USA > Illinois > McLean County > Normal > History of Bloomington and Normal, in McLean County, Illinois > Part 2
USA > Illinois > McLean County > Bloomington > History of Bloomington and Normal, in McLean County, Illinois > Part 2
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But the saddest trouble of all was the malarial sickness of the carly times. Nearly every family was afflicted, disease and death being faced by all who ventured to remain in this country in the early days when the prairie sod was being broken and subdued. After the prairie land was mostly improved, which brings us down as late as 1855, the health of the settlements grew better, and for the last twenty-five years there has been comparatively little malarial disease.
During the period that elapsed from 1822 to 1827, Fayette County had jurisdie- tion over all the territory now within the present limits of MeLean County, and on north as far as the Illinois River. Vandalia, the county seat, was over one hundred miles distant. Blooming Grove could exert but little influence in so large a district, and its inhabitants urged the formation of a new county. For many years, the only official in all this region was Mr. William Orendorff, who was commissioned in 1825. by Gov. Coles, Justice of the Peace of Fayette County. His jurisdiction extended almost indefinitely toward Wisconsin. The distance to Vandalia was so great that very few of the settlers ever visited the county seat, unless it was on business of the utmost impor- tance. There was one important State election while our pioneers were residents of Fayette County-that of 1824.
At this election, there was great excitement on the slavery question. On its result depended the calling of a convention which would make the introduction of slavery possible, and by a close vote it was decided in favor of freedom. The sentiment of Blooming Grove was unanimously for freedom. The canvass of 1824, in the older settled portions of the State, was exceedingly bitter and animated; but, in the natural course of events, people in a neighborhood which had only been settled two years could have had few opportunities for being acquainted with the politics of the State of which they had so recently become citizens.
The population of Illinois increased from 55.000, in 1820, to 157,445 in 1830, an addition in ten years of 200 per cent. Population was then most dense on the Ohio River and along the Mississippi in Southern Illinois. All of Northern, Western, and a portion of Central Illinois, was in the possession of the Indians, of whom those in the northern part were hostile, or in a quasi-hostile condition. When our pioneers arrived here, the Indians intimated plainly that they preferred to have no white men north of the Sangamon River. North of the Illinois River, the settlers did not dare to locate ; and, from 1820 to 1830, the region of Central Illinois was almost debatable ground, only occupied by the most daring and hardy pioneers.
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These pioneers flocked in rapidly, and took up the most desirable locations along the edge of the timher, holding every inch of ground once occupied, going forward with improvements and making homes for themselves and their families, giving this settlement, in the course of the few years during which we have watched its development, the name of being one of the best regulated of any in the State, and of possessing a remarkably enterprising population.
Fayette County was evidently too large to be convenient, and, in 1826, it was divided, Vermilion County having been erected in that year, including the territory now under consideration. No wonder that this division was called for, when Vandalia, the county seat of Fayette County, was distant over one hundred miles. No wonder that the first couple married on the Mackinaw dispensed with a license, and in its stead posted notices of their intention and called on a Justice to perform the ceremony with- out the authority of the too great county of Fayette! Blooming Grove, for one year was in Vermilion County, though very little county business was transacted during that year by citizens living in this locality.
Blooming Grove contained about six thousand acres of the very finest timber to be found in the West. Nearly every acre was covered with tall, heavy trees, while the soil was of unrivaled fertility. It has been remarked, frequently, that nowhere in this State is there to be found such . a large body of rich timber-land, as the general character of the soil, which is covered with a natural growth of trees, is not of the best for farm- ing purposes. The sudden development of this beautiful grove is shown by the fact that, in 1827, it was the happy home of no less than twenty families of industrious, well-behaved settlers, most of whom were surrounded by all the actual comforts, even if they lacked most of the luxuries, of life.
These families formed at Blooming Grove a very important settlement, and began to be restive under the jurisdiction of Fayette County. In 1826, Vermilion County was formed, and its territory seemed to include the eastern part of what is now McLean. Our settlers, however, had little to do with either Fayette or Vermilion County, and it is difficult to state the exact condition of affairs during this year. The records of the State Department at Springfield show that the most of the territory of McLean County was included in Vermilion County in the year 1826 ; but we find from a careful inspec- tion of the official records of Fayette County that during the year 1826 this portion of McLean was recognized as being within the limits of Fayette. The old settlers state that their being included in Vermilion was some kind of a "fraud," and that they never were properly citizens of the latter county. It is an historical fact that Fayette claimed jurisdiction here down to the time of the organization of Tazewell County in 1827, and also that our citizens recognized the demand, and hence we do not see much force in Vermilion's " technical " claim. It appears that at the March term of the Fayette County Commissioners' Court in 1826, it was "ordered that all that part of the county north of Township Seventeen (17) shall compose an election district, to be known by the name of the Orendorff Precinct, and the election therein to be held at the house of William Orendorff, in said precinct ; and further, that William Orendorff, John Benson and James Latta be appointed Judges of Election of the same precinct." An election was held on the 7th of August, 1826, and, on September 4, at the County Court, the proper fees were allowed these judges, and also to the clerks of the election-William See and William H. Hodge " in State paper at two for one." William Orendorff was
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allowed his fees for returning the election to the county seat at Vandalia-125 miles- at the rate of 10 cents per mile, also " in State paper at two for one." The records uf this county do not show that our settlement had any county business until 1825, when Joseph B. Harbert was appointed Road Supervisor, and these few entries which we have given are all the items of business that appeared to be of any interest to the inhabitants of Blooming Grove, who were so far removed from the county seat. It is interesting to note how large a district was comprised within the " Orendorff Precinet " organized by the above-mentioned order of Fayette County. I included the northern portion of the present county of Macon, most of DeWitt, Piatt, Melcan, and, in fact, a strip of country of the same width from east to west in Fayette County, and extending north as far as the Illinois River, or to the Wisconsin line, in Fayette County, was generally understood at that time to include all the territory between its southern boundary and the northern line of the State. It would be of great interest could we give the list of voters who attended this first election, but the papers have been lost or mislaid.
The records show that James Allin was one of the Fayette County Commissioners from 1822 to 1825, and judging from the frequency with which his name appears, he must have been a valuable member. He thus acquired influence and position, and when he moved to Blooming Grove at a later date, he was, of course, well known to our leading citizens. The books of the Circuit Clerk's office at Vandalia do not show that n single case of either criminal or civil action ever appeared there from this settlement, neither do the records give any evidence of the recording of deeds or mortgages. As the land-sales had not then taken place, there could, of course, be no use for such records. There are a few records of marriages, the last one being that of Jacob Spawr to Eliza Ann Trimmer, who were " published," no license having been asked for, and they were married by William Orendorff December 30, 1826. Blooming Grove, it appears, became known at the county seat in rather a vague and indefinite manner, but was too remote to receive much attention, 125 miles being too far even for those pioneer days. Fayette County was destined to be subdivided, and in its division our territory was to undergo several important changes of jurisdiction.
In the year 1827, the county of Tazewell was organized, and the career of Blooming Grove while under its control will form our next chapter.
BLOOMING GROVE IN TAZEWELL COUNTY.
When the new county of Tazewell was organized, in 1827, Blooming Grove wax its most important settlement. We find its inhabitants had now no cause of complaint, as they were among the most influential of the leading citizens. The records of Taze well County show that its first County Commissioners' Court was held April 10, 1827, at the house of Mr. William Orendorff. This Court consisted of James Latta, of Blooming Grove ; Benjamin Briggs and George Hittle, from other parts of the county. Of the new county's first officials, John Benson was Treasurer ; Thomas Orendortl, Coroner ; and W. H. Hodge, Sheriff-all of Blooming Grove. The next meeting of the Court was held at the house of Ephraim Stont, at Stout's Grove, and the first piece of probate business transacted in the new county related to one of the residents of Blooming Grove-Mrs. Benjamin Cox.
Among the pioneers of Blooming Grove, we find no one more worthy of men- tion than Mrs. Benjamin Cox. Her husband had come here in 1825, had purchased
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of John W. Dawson an improved claim with a log cabin ; had returned to Ohio for his family and died within a few weeks after his return. His widow, the mother of eight children, determined on emigrating, and with this large family braved the dangers of the long road, and arrived at Blooming Grove, September 23, 1826. When we consider the difficulties which the stoutest men encountered at that day, the bravery of this lady entitles her to the front rank among our pioneers. April 25, 1827, we find from the Tazewell records, Mrs. Felina Cox, widow of Benjamin Cox, was appointed guardian of Aurelius, Benjamin, Nancy and David Cox, with William Orendorff and William Walker as securities in the sum of $1,800. Mrs. Cox came here when Indians were plenty ; when only the bravest men had courage to penetrate into this wilderness, and she deserves to be mentioned among the heroines of Illinois.
The first blacksmith on the south side of Blooming Grove was a man of the name of Dow, who came in 1829. The neighbors turned out and built him a shop, rejoicing at now being able to obtain blacksmithing near their homes. Mr. Dow only remained a short time. The first stock of goods was kept by Mr. Black, in 1828 or 1829, at the house of Mr. William Orendorff. The first shoemaker seems to have been Mr. Will- iam Orendorff, who frequently made and mended shoes for his neighbors, who would gather corn or do some other farm work for him in payment. The first blacksmith and earpenter work was accomplished in the same manner by the more ingenious of our pioneers, as during those early times, the mother of invention, " necessity," was ever present to stimulate all to deeds and works the actors hardly supposed themselves capa- ble of performing. In fact, this statement is true even in these times, when our states- men, our generals and our capitalists arise from the most humble surroundings, brought to perfection by necessity, or in other words, by the genius of our free institutions.
Mr. William Orendorff was made Justice of the Peace in Tazewell County, and filled the office for many years. Judging from the early records he married a large number of young couples. He married the first couple that wedded in this region after Tazewell was organized, Abram Hobbs to Elizabeth Evans, June 25, 1827; Miss Evans was a daughter of the William Evans who afterward settled in what is now the city of Bloomington. The same year, he married Amos Lundy to Susannah Copes, August 16, and the next year, on the 1st of January, 1828, John Kimler to Mary Cox. The lat- ter were residents of Blooming Grove, as were John Cox and Elizabeth Walker, who were married March 18, 1828. October 23, 1828, James Hodge was married to Minerva J. See. All these were married by Mr. Orendorff, who seems to have carried on a lively business. Blooming Grove was gay with weddings in those times-as James Benson married Polly Hinshaw, November 16, 1828; while January 1, 1829, Henry Miller married Temperance Evans, daughter of William Evans. This last was a real Bloomington wedding, the first, probably, that ever occurred within the present limits of the city of Bloomington. The bride of that day, now Mrs. Jane Whitcomb, is still living at Old Town, in this county. Three more weddings took place in the year 1829-Richard Grass to Elizabeth Maxwell, William Maxwell to Mrs. Elizabeth Hobbs, and James Walker to Jane Brock. Within a little over two years, we thus find there were eight or nine marriages of Blooming Grove couples, indicating a degree of enterprise that has not been surpassed by any of the later inhabitants.
June 25, 1827, it was ordered that a new voting precinct, to be called Blooming Grove, be formed of all that part of the county, east of Range 3, and north of Town.
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22. This voting precinct was therefore thirty-six miles from cast to west, and extended from the south line of Bloomington Township, to the northern line of Tazewell County on the north. The first election was held at the house of John Benson. and the first Judges of Election were E. Rhodes, Henry Vansickle and William Orendorff. This immense territory was erected into a road district, and Joseph B. Harbord was made Road Supervisor.
The first grand jurors from Blooming Grove Precinct were William Orendorff, John H. S. Rhodes, William Walker, L. Hurst, Peter McCullough and William Gil- ston, whose names were drawn August 7, 1827. From this time until the year 1831, when the new county of MeLean was organized, the residents of Blooming Grove trans- acted county business at Mackinaw, the county seat of Tazewell. only about twenty miles away, and the transition from the far away county seat at Vandalia was found most convenient and agreeable. There was, in those days, but little business to be attended to, but it was promptly despatched. We find that the first road in this region was laid out in 1827, from " the upper point of Kickapoo and Salt Creek, to the northeast corner of' Blooming Grove, thence to the Dry Grove, thence to Mackinaw to the east end of Main street." This was the first legal road in Bloomington.
One of the great difficulties of the pioneers, was the want of mills for making flour and meal. Most of the streams of this region are liable to go dry in summer, and were always a poor dependence ; but at this carly time, very few good mills had been erected in this vicinity. It was no uncommon thing for teams to go to mill all the way to Attica, on the Wabash, in Indiana, distant 120 miles, or to Perryville, 110 miles. They often went to the Sangamon, over 50 miles, to the Kankakee, 70 miles, and to Green's mill, on the Fox River, above Ottawa, over 60 miles. When Whistler's mill was built on the Mackinaw, in Tazewell County, it was considered quite a convenience, although over 20 miles from Blooming Grove. Various were the expedients for dis- pensing with these long trips. One of them was pounding corn in a piece of hard wood, hollowed out on the principle of the pestle and mortar, and another was the horse- mill. These mills were erected in nearly every settlement ; one being made here, a hand- mill, by Ebenezer Rhodes, in 1824, and one in the winter of 1830, a horse-mill, by Isaac Baker. The mill-stones were common " nigger-head " stones, from the surface of the prairie, held in a frame in such a manner, that a horse traveling in a circle would set them in motion. After the wheat was ground, the flour was separated from the bran by sifting it through a bottom of two cloths, by which the flour was separated. It was rather a wasteful method, and very slow, but it generally happened that the flour thus obtained made good bread. Possibly our modern " new process " flour, from the best Kan- sas wheat, tastes less sweet to our palates than did the home-made article of fifty years ago. Crushing corn, however, was the principal work of these mills. Small water- mills were constructed, wherever there was an opportunity ; mostly, however, at a later day. There was even one on Sugar Creek, near the present city of Bloomington, built by Samuel Lander, which did good service for several years, but later than the time of which we are now speaking. It stood but a short distance below the old Pekin road, and the old dam is still to be seen. A mill was built on the Kickapoo, and several on the Mackinaw, but the settlers, in 1829, longed for a reliable steam-mill that would never go dry. All these difficulties were met, however, by a cheerfulness peculiar to these pioneers. They were almost surrounded by Indians, of whose friendship they
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were never sure, being, in fact, in one of the frontier counties of the State, Woodford not yet being organized, the territory of Tazewell extending to the Illinois River, north of which was the disputed ground, where, in 1831 and 1832, Black Hawk's bands roamed and massacred at will, and the public mind was in constant alarm from rumors of anticipated outbreaks. There were also bold and venturesome settlers scat- tered along the groves and creeks of Woodford, at this time citizens of Tazewell, and also a few in the Vermilion timber, in what is at the present time in Livingston County, but who were, at this date, included in the county of Tazewell. We shall see, in a short time, that at a later period Blooming Grove and its neighbors raised a company of rangers for sixty days' service on the frontier of McLean, who, under Capt. J. H. S. Rhodes, performed good service from the head of Mackinaw to the Vermilion, besides hearing of more important work in the Black Hawk war.
Our settlers were occupied in not only securing an education for their children, in clearing and fencing farms, raising food and obtaining clothing, but they were compelled to think of their defense against a common enemy, and we need not wonder that their lives were anxious and laborious. We are surprised that they found time to participate in the Presidential elections of 1824 and 1828, which took place during this period. Tradition informs us that the voters were generally Jacksonians-even as late as 1832, only six in the county having voted for Jackson's opponent. In 1824, the State gave two electoral votes for Jackson, and one for Adams, and the indignation of citizens in this part of the State knew no bounds when the election of Adams was proclaimed. In 1828, the vote was for Jackson, with little opposition except on State and minor officers. Elections in those days were different from what we have seen in later years. People voted for men, and not as much for measures. Party lines hardly existed, or if they did, the State was so strongly Democratic that opposition was confined to a choice of candidates. Nomina- tions were not made by conventions until in later times. . Men became candidates and ran for office on their merits, and the result, perhaps, was about the same as now, though the means for accomplishing it might differ. To vote against a candidate par- took of the nature of a personal affront, and many of the contests were peculiarly bitter and aggravating. Offices were sought for with as much avidity as at present. In the formation of new counties men saw opportunities for new offices as tempting, no doubt, for their honors as we have seen them in later times for their emoluments.
The center of population and influence was in the Orendorff neighborhood, about four miles southeast of our city, where, at William Walker's house, Mr. Allin opened a store late in 1829, where there was, as early as 1824, a log schoolhouse, and where, from indications, it was thought, as early as in 1826, quite a village might one day be built. Blooming Grove was, in 1827, well settled as a farming neighborhood. It was surrounded on all sides by a belt of farms, some of them quite large. all of them valued highly by their owners. These owners had most of them built comfortable log houses, had con- structed many miles of rail fences, and had broken and cultivated a large area of prairie- land. They were employed, as were all the pioneers of the day, in subduing nature, but with it all they were social and happy, having a care for the morals and education of their growing families, and making for the times one of the pleasantest settlements in the new and growing State. There was in the neighborhood more than the usual amount of warm-hearted friendship and neighborly affection. All were equal in social state and dignity. Fashion was not then the inexorable goddess we are accustomed to meet in
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these modern-perhaps we may add-these degenerate days. Our pioneers were proud to be attired in home-spun, woven by the busy housewife of the period, while such a thing as a carriage or buggy was unknown in Blooming Grove. Husbands went to church on foot ; their wives rode the horses, carrying with them such of the children as were too young to make their way by walking. If the good wife was clad in a calico of durable texture and fast color she was as happy as the fine ladies of to-day robed in vel- vets and sealskins. The religion of the times favored a very rigid and severe adherence to plain and unadorned attire, making, as it would almost look to us, rather a virtue of a necessity, although a few years later, when the rapid accumulation of wealth rendered display a matter of easy accomplishment, we shall find large numbers of the pioneers, from motives of principle, refraining as carefully from any vain show or unnecessary orna- ment as they did in the primitive times of which we are now writing.
For neighbors, the Blooming Grove farmers had the settlers in Randolph's Grove, Dry and Twin Groves and Funk's Grove, voting in the same precinct with most of them at first, while they knew all the inhabitants along the Mackinaw, from its head to far below the old town of Mackinaw, in Tazewell County, with which county, it must be remembered, they were attached until a year after the period we are now discussing. The families at Cheney's Grove were also neighbors and friends, while people living in Macon and Sangamon Counties were almost as well known as those "around the Grove." Young women then thought nothing of a walk of five or six miles to make calls, while for visit- ing, a ride of thirty miles over the prairie was as easy as one could wish.
The early pioneers, those who came previous to October, 1829, could not obtain a legal title to their farms, as the General Government did not offer the land here for sale until October, 1829. Before this time all the land was held by " claims." The settlers had an agreement among themselves by which they allowed a man to " claim" about as much timber-land as he might need, generally not over 160 acres, upon which he might build his cabin and make his other improvements; and woe unto the speculator or new-comer who should attempt to " claim " land already occupied by a bona-fide settler. Blooming Grove was nearly all taken by these claimants before the land came into market, and some of the prairie adjoining was, of course, taken in the same manner. These claims were bought and sold, the purchaser coming into possession of the improvements together with whatever rights were considered as appertaining thereto. Many quarrels ensued from this state of affairs, though we do not find that Blooming Grove was the scene of any difficulties of much note.
When the land-sales came off in October, 1829, at Vandalia, there was a gathering of pioneers from the townships offered for sale, at which no speculator was allowed to purchase until all settlers had made their selections; rather a high-handed proceeding, as it would now appear, but one which was justified by the condition of the infant settlements.
The records at our Court House show that John Hendrix entered the first tract of land in the Grove, October 9, 1826 ; but as he purchased the adjoining eighty on the 9th day of October, 1829, at which time the land all came into market, there is almost a certainty that the first record is an error, and that he bought both pieces at the same time in 1829.
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