History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, Part 52

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. ; O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 948

USA > Illinois > Union County > History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois > Part 52
USA > Illinois > Pulaski County > History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois > Part 52
USA > Illinois > Alexander County > History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois > Part 52

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).

The settlement of this precinct dates back half a century or more. Among the pioneers were the following from North Carolina: The

Smiths, Christopher Houser, John Gregory. Jonathan Landrith, Henry Rendleman, Elias Quilman, and many others perhaps, The Smiths settled in the southwest part of the precinct. One of the pioneers of this nu- merous family was John, a very uncommon name, particularly in the Smith family. As an illustration: A man once entered a crowded church, and called out : "Mr. Smith, your house is on fire!" when one hundred and twenty-five Smith's jumped up. The man continued: "It is Mr. John Smith's house."" and thirteen of them sat down. John is still living (not one of those John's that was in the church) and has two sons. Wiley and John, also living, and who are good citizens. George first settled below Jonesboro, but re- moved to this precinct about the year 1835, and settled on Hutchins Creek, where Charles Smith now lives. He has been dead some years, but his widow is living, and about eighty years of age. He has several sons still in precinct, in good circumstances, but a little behind in the energy and enterprise of the day. Davault Smith was another brother. He is dead, but has a son living in Jackson County. Most of the old members of the family were uneducated and illiterate, but possessed much practical common sense, and accumulated considerable property.

Christopher Houser settled on Clear Creek. He was quite an old man when he came here, and has long been dead, but has a son Chris- topher-now an old man himself-still living

* By W. Il. Perrin.

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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

in the county. The elder Houser was very poorly educated, but quite prominent in the community and served long as a Justice of the Peace. John Gregory also settled on Clear Creek. He was a plain old farmer who attended to his own business. His name is perpetuated by two sons-John C. and Alfred Gregory. Jonathan Landrith and his son, McKinley Landrith, both came early and are both dead. Jonathan, a son of Mckinley, lives in the precinct. The Rendlemans are quite a numerous family in the county, and of this precinct. Henry Rendleman, the pioneer of the family in Alto Pass, came in early. John S., Caleb and Martin were brothers, and came soon after. Henry and Caleb are dead; the latter has three sons living. John and Martin are living; John raised a large family of children, who de- veloped into intelligent and worthy citizens. The Rendleman family is among the most respectable in the county, and command the esteem of all who know them.

To the settlement of the precinct, Ken- tucky contributed the following pioneers: Henry Lamer, Samuel and William Butcher. Joseph Waller. John Hudgins, Thomas Craft, Montgomery Hunsaker, the Keiths, and probably others. (Henry Lamer came to the county in 1815. He was a native of York County, Penn., and removed to Kentucky, where he remained but a short time, when he decided to "go West, and grow up with the country." He died a few years after his settlement here, leaving a numerous family, among whom is Rev. J. D. Lamer, who was born in 1815, a few months after his father came to the precinct, and is probably the first white child born in it, and the oldest native- born citizen in the county. Soon after the death of Mr. Lamer, his widow moved to Southern Indiana, but a few years later re- turned to this section, where she afterward

died. The farm where Lamer originally set- tled is now owned by John J. Keith. Rev. Mr. Lamer settled on his present place in 1839, and at the time his nearest neighbor was nearly a mile distant, and the present site of Cobden was a dense thicket. He is a minister of the Baptist Church, but of late years has quit preaching from physical dis- ability. The Butchers were early settlers, but are dead. The Hunsakers are supposed to have been the first white people in the county, and settled in the vicinity of Jones- boro. Montgomery Hunsaker settled in this precinct very early on Hutchins Creek. Will- iam Finch was an early settler in the same neighborhood. The pioneer of the Keith family was named Samson. He is dead, but his name is perpetuated by John, a son, and quite a prominent man, and a member of the present County Board.)

Tennessee contributed the following set- tlers to the precinct: Cornelius Anderson, Franklin Ferrill, Giles Parmley, N. B. Col- lins. Lewis Collins, Andrew Irvin, Henry Rowe, the Lales. John Crips, Abraham Cokenower, etc., etc. Anderson is still liv- ing, and two or three sons also living in the precinct. Ferrill is living. Parmley was a Revolutionary soldier, and has long been dead; Squire N. B. Collins married his daughter. Lewis Collins, the father of Squire Collins, was a very early settler .!

Among other early settlers, whose native place we do not know, may be mentioned George W. Harris, the Tweedys, David Sumner, William Simpson, John Daly, and several other families. Harris first settled in Jonesboro, but afterward moved into this precinct. James and Singleton Tweedy, brothers, are both living. Sumner settled early, and is now dead. Patrick Corgan came from Ireland. He was the pioneer school-teacher of the precinct.

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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

The Vancils were early settlers, and a numerous family in Union County in early days. Jonas Vancil, one of the old members of the family, settled in this precinct. He had a son named Isaac, who, from his able faculty of warping and twisting the truth on convenient occasions, eventually won for him the sobriquet of "Lying Ike" Vancil. He talked recklessly and extravagantly, and was considered, as we are told, the biggest liar in the county. His father was a Dunkard, wore long hair and whiskers, and had a thick growth of hair over his entire face. Ike and his father made a trip to North Caro- lina-their native State --- and during the journey, which in those primitive days was necessarily slow, they run out of money, and in order to "raise the wind," Ike exhibited his father, whom he represented as a wild man from the Rocky Mountains, a fact which his long hair and whiskers seemed to war- rant. The "show" was quite successful, and with the funds thus raised they com- pleted their journey.

Ike was full of fun, mischievous as the day was long, and, as an old gentleman said, had the "devil in him as big as a ground- hog " He took it into his head once to scat- ter a camp-meeting (being held in a grove near by) for some fancied wrong. Having caught a full-grown turkey-buzzard, he made a " turpentine ball," and one night when the meeting had reached its most exciting and interesting point, Ike fastened the ball to the buzzard's leg, set it on fire, and turned the frightened bird loose in the midst of the congregation. A few tallow candles very insufficiently lighted the scene, and when the buzzard commenced flopping around among the people, with the blazing turpen- tine ball, they thought the devil had burst upon them, and were worse frightened than the poor birde itself was.

Such screaming,

praying and miscellaneous hollering never before, perhaps, had awakened the echoes of the hills around that camp-meeting ground.

There was a cave in the north part of the precinct, near the county line, and Ike finally succeeded in convincing the people that it was haunted by evil spirits, or occupied by thieves and robbers. He rigged a kind of an arrangement in the cave, by which, by some hocus pocus, he could at will produce a most unearthly and horrible sound. The people one day gathered en masse, armed to the teeth, for the purpose of recklessly invading the cavern and capturing a legion of devils, thieves, robbers, bandits, or, Booth Bell-like. taking in a gang of "mooners." But it is needless to say they were themselves " taken in," when they found how beautifully they had been sold. It is not known whether this man of practical jokes is still alive or not. The last heard of him he was in the vicinity of Carbondale. He was naturally intelligent, witty, a good talker, but almost wholly un- educated. Had his intellect been turned to matters of moment instead of things frivol- ons, he might have made for himself a name long to be remembered among his fellowmen.

The name bestowed upon this division by the County Board was Ridge, from the high ridge extending diagonally through it. But when the railroad was built, and the station of Alto Pass was made, the latter name was given to the precinct, and it is now termed Alto Pass or Ridge Precinct. The produc- tions of the precinct are mostly corn and wheat in the level portions and bottoms, while in the bluff region, the attention of the farmers is devoted almost entirely to fruit and berries. The original voting places were at the houses of Samson Keith and Chris- topher Houser. The precinct is strongly Democratic, and has always been of that color of political faith.

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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

This section has never had many mills -- the pioneer's first public industry. A horse mill was built by John Vancil pretty early. He also built a water mill on Clear Creek, near where Kaolin Station now is. He sold out here, and went up on the bluff and built another mill, which was run by horse-power. These, with a number of saw mills, are all of this industry the precinct has known. There are several box factories, which are kept busy during the fruit and berry season.

The first schoolhouse was built on Clear Creek in the southern part of the precinct. Squire Collins says the first school he remem. bers was taught by Patrick Corgan, a native of Ireland, and it was something like the one described by the poet in the following lines :

" Old Teddy O'Rourke kept a bit of a school, At a place called Clanira, and made it a rule, If learning wouldn't mark the mind, faith, he'd soon mark the back,

As coming down on the boys with a devilish whack.

The precinct now has several schoolhouses of the ordinary kind to be found all over the county, together with an excellent brick in the village of Alto Pass.

There are several church buildings and organized congregations in this section. Beech Grove Christian Church, located on Section 31, was organized in March, 1876, by Elder J. H. Ferrell, who was its pastor until 1882, when he was succeeded in that capacity by Elder J. H. Harris. The church has about forty-four members, and a frame church building erected in 1878, which is 24x36 feet in dimensions. Most of its mate- rial and work was contributed by the mem- bers. A Sunday school was organized the third Sunday in April, with about thirty-five members. under the superintendence of J. C. Gregory.

Union Point Christian Church was organ- ized in 1881, with quite a large membership. The Toledo Christian Church stood in Cob- den Precinct. Many of the members moved away, some died, others lived far from the church; and thus it was finally abandoned, and from its congregation were organized Beech Grove, Cobden and Union Point Churches. The latter has at present some sixty members. Elder J. H. Harris is pastor in charge. They have no church building, but use the schoolhouses. A Sunday school in connection with the church has about sixty children in regular attendance ; D. L. An- derson is Superintendent.

Additional to the churches mentioned above, there is a Baptist Church on Section 26, about half a mile from where Mountain Glen Village was laid out, but never built ; another Baptist Church in the northeast part of Section 9, and a Methodist Church on Section 21, in the central part of the precinct. Of these churches. however, we have been nnable to obtain history.

Village .--- Alto Pass Village was laid out January 20. 1875, by James C. Brickender- fer, and is situated in the southwest part of Section 10, on the St. Louis & Cairo, Narrow Guage Railroad, about ten miles north of Jonesboro. The place was originally called Quetil after an old Frenchman of that name, who lived on the hill near where the Alto House stands. The railroad called the station Alto on account of the lofty altitude of the spot on which it stands, but when the post office was established so much of the mail for this place went to Alton that the word Pass was finally added. A man named John Cor- gan sold goods here thirty-five or forty years ago. His storehouse and residence stood about 100 yards west of Herrell's brick store, on what was then known as the Jones- boro and Brownsville road-the latter place

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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

being at that time the county seat of Jackson County. A portion of the Alto House was a farmhouse. These three houses stood upon the site of Alto Pass when it was laid out as a village.

The first business house built after the the town was laid out was put up by A. K. Ives, a son of Dr. Ives, of Anna, and is the house in which the post office is now kept. Ives kept a small, general store. Spann & Rendleman kept the first store of " huge pro- portions." The post office was established about 1877-78, and H. C. Freeman was ap- pointed Postmaster. He was succeeded by George H. Staton, and he by E. Lameson, the present incumbent.

The present brick schoolhouse was built in 1880, at a cost of about $2,700. The usual attendance is some seventy pupils; two teach- ers are employed. The Baptist Church was commenced in 1879, and is a frame building. Elder Alonzo Durham is the pastor. A Sun- day school is maintained under the superin- tendence of J. J. Anderson.

Alto Lodge, No. 676, I. O. O. F., was in- stituted in 1880, with the following charter members: Rev. A. Durham, J. J. Keith, W. S. Hanners, F. C. Gay and A. J. Rendleman. The first officers were F. C. Gay, N. G .; A. J. Rendleman, V. G .; T. W. Hawkins, Sec- retary; and J. J. Keith, Treasurer. The membership is twenty-five, officered as fol- lows: C. C. Rendleman, N. G .; G. W. James, V. G .; W. S. Watson, R. S .; and A. J. Rendleman, Treasurer.

Alto Pass was incorporated under the gen- eral law of the State in 1881. The follow- ing is the present Board of Trustees: F. C. Gay, President; Willis Rendleman, Clerk; S. H. Spann, Police Magistrate; and Dr. P. McIlvain, C. C. Rendleman, C. Jessen, Hiram Norton and C. B. Holcomb. The business outlook is five general stores, one drug store, one millinery store, one blacksmith shop, two cooper shops, one lumber yard, two hotels, etc., with a population of about 400 inhabit- ants.

CHAPTER XVIII .*

RICH PRECINCT-DESCRIPTION, BOUNDARIES AND SURFACE FEATURES-SETTLEMENT OF THE WHITES-WHERE THEY CAME FROM AND WHERE THEY LOCATED -LICK CREEK POST OFFICE-SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES-CAVES, SULPHUR SPRINGS, ETC., ETC.

" The rocks and hills and brooks and vales,

With milk and honey flow." -OLD HYMN.

R ICH PRECINCT lies in the northeast part of Union County, and is a fractional part of Township 11 south, Range 1 east, in the Government survey-some seven sections having been, in 1881, stricken off in the for- ination of Saratoga Precinct. Some of the finest farming and fruit-growing lands in the

county are found in this precinct. There is a range of bluffs bordering Lick Creek, but beyond these hills to the north and northeast is a fine table-land, unsurpassed in Southern Illinois for its agricultural excellence, and is occupied by a set of thrifty and enterprising farmers. £ Corn and wheat are chiefly pro- duced, but considerable attention is also paid to fruit culture-particularly to apples and peaches. Many farmers, too, devote some attention to stock-raising, a business that is

*By W. H. Perrin.

415

HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

becoming of more interest every year. Horses and mules are bred now quite extensively, and large numbers find their way to the Southern markets annually. The principal water-course is Lick Creek, which flows from northwest to southeast, nearly through the center of the precinct, affording excellent drainage to the section through which it passes. It has but few tributaries, and they are small and nameless on the maps. There are a number of springs which furnish an abundance of water both for family use and

for stock. The original timber was chiefly black and white oak, hickory. poplar. gum, dogwood, sassafras, etc., etc. The precinct is without railroads; the Illinois Central, however, passing within a few miles of its borders. It is bounded on the north and east by Williamson and Johnson Counties; on the south by Stokes and Saratoga Pre- cincts; on the west by Saratoga and South Pass Precincts, and had a population in 1880 of 1.387 souls. When the county was formed into precincts, the name "Rich" was be- stowed on this in honor of George Rich, one of the early settlers, whose house used to be the polling place, where the people exercised their rights of franchise and cast their " un- terrified " votes for the men of their choice.

The settlement of Rich Precinct dates back many years. The first entry of land made in what is now Union County was in Section 33 of this precinct, and was made by one Thomas D. Patterson in 1814. We cannot say what became of Patterson, indeed, we know but little of him anyway, but can say that the land was eventually sold for taxes. Among the first settlers of whom we have any definite information were Zebadee Anderson, James Lilly and a man named Owen. An- derson was from North Carolina, and was a genuine pioneer -as good a citizen as a man ignorant and illiterate could be. When the

railroad was built, believing that his occupa- tion (of hunting) like Othello's, was gone, he sold out and moved to Texas, because, as he said, the road would ruin the country -- would drive all the game away if nothing more disastrous followed. He went to Texas where there was then but little probability of a railroad for the next 100 years, but if liv- ing still, doubtless the iron-horse ha's again disturbed his tranquillity and driven him fur. ther on toward the setting sun. It is not known what year Anderson settled here, but probably it was as early as 1830, or there- abouts. Owen was a man similar in many respects to Anderson. He was related to him, and settled in that portion of the pre- cinct now included in Saratoga. He died before the railroad had a chance to give him a scare, but his sons sold out their possessions here and followed Anderson to Texas in pur- suit of game and wilderness life. Lilly set- tled on Section 21, and was from either Ten- nessee or North Carolina, from whence came most of the early settlers of the county. He is still living, a prosperous and enterprising farmer.

George Rich, for whom the precinct was named, settled here in 1835. He was a rather prominent man in the early history of this portion of the county. His house was an early voting place, and the scene of many a " rough and tumble scrimmage," political and otherwise. Edward Wiggs was also an early settler on Section 34, and is still living, a well-to-do farmer and worthy citizen.

The next settlements were made from 1846 on down to the period when the last of the Government land was entered. Of settlers who came in about this time, we may mention the Brookses, Elmores, A. W. Coleman, John Cochran, William Roberts, Thomas Gallegly, the Hineses, Hopkinses, Thomas Gourley, etc., etc. Tilford Brooks settled on Section 15,

416

HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

and is still living there. Elijah Brooks was his brother and settled on the same section. He is dead, but has two sons still living in the vicinity. William Elmore settled pre- viously to 1850 on Section 17; he died recently, but a son, William B. Elmore, lives upon the same section. The place on which the elder Elmore settled is now owned by Mr. J. W. Damron. Mr. Roberts came about the same time that the Brookses did. He settled on Section 27, and is still living, a prosperous, but somewhat eccentric man. He is said to be morally opposed to voting-be- lieving it to be radically wrong. Indeed, he is a very paragon of sincerity and punctil- iousness, and entertains conscientious scruples against serving as a witness in court, or taking an oath for any purpose. John Coch- ran came before the railroad whistle dis- turbed the cattle grazing upon the surround- ing hills. He settled on Section 28, but at present lives in the vicinity of Carbondale. He was a man of more than ordinary intelli- gence, but was wholly uneducated-a dia- mond in the rough. He represented Union County in the Legislature, in the session of 1852-54; and took an active interest in the politics of the day. He was the first station agent of the Illinois Central Railroad at Anna. but bis services were finally dispensed with, owing to his incapacity for the busi- ness. He was a popular man, and could have been elected President of the United States if such an honor could have been conferred by Union County. Gallegly settled about the time Brooks died, and entered a part of Section 34. He is still living, and is a man highly respected, a thrifty farmer, and a good citizen, and Township Treasurer for several years. The Hineses and the Hopkinses are a numerous family, and settled here about the time the Brookses came. Gourley bought out Anderson, and is one of the wealthiest men

in the precinct. He came in about the time of building the railroad, and is still living, a respected and thoroughly enterprising man.

The foregoing comprises a brief sketch of the settlement of Rich Precinct, but doubt- less many names have been overlooked which are entitled to honorable mention. This, however, is not the fault of the historian, as the most diligent inquiries have been made to collect the names of all of the early set- tlers, together with pioneer incidents and facts of interest pertaining to the early set- tlement of this immediate locality. The carving of a home in the forests of Rich Precinct was a herculean task, and one from which most of us would shrink at the pres- ent day. Wolves and panthers were plenty here when the whites first came, and roamed in undisputed mastery. Provisions, except game, were scarce, and were procured with difficulty. None of the luxuries, and few of the comforts of life could be obtained during the first years, and miserable cabins were the only shelter of the people who settled the precinct. Truly, their lives in those days were not pleasant, or in the least enviable.

The nearest approach to a village in Rich Precinct is Lick Creek Post Office. It com- prises a store, post office, a mill, and, per- haps, half a dozen dwellings. The first store here was kept by Mangum & Gourley. They have been succeeded by Gourley & Son, who have a large store, and do quite an ex- tensive business. A post office was estab- lished here many years ago, and Gourley was the first Postmaster. Charles Gourley is the present incumbent. This, with the mill and a shop or two, comprises the busi- ness.

Union Lodge, No. 627, A., F. & A. M., was organized in 1866, with the following char- ter members: John Gardner, Master; Edwin Wiggins, Senior Warden; Jesse Roberts,

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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

Junior Warden; and James Brooks, A. L. Penninger, William A. Roberts, Henry C. Anderson and Thomas Hines. In 1872, in connection with the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, on Section 34, a large two-story frame building was erected, the lower por- tion for church purposes, and the upper story for a hall. The cost to the lodge was $700 in building, and $100 in furnishing it. They have about thirty members, and Edwin Wiggins is the present Master.

Evergreen Lodge, No. 581, I. O. O. F., was instituted in 1876, with the following charter members: A. L. Penninger, Isaac M. New- ton, J. C. Cook, Evans Stokes, John T. New- ton and F. E. Scarsdale. The first officers were: A. I. Penninger; N. G .; Isaac M. Newton, V. G .; J. C. Cook, Secretary, and F. E. Scarsdale, Treasurer. The lodge met at Masonic Hall, four miles northeast of Saratoga, until 1882, when it took possession of a new hall at Lick Creek Post Office, where it still flourishes, with a membership of abont thirty. The present officers are as fol- lows: Matthew Brooks, N. G; W. M. Murphy, V. G .; W. Gibson, Secretary, and Joseph Kirby. Treasurer.

The subject of education received the early attention of the settlers of the precinct, but it is not certain now who taught the first school, nor the date. It is believed that the first schoolhouse built was the one near A. J. Mangum's, on Section 34, but which has now disappeared. There are some four or five schoolhouses in the precinct. and while they are more comfortable, perhaps, than those in which the pioneers went to school, yet they are scarcely up to the standard of school- houses of the present day; nor does it seem that education receives that meed of atten- tion which its importance demands. Schools are taught in each district yearly, but the

terms are usually shorter than in most other sections of the State.

Rich Precinct is well supplied with church facilities. Fellowship Christian Church is one of the oldest in the precinct, and was organized before the war, by Elders Treese and Elmore. It became almost extinct at one time, and about 1869-70 it was revived under the preaching of Elders Fly and Reed. The regular preachers have been Elders Treese, Elmore, Fly, Reed and Walker. Elder Reed is the present pastor. They first worshiped in the schoolhouse, but about eight years ago they built a log church where they now hold services. A Sunday school is usually kept up during the summer months.

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History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, Part 52

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago, Ill. ; O.L. Baskin & Co. Number of Pages: 948

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, Ill. ; O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 948