History of Crawford and Clark counties, Illinois, Part 50

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 50
USA > Illinois > Crawford County > History of Crawford and Clark counties, Illinois > Part 50

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).

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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.

paratory students uniting with the same so- cieties as those of the college. The age of twelve is required for admission to this de- partment.

Co-education of the sexes has been prac- ticed here from the first. In point of num- bers the attendance of ladies has always fallen short of that of gentleman.

On the completion of the classical course of study the degree of Bachelor of Arts is con- ferred regardless of sex. Master of Arts fol- lows in course after three years of uprightness and labor in a scholarly way. bachelor of Science and Master of Science are granted in the same way with reference to the scientific course. The privilege of conferring honorary degrees has been but sparingly exercised- to two gentlemen, has been accorded the title Doctor of Divinity, and to three the honorary one of Master of Arts.

From certain societies that had previously existed, in 1869 two literary societies were organized, under the names of Zetagathean and Colomention. With an eligible hall as- signed to each, they both sprang into active life, each of them proving an aid to the other by " provoking to good works." The Phila- lethean society is composed of lady members, the others of gentlemen. The Choral society of Westfield college has existed for a num- ber of years. None of these societies are in any sense secret societies, nor are any allowed in connection with the college. Each of the societies have small libraries, and the college one of about a thousand volumes .*

The common schools preceded the semi- mary just thirty years, and in more recent times they have kept pace with the intellect- ual progress of the township, until now they are second to few in the county. The first attempt at school was made in 1831, hy Charles Redman, in a little log cabin that had been built and used by a squatter. The teacher was a man of good education. The

cabin stood on what is a part of Alexander Blaek's farm, and here Mr. Redman taught several terms for the accommodation of the neighborhood. In 1833, his son, Vincent, taught school in a log cabin on section 38, but the cabin was destroyed by fire in the first year. A short time afterward a hewed log house was erected on Biggs' farm. This was afterward replaced by a frame building, but the location did not give satisfaction and it was removed to Walter Briscoe's place, east of the village, where it still stands. This was the first frame school-house in the town- ship. Among the early teachers here and elsewhere in the township, are remembered, Burgess Berkley, Archer Bartlett, Wm. Hill, G. W. Boyer, Silas Whitehead, etc.

A log school-house was built in New Richmond, in 1835, and was used seventeen years. One of the teachers in this house was Humble Johnson, a man of ordinary attain- ments, and is remembered chiefly from his unique way of closing his school at the end of a term. Marshaling the whole school he led them to a large wood-pile in the village, and ranging them on it, propounded the final spell- ing lesson. This done, he produced a quantity of whisky and sugar and regaled the whole school. A two-story frame school building was erected in Westfield village on the site of the present brick, in the northwest part of the village, in 1852. This contained two rooms and cost $600, and, in 1864, another room was added, and the whole used until 1881, when it was burned. The present brick structure replaced the one destroyed. It contains four rooms and cost upwards of $6,000. There are five distriets in the town- ship, two of which are provided with brick houses and three with frame. In 1881, $1,999.41 was expended in teachers' salaries.

* History of Westfield College. compiled from the published account in 1875.

CHAPTER XIV.

WABASH TOWNSHIP-CONFIGURATION, BOUNDARIES, ETC .- EARLY SETTLEMENT-PIO- NEER SOCIETY-AMUSEMENTS-INDIANS-IMPROVEMENTS AND INDUSTRIES-VILLAGES-CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS, ETC., ETC.

" As goes Wabash, so goes the county."

W ABASH is the largest township in Clark County, being nearly as large as the State of Rhode Island, at least it contains about seventy-two sections of land, and had a pop- ulation, by the census of 1880, of 3,275 souls. In all eleetions of importance, Wabash is considered the pivot upon which the county turns, and the candidate who is successful in seeuring the vote of Wabash, generally con- siders his election sure. Hence, it has grown into a saying: "As goes Wabash, so goes the county," and to carry the township, a candid- ate leaves no stone unturned.

The surface of Wabash township is gener- ally broken and hilly. The "Wet Woods" extend through the central part, from the Wabash River, and were originally flat and wet. The land, however, has been cleared and drained, and is now quite produetive. The principal water-courses are, Big Creek, with its numerous tributaries, Crooked Creek, Clear Creek, Turkey branch, etc., all of which flow in a general southeast course to the Wabash River, which just barely touches the southeast corner of the township. Originally the land was heavily timbered, and oak, hiek- ory walnut, ash, cim, hackberry, and other species common to this section, grew there. The creek bottom lands contained plenty of walnut. The township is bounded on the

north by Edgar County; on the east by the State of Indiana; on the south by Darwin township, and on the west by Marshall and Douglas townships. Wabash has been thought to be rich in mineral wealth. In an early day silver was discovered here; a fact that created considerable excitement at one time. A company was formed for the pur- pose of investigating the matter. The pre- eious metal was actually found, but not in sufficient quantities to justify working the loealities where it exists. Coal also is found and is mined to some extent.

The settlement of Wabash township dates back to 1816. The Blaek family is believed to have been the first actual settlers. They located in the southeast part and were origin- ally from Kentucky, but had settled in Knox County, Ind., about the year 1810. They lived in a fort there as a protection against the Indians. As the dangers from Indians became less, they moved to Shaker Prairie, where they lived for three years and then came to this township, and located as above described. Mr. Black was a man of consid- erable prominenee and energy. He improved a good farm, and died about 1824. He had several sons, viz .: John, William, James, Jo. seph and Thomas, all of whom were men of more or less influence in the community. They acquired large traets of land which is still in possession of the family. Riehard Armstrong came here with the Blaeks and was also from Kentucky. He settled in the

* By W. H. Perrin.

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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.

same locality and built a little cabin. He raised the first wheat grown in the township, and some of his neighbors used to call him "stuck up " because he could have wheat bread, while they had to eat " corn dodgers." It was said that Armstrong could eat two dozen eggs at a single meal, and was often called the " champion egg-cater." He was a very religious man, a minister of the Presby- terian church, and was considered so honest, that it became a saying: " As honest as old Dickey Armstrong." He died in 1843, in the township.

The Peerys, Kuykendalls, Hawks and Joel Cowen came also in 1816. Samuel Peery was from Ohio, and was a relation of Commodore Perry, but from reason had changed his name from Perry to Peery. He improved a large farm and was quite a stock-raiser and trader. Several brothers came about the same time. Peery was a wheelwright, and used to make spinning wheels for the settlers. Mr. Kuy- kendall still has one of his wheels in his pos- session. He died in 1832 from a cancer in his face. Kuykendall came here from Vincennes, but was originally from Kentucky. He was a man of energy and accumulated some proper- ty. He was a very religious man, and took an active interest in the improvement of society. He died in 1825, and has a nephew, William Kuykendall still living here. Cowen settled on Big Creek. He was from Ohio, and ac- quired considerable land. Jolin Sikes now lives on the place of his original settlement. He died twenty-three ye irs ago. The Hawks, Joseph and Isaac, located in the river settle- ment. Joseph became a large land-owner, and died about 1844. Isaac moved a little further north, where he improved a farm, and where he died some thirty years ago.

In 1817, Hugh Henderson and Jesse Esery were added to the settlement. Henderson located in the river settlement, and was a great hunter. Ile built a horse mill, the first

mill in the township, previous to 1827. It was on Section 36 on the Darwin road. Esery first settled in Palestine, remaining there a few years and then came here and settled on Big Creek, where Joe Cook now lives. Ha married Hannah Foster, and lived here until about 1837, when he sold out to a Mr. Mus- grave and moved to Missouri.

James MeCabe came from Tennessee, and located on Walnut Prairie, where he remained for a short time, then moved upon Big Creek about two miles north of Livingston. He there built a cabin, but lived in his wagon until his cabin was completed. It was a small affair 16x16 feet, no floor nor chimney, and a rather uncomfortable habitation. He set out the first orchard in the township, cleared a small farm, and then commenced preaching. He was of the Methodist persuasion, and his residence was long a place for holding meet- ings. He sold out to Zachariah Hassell and moved to Grand Prairie, but afterward back to the township. He died in 1862. Henry Shackton also settled in the town hip this year, a half a mile north of Livingston, where he erected a little hut, without floor or fire- place. He was from Kentucky, and was a shiftless, good-natured kind of fellow, who lived mostly by hunting. He finally " went down the river " as a boat hand, while his wife went along as cook on the boat. A man named Sheets settled near the river in 1819, and had a ferry for several years. Thomas Thompson, from Kentucky, settled in the south part of the township the same year, and improved a farm. James Cox settled on the Blaze place. He was a great hunter and trapper, and finally moved off up the creek. Jonathan Wiley settled where George David- son now lives. He spent most of his time in summer hunting bees, and in winter hunting game. He was a daring man, and about 1835, followed the game westward.

Jonathan Hicklin, an early settler of Wa-

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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.

bash Township was a character, and an excel- lent specimen of the frontiersman. He was a native of Virginia, but went to Kentucky in the days of Daniel Boone, with whom he became well-acquainted. He acted as spy in the Indian wars of Kentucky, and was in many fights with the savages. In 1813 he came to Indiana, having married in Wood- ford County, Ky., and located near Carlisle, where he lived for about nine years. He was a great hunter, like most of the early settlers of the Wabash valley, and being out on an extended hunt, he came through this section, and liking the land, selected a home on Big Creek in a romantic spot on a high bluff, where he built a cabin 16x20 feet. After getting it roofed, he hired a man to finish it while he went back after his family. When he returned, he found his cabin unfinished, and had to move into it without floor or fire- place, and with the cracks between the logs open. In this condition he moved into it be- tween Christmas and New Year's, and the weather was, at the time cold and disagree- able. Three large stones were set up against the wall for a fire-place, and an opening made for the smoke to escape through the roof. He lived with the Indians a good part of the time, hunted and traded with them, and go along with them in peace and harmony. Once a lot of Big Creek roughs sought to drive him out of the country, by inciting the Indians against him. They cut off the ears of the Indian's ponies, shaved their tails, and taking the hair and severed ears to Hicklin's put them through a crack into his cabin, that suspicion might be directed to him. As soon as he discovered them in the morning, he divined the purpose of the perpetrators of the deed, and at once gathered them up, took them to the Indians camp and told them the circumstances, and who he suspicioned of hav- ing done it. The Indians were aroused, and the roughs who had intended to involve Hick-

lin in trouble with the savages found them- selves whipped with their own weapons, and were forced to seek safety in making them- selves scarce for a while.

Hieklin was supposed to be connected in some way with counterfeiting, though nothing was known definitely, that would seriously implicate him, or give the law a hold on him. One ground of suspicion against him was, that he always had money, and yet never worked for it. An incident is related, which would seem to indicate his knowledge of the manufacture of the " queer." A man went to him one day and wanted to borrow one hundred dollars with which to enter some land. Hieklin said: " Wait until ten o'clock to-morrow and I will let you have it." The next day at ten o'clock the man returned, and received from Hicklin the required amount in new silver half dollars. Hieklin followed hunting until his eyesight failed him. He died long ago at the age of 106 years, the oldest man ever in the county.

In the year 1822, the settlement was in- creased by the arrival of James Lovelace, Samuel Elam, Lindly Ashmore, William Ashmore, Martin Graves and Henry Taylor. Lovelace, Elam and the Ashmores, came to- gether, and were from Kentucky. They set- tled on the creek, south of Livingston, and built small cabins, spending most of their time hunting. When the land was entered they moved away, but afterward entered lands on the creek in the south part of the township. Graves came from Virginia to Ohio when a small boy and when grown, came here on foot, with a knapsack on his back containing his earthly all. He selected a place in Wabash township, built a cabin and married Polly MeCabe, thus setting an example worthy of imitation by all young men. He is still living, and can tell many stories of hunting, in the early times. Tay- lor was a native of Pennsylvania, and when

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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.

very young was brought to Ohio, the family afterward moved to Shaker Prairie, Ind. He came here and settled in the south part of the township, and hired to Hicklin to clear land tor him. He took a lease to clear up the school land, and afterward bought land. At Hicklin's death he bought the place upon which he had lived. He died in 1878, but his widow, who was Jane Hicklin, is still liv- ing. Abraham Washburn came from Ten- nessee and settled in the central part of the township. He was an herb doctor and quite an eccentric character. William Wood settled on the creek. He was an intelligent man, and a zealous member of the Presbyterian church.

James Plasters, a native of Virginia, set- tled in this township in 1831. We make the following extract from a sketch written by himself : "I, James Plasters, wish to leave to my family, an account of my ancestors. My grandfather, on my father's side, Michael Plasters, was a native of Germany, being born on the river Rhine, and was called 'Iligh Dutch.' He emigrated to the colonies of North America about the first of the year, 1730, and settled in what is now known as Chester County, Pennsyl- vania, near Philadelphia, and married an English lady. My father, Henry Plasters, was born in the year 1760, and in the year 1220, my grandfather moved to Loudoun County, Va., and at the age of 16, my father entered the army. He was present, and as- sisted at the capture of the Hessians at Trenton, N. J .; served in the Revolutionary army four years. I was born June 3, 1791, and served in the war of 1812. I witnessed the burning of the Capitol by the British, and was at Fort McHenry at the time it was bombared by the British fleet. I was married to Hannah Massey, December 3, 1815, in Loudoun County, and raised a family of three sons and four daughters. Moved from Lou-

doun County, and settled in Clark County, Illi- nois, in April, 1831. In the month of Au- gust, 1832, at a camp-meeting held by the Cumberland Presbyterians on Big Creek, I was converted, and became a member of that denomination. Being dissatisfied with their confession of faith, I severed my connection by letter, on the Christmas following, and united with the Methodist church, at Living- ston, and have remained a member ever since. Was an active member of that church for over thirty years, until age and infirmities prevented me. Have served it to the best of my ability, in the several capacities of steward, class leader and trustee, and was for a time, superintendent of its Sabbath school. And now I am calmly awaiting the summons of my Master, to depart for the better world." Mr. Plasters died October 25, 1882, and was buried in the Livingston cemetery. The fol- lowing of his children are still living: Wil- liam Plasters, residing in Missouri, aged 64 years; Henry Plasters, Marshall, aged 63 years; Samuel Plasters, Washington Terri- tory, aged 62 years; and Mrs. T. A. Catron, Champaign County, this State, aged 55 years.

Alexander McGregor, a Scotchman, was a contractor on the National Road. He after- ward purchased 600 acres of land, two mills east of Livingston, and opened a large farm. He was a prominent man, a bachelor, whose sister lived with him. He was noted for his honesty, which was proverbial. He married in later years. Andrew Dunlap came here in 1832, from Tennessee and settled on the State line. His residence was in Clark County, and his barn and stables in Indiana. He built a log house, and kept a hotel, which was long known as the "Stateline House." He moved to Terre Haute a few years ago. John W. West and Henry Hutchinson were settlers in the township. West was from Ohio, and Hutchinson from Virginia. Isaac Rhodes came from Kentucky to Vincennes,

HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.

in 1820. Ile settled in Wabash township shortly after, and commenced flatboating on the Wabash River. He would load a flatboat with hiekory poles and take them to New Orleans, and then return to Shawneetown, Ill., on a steamboat, and on foot from there home. He is still living. Joseph Malcom and Allison Crews were also early settlers. They were from Tennessee. Malcom had a mill above Rhodes, and kept a ferry. Crews was an early school teacher.

Jacob Long was a son-in-law of Peery, and settled on what is known as the "Glover Farm." He sold to Glover and went to Wis- consin and died soon after. Once when his wife was sick he walked to Vincennes and baek in two days after coffee, because his wife expressed a wish for a cup of coffee. He paid sixty cents-all the money he had- for half a pound. He was the first man in the neighborhood who paid money for harvest hands. Hitherto it had been the custom to get a jug of whisky and the neighhors gather together and help each other in their harvests. Long was severely censured for breaking through a "good old custom."

The settlement of the township after 1830, rapidly increased; people came in, several families together, and the best land was soon all entered. Game was plenty when the first whites came, and, as we have said, many of the settlers were great hunters-in fact, a number of them did but little else, and when game began to thin out they left for new hunting grounds. There were a few bears- several were killed in the township-and deer were very plenty, also wolves. The latter preyed upon the pigs to such an extent that hog-raising, for a good many years, was an uncertain business, and not at all profit- able. Bee-hunting was a regular employ- ment. A great many people followed it suc- cessfully. The honey and bees-wax were legal tender for all kinds of merchandise.

Ginseng was another staple article, often sell- ing at twenty-five cents a pound. Maple sugar was long a valuable industry; it sold in Terre Haute and Vincennes readily, and al- ways commanded eash prices, and in those days it was about all the settler had that would sell for cash. The people took to mar- ket deer skins, tallow, hams, etc. Hams sold for one dollar a pair.

For several years after, white people came to this county, there were plenty of Indians, as elsewhere noted. They were mostly Mi- amis and Kickapoos, and were friendly. Their camps were on Big Creek, and though never harming the whites, they would fre- quently get on their ponies and ride through the woods in a gallop whooping and yelling on purpose to frighten their pale-faee neigh- bors, and then enjoy their scare amazingly. An old Indian once came to Mr. Esery and wanted to stay all night himself, and bring his squaw and papoose, who he said were sick. Mr. Esery consented, and the old Indian went after his squaw and papoose, and brought forty Indians with him. This was a larger number than Esery had agreed to entertain, but there was nothing for him but to "grin and bear it." He put them in his cellar, which was a very large one, and they re- mained there during the night, keeping up a great noise, but doing no harm to any one. Another incident is told of an Indian who, while drunk undertook to whip his squaw, but she made battle at him. The Indians formed a circle around them, and would not let anyone interfere, while she pummeled him until he hollered " enough," when they were separated.

The state of society in Wabash Township from twenty-five to fifty years ago was scarce- ly what it is now. There were many rough characters here then; many who would stop at nothing lawless if it subserved their own ends. The people, of course, were not all of

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HISTORY OF CLARK COUNTY.

this rough element, in fact the large majority were honest, upright men and law-abiding citizens. The following incident, however, will illustrate the worst phase of society at that carly day: There was a harmless old lady named Bogue and her son, Harrison Bogue, who were Quakers, and who owned a small piece of land. Bogue was a harmless, igno- rant man, but industrious. A couple of men, their near neighbors, concluded to run them off, and at the same time get their land, and what little property they had besides. To effect this they set fire to a small unoccupied building near by and burned it to the ground, and then informed Bogue that the people of the neighborhood believed that he, Bogue had burned it; that there was strong circum- stantial evidence, and he would most likely be imprisoned for it. They, as friends, (!) advised him to flee the country and leave his property in their hands to dispose of, promis- ing to do so and send him the proceeds. So effectually did they frighten Bogue and his mother that they left the neighborhood and the State under cover of darkness, being con- veyed to Terre Haute by one of the men. The absence of the couple excited suspicion, and their personal effects being found in pos- session of two men, whose reputation was none of the best, only added fuel to the fire. A striet search was made for the bodies of Bogue and his mother, as all believed they had been murdered. At least two hundred people were engaged in the search. Threats of arrest frightened the guilty parties into an attempt to escape. They were apprehended at Terre Haute, but one of them made his escape from his eaptors and reached Brazil where he was recaptured. They were lodged in jail, ad- mitted to bail and finally acquitted. Bogue and his mother were found near Indianapolis and brought back home and their property restored to them.

The subject of politics has always interested

the people of the township, and they have deemed it their duty as free-born American citizens, to exercise all the rights and fran- chises of the same. An amusing incident is related of a turn-out from Wabash township to Marshall, once during an interesting polit- ieal canvass. It consisted of a kind of com- mercial procession, wagons on which all kinds of work was being done. A man named Pickens, a citizen of Wabash, who was gifted with all the notes of the rooster, and could crow so like a Shanghai as to astonish one of the genuine breed, was placed in a large box, the box fastened on a long pole, and it secure- ly planted on one of the wagons. A real live rooster was secured upon the box, with a string around his neck, which Pickens held in his hand, securely hidden in his box. Every few moments Pickens would erow, and at the same time pull his string which would move the rooster's head, and thus create the im- pression that it was the rooster that was doing the crowing. The actual crower was not dis- covered until the procession was over.

The first mill in the township was a horse- mill built by Hugh Henderson, which has already been alluded to. A man named Du- rell, who had settled in the south part of the township in 1832, built a water-mill a short time afterward on Big Creek. He operated it some two years, when he died, and the mill was sold to a man named Hogue. After this it changed hands several times, and finally became the property of a Mr. Keiser. A saw- mill had been added, and Keiser, during high water, would load flat-boats with lumber, run them out into the Wabash River, and thence to New Orleans. The mill, in after years, was washed away, or so damaged by high water as to render it useless. Horace Ritehie built a steam saw and grist mill two miles east of Livingston. It was a two-story frame building, 20x60 feet; had two run of buhrs, saw, sash saw, etc. Ritchie sold it to Welsh,

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History of Crawford and Clark counties, Illinois, Part 50

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