USA > Illinois > Cass County > History of Cass county, Illinois > Part 18
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43
Whenever an opportunity offered to play some practical joke upon a new comer, it was eagerly seized. One of these, which caused considerable merriment, is herewith narrated: Several new emigrants having arrived, some of the older settlers went with them into the prairie, to select a piece of land for farming purposes. A skunk, or pole-cat, was seen in the grass, and it was given out that these animals were highly prized for their beauty and valuable fur, and it ought to be secured by all means. To shoot it would dunage the fur, as it was alleged. One of these new ones was told to approach very cautiously and cover it with his hat, which he adroitly
146
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
accomplished; but the animal at that moment squirted its perfume at him, some of which reached his face and bosom. The man ran and jumped about, gesticulating wildly with arms and body, vomiting and hallowing, "Oh Lord! Oh Lord!" He was asked what was the matter, whether he was sick; to which he replied, "Don't you smell that infernal stink, or are your noses lined with cast iron?" Al- though it was at first pretended that no bad smell was noticeable, the hearty laughter of some of the party brought him to realize that a joke had been practiced upon him. Noth- ing could induce him to take the skunk, which had then been shot, home with him. He picked up his hat, which was a new one, carrying it at arms length from his body, marching sulkily in the rear of the party, and when Arenzville was reached, the hat was gone too-he had lost it willfully.
The hunting parties also furnished a great many amusing incidents. Game of all de- scription, was found in abundance. The ponds along Indian Creek were, in the spring and fall at times so covered with ducks that no water could be seen.
In the summer of 1844, when the river had been the highest ever known, the deer had to leave the low land and retreat with their young to the sand-ridges, which were also sur- rounded with water. Mr. William Carter, then living nearest to the Illinois river, caught a great many fawns, which he penned up, and when fully grown, shipped them to St. Louis.
The eastern portion of the Arenzville Pre- einct is upland and hilly, and from Arenzville to the river, fine bottom land, interspersed occasionally with sand-ridges. Indian Creek is the main water course, into which the Prairie Creek empties. The bottom lands about Arenzville were covered with the finest body of timber that could be found anywhere. Oak, maple, sycamore, hackberry and walnut trees, were of such gigantic growth, that many
furnished three saw logs, from three to four feet in diameter.
After the population had increased, the precinet was divided, and the western part was named Indian Creek Precinct .*
These precincts contain parts of Town 17 .- 11, nearly all of Town 17.12, and Town 17.13.
In Town 17.11 are the following school- houses:
District No. 1. Schoolhouse, also a church near Monroe.
District No. 2. Schoolhouse, also a Ger- man Methodist Church.
District No. 3. Two schoolhouses at Arenz- ville, also three churches.
District No. 4. One schoolhouse, also a Union church.
District No. 5. Schoolhouse, near Spring- ger's.
District No. 6. Schoolhouse near Mathews. Distriet No. 7. Schoolhouse near Love- kamp's.
Township 17.12.
District No. 1. Schoolhouse near Teilke- meyer.
District No. 2. Schoolhouse near Wagner.
District No. 3. Schoolhouse near Thomas Wilson.
District No. 4. Schoolhouse near A. Schu- man; also a German Methodist and Lutheran church.
Township 17.13.
District No. 1. Schoolhouse.
District No. 5. Schoolhouse near H. Kors- meyer; also German Lutheran church near Korsmeyer, and a Lutheran church near G. H. Jost.
The Town of Arenzville .- The first lots were surveyed by J. A. Arenz in 1839, and
*The precinct of Indian Creek was set off from Arenzville, in 1857, but the history of the two precincts (Arenzville and Indian Creek), are so closely ioterwoven, that the one can hardly be written without the other, and all the history per- taining to Indian Creek, will be found in this chapter. -Ed.]
147
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
he also made a survey of the town, to be called Arenzville, in 1852, which plot was filed and recorded, August 3, 1852. In 1857, the ex- ecutors of F. Arenz, made an addition to said town, and finally Thomas V. Finney prepared a plot of Arenzville and additions, which was recorded October 20, 1876, in Vol. 31, page 364, and adopted by the town trustees as to the limits of said town, on Mav 22, 1878, and organizing the town under the State laws. The first organization of the town of Arenz- ville occurred July 9, 1853, when the first election for town trustees was held. Of the board elected, Francis Arenz was the Presi- dent; Dr. Julius Philippi, Clerk; Herman En- gelbach, Treasurer; John Goebel, Supervisor; Charles Heinz, Town Constable.
A set of ordinances were adopted.
The present officers of the town of Arenz- ville, are: Willlam L. McCarty, President; L. J. Wallich, Clerk; R. J. Cire, Treasurer. Town Trustees: Joseph Amtzen, Christopher French, Daniel F. Fischer, Frederick Bode, and J. W. Swope; W. B. Smith, Super- visor; Henry Schaefer and James Wood, Justices of the Peace in the Arenzville Pre- cinet; and Christopher French and Joseph Richards, Constables.
The funded debt of the town amounts to $4,000. Saloon license is fixed at $200, and beer license at $40 per annum.
There are in the town of Arenzville eighty dwelling houses, with about five hundred in- habitants. The town is in a flourishing con- dition, and the following mentioned branches of business are carried on there:
Estate of Herman Engelbach-General store of merchandise, lumber yard and flour- ing mill, with five runs of stones and a capac- ity of eighty bbls. of flour per day; also an elevator.
Hysinger & Graham-General store of mer- chandise, clothing, boots and shoes. Sale, last year, about $30.000.
J. L. Dyer-General store of merchandize. Rigler & Shoopman-Grocery store.
L. Adams-Grocery store.
Cire & Cire-Books, stationery and no- tions.
Swope & Yeck-Drugs and hardware.
William L. MeCarty & William F. Arenz- Drugs and hardware.
Mrs. C. H. Dahman-Millinery and ladies' furnishing goods.
Mrs. S. E. Cutler -- Millinery and ladies' furnishing goods.
George Weeks-Saloon.
Edward Heinz-Saloon.
Michael Koerner-Brewery and saloon.
Charles Rewitz-Shoe and boot maker.
Henry Schaefer-Shoe and boot maker. Joseph Richards-Barber.
Charles Rewitz, Jr .- Barber.
W. W. Dickerson-Barber.
Christopher French-Blacksmith and agri- cultural implements.
John Rogge-Blacksmith and agricultural implements.
William Dreesbach-Tannery.
B. F. Weeks-Tinner.
E. Heinz-Harness maker and saddler.
H. F. Meyer-Wagon maker.
Frederick Nordsick-Wagon maker.
Henry Joeckel-Wagon maker.
G. F. Gerbing-Butcher.
Daniel Fischer-Carpenter and builder.
C. W. Kuechler-Carpenter and builder, and paper hanger and painter.
L. J. Wallich-Furniture and undertaker.
M. B. Shewsbery-Painter.
J. W. Norton-Painter.
H. E. Rahn-Painter. Frederick Bode-Brick yard.
Joseph Baujan-Brick yard. Adam Herbert-Mason and bricklayer.
Val. Herbert-Mason and bricklayer.
Joseph Herbert-Mason and bricklayer. Adam Herbert-Summer garden.
148
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
William Kraft-Cooper shop.
J. M. Swope-Physician.
John Dorpat-Physician. W. B. Rigler --- Physician. John Rahn-County assessor and treasurer. E. Heinz-Boarding house.
F. Eastman-Dealer in grain.
Hagener Bros .- Dealer in grain.
A. J. Saylor-Shipper of stock.
Theo. Launer-Shipper of stock.
L. J. Wallich-Notary Public.
C. H. Condit-Notary Public. '
There is also a branch of the Peoples' Bank at Arenzville: C. H. Condit, Cashier, and A. J. Saylor, Vice President.
The public school at Arenzville is visited by about one hundred scholars: T. W. Dyer, Principal, with one assistant. There is also a private school. The first school-house was built in 1839, and the present public school- house was erected in 1866. The old school- house was also used for church purposes for all denominations.
Churches .- In Arenzville are now three churches, belonging to the following denomi- nations: The Cumberland Presbyterians, the Lutherans, and Catholics. The Presbyterians have at present no regular minister. The pastor of the German Lutheran is J. Droge- miller, and the Catholics are supplied from Beardstown.
After the new church had been built, in 1860, by the citizens of Arenzville, there was a deficiency of funds to pay the contractor, George Gunther, and the building was used by all denominations, until finally in 1870, the Cumberland Presbyterians became the owners by paying the debt.
The first building used for religious services was erected in 1839. It was open to all de- nominations on Sundays, but at all other times was devoted to school purposes. In the year 1844, a German Lutheran church was in the Howell neighborhood, and soon after-
ward a German Methodist church, and in 1820 a very handsome new Lutheran church was erected, and the old one used for a school house. R. G. Linker is the pastor of the Lutheran church, and Mr. Barth of the Meth- odist church. About the year 1875, a Meth- odist church was built in the neighborhood of L. D. Graham's; also, five or six years ago, two German Lutheran churches were erected in the neighborhood of the farm of G. II. Jost, of which Revs. Bosin and Merschroth are the pastors.
A Union church was lately built near the farm of J. Melone.
School Houses .- Among the first school houses outside of Arenzville was one near Pitner's farm, one on the land of George Engelbach, and one in the Skinner neighbor- hood. There were also schools established for teaching in the winter in several neighbor- hoods. Some person who was able to read or write was engaged as teacher, and when the season for farm work commenced again, these teachers hired themselves to farmers.
An Odd Fellows' Lodge was organized in 1874, and the Order of the United Working- men in 1876. Both were organized by L. J. ' Wallich, who moved to Arenzville in 1869. He is a native of Pennsylvania, and is 54 years old; was also the Superintendent of the Union Sabbath School from 1869 to the present time, and for many years a Justice of the Peace of the precinct, which office he filled worthily and with ability.
Arenzville is a station on the Chicago, Bur- lington & Quincy Railroad, 11 miles south- west of Beardstown.
At the northern edge of the town of Arenzville was a nice locust grove, wherein generally the political meetings were held. Men, who afterwards became distinguished in the State and national councils, have made speeches in this grove. Among the names are mentioned: Stephen A. Douglas, Jas. A.
149
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
MeDougal, John J. Hardin, Newton Cloud, John Henry, Richard Yates, Murray McCon- nell, Thos. M. Kilpatrick.
Morgan County then had two Senators and four members in the House. In 1836 it was customary that the candidates for office of both political parties, at an appointed day and place came together to address the people, speaking alternately, the bank and tariff questions furnishing the main subjects, the speaker's stand being a large box or a table.
At such a meeting, in 1836, Mr. MeDougal, who was somewhat of a dandy, always neatly dressed, in his speech anathematized the Whig party, calling the Whigs bankworshipers, monopolists, aristocrats, silk stocking gentry, etc. Mr. Hardin, who was slovenly in dress, and cared nothing whether his shoes had any strings to them or not, and who had taken his seat on a corner of the speaker's table, seized one leg of Mr. McDougal, held it up, point- ing out to the crowd the fine prunella shoes and silk stockings which he wore, saying that the silk stocking gentry strutted upon Demo- cratic legs, which raised a tremendous laugh- ter.
The first funeral at Arenzville was that of John Fuschka. IIe was an old bachelor without any living relatives, had drifted about in the world from place to place, never receiving kind words or treatment, as he told it, until he came to Arenzville, and found em- ployment with Francis Arenz. By industry and frugal habits he had saved his wages and acquired possession of eighty acres of good land near the town. His last will and testa- ment was writen by J. A. Arenz, to whom he offered to bequeath one half of his land, and the other half to his brother Francis. It was pointed out to him, that neither of them need- ed any such gift, and that he would perform a generous act of benevolence, and perpetuate his memory, by bequeathing his farm to the school at Arenzville, to which he cheerfully
assented. Mr. Fuschka was not captivating in appearance, small in size, but he possessed a large soul, full of honesty and trustworthi- ness. The citizens of Arenzville should honor his grave and remember his generosity. The farm is now cultivated by Casper Becker, and the annual rent goes to the school fund.
John L. Cire came with Henry Kircher, Frederick Diekel, Charles Coupor, Dr. Engel- bach, H. Lippert, and others, in the latter part of 1834, having finished his education in the seminary at Fulda. He built the first frame house in Arenzville, where he kept a little store, increasing his business from time to time, as circumstances would permit. He was Postmaster, Justice of the Peace, Town and School officer, for many years. At the time of his death, in 1881, he held the office of County Assessor and Treasurer, to which he had been elected for the second time. He left seven children.
Dr. George Engelbach came here in 1834, and bought the farm of Peter Taylor, where he resided till his death, in 1844. By pro- fession he was a doctor of medicine, but gave up his practice and devoted his energies to farming. Having lost his wife by death, he brought with him to this country his only child, a boy about four years of age, named Herman, and his aunt Link. Although un- used to farming, by his iron will and industry he became in time a pretty good farmer.
In 1840, he was elected to the office of County Commissioner of Morgan County, which place he filled with honor to himself, and the approval of the people. He was the only person of the so called "Latin farmers" who held out, all the others having arrived at the knowledge that farming was not profit- able or pleasant, in the long run, and had chosen other employments.
At the death of Dr. Engelbach, his son was left under the care of Henry Kircher, as his guardian, and exceedingly well and faithful
150
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
was this trust performed. Young Engelbach received a very good education, and when he had become of age, he made a trip to Europe, visiting his relatives there. Upon his return, in 1853, he associated himself with Peter Arenz, and they bought the mill, store, and a tract of land of Francis Arenz, and did a very successful business until 1859, when that firm was dissolved, and H. Engelbach carried on the business thereafter in his own name, until his death, on December 16, 1880, caused by being caught in the machinery of his elevator.
He was a very honorable man, of exceeding- ly industrious habits, never idle forone moment from morning till night. He left a widow with s'x children, and a considerable estate.
In the board of town trustees he has filled for several years the offices of President or Clerk.
Francis Arenz was born in Blankenberg, Province of the Rhein, Prussia, Oct. 31, 1800. While yet very young he engaged in mer- cantile business, and in 1827 emigrated to the United States, making his home for two years in the State of Kentucky, following the business of merchandising. In the year 1829, he went to Galena, Illinois, and was for a short time engaged in the lead trade, and then came to Beardstown, where he again followed the business of merchandizing and dealing in real estate. He very soon foresaw that Beardstown, on account of its favorable situation and surroundings, was destined to have a prosperous future, and used every means in his power to draw attention to this place and invite emigration. He expected the best mode to accomplish this purpose to be the establishment of a newspaper, and he accord- ingly, in 1834, commenced the publication of The Beardstown Chronicle and Illinois Bounty Lund Advertiser, of which he became the editor and proprietor, with John B. Fulks, as publisher. This paper was then the only
newspaper west of Jacksonville and Spring- field. It could not be expected that at this early day such an undertaking would prove profitable, and having been published for nearly two years at considerable loss, its pub- lication was abandoned, after having accom- pliahed, however, its object. Beardstown, a very good landing point on the Illinois River, had become the port of entry for all the goods designed for Springfield, Petersburg, Rush- ville, McComb, and other places, and from here were also shipped the produce and pork of the surrounding towns and country. Heavy loaded teams with merchandise and produce, could daily be seen on the roads leading to and from Beardstown, and there was no point in the West where more hogs were slaughtered than here.
During the Black Hawk war, Beardstown was the general rendezvous for the State troops, and Mr. Arenz furnished supplies for the army at the request of Gov. Reynolds, and also a portion of the arms, which had been purchased by Arenz, and originally destined for the South America service.
New roads were surveyed and opened, and the plan was conceived by Mr. Arenz, that the construction of a canal from Beardstown to the Sangamon River, to a place called Miller's Ferry, and then by slackwater naviga- tion to continue to the neighborhood of Springfield, whereby also the bottom lands of the Sangamon valley would become drained and useful for agricultural purposes, would be of great benefit to Beardstown.
An act of the Legislature was obtained in 1836, for the incorporation of the Beardstown and Sangamon Canal Company, of which company Mr. Arenz was elected President, and Dr. O. M. Long, Secretary and Treasurer; William Pollock, as Engineer, and John A. Arenz, as Assistant Engineer, commenced the survey on September 1, 1836, and in December following a very favorable report was made ;
t
151
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
but for want of sufficient means and on account of the hard times soon following, this project failed.
The citizens of Beardstown and the north- ern portion of Morgan County had become aware that their interest would be better promoted by a separation from Morgan, be- cause every public improvement, and partic- ularly the contemplated railroad, running from Springfield, by Jacksonville to Quincy, which in their opinion, ought to have been located by the way of Beardstown, being the nearest and best route between Springfield and Quincy.
Morgan had at that time six and Sangamon nine members in the Legislature, and the two counties combined, could carry most any measure, and Jacksonville and not Beards- town, would be the recipient of its benefits, for all the members from Morgan were either citizens of Jacksonville or vicinity. For these and other reasons, a division of the county was agitated, and continued until 1837, when the county of Cass was formed. In all these matters Mr. Arenz was the leader and main worker. In the year 1835, he gave up his mercantile business in Beardstown, and took up his residence on his farm, about six miles southeast of Beardstown, which he named "Recluze." Here he had a house built, which had a good sized room in the center, surrounded by shed rooms and a porch. It was covered by shingle roof, weath- er-boarded and painted, and was built on the brow of a high hill, near the edge of the timber, commanding a very fine view. It was certainly the hottest place in the summer and the coldest in winter, and the house appeared from a distance very much like a good sized tent. Here he resided un- til 1839, when he made his permanent home at Arenzville.
In 1833 he had purchased of a Mr. Smart, who had a little mill on Indian Creek, that
mill and a large tract of land in Section 3!, Township 17, North of Range 11 West, where now Arenzville is situated.
Indian Creek forms here a considerable bend, and to increase the volume of water, a large ditch was cut between said bend, and at the upper end a dam was constructed. A new saw mill was built on said ditch, Mr. John Savage, afterward Sheriff of Cass County, be- ing the builder. It was a difficult matter to keep up the dam, which was constructed of timber and earth, no stone being at hand. The soil being rich and alluvial, the minks, musk-rats and crawfish would in some way undermine or work around the edges of the dam, so that at times of high water it would be damaged or carried away entirely, which required the time of low water for making repairs.
When the timber yielding saw-logs had been consumed, the saw-mill was turned into a flouring mill and rebuilt ; but the dam still proved a failure, until finally steam power was applied. These drawbacks would have discouraged most men, but not him, although he had several times either sold or leased the property, but it always came back to his hands, like counterfeit money.
Mr. Arenz was pretty successful in his many enterprises, but in the milling business he proved to be a complete failure, and by it sunk a great deal of money.
In 1838 he engaged also in the mercantile business, and took in partnership his brother, J. A. Arenz, and the name of the firm was F. Arenz & Co. This partnership continued for about six years, when his brother withdrew from the firm. Finally in 1853 he sold the mill and store with a tract of land, to Herman Engelbach and Peter Arenz, in whose hands the concern proved very profitable.
It seemed to be a great relief to Mr. Arenz, when he got rid of his business and obtained more leisure time for other matters. He was
172
HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
very often absent from home, attending meet- ings of all sorts, having an object for the im- provement of the country. He was very fond of politics and a member of the Whig party. He liked company, was of a very generous and social disposition, and his house was scarcely ever without visitors. There was no session of the legislature, when he failed to go to the capital of the State, to be on hand whenever anything could be accomplished for the benefit of Cass County. He was ac- quainted with the leading men of the State, and many of them were his warm friends.
In 1852 he was the bearer of dispatches from the Secretary of the United States, to the embassadors at Berlin and Vienna. He was one of the organizers of the State Agri- cultural Society at Springfield, on January 5, 1853, and was elected one of its vice-presid- ents, which position he continued to hold to time of his death.
He also organized, on January 5, 1855, the Cass County Agricultural Society, and was elected president thereof.
Men of the stamp and character of Francis Arenz, gifted with power to look ahead, and shaping matters for paving the way to accom- plish praiseworthy results, have to encounter and overcome a great many obstacles; such men necessarily have and gain many friends, but they will also have envious, bitter enemies. This was also the case with him.
Mr. Arenz died April 2, 1856.
The executive committee of the State Agricultural Society, then in session at Spring: field, adopted April 3, 1856, the following resolutions :
Resolved, That in the death of Francis Arenz, late member of this board, it lost a co-worker, kind, courteous and able, and always in his place; the society, one of its most talented, energetic and ardent friends; the State and
community at large, one of its most honor- able, respected, and revered citizens; and that while we bow in humble humility and awe before Almighty God, we tender our most sincere and heartfelt sympathies to the family and friends of the deceased, hoping that their loss and our loss is his gain.
Resolved, That a copy of these proceedings be sent to the family and friends of the de- ceased, to the Prairie Farmer, and to the papers in Beardstown, Jacksonville and Springfield, with the request that the same be inserted in the papers indicated.
There are now eight children of Mr. Arenz living, four boys and four daughters, all of whom are married.
Among the men who contributed their share to the development of the town of Arenzville, must be mentioned the firm of Kircher & Goedeking.
Mr. Jos. Kircher came in 1834. He had received a collegiate education, and settled on a farm near Arenzville. When some years afterwards Mr. Henry Goedeking arrived, hie took up his residence on the same farm. Mr. Goedeking was a native of Berlin, Prussia, where his father was an officer of the royal mint.
After farming a few years, they arrived at. the conclusion that such employment was neither suitable nor profitable for them, and they moved to Arenzville and engaged in mercantile business. About five or six years afterward they took up their permanent res- idence at Belleville, Ills., where they estab- lished a hardware business. Mr. Goedeking became Mayor of Belleville, and died some years ago, never having been married. Mr. Kircher is still living and is the father of five children, honored and loved by all who are acquainted with him.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.