USA > Illinois > Warren County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Warren County, Volume II > Part 29
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The One Hundred and Second infantry had Warren county men in Cos. A, B, D and E, beside Surgeon David B. Rice and Musician J. W. Ames on the regimental staff. Robert W. Colligan was captain and John Morrison lieuten- ant of Co. A, and Elisha C. Atchison and
William Armstrong captains, and Jas. C. Bos- wick and Ambrose Stegall lieutenants in Co. B. Nearly all of Co. B were from Warren county.
The Eighty-third Regiment Illinois Volunteer Infantry was a regiment of which Warren county has always been proud. It was organ- ized in Monmouth in August, 1802, by Colonel A. C. Harding of Monmouth, and mustered into the service August 21. The regiment moved August 25 by way of Burlington and St. Louis to Cairo, where it reported to Brigadier General Tuttle, and on September 3 moved to Fort Henry. February 3, 1863, at Fort Donelson, nine companies of the Eighty-third and one of the Second Illinois light artillery successfully resisted the attack of Generals Forrest and Wheeler with 8,000 men. The battle lasted from 1:30 to 8:30 p. m., when the enemy were compelled to retire with a loss of 800 killed and wounded. The loss of the Eighty-third was thirteen killed and fifty-one wounded. Colonel Harding was promoted for gallant conduct on this occasion, and Lieutenant Colonel A. A. Smith was made colonel. During the year 1864 the regiment guarded some 200 miles of com- munication, and did heavy patrol duty, and during the winter of 1864-5 was on provost duty at Nashville. It was mustered out at Nashville June 26, 1865, and moved to Chicago, where it received final pay and discharge.
Nearly all the regimental officers of the Eighty-third, and Cos. A, B, C, F and H were from Warren county. One company was from Mercer county and three from Knox. Among the regimental officers were: Abner C. Hard- ing, Arthur A. Smith, colonels; Elijah C, Brott, lieutenant colonel; William G. Bond, major; Wesley B. Casey, John W. Green, adjutants; John B. Colton, George Snyder, H. D. Bissell, W. H. Sexton, quartermasters; Esaias S. Cooper, W. L. Cuthbert, J. P. McClanahan, Richard Morris, surgeons; Adam C. Higgins, chaplain; Theo. H. Hurd, W. P. Speakman, Thomas J. Baugh, sergeant majors; William M. Buffing- ton, William Shores, Harlow B. Morton, Sam- uel C. Hogue, quartermaster sergeants. Philo E. Reed and George H. Palmer were captains, and David M. Clark and Cyrus Bute lieuten- ants of Co. A; John M. McClanahan and Wm. W. Turnbull captains, and James H. Herd- man and William S. Struthers lieutenants of Co. B; Lyman B. Cutler captain, and John C. Gamble and Samuel S. Stephenson lieutenants
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
of Co. C; John T. Morgan captain, and Joseph A. Boynton, William A. Peffer and James W. Morgan lieutenants of Co. F; and William G. Bond and Giles Crissey captains, and Walter N. Bond, James C. Johnson, William Shores and Francis M. Nance lieutenants of Co. H. Warren county was also represented in Cos. I and K.
All told, Warren county furnished 1,616 in- fantry enlistments and 515 cavalry, a total of 2,131.
SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR.
Co. H of the Sixth Regiment, Illinois National Guard, stationed at Monmouth, was quick to respond to President Mckinley's call for vol- unteers at the breaking out of the Spanish- American war in April, 1898. Orders came to the company April 25 to proceed to Spring- field, and by noon of the 27th twelve officers and ninety-one men of the company, under com- mand of Captain W. W. Shields, were in camp at the state capital. Several were rejected by the surgeons and others were added, and the roster of the company as finally completed was as follows:
Captain-William W. Shields.
Lieutenants-A. C. McIntosh, R. L. Sherman.
Sergeants-B. L. Mapes, R. R. Murdock, G. O. Jones, F. W. Lusk, A. Sanderholm, Anthon Olson.
Corporals-Fred Barnes, A. Holt Bradford, Geo. E. Cox, Roy H. Cornell, G. W. Hamilton, C. J. Johnson, D. A. McDonald, Robert C. Mor- rison, C. D. Sprague, Charles A. Young.
Musicians-H. G. Speakman, A. C. Garrison. Artificer-Frank L. Watson.
Wagoner-Frank M. Talbot.
Privates-E. O. Andrews, Wm. G. Bond, Wm. Bowers, Joseph P. Bohon, C. L. Brooks, Wm. H. Branch, Wm. A. Bryans, Asa W. Butler, Chas. E. Camm, F. L. Campbell, Archie Cobb, Lewis E. Coons, Miles Costello, C. T. Cunning- ham, Albert Carrigan, John Erickson, Scott B. Evans, Harry B. Frymire, Raymond E. Fair, Charles L. Foster, Wm. E. Fowler, Geo. I. Frosig, Jas. Gettemy, Earl Graham, O. G. Guli- hur, Jesse D. Gunter, Ralph Hagle, Chas. H. Harkless, Frank L. Hill, A. G. Holliday, Frank C. Holliday, W. M. Hutchison, Sherman F. Hock, Jesse Harrison, Frank B. Henney, James Hodges, Chas. Z. Irvine, Chas. L. Johnson, Jos. R. Johnson, T. Reed Kinton, J. A. Liby, Byron C. Lorton, H. L. McLoskey, G. E. McKelvey, W. J. McQuillan, A. B. McCosker, C. E. McSlar-
row, Harold L. Mitchell, Chas. W. Morgan, Chas. W. Morrell, G. Fred Morey, Ury J. Odell, A. Lee Overfelt, Harry C. Overfelt, Joseph S. Palmer, Harry C. Parsons, Samuel T. Pickard, Garland O. Ray, G. H. Raymond, Wm. L. Reg- nier, A. M. Roberts, G. W. Robinson, Barnard M. Ryan, A. O. Rennick, N. W. Rayburn, Philip Ralfe, Samuel E. Reed, Chas. E. Schrimp, Geo. W. Simpson, John B. Senge, Jerome D. Smith, Harry B. Smyth, J. W. Stromberg, Adolph Sullivan, Oliver Suthern, Robert A. Schussler, Chas. E. Todd, Chas. H. Wallace, Reinold G. Walter, Edgar A. Warner, Frank L. Wilson, Mont R. Winters, Henry Weinold, Wm. A. Yerian, H. H. Zimmerman.
Field and Staff Officers-Assistant Surgeon, Lieutenant L. S. Cole (died May 22, 1898) ; Major Second battalion, David E. Clarke; Ad- jutant Second battalion, Lieutenant James W. Clendenin.
The regiment was mustered into the ser- vice of the United States May 11, 1898, and on the 17th started for Camp Alger, near Wash- ington. Dr. Cole became ill with pneumonia on the way and was taken to a hospital at Fort Wayne, Ind., en route, where he died on the 22d. The regiment left Washington July 5 for Charleston, S. C., whence it sailed on the prize ship Rita for Santiago. Before reaching that port the fighting in Cuba was over, and the Sixth Illinois was made part of General Miles' expedition to Porto Rico. Landing at Guanica, on the south side of the island, July 25, the expedition marched into the interior engaging in slight skirmishes on the way. Word of the signing of the peace protocol came August 13, and the troops returned to the coast. The regiment sailed for New York on the Manitoba September 7, reaching New York on the 13th, and Springfield on the 16th, where they were mustered out. They reached home on the 21st. Private Lee Overfelt died in the hospital in Springfield October 1 from disease contracted in the service, and Corporal Roy H. Cornell died at his home in Monmouth October 18.
Several Warren county men also served in the campaigns in the Philippines. Among them were: Lieutenant A. C. McIntosh of the Forty- first Volunteer infantry; Lieutenant R. L. Sher- man of the Thirtieth regiment; H. G. Speak- man, W. F. McAllister, Anthon Olson, Carrol Tubbs, John Robison, W. A. Bryans, A. Sander- holm and others. Lieutenant Fred L. Chapin
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
of Kirkwood was serving on board the battle- ship Indiana during the campaign at Santiago and the destruction of Cervera's fleet; and Lieutenant Louis A. Kaiser of Monmouth, then an ensign, was on the gunboat Concord during the battle of Manila bay. Lieutenant Kaiser was presented a handsome sword by residents of Monmouth and Kirkwood on a visit home March 29, 1901.
CAPTAIN STAPP'S COMPANY.
In response to a call issued by W. B. Stapp, G. W. Palmer and G. C. Lanphere, a company of mounted volunteers for the Mexican war was organized in 1847. They were mustered into service at Quincy August 16, by Captain Sibley of the United States Army, stopped a while at Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis, then went on South September 9.
The muster roll of the company was as follows:
Wyatt B. Stapp, Captain.
George C. Lanphere, 1st Lieutenant.
George W. Palmer 1st-2d Lieutenant.
John H. Mitchell, 2d-2d Lieutenant.
John B. Holliday, 1st Sergeant.
James Townsley, 2d Sergeant.
Nicholas P. Earp, 3d Sergeant.
Samuel Douglas, 4th Sergeant.
William D. Day, 1st Corporal.
James W. Robertson, 2d Corporal.
Joseph Mackey, 3d Corporal.
George L. Shippey, 4th Corporal.
Benjamin P. Fifield, 1st Bugler.
Robert M. Snapp, 2d Bugler.
Robert C. West, Farrier and Blacksmith.
Privates-Robert C. Armstrong, Wilnam Averill, David Brownlee, Geo. R. A. Barnard, Ezra G. Bartram, Isaiah Berry, Esau Brown, William Barnaby, Edward O. Beebee, John Black, Samuel J. Backus, Oliver Clanmin, Reu- ben M. Coe, David S. Cowan, Zachariah Cutlip, Job L. Carter, Thomas H. Davidson, Warren J. Daniel, Dixon S. Daniel, Joseph M. De La Bar, Chas. Drain, Nicholas Dunlap, Darius Dennis, Jas. D. Eads, Geo. W. Foster, Michael Fitzpat- Jas. Furgus, John G. Fonday, Jas. E. Gordon, Alonzo Grover, Elias Guthrie, Brice M. Henry, Richard Hatton, Wm .Hatton, Sam'l Harding, Sam'l Henderson, John B. Howard, Ishmael H. Holcomb, Thos. G. Hogue, Ezekiel Kent, Mich- ael King, Calvin Kelly, Wm. Kelly, George Lan- King, Calvin Kelly, William Kelly, George Lan-
phere, Clark Lanphere, Augustin Lillard, Geo. W. McNeil, Jas. W. Mitchell, Wm. H. Montieth, Jas. A. Miles, John T. McWilliams, Geo. W. Morgan, John Moffit, John B. Motley, Ezra H. Nichols, Wm. C. Owens, Jas. A. Poland, Sam- uel Pike, Absalom Peckenbaugh, Jas S. Par- menter, Leicester Parmenter, Orlando Porter, Job Rhodes, John F. Ruddle, Geo. H. Ruddle, John Reed, Jas. Shields, John Sissell, Leander Stanley, Geo. W. Stigall, Wm. Williams, Cyrus Wells, Albert Webb, Isaac Wilson, Luther P. Watson, John J. Worden, Henry Weston, Jas. E. Wilson, Warren R. Wilson, Larkin Wells.
The company returned from the war July 29, 1848, after an absence of almost a year. Of the original ninety-one members fifty-five were mustered out of service. One deserted (William Kelly) ; nineteen died of sickness while in the service, and sixteen were discharged on ac- count of sickness, most of whom died. None were killed in battle.
REUNION ASSOCIATIONS.
The Warren County Soldiers' and Sailors' Reunion Association was organized at a meet- ing September 1, 1889, at the Kirkwood Mineral Spring. The Military Tract Reunion Associa- tion had just been dissolved, and the county meeting was held under a call issued by the Grand Army Posts of the County. A constitu- tion and bylaws were adopted, and officers elected as follows: James M. Tucker, presi- dent; C. E. Blackburn, first vice president; Jonas Murdock, second vice president; W. R. Mitchell, secretary; C. A. Carmichael, treasurer; Rev. R. Haney, chaplain; Dr. A. P. Nelson, sur- geon; N. N. Coons, officer of the day. The as- sociation has held reunions as follows: Mon- mouth, September 26, 1890; Roseville, Septem- ber 3, 1891; Alexis, September 23, 1894; Mon- mouth, July 19, 1895; Monmouth fair grounds, September 25, 1896; Kirkwood Mineral Spring, September 30, 1897; Roseville, September 29, 1898; Alexis, in joint reunion with the Mercer county association, 1899; Monmouth fair grounds, September 11, 1901; Kirkwood, 1902. At the meeting in Monmouth July 19, 1895, the Soldiers' and Sailors' Memorial Hall in the Warren county court house was dedicated. The following comrades have been president of the association: James M. Tucker, 1889-93; John M. Turnbull, 1894; Dr. A. P. Nelson, 1895-96; L. S. Scott, 1897; Major Charles E. Johnson,
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
1898; Captain J. P. Higgins, 1899-1900; John Holliday, 1901. The present officers are: John Holliday, president; H. T. Lape, R. H. Mc- Loskey, C. E. Johnson, vice presidents; J. S. Glover, secretary and treasurer; J. F. Hess, of- ficer of the day.
The first reunion of the members of the Eighty-third regiment was held at Monmouth October 8, 1869, in connection with a reunion of members of the Thirty-sixth regiment. The Eighty-third had its headquarters at the court house and the Thirty-sixth at Hardin's hall. Each held a business session at headquarters, then marched to Union hall, where Hon. J. L. Dryden made an address for the Thirty-sixth and J. W. Green spoke for the Eighty-third. During the day the members of the Eighty- third formed the Eighty-third Reunion Associa- tion. A constitution was adopted, and arrange- ments were made for annual reunions, which have been kept up ever since. The of- ficers elected were: General A. C. Harding, president; Col. A. A. Smith, vice president; W. H. Sexton, recording secretary; Giles Cris- sey, corresponding secretary; W. G. Latimer, treasurer. In addition an executive committee of ten was chosen, as follows: W. M. Buffing- ton, Co. A; J. H. Herdman, Co. B; M. Salisbury, Co. C; H. B. Frazier, Co. D; Charles Stevens, Co. E; Louis Sovereign, Co. F; John Cook, Co. G; F. M. Nance, Co. H; D. B. Shoup, Co. I; and Lieutenant Lambert, Co. K. The present of- ficers of the association are: Charles L. Bar- num, president; F. M. Nance, vice president; L. M. Lusk, secretary and treasurer; S. W. Roney, corresponding secretary.
SOLDIERS' MEMORIAL HALL.
Upon the completion of the new court house in the spring of 1895 the supervisors set apart a room for the old soldiers of the county to be used as a Memorial Hall. The Grand Army posts of the county appointed a committee of one from each post, which met March 15, 1895, and organized the Memorial Hall Association. Rev. Andrew Renwick was chosen president; R. L. McReynolds, vice president; C. E. Black- burn, secretary, and W. H. Hartwell, treasurer. The association has charge of the hall as trus- tees, and many war records and relics have been placed in their charge. The present officers of the association are: R. R. Davison, president; H. T. Lape, vice president; John Holliday, sec-
retary; J. P. Higgins, treasurer and custodian.
A movement toward the establishment of a Memorial Hall had been started by McClanahan Post No. 330, G. A. R., in 1886. A committee was appointed at that time composed of J. H. Herdman, J. P. Higgins, Dr. J. C. Kilgore, D. D. Dunkle, S. Bosworth, L. M. Lusk, John Lindstrum and C. D. Shoemaker, from the G. A. R., and E. J. Clarke, from the Sons of Veterans.
CHAPTER XII.
Mercer County at First Attached to Warren- Formally Organized in 1835-Western Part of Warren Organized Into a New County in 1841 and named Henderson County.
Mercer county was created at the same time Warren was, in 1825, but there being no set- tlers within its limits it was at first attached to Pike, then to Peoria, and later to Warren county, for judicial purposes. After the formal organization of Warren county, considerable business relating to affairs in Mercer was trans- acted here. Many of the early deeds recorded here were for Mercer county property, and lots in New Boston especially figured in the trans- fers. The first ferry license granted by the Warren County Commissioners was for a cross- ing at New Boston. It was run by the Denis- tons. The Commissioners also established sev- eral mill sites in Mercer county.
Mercer county remained under the jurisdic- tion of the Warren county courts until 1835. January 31 of that year an act was passed by the legislature, in session at Vandalia, and approved by the governor, providing for the organization of the county. The organization was completed April 6 of the same year by the election of officers as provided in this act. New Boston was named in the act as the temporary county seat, and remained as such till 1837, when the county seat was located at Millers-
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
burg by a commission chosen under an act of the legislature, passed that year. Considerable dissatisfaction arose over the selection, and continued until 1839, when the legislature authorized an election to be held in April of that year to settle the matter, The election re- sulted in favor of New Boston, where the county seat remained until 1847, when after a series of elections Keithsburg was ultimately chosen. Aledo was selected by an election held the following year, and has continued as the county seat until the present time.
The first court was held in Millersburg, convened in the wide out doors, and the jury box was a wood pile. A prisoner broke jail and the "escape pipe" was repaired by filling it with straw. It is told that when a short distance out of Millersburg this prisoner met a man who asked him if he knew of any empty houses in town. The jail bird told him, "Yes, I have just left one." The building constructed and used in Millersburg as a court house is now doing duty as a hay barn and cow shed.
HENDERSON COUNTY SECEDES.
When Warren County was created by the Legislature in 1825, and for sixteen years af- terward, it included what is now Henderson County, in addition to its present territory.
The residents of that section, and espec- ially those along the river, complained of the long distance to the county seat, and made some efforts to have it moved from Monmouth to some nearer point. In 1838 Oquawka had be- come quite a town, and its residents sought to have the capital of the county located there, but were unsuccessful.
The building of the permanent court house and jail in Monmouth destroyed their last hope, and the movement to divide the county was inaugurated.
To settle all matters the legislature passed an act, which was approved January 20, 1841, creating Henderson county. The new county was to comprise "all that part of Warren County lying west of range three of the fourth principal meridian," including 164,608 acres of land. Oquawka was named as the county seat, on condition that the owners of the Oquawka town site donate to the county not less than two hundred lots, the proceeds of which were to be appropriated to the erection of the county buildings.
CHAPTER XIII.
A Few Slaves in the County Early in the '30s- Had to Give Bond When Liberated-Mar- riage of "Venus" and "Caesar"-Alfred Hale the First Colored Man to Sit on a Jury.
By the articles of compact adopted by Con- gress in July, 1787, slavery was forever ex- cluded from the Northwest Territory, which in- cluded the States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. Slavery had, how- ever, preceded the compact in Illinois, and so strong was the sympathy that, in spite of the ordinance of 1787, the old French settlers were allowed to retain their slaves. Planters from the slave States might also bring their slaves, if they would give them a chance to choose between freedom and years of service for themselves, and bondage for their children until they should become thirty years of age. If the slaves chose freedom they must leave the State within sixty days or be sold as fugi- tives. A negro ten miles from home without a pass was shipped. Attempts were made to protect slavery in the State, at different times; but without success. But slaves did not dis- appear from the census of the State until 1850. Several slaves were thus brought into Warren County, especially by persons coming from Kentucky, and there were a number of these.
The first mention of negroes we find in the records is in the probate court proceed- . ings Nov, 20, 1833, On that day there appeared before Judge Daniel McNeil, Jr., "a black or negro girl, said and supposed to be under the age of eighteen years, who called herself by the name of Venus McCormick." The girl stated to the court that she had resided in the county since the "3d of May last past;" that she was born the property of one Robert McCormick in Rockbridge County, Va., and had afterwards moved to Missouri with her master, Aniel Rodgers; and that Rodgers had there given her her liberty. She asked the court that she be allowed to indenture herself to Mr. Rodgers for one year, at the expiration of which time she would be eighteen years of age. The permission was given, on condition that a copy of the indenture be filed in the Probate Court. It is interesting to note in
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
this connection that the Virginia owner of Venus McCormick was the father of Cyrus H. and Leander McCormick, of harvester fame.
February 25, 1836, a license was issued for the marriage of Venus McCormick and Caesar Love, "people of color," and they were mar- ried at Garrison's Inn the same day. They were the first colored people married in War- ren County and their license was the 77th issued in the county. The ceremony was per- formed by the Rev. James C. Bruce, pastor of the Seceder church at Sugar Tree Grove. The groom was employed as a cook at the inn and the couple remained there a number of years. Venus died in the '40s, and afterwards Caesar moved to Galesburg, then to Knoxville, where he died.
One of the best known colored men in War- ren County was Richard Murphy. He was born in Barren county, Kentucky, in 1811 or 1812, the property of Henry Haley, and afterwards became the property of Joseph Murphy and came with him to this county in 1834. At a special session of the County Commissioners held October 2 of that year, and called for that purpose, Mr. Murphy came before the board and stated that he wished to give Richard his liberty, for the purpose of allowing him to go to Liberia, in Africa. He purposed to allow the negro to take the name of Murphy. The Commissioners ordered that Murphy file a bond in the penal sum of $1,000 that Richard should not become a charge to Warren county or to any other county in the State. The bond was given, witlı John G. Haley and Richard Murphy as securities, and the letter setting the man free was approved. Richard Murphy did not go to Liberia, as he had purposed, but remained in Warren county until his death August 4, 1888. He was married in July, 1845, to Harriet Wallace, a daughter of Reuben Wallace, in
Barrien county, Ky.
After his marriage he resided on a farm south of Monmouth. He was one of the earliest members of the Christian church of Mon- mouth, and was highly respected. Joseph Murphy moved to Abingdon, where he died. The old slave and master often visited each other.
Isaac Murphy, who had come to Monmouth from Kentucky, came before the County Com- missioners June 9, 1837, and presented certifi- cates that he had released from the bondage of slavery eight colored women and girls, and thenceforth they were to be considered as
"free people of color." The eight were June, who was born in 1787; Delphi, born in 1813; Nancy, born in March, 1816; Dorcas, born in April, 1819; Polly, born in August, 1822; Sally, born in June, 1825; Matilda, born in May, 1830; and Sarah Jane, born in December, 1835. Murphy also filed a bond in the sum of $8,000, that none of these persons shouid at any time become a county charge to any county in the State of Illinois. Four of these colored persons being under the age of 18 years, Mr. Murphy proposed to take them until the dates when each should reach that age, and the commissioners executed four inden- tures binding the girls as poor persons to Mr. Murphy, under the provisions of "an act re- specting apprentices," and "an act for the re- lief of the poor."
In June, 1856, Champion Miller, a colored man who had purchased his own freedom, so- licited and secured sufficient aid to enable him to go to Missouri and purchase his wife's freedom and bring her to Monmouth. The price paid was $800. The family made their home here until Champion's death some time during the '80s. Mrs. Miller died in 1895 in St. Paul.
The first colored man to serve on a jury in the circuit court of this county was Alfred Hale. He was chosen on a case against two of his race who were on trial for burglary in May, 1878. The first jury of colored citizens ever impanelled in the county, and perhaps the only one, was sworn in a justice's court in Monmouth in July, 1871, to try the case of Mrs. Price against Stonewall Jackson for dis- turbance of the peace. The jurors were Thomas Brown, George Morris, James Cannon, J. B. Smith, James Smith and Ben Granger.
CHAPTER XIV.
Black Hawk's Indians Cause a Scare-Com- pany of Militia Organized for the County's Defense-The Murder of William Martin and the Trial of His Alleged Assassins.
The crops of 1832 had barely been planted when the settlers were disturbed by news of an Indian war. Black Hawk, with his band,
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HISTORY OF WARREN COUNTY.
was threatening to recross the Mississippi and recover his hunting grounds, and Governor Rey- nolds with a force of volunteer troops came to the Yellow Banks to subdue this famous chief. Afterwards the governor passed on with his force to Rock river, but not until he had au- thorized the organization of a battalion of militia in Warren county for the protection of its own inhabitants. Daniel McNeil, Jr., was directed to hold an election of major, who was to cause the election of company officers. In case of necessity, then, McNeil was authorized to call the companies to duty. An election of major was held in accordance with the gover- nor's order, and Peter Butler, then county sur- veyor and sheriff, was chosen. He forthwith ordered an election of company officers, and thus the organization of the militia was per- fected.
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