History of Crawford and Clark counties, Illinois, Part 42

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 826

USA > Illinois > Clark County > History of Crawford and Clark counties, Illinois > Part 42
USA > Illinois > Crawford County > History of Crawford and Clark counties, Illinois > Part 42

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).

The general surface of the township is level, with a slight inclination in the central part toward the southeast. This marks the line of drainage through Mill Creek, which, entering the northwest corner, passes diago- nally to the Wabash a mile above York vil- lage. The creek has of late years formed a new channel, which separates from the old bed about three and a half miles from its mouth, and takes a more southerly course and empties in the Wabash River near the limits of the village. Several ponds emphasize the general level state of the land, Walsh pond in the northeastern part, drained by Snyder Creek, being the more important one. Re- ceding from the Wabash River, the land rises by " benches " from the "bottoms" to the prairie, and then to the highlands of the inte- rior. The river bank, nowhere in the town- ship exceeds a height of twenty feet above the ordinary surface of the water, and from this the bottom land extends from one to three quarters of a mile, where a gentle rise brings one to the level expanse of Union Prairie. This prairie extended from this point to Mill Creek on the east, and on the north to a narrow strip of timber, near the northern boundary, which divides Union from Walnut Prairie. East of Mill Creek was principally the heavy timber land incident to this region. The early settlers found the "bottoms " of this precinct well wooded, sycamore and walnut being the principal growth. These trees fre- quently attained an enormous size, the latter proving a source of considerable revenue in

* By J. H. Battle.

331

HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.

later days. The sycamore, though less valui- able, were more remarkable for size. One of these was found blown down, in the hollow of which a man rode his horse and found room to turn him about to ride out.

The soil of the bottom lands is a rich allu- vial deposit annually enriched by the overflow of the river. Fields have been cultivated for forty consecutive years and the last crop shows no diminution in the yield. The soil of the prairie is a sandy loam, which is only s 'cond to the bottoms in its productiveness. This land has been farmed upon much the same plan as the bottoms, but not with the same impunity. Farm lands thus over-cropped are beginning to show signs of exhaustion, and farmers are forced to consider how this loss of vitality of the soil may be repaired. Clover can not be successfully grown, and it seems probable that resort must eventually be had to artificial fertilizers. The soil of the woodlands is the usual yellow clay of this re- gion, which is a strong, productive soil for grass and corn. The latter is the principal crop of the whole township, though on the prairie land considerable attention, of late years, has been paid to wheat growing. The early interest in the raising of fine stock has long since died out, and no attention is paid to this branch of farm industry save the rais- ing of a few barnyard animals.

At the close of the war of 1812, the favorite site for immigration was the Wabash valley, and settlers from all parts of the country ex- cited by the descriptions of chose whom mil- itary duty had brought here, came flocking to this region even before the pacification of the Indians had been accomplished. The first to reach the present territory of York was Thomas Handy and his family. They were natives of New York, and came by the Alle- ghany, Ohio and Wabash rivers to Vincennes, Indiana. This long tedious journey was made in a keel boat, and much of the way not only

in danger of perils by water but on land as well. After a short stay at Vincennes, they selected what is now York Township for their future home and late in the spring of 1814, landed on the site of York Village. They at once made their way to the wood-land east of Mill Creek and fixed upon a site on section eighteen. A temporary shelter was con- structed over a log with brush-wood covered with bark, and under this the family found sleeping apartments, the cooking being done in open air. A permanent cabin was at once put under way, the father and one son stand- ing guard against the approach of Indians, while the others put up the house. A little later in the year, a son, John Handy, put up a cabin a little further north. The improve- ments made here were only temporary, as the land had not been brought into the market and there was no assurance that the land could be held against the speculators. Two years later they entered lan ! on section 16, which still remains in the family. The next settler to come to York was William Hogue. He was a native of Virginia and made the journey from his native State by river, push- ing his boat up the Wabash, arriving at York in the early part of 1815. Hogue prepared the frontier and though a man of good intelli- gence kept as far from the settlement as pos- sible. He cleared a small patch of ground from which he got enough with the abundant supply of game to support his family, but made no permanent improvement, and subse- quently went to Terre Haute. He was fol- lowed to York by a brother, David Hogue, in 1816.

In this year came the Richardson and Fitch families and settled on the site of York Vil- lage. John and Joseph Richardson were brothers, natives of New York and had been prominent and wealthy men of business. About this time, however, the failure of some large speculations had brought about such

332

HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.

financial embarrassment as to force the sac- rifice of the larger part of their property. They came by way of the river and landed on the site of the village of York. John F. Richardson, the son of John Richardson en- tered, subsequently, a large amount of land, a considerable portion of it being for his father and uncle who did not care to own property in their own name lest their creditors should levy on it. He was a bachelor and was prom- inent as a business man. His brother George F. Richardson afterward went to Texas and succeeded in amassing a large fortune. Chester Fitch was related to the Richardsons and had suffered with them in a business way, and owned considerable land in young Rich- ardson's name. Another arrival of this year was Jonathan Lindley. He was a native of North Carolina, and moved from there in wagons in company with several other fam- ilies, three of his brothers being in the com- pany, who settled in C awford County. Lindley settled on the northwest quarter of section 3. John Welsh came from Ken- tucky by wagon in this year, and settled on section 12; he was a prominent citizen and the second sheriff of the county.

About the same time with the Richardsons came James C. Ilillebert and family from New York, by river, and landed on the site of York Village. Their first introduction to this new land was characteristic. It was some days before the family were landed and in the mean while they lived on the boat as they had done on their journey. A single plank led to the shore, and in an unguarded moment Mrs. Hillebert slipped from this to the river. Her outcry attracted the attention of Welsh who sprang to her rescue. In her fright she grasped him by the neck, and it was only by dint of vigorous blows that her clasp was shaken off and both were not drowned. Welsh finally succeeded in grasping her hair and bringing her to the surface, when both

were helped out of the water. Hillebert was a man of some wealth, very careful in hus- banding his gains and a hard worker. He settled just north of the village of York, where he put up a blacksmith's shop, primarily for his own use, but occasionally did work for his neighbors. A little later in the year 1816, Joseph Shaw came from Kentucky by wagon. He had been a soldier in the old Indian wars; was with St. Clair in his defeat and at the Battle of Tippecanoe. He is remembered as an anstere, aristocratic man of fine business qualities and successful in amassing a large property. There were some exceptions to this class, however, in the immigration of 1816, and among these were Isaac Moore and John Chenoweth. The former was a native of Virginia and brought beside his family, little more than his household goods and his ener- getic disposition. He was three weeks mak- ing his way to this country, cutting his own roads most of the way, guarding his camp each night from attacks of wolves and Indi- ans. He had been a sailor and ship-carpen- tor and soon engaged in rafting produce, etc., down the river. In the spring of 1835, he went to New Orleans with a raft and reached Natchez on his return, where he died. Cheno- weth came here almost penniless, started a ferry, and by enterprise and energy became possessed of a large property, but he after- ward became involved and moved to Coles County in 1855.

George Catron was a prominent settler of 1817. He was a member of a leading Ten- nessee family, his brother being an associate justice of the United States Supreme Court. Possessed of fine tastes and good education, he did not possess the faculty of easily iden- tifying himself with a pioneer community and was wont to resent the familiarity indulged in in a new country. Samuel Prevo came in the same year from North Carolina, and made the tedious journey of several weeks in wagons.

Lehr Trox

335

HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.

Mr. Prevo settled one mile west of York Vil- lage, and early took a front position in the community. He "ran for the Legislature " but was defeated. He was popularly known · as Judge Prevo, and his characterist.e perti- nacity in the pursuit of an object gave rise to the popular saying of " headstrong as Prevo." Enoch Davis was another addition to the community here in this year. Ile made no permanent improvements and supported his family by trading, and, it was popularly be- lieved, by counterfeiting. He was a mechan- ical genius, given to gambling, and traveled up and down the river plying his trade at all points from York to New Orleans. At Natchez he got in difficulty on account of some counterfeit money and narrowly escaped hanging by establishing his innocence in this case at least. After a short stay he left for a more congenial community. Newell Leonard, a native of New York, settled on section 28 in this year. He was an industrious and in- telligent man, and improved a fine farm.

In 1818, there were several notable acces- sions. Of these, John Parker came from New York but was subsequently drowned while crossing Raccoon Creek. The creek was at fall banks, but, trusting to his team to swim across, he plunged in. The wagon box unfor- tunately floated off and then sank with its occupant, who was immediately drowned. William Ketchum also came this year with his family from New York. The journey was made by boats and three long months were consumed on the way. He settled at first on Grand Prairie in what is now Craw- ford County, but he came soon afterward to the vicinity of York Village cultivating a farm just south of the town. He was a car. penter by trade and soon found plenty of work in the thriving town just then growing up. Reuben Crow, a native of North Caro- lina, in the same year settled northwest of the village, and John Salmon, of Kentucky, in

the village. Ambrose Pease came from Sackett's Harbor where he had lost his prop- erty during the war of 1812. By sleigh he came to the Alleghany River and from thence . took a family boat down the Ohio to Evans- ville and in the spring of 1818 came to York in a keel boat, which proved a difficult under- taking as the Wabash was high and the cur- rent strong. They moved into the Crocker cabin and rented land of J. B. Richardson and subsequently engaged in trade on the river.

In this year Zachariah Archer and his fam- ily moved into York. Charles Archer ha.l come the year before and on his representa- tions and through the influence of W. B. Archer, the family came to the Wabash country. Old Mr. Archer was a native of the County Down, Ireland, emigrated to New York, thence to Kentucky and later to War- ren County, Ohio, where he had at this time a good farm. When the subject of again changing their home came up, it was thought that the price of the Ohio farm could be profit- ably invested in Illinois, and the change was decided upon. The farm was sold, the house- hold goods placed on wagons, and the mother and two boys started over land driving with them a number of, cattle. The father with his son and his daughter, now Mrs. Hogue, came by a keel boat, down the Ohio and up the Wabash. The river journey was accom- plished only after the most trying difficulties were overcome. The river was very low and time and again the men were obliged to drag the boat over the bars and through shallow places in the river. On reaching Vincennes, however, the river began to rise rapidly and the difficul y was, then, to make any headway against the current. The part of the family that came by land reached their destination some weeks in advance of the river party. After making the family comfortable in a cabin which had been erected in the northern

336

HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.

part of what is now York Township, they began to get alarmed at the protracted delay of the other members. Fears were entertained that the rise in the river had shipwrecked them, and the community was aroused to hunt for some trace of them. They soon put in their appearance, however, and were enabled by the high stage of water to float their boat over the land almost to their cabin. There is but little to be said of this family's influence in the settlement. Through William B. Arch- er, their influence is felt in all the history of t'ie county. They were public spirited in the highest degree and while prospering finan- cially by their industry, they gave to the in- terest of the county at large more than they received.

In 1820, Jesse Miller came from New York and settled on the prairie just north of the village. He was here but a short time, and is remembered chiefly as the object of con- siderable excitement in the carly community. His wife was an invalid, and in the dearth of professional men he prescribed for her himself, with such effect, however, as to cause her death. It was thought that he administered poison because of his admiration of a young woman who was a member of his family. The peo- ple took summary measures to rid the com- munity of him and he fled, though not in company with the object of his admiration. She remained in the settlement and was probably innocent of any previous know !- edge of Miller's crime. Reese Pritchard, a native of Virginia, came here in 1824, from Ohio, where he had immigrated a few years before. James McGath had come to York the year before, and his description of the country had given the Wabash fever to Pritch- ard. At that time Cincinnati was but a strag- gling little village, and eight lots on a prin- cipal street were offered to him for a cheap " bull's eve " watch he carried, and promptly refused. He came by boat to Charleston,

Ind., from whence he came by wagon to the farm now owned by Reason Bell. He sub- sequently rented the Hogue farm, on which he raised 6,000 bushels of corn in one sea- son, and sold it, delivered, for eight cents per bushel.

It is impossible to note all who formed a part of the early settlement in this township. Enough have been mentioned to show the character and notoriety of a community which for years had no equal in this part of the State for culture, vigor and prosperity. There was but little opportunity for the dis- play of fine taste, or the exercise of the pre- rogative of the "gentleman;" and there were but few who attempted by their demeanor to draw any line of distinction between an hon- est, well-disposed man and the man of gen- tility. Where this was done it was promptly resented by those who came from the com- moner walks of life, and in a pioneer com- munity they were masters of the situation. For a year or two this settlement was on the frontier. The Indians who had enlisted in the British cause, in the contest of 1812, had not yet learned that the war was over; and though they made no organized raids on the white settlements, lost no occasion to re- quite isolated Americans for their defeat in the national struggle. The early community of York was therefore in a constant state of in- security, and many an anxious night was spent, expecting at any moment to hear the signal that the Indian hostilities had broken out with renewed vigor. William Hogue, who came here in 1815, had practical evi- dence that this apprehension was not un- founded. He was a great hunter and had had previous experience with the savages, and was not daunted by a fair hand-to-hand fight with them. Soon after coming to York, while out in quest of game, he became aware that an Indian, on the east side of the Wabash, was trying to "get the drop " on him. He

HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.

had no thought of retreat, but taking to a tree, prepared to argue the question with him. The Indian caught sight of him and sent a bul- let in close proximity to him, knocking the bark off the tree. Hogue was at once on the alert to catch the savage, should he expo e himself while reloading his gun. His opportunity presented itself. The In- dian making a false step, exposed his back for an instant, and in that instant was struck by Hogne's bullet and killed. On another oce sion, while out hunting for deer with his son. he came into fatal contact with an- other Indian. He had shot a deer and placed it with his son on a horse to be taken home. He followed after his son a short distance to see that he got on with the burden success- fully, when he caught sight of an Indina skulking in the woods, evidently following the boy. To see was to act, and in another moment the Indian was stretched out lifeless. In explaining the matter afterward, Hogue said he ordered his victim to "lay low," and he did so. Hogue carried the gun and trap- pings obtained from this Indian for years af- terward. Fortunately for the families lo- cated here, these summary inflictions of the death penalty were not known or not heeded. Hogue had numerous adventures of this na- ture, but the general pacification of the tribes soon followed; and having no better game to pursue than the animals of the forest, he became dissipated and finally went to Terre Haute, where he died many years ago.

Indians, principally of the Kickapoo tribe, were here a little later in considerable num- bers. They came regularly to hunt and make sugar, but were always on the friendliest terms with the whites. York Village was a fa- vorite resort of these nomads for trading pur- poses, and considerable -traffic sprang up in exchanging furs and skins for ammunition, metal trinkets, dry-goods, etc. In 1830 or '31 these Iudians ceased their visits and were

not seen in that vicinity afterward. It was supposed that the emissaries of Black Hawk had induced them to join his standard of re- volt. The ensuing trouble of 1832 greatly alarmed the people living here. Many be- lieved that these Indians, once incited to bloodshed, would return to York for the double purpose of plunder and revenge for any fancied slight they might have received. The wiser ones, however, believed the seat of war was too far removed to excite any reasonable fear of attack there, but they were not less willing and anxious to lend their assistance in restraining the fiery spirits enlisted under that savage chieftain. A com- pany was enlisted in the settlement, a part of which went forward to join the military forces raised to drive back the Indians, but they did not see any fighting. The captain of the company was John F. Richard on; John Dolson, lieutenant; and among the privates are remembered the names of Thomas White, Sam'l Dolson, Christian Jeff-rs, T. F. Cooper, John Hollenbeck, Woodford Dulaney, George Wilson and John Wilson.

Up to the year 1817 the nearest point at which goods, groceries or mail could be obtained was at Fort Harrison, on the Wa- bash River, a few miles above the present site of Terre Haute-a journey of twenty-five miles. Vincennes was the nearest point south, which then contained some three or four frontier stores. The only means of com- munication with either of these points, was by the river, or over blazed trails easily trav- eled only on horseback. The necessities of the situation therefore compelled the majority of the settlers to depend upon their own resources, even when they could comman l the money for such pioncer luxuries. " Blood Mills," as they were called, served an excel- lent purpose for som . These were pieces of old tin, punched full of holes and fastened to a board, like the modern grater, and on

33S

HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.

these the corn was worked up fine enough to inake coarse " dodgers, " or mush, thouhg the grating was done at considerable risk of bruises, which gave this contrivance the san- guinary name it bore. Improvised mortars were in general use, made either from a sec- tion of a log or the top of a stump, hollowed out by fire and some edge tool that the farmer happened to have. In this, with a heavy wooden pestle, the corn was reduced to a condition that could be used for food. The finest was made into dodgers, while the coarser made very good hominy. About 1817 Jacob Blaize put up a horse-mill on the line of the county west of York Village. IIere the farmers brought their corn, and at- taching their own team, did the grinding and paid a liberal toll for the use of the ma- chinery. It is said on one occasion the Arch- er family lived for six weeks on lye hom- iny, unable to get to Blaize's mill for some meal. It was mid winter when they went, the snow was deep, and the thermometer- probably their ears-marked ten degrees be- low zero. At the mill the father took charge of the horses and the grinding, and bade Stephen, who accompanied him, to go into the cabin and warm. Before he got into the house, however, he was set upon by a pack of hounds led on by a bulldog, and was pretty well used up before the animals could be beaten off. This mill subsequently passed into the hands of Benjamin Evans, a native of North Carolina, who came here in 1816. He ran it in partnership with Samuel Prevo, and after running it about two years, they built an improved mill, which was propelled by oxen on a tread wheel. This was a saw and grist mill combined, and attracted pat- ronage for thirty miles around. At best, it ground very slowly and patrons were obliged to wait for days to take their turn, in the meanwhile " camping out." This mill, though running night and day, failed to answer the

demands of the community, and in 1819 John Parker crected the first water mill in the county, on Mill Creek. The stones were made from bowlders found near by, and the whole structure was little more than a tem- porary shed. It did gool service, however, when the supply of water was sufficient, and was a great relief to the settlers who were wearied with waiting for the ox mill alone. A third mill was built some years later by John Hollenbeck. He was a native of New York, and settled on section 11 in 1816. He was an enterprising man of business, and at first engaged extensively in the river trade, but observing that there was still a demand for an improved mill, put up a combined saw and grist mill on Mill Creek. This was fitted to grind wheat, and was the first of its kind in this region of country. People brought their wheat from a distance of forty miles, and it was no unusual thing to see two or three four-horse teams waiting three or four days for their flour. The mill was in use many years, and later was moved down the creek and furnished with a boiler. This mill continued to serve the public until de- stroyed by fire some ten years ago.

Most of the early members of this com- munity came with an intelligent conception of what pioneer life meant, and brought with them such stock and supplies as were needed to make a life in the woods tolerable. But it was impossible to bring over the long dis- tance to be traveled, and by the laborious means employed, any great amount of furni- ture. A few dishes and cooking utensils, personal apparel (of which there was no great surplus), the smaller tools indispensable to a farmer, and bed clothing, was the limit of the load. Oxen, cows, and some sheep and horses were brought in at the same time. A cabin hastily but substantially put up, the next care was to provide the necessary chairs, table and beds. These were generally crude

339

HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.

affairs, constructed out of soft, easy working timber, and finished with the ax and draw- shave. Beds were made of skins and fars of animals, until the first crop furnished husks, not so warm, perhaps, but less mer- chantable than the skins. Most of the cabins were built in the edge of the timber on the prairie, and the first season was principally devoted to learning how to manage the huge wooden mold-board plow and "breaking prairie." Corn was the first crop planted, and what the squirrels and blackbirds left, matured and yielded a fair return for the labor, and furnished the family the supply of food for the year. Stock generally lived during the winter without shelter, and with very little more than the prairie hay provided, and in the summer thrived on the prairie grass. Hogs were easily obtained and main- tained on the nuts that grew in rich abun- dance on the timber lands. The wolves, however, proved a source of great loss and annoyance to the settlement. Young pigs, calves and sheep, though carefully folded at night, were the easy prey of these ravenous animals; and it was only when the last wolf was driven from the country that sheep, at least, increased in numbers here, the stock only being kept up by fresh importations. Stock raising in later years became an im- portant feature of farm industry in this town- ship, Geo. W. Catron being prominently en- gaged in this enterprise.

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.

History of Crawford and Clark counties, Illinois, Part 42

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co. Number of Pages: 826

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : O.L. Baskin & Co.
Number of Pages: 826