History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, Part 53

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 53
USA > Illinois > Pulaski County > History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois > Part 53
USA > Illinois > Alexander County > History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois > Part 53

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).

Liberty Christian Church, on Section 6, was organized in 1861-62. with about a dozen members, who lived in this settlement, but belonged to the old Union Christian Church, and on account partly of their re- moteness from it, and partly on account of political differences, this church was organ- ized, and has since continued to gain steadily in strength until now it has seventy-five members. Most of the original ones are dead. The Church was first organized in the Culp Schoolhouse, and among the early pas- tors were old Father Hiller, the first expo- nent of the Christian Church's doctrine in this part of the State. When the school district was divided, the church was re-organ- ized at the present place by Father Hiller and Elder Reed, the former being the first pastor of the new organization. The church and school together erected the house, which is used by both. Elders Winchester. Phelps, Walker and Smalley have all preached to the congregation. Elder Reed is the present pastor: a Sunday school is maintained dur- ing the summer.

Mount Hebron Cumberland Presbyterian Church on Section 13, was organized in 1870

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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

At that time there was but a few members of that faith in the community. Rev. Jordan, then of Anna, came out, and the people erected a brush arbor, and he preached to them, and organized a church with some eighteen mem- bers. He preached until 1880, and since then Rev. John H. Morphus, now of Anna, has administered to them. The present membership is 24. In 1879, the members built a neat hewed-log house 24x36 feet. A Sunday school was organized in 1880, with about sixty members, and with Joseph H. Montgomery as Superintendent.

The Cumberland Presbyterian Church, which now worships in the neat temple on Section 34, was originally organized in the Barringer Schoolhouse, about eighteen years ago. by Rev. Mr. Davis. There was but a small membership, among which were Larkin Brooks and wife, Benjamin Keller and wife, Thomas Gallegly, Elizabeth Roberts, D. Lattimer and wife, L. Lattimer and wife, James Proctor, Marshall Coleman, etc. They held services in the schoolhouse for some years, when it was burned, then during the following summer they worshiped in a grove where the schoolhouse had stood. A log church was built soon after, just across the road, where the Union Hall now stands, which served them until, in connection with the Masonic fraternity, they built the Union Hall, some ten or twelve years ago. The church meets in the lower room of this build- ing, and the Masons in the upper story, and thus, they "dwell together in unity." -

Liberty United Brethren Church was or- ganized in 1873, with about thirty members, by Rev. W. Quickley, who was its pastor for about two years. Rev. S. G. Brock was the next pastor, and was succeeded by Rev. Joseph Simpson, and he by Rev. D. Gray. Rev. R. Powell came next and was succeeded by Rev. J. L. Miller, the present pastor, who

has been with the church for three years. The present membership is 50; a good sub- stantial frame church, 30x40 feet, was erected about seven years ago. A Sunday school was organized soon after the church, and has now about eighty in attendance. It is usually discontinued during the winter.

Union German Baptist Church was organ- ized in the spring of 1882, by Elders John Wise and John Metzger. They have no. church building, but hold their meetings mostly in private residences, and in the El- more Schoolhouse. Elder George Landis is the present minister in charge. The original members were about a dozen. and the church is flourishing for a new organization.

Among the natural curiosities of this neighborliood, is a cave on the old Lilly farm, now owned by George Hines. It is in the sandstone rock, the entrance to which is at the base of a high bluff, rising from Lick Creek, and is covered by bushes so dense that the chance. passer-by would not be likely to discover it. The opening to the cave is so small it can only be entered with difficulty. When once inside, the explorer finds himself in a cavern some 30x50 feet. with ceiling six or seven feet high, and a floor of very hard clay. Leading from this cavern is a small passage- way, which, like a certain one in the great Mammoth Cave, might be termed the "fat man's misery," for it can only be traversed by "snaking" it, that is, laying down and crawling some twenty feet, when another cavern is reached, about half as large as the first. From this, many others branch off in different directions, and these again divide into many others, fairly honey-comb- ing the earth for a large space. Many of these rooms or apartments are rather beauti- ful, and innumerable stalactites are pendant from the ceiling, clear and transparent as icicles. Through the second cavern flows a

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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

stream of pure, clear water, and beside it tbe temperature remains the same the year around. Bear tracks in the hard clay of the floor are plenty, and as plain as if freshly made, instead of being made years ago.

There are many springs in this portion of the county, which are believed to possess medicinal properties. Besides the one at Saratoga village, described in another chap- ter, there is another in this precinct, about half a mile from Lick Creek Post Office, in a low. flat piece of ground near a branch of Lick Creek, and the water is very similar to the Saratoga spring. Dr. Penoyer bought the land on which it is, about the time his hopes were highest in regard to making a fortune at Saratoga. He never did anything toward improving this spring; the land was mortgaged and afterward sold. It now be- Jongs to the H. Miller heirs, and the spring remains as nature left it.

But few mills have ever been built in this precinct. In the early days of improving this section, the people had mostly to go to other neighborhoods for their breadstuffs. A horse mill was erected a good many years

ago on the Cochran place, which is said to be the only mill ever in the precinct, until the erection of the steam mill at Lick Creek Post Office. The latter is both a grist and saw mill, and does a large business.

The precinct is as well supplied with roads as any portion of the county. but this is not saying much, when we come to compare the roads and highways with more level sections of the State. With as much stone as there is in Union County, there might be, with comparatively trifling expense, excellent turnpike roads, at least, between all im- portant points. Nothing adds so much to the prosperity and importance of a country as good roads and highways of travel, with substantial bridges spanning the streams. As Rich Precinct has no railroad, it should devote all the more time, attention and money to its wagon roads. A good turnpike road to some eligible point on the Illinois Central Railroad would soon pay the people for building it, in saving the wear and tear of wagons and teams, as well as in many other ways.

CHAPTER XIX .*

STOKES PRECINCT-TOPOGRAPHY AND BOUNDARIES -- COMING OF THE PIONEERS - THEIR TRIALS AND TRIBULATIONS-MILLS AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS-MOUNT PLEAS-

ANT LAID OUT AS A VILLAGE-CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, ETC., ETC.

" God made the country and man made the town." -COWPER.

S1 YTOKES PRECINCT is a fractional part of Township 12 south. Range 1 east, Sec- tions 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 17 and 18 having been stricken off in the formation of Sara- toga Precinct a few years ago. It is bounded

north by Saratoga and Rich Precincts, east by Johnson County, south by Dongola Pre- cinct, west by Anna Precinct, and by the census of 1880 it reported a population of 1,220 inhabitants. The surface is rolling and uneven, and along the water-courses quite broken and hilly. The principal streams are Cache, Cypress and Bradshaw

*By W. Il. Perrin.

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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

Creeks, and a few other small brooks of no significance, except as a means of drainage. Cache Creek, the most important stream, flows nearly east and west through the cen- ter of the precinct, receiving as a tributary Bradshaw Creek, which empties into it in Section 16. Cypress Creek passes through the southwest corner into Dongola Precinct. The timber growth was originally poplar, oak, walnut, hickory, gum, dogwood, etc. Stokes is entirely without railroad communi- cation, and must haul its produce to the Illinois Central. It is a good farming region, and can boast of some of the best farms and most enterprising farmers in the county. Corn and wheat are the principal crops: considerable stock is also raised, mostly horses and mules. Sheep would do well here, but so far, little attention has been paid to raising them as a source of profit.

The Stokes family is supposed to have been the first white people in what is now Stokes Precinct, and for them the precinct was named. The progenitor of this numer- ous family was John Stokes, who came from Kentucky, and who was not only an early settler here, but one of the early settlers of the county. He is believed to have come to this region about 1810-11, settling in Sec- tion 24, a neighborhood which has always been known as the Stokes' settlement. The name is not yet extinct in the community, by any means. Matthew Stokes, a son of John Stokes, represented the county in the Lower House of the Legislature in the ses- sions of 1846-48. He was a man of more than ordinary intelligence, a good farmer, and an honorable citizen. He died about two years ago, sincerely regretted by a large circle of friends. Other members of the Stokes family were Jones, Evan, John Allen and Thomas Stokes. The Standards and

Thomas Gore came about the same time the Stokeses did, and were from North Carolina. The Craigs, the Bridges, Swinton Gurley and D. W. Gore came a few years later.

John McGinnis, an Irishman, born in Ten- nessee, came to the county soon after Stokes, and settled near him on Section 27, where he opened up a farm. He died several years ago, but has numerous descendants still liv- ing in the county. He was the first black- smith in the precinct. John Bradshaw came very early, and was from Tennessee or North Carolina. He took up a tract of land in Sec- tion 9, which is included in the present pre- cinct of Saratoga. He was a prominent farmer, and his house was the voting place for that section of the country ; also the "muster place " for the annual drilling of the "Cornstalk " militia, and the scene of many of the primitive sports, including fist- fights, knock downs, whisky-drinking, etc. His children are mostly dead, or have moved away, but Bradshaw Creek perpetuates the name of the family. John Pickrill came here about 1835, and was from Tennessee. A man named Sivia, from Tennessee or Ken- tucky, was among the early settlers. A son, John F., now lives in the neighborhood and is a thrifty farmer. Philip Corbett settled on Cache Creek in an early day, and has two sous still living there who are prosperous and growing wealthy.

Among the very early settlers was Caleb Musgrave, who came from North Carolina, probably as early as 1820. He kept an inn near Mount Pleasant, which was the general stopping place between Jonesboro and Vienna. For many years, he was Postmaster and a "' star route " contractor. He is dead, and most of his descendants are dead or moved away. Thomas Boswell settled in the eastern part of the precinct between 1835 and 1840 and is still living. Dr. F. E.

Morgan Stokes

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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

Scarsdale, from Ohio, came rather early, and is still an enterprising citizen of the county. G. W. Penninger settled in Section 30. He was in the Mexican war, and in the late "discussion " between the States ; has been a County Commissioner and a prominent man generally. A brother, William Penninger, is also an influential citizen. J. M. Toler, and several others of the Tolers-all from North Carolina-settled in Section 29. The family has not decreased in numbers, and now comprises one of the most numerous in the county. Peter Verble was an early settler in the southwest part of the precinct. The Verbles are also a numerous family in this section.

The only regular negro settlement in the county is in this precinct. Arthur Allen, a wandering son of "Afric's golden strand," was among the early settlers here. He has gathered around him a number of his people, thus forming quite a colony of the "bone of contention " between the North and the South.

But the settlement of the precinct grew and increased, until all the unoccupied lands were taken up. Families came in so fast that further record of their settlement can- not be made with certainty. It was hard living for years after the white people took possession of the country. Wild game fur- nished them meat, but other " eatables " were not so easily obtained. Mills were of the rudest kind, and to go ten and twenty miles to a horse-mill was not uncommon.

The first road through the precinct was from Jonesboro to Vienna and was probably laid out about 1815. The old Elvira road touches this precinct. The Mount Pleasant and Golconda road was laid out before the Illinois Central Railroad was built, and was once quite an important thoroughfare.

A number of saw and grist mills have been

erected in the precinct since its first settle- ment. John Stokes built a saw and grist mill on Cache Creek more than fifty years ago, and has long since passed away. Calvin Beard and J. Throckmorton put up a saw mill very early, on land now owned by the Yost heirs. A grist mill run by horse-power was built by Durley on the land owned now by John McLane, a mill much patronized by the early settlers. Peter and Tobias Verble each put up horse mills, and afterward added machinery for making flour. Peter Verble, Sr .. put up a water mill on Big Creek, which ground both wheat and corn.

Mount Pleasant Village was laid out in the year 1858 by Caleb Musgrave and Abner Cox, but never amounted to much as a town, and but few lots were sold. It is located on the southwest quarter of Section 23 and the north- west quarter of Section 26, and the plat was filed for record April 9. 1858. It consists of a store, post office, saw mill, a church and a few residences. The land upon which the town was laid out was entered originally by the father of Abner Cox, who came from North Carolina with Caleb Musgrave. The first store was kept by Thomas Boswell on his farm before the town was laid out. A man named Black opened a store in Mount Pleas- ant, probably the first, and was subsequently succeeded by Leavenworth & Little. Mr. Stokes took charge of it in 1869, and oper- ated it for eight years, and then sold it to John Brown, and some time after it was burned. Mr. Stokes then erected ą two-story brick storehouse, and together with J. W. Ramsey carries on a large, general store; the upper story is used as a public hall.

Calvin M. Beach was a pioneer school teacher of the precinct. J. H. Samson was also an early teacher. The precinct is sup- plied with comfortable schoolhouses in each neighborhood. where competent teachers are

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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

employed to instruct the rising generation. The precinct is well supplied with churches, and if the people are not religious it is their own fault. In the early days, the pioneers erected a number of board tents on Section 19, and there held camp meetings until about the year 1850, when the Presby - terians put up a log cabin on the same site. and which is still known as the "camp- ground." The first members of this organi- zation were George Hileman and wife, John Hileman and wife. James Lingle and wife, William Standard and wife, Daniel Standard and wife, Woods Hamilton and wife, James Alexander and a Mr. McAllen and wife. In 1878, a frame church was erected, 33x46 feet, at a cost of $1,500. A hall was added as a second story, in which public meetings are sometimes held. It was at one time occupied by a Grand Lodge. The church organization now numbers about 100 members, under the pastoral care of Rev. John Morphes. An active Sunday school is kept up, of which Mr. L. T. Lingle is Superintendent.

A cemetery was laid off adjacent in 1854, on the land of George Hileman. The first persons buried there were a son and daugh- ter of his in 1836, nearly twenty years before it was laid out as a cemetery.

The Musgraves. Coxes, Boswells and Beards organized a Universalist Church, prob- ably the first church formed in the precinct. The log cabin used as their place of worship

now stands on Morgan Stokes' farm. Revs. Calvin Beard and Harris, a native of Mis- souri, used to preach here.

A Baptist Church was organized south of Mount Pleasant very early, and was desig- nated Cypress Church. Among the early mem- bers were Swinton Gurley, Jesse Toler, John Kotrux, John McGinnis and Rev. John Walker.

Rev. William Standard organized a Presby- terian Church on what is now the farm of F. M. Henard. In this building, a famous pioneer temperance lecturer named John Lit- tlejohn organized quite a flourishing society. Thomas Boswell was then operating a distil- lery in the vicinity, and although, in that day, whisky-making was not looked upon as such a disreputable business as it is at the present day, yet Mr. Boswell was con- vinced of the "error of his ways," shut down his distillery, and became an enthusi- astic temperance worker. Many of the in- habitants were exceedingly hostile to the society, and being incensed at Boswell for closing his gin-factory, it was feared that Mr. Littlejohn would be foully dealt with in going to Jonesboro after giving his first lect- ure here, and to prevent violence many of the new temperance converts accompanied him on his way as a body-guard. No indig- nity, however, to the honor of the people be it said, was offered him, and he reached his destination in safety.

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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

CHAPTER XX.

SARATOGA PRECINCT-ITS FORMATION AND DESCRIPTION-TOPOGRAPHY. PHYSICAL FEATURES, ETC .- EARLY SETTLEMENT-THE WILD MAN OF THE WOODS-MILLS-SARATOGA

VILLAGE -SULPHUR SPRINGS -AN INCIDENT - ROADS AND BRIDGES-SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, ETC., ETC.

rTo define the shape of Saratoga Precinct. and give to it a technical name would puzzle an expert. Its boundaries might very aptly be described as "lying around loose." It was formed in September. 1881. as a matter of convenience to the "sturdy yeomanry" who preferred casting their votes elsewhere than going to the distant polling places as had been their wont. It contains twenty seven Sections or square miles, and was taken, respectively, from the precincts of Rich, Stokes, Anna and Cobden, and is bounded, geographically. by these divisions of the county. The surface is generally hilly and uneven, but well adapted. notwithstanding, to agricultural purposes. The land is drained by Cache and Bradshaw Creeks, and their small tributaries. The former flows in a southeast direction, a little to the south of Saratoga Village, while the latter passes northeast of the same place, and after pass- ing through Section 32 turns to the south- ward, and empties into Cache Creek in Sec- tion 16 of Stokes Precinct. The timber con- sists, principally, of black, white and scrub oak, gum. hickory, sassafras, dog-wood and a few other common growths. It is a part of Township 11 south, Ranges 1 east and 1 west, and Township 12 south, and Ranges 1 east and 1 west, being, as already stated, a part of four different townships.

Mr. D. Dillow, if not the first. is certainly

the oldest settler now living in Saratoga Precinct. He is eighty-six years of age, and came to the county with his father when but sixteen. Not only has he passed his four- score years, but he has lived in the county threescore and ten, the Scriptural span of human life. His grandfather came from Germany, and his father, Peter Dillow, came to this county about the year 1813, and set- tled near where the insane asylum now stands. He and his sons assisted in clearing the site of Jonesboro and in laying out the town. When Mr. Dillow grew to manhood, he married and located near the present village of Cobden, and helped to cut the first timber for the first house erected there. Shortly afterward, he removed to where he now lives. He opened a farm, but was also a great hunter, and is said to have killed more than five hundred deer. besides numerous other and smaller game "too tedious to mention." When he settled in this neighborhood there were but few families living here, among them the Vances, and George and Jake Wolf. These families founded the first church, it is said, in the county. It was of the Dunkard faith, and the old church house stood on the road between Anna and Saratoga.

An incident is related of Mr. Dillow which is somewhat as follows : It is told of him. that years ago he was looked upon with awe and superstitious wonder by many of the old settlers of the county. Some believed him

* By W. H. Perrin.

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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

allied with witches and in communication with the powers of darkness. He was an expert marksman, and could knock out the center at as great a distance as any man in the com- mnnity, but he was never allowed to " shoot for the beef " or the " turkeys," or to handle the gun of any of the participants, lest he might bewitch them. He wore his hair long anl it hung upon his shoulders, straight, and black as an Indian's. He went upon hunting excursions barefooted and bare- headed-his only companion his trusty rifle. It was upon one of his hunts some thirty or forty years ago that he played the part of the " Wild man of the Woods, " to the excited imagination of a young man-a recently im- ported physician named Hacker, who had lo- cated at Saratoga. He (Hacker) was just out of college, and came to the West with head filled with romances of the wilderness. In company with a young friend, he set out from his father's home in Jonesboro to visit an ac- quintance at Saratoga, a short time previous to locating at that place. As they pursued their way, he entertained his companion with stories of wild men and wild women, who were supposed to live in the forests of the great West. Suddenly looking toward a high bluff, he espied the old man Dillow standing upon its summit leaning upon his long rifle, and in his picturesque hunting garb, the breeze flowing his long black hair around his shoulders. Believing him to be one of his wild men of the woods, he dashed off' in a galop, and rode up to him and began to pour forth his wonder in strains more vol- nble than intelligent. The old man gazed at him with a "bland and childlike simplicity " and amazement. and then suddenly exclaimed; " What yer take me fer, a damn fool?" turned and stalked away, leaving the young man feeling considerably like a fool himself. It was some time before he could be made to re-

alize that Dillow was not a veritable wild man of the woods, but an honest old pioneer of the county.

Mr. Dillow, though past his fourseore years, is in indigent circumstances and com- pelled to labor toward his own support. He owns a small farm just north of the village of Saratoga, and upon this he lives and man- ages to work out a support. He sent three sons into the late civil war, but neither of them came back to cheer the father's heart. He is old and worn out, and the sands of life are almost exhausted. But a little longer and he must immigrate to a new country-a country from which none ever come back to tell what it is like.

John and William Murphy were very early settlers in the present precinct of Saratoga. They came from Tennessee, and John settled on Section 8, taking up 100 acres of land, and afterward purchasing some 200 acres more. He died about four year ago, and the place is now owned by Isaac Sitter. He was a plain farmer, uneducated, could not write his own name, but was public spirited and an ardent friend of public schools. His brother, William Murphy, came about the same time and settled on Section 9, locating a tract of land on Bradshaw Creek. He is still living upon the place of his settlement and is a prosperous farmer. He possesses many of the characteristics of his brother, and like him is uneducated, but is energetic and enterprising, and gave his children good educations. Henry Culp, from Logan County, Ohio, was an early settler near the village. He was of the Dunkard faith, like many of the early settlers. He has a son still living in the county.

From North Carolina came Moses Miller and Solomon H. Sitter, and settled here early. Miller accumulated considerable landed property. which has been divided

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HISTORY OF UNION COUNTY.

among his children, most of whom are mar- ried and living around the home place. He is still living and is well-to-do. Mr. Sitter settled on Section 6, and is also living. He was in that part of the precinct taken from Stokes, and is a large land owner, one of the wealthiest men in this portion of the county. His father lived near Anna at the time the first settlements were made in that sec- tion. A man named Owen was an early settler here, but is more particularly mentioned in the history of Rich Precinct.

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History of Alexander, Union and Pulaski Counties, Illinois, Part 53

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