History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois, Part 8

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 8
USA > Illinois > Bond County > History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois > Part 8

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).

HISTORY OF BOND COUNTY.

er he sold out to J. F. Alexander the records do not show.

It should here be noticed that while Mr. Waite had the Journal, J. F. Alexander started and conducted for about one year the " Barn- Burner," as an organ of the extreme, or as we would now say, Stalwart Free-Soilers, who in New York had acquired the name of " barn burn- ers " and who were for Martin Van Buren. This was the first journalistie venture of Mr. Alex- ander, and died out soon after the election. It was printed in the Journal office. A copy of the first issue was sent to Martin Van Buren, who soon acknowledged the receipt of it in a letter of thanks to the editor, enclosing also a five-dollar bill. Mr. Charles Hoiles remembers having the bill shown to him and further says that it was considered a big thing in those times. This change was without material difference in the paper or its management, except that J. F. Alexander was left to give his time to editing the paper by D. W. Alexander's entering the office as publisher. The Journal, as has since been the record of the paper, supported what are now distinctive Republican principles either settled or undergoing that process. Beneath the picture of a hand holding a pen, are the Fremont and Dayton tickets, followed by the State ticket.

Next we find the American Courier, of which No. 47, of Vol. I, bears the date of May 21, 1857. Othniel Buchanan was editor and proprietor. The entire outfit for this paper was purchased new at St. Louis, by Thomas Russell and Othniel Buchanan. Mr. Russell, however, retired in about a year, leaving Mr. Buchanan alone. This outfit was the nucleus from which the present Advocate equipment has been developed. That identical hand press is still in this office. This outfit, press and all, cost $800 in St. Louis, whence it was ordered shipped to Carlyle. About the time it was expected at Carlyle, a wagon was driven over after it. Failing to find it at Carlyle, it was thought that the shipment had

been made to Hillsboro. At the latter place some one told the " office-seeker " that he had seen a printing press traveling toward Vanda- lia, where the searchers were fortunate enough to find it. So the Courier continued a very readable paper of the dimensions of the present Advocate, only that it was a single instead of a double sheet. It should be stated that O. Bn- chanan purchased of J. F. Alexander the Jour- nal office, and subsequently sold both the Jour- nul and the Courier to Alexander & Bro., con- sisting of J. F. and J. II. Alexander, who, after a while, disposed of the Journal outfit to a Scotehman named Parson Perey, who took it to Stanton, Macoupin Co. Thus it will be seen that none of the Monitor or Journal material is now in Greenville.

Next the paper became the Greenville Adro- cate. Under this name, which it has ever since retained, the paper began its first volume Feb- ruary 11, 1858. In size the paper was what the Advocate of to-day would be without the inside pages. Its editorial management con- tinued to be conducted by J. F. Alexander, who was also proprietor. All know that those times were eras of terrible earnestness. The old and the middle-aged remember, and the young have since learned of the situation of that day. The columns of the Advocate from that day to this have been true to the great principles of Republicanism, freedom and hu- man right.

It might be well enough to state here, that John H. Hawley, who is now, and has been for three years, one of the Advocate force, worked on the Greenville Advocate in 1860-61, com- mencing the 14th day of November, 1860. J. F. Alexander was editor, and Thomas Russell foreman. The paper at that time being less than half its present size, abont one good man, and a country boy like Mr. Hawley, was then all that was necessary to do the work. The only machinery about the office was the old hand- press, now in use. On the editorial page an

Hillaryson Plant

LIBRARY OF THE UNIVERSITY of ILLINOIS

HISTORY OF BOND COUNTY.

" Educational Department" was conducted by Thomas W. Hynes, who still continues a warm friend and occasional contributor to the Advo- cute. An article from his pen on "Our Early Local History" urged the formation of an old settlers' society, that the early incidents might not be forgotten, and that memories of the past might be preserved.

During the late rebellion. J. F. Alexander was succeeded as publisher and proprietor of the Advocate by his brother, E. J. C. Alexan- der, who continued the paper until August, 1865, when his interest was transferred to S. C. Mace, who managed the paper alone until April of 1866, when he associated with him T. O. Shenick, as publisher, who combined his ener- gy with Mr. Mace, giving the public the only local reading in the county, till March, 1869, when Mr. Mace was again left alone. In No- vember, 1871, Mr. Mace sold out to Samnel B. Hynes, under whose proprietorship, his father, Rev. Thomas W. Hynes, had the editorial and general management of the Advocate, which, with the beginning of the year 1872, they had changed from a four page with eight col- umns to an eight-page paper of six columns each, considerably smaller than its present size. This form was retained for two years, when the former dimensions were again adopted. From Mr. Ilynes the Advoeute was purchased by George M. Tatham, the present proprietor and editor. This was October 1, 1873. Since that time the Advocate has steadily increased in size. never decreasing, and often requiring large supplements, so that readers might not be stinted by the pressure of advertisements. From a subscription list of about five hundred, many for wood and produce, which often never came, the present editor acknowledges the apprecia- tion of the reading community to the extent of over twelve hundred subscriptions, all settled for, and an influence extending over the entire county, and not unnoticed in neighboring coun- ties. States and cities.

Also from a paper treating almost entirely of general principles, and news from the outside world alone, with rarely a word from different parts of the county, except a special letter now and then on some mooted question, the Advocate, keeping up with the demands of the age, has become a real news paper, with such an array of correspondents from every part of the coun- ty, that " Widow Bond" is no longer lonesome. but every week her children learn how the rest of the family are prospering.

The Sun, published by William Boll and Fordyce C. Clark, at Greenville, is the sue- cessor of the Bond County Democrat, which was started by J. B. Anderson. June 2, 1876. On the 25th of January, 1877, Boll & Clark bought the paper, and changed its name from Bond County Democrat to the Sun. They worked np the circulation from 400 pay-as-you-please sub- scribers in 1877, to an edition of 1,280, on the cash-in-advance rule, reaching that circulation during the campaign of 1880.

The Sun is an eight-page paper, with six columns to a page, being considerably larger than the average country paper. It is cut and pasted in pamphlet form by a machine invented by the senior proprietor. Its publishers are both practical printers, and spare no effort to get up a good looking paper. It is credited by newspaper men with being one of the neatest and newsiest country journals in the State ; its particular specialty is home news. A page is given every week to Greenville happenings, in- cluding court house news, real estate transfers, circuit and county proceedings, doings of the County Board, City Council proceedings, school and college notes, church and Sunday-school news, local personals, home markets, etc., etc. Besides this, the paper has a reporter in almost every school district in the county, and gives from three to five columns of news items from these county neighborhoods regularly. News from neighboring counties is faithfully gleaned also, as well as State news and a good sum- D

HISTORY OF BOND COUNTY.

ming np of general news. Its editorial com- ment is on topics relating to home matters, and its opinions are stated clearly, forcibly and fearlessly, a proper respect of the right of opinion in others being observed. The Sun is popular, and while it has many friends, like all papers of influence, it also has enemies. Politi- cally, it is independent, leaning toward Democ- racy, but not controlled by party caucus or

office-seekers' cliques. Its opinions in politics as well as on other topics are the expression of the convictions of its editors after study, and are not dictated or suggested by outsiders.

The foregoing is a brief sketch of the press of Bond County, as there never has, we believe, been a paper published outside of Greenville ; none at least, of especial note.

GREENVILLE PRECINCT.

CHAPTER VIII .*

GREENVILLE PRECINCT-INTRODUCTION-BOUNDARIES, AREA AND GENERAL CONFIGURATION- EARLY SETTLEMENT -FRONTIER LIFE, HARDSHIPS, ETC. - PIONEER INDUSTRIES AND IMPROVEMENTS-SKETCH OF WILLIAM S. WAIT-VILLAGES-GOLD AND SILVER

MINES-EDUCATIONAL-RELIGION-THE FIRST CHURCHES ESTABLISHED

IN THE COUNTY, ETC., ETC

"Where nothing dwelt but beasts of prey, Or men as fierce and wild as they."

T' THE history of Greenville Precinct com- mences more than sixty years ago, and dates back prior to the departure of the savages for the land of the setting sun. It is the story of a community planted in the wilderness amid the murderous raids of prowling Indians ; of camp-fires that grew into block-houses. forts, and then into log cabins, and finally into wealthy and prosperous homes. There is a page which should come before this history. and, like the prologue to a drama, be recited first, but space forbids it, and the page which calls to mind the Indian occupation of the country will be found in other chapters of this work. Our narrative will begin with the settle- ment of the whites among wild, ferocious beasts and savage men, and will recount their trials and hardships, their perils and hazards in sub- (luing the country.

Greenville Precinct comprises a large terri- tory lying in the central part of Bond County. It is irregular in shape, and embraces portions of Township 5 north, Ranges 2. 3 and 4 west, with one tier of sections in Township 6, and same ranges. The land is diversified between hill and prairie, the latter predominating ; the rough and broken country being confined to the vicinity of the water courses. The principal streams are the east and west forks of Shoal

- Creek. The east fork flows nearly through the center of the precinet in a rather south westerly direction, while the west fork makes its tortu- ous course almost southeast, and unites with the east fork at the southern line of the pre- cinct. Beaver Creek rises in the vicinity of Greenville, flows southwest and passes out through Section 34 into Beaver Creek Precinct. Indian Creek touches the northwest corner of the precinct, and a few other small and name- less streams intersect it. The timber consists of oak, hickory, walnut, elin, sycamore, cotton- wood and other species common in this section. This precinct is noted for containing the capi- tal of the county, and hence, much of the lis- tory of the surrounding community centers in the town of Greenville. Two or three small villages have sprung up along the railroad since its completion, which will receive notice further along in this chapter. Upon the whole, Greenville Precinct is a fine agricultural region. and contains many excellent farms.

The settlement of Greenville Precinct dates back to the days of forts and block-houses. Says a pioneer of the town : " Wyatt Stubble- field. George Davidson and the Kirkpatricks all came prior to the war of 1812, and when the war came on they left through fear of the In- dians, but when peace was declared, they re- turned to their former settlements." Thomas White and William Robinson came into the precinct in 1816. They lived one year in Lind-

*By W. H. Perrin.

HISTORY OF BOND COUNTY.

ley's Fort, and in the fall of 1817 settled one and a half miles from where Greenville now stands. William S. Wait and his brother set- tled a little east of the present village of Ripley (just over the line in what is now Ripley Pre- cinet), in 1820-21. They went back East in a short time, but in a few years returned and settled permanently. William S. Wait was so long prominently known in the county, that a few words of him are not out of place in this connection, although he is extensively men- tioned in the railroad history. He will be re- membered as an early friend and supporter of the Mississippi & Atlantic Railroad, now the famous Vandalia Line. He wrote many articles in the Illinois papers, the St. Louis Republican, New York Evening Post, the New York Tribune, and other prominent newspapers, in earnest support of the enterprise. He was a constant worker for the road, from 1847. the time of the first agitation of the question, to 1865, and a large portion of his time was spent in procur- ing the charter, right of way, stock, attending meetings in its interest, ete., and in discharging the duties of the different offices, viz., President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer, which he successively held in the company. He was a thorough student, an investigator of all new subjects and theories, and a voluminous writer ou political, educational, agricultural and re- formatory questions, aud always took the side of progress and improvement. A regular con- tributor to the press, and in constant communi- cation with many of the leading minds of the United States, he was fully familiar with all topics of interest, and versed in all questions pertaining to the public good.

Mr. Wait was Chairman of the National In- dustrial Convention, held in New York in Octo- ber. 1845, and delivered an able address. lle was nominated for Vice President of the United States, on the ticket with Hon. Gerritt Smith (on National Reform Ticket) in 1848. but re- spectfully declined the exalted position. He

wrote numerous newspaper articles, and able letters on the Constitution of Illinois adopted in 1848, and many portions of which were from his pen. In county and State agricultural so- cieties he took an active interest, and was a zealous friend to the public schools ; an active and valuable citizen. honored and admired by the people of the country at large.

Joseph Lindley built the first house in the forks of the ereek southwest of Greenville in 1817, and was the first white settler in that lo- cality. Hezekiah Archer settled just below him soon after. and in 1818-19, the Hunters settled in the same neighborhood. John Pick- ett settled six miles west of Greenville about the same time as the Hunters. George Nelson in 1819 settled one mile east of Pickett. Sam- uel White settled in the neighborhood very early, and Thomas Long in the vicinity of Stub- blefield. Mrs. Morse, in a letter to Rev. Mr. Hynes, says : " One of the early settlers was Mr. Seth Blanchard, who arrived in 1820. He came out from New York expecting to settle in St. Louis. but, disgusted with the Frenchy look of that place, bought land of Mr. Wyatt Stub- blefield, east of town, and opened a store and tavern in town, just laid ont by Green P. Rice. Samuel G. Blanchard assisted in laying off the public square. The principal families there were the Kirkpatricks, Messrs. Camp, Goss, Leonard, Rutherford, Fergueson, White, old Father Elam, the Birges, and Drs. Drake. New- hall and Perrine." Andrew Moody was an early settler, and occupied a place originally settled by Thomas Kirkpatrick, about one mile southwest of Greenville. The famous spring at this place took its name from Mr. Moody, and was known far and wide as " Moody's Spring," a famous place for holding religious meetings, and the site of the first church built in Bond County. William Perrine and J. B. Drake might be termed carly settlers. though they were young men and single when they came here. They boarded at Richard White's,

GREENVILLE PRECINCT.

two and a half miles west of Greenville, and were physicians.

It is not possible, however, at the present day, to give the names of all the early settlers in as large a district as the precinct of Green- ville is, as at present laid off. As the settle- ment of the country progressed. people scattered out on to the prairies, opening farms first near the timber, but gradually extending farther and farther from it. Thus large farming com- munities sprang up in different portions of the precinct, and at considerable distances from Greenville. Especially was this the case after all danger from the Indians had passed away, and the more savage of the wild beasts had been driven from the vicinity. Even then, how- ever, the lives of the pioneers were not all sun- shine and prosperity, but many hardships min- gled with their every-day experiences. Their implements of agriculture would be considered the most extreme hardships by the farmers of the present day, if they had to work with them, and the mode of obtaining bread and other needed supplies, would be deemed by us among the impossibilities, and beyond human power to overcome. The Rev. Thomas W. Hynes, in a historical address on Bond County, delivered July 4, 1876, says :

" We look back from our present position to the time when the brave and enterprising pio- neers left their homes and friends and came to this wild and unsubdued land to make their residence here. They faced danger, for up to 1816 the country was the frequent resort of hos- tile and predatory savages. They endured toil -for houses, orchards, farms, implements of husbandry, mills and shops, schools and churches, in short, all that men need in civilized society, were to be provided here out of the rough material. They bore self-denial-for they left behind them the comforts and abundance of their old homes. They were few at first in their numbers, but strong in their faith and courage. They developed a character of which

we, their descendants and successors, need not feel ashamed. Their necessities made them in- genious. Their perils made them brave. Their fewness made them sociable. Their community of wants and dangers made them sympathetic and helpful of each other. However scanty their board, it was shared with the neighbor or stranger with a free-heartedness that gave a relish to the plain repast. However small and unsightly their cabin, its room and bed and genial warmth were divided with a cordiality that sweetened your welcome. Their social life was adorned with the graces of liberality and true friendship. They did wisely and well their peculiar work of laying the foundations that we might build upon them. They established schools and churches, and organized society and civil government, and left us a heritage of freedom and a home of peace and comfort. Let us honor their names, cherish their memory, record their virtues, and, thankfully recognizing our obligations to them, see to it that we hand down to our successors an untarnished inherit- ance of manly independence, wholesome liberty, free intelligence and pure religion."

As the community increased in wealth and importance, the people enlarged the facilities for living more comfortably, and with less toil and privation. Mills were built, and roads leading to them were laid out. Probably the first mills in the precinct were those of Wyatt Stubblefield and Beck, erected prior to 1825. Stubblefield's stood a little northwest of Green- ville, on Shoal Creek. near where the Hillsboro road now crosses. A notice of Beck's will be found in the history of Greenville. Stubble- field's was constructed for sawing as well as for grinding, and was a great convenience to the neighborhood. The Waits built an ox-mill very early. The power was received from a " tread-wheel "-that is, a large inclined wheel, trod by oxen, was used. which, when put in motion, operated the machinery of the mill. They added a distillery, and for several years

HISTORY OF BOND COUNTY.

carried on both distillery and mill. Samuel White started a tan-yard at the spring west of Greenville in 1820, where he manufactured leather for the purpose of contributing to the " understanding" of the community. . Thomas Long put up a cotton gin the same year, near where Stubblefield now stands. The cultivation of cotton having been attempted by the early settlers, led Mr. Long to that enterprise, but cotton growing in Southern Illinois proved a failure, and gins turned out to be poor invest- ments.

It is a characteristic of the human race to be easily duped, and it has been said that the American people are more easily humbugged than any other race of beings below the sun. The settlers in this section of the country were no exception, and when reports were circulated that gold and silver ore was hidden in the Shoal Creek bluffs and ravines, the most intense ex- citement prevailed in every home. People spent days and weeks in search of the precious metals, roaming through the swamps of Shoal Creek bottom, digging in the hills, and scratch- ing in the sands of the ravines, filling their pockets with glittering rocks, and accumulating stuff that in the end proved utterly worthless. A silver mine was onee supposed to be found on Samuel Hunter's place by a man named Gaylor. Hunter lived on Indian Creek, four miles from Greenville. A close investigation showed that neither gold nor silver were native in that region, but that Gaylor was a good-sized fraud. He was arrested for an attempt to swindle, but finally succeeded in making his escape from the country. This put a damper upon the idea of digging out fabulous wealth from the creek hills, and had a tendency to shake the confidence of some of the wiser heads, but the excitement continued quite a time

before the people settled down quietly again to | in the town, and the first schools were taught their every-day duties.

The first physicians in Greenville Precinct were Drs. Perrine and Drake, already referred

to, and practiced the healing art for some time among the pioneers. Malarial diseases pre- vailed in the first settling of the country, some years to a fearful extent, and before the coming of Perrine and Drake, the people of this section had to go to Edwardsville for a physician. Al- though doctors were often actually needed when their services could not be obtained. yet many people sent for them for the simplest cases. Mr. White relates the following, which is illustrative : "One morning," says he, " we saw a fellow coming down the road on a gallop, whom we had seen pass my father's every day for a week or more, going for a doctor for his sick wife. This time he was riding faster than nsual, without a saddle, the bottom of his breeches' legs slipped up nearly to his knees, showing his bare legs, although he had on coarse shoes ; and the rim of his old wool hat blown back in front. He was urging his horse along by the repeated strokes of a hickory sprout four or five feet long. As he passed the house, some one screamed out, 'How's your wife?' 'She's worse; git up! was the reply, the last part of which was addressed to his horse, at the same time he gave him a ent round the flank with the hickory which might have been heard at the distance of a hundred yards." Such scenes were common in those days, as though the pioneers were determined that the doctors should earn their money. Dr. Newhall was also an early physician in this neighborhood. These early practitioners, however, are more particularly mentioned in a preceding chapter.

Schools were established and schoolhouses were built as soon as the population of the pre- cinct would permit. Just where, when and by whom the first school was taught outside of the town of Greenville we cannot say. The early education of the surrounding country centered there, and will be alluded to more fully in the chapters on Greenville. There is now, in the precinct outside of town, some half a dozen or

GREENVILLE PRECINCT.

more excellent schoolhouses, where good schools are tanght, and the rising generation can be educated " without money and without price," an advantage not possessed by their ancestors.

Two small villages are located in the precinct, in addition to the city of Greenville, viz., Smith- boro and Stubblefield. Smithboro, or Hender- son Station, was laid out by H. H. Smith in 1870, and is on the Vandalia Railroad, about three miles from Greenville. It is called HIen- derson Station, but the post office is named Smithboro, and was established in 1871, with H. H. Smith as Postmaster. There is a grain elevator operated by Hoffman & Hinkle, who ordinarily ship a large quantity of wheat. A cheese factory or creamery was started in 1879. HI. H. Smith was the first President of the Com- pany. The establishment is doing an cxten- sive business, and makes up the milk of about five hundred cows. A. store is kept by T. L. Miner, the only one in the place. The Jack- sonville & Southeastern Railroad is laid out through this village, and, when built, will add considerably to its importance.

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History of Bond and Montgomery Counties, Illinois, Part 8

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