USA > Illinois > Bureau County > History of Bureau County, Illinois > Part 19
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the highest niche of fame. Grant it, cynic, that they builded wiser than they knew, yet their works are here, they will remain forever, blessing already millions in this great valley, and will grow and multiply in their benign influences for the unborn generations to come after us.
Jacob Galer-Now a resident of Seattle, W. T., says: "I married my first wife, Miss Ruth Burson, the 31st of October, 1844. By her I had four children, the eldest, now Mrs. Lizzie G. Pratt, of Seattle, W. T., was the only one that lived to be grown. My first wife died of consumption, October 5, 1856. On May 8, 1858, I married Lydia Berry, of Milo, Bureau County, Ill. By her I had two children-both died in infancy. My second wife died here in Seattle, W. T., June 15, 1878. I lived in Bureau County, from August, 1834, until April, 1860, when I moved to Kansas. I was the first Coroner of Bureau County after it was organized, and my nearest neighbor here in Seattle, was the first County Clerk, Thomas Mercer. He has been on this coast since 1852. His first wife was a daughter of Squire Brigham of Dover. Shedied on this coast, leaving him four daughters, three of whom are still living and are an honor to their father. He is hale and vigorous for a man of his age, seventy-one years the 11th of last March. He is well to do in this world's goods and has a kindly heart ready to respond to the downcast and desti- tnte. "
John Leeper, son of James Leeper, and grandson of Allen Leeper, was born in Cum- berland County, Penn., August 23, 1786. The grandfather, Allen Leeper, was born in in County Down, Ireland, where his ances- tors had fled from Scotland on account of re- ligious persecutions, and he was seven years old when he came to America. James Leep- er, the father, went to Georgia when John
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was but a beardless boy. Here he grew to manhood, and was married at the age of twenty, to Fidilis McCord, October 28, 1806. He moved to Marshall County, Tenn., in the year 1808, with their first born daughter -- Fanny-and cleared out a farm in the cane- breaks of Rock Creek. Being a very bitter opponent of slavery he left the slave States and moved to Illinois Territory in the year 1816, starting April 5, and arriving at Mad- ison County May 23, a journey of forty-eight days, which can now be accomplished by rail in ten hours. Remaining here until fall he removed to Beaver Creek, four miles south of Greenville, Bond County. Mr. Leeper remained here until the fall of 1823, when he removed to Morgan County, arriving on the spot where now the city of Jacksonville stands, November 2. Here he opened up a farm of 400 acres. The city of. Jacksonville was laid out in 1825. The county soon be- gan to fill up, and Mr. Leeper's family be- coming quite large, having nine sons and five daughters, there was a demand for more land. It was necessary to make another move to supply this demand, so on the 10th of October, 1831, Mr. Leeper removed to Putnam County and settled three miles north- east of the present town of Hennepin and made a claim of 2,500 acres of land. Here he opened up a large farm, in the summer of 1832, in the time of the Black Hawk war, building a stockade around his log-house for safety, while three of his sons were out on the war-path of the Indians. In the fall of 1833 Mr. Leeper sold his farm and moved into Bureau County and bought an unfinished saw-mill of Timothy Perkins, on Bureau Creek, one and one-half miles northwest of Bureau Junction. At the land sales of 1835, 900 acres of land were entered around this mill site, and the saw-mill was finished and a flour- ing-mill and other machinery was added, and
completed in the fall of 1835, and was con- sidered one of the finest mills in the State. and sawed the lumber and ground the wheat and corn, and carded the wool for the people for fifty miles around. At this place Mr. Leeper died December 14, 1835, aged forty- nine years three months and twenty-one days, and was buried-his being the second grave in Oakland Cemetery. His death was not caused by ordinary sickness. By lifting heavy timbers in constructing his mills he became ruptured, and taking cold in the wound an abcess was formed which broke and emptied itself inwardly, and mortifica- tion set in which soon caused his death.
Mr. Leeper in size was about five feet, nine inches high, weight one hundred and sixty pounds. A very energetic, active man, a hard worker, kept well abreast with the most prosperous of his neighbors in accumu- lating property. In politics he was a Whig of the Adams type. In religion a Presby- terian, for many years a Ruling Elder in churches of that order. As a neighbor, one of the most kind, generous, and universally beloved by all who knew him. It was often said that Judge Leeper had no enemies and was ever ready to help the needy. His house was always open to entertain the weary traveler, the pioneer preacher and the polite politician. Living as he did most of his life on the fron- tier, and before the church was built, his house was occupied as a church by the preachers of every denomination who chose to accept it. Mr. Leeper was always ready and the first to move in building up churches and schools in every place where he lived. At Jacksonville, before any church building was erected, the first organization was affected in his barn-the Presbyterian Church-in 1827.
About this time a very amusing incident occurred, illustrating the variety often met
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with in frontier life. Old Father John Brich often preached in Mr. Leeper's house, which was built of hewn logs. The chimney was made of sticks and clay and near the upper end it receded from the house, leaving a narrow space which was always warm from the fire below. Here was a warm retreat and the hens often sought it as a con- venient place to lay, and hatch their young. It so happened on a Sabbath day when Father Brich, a corpulent, old English bach- elor, was preaching, in his prayer occurred this sentence, " The Lord bless all the h-ends of the earth." Just at this juncture two hens were disputing about the possession of said nest. To decide the controversy promptly, Father Brich called a halt in divine service, took his cane, stepped out of the door and proceeded to remove one of the hens and then returned to conclude the exercises. This created no little amusement in the congrega- tion but did not upset the preacher. Mr. Leeper's home having always been on the thin edge of civilization, it was never his lot to enjoy many of the privileges and luxuries of an old settled country, but never was be- hind the first in effort to subdue the wilder- ness and make it blossom and bud as the rose, and to plant the church and the school.
Possessed of a modest and retiring nature, he never sought office, but it rather sought him. He was a member of the Legislature of Illinois as early as 1827; was elected County Judge of Morgan County, but refused many offers of public honors, preferring the quiet of a retired life. Mr. Leeper and all his family were radically opposed to slavery and to intoxicating drinks and the use of to- bacco. Only four of his once large family are now living: Charles, Mary B., Harvey B. and William H. A modest slab of marble now marks the place where his mortal remains were buried in Oakland Cemetery.
John Baggs had married a relative of the Thomases. He is a native of Ohio; his sister Sally was Mrs. Abram Stratton, and Eliza- beth married George C. Hinsdale. Mr. Baggs removed to Iowa nearly thirty years ago, where he is now living. Another of the Baggs girls, Mrs. Avery, also lives in Iowa. John M. Gay, the Strattons, the Thomases and the Baggses and Hinsdales were all very early settlers, all prominent and important people, and by marriages were all related.
Wiswalls .- This family were Elijah Wis- wall, the father, and Mrs. John H. Bryant, Miss Emily and Noah Wiswall. They came to Bureau in 1834, from Jacksonville. The family were from Bristol County, Mass., and came to Illinois in 1821, first stopping in Bond County and soon from there to Jack- sonville. Noah and Elijah were each widow- ers when they came here. The first year they made their home with Mr. Bryant. Elijah Wiswall then built a frame business house with residence back, on the corner opposite -west from the present American House. Renting the front to Salisbury & Smith, and occupying the rear; and Wiswall, Sr., died here in 1840. Emily married Micajah Trip- lett, and she and husband kept house for her father. After his death they moved to their farm, where she died in 1874, leaving daughters: Mrs. T. P. Streator, Princeton; Mary, now with Mrs. Streator and a son re- siding in Wyanet. Triplett was from Ohio, and came with his father to this county in 1834. Stephen Triplett and wife kept hotel for a long time in Princeton. Both died here. Noah Wiswall married Elizabeth Lovejoy, a sister of Owen Lovejoy. They had four sons-three now living: Austin, in Chicago; Charles, in New York; Edward, at Pike's Peak; Clarkson died in the army.
The Searls-were from Ohio, the family originally from Chemung County, N. Y.
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Five brothers came to this county; Brown and Job came in 1834; David, 1835; and Timothy and John, in 1836. A big family of big men, and the five sons were a little over a 1,000 pounds of as brave pioneer blood and bones as ever gathered on the bor- ders. (See John S. Searl's biography).
T. D. Rackley-From Orange County, N. Y., born December 9, 1829, and came to Bureau County in 1838. (See biography).
The Huffakers .- Israel Huffaker was a soldier in the Black Hawk war, and thereby came to see the glories of Bureau County. He came in 1835 and entered land, and brought his family and permanently located in 1837. In 1838 Jacob Huffaker came. They were from Kentucky, and by marriage some of the family were related to Abraham Lincoln. They were a hard-working, quiet and economical people.
John Welch was born in New York in 1825, of Irish descent. Came to Bureau in 1838. In 1866 he was married to Lucy Dunham, in Princeton; a daughter of John Dunham.
John Wise was born in North Carolina in 1814. His wife, Lucinda Bunch, was a native of Kentucky. They came to Bureau in 1834, living the first . winter in Robert Maston's cabin in the forks of Big and Lit- tle Bureau; near them was an Indian encamp- ment. Wise made many chairs that were used in the cabins for years.
Peler Ellis-A Black Hawk war soldier. He was known everewhere as Capt. Ellis. A native of Ohio, came in 1830, and settled near Magnolia. Mrs. Peter Ellis died in this county in 1844.
Reason B. Hall and his brother Edward came in 1828, and built a cabin in the east part of the county. After occupying it a short time, on account of the many Indians and the entire absence of neighbors, they abandoned the claim and moved south of the
river. Afterward they returned and occupied the place a year or two and removed to the lead mines.
In the fall of 1829, a negro named Adams built a cabin at the mouth of Negro Creek, and from this circumstance the stream gets its name. He was frightened across the river by the Indians and never returned.
Cyrus Langworthy settled in the south- east corner of Princeton Township; had five children-three sons and two daughters-two sons now living. Franklin the eldest is in Wis- consin, and Warren is a printer by trade. Mr. Langworthy was the first Sheriff of Bureau County. He served in this capacity three terms. In 1842 he was elected to the State Legislature and served out the term with creditable efficiency. He was a soldier of the war of 1812, and was in every respect a man much superior to the average of his surround- ings. As Sheriff he had to bring the new and sometimes wild elements of border life un- der the strong arm of the law. The rough law-breakers at times made it necessary for the officer of the law to exercise the coolest courage in facing these men. Mr. Lang- worthy, except a lameness, was a man of re- markable physical strength and endurance and his courage was equal to his physical strength. He was crippled when a young inan in this way. He was cutting down a tree and as it commenced to fall he noticed one of his small children playing just where the tree was going to fall. He rushed forward and gathered the child and threw it out of danger and saved it, but was caught himself, and his thigh broken. It was never properly set, it seems, and made him lame through life.
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CHAPTER XII.
IMMKE'S GROUP PICTURE OF THE OLD SETTLERS-ITS VALUE IN AF- TER YEARS-SUGGESTIONS TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS-A VALUABLE CHAPTER IN THE COUNTY'S ILISTORY-WHO ARE THE REAL KNICKERBOCKERS-ETC., ETC.
TN a preceding chapter reference is made to the picture of the large group of old settlers, made a few years ago, by Mr. Immke, of Princeton. As a work of art it is an inter- esting study, as a faithful reflex of over four hundred faces of the men and women who were of the band of Bureau County pioneers. It is already of surpassing interest, and could it be preserved for the people for the coun try's second centennial, it would be one of the most invaluable contributions to the his- tory of the Mississippi Valley that posterity could possess. In the small space of about thirty inches square are preserved by the photagraphic art, at the hands of a master workman, the shadowy lineaments of the fea- tures of some of the gray-haired fathers and the "blessed mothers in Israel," every one of whom of those still left us will probably be laid tenderly away during the uext decade of years, and the records made in this book and these shadow reflections will contain all the lesson we can know of these remarkable men and women.
As remarked in a previous chapter, the form and substance of history is being reconsidered by this age, and the former judgements as to what history is, the lessons it teaches, and the fundamental facts there- of, its true science and philosophy, in short, are opening new fields of thought and evolving the most salutary lessons for our contempla- tion and study. The annalist, the chronolo- gist and the historian are the order of the development. When the real historian comes he will give mankind the highest attainable
type of instruction and wisdom, because true history is the cause and effect of the exist- ence and growth of the mind, its sweeps on- ward, its ebbs backward.
Let us illustrate the idea we wish to convey. The large majority of men have been taught to regard Martin Luther as the sole author, creator and master of the reformation, and therefore, the liberator of the mind and body of our race from the thrall of ignorant bigot- ry, persecution and illiberality. Whereas, the truth is the forces had been at work to this end for more than a century before Luther was born. The spark had been struck that fell upou the ready material to ignite, most probably many centuries before he was born, and secretly and slowly it extended in the dark apartments of the mother church and the state until the glow and heat within brought the surging force of the wind from without that forced open the door and in a moment the leaping flames burst from all parts of the great structure, hot and hissing, licking up the long and patient labors of men who had builded neither wisely nor well. Luther was but the door forced open by a resistless out. side pressure, which he no more created or controlled than does the cork direct the mad torrent of waters as it bobs along on the sur- face. Every written or spoken word we have of him confirms this beyond all peradven- ture. There is not a question but that he died an old man, wholly iguorant of the ef- fects, not upon the church but upon man- kind as we have them now, in the liberty of conscience, the freedom of body and mind, the right to discuss, to think and to act, each and every one for himself, and to cast off those heavy burdens of oppressive govern- ments, to be men, in short; these are a part of the slow-coming effects of the Reforma- tion that are reaching us and that were form- ing and growing through the long centuries.
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The surroundings, the conditions, the ripen- ing for a great event are always the result of a previous preparation and growth as are the ripe fruits hanging upon the tree. . The twig that bears the apple is but the medium through which have worked the little fibers in the deep secrets of the soil, as well as the swinging leaf that is kissed by the sun and drank of the gentle dews of heaven.
It is the master purpose of the types, when fashioned into ideas, to transmit the images of men's minds to the remotest posterity, and, if aided by the photographer's art, the re- production of men who have passed away is not only made more accurate and easy, but far more complete than would otherwise be possible. The old, old saying that a prophet is not without honor save in his own country, was well grounded upon that deep trait in the character of all people to feel that it is distance that lends enchantment to the view.
We wish we could impress upon the people of Bureau County, especially upon those in authority, and whose duty it is to care for the true interests of the people, the immense importance, the historic value of this group picture of the old settlers; make them under- stand that the people of the county, the de- scendants of the noble men and women who won this rich heritage, are deeply concerned in keeping green their memories, and that they regard the keeping of their good names and fame as a sacred trust, and that it is neither time nor the people's money wasted if the proper steps are taken to put this monumental picture in such careful keeping of the county that at the end of the next hundred years it may be found. And that from these small portraits life-size pictures may be made, a public building erected for their keeping, and a public resort; reading and social and educational meetings of the people will be had and the central aud at-
tractive portions thereof will be the portraits of the old settlers true to life; to each may be appended a short biographical sketch, and in the whole will be found a historical pic- ture gallery more highly prized when all now living are dead and gone, than any other one thing it is possible for us to hand down to the unborn generations. Let the old settlers and the new settlers, too, stir this matter up, make their demands upon those who are car- ing for the public affairs; convince them that it is first their business, and that it is your imperative wish. If they lag and continue indifferent tell them that there are old set- tler voters as well as Republican, Democratic, Butler and St. John voters; that in the " off years," at least, you will vote as old settlers and will politically settle every one who is ready to vote money for every popular de- nand and to pooh pooh at the idea of a pub- lic memorial to the memory of the noblest race of men and women in the world's history.
Mr. Immke is deserving of great commen- dation for the excellence of his work, but more for the enterprise and generous public spirit with which he performed the difficult undertaking. We are free to say this be- cause as a financial venture it has paid him nothing, and largely, therefore, it is a free offering and a most noble and generous trib- ute it is on his behalf.
As the custodians of the county's interests, the Board of Supervisors are the proper ones, and to whom the people look to more in this matter, for the simple reason that it must have their official notice in order that the work may be properly attended to. The total expense that would be incurred would be so very trifling that no tax-payer would ever feel it.
We believe the only and one thing needful is that this matter be properly brought to the attention of the public authorities, to secure
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prompt and the most efficient action. You have an Old Settlers' Society, of long and rep- utable standing. composed of the best rep- resentative people of the county. Its yearly meetings, its large attendance and interest- ing addresses are an important part of your history, the most interesting part that is now being put upon your records. But few of the links are left of the venerable men and women of the pioneers, and are visibly di- minishing at each of your annual gatherings. The larger part of the audience are the chil- dren and friends of a noble generation that is gone, and their sacred dust, their memory, their finger marks and the results of their immortal lives is the one great trust in the keeping of the people of to-day. You can- not remit this noble work to the future, be- cause if done at all, it must be done now. When the substance fades, the shadow is gone forever.
Lord Bacon, the brightest mind that has yet adorned the human race, speaking of that natural impulse that characterizes mostly the human family, the ambition to be more than the insect or worm that perishes and is for- gotton; to be remembered at least a few hours after death, says: "That whereunto man's nature doth most aspire, which is im- mortality or continuance; for to this tendeth generation, and raising of houses and fami- lies; to this buildings, foundations, and movements; to this tendeth the desire of memory, fame and celebration, and in effect the strength of all other human desires." Yes, the mainspring in life is the ambition to be not wholly insignificant, but to be re- membered-if not by the world, then by the neighbors, and if not by the neighbors then by your children, or if yet alone, then by your faithful dog, or by some animate thing. This is "the strength of all other human desires." Ambition has ruled and fashioned
everything human we see about us. It is the spur of all exertion. directly or remotely to all action, good or bad. Without it man would be wholly worthless; with it in any excess. he is generally a selfish, cold-blooded monster. It was the " Ambitious youth who fired the Ephesian dome," in order to link his name with its history, even knowing his life would pay the forfeit of his crime. It was the ambition of Napoleon that drenched Europe in blood. All war, the great crimes, as well as the grand heroes and man's great- est blessings have this common origin. It is deep-seated and wide-spread ignorance that makes ambition a great affliction instead of a blessing.
Probably no class of men in the world had less of that ambition for the applause of men, for the pomp and power and notoriety that drives so many ambitious men to heroic deeds and great crimes, than the early pioneers of Illinois. The horizon of their ambition closed in at the very doors of their rude cab- ins, where were gathered their family idols. Here they could get a home, lands for them- selves and their children; to be free men and women, owing no man a dollar that they could not pay, and rear their children with no other masters save their parents. They well knew the hard trials, the risk, the dangers, the suffering and hard toil they had to pay for this little boon of life.
Your school children learn the story of an Alexander, a Napoleon, or a Cæsar's fame, and yet stand up any of these mistaken great names of history by the side of the least and humblest of the band of Illinois pioneers- compare the permanent good coming of the life work of one with the other and from such comparisons, how little, contemptible, and insignificant is the great Napoleon to the humble but heroic pioneer in his hempen shirt, his well-worn wamus, his home-made
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shoes and hat, his coarse features, unkempt hair, his broad teeth and his loud voice and rough, uncouth rugged independence. The one butchered his thousands and thousands and converted the world into a waste and house of mourning-the ambitious architect of death and desolation. The other wrought peace, happy homes, prosperity and joys for the blessed millions to come after. Over the little hole of a door of the brush cabin in letters of living light he blazed the message to the poor and oppressed of all the world: " I have prepared the way. In thy Father's house is enough and to spare. Come and partake." But a few years ago, perhaps it is there yet, was a wood-cut in the school read- ers placed there for the delectation, study and admiration of innocent and guilless chil- dren. It was called "Napoleon crossing the Alps." He is on his customary mission of robbery, destruction and death. Beyond the background of the miserable picture is burn- ing cities, blackened homes, wasted fields-a world's great sob of agony.
In a preceding chapter is an account of Abram Stratton, in the fierce storms and deep snow of the winter of 1830, with his ox- sled and alone, crossing the then dreary wilderness between Chicago and Bureau County. Depending and at the end of that young dauntless pioneer's trip was the laugh- ing land.
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