Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Part 125

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913; Gale, W. Shelden
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1388

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Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

A considerable amount of maple sugar was formerly made, the maple growing extensively in some parts of the county, notably along the branches of Henderson Creek. The fine old trees have nearly all disappeared, having been felled to furnish fuel for the fires of the cities and villages, while pastures and fields of grain and grass occupy the places where they grew.

For some time, between 1850 and a date sub- sequent to the close of the Civil War, there was an extensive cultivation of sorghum, for the manufacture of molasses for domestic use or for barter at the store. But as sugar grew cheaper, and the demand for other farm pro- ducts improved, the industry gradually de-

clined; so that at present very little of this variety of sugar cane is raised.

STOCK RAISING.

From the beginning, cattle and hogs have been among the county's staple products. Mast furnished food for the hogs, and all surplus corn could thus be easily used with profit. Until the railroads provided easy means of transport- tion, live hogs were sometimes driven to the packers. As a rule, however, the animals were dressed at home, and sold in late autumn or early winter. For many years, they were the farmer's chief reliance for raising ready money.

The first purchasers of cattle were drovers from Ohio, who bought for feeders. The next were the packers at the river points and in Chicago. To meet the demand, the cattle were pastured on the prairie and wintered on prairie hay and straw, and some corn. There was little full feeding until the railroad reached Chicago from Buffalo, furnishing a route thence to New York by rail and water for live stock driveu to Lake Michigan. All rail transportation fol- lowed afterwards. From that time nothing but full fed cattle went from Knox County. With the loss of open range, and the increase in cultivation of farm products, feeding became more and more the rule. But western competl- cion, the requirements of a growing urban pop- ulation for supplies, and the increased exporta- tion of corn, oats and hay, have altered the policy and practice of the farmers, and reduced the number of cattle and hogs fattened for shipment.

Dairying has never been prominent among the county's industries. Farmers keep cows to supply the domestic requirements and often export a surplus to the towns. There are a few small dairies, however, whose products are sold chiefly directly to consumers.

From 1836 to 1840, some farmers immigrat- ing from the dairy districts in Herkimer and Oneida counties, New York, brought with them their methods of cheesemaking. About 1880, there was begun the establishment of cheese factories and creameries, after the pattern set by Elgin. Several were started and very good work was done; but the industry, as a whole, was foreign to the habits of Knox County farmers and laborers, and all but one or two have been discontinued, notwithstanding the fact that the country is well adapted to dairying. The sup- plying of milk to the towns is now a business of some importance and is growing.

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The early settlers who made their own cloth- ing kept sheep. About 1840, large flocks were brought in, the inducements being the little care needed for keeping, cheapness of feed, the high price of wool in comparison with that of other products and the ease of transportation. Yet sheep have gradually given way to cattle and hogs, and now only a few, small, scattered flocks are to be found.

The methods employed in farming and the habits of the people in both city and country require a large supply of horses. The county has always raised more than were needed for the use of its own people. At all times, a great deal of attention had been paid to the propaga- tion and rearing of this variety of stock, and Knox has never been without animals of high breeding.

HAY AND GRASS SEED.

Meadows and pastures occupy a large por- tion of the entire area. Until after 1850, cattle were kept on the open range, only cows kept for milking or high bred stock being found within fenced fields. With close feeding, the old prairie grass soon disappeared, giving place to weeds, which in time were followed by a volunteer growth of red top, blue grass, and white clover. Some timothy was sown as early as 1835, but there seemed little inducement to give up ground to the preparation of artificial meadows and the increase of meadow land was slow. Straw was too ahundant to have any value, and corn was cheap enough to feed to stock in winter. Even down to 1858, the area of meadow land, although gradually increasing, was small. A large proportion of the farms had none, relying, perhaps, on a small piece of prairie, never ploughed or pastured. In 1840, Nathan O. Ferris began the saving and shipping of timothy seed and soon had a large part of his nine hundred acre farm devoted to this crop. The seed brought considerable better prices in New York than did eastern seed on account of its quality and supposed freedom from weeds. He was followed by G. W. G. Ferris and W. S. Gale, on neighboring farms. In 1859, there were five hundred acres of meadow in timothy on the Gale farm. It was kept for a seed crop, the cost of cutting it for hay and the great difficulty in getting the work done at all, together with the greater value of the seed, preventing any other use. The seed was saved with comparatively little labor. But as mowing machines were improved, the saving of the hay became possible. There was by this

time a large increase in the acreage of meadow land in the county, and the crop a fine one, for which there was a strong demand in the South- ern markets. Watkins and Brothers, in Gales- burg, and W. S. Gale, on his farm procured hay presses, and were the first to introduce that work into Knox County. Within two years the war demand sprang up, while an improvement in presses permitted the shipping of heavier loads to the car; and an industry was estab- lished that is still of importance in the county.

A CANAL-BOAT JOURNEY.

One of the most romantic episodes of Knox County history was the journey hither by wa- ter, undertaken by some of the Galesburg colon- ists. In the spring of 1836, John C. Smith, of Oneida, N. Y., who owned some boats on the Erie Canal, proposed that some of the colonists should journey to Illinois in a canal-boat. The proposition was accepted, a canal-boat was pur- chased on shares, and thirty-seven persons, varying in age from three weeks to fifty years, embarked for the long voyage, with Mr. Smith as captain. The starting point was at Utica, but the various families joined the party at different places on the way to Buffalo, where the passengers and baggage were transferred to a steamer which towed the empty barge. A storm arose, and the boat was abandoned by all ex- cept the captain, who remained on board and brought it safely into Cleveland, six days after the steamer had landed the colonists there.

From Cleveland, the party went by canal to Portsmouth and thence down the Ohio to Cin- cinnati, where they had a sort of propeller made to take them up the Mississippi, and part way up the Illinois rivers. It was not a first-class machine; but they made it answer the purpose on the Mississippi and part way up the Illinois, until finally they had to tie to a steamer, which conveyed them to their landing place at the mouth of Copperas Creek. The hot weather had been very severe, and upon their arrival, every one of the party was ill. The man most capable of traveling, at once started on horseback for Log City. The settlers there sent wagons for the party; but Captain Smith died before reaching Log City, and was the first to be buried in the colony cemetery. Soon after Mr. Lyman and Mr. Mills also passed away.

Notwithstanding the difficulties, discourage- ments, and illness, the trip had its bright side. All were good-natured and ready to help one

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another. On Saturday afternoons, they would find a good landing place and tie up the boat for over Sunday. If near a town, they would look up a school house and hold service in it, invit- ing the neighboring residents to attend. There was one object common to them all, and that was to establish the Christian religion in the new country, and it was this thought that made them so companionable and gave them fortitude to endure the hardships that accompanied their journey of eleven weeks.

[Taken in part from an article read by Mrs. George Avery at the semi-centennial of the Old First Church.]

ROADS AND BRIDGES.

Early Knox County settlers found little diffi- culty in traveling for want of roads. There were no high hills, and the streams were ford- able, during ordinary stages of the water, at points near each other. The deepest valleys were easily reached through the swales. The marshy margins of streams were covered with thick turf which, with tall grass, furnished sup- port in crossing. When continued travel cut this up, it was only necessary to turn to either side.

As settlement and travel Increased, roads were laid out, the most important of which ran from the county seat to the principal points in other counties. As early as 1835, Knoxville was the center of a network of such roads; some were laid out by commissioners appointed by the Legislature, to be changed only by act of Legialature, others by the County Board, subject to alteration by the same. The roads, as nearly as possible, ran straight to the ob- jective point with but slight varlatlons made by the character of the ground, avoiding all difficult work and respecting the property of actual settlers, but paying little attention to the interests of non-residents. When settle- ment increased, the regard for occupants and consequent following of property lines-section and half section-the roads were less direct, and often diverted from thelr original course for the convenience of the new land-owners. Prior to 1853, the County Commissioners (who were, from 1849 to 1853, the County Judges) managed the roads and bridges, giving as much as three-fourths of their official time to this business; for in the early days, when wagon roada were the only means of communication, their making was an Important undertaking. In accordance with the law of March 1, 1827, the

Commissioners divided the county into road districts, appointing a road supervisor in each, who reported annually to the County Court at the December term, when they were appointed for the ensuing year. In 1832, there were two road districts, one comprising the county south and east, the other all north and west of Spoon River; in 1837, the number of districts was sixteen, and by 1849, it had reached sixty-three.

Bridges were built as soon as they could be afforded, the first ones being constructed in 1836, one each over Pope and Court Creeks, two over Haw Creek, and one over the Henderson, five in all, at a total cost of $671. In 1839, the first Spoon River bridges, one at Coleman's Ford, Section 30 of Truro Township, and one near Maquon, about half a mile south of the present Maquon bridge, were contracted for and finished by September, 1840, at a cost of a little more than $1,500.

Upon the adoption of township organization, the town authorities were given control of all the roads in Knox County, including the State roads, excepting the streets of incorporated cities and villages. In each township, three highway commissioners are elected for three year terms, one being chosen each year. They collect and apply the land tax and a poll tax on every voter, unless, as has generally been done, the voters at the town meeting abolish the poll tax. County aid is authorized under certain conditions and has been extended to the partial construction of bridges over large streams.

Knox County has throughout a mellow soll almost without gravel or sand, with little ma- terial for road building. The conditions have been fairly met. The difficulties, fortunately not great when people were few, have in- creased with the population, and as the growing travel came to be confined to highways enclosed by fences, the necessary bridging, grading, and draining have increased. The roads are reg- ularly worked, culverts are made for the sloughs, and over the streams are good bridges, often built with stone abutments and iron girders. Except in the city of Galesburg, there are no paved streets. Knox County farmers do not favor to any great extent the "good roads movement." They do not care "to trade their farms for a road to town." But careful drain- age and the judicious use of scrapers and plows have made the roads fairly good except for a short time In the spring and fall. These occa- slonal Inconveniences are mitigated by the

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splendid system of railroads spreading out from the county seat and bringing every farm within a short distance of the station.

SPOON RIVER.

This stream is said to have received its name from the circumstance that a party of sports- men, in the early days, lost their spoons while fishing on its waters, near the present site of London Mills.

It enters Knox County from Peoria County, near the northern line of Section 12, in Truro Township, and leaves it at about the central part of Section 34, in Chestnut, after winding more than forty miles through Truro, Haw Creek, Maquon, and Chestnut townships, and for a little way on the edge of Elba and Persifer townships. It is by far the largest stream in the county, four-fifths of which it drains. Once it was thought possible to make it a navigable stream, but the decadence of river traffic stopped effort in that direction. It is a tributary of the Illinois.

CREEKS.

Besides Spoon River, only two streams in Knox County are of sufficient size to merit any detailed description-Pope and Cedar Creeks. The others are small tributaries of these, or of the Henderson, a river rising in Henderson Township and flowing into the Mississippi, but becoming important only in counties west of Knox.

Cedar Creek flows for a few miles through Sections 30 and 31 of Indian Point. It is a tributary of Spoon River, and nearly as large as the Spoon, at their junction a little way south of London Mills, in Fulton County. It is sometimes called the South Fork of Spoon, and is formed by the union, in Warren County, of several smaller streams. It drains a little of Galesburg and Chestnut Townships, and most of Cedar and Indian Point. "Rock House," a peculiar rock formation on Cedar Creek, in Warren County, is a favorite picnic ground for many Knox County people.

Pope Creek rises in Ontario and flows west to the Mississippi, into which it empties near Keithsburg, leaving Knox in Section 6 of Rio. It drains about half of the township last named and a little more than half of Ontario.

Among the more important of the minor streams is Cedar Fork, running in a westerly course through Galesburg Township and unit- ing with the Henderson in Warren County. Court Creek rises near the east line of Knox

Township and flows east about twenty miles to join Spoon River in Persifer, just below Dahinda. The two branches of Haw Creek rise, one near Knoxville and one in the northwestern part of Haw Creek. They unite near the south- western corner of Orange, and then flow nearly due south, emptying into the Spoon in Section 24 of Chestnut

Brush Creek, the largest branch of Haw Creek, rises in Section 34 of Galesburg, and after draining a little more than the eastern half of Cedar, the western half of Orange and north- western quarter of Chestnut, joins Haw Creek near the line between Sections 1 and 2 of Chest- nut. Willow (Litter's) Creek runs west through Salem and Maquon, emptying into Spoon River, on Section 25 of Chestnut. French Creek rises in Peoria County, drains the greater part of Elba, and parts of Haw Creek and Salem Town- ships, and empties into the Spoon on Section 20 of Maquon. Walnut Creek is formed hy the union, in Walnut Grove, of several small streams. It drains all of Lynn and Walnut Grove and part of Ontario, Sparta, Copley and Victoria, and joins Spoon River in Peoria County. The Kickapoo is a small tributary of the Illinois River, and flows about five miles to the southwestern portion of Salem.

LAKE GEORGE.

This attractive body of water lies about two miles east of Galesburg, and the first house upon its banks was built about fifteen years ago by George W. Brown. It is three-fourths of a mile long with a width of from ten to thirty rods. It is fed by springs and its greatest depth is about twenty feet. A driveway runs around it, and there is a pleasant park here. A little steamer carries passengers on it, and row boats are kept for hire. There is also a natatorium, and the street cars from Galesburg run close by. It is a favorite resort for Galesburgers. Soangetaha, the society club of Galesburg, has its house, open only to members, on the north- west side of the lake, and the clubhouse has been the rendezvous for most delightful picnic and dancing parties.

MINING BUILDING STONE.

Of mining and building stone there is but little in the county. From Section 16, in Township 11 North, Range 2 East, a fairly good quality of sandstone has been obtained and there is also found there a conglomerate stone, that has been largely used in laying foundations through-

Samuel Brown

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KNOX COUNTY.

out the county. In some places, noticeably just south of Yates City, the limestone ledge lies just above a coal vein. A quarry in Section 6 has been worked for commerce. It is from one to four feet thick, and yields a fairly good building stone.

There is accessible coal in nearly every town- ship in the county. In the northeastern and southeastern portions, vein No. 6 is the surface vein. It is of good quality, and four and one- half feet thick. The other veins range from two and one-half to five feet in thickness. In Henderson and Rio Townships, the surface vein is extensively worked. All the coal veins in the county have been located save the opening of No. 5 and, perhaps, of No. I. There are, however, comparatively few extensive mining operations conducted, owing to the fact that in most instances the mines are remote from the railroads. Consequently there is not enough coal mined in the whole of Knox County to meet the needs of the larger towns, which are in no small measure supplied from mines in neighboring counties, where better railroad facilities afford cheaper transportation to. market. The time is coming, however, when the large resources of this county will prove valuable. The ease with which coal can be pro- cured by the farming community from the numerous small local handlers, at low cost. forms one of the most promising features in the present outlook.

The following list shows the estimated orig- inal coal acreage of the county: Rio, 4,000; Sparta, 6,000; Walnut Grove, 2,000; Truro, 2,000; Henderson, 6,000; Knox, 2,000; Copley, 7,000; Elba, 1,000; Cedar, 2,000; Orange, 2,000; Maquon, 6,000; Salem, 1,000; Indian Point, 2,000; Chestnut, 2,000; Victoria, 7,000. Total acreage, 52,000.

There is also some coal obtainable in the other townships.

More or less limestone was formerly burned on Section 24 of Township 12 North, Range 2 East, but the industry is now dead.

BRICK MANUFACTURE.

To a limited extent, brick were made in Knox County at an early date. They were certainly made in Rio Township as early as 1836, but there could have been only a small demand, for few homes could hoast of a chimney or hearth of better material than clay. The available materials were not good; and as the yellow clay underlying the prairie surface soil, or ex-

posed in broken timber land, was used, the product was from very poor to barely fair.

In 1867-8, Joseph Stafford and his friends found in the upper Court Creek valley, on the west line of Knox Township, a large exposure of shale, which seemed to be a good material for roofing, when mixed with tar. A not very successful attempt was made to bring it into extensive use for that purpose, but in working it, it proved to be well suited for the making of drain tile. With further treatment, an ex- cellent quality of building brick was made, but difficulties were met in its profitable use for that purpose, and its proper adaptation was ultimately found in the production of paving brick.

There was some demand in Galesburg for this commodity, and soon its value came to be known in other localities. A gradually growing market was found, notwithstanding that the works were experimental and the facilities for transportation were not the best, the works being nearly three miles from a railroad. The construction of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe line through Court Creek valley was promptly followed by a branch from the Chi- cago, Burlington and Quincy road, and ship- ment of the product was rendered far easier.

With the improvement in transportation facilities new companies were formed and large additional works constructed, whose product, being found unexcelled by that of any other locality, and equalled by the output of only a few, soon gained a wide and extensive market.

Brick were made in Uniontown, Salem Town- ship, in 1841, where the industry was continued for ten or fifteen years. Very early, also, they were manufactured in Knoxville, Galesburg and perhaps at other points.

The first brick made from shale, the old yards using potter's or prairie clay, were made in the Court Creek valley by the Galesburg Pressed Brick and Tile Company in 1883.

In 1875, F. P. Folz and C. Piester started a tile and brick works about two miles west of the city of Abingdon, using potter's clay. In 1884, Reed, Duffield and Sons established a plant which was converted into a paving brick manufactory by Frank Latimer, in 1885. An excellent quality of shale is found just north of the city, at a depth of ahout fifty feet. In 1892, the business was put in the hands of a stock company-the Abingdon Paving Brick and Tile Company-which now continues it.

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KNOX COUNTY.

In recent years brick making has become one of the great industries of Knox County. In several places, notably in the Conrt Creek val- ley, a peculiar shale is found, which makes a most excellent quality of paving brick; so good, in fact, that "Galesburg Brick" are now the standard mentioned in paving contracts west of Indiana. This shale is a fine-grained, slaty rock, somewhat resembling soap stone, and it Is chiefly (almost exclusively) used for the manu- facture of paving brick, for which it has been found best adapted. The brick are generally large, measuring two and five-eighths or three inches, as this size seems most desirable for paving.

It is impossible to determine the precise extent of the shale beds. They are found near Abingdon, Knoxville and Wataga; but the larg- est deposits are in Knox Township, along Court Creek. The so-called Galesburg Brick are made in the valley of this creek by four Galesburg companies. The Galesburg Brick and Terra- Cotta Company, the Purington Paving Brick Company, the Galesburg Paving Brick Com- pany, and the Galesburg Vitrified Brick Com- pany. These four factories have a total capacity of 450,000 to 500,000 brick per day. The last named has its plant in Sparta Township, near Wataga, the other three being located in Knox Township, near Randall; but all are in the valley of Court Creek or its branches. The pioneer concern in this locality was the Gales- burg Pressed Brick and Tile Company, which was incorporated April 4, 1883. It had a capacity of about 45,000 brick per day. For a number of years it was successful, but finally met with reverses, and was closed in 1894.

The Purington Paving Brick Company was incorporated May 15, 1890, for the manufacture of paving brick. The organization of this con- cern was primarily due to the perseverance of Asa A. Matteson, who had great faith in the superiority of the deposit of shale in Court Creek valley. Mr. D. V. Purington, who had for many years been one of the largest manu- facturers of brick in the United States, becoming acquainted with Mr. Matteson, joined with him; the result being the formation of a company, with a capital stock of $200,000. The first offi- cers were D. V. Purington, President; W. S. Purington, Vice-President and General Man- ager; Asa A. Matteson, Secretary and Treasurer. The officers and stockholders of the company caught the fever of enlargement, and a new corporation, called the St. Louis Paving Brick

Company, was organized in January, 1893, the stockholders of which were largely those of the Purington company. When it was completed a consolidation of the two was effected, with a capital of $500,000. The works of the present corporation are the largest in the United States. Its plant covers seventy-five acres, gives em- ployment to three hundred and fifty men and has a capacity of 300,000 brick per day.

The Galesburg Vitrified Brick Company was organized in 1891, and has a capacity of 25,000 to 40,000 brick per day.

In the process of manufacture the shale is first ground and then thoroughly mixed with water. It is then pressed by machinery into the desired shape, and the green brick, thus made, are dried for a certain length of time in drying houses, heated by hot air. They are next put in kilns and burned until vitrification takes place. They are then impervious to moisture and with- stand any degree of heat or cold without crack- ing, which is the feature which renders them so durable for pavement.

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Historical encyclopedia of Illinois, Part 125

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913; Gale, W. Shelden Publication date: 1899 Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1388

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913; Gale, W. Shelden
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1388