History of Crawford and Clark counties, Illinois, Part 48

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 48
USA > Illinois > Crawford County > History of Crawford and Clark counties, Illinois > Part 48

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).

* By J. H. Battle.

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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.

He was a native of Kentucky and went to Indiana when a young unmarried man. Here he married, and subsequently came to this section of the country in search of a site for a new home. He was attracted by the nat- ural beauty of the location and fixed upon land in section 22, for his future abode. He at once removed here and lived long enough to see the wilderness blossom as the rose, and a prosperous civilization spring up where once it was " all woods. " He was an earnest mem- ber of the old school Baptist Church, and a public-spirited man, a type of the community that shaped the destiny of Westfield. In the following year, 1829, Thomas Frazier made his way from his native State of Kentucky ~ along the old trail that led up from that State, to seetion twenty-four. Coming in a wagon he made it his home until he could erect a calin. He was an enterprising man of good taste and brought with ham an admira- tion for fine stock, and as opportunity offered gave great attention to the raising of fine horses. The farm is now owned by Joseph Cartwright. Esau Morris came in 1830, from Lawrence County. He was a type of the early frontiersman of Kentucky and the East; entered land of section 19, but spent the most of his time in the woods hunting. When game became scarce he lost his taste for the country and selling his land to Jacob Spears in 1836, he went to wilder country in the West. A similar character came the same year from South Carolina, John Waldrop by name. He was an adventurous fellow and found life here very tame. He made several trips to the West on horseback, and twice made journeys to Texas. On his second re- turn he sold what improvements he had made to John G. Morrell and went to Texas to re- side, where after running an adventurous career he was killed by the Indians. Will- iam Comstock was another accession of this year. He was a Kentuckian and made his

way from his native State by wagon, comsum- ing two weeks in the journey. He settled on section 20, where his son, Riley Comstock, still lives. Alexander Black, a settler of this year, was a native of Tennessee, and subse- quently went to Alabama. From the latter State he came to Westfield by wagon an l settled on seetion twenty-four, removing after some years to Coles County. In 1830 came James Jones also, settling on the same section as Mr. Black. A number of his former neighbors had made their way into this country and from their descriptions he was indueed to come here. He moved his family - over the Kentucky trail by wagon, improved a good farm on which he lived until his deathi. David Bennett came the same year and set- tled on the same section. Ile was a native of Spencer County, Kentucky, and was killed by falling from his horse four years later. His was the first death in the township.

In 1831 William Goodman settled on sec- tion 19, his brother George coming about the same time. Both men were noted as successful hunters and fine marksmen, and added to their general woodcraft especial skill as bee-hunters. Neither of them made much improvement on his land, and went further west in a few years. Henry Randall and Elijah Stark, both natives of Kentucky, joined the settlement in this year. The former set- tled on section 25 and improved a fine farm. Stark was a man of fine intelligence, but rather impractical, and gained more reputa- tion as a coon hunter than as a pioneer farmer. James Bell, who came in this year also, was one of the first violinists of the settlement. He settled on section 3', but made very little improvement. He was a man of good edu- cation, had a considerable library, but seemed to be unfitted for the rugged experience of a pioneer settlement.

Robert Lowry was an early settler from Kentucky and settled on section 32; and in ~

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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.

13! R charl Eiston settled on the same section. The latter was one for whom the primi tive state of the country had the most attraction, and who gave more of his time to hunting than to improving a farm. He was, however, one of the best judges of the quality of land in its wild state to be found in all this region,and purchasers were.in the habit of seek- ing his advice in making selections. He sold his property to Charles Briggs in 1835 ah 1 removed to Coles County. Francis Davis, a brother-in-law of Daniel Bennett, and a new- comer of this year, was in marked contrast with Mr. Easton. He was a good mechanic and settled on section 23, but he neglected his trade as a carpenter and his work on his farm for gentler pursuits, which, to say the least, were less effective toward subduing the forest. He was a man of fine education and extensive reading, and his retentive mem- ory gave him such command of facts as to make him the oracle of the early settlement. He possessed a large library for that time and took several papers, of which he was an assiduous reader; but fine words not only butter no parsnips, but cut no trees, and he never achieved a competence.

Other settlers of 18 12 were William Mack, who settled on section 23; John W. Brooks, who settled on section 33 and subsequently moved to Coles County; and John Birbee, a native of Kentucky, a tanner by trade, as well as a useful mechanic in others. Mack was something of a " Jack at all trades," and proved a very useful member of the commu- nity, building houses, making plows, boots and shoes, and in the meanwhile cleared off forty acres of land. Joseph Briscoe was also a settler of 1832. In the previous year he came from Kentucky, a young, unmarried man, as driver of an ox team for James Hite. For this service he received ten dollars, and inspired by the possession of so much ready capital, looked about for an investment. He

was pleased with the attractions of Westfield and entered the land on which Waldrop and Morrell had squatted. Returning to Ken- tucky, he married, packed up what house- hold goods he could secure, and placing all on an ox-cart he set out with his bride for the new land. The journey was a tedious one of two weeks' length, but he found a gool start in the improvements which Waldrop had made and sold to Morrell. He satisfied the latter with twenty dollars, and entered upon his new possession where he still lives. ITis father, Henry Briscoc, came in the latter part of 1835, bringing the balance of the family. They came with three ox carts and a drove of cattle, remaining at the cabin of Joseph Briscoe for eight days, while a cabin was put up, on section 28. Henry Briscoe was an old Revolutionary soldier and was pres- ent at the surrender of Yorktown. He died in 1838. Coleman Duncan was an early settler on section 19; a man of some promi- nence in local polities and one of the early county commissioners. Samuel Groshart was another early citizen of some prominence in Westfield. He improved a good farm and gained considerable reputation as a hunter. After a residence of some twenty years in this township he moved to Missouri and met a violent death at the hands of a burglar who had made an entrance into his house.

Such were some of the leading men who gathered here. It is difficult in most cases to distinguish marks of individual.ty in the smaller settlements of a county, especially where all are derived from the same general section; but in the early community of West- field the intelligent observer will find less of this difficulty. A majority of this commu- nity were from Kentucky, nd most of tho-e who made this their permanent home were staunch members of the Old School Baptist Church. Another fact which had an impor- tant bearing upon the character of the orig-

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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.

inal community was the presence of men of literary taste who joined their fortunes to this early settlement. The rugged experi- ence of pioneer life and the isolation from the closer restraints of older civilization, has a tendency to unduly elevate the importance of brawn and muscle in the general cousid- ation, and brawling and caronsing are toler- ated to a much farther extent than where there are gentler influences to counteract this tendency. The prevailing custom of the nation had educated the church of the early day to see no harm in the general use of whisky, and it may not be said that the mem- bers were free from intoxication; but excess was deprecated, and as year by year the in- evitable result of the practice was foreshad- owed, they had the moral courage to reject it. Brawling disputes were never counte- nanced and the general sentiment was favor- able to intellectual progress. It may seem puerile at this day to note the influence of one or two libraries and men of literary taste who were found in this community; but in the formation period of society even little factors often lead to large results. These men, while not commanding the esteem of their more energetic cotemporaries, neverthe- less exercised a subtle influence which even they were forced to recognize. "A walk- ing encyclopedia " may not be a useful in- strument in clearing away the forest, but it exhibits a power not possessed by the aver- age pioneer and commands respect of the unlearned and a little less than awe of his children; and it may scarcely be questioned that the intellectual progress of Westfield drew much of its inspiration from these hum- ble sources. Another favoring condition to this end may be observed in the character of the country. To express it in the language of one of the early settlers, "it was a good poor man's country." The land readily cleared and the soil submitting to little culti-

vation gave additional value to a poor man's moderate means, and at the same time a lei- sure to be employed as the predominent in- fluence led him. While there were those who devoted their best energies to hunting, the rather less than the proportional share of game here did not encourage this diversion beyond the necessity of the family demand, and hence the better influences of the church and school were here felt at their best estate. The early years of the Westfield com- munity were not, however, in marked contrast with other pioneer settlements. The cabin reared and the family made comfortable with- in it, there was an abundant demand for all the energies of the pioneer in clearing a space on which to plant a crop. Ten or twelve acres cleared was the extent of a season's achievement. On this, corn was generally planted though occasionally a venture was made with wheat on a little patch. Mr. Briscoe's first crop of wheat resulted in a yield of four bushels. Corn was the princi- pal dependence, and "hog and hominy " the general fare. Game, wild fruit, maple sugar and honey varied this plainer diet but many times occurred when from the various vicissi- tudes of life in a new country there was a pain- ful lack of the simplest food. Considerable stock was brought in by settlers, cows, oxen and sheep being almost a necessity. Hogs were very soon acquired and proved the staple supply of meat. Such stock was very easily kept safe from the ravages of wolves which were very numerous and bold here. Young pigs, calves, sheep and even eolts were helpless before these savage animals, the depredations of which were carried to the very doors of the cabins. Pens formed by high strong fences were constructed for the de- fense of these animals and placed near the house of the owner. About these the wolves would gather in alarming numbers and settlers were very cautious in forcing a fight with them.

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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.

Oh one occasion Jacob Morrell was aroused by a concourse of wolves howling and snapping about his cabin in the night. His dog had re- treated to the steps of the cabin and stood at bay, but when he opened the door and en- couraged it to the attack it gave a leap into the pack but did not reach the ground; a dozen hungry jaws met in its carcass in an instant, and in five minutes more was rent in · as many pieces over which the ravenous beasts disputed. In the morning only a few bones remained of what had been a dog. A horse or cow, though not always safe from attack themselves, could often beat off an attack on their young. One of the settlers had a colt throttled by wolves and succored by its dam, which could never afterward tolerate the ap- proach or sight of a dog. In spite of such discouragements the stock was maintained; butter and milk were as plenty as they were healthful, and the simple demands of frontier dress were seldom denied the necessary wool to meet them. Flax, another essential for the supply of clothing, was extensively culti- vated and proved a valuable crop in several ways. The seed had a commercial value, its fibre a domestic use, while the effect of the crop on new land was thought to have an ex- cellent effect in "taming" it. The nearest source of supplies was at first at Vincennes; later Terre Haute and Paris brought stores nearer, and Hitesville was founded only six miles away still later. But store goods could be only sparingly afforded. Coarse muslin was 40 cents per yard, calico 50 cents; coffee 40 and 50 cents per pound and little but cash would procure them. At such prices the people could better afford to make their own cloth and clothing and use burnt corn for coffee. The principal source of revenue was the sale of flaxseed, maple sugar, whisky and grain. The latter commanded very small prices and not always a ready market; converted into whisky

and hauled to Terre Haute it was a profit- able article of commerce but this was not largely engaged in, however. Maple sugar was manufactured largely and considerable quantities sold. The whole family and some- times two or three families united and spent the season where the best trees were to be found, making from five to eight hundred pounds which was marketed at Vincennes or Terre Haute for cash. Flaxseed was hauled to Vincennes principally and with the other articles sufficed to supply the cabin with such necessaries as could not be derived from the farm.

In 1836, Charles Biggs came to the settle- ment from Crawford County and rented a farm near the southern line of the township. He started a huckstering wagon and bought of the settlers their surplus butter, eggs, maple sugar, bacon, etc., and hauled it to the Ohio River where he exchanged this produce for goods. With the latter he started a little exchange store at his residence and a little later, with the increase of his business, built a frame store building in which he continued the traffic for a number of years, when he removed to the village. In 1829, Benjamin I. White came from North Carolina and set- tled west of the present site of Westfield Village. He improved a good farm and soon erected a single-geared horse-mill, the first grist mill in the township. He was an ener- getic, enterprising man and was satisfied with nothing but the best of its kind. The ma- chinery was placed in a log building, 16 by 20 feet, but recognizing the fact that there would be customers in waiting and that without shelter the working as well as the waiting teams would be uncomfortable in bad weath- er, built a large open shed about forty feet square. The buhrs were "nigger-heads," two feet in diameter and ground a little faster than one could with a good sized coffee mill. The story is told, but not vouched for, that on

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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.

one occasion the flow of meal ceased notwith- standing the grinding still went on. After some investigation it was discovered that a hen had got near the opening of the hopper and as each kernel of eorn appeared pieked it up. This story may not be susceptible of verification, but it illustrates one of the in- conveniences of early milling. This mill was patronized from near and far and though pa- trons often waited two days to be served, it was in good demand until about 1840, when it was abandoned. A second mill was ereeted in 1831, by Fergus Johnson. IIe was a native of Kentucky, emigrated to Indiana and from thence to Westfield, where he settled in the southern part of the township on land now occupied by Dr. Briscoe. This was a double- geared horse-mill, provided with a shed, and did a good business. Abont 1845, Isaac Koontz bought his mill, but soon afterward sold it to Lewis Walker who worked it until IS48 and then abandoned it. In 1838, the first saw-mill, which also contained a run of stone, was built on section 28, by William Lee. This was propelled by an ox-tread wheel, furnished with a shed which had become nearly indispensable, and made a fur- ther innovation by providing the motive power. This also found plenty of patronage until about 1846, when the machinery was sold and removed. Such prosperity in this line of industry induced William Neal, in 1839, to erect a single-geared mill on section 33, but this was a rude affair and though fur- nished with the convenience of a shed, did not continue more than four or five years. Abner Stark had a double-geared horse-mill at the erossroads in the eastern part of town as early as 1837, which ran some fifteen years. Here an attempt was made to bolt flour by hand and had quite a paying patronage.

The early cabins have long since passed away from this township, and neat frame houses have taken their places. This is one of the

evidences of thrift and enterprise to be found here, and the farm improvements are not less marked in this direction. These marks of improvement began quite early, and during that period when villages were springing up by the hundred throughout the State, it is not surprising that there should be some attempt in the thriving settlement of West- field. The mania took form here in 1836, when B. I. White laid out the village of New Richmond upon a part of his farm. There was at that time nothing in the history or cir- cumstances of the settlement to suggest the necessity or advantage of a town, save the popular idea that each distinct settlement was sure to give rise to the eity of the future, and he would be most fortunate who made the first plat. It was with some such impression that Mr. White laid out New Richmond which was not planned on an ambitious scale there being only nine blocks of eight lots each. The project did not receive an enthu- siastie indorsement by the rapid sale of lots, though Stephen Sargent did in the same year secure a lot and ereet a hewed log cabin on it. This was a business venture which sur- vived only three years. About the same time James Folger started a little grocery, the principal part of his stock being whisky. It beeame the rendezvous for all the rougher element in the country about. Sylvester Lewis started a blacksmith shop here quite early. In 1840, Thomas Hiss, sunk vats and began a tannery business, which prospered for some years when he sold out to Wood & Hays, who continued the enterprise for a few years and abandoned it. As a speculation the platting of the town proved a failure. But few lots were sold, and the village finally lost its individuality in that of its more prosper- Ous suecessor, Westfield.

At the time of the laying out of New Rich- mond there had just been located a road from Darwin to Charleston in Edgar County. This

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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.

was a State road and promised to be a con- siderable thoroughfare as all the goods for that upper country were hauled by wagon from the Wabash River. It was viewed by Isaac P. Donghhetee, Nathaniel Parker and S. D. Handy, and was subsequently surveyed by the latter. In 1835, the citizens were warned out to work on this road. In its course through the Westfield settlement the estab- lished line passed through a piece of timber owned by Abijah Darnell who very much objected to the way in which it affected his property. When the working force reached this part of the road he met them with a prop- osition to deflect the line so as to leave his ' " wood pasture " intact. How hard when love and duty clash! The roadmakers hesi- tated, parleyed and yielded. It was clear that they had no authority to change the line legally established, but Darnell had not come to them unarmed. He brought a big jug which he intimated contained whisky, and the leader of the working party, anxious to impose the burden of the responsibility upon the whole force alike, went over a log where the man and jug were and called for a divis ion of the house. Those who were in favor of changing the line and incidentally in favor of the whisky, were to come on his side of the log, and those oppos d, should there be any so lost to the charms of the pioneer bever- age, were to remain on the dry side. It is needless to say that the unanimous voiee was in favor of the jug. The road thus changed served the public for a number of years, when it was found convenient by later owners of the property to change it to the original line. A few years later the Marshall and Charleston road was laid. Through the in- fluence of Col. Archer, the Legislature appointed Stephen Handy, Wm. Mars and Wm. Swam as receivers of the proposed route, which led from Marshall to Clarkville and thence west through the middle of Westfield

Township to the village, and thence at right angles to the north on the ohler road. The viewers reported against locating the road ou account of the bluffs near Mill Creek. Archer, however, had set his heart upon the project, and at his own expense, he employed twenty men, surveyed and cut out the road sixty feet wide and placed mile stones along the whole length to Westfield.

The laying out of this road was conceived by Col. Archer in a desire to make Marshall easily accessible from all parts of the county, and was with reference to the future prosper- ity of the county seat, that in 1839, he platted the village of Westfield. It was hoped that a thriving town in this part of the county would attract immigration from the river country and surround Marshall with prosper- ous settlements which would eventually in- ure to its benefit. It is suggested that Westfield village was an independent specu- lation, but while the sale of lots at a profit. was incidental to his plan, Mr. Archer may well be credited with the broader plan which is much more in keeping with his genius and history. The village was laid out on the cross roads on the line between sections 29 and 30, and consisted of forty-six blocks varying in size, State street passing east and west through the plat, and Washington street pass - ing through the center at right angles to the former, and through these streets passed the two roads mentioned above. With his cus- tomary public spirit, he donated block 29, as a public square, blocks 5 and 39 for school purposes, and block 19 for a meeting house. The founder was prevented by financial em- barrassments from presiding long over the destinies of the village, and in the following year sold the plat to David Evinger, and his two sisters, Polly and Catherine Evinger. The latter owners brought the lots first into mar- ket, the first lot being sokl to Thomas Tufft, who subsequently erected a log cabin in the

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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.

north part of town on Washington street and there kept the first post-office in the town- ship. Among others who purchased lots were Samuel Tefft, J. C. Skinner, a blacksmith, W'm. P. Bennett, John Fiers, Nathan Tefft and Watkins, who came to work in the mill, where he was subsequently killed.

In 1841, David Evinger erected a log building for the double purpose of store and residence and rented it to Charles Whitlock who brought in the first stock of goods into this village. He carried on the business about two years, when he moved away. In 1844, William Hampton opened the second store in a building erected by Catherine Evinger in the year 1842. This was a story and a half frame building and stood on Washington street. After running the store two years he sold out to Thomas Moore, who, a year later, entered into partnership with Michael York. The latter became sole proprietor in 1866, and afterward sold to one White. During his busi- ness career here, Mr. York erected a two story frame near the central part of the village, on the north side of State street, which a few years later was removed and is now used as a cabinet shop. In 1854, York & Moore moved their stock into the new brick, and Jacob Christianson occupied the frame building which the former leit. A year later the latter moved his stock of goods into the Lowden house, standing on the corner of Washington and State streets, and about a year afterward erected a building of his own on the north- east corner of these streets, which is now oc- cupied by Mrs. Lacier.

The first brick business block was erected on the site of the old frame store, by Mr. York in 1867, but was burned down three years later. It was rebuilt at once and still remains. In 1877, Messrs. J. R. Redman & Co. and C. F. Knapp & Co., erected a large brick block together, on Washington street. Two years later this was burned, Knapp re-

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History of Crawford and Clark counties, Illinois, Part 48

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