History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois, Part 20

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : O. L. Baskin
Number of Pages: 758

USA > Illinois > Montgomery County > History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois > Part 20
USA > Illinois > Bond County > History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois > Part 20

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It lies in the northeast corner of Bond Coun- ty, and is bounded on the north by La Grange Precinct and Montgomery County, on the east by Fayette County and Mulberry Grove Pre- cinet, on the south by Mulberry Grove Precinct and Greenville Precinct, and on the west by La Grange Precinct. It is well watered by nu- merous small streams, the most important of which probably is Zion Creek, which rises in the northern part of Section 10, and flowing first south and then directly west, leaves the precinct in the southwest corner of Section 19. Its most important tributary is the Dry Creek,

which, rising near the center of Seetion 30. Township 7, takes its course a little west of south, and enters Zion Creek in the southern part of Section 19, uniting with it about a mile from where it leaves the precinct. A number of other small brooks and rivulets flow through various parts of the precinct, rendering the rich soil still more productive, and very little artificial drainage necessary.

At one time this precinct was known as "Dry Fork " Precinet, but in 1857 or 1858 the voting place was changed from Sutton Hast- ing's, where elections had previously been held, to what is now Newport, and at the same time the name of the precinct was changed to " Zion," in honor of the old Zion Church and camp-ground.

The early settlement of Zion Precinet is very interesting, it being one of the first-settled pre- cinets in Bond County. Sutton Hastings came in from North Carolina early in the year 1818, the same year that Illinois was admitted into the Union as a State. Two years later (in 1820), Daniel Moore and family, also from North Carolina, came and settled in Section 19. His father, Philip Moore, came at the same time. He raised a large family of boys, all of whom are either dead or have left the precinct. In 1817, Horatio Durley came from Kentucky, and in 1819 he entered about one thousand acres of land, a part of which is the farm now owned by James H. Moss. Mr. Durley was considered a very wealthy man. He ran the first horse-mill in the precinct, about 1820. It

* By T. J. Riley.

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ZION PRECINCT.

was a grist-mill, but at that time was used mostly for grinding corn ; it was located near where the old Enloe place now is. A family named Stubblefield came in 1818, and in Au- gust of 1819 John Stubblefield entered the farm now owned by Jolm Griggs. Daniel Griggs came from North Carolina in 1825, and settled in Seetion 31. He was accompanied by his brothers Samuel and Richardson, both Bap- tist ministers, and Bolin Griggs, another brother, who at present resides in Section 4, and is the oldest man in the precinct (ninety-two years old). There was a large family of Griggs, and numerous descendants at present reside in Bond County. Prior to the war of 1812, a man named Truitt came from Kentucky, and settled on what is now known as the " Old Kline place," but about the time of the war the In- dians became so bad that he was compelled to leave, and he returned to Kentucky. He after- wards returned to Illinois, and lived until his death near Edwardsville in Madison County, where he became quite a prominent man, and accumulated considerable wealth.

The Diamond family came from South Caro- lina in 1820, about the time the Watsons came. The father, John Diamond, was a very old man, and deserves especial mention, from the fact of his having been a soldier in the Revo- lutionary war. He died soon after removing to this precinct, and was buried in the " Old Dia- mond Graveyard," near Zion Spring, in the northwest corner of Section 29. His son Rob- ert lived in the precinct until his death, which occurred in 1850. He was a very old man, and has three brothers still living in Arkansas. William W. Moss came in 1835, and located in Section 21. llis son, James H. Moss. came with his father, and also settled in same sec- tion. He at present resides in Section 30, and is considered one of the best, most industrious and responsible citizens in Zion Precinct.

On the " Old Kline place " there is an im- mense spring, known as "Zion Spring," and

when the earliest settlers came to this region, a widow, named " Clarey," and her sons, occu - pied a cabin near this spring. She is said to have come from Kentucky, though nothing definite concerning her can be learned. She must have been a courageous woman, however, to brave alone the dangers and perils of the wilderness. Alex Glenn came from North Caro- lina about 1828, and located in Section 17. He was, for many years, a Justice of the Peace, appointed by common consent, to settle the grievances of the settlers of this region. Thomas Kline came with Glenn, and settled in Section 30. His widow at present resides in the village of Newport. William Hunter set- tled near the Cross Roads, in 1820. He was the first Methodist minister in this section of the county ; and was a very popular and good man, and very highly respected. Hugh Wat- son also came in 1820, from North Carolina and entered the land on which the village of Newport now stands. His son Wilson, who died last summer, was about the first merchant in that town. Daniel Moore came from North Carolina in 1825, and settled in Section 31 His widow, Jennie Moore, who is now more than eighty years of age, at present resides with her daughter, Mrs. Henry Hill, about four miles west of the town of Greenville. It was at her residence and at the residence of Sutton Hastings that the first Methodist preaching in Zion Precinct was held. Asa Oliver came from Tennessee about the year 1830, and settled on Section 29. John Griggs came from North Carolina in 1829, and located on Section 30. Lemnel Scroggins came from the same State in 1833, and settled in Section 17. Three or four miles north of the village of Mulberry Grove, a Frenchman, named St. John, kept a trading post, which was established prior to the year 1816. Some of the first white settlers used to haul furs and skins from that place to Cahokia. Another Frenchman, named La Croix, lived near St. John, and also dealt in furs. When

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HISTORY OF BOND COUNTY.

horses belonging to any of the settlers strayed away, they were sometimes taken up by the Indians. In such cases the settlers would em- ploy these Frenchmen to recover them, by giv- ing such rewards as they could afford. A few years subsequent to this time, settlers came in so fast that it is difficult to keep trace of them.

The first church built in this precinct was the "Old Zion Church," reference to which is made elsewhere. It was built on Section 19, about the year 1828 ; was a log building twenty-four feet in length, by twenty feet wide. It was built facing the south, and on the west side was an immense fire-place. The only win- dow in the building was on the east side, and was sixteen feet feet long, and two panes of glass in width. It had puncheon floors, and the congregation was accommodated with seats up- on slab benches, made by splitting a log in two and putting peg legs in each end. In 1833, the camp ground was cleared off, and regular camp meetings were held there until late years. About 1840, the old log building was torn down and a neat frame church, twenty-four by thirty- six feet, was built in its stead, at a cost of about $500. In 1861, the society, which was of the Methodist denomination, removed to Newport, the Zion Church was torn down, and a new edi- fice erected in that village, which they now oc- cupy. Among the original members of this church were Robert Stewart and wife, Philip Moore and wife, Rev. William Ilunter and wife, Arthur Sherrad, Asa Oliver, Jane MeCracken, Eli MeCracken, Ephraim McCracken, and Dan- iel and Jane Moore.

In 1881, the Free Methodists built a church on the camp-ground, on the site of the " Old Zion " Church. It is a frame building, forty- two feet in length and twenty-eight feet in width. On the site of the Zion Camp Ground, there is at present a cemetery, where repose the last remains of many of those who, in an early day, attended meeting on that same spot. Schools were taught in the precinct as soon

as there was sufficient population to support them, but where, when and by whom the first schools were taught, we are now unable to state. They were of the primitive pioneer pat- tern, being constructed of logs and having either puncheon floors or no floors at all. The advancement made in the schools in this pre- cinet is observable, however, in the number of good, comfortable, commodious school-buildings which may be seen there to-day, in which schools are taught for the usual term each year.

The village of Woburn was first called New- port, but on account of there being another post office of the same name in the State, the name was changed to Woburn. In this section, it is more generally known as the Cross Roads, the name it bore in early days. It was laid out by John Ilughes, of Virginia, who owned the land, about the year 1856. The first store was built and run by William Harper. The first Postmaster was A. W. Watson. His father, Hugh Watson, ran the first blacksmith shop. John Hughes was the first miller, and Abraham Jarred was the first wogon-maker. Dr. Har- nady first administered to the ailments of the settlers in this precinct. The first mill of any importance in the precinct, was erected here in 1866. It was a saw-mill, but was afterward purchased by the Moss Brothers, who took out the saw-mill and put in two run of buhrs for grinding purposes. These brothers run the mill for several years and finally sold out to Porter Mckay, who, after running it about one year, sold out to J. W. Daniels and William Davidson. These gentlemen, after continuing the business for some time, sold the mill to its present owner, George Force, and at present it is doing a fair business. Melton Phillips was the first shoemaker. At present there are about 150 inhabitants in the village; two stores, one run by Joseph Isley and the other by Eugene Enloc, who is also the present Post- master; three blacksmith shops, doing a good business, though Thomas White has the best

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ZION PRECINCT.

trade. Dr. Poindexter is the present doctor, and has the best practice of any physician who ever did business here.

The Protestant Methodist Episcopal Church was organized here about the time of the laying- out of the village, through the influence of Samuel Glenn, of North Carolina. He and his wife had been members of this church in North Carolina. His family formed the nucleus around which this organization formed. Their first minister was Rev. William H. Collins. Among the first members were Samuel Glenn, wife and two daughters; Thomas Kline, wife and two daughters; Mrs. Thomas Enloe and Mrs. Joseph Washburn. The society at first had no church, and for several years worshiped at the houses of the members, and afterward in the schoolhouse. In 1871, a church building, forty feet in length and twenty-eight feet in width, was erected, at a cost of about $1,400. At present, the membership, which has been as high as forty, numbers but nineteen. The present minister is Rev. Edward Bache, and services are held semi-monthly. A flourishing Sunday school is at present held in the church under the Superintendency of Saburn Mid- dleton.

The United Baptist Church, commonly called " Liberty Church," was established about 1856. The first minister was Richard Keel. Among the first members were Richardson, Samuel and Bolin Griggs, James Elam, Gabriel Jett and wife, and Charles Messenger and wife. At that time there were only eight members, all told. Samuel Griggs and James Elam were the first Deacons. Their first meeting was held at the house of Gabriel Jett, and afterward at the res- idences of the several members, until in 1859, when they erected their present church, which is a frame building thirty-six feet long and twenty-six feet in width, and cost about $600. ,

In this building, Richardson Griggs preached the first sermon, and was succeeded by Samuel Griggs, who is the present minister. The Dea- cons are R. S. D. Roberts, Joseph Bigham and Anderson Elam, and the Clerk is R. B. Griggs. The membership is at present 215. Regular services are held every third and fourth Sab- bath, and prayer meetings on the first and sec- ond Sabbaths in each month. The first Sunday school was established in 1860, with John Fisher as Superintendent, and at present a large and flourishing Sunday school is conducted here.

The Church of God in Christ, or Christian Church, was organized at Newport in 1859. They experienced considerable difficulty in es- tablishing a church, but through the exertions of Jonathan Skates, who located here in the spring of 1858, they finally succeeded. Among the early members were Jonathan Skates and wife, Miranda Lemert, Henry Allen, Daniel Tabor, James Adams, John Curlee, etc. In August, 1860, by vigorous efforts, they suc- ceeded in erecting a church, and Brothers Adams, Skates and Tabor were chosen Deacons. At present the church is in a very prosperous and thrifty condition, having a good member- ship, regular services, and maintaining a good Sunday school. From the foregoing church history, it will be seen that Zion Precinct is well supplied with religious instruction. That it is not only well supplied at present, but ever since the settlement of the country it has had no lack of church facilities. If the people are not moral and religious, it is certainly nobody's fault but their own, and nobody but themselves, perhaps, will be held to account for their short- comings. With this finale on the moral influ- ence of this favored section, we close our chap- ter on Zion Precinct.

166

HISTORY OF BOND COUNTY.

CHAPTER XX."

COTTONWOOD GROVE PRECINCT-ITS EARLY HISTORY -WIHTE SETTLEMENT-THE MCCORDS AND ROBINSONS-OLD SHOAL CREEK CHURCH-THE VILLAGE OF " BETHIEL "-SCHOOLS, CHURCHES, ETC

T THE early pioneers of "Cottonwood Grove Precinct," notwithstanding all the uncom- fortable circumstances by which they were sur- rounded, were contented, and enjoyed life to its utmost. They knew nothing of railroads, and had never heard the whistle of a locomotive. The present improved mode of farming was far beyond their most extravagant expectations. To chronicle the changes and note the vast im- provements made within the past fifty years, is the most interesting part of the historian's work. Notwithstanding these vast changes, numerous indications and landmarks remain to mark the primitiveness of the early pioneers in this sec- tion.

Cottonwood Grove Precinct, to which this chapter is devoted, lies in a northwesterly di- rection from the town of Greenville, in the northwest corner of Bond County, and well adapted to agriculture. It is bounded on the north by Montgomery County, on the east by the precinct of La Grange. on the south by La Grange and Ripley Precincts, and on the west by counties of Madison and Montgomery. It is well watered by numerous small streams. The most important of which is " Shoal Creek," which, entering near the middle of the northern line of Section 3, winds its tortuous course en- tirely across the precinct near its center. An- other stream of considerable importance is Dor- ris Creek, which enters the preeinct near the southeast corner of Section 12, and, taking first a westerly course and then directly south, leaves

the precinet at the southern boundary line of Section 34. These streams have several small branches or tributaries, most of them of suel diminutive size as to be considered scarcely worthy of mention.

The early settlement of what is now Cotton- wood Grove Precinct cannot be given with per- fect correctness. The precise date of the building of the first cabin by a white man within its lim- its is obscured in the shadows of half a century, and we are left to conjecture to a certain extent as to the commencement of its settlement by white people. Alexander Robinson, from Ten- nessee, settled here about the year 1816, and still has descendants living in the precinct. He was accompanied by Robert and Daniel Mc- Cord from Virginia. These men came togeth- er from Tennessee to Bond County and made a settlement in Cottonwood Grove Precinct, in the spring of 1816. They made their first camping ground where the cemetery now is, and kneeling upon the ground dedicated the land to the service of the Lord, and called the place " Bethel." In later years, about 1825, a church was built here, which still remains. It was a log structure, with no fire-place or stove. The only warmth was afforded by means of a raised place of dirt in the center of the room on which charcoal, which the members were re- quired to furnish, was burned, the only escape for the smoke being a hole in the root immedi- ately above the mound. Robert McCord set- tled on the northwest quarter of Section 11. He has one daughter, Mrs. Mary Mears, living

* By T. J. Riley.

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COTTONWOOD GROVE PRECINCT.

in Greenville, and a son, Blackburn, living in Iowa. David McCord settled on the east half of Section 11, where J. T. McCracken now lives, in 1820. James Water was an early pioneer in this section. He located northwest of Bethel in 1817. James Denny settled on Pleasant Prairie, about 1819. During the same year, George Donnell settled near the mouth of Indi- an Creek. George and John Denny, sons of James Denny, settled on the east side of Shoal Creek, in the north part of the precinct, in 1820 or 1821, and about the same time the Jetts, Vaughns and Thackers settled in the same neighborhood, on both sides of the creek. Will- iam and Lawrence Stewart settled on the west side of Shoal Creek about 1821. Jesse Mar- graves and others also located along the west side of Shoal Creek abont this same time. In 1819, Newton Coffee came in and settled on Jett's Prairie.

In February of 1880, a church was organ- ized in this precinet by the Free Methodist de- nomination. The first minister chosen by them was the Rev. J. B. Colt. Among the first mem- bers were James Robb, J. F. Nicholson, John Parmalee, John McCracken, Daniel F. Justice, John F. Humphrey and Winnie Singleton. James Robb was chosen Class-Leader, and John Parmalee was chosen Steward. Early in the spring of the present year (1882), a neat frame church, thirty-six feet long and twenty-eight wide, was erected on Section 31, at a cost of about $700, and John Parmalee, James Robb and J. F. Nicholson, were appointed as Trust- ees. This organization has grown in strength from the beginning, and at present has a mem- bership of about thirty-five, and maintains a good Sunday school.

In noticing the early churches of Cotton- wood Grove Precinct, one church stands out prominently, and seems to be to a great extent the " mother" of all the Presby- terian Churches in this section. We refer to the "Old Shoal Creek Church." The

original church was organized by Rev. Solomon Gidings, of St. Louis, Mo., on the 10th of March, 1819, and is more particularly referred to in a preceding chapter.

The " Pleasant Prairie Presbyterian Church" in Township 7, Range 4, was formed from the Mt. Carmel society of the same denomination, then existing in Montgomery County, on the 24th day of February, 1828. Through the exertions of Rev. Joel Knight, Andrew Finley and Jos- eph Barlow were chosen Elders, at its organiza- tion, and C. G. Keown was their first regular pastor. The first Clerk was Andrew J. Finley. Among the first members were William, Eliza- beth, Andrew and Rebecca Finley ; Joseph and Harriet Barlow ; Elizabeth, Sarah, Emily and Polly Barlow ; Sarah Keown ; William and Pol- ly Pitman ; William and Jane Kline; Nelly Breance ; Catharine, Polly and Joseph Buck ; Michael, Elanor, Sinah, Catharine, Polly and Palsey Finley; Andrew Keown, James E. Ran- kin, Eli Cowdon and James Driscol. They have at present a good frame church building sixty feet long by forty feet wide, which was erected at a cost of about $2,200, and the pres- ent membership is about thirty in all. James E. Rankan, the first Superintendent, organized a good Sunday school, which has been conducted here for many years.

In an early day, some of the pioneers of this section built a " sod fence " for some purpose, out of which sprouted a beautiful grove of cot- tonwood trees. It is from this grove that the village of "Bethel, or Cottonwood Grove," oh- tained its name. It was originally called " Au- gusta," but the name was afterward changed to " Cottonwood Grove, or Bethel." It was sur- veyed on the 9th day of June, 1836, by Asahel Enloe, for John Mitchell & Co., the proprietors, and is located in Section 11, Township 6 north, Range 4 west, about eight miles northwest of the county seat (Greenville). It is a flourish- ing little village, and is surrounded by an intel- ligent and industrious community.

168

HISTORY OF BOND COUNTY.

The Bethel Presbyterian Church was estab- lished here on the 15th day of September, 1826, several years prior to the laying-out of the town. It was the outgrowth of the church already alluded to, as the first church in the county, called Shoal Creek Church. The orig- inal church was in 1825 divided into three churches-Shoal Creek Church, Bethel Church and Greenville Church. Of these three, the two last named still exist. The Bethel Church was organized with sixty-two members, and their first house of worship was a log building 20x26 feet. It was heated in a novel manner. A space about six feet in diameter in the mid- dle of the house was left without flooring, thus securing an earthen hearth. A bushel of char- coal was laid there and then set on fire, render- ing the house quite comfortable. Among the ministers in Bethel Church for the past fifty years are the following : Thomas A. Spillman, Albert Hale, E. L. Huntington, Thomas Lippin- cott, Samuel Foster, Charles L. Adams, Charles Barton, E. B. Olmstead, N. A. Hunt, Robert Stewart, William Rankin, William H. Bird, J. S. Davis, Charles Barton (a second term), James H. Spiliman, etc. Some years later, when the church had become strong in numbers and

wealth, a new church was built a few rods from the old one. It was a frame building well adapted to the wants of the church and the times. A large volume might be written of this pioneer church, but our space is limited and only this brief sketch can be given. A large and interesting Sunday school of both young and old has always been maintained in old Bethel Church.

In 1838, the town of Harrisonville was sur- veyed by T. S. Hubbard, for Andrew Finley, proprietor. It was situated on Section 32, Township 7 north, Range 4 west, on Pleasant Prairie, about twelve miles northwest of Green- ville. For some time this village gave consid- erable promise, but it gradually died out until nothing now remains of it except the records of the platt.

On the 17th of May, 1856, the town of Elm Point was laid out by Anthony Hill, for William P. Libby. It is located on Section 31, Town 7. Range 3, about nine miles in a northwesterly direction from the town of Greenville. It is on the prairie, and is surrounded by a well cultivated country, but has never made much improvement, and at present there is scarcely what might be called a town remaining.

169

OKAW PRECINCT.

CHAPTER XXI.

OKAW PRECINCT-DESCRIPTION AND TOPOGRAPHY-EARLY SETTLEMENTS-THE FIRST PIONEERS -THEIR EARLY LIFE AND HABITS-SCHOOLS, SCHOOLHOUSES, CHURCHES, ETC.

TN giving the history of Okaw Precinct, there is probably less to tell than of any other precinct in Bond County, from the fact that it was settled at a much later day than any other portion of the county. For many years the land was held almost exclusively by large land- owners, and this is still the case to a consider- able extent. These land-owners would not sell, except at such exorbitant prices as deterred settlers from purchasing, especially as other lands at that time were sold at a very low figure. Thus it was that settlers who might have located here purchased elsewhere, and at present we find that, though there are a number of good farmers in this locality, it is settled mainly by squatters, or farmers on a small scale, who have come in at a comparatively late day and purchased small tracts of land.

Okaw Precinct lies in a sontheasterly direc- tion from the county seat ( Greenville ), and comprises thirty-six sections in the southeast corner of the county. It is bounded on the north by the precincts of Greenville and Fair- view; on the east by Fayette County; on the south by Clinton County and on the west by Beaver Creek Precinct. Almost the entire surface of the land is very low and level, so that artificial drainage is largely resorted to. The low, flat nature of the most of the land is another reason why it was not settled sooner. In the southern part, however, near the ('lintou County line, it rises into nice rolling land, well adapted to agriculture, and it was here that the earliest settlers located. There is very little of

the land but is susceptible of cultivation. the soil is of the richest quality, and yields abun- dant harvests of all the crops usually grown in this section. The principal crops are corn, wheat and oats. This precinct is not very thickly wooded, though along the creeks may be found an abundance of hickory, ash, maple, walnut, etc.

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History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois, Part 20

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago : O. L. Baskin Number of Pages: 758

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : O. L. Baskin
Number of Pages: 758