its production; hence no other farm crop so early attracted the attention of inventors as wheat. Early in 1840, horse-power threshers were in- troduced, which consisted of a cylinder well boxed in a substantial frame, with the rear open, so that grain and straw passed out to- gether to the ground, while men stood on either side raking the straw from the grain as they issued from the machine. The bulk of the grain lay near the thresher, but extended back in a tapering oblong heap, sometimes as far as thirty feet.
813
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
The year 1845 found financial affairs much improved. As business confidence was grad- ually restored, agriculture was more than ever the principal industry, the wheat acreage was rapidly increased and prices advanced. Two steam flour-mills were in active operation in the county, each doing quite an extensive business in the manufacture and shipment of flour.
The war with Mexico, the discovery of gold in California, the introduction of the grain- drill, the harvester and the improved sepa- rating thresher, together with the general im- provement of machinery, lessened the cost of production greatly. The foreign demand for wheat and flour was so pressing that prices continued to advance, until in 1853 and 1854, wheat sold at $2 per bushel. These changed conditions made the growing of wheat more profitable than that of other crops. Though mixed farming, and fruit and vegetable grow- ing were still successfully carried on, the acre- age of wheat from 1865 to 1875 was greater than the acreage of all other cultivated crops combined. Mr. Edward West, Sr., in his his- torical sketch of the county made public July 4, 1876, gave the crop acreage as follows: Wheat, 150,000; corn, 70,000; oats, 25,000; meadows, 14,000. These figures will doubtless show, at least approximately, the relative acre- age of these different crops from 1850 to 1885.
During those years, the development of agri- culture was not only rapid, but profitable. Es- pecially was this true in the case of wheat. In this period, the ambition among the farmers to increase the output became so intense that every labor-saving machine was utilized; and frequently half-worn machines were thrown aside and the newly improved ones substituted at great cost.
The soil, also, was taxed to its fullest capac- ity to insure the greatest possible immediate return, little thought being given to the ques- tion of soil exhaustion, which, under such a long continued intense system of cropping, must ever result in lighter yields and smaller profits. This, with the development of vast districts of fertile soil north and west, resulted in bringing about a gradual change, lessening the proportionate acreage of wheat and the adoption of a system of rotation, which in- cluded clover as one of the crops, and which has resulted in a much improved physical con- dition of the soil. However, such strenuous
and persistent cropping has not resulted in great loss of plant food. The mineral salts in the soil are practically intact, and will remain so indefinitely; but the loss of the organic mat- ter in many farms leaves them in a condition that prevents the absorption and retention of moisture during dry seasons.
Twenty-five or thirty years ago, these con- ditions were quite common, while today they are the exception. As a whole, the farms of the county are in a high state of cultivation, well improved, with large, substantial buildings. A large proportion of the buildings are brick, the barns and other out-buildings are, as a rule, wooden, well built and durable. Land values continue to increase, and there are few coun- ties, if any, in the State, that have a greater agricultural wealth than St. Clair County.
The population of the county is largely of German descent, and the farmers are noted for their broad, liberal views, good judgment, in- dustry and economy. Their German fore- fathers did more, perhaps, than any of the other early settlers in the development of agri- culture in the county. They brought with them a thorough knowledge of the intense system of agriculture practiced in the old country; and although the quality and condition of the soil here made it unnecessary for them to practice their old plan of annual fertilization, they un- failingly returned all waste to the soil. They never gave up their system of thorough culti- vation and rotation of crops, the success of which has made a lasting impression on the native population.
I cannot refrain from mentioning the geog- raphical location of the county. The past ad- vantages are known to have been great; the present are immense, yet unheeded. The con- tinued cropping and the wearing by winds and rain were the agencies that carried thousands of tons of the organic matter-one of the most essential ingredients of the soil-to the bot- toms, swamps and lowlands. This loss is being restored by plowing down green crops, generally red clover, and sowing either rye, oats or cow peas, after the clover is removed, which, acting as mulch, protects the soil from the wasting influence of rain and wind, and prevents the rapid evaporation of moisture dur- ing the hot summer months. This, followed by a more scientific cultivation, a more intelligent rotation of crops, growing less grain and more
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
vegetables and fruits, has brought the average yield per acre in the county up to a point equal to that of the palmy days of the past.
The status of St. Clair as an agricultural county is shown by the following figures gleaned from the census reports of 1900:
Corn-acres 61,990, production 1,876,690 bushels; oats-acres 20,723, production 496,560 bushels; rye-acres 161, production 2,820 bush- els; wheat-acres 127,949, production 1,457,950 bushels.
Acres of potatoes 7,094, producing 868,029 bushels; acres of sweet potatoes 70, producing 6,149 bushels; acres of onions 69, producing 12,527 bushels; acres of miscellaneous vege- tables 3,490, producing 235,867 bushels; square feet of land under glass 147,770.
Millet and Hungarian grasses-acreage 136, production 196 tons; clover-acreage 18,343, production 21,841 tons; other tame and culti- vated grasses-acreage 13,376, production 16,- 630 tons; grains cut green for hay-acreage 1,538, production 1,998 tons; forage crops- acreage 389, production 671 tons; cornstalks- 1,459 tons.
All varieties of berries, grapes, currants and garden vegetables grow well, producing a trade that adds liberally to the profits of agriculture. Blue grass, timothy and clover have been ex- tensively cultivated. The acreage of grass lands and pasturage has been constantly in- creased. On the summit of the Sugar Loaf, a landmark well known in the early settlement of the county, grew a peach tree that had the reputation of never failing to bear fruit. The French at Cahokia early had orchards of pear trees, and many of them had apple orchards. The value, in 1900, of all orchard products, was $106,623; number of apple trees 203,235, produc- ing 299,154 bushels; number of apricot trees, 219, producing 16 bushels; number of cherry trees 5,567, producing 1,396 bushels; number of peach and nectarine trees 30,061, producing 801 bushels; number of pear trees 10,976, producing 6,000 bushels; number of plum and prune trees 10,397, producing 10,586 bushels; unclassified orchard fruit trees 5,661, producing 747 bushels; value of grapes, wines, raisins, etc., $7,316; number of vines 48,238; pounds of grapes 355,300; gallons of wine 12,002; value of forest products $37,034.
The total value, in 1900, of small fruits was $13,163; blackberries and dewberries 48 acres,
80,120 quarts; currants 3 acres, 2,210 quarts; gooseberries 24 acres, 41,140 quarts; blackber- ries and Logan berries 20 acres, 27,350 quarts; strawberries 41 acres, 80,200 quarts; unclassi- fied small fruits 7 acres, 5,040 quarts; value of flowers and ornamental plants sold, 13,375; square feet of glass surface in florists' estab- lishments, 95,330.
CHAPTER XXV.
INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITIONS.
ST. CLAIR COUNTY AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY ORGAN- IZED IN 1853-EARLIER ATTEMPTS TO EFFECT AN ORGANIZATION-M. T. STOOKEY'S HISTORY OF FAIRS FROM 1854 TO 1882-MEN WHO WERE PROMINENT IN EFFECTING AN ORGANIZATION AND IN THE MANAGEMENT OF FAIRS-LIST OF OF- FICERS-VARYING SUCCESS OF DIFFERENT PERIODS -FAIRS OF 1882 TO 1905-BELLEVILLE THE SEAT OF PRINCIPAL EXHIBITIONS-STREET FAIRS.
The following history of early fairs in St. Clair County is taken from an address delivered by M. T. Stookey, before the St. Clair County Agricultural Society, on August 11, 1883:
"The St. Clair County Agricultural Society was organized August 8, 1853, at the court- house in Belleville. On motion of Governor Reynolds, Joseph Griffin was elected Chairman, and Nathaniel Niles, Secretary. The meeting adopted a constitution. This constitution pro- vided that the officers should consist of a Presi- dent, a Recording and Corresponding Secretary, a Treasurer, and one Vice-President from each Justice's precinct. I had thought that this was the first agricultural organization we had ever had in our county, until I read the proceedings of August 14, 1854.
"Here I found the following: 'Isaac Scott stated that some funds belonging to the St. Clair and Clinton Union Agricultural Society yet remained in the hands of the Treasurer, W. K. Ashley, of Lebanon, and that members of both societies had signified their desire to have the same donated to our society. The Corre-
Chas Griffen
815
HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY.
sponding Secretary was requested to act in the matter.' I now made inquiries about this or- ganization and I learned from Mr. Felix Scott that he was at the organization of that society, and that he had in his possession a printed copy of the constitution and by-laws, which he kindly furnished me.
"Their first meeting was held at Union Grove meeting-house (which is southeast of Leba- non.) Joseph Griffin was elected chairman, and Thomas Casad, Secretary. At this meet- ing, they adopted a constitution and by-laws. They provide in their constitution for an an- nual fair to be held in October. The date of this meeting is not given, but the constitution says that the officers shall be elected on the third Thursday of February, 1845. The by-laws were signed by T. Peeples, President, and Ed- mond Randle, Recording Secretary. It appears from what information I can get that the or- ganization was all that this society ever amounted to. Mr. Joseph Griffin, who acted as chairman at this meeting, was the same man that was chairman of the meeting in 1853, when the St. Clair Agricultural Society was or- ganized.
"Mr. Griffin acted as President of the St. Clair Agricultural Society from the time of its or- ganization until March 3, 1854, when Amos Thompson was elected President, Nathaniel Niles, Corresponding Secretary, Anthony Schott, Recording Secretary, William Lorey, Treasurer.
"The next thing in order appeared to be a place for holding the fair, as they had now decided to hold a fair if the grounds could be procured. A committee was appointed, and after examining different locations, they se- lected a five-acre tract on the Mascoutah road, that was offered by Mr. B. J. West, for which he asked nothing except that they pay the taxes and reserve for him the wood that they cut off in clearing the grove. This is where the fair was held in 1854, 1855 and 1856. The en- trance gate was about 200 feet south of the Mascoutah road, adjoining Robert West's resi- dence. The first fair was held October 18 and 19, 1854. At this time, any person could be- come a member by paying one dollar, which gave the member, or any of his family, the privilege of competing for any of the premiums, and also admitted the member and his wife and children under eighteen years of age.
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