USA > Illinois > McLean County > Normal > History of Bloomington and Normal, in McLean County, Illinois > Part 4
USA > Illinois > McLean County > Bloomington > History of Bloomington and Normal, in McLean County, Illinois > Part 4
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" It was such unremitting care and exertions, which, in the course of a few years gave this settlement a start that made it out of the question for any neighboring towu to compete with it, and made it eventually a point to be aimed at by railroads which have now made Bloomington one of the thriftiest and best business places in the State.
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"It must have been a proud day to Mr. Allin to meet so many old friends and neighbors, not one of whom bears the slightest grudge against him, and to listen to such eloquent and appreciative tributes to his life-long public spirit. With all his opportuni- ties for building up a large fortune. Mr. Allin's valuable lands slipped from his hold in one way and another, to parties who could not or would not pay much for their lots, until, when property came to be really valuable, he had little left to sell. He, however, acquired a comfortable competency, so that his old age is pleasantly passing in the midst of a community he took such pride in drawing together. A more grasping man would have so hesitated to sell property that settlers would have been driven away ; and a less honorable man, if he had made more money, would have had fewer friends in his old nge. Bloomington owes a debt to Mr. Allin which it can never repay."
WARS AND RUMORS OF WARS.
The pioneers of Blooming Grove could muster about fifteen able-bodied men as early as 1526, and formed the nucleus of a military company, over ready for service against the Indians, and for mutual protection if needed. The Indians were friendly, but scarcely trusted, hence wisdom and prudence required constant watchfulness. The danger arose from the fact that the Winnebago Indians, in the northern part of Hlinois, were treacherous and hostile, and might at any time embroil the friendly Kickapoos and Delawares of Central Ilinois. In 1827 occurred what is called the Winnebago war, when the company at Blooming Grove, under Capt. J. H. S. Rhodes, came out. with other troops that responded to the call of Gov. Reynolds, and, to the number of fifteen, went as far as Peoria ; but the difficulty was adjusted without their aid. The Black Hawk war and its many incidents will be treated more at length in other portions of this work.
During the years 18H. 1845 and 181, the people of Illinois were greatly enraged by the actions of the Mormons, who, to the number of 15,000, occupied Nauvoo, making that the largest city in the State, controlled it by their ellers, and, for quite a period, kept the whole of Hancock County under the power of their own government. The Governor twice called out troops to quell the disturbances, and, at one time, the Mormons displayed such powers of resistance that the residents of Bloomington began to make plans for volunteering to assist the State; but, fortunately, there was no call for many troops from this side of the Illinois River.
But when President Polk. in May, 1846, issued a proclamation calling for volun- teers for the Mexican war, which was then raging, fixing the quota of Illinois at four regiments, the patriotism and warlike spirit of Bloomington were at once aroused. Vol- unteers flocked here from all quarters, and, with those who enlisted from this village, took a prominent part in the events of the Mexican war. Their exploits will be found given more at length in the history of McLean County, where Bloomington's share will be included in the county's record. The war for the Union will be mentioned but briefly in this work. it being more recent than the events this book was intended to describe
THE FRONTIER SERVICE
We have stated that the carly settlers of Blooming Grove found Kickapoo Indians here, who, under their chief, Ma-shee-na, were always friendly to the whites. Though at first they used some threatening language, they never committed any disturbance.
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As late as 1831, these Indians had mostly left, though they appeared occasionally, traversing the country in all directions. One family seems to have been living in Bloomington after the location of the county seat.
McLean was a frontier county up to 1840, as the settlement of the State was pro- gressing from the south toward the north, where the Winnebago Indians and others were less friendly than those in this region. The streams flowing to the Illinois in what is now Woodford and Marshall County, had a few settlers, while portions of Livingston, included in McLean till 1837, were beginning to have a few pioneers along the groves and bodies of timber skirting the Vermilion River, Rook's Creek and other streams. Not a single settler was ever killed by Indians in McLean County, so far as we have been able to learn, a fact that is quite remarkable when we consider the ordinary fatality of the frontier settlements through the United States.
But while our settlers were thus fortunate, they did not pass unheeded the calls from others less happily situated. When the Black Hawk war broke out in 1832, Bloomington and the surrounding country sent a whole company of volunteers, under command of Capt. Merritt L. Covell. A. Gridley was First Lieutenant, M. Baldwin, Second Lieutenant, and there were in all fifty-six men. Each man furnished his own horse; gun, clothing and accouterments. These troops took part in what was known as Stillman's defeat, above Dixon, in what is at present Ogle County. But one man was killed from this company-Joseph Draper. A full report of all that happened on this expedition is published elsewhere in this work, and we will be content with a statement of facts in relation to the Indian troubles which have not been before presented to the public, but which have been gathered recently from survivors, and are here given for the first time.
When the troops from Tazewell and McLean Counties had returned to Ottawa and were there building a fort for the protection of the settlers, supplies arrived from Pekin and points on the Illinois River. Word was received that the people at Bloomington were talking of building a fort, and that there was general alarm along the Mackinaw and through the whole region from which the troops had enlisted. It was thought that the Kickapoos might have been tampered with by emissaries from Black Hawk, whose great success on the Rock River had, of course, emboldened him greatly. And no wonder that our volunteers were excited. They had left home, a short time before, fully persuaded that their own wives and little ones were safe; and now to learn that there was danger in their rear, they were tremendously agitated. All the best horses and guns of the settlements, with the most resolute warriors, were thus absent from the point of danger, and the case looked desperate. Rumor, perhaps, slightly exaggerated the trouble ; but, even at this time, with a full knowledge of the actual risk from the treacherous Indian nature, it looks as if these men had the best of reasons for their actions. Thirteen of them, headed by David Simmons, who is now living in Blooming- ton, determined to return home and guard the settlers, although their time of enlist- ment had not expired, and they ran the risk of being called deserters. Besides Mr. Simmons, we have the names of Bailey Coffee, Clem. Oatman, Isaac Murphy and James K. Orendorff. On the second day after their start from Ottawa, they arrived at Bloom- ington, where they were met by the whole population and received with a perfect ovation of gratitude and thankfulness. Those men afterward all received honorable discharges, their action having been considered right and proper, even if a little unmilitary. In a
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few days, the balance of the company returned from Ottawa, and, in the mean time, authority had been given for raising a company of rangers for service ou the frontiers of MeLean County for sixty days. A fort was built near the east end of Mackinaw Timber, at Mr. Henline's, where the settlers living in what is now Lawndale, Lexington and Money Creek were in the habit of assembling for safety. The company of rangers made this fort their headquarters, and patrolled the region north, Indian Grove, Rook's Creek, Vermilion Timber, and all places where the inhabitants were unprotected. Capt. John f. S. Rhodes was the commander, though Capt. Covell is given by some authorities as the chief officer. Volunteers also turned out who were not attached to the company, and Capt. Covell, fresh from Indian warfare, may have taken his turn at this service without having been mustered. A short time after this, a whole battalion was made up in this region for military drill, and of this regiment Capt. Covell was made Colonel, and he was after that made a General of militia. Owen Cheney was a Major in this regiment, and A. Gridley, Adjutant. Gridley was, at a later day. chosen Brigadier General of militia, and his title has properly followed him to this day.
The company of rangers did good service in guarding the frontier from Ottawa to the Mackinaw, though even at the time, opinions of the best informed were divided as to the real danger to be apprehended from the Indians. Probably, in this case, the thorough preparations made by our energetic frontier soldiers prevented a general massacre, and thus advanced the public interests and kept the settlements from suffering and distres. Even as it was, quite a large number abandoned their homes, preferring to be on the safe side of a doubtful question, some of whom never returned to the county. There were about fifty men in this company, most of whom were raised in Bloomington, Stout's Grove, and Old Town Timber.
By the latter end of summer, all danger of Indian troubles had vanished, as Black Hawk was captured, his bands broken up, and peace restored to our frontier-never to be disturbed by hostile Indians, though of wars and rumors of wars our pen must again make mention.
BLOOMINGTON IN 1831.
Bloomington has the name of being the best built city in Illinois, and it boasts a society as cultivated, as agreeable and as brilliant as any in the West. In the matter of buildings-business blocks, especially-it is undeniably the superior of anything in the State outside of Chicago; but as to its social charms the question may not be so suscep- tible of demonstration. We who live here can at least make our claims, leaving others to settle their accuracy. We are content to reside in Bloomington, resting well satisfied with our surroundings, which, we may remark, are such as foster the social ideas we have mentioned. We can see that there are sound philosophical reasons for our boasts in the matter of good society. We know that it is reasonable to indulge these feelings, when we consider that Bloomington. for fifty years has absorbed good society from the East, the North and the South. We can see here representatives of the best society of at least twenty different States-the cultivated sons and daughters of a dozen European nations. These have made their homes here, bringing with them manners and cus- tomis as various as their differing nationalities. How natural that there should grow up a social system called from the best of the different standards? How easy to form thus a model for future generations ? Here we find the courtly Southerner-the careful Easterner, and the thrifty New Yorker, meeting in one social family, and the
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result would naturally be what we claim-a new society more pleasant than either, with the best social ethics of all, mingled in one common fountain from which flow the ele- ments of the best society in the land. Fifty years of this mingling process may be too short to perfectly illustrate its capabilities; but in the course of time there can be no doubt Bloomington will be able to exhibit its best effects. Our " best society " is even now undergoing the transformation which is to make it in the future one of the most enjoyable communities in the land. Our space is altogether too limited to illustrate further what we have hinted at; but the careful reader will perceive before we are through that we indicate a great variety of sources from which may proceed this cosmopolitan good society to which we have made reference.
On the 4th day of July of 1831, there was at Bloomington an auction sale of the town lots which had been donated to the county, when William Orendorff acted as ane- tioneer. This sale was quite satisfactory, and from its proceeds the first county build- . ings were erected. We will assume that Bloomington's baptism occurred at that date. On the 4th day of July, 1881, we shall call Bloomington just fifty years old, and we hereby make a motion in favor of holding a grand celebration"on that fiftieth anniver- sary. How the assembled multitude, July 4, 1831, would have stared could they have seen at that early day, what we gaze at daily unmoved-the elegant Court House that now graces the public square ? Suppose Mr. Allin had been able on that occasion to visit our Court House dome and view its present surroundings, what a sight would meet his wondering eyes ? Or, suppose one of us could then have stood where we should obtain a full view of the sights that were visible, what surprise and delight we should manifest ? We should have seen, as before stated, the beautiful town site, smooth and free from buildings, as staked off by Dr. Baker, into lots, blocks and streets, covered with waving grass and dotted with beautiful prairie flowers of many hues, all in the full beauty of the early summer. To the south, in front, would be the bright, green wall of tall waving trees-Blooming Grove-the finest piece of timber in Central Illinois, slightly marred and cut by the axes of the first settlers-Evans, Allin, Dimmitt, Tolli- ver and Maxwell-whose cabins could some of them be seen from the town site; while Mr. Allin's store and residence combined, which still stands as a part of the dwelling of Dr. Stipp, would be the most prominent object in the foreground. We should hear the bystanders all talking of the new county of MeLean-of its new county seat-and wondering what the future might have in store for their adopted homes-or, possibly remarking upon the influx of emigrants that were stopping in their rich and promising district. We learn that emigration was pouring into McLean with the most wonderful rapidity, and that this stream increased until the year 1836. From all we can now ascertain, it appears that in 1831 the population of McLean must have been nearly two thousand. At the election the previous year, 385 votes were polled in its territory, and in 1835, the county contained 5,000 people. A short time after the sale of lots in 1831, there were about one dozen families residing within the present city limits of Bloomington, which, added to those we have before mentioned as being established in the township of Bloomington-but living in Blooming Grove-made a population of perhaps three hundred persons.
Those who were living in the present city limits of Bloomington during the year 1831 are the following: Rev. James Latta, Dr. David Wheeler, Dr. Isaac Baker, William Evans, Henry Miller, David Trimmer, Solomon Dodge, James Allin, John
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Kimler, Mr. Greenman, James Tolliver, John Maxwell, and in the fall, Benjamin Haines These were all heads of families, and there may have been a very few more at Little now Major's Grove. We should also include the families of A. Deatherage and Robert Guthrie, living there. In addition, of single men, there were William MeKisson, Will- iam Dimmitt, William Evans, Jr., Samuel, William and John Durley. A. C. Wash- burne, A. Gridley and Merritt L. Covel. This indicates a population of about eighty within the present city limits during the first year of the existence of the new town, and we find it well started on its forward career.
From the first, as will be seen by what is now well known of the character of the early pioneers, Bloomington was fortunate enough to possess a good class of residents There were very few of the temporary " floating," "moving," irresponsible emigrants so often found in new towns. Nearly every one who arrived came to stay, a statement that speaks well for the young village. Bloomington has continued an attractive place for strangers down to the present time, and is well spoken of all over the State. No doubt the city owes much of its past and present prosperity to the fact of always having possessed a good reputation, an illustration showing that a good name is better than riches. In the year 1831, very little could be said of the business of Bloomington There was a beginning here, little more. The new county of MeLean had been orzan. ized, its machinery set in motion ; the town of Bloomington had been platted, lots sold, a few houses built, and several families established ; but there was little that could be called a town. The future contained great possibilities for the new place, even if the present witnessed the realization of but very little.
Of the carly settlers, we will mention a few. though we regret that our space will not permit notice of others equally worthy. Mr. William Evans emme to this county in 1825, and settled southeast of Bloomington. The great hurricane of JJune 27, 1827 broke down his timber and appeared to have ruined his corn crop. Mr. William Oren- dorff gave him five acres of young corn, which, with the unexpected good yield of his own, made Mr. Evans a fair crop, and enabled him to harvest 100 bushels of corn, this being what he had agreed to give Choney Thomas for his " claim" to a tract of land where the city of Bloomington is now built. In 1828, Mr. Evans built his log cabin, on a piece of ground between Grove and Olive streets, near the present residence of J. S. Roush. He afterward built a good honse at the same location, and here he spent his days in peace and happiness, made wealthy by the advance in the value of his farm. He died in 1868, at the age of ninety-two years. Mr. Evans was a man of good habits, one of the best men of the good old times. He was the first settler in the territory now known as the city of Bloomington.
Mr. William Dimmitt owned a tract adjoining Mr. Evans, and was one of the pioneers of Bloomington. Though several houses were built before his improvements were made, he became one of the best known of our old residents, his career covering fifty-two years at one place. His death is very recent, and we will quote from the Pontagraph of January 21, 1879, an article in regard to this pioneer :
" Mr. William Dimmitt, one of the pioneers of Blooming Grove, settled at the north edge of the grove in 1827, on the very land where he died, February 19, 1879, having made his home here four years before the town of Bloomington was established. He was born in Virginia, and moved, when a boy, to Alleghany Co., Maryland, in 1797. His father was English, his mother American born. In 1825, Mr. Dimmiu removed
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to Illinois; remained the first summer at Danville, and came to McLean County in 1826. He made a claim at the west end of Old Town Timber, in 1826; but when the hurricane of June 27, 1827, leveled the best part of his trees to the ground, he became discouraged, abandoned the place, and made arrangements to move to another location. Mr. William Evans had purchased (of Cheney Thomas, according to some accounts) a claim where the city of Bloomington stands, including, in part, what is now the territory running from the cemetery north as far as Dr. Wakefield's. Mr. Dimmitt bought a claim in 1828, next adjoining this on the east, being, in part, land lying between the Illinois Central Railroad and Mr. Evans'. He became a farmer, though, as he was not married until 1833, he had no house on his land for some years. Dur- ing the first few years he worked, as did the pioneers, at whatever was to be done, but could make little headway until the year 1829, when he went to the lead-mines at Elizabeth, Jo Daviess Co., Ill., where he was remarkably fortunate, and returned with $600-a large sum of money for those times. The lead-mines, then, were to an early settler what California has been in later days. It was where Isaac Funk sold the cattle of this region, and where he and others took droves of hogs for the miners. With this sum of money Mr. Dimmitt was able to pay for his farm-130 acres-and he was at once in good circumstances. His land became quite valuable, as soon as the county seat was located at Bloomington, a few months after the Deep Snow of 1831, but he never was in any hurry to accept of the offers of that early time. In 1848, he made an addition to the city, followed by others, until, in all, he has made six additions. He always kept track of the advance in the value of real estate, rarely selling before it was prudent or wise, and has been considered one of our wealthy citizens. His homestead has never been sold or transferred since it was patented to Mr. Dimmitt by the United States Gov- ernment, and it is the only tract in Bloomington of which this can be said. Mr. Dim. mitt went with the Bloomington volunteers to the Black Hawk war in 1832, and on the expiration of the thirty-days service, the last of which was performed at Ottawa, in building a log fort for the protection of the settlers, he came home to Bloomington. He enlisted in the company raised immediately after his return for frontier service in McLean County, served the sixty days of its enlistment, going to Vermilion River, in what is now Livingston County, to Rook's Creek and Indian Grove, it being then all a part of McLean, and spent a good deal of time near the east end of Mackinaw timber, where, at Mr. Henline's, there was a rough fort for the safety of the pioncers in that neighborhood.
" Bloomington's oldest pioneer has thus passed away, and his mantle has fallen upon the one that next arrived in our corporation, though we are just now unable to state who it may be. Mr. Dimmitt has enjoyed that distinction since the death of Mr. Evans, sev- eral years ago. He was always a good citizen, quiet in his manner, never ostentatious, and has acted well his part in life.
" He married Mary Ervine forty-six years ago; and together with his wife, saw as much of real pioneer life as any of our early settlers. During the whole of this long and eventful life, death has not once entered his family, as all the children are now living still in this or neighboring States. He leaves a widow and a large circle of children, grandchildren, connections and friends to mourn his loss."
W. H. Hodge was the first school-teacher in the village, living at the time two miles south, on his farm. The schoolhouse stood near the crossing of Main and Olive
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streets. Mr. Hodge was an active citizen, having held several of the most important offices in this and Tazewell County at different times. Amusa C. Washburne arrived in 1-31, and opened a school here in December of that year, in a building near the corner of Main and Olive streets Mr. W. was one of the most consistent and active Christians of the place ; a Presbyterian ; was the first Secretary of the MeLean County Bible Society, in 1-31, and always an earnest worker in the cause of his Master Ile was one of eight members who, in 1932, organized the first Presbyterian Church. The first Methodist sermon preached in Bloomington is often stated to have been at the house of John Canads, October 9, 1831 ; but as this house was outside of the village, it will be necessary to state it was in Blooming Grove, if we follow out the division of territory we have hitherto given. We have seen that the first Methodist sermon in Blooming Grove was delivered by Rev. James Stringfield, in 1923. Probably seured of sermons were preached in the Grove by Methodist eitenit- riders, between 1523 and 1831. There may have been a church organized, though we can find no record of one till 1932. In 1838, Blooming Grove and Bloomington were nuited in one circuit, from which the inference is plain that a church organization existed previously at each place
It appears that between the time of the location of the county seat, in the early part of the year 1831, and the time of the sale, July 4, there was a gradual gathering- together of people who intended to cast their lot in the new town, and after that event, before the end of the year, there were quite a number of new-comers. There was one blacksmith here the first year. David Trimmer, and one wheelwright, Henry Miller, who was a son-in-law of William Evans. Mr. Miller also made and repaired spinning-wheels ; he had the first turning-lathe, though this last was as late as 1835.
The first store has already been mentioned as having been James Allin's, in what is now Dr. Stipp's residence. Here, at the place designated in the act organizing Mclean County, in one end of the house, the first Circuit Court was held by Judge S. D. Lock- wood. Mr. Allin had, shortly after, a store on the northeast corner of Main and Front streets. Gen. Gridley's store was on the opposite corner, where is now the Melan County Bank. There was soon a business house on each of the other corners, and hence this locality became the center of trade and influence. It was many years before any other part of the city was of any importance in a commercial point of view, and this will be known as the historic center of Bloomington. It is also the geographical center, as the first charter specifies that Bloomington shall extend three-quarters of a mile north, south, east and west of the northwest corner of Front and Main streets. The city limits have been extended several times since; but these extensions have been made irregularly, or, rather, unequally on the different sides, so that this corner is not, strictly, the geographical center of the Bloomington of to-day. On the northeast corner of Front and Main was built the first brick store in this city. It was created in 1539. by James Miller, and is still a very fair structure.
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