USA > Illinois > Cass County > History of Cass county, Illinois > Part 4
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In 1833, there was not a single merchant north of the Mauvistarre, outside of Beards- town, and not one advertised in The Beards- town Chronicle; and money was so scarce that it was almost impossible for any kind of business to be transacted. Francis Arenz humorously ascribes the phenomenon of the great meteoric shower of that year, to the fact, that a day or two previously a subscriber had paid him two dollars, all in cash, for a year's subscription to the Chronicle,
The names of the steamers which navigated the Illinois River in 1833-34, were the Peoria, Exchange, Ottawa, Ceres, Utility, Cavalier, Express, Black Hawk, and Olive Branch.
James B. Kenner kept the Bounty Land Hotel at Beard's Landing, on the west bank of the river, opposite Beardstown.
Prices of staples in 1833, at Beardstown, were : Flour, imported, per barrel, $4.25; wheat, in 90 days, per bushel, 50c .; wheat, cash, per bushel, 45 .; salt, per bushel, 75c .; corn, per bushel, 12 to 16c .; beans, per bushel, 50c .; whisky, per gallon, 48c .; pork, per lb., 24c .; butter, per lb., 10c .; beef, per lb., 2}c .; cigars, per 1000, $1; cigars, per box, best, $1.
The business men of Beardstown in 1834, were: Francis Arenz, L. W. Talmage & Co., T. & J. S. Wibourne, J. M. Merchant & Co., Haywood Read, J. Parrott & Co., merchants; John Alfred, M. Kingsbury, and Liscomb &
Buckle, tailors; J. Roulston, hat maker; Henry Boemler, cabinet maker; M. McCreary, cooper; Malony & Smith, forwarding and commission business; Knapp and Pogue, steam mill; Gat- ton, Judson & Elliott. There were also: Dr. J. W. Fitch, Dr. Owen M. Long, Dr. Chas. Hochstetter, and Dr. Rue.
As descriptive of the business of Beards- town, we will quote the following extract from an editorial in the Beardstown Chron- icle of March 1, 1834:
"Since the opening of the river, there has been shipped from this place, 1,502 barrels of flour and 150 barrels of pork. Ready for shipment at the warehouses at this time, 581 barrels of flour, 400 barrels of pork, and 150 kegs of lard. This is a fair commencement of exporting surplus produce from a country where a few years ago many of such articles were imported. Two steam flouring mills and one steam saw mill are now in operation. A large brewery and distillery are being built, with a grist mill. Besides, arrangements are being made for building ware, store, and dwelling houses. Four years ago only three families, residing in log huts, lived in this place, and now, we venture to assert, more business is transacted in this town than any other place in the State."
The old brick school house in Beards- town, since a part of Dr. Theo. Hoffman's premises, was built in 1834, by Beard and Arenz, and presented by them to the inhabi- tants, and for many years was the only place for public meetings.
At that time great stress was laid upon the nagavibility of the Sangamon River, as boats frequently passed up and down that stream. In 1832, a steamboat of the larger class went up the Sangamon to within five miles of Springfield, and discharged its cargo there.
The farm houses, just previous to the or- ganizing of Cass County, were mostly built of logs, and in many cases. innocent of glass.
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
The doors were made of puncheon or split logs, as saw mills were few and far between. The fire-places were made of logs filled up with clay dug from beneath the floors. A temporary wall would be built about two feet inside the log wall; the space then filled with earth, and wetted, was pounded or rammed down solid. The inner wall was then taken away and a fire built inside, which baked the jams like brick. Then this was surmounted with a stick an l elay chimney, a pole was run across to hang kettles on; and the chinks be- tween the logs of the house were filled up with sticks, clay, and chopped straw. The doors and roof of the house were made of split boards, and frequently not a nail or any iron was used in the whole house. The roof- boards were kept in their places by logs weighing them down; the doors, held together by wooden pins, hung on wooden hinges, and latched with wooden latches. The houses generally had but one room and two doors, but no window. Usually one door of the house was left open, no matter how cold the weather was, to admit light; and rarely both doors were closed, except when the family were about to retire to rest. So habituated were people to open doors, that that custom prevailed even after the introduction of glass into the cabins, for windows. It is related, that on a very cold duty, an eastern man who was visiting a friend at his log cabin, proposed to close the door to make the house warmer. The proprietor expressed his surprise at the proposition, but did not object to try it as an experiment. After the door had been shut a few minutes, he seemed much pleased with the result, and said, " Well, I declare! I be- lieve it does make a difference."
A rural poet has truthfully stated that-
"In every country village where
Ten chimneys' smoke perfume the air Contiguous to a steeple,
Great gentle-folks are found a score,
Who can't associate any more With common country people."
So even in our early days we had some aristocrats. Occasionally a man was found that built his house of hewn logs, and had sawn planks for his floor, and perhaps a glass window. And then some ambitious neigh- bor must overtop him, and the wonderful pal- atial double-log-house, with a porch between, appeared. By the youngsters this seemed ex- travagant and useless ; but the surprise of everybody was Dr. Chandler's large, well-fin- ished frame house. Even beds were more accommodating then than now, and would hold many more occupants. There was one, usually, in each of two corners in every log cabin, and under each of these was a trundle- bed which pulled out at night ; and then there was bedding to spare in most houses, and when friends called and stayed all night, which they usually did, a field-bed was made that accommodated all. When meal time came, a large amount of good wholesome provender would be supplied, considering the few cooking utensils that were used. Even in well-to-do families the articles for cooking consisted of a Dutch oven, which was simply a shallow kettle, with a cover made for holding hot coals, in which first the bread and then the meat was cooked, a coffee- pot, and a kettle to cook vegetables, when they had any. Wheat bread was scarce, and corn bread was universally used. When bread was spoken of without a prefix, corn bread was meant ; any other kind being des- ignated as wheat bread or rye bread. I rec- olleet a circumstance which will illustrate how corn bread was respected. When Major Miller kept the Western Hotel in Jackson- ville, in 1836, there was a saloon, then called a grocery, under it called "Our House." A Yankee, who had been stopping with the Major, called into the grocery to get his bit- ters, and outraged the thirsty customers at the bar by an offensive allusion to the corn bread he had had set before him at the hotel table,
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
stating among other remarks, that corn bread was only fit for hogs to eat. At this an irri- table native took offense ; he peeled off his coat, and squared his brawny shoulders before the astonished Yankee, and said, "See yer, stranger, I don't know who you are, and I don't keer a durn, nuther ; but I'll have you understand that the man that makes fun of corn bread makes fun of the principal part of my living." It was with considerable difficulty that a fuss was prevented, and then only by the Yankee apologizing and treating the crowd to the drinks.
While speaking of Yankees, I might just as well say, that this part of Morgan County was settled principally by citizens from south of the Potomac and Ohio rivers; and a strong prejudice was felt against people from New England, who were all denominated " Yan- kecs ; " and, to be just, candor compels me to admit that the representatives of the descend- ants of the pilgrim fathers, who peddled clocks and tinware, and notions, and essences, and the like, through this part of the country at that time, were not calculated in every instance to inspire any high respect for them as a class.
Fitz Greene Halleck, the poet, writes of them as
" Apostates, who are meddling
With merchandise, pounds, shillings, pence, and peddling ;
Or, wandering through southern countries, teaching The A, B, C, from Webster's spelling hook ;
Gallant and godly, making love, and preaching,
And gaining, hy what they eall "hook and erook," And what the moralists eall overreaching,
A decent living. The Virginians look
Upon them with as favorable eyes
As Gabriel on the devil in paradise."
In fact, a mean trick was always expected from a Yankee ; while there is reason to be- lieve that, really, there were sometimes just as mean things done by persons from other por- tions of the nation. To illustrate : About
forty-five years ago, I attended a wolf hunt on Indian Creek. There were about a hundred of us, on horseback, up on a rise in the tim- ber, waiting to hear from the hounds, and passing the time in conversation. The sub- ject of discussion, a not unusual one, was the Yankees, and each man had a story to tell of some Yankee trick. Finally, old Uncle Bob Martin, who had but one eye, but was, never- theless, quite an oracle in such matters, had his say in this wise : " Well, gentlemen, I'll tell yer what it is: I've seed a heap 'er Yan- kees in my day, and I know all about 'em. I know 'em like a book, inside and out, and I tell yer what it is, gentlemen, all the Yankees don't come from New England, nuther, not by a durn sight. And the meanest Yankee I ever seed, gentlemen, was a Kanetucky Yankee."
I said corn bread was the principal article of diet then. But there were various kinds of corn bread. That most in use was corn dodger. This was simply made of corn meal, hot water and a little salt, stirred together to the consistency of dough; then a double hand- ful was rounded, flatted, and placed in a hot Dutch oven, surrounded with glowing embers. An oven would hold three or four of these, and they were cooked so quickly that a woman could keep quite a large number of hungry men in business. Then there was the pump- kin bread, made by mixing pumpkins and meal, and the pone. This last was considered suitable for kings, and I must tell you how it was made. It was thus: Take as much corn meal as is wanted for use; sift it; put it in an iron kettle and pour on it boiling water; stir it till it becomes well mixed and quite thin ; this being right, let it remain in the same ves- sel till morning, and if kept warm it will be well fermented (which is necessary); then put it into a hot Dutch oven, it being heated be- fore the dough is put in it; apply good live embers on the lid of the oven as well as under
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
it, being careful not to burn it. These were sometimes baked in hot ashes and embers, without an oven. These were called ash- pones.
Butter was not common, except in the spring and summer; but large quantities of fat bacon and hams were used instead, which were kept the year round, in the smoke houses, one of which every family had. Potatoes were unknown for many years; and when they were introduced, they were at first very un- popular. People that ate tlrem were stigma- tized as Irish. Deer, prairie-chickens and other game, as well as domestic fowls, were very plenty and much used for food.
The principal clothing worn by the men was of Kentucky and home made jeans, made into pants and hunting shirts. Under-clothing was hardly ever worn, even in winter, and overcoats, never; yet men seemed as warm and comfortable then as they do now, with under- garments and overcoats. The ladies dressed principally in linsey of their own weaving. I well recollect when calico was first gener- ally worn. Patterns with large flowery fig- ures were preferred; and although our prairies were covered all over in profusion with the most beautiful of flowers, like unto a garden of the gods, yet, I must admit, the prettiest flowers or, at least, the most attractive were those printed upon calico. And I might ad- mit further, that they are not altogether dis- pleasing to most men even now. At the huskings, weddings, meetings, and merry- makings, the girls looked as pretty then, in their home-made suits as they do now, though arrayed in all the gaud and glory of the mil- liner.
The principal occasions of great public gatherings were political discussions; for, either fortunately or unfortunately (and which it is is a great moral question), there never was a man hung within the limits of this county at the hands of justice, so the public
have never been called together out of curi- osity on that account. Among our public speakers at that time were: Lincoln, Hardin Baker, Lamborn, Richardson, and more lat- terly, Yates and Douglas, besides many from a distance. Besides these occasions, we had preaching in the schoolhouses and barns and groves. Often have some of us, now living, listened to Reldick Horn, Cyrus Wright Peter Cartwright, " Old Man Hammaker," of North Prairie, and many others. How many of the old settlers recollect Old Father Doyle, who used to shout "power " until the far-off woods rang, and the hills sent back the ccho. Oh! those public meetings in the woods; how grand they were ! Bryant sings of them and says-
" The groves were God's first temples.
Ah ! why should we in the world's riper years neglect God's ancient sanctuaries, and adore Only among the crowd, and under roofs That our frail hands have raised."
There used to be a famous camp meeting ground for many years at " Uncle " William Holmes', northeast of Virginia, and people attended it from twenty miles around. When this county was first formed, there were but few farms on North Prairie, except those skirting the edge of the timber; and a man could cross it anywhere on horseback, led only by Indian trails, or the points of timber. For instance, a man could start from the Jacksonville road at Yaples or Peterfish's farm, south of where Virginia now is, and go straight to Holmes' camp ground, a distance of about ten miles, northeast, and not pass a fence.
In 1835, the Beardstown and Sangamon Canal Company were incorporated, and there was considerable interest taken in that work.
In 1836, on the 16th day of June, Dr. H. II. Hall laid out and platted the town of Vir- ginia, he having entered the land upon which it stands a short time previously.
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
At this early date, before there were any other towns than Beardstown, localities were known by other names, as for instance, Rob- inson's Mills, Panther Creek, Miller's Ferry, Schoonover's Ford, North Prairie, Jersey Prairie or Workman Post-office, Panther or Painter Grove, as it was called; Painter Creek Post-office, where Chandlerville is now; Little Painter, Middle Creek Settlement, Fly Point, Sylvan Grove, Puncheon Camp, Lynn Grove, etc.
In 1835, The Jacksonville & Meredosia
railroad was incorporated by the legislature of Illinois, which was the first railroad built west of the Alleghenies.
About this time, the Sangamon and Spoon rivers, and Crooked Creek to Henly's mill were declared navigable by the State.
The manner of voting at that time was viva voce, the elector announcing to the judges and clerks of the election, in plain voice, the man or measure he intended to vote for, so that it was publicly known how each man voted.
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
CHAPTER IV.
ORGANIZATION OF CASS COUNTY-THE CONVENTION AT RUSHVILLE-LEGISLATIVE ACT CREATING THE COUNTY-OTIIER ACTS-FIRST ELECTION FOR OFFICERS-THE NUM- BER OF VOTERS-AN INCIDENT OF A WOLF-THE COLD DAY OF 1837-LOCA- TION OF THE COUNTY SEAT-SCARCITY OF MONEY-THE COUNTY MACHINERY PUT IN MOTION-THE COURTS-TROUBLE FROM HORSE THIEVES-EUGENE HONORIUS-THE CENSUS, ETC.
A BOUT this time there became a gradually growing feeling of dissatisfaction in this the northern part of Morgan County, with the management of county affairs at Jacksonville. It seemed to the people here, that Morgan County was ruled by Jacksonville, and that that village was ruled by a clique, or ring, as it would now be called. This feeling became more conspicuous,as at that time the removal of the State capital was being worked up. It was provided in the Constitution of 1818, while the capital was at Kaskaskia, that the Legislature should locate a new town, which should be the capital for twenty years. This the Legislature did, and named the place Vandalia. The constitutional limit of that location was fast ap- proaching, and a new seat of government was to be selected.
A statute was passed February 5, 1833, providing, that after the expiration of the time preseribed by the constitution for the seat of government remaining at Vandalia, the people should vote for one of the follow- ing named places for the permanent seat of government, to-wit: "The geographical centre of the State," Jacksonville, Springfield, Alton, Vandalia, and Peoria, and the point receiving the highest number of votes should forever remain the seat of government. The south- ern part of the State was at that time most thickly settled, and it soon became evident that, unless the people of Central Illinois united upon a town in their portion of the
State, Vandalia or Alton would gain it. The people in the northern portion of the State were willing to sacrifice Peoria, but the people of Central Illinois were divided between Springfield and Jacksonville. There was a growing feeling, however, in favor of Spring- field, as being the most available ; and a con- vention was called by the central and northern counties, to meet at Rushville, on the 7th day of April, 1834, to unite on one point to sup- port for the State capital. Jacksonville was opposed to this, and favored the deferring the removal of the seat of government to some future time, hoping to gain strength by this line of policy. Consequently, Jackson- ville refused to take part in the Rushville convention, while the northern part of the county met at Beardstown, decided to take part in the convention, and elected Archibald Job and Thomas Beard to represent them there, which they afterwards did. This occasioned a discussion between the newspaper of Jack- sonville, conducted by Josiah Lamborn, and the Chronicle on the part of Beardstown, by Francis Arenz.
To show the state of this feeling as early as 1834, the following is from the Chronicle of March 25th, of that year:
" In the 'Chronicle,' No. 35, we published the preamble and resolutions adopted at a publie meeting held in Beardstown on the 20th of February last. In one of the resolu. tions, Archibald Job and Thomas Beard were
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
appointed to attend as delegates at Rushville, on the first Monday of April next, to repre- sent the wishes of the people in the northern part of Morgan County.
" In our last number we published the pro- ceedings of a meeting held in Jacksonville on the 3d inst. One of the resolutions adopted at that meeting, declares, that ' from the neu- tral position of Morgan County in relation to locality and interest, it is inexpedieut, at this time, for citizens of our county to send dele- gates to the convention proposed to be held on the first Monday of April next.'
" We also published a letter from J. Lam- born, Esq., to the editor of this paper, ex- planatory of the views and feelings of those attending the Jacksonville meeting towards their fellow citizens of the northern part of Morgan County, who composed the Beards- town meeting; but as this letter was not part of the proceedings at Jacksonville, and the resolutions adopted are contrary and in op- position to the friendly feelings privately ex- pressed by Mr. Lamborn, we have to take the sentiments as expressed by the meeting.
" The meeting at Beardstown was composed of freemen. They acted for themselves, and appointed two delegates to represent their wishes at the proposed convention, leaving four delegates to be chosen in other parts of Morgan County. If our fellow citizens at Jacksonville, and in the southern and western parts of the county, did not choose to send delegates, no objection or dissatisfaction would have been entertained; but a meeting composed of about one hundred and fifty indi- viduals at Jacksonville and vicinity (being ac- quainted with the sentiments expressed here), have assumed to indicate in their resolution that it is inexpedient, at this time, for the citizens of our county to send delegates. To this decree the citizens of the north will not submit. We unhesitatingly say, that two delegates will attend and represent their
wishes. We believe the time has gone by when a few leaders of Jacksonville controlled the votes of Morgan County; and we would advise those who have influence in and about Jacksonville, to use it with discretion. The people north of Indian Creek, and we doubt not in other parts of the county, understand their own interest, and will act accordingly."
The convention was held at Rushville at the appointed time, and such united action was taken as eventuated in the passage of a statute on the 3d day of February, 1837, which permanently located the seat of gov- ernment at Springfield, and Archibald Job, of this county, A. G. Henry and Thomas Hunghan were appointed commissioners to superintend the erection of the State House.
At the very same session which removed the capital, on the 3d day of March, 1837, a bill was passed that the people of Morgan County should, on the third Monday of April of that year, vote for and against the division of that county, on the line running through the middle of townships seventeen, north, and in case the vote favored it, all north of that line to constitute a new county, to be called the county of Cass ; that the county seat should be at Beardstown, until the peo- ple should permanently locate the county seat by election; and the school fund should be divided according to the number of the townships between the two counties.
We will here insert this, and other statutes concerning the early history of Cass county, for the reason that the books in which they are contained are probably not to be found in Cass county, outside of our library, and are not for sale anywhere, and they will proba- bly never be reprinted, and are very rarely found except in the State libraries. By re- printing them here they will be preserved. AN ACT FOR THE FORMATION OF THE COUNTY OF CASS-IN FORCE MARCH 3, 1837. SEC. 1. Be it enacted by the people of the
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HISTORY OF CASS COUNTY.
State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly, That all that tract of country within the following boundaries to wit: Be- ginning at a point in the centre of the main channel of the Illinois river, where a line running through the centre of townships seventeen north intersects the same, in range thirteen, west of the third principal meridian, thence east with said line to the east side of the county of Morgan, from thence north to the centre of the main channel of the San- gamon river, thence down said river to the centre of the main channel of the Illinois river, thence down said river to the place of beginning, shall constitute a new county to be called the county of Cass.
SEC. 2. The county aforesaid is created upon the following conditions: The people of the county of Morgan as the same is now organized, shall meet at the several places for holding elections for Representatives and Senators in said county, on the third Monday of April next, and proceed to vote in the same manner of voting for Representatives and Senators to the general assembly, whether said county shall be created or not. The judges of elections in said county shall give twenty days' notice of the time and place of holding said elections, by posting notices thereof at six public places in the county, and on said day shall open a poll book at each election precinct, in which they shall rule two columns, in one of which they shall set down the votes given for the creation of said county, and in the other column the votes given against the same, and said judges shall conduct said election, and make returns to the clerk of the county commissioners' court of Morgan County, in the same manner as is now pro- vided by law in the case of elections for Sen- ators and Representatives for the general as- sembly, and said returns shall be opened and counted in the same manner as in such elec- tions, and if a majority of all the votes given
at said election shall be in favor of the crea- tion of said county, a certificate thereof shall be made by the clerk of said county com- missioners' court, under the seal of said court, and transmitted by him to the office of the Secretary of State, of the State of Illinois, to be filed in his office as evidence of the exist- ence of said county, and said clerk shall make a like certificate and file the same in his of- fice, which shall be entered of record at the next succeeding term of the said County Commissioners Court, and shall be sufficient to prove the facts therein stated, after which said county shall be one of the counties of the State of Illinois. The Clerk of the Commis- sioners Court of Morgan County shall cause a notice of said clection to be published in all the newspapers published in the County of Morgan.
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