USA > Illinois > De Witt County > History of De Witt county, Illinois. With illustrations descriptive of the scenery, and biographical sketches of some of the prominent men and pioneers > Part 54
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now occupied by Emmett Kent. Disposed of his interest in July, and in August located in Wapella, where he worked for an old Englishman named Dixon, for $1.25 per day. At the expiration of two months service Dixon proposed a partnership if he would raise one hundred dollars. He at onee went to Bloomington, where he was well known, and borrowed the amount on thirty days time. This business move, proved emi- nently successful and through its means was laid the foundation of a competency enjoyed by the subject of this sketeh. Mr. Carle continued in the grain trade until the fall of 1862, when he disposed of it to E. Kent & Co., and bought a stoek of gen- eral merchandise. In the dry goods trade he continued until 1865, when he again entered the grain trade, combining with it, dealing in lumber, this time in connection with E. B. Harrold. This arrangement was continued a year when he pursued the business alone until 1869, when he went to California on account of failing health, returned after a single seasons "sojourn in the Golden State, and resumed the general merchandise business here. In the fall of 1870, he was elected a member of the 27th General Assembly, by a majority of two hundred and forty votes. As a member, the same business taet, integrity and earnestness that have ever followed him through life, gave him a reputation as an able legislator. The same year, 1870, he was elected President of the Clinton National Bank, a position he held for three years. Mr. Carle has continued in the grain trade sinee his return from his California trip, and also for part of the time in general merchandising. Politically Mr. Carle is an active outspoken Demoerat, as undeviating in his devotion as the needle to the pole. In religion he is just as firm and faithful to the Disciple's faith, contending earnestly for the restoration of the primitive order of things. Possessed of rare social qualities, unquestioned integrity of character, he enjoys the respect and esteem of hosts of friends. His tall, athletic figure, being six feet four inches in height, and proportionally built, commands attention among his fellows. His business career, so uniformly successful since he gained his first footheld in 1869, ealls for admiration and emulation.
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RESIDENCE OF J. W. KARR WAPELLA, DE WITT CO. ILL.
T.W. DAVIS & SON DRUG STORE
RESIDENCE AND OFFICE OF DR T. W. DAVIS WAPELLA, DE WITT COUNTY, ILL.
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PHOTO. BY F. O. PEASE.
I W Davis (And)
PH010. BY 1. 0. PEASE
Mary Davis
WAS born October 27th, 1827, in Seneca County, Ohio. His parents were John and Hannah Davis, (nee Kashner). His father, a farmer, was born in Maryland. His grandfather, a Welshman, ran off from home, took to the sea at the age of seventeen and came to America prior to the Revolutionary war, in which he took part as a cavalry man. The military spirit was transmitted to the son, who bore his part in the war of 1812. In 1849, John Davis came to his death by falling from a load of hay. In 1859, the subject of this sketch came to Illinois and located in Wapella, where he has since resided. Until nineteen years of age he worked on a farm, when he went to black- smithing, which avocation he followed for six years, during which time he husbanded his means with a view to attending Medical Lectures, which he did in the Western Reserve Medical College, in Cleveland, Ohio, and from which institution he
graduated in 1857. For two years before coming west, he prac- ticed his profession in Nevada. He is a member of the County. District and State Medical Societies, and takes high rank among physicians. He was married to Mary Patterson, August 17th 1856, by whom he has three children living, namely : Hippocrates. Veselius and Bursilia. Politically the doctor is an ardent Repub lican, a natural outgrowth of the Whig principles impressed upon him in early life. His second presidential ballot was cast for John P. Hale, who was nominated as a Free Soiler Candidate. In religion he holds to the Universalist faith. He is a member of the Masonic, Odd Fellows' and Good Templar orders. A skilled and careful physician ; an earnest, thoughtful man ; a kind and indulgent father ; a whole-souled neighbor and friend, Dr. Davis is an honor to his profession.
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TENANT HOUSE
RES. FROM THE SOUTH EAST
RESIDENCE, STOCK & GRAIN FARM OF H. D. WATSON, SEC.I, T20, R.2, WAPELLA TP. DEWITT CO. ILL.
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PHOTO. BY F. O. PEASE.
AD Watson
A farmer, living in an elegant home, a view of which adorns this work was born November 27th, 1836, in Senaca county Ohio. His parents were Isaac Greer and Alice Ann Watson, nee Doan. They were natives of Pennsylvania. Their ancestors in turn were of Scotch origin. Isaac G. Watson was a farmer and tanner. Hugh D. Watson was his second child, the older brother being William, had a sister Mary. In boyhood Hugh obtained a fair common school education which was added to by attendance for a year at an academy at Republic, Ohio. He came to De Witt connty Illinois, in 1865. He was married to Eveline Stevens, March 28th, 1861, by whom he has six chil- dren. His wife is a daughter of Colonel James N. Stevens, a
very prominent citizen of Seneca county, Ohio, who was born in New Jersey : served as colonel of the 55th Regiment, Ohio Vol- unteer Infantry and has always taken a leading part in politics in his vicinity. Mr. Watson is an unswerving Republican in polities, who points with pride to his first vote having been given for Abraham Lincoln for the Presidency. He and his most estima- ble wife are earnest working members of the Presbyterian Church. Their family is a most interesting one, and the advancement of their children's happiness seems to be their chief concern. Everything calculated to make home life happy is availed of by Mr. Watson and wife.
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PHOTO. BY F. O. PEABE.
Jonathan gearreld
(DECEASED.)
Whose portrait appears on this page was born in North Carolina October 8th, 1812. He was the son of Jonathan and Rebecca Harrold to whom were born nine children, namely, Absalom, Jon- athan, James M., Isam, Mitchell, Mary, Naomi, Eli, and Sopliro- nia. Of these Isam and Eli are farmers in Wapella Township, De Witt county. James M., is in Vernon county, Missouri Naomi, now Mrs. James M. Fears lives in California ; the other five are dead. The Harrolds are of English and Welsh extrac- tion and were very early settlers in America. Jonathan Harrold Jr. was raised on a farm and educated to farm pursuits. When he arrived at maturity he left his native state and located in Indiana where he married Miss Abigail Bishop. Seven children blessed this union. In 1840 he came to De Witt county where
he engaged in farming. His father came here in1 1833, and died in 1838. In 1856 he lost his wife by death, and in 1859 was married to Miss Rebecca Draper. By this last union there were born five children. In 1869 Mr. Harrold moved from where he first located to Wapella township where he lived until his death which occurred October 11th, 1881. His wife survives hin and lives on the old homestead. Five of his sons live in Wapella township and farm a large tract of land in partnership under the name of E. B. Harrold & Bros. They are also exten- sively engaged in the cattle business in Texas. Jonathan Harrold Jr. was a lover of justice as between man and man, was industri- ous and ambitious to excel in his vocation, and was respected of all who knew him.
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$ . 7TLC
PHOTO. BY F. O. PFASE.
Jean Harrate
VIRGINIA, the old dominion state has contributed her full share of emigrants to Illinois. Especially was this true when the state first attracted attention. From Virginia originally came the Harrolds, and in that state October 23rd, 1814 was Isam Harrold born. His parents were Jonathan and Rebecca Harrold. He received a fair common school education in Indiana, where his parents lived for a few years prior to coming to Illinois, which they did in the year 1833, locating in the vicinity of Waynes- ville. On the 9th of April, 1840, he was united in marriage to Miss Mary Ann Lisenby, the ceremony being performed by Squire
Peter Crum. By this union there have been born seven children, six of whom, Louisa, Rebecca, Ruth, Winfield S., Nancy and Lanra are living. His most excellent wife was of that honored pioneer family the Lisenbys,-a family whose influence has ever been felt for good. In politics Mr. Harrold is a Republican. In 1836, when he cast his first ballot he voted the Whig ticket, and says he has never found cause to forsake the doctrines first held by the Whigs and being carried out by the Republicans. Iu religious faith he is a Universalist, whilst his wife is a mem- ber of the Christian Church.
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RESIDENCE OF G. S. BROWN.
RESIDENCE, STOCK AND GRAIN FARM OF JOHN BROWN, SEC. 25, T.21, R.2, (WAPELLA TP.) DE WITT CO., ILL.
HARP TOWNSHIP.
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HIS township in form is a regular rectangle, having a length of six and a width of five and a half miles. It embraces almost an entire Congressional township, containing thirty-three sections of land or more acen- rately 21,852 acres In the main it is well drained ; the north fork of Salt creek enters the township on section two, flows a general south- westerly course, leaving it on section thirty- three; the south fork enters on section thirty-six, flows north- westerly, then a southerly course leaving on section thirty-five : King's branch enters on section four, flows south-westerly, leaving on section six. These together with minor affluents drain the township. More than one-third of Harp is embraced in the tim- ber belt, chiefly oak, although a variety of wood is found. Part of the surface, following the water course, is rough and rugged, whilst much is level prairie. Artificial drainage had to be re- sorted to, especially in the north-western portion of the township, in order to bring it to a degree of perfection agriculturally. A superior article of tile clay has been found on section fourteen, where it is being manufactured into tile by E. R. Ross. Near it has been found clay well adapted to the manufacture of brick, as is also true of land on section twenty-seven. It is purely an agri- cultural township, there being no village within its limits.
Early Settlements: On section thirty-two, far removed from neighbors, in the deep solitude of a forest of oak, Solomon Cross erected an humble cabin, in the year 1830. It was 16x18 feet square, of rough, unhewn logs. Its door swung upon home-made wooden hinges. In each of two corners were bedsteads having each one leg, the walls of the cabin furnishing the necessary sup- port. In making a home thus upon the out kirts of civilization he had the aid of two grown sons. Solomon Jr. and Jefferson. This cabin, the first erected in the township, was only destroyed in 1880.
Almost simultaneously with Cross came Jesse Mulkey and his brother-in-law, Baltus Malone, who located on section thirteen. The location is known still as Mulkey's Point. Mulkey was a very shrewd, quick-witted man. Before he ever embraced reli- gion himself he would preach to his neighbors. He was the father . f ten children, five boys and five girls. This large family, together with that of Baltus Malone, at first occupied a single cabin of medium size. Malone was a powerfully built man, and a noted axe-man. It is said that he split five hundred rails in a single day. With the broad axe too he was an adept. ITis strength and ready command of the axe gave him an envied reputation among the pioneers with whorn he came in contact. The first winter's occupancy of their cabin was that of the mem- orable deep snow. Provisions were scarce. Mills inaccessible.
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Wood difficult to procure, but the stout hearts of these Kentuck- ians braved it all. With pounded corn made into bread and such game as they could secure they passed the winter, their nearest neighbors, equally helpless with themselves, seven miles distant. When other pioneers of a later date would complain of the hard- ships besetting them, Mulkey and Malone would say "it's nothing, you ought to have been here during the deep snow." After re- maining a little more than a year they deserted their cabin, whereupon Felix Jones took possession. In the fall following he put out the first orehard in the township. Jones was an odd- ity ; his wife more of one. He being ready with axe and saw aided in the construction of most houses built in the neighborhood -and neighborhood implied all within a radius of eight or ten miles. Possessed of a restless spirit he aided his neighbors per- haps more than himself. Clad in homespun garb, his feet en- cased in shoes of his own workmanship, mnade of hog hide at that, he would break new ground for a neighbor, or accompanied by his wife, would drive three yoke of oxen attached to a sled, away to the old mill on Kickapoo creek with his own and neighbors grist. His wife, with linsey shirts and a leghorn bonnet-the only one left since the days of the revolution-described by a pioneer as being the size of a buggy top surmounting a pile of coru was a sight to see. Independent in her peculiar garb, glib of tongue, she was one of the marked characters of early days. Once Felix reached the mill and was told he would have to wait a week for his grist as so many were in ahead of him, but he was prepared for just such an emergeney, he took the miller to one side, drew forth a jug of "agua miraculous " and asked the miller to take a " swig," then another, and asked if he couldn't slip in his grist ahead of others, to which proposition the "mellowing " miller affirmatively responded. Felix with all his short-comings was a most useful member of society. Evidences of the occupa- tion of the tract seleeted by the first settlers, by Indiaus, are yet shown to visitors ou the farm of J. W. McCord. Mulkey's Point seemed to have been a regular camping ground for them, a sta- tion as it were out upon their happy hunting grounds.
During the same year 1831, Isaac Davidson, a Tennesseean, commenced a settlement on section twenty-five. Millington Brown and J. W. McCord broke five acres for bim. His new- made home offered him little of cheer as he died in the autumn of the same year and was buried near where his cabin stood and near to where a camp-meeting ground was opened subsequently. He was a man of great energy, of usually happy disposition, and was esteemed of all who kuew him. His was the first burial in the township. Its exact date was not preserved, but it was in the month of October 1831.
In 1832 Martin Dale having won the affections of Mary Cross whose parents were opposed to her marrying, proposed an elope-
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HISTORY OF DE WITT COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
ment which was carried into exeention, so that they became the first wedded couple in the township, and the idea that "love langhs at locksmiths " found exemplification in the then wilds of Harp.
The second death was that of William Cross, a brother of Solo- mon Cross, in October 1831. He was buried on section thirty- two, where the old grave-yard is yet to be seen.
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Tyre llarp and Joseph Harp located on section twenty-nine in 1831. They were from Overton connty, Tennessee. However, prior to this, they had lived for a brief time near Waynesville. The first school in the township was taught in the house occupied by Tyre Harp in 1836. The following year Tyre Harp, Charles Harp, Pleasant Smith and Dudley Richards subscribed $110 to- wards paying for a six months school, besides putting up a log school-house 16x18 feet in dimensious. Edom Shugert who bad tanght in Harp's house, took charge of the school. The children of a few neighbors attended, whose parents paid a part of the $110 proportioned to their attendance. Edom Shngert was also a Tennessean. He was a fair scholar for the times, and apt to teach. Many who are now ranked among the old settlers were among his pupils. The Harps have always been prominent iu this connty, as the name of the township in which several of them have lived would indicate.
Dudley Richards, rather an eccentric character, came here in 1832. lle was a backwoods preacher, possessed of the voice of a Stentor. He also taught school, alternating his labors in the school-room with farming. He has been known to plow all morning, leave his team in the furrow, enter the school-room, call " books," hear a few classes and return to his plowing, which plan he would keep np all day. For years he was recognized as a nseful member of society, but a taste for ardent spirits fastened itself npon him, and his usefulness was thereby greatly impaired.
John Miller, called white-eye Miller, one of his eyebrows being white, but more particularly to distingnish him from another of he same name, located on section thirty-four. The first season he lived in a tent, constrneted somewhat after the fashion of a Sibley army tent, with poles as guys, however, instead of ropes. He de- lighted, as most pioneers did, in hunting and fishing, indeed with- ont these sports life would have been quite monotonous and their tables would have been bare indeed. Parched corn and veuison snstained life for a month in his family without further change of diet.
Iu 1836 G. B. Lemen and family, Isaac Swisher and family and Rachel Swisher and family located where they yet live in the north-easteru part of the township, Isaac Swisher had lived a year iu Vermilliou connty. The others in seeking a western home came by his place and induced him to pack np and come along. Together they all brought thirty head of sheep, the first brought to this section of country, and a most toothsome bait they proved too for wolves ; ten head of cattle and other stock. The winter preceding they all remained in a house owned by John Dawson in old town timber. Here they built separate cabins. Lemen says he had great diffienlty in keeping out the fiue driving snow the following winter. He actually put thirteen hundred clap boards averaging four feet in length by five inches in width on a house 18x20, and yet the snow would gather on the floor and bedding in drifts. This he obviated in the spring by danbing iuside and out and hoarding up the outside iu addition. The house thus improved, defied the storms of many winters, fur- nishing comfort to the inmates. During the " sudden freeze " in January, 1836, chickens iu their effort to reach a place of safety, were frozen in their tracks, so that Lemen had to nse a hatchet
in extrieating them. During the first winter these families were pnt to the necessity of grinding buckwheat in a coffee mill, beiog nnable to get to any mill, and not having corn. An im- provement on the coffee mill was a hollowed log, into which grain was put and ponnded with an iron wedge set in a split hickory handle. Both Lemen and Swisher are yet living, surrounded by their children, now grown men and women, in easy, if not affluent circumstances.
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Thomas Wilson came to this township from Maryland in 1836. He had six sous, two of whom yet live here. He was a man of great enterprise and industry. He felt the need of a saw mill, and in 1838 erected one on the north fork of Salt Creek on sec- tiou two. In 1840 he added a burr stone for the grinding of corn. The stone was one of the prairie boulders which so exten- sively abound in parts of this conuty. It answered an excellent purpose, and neighbors who had been long dependent upon mills far removed, or npun " pounding" corn at home, rejoiced in the enterprise of the projector.
The first land entries in the township were as follows :
April 6, 1831, John Norfleet, entered W.3, N. W.4 Sec. 24, 80 ac. Juue 16, 1831, William Kincaid, " 240 ac. 24.
July 8, 1831, William H. Brown, " W.2, S.W.},
13, 80 ac.
Ang. 2, " Parmenins Smallwood," W.3, N.W.}, " E.4, S.W.1, 33, 80 " 66 29,80 "
July 17, 1833, T. Harp,
April 21, 1834, Gabriel Watt, N.E.}, S.E.} 24, 40 "
Jan. 3, 1835, J. Pue, S.2, S E.4, 44 36,80 "
Of these the first and only permanent settler was Tyre Harp. The next to locate on land entered were G. B. Lemeu and Isaac Swisher.
Among the earliest camp-meeting grounds located within the limits of this connty was that on section 25, which was located in 1835. Winding Clark was the first person to hold services in this camp. Families from a great distance came to the grounds, and cansed the woodlauds to ring with merry cheer as they erected a village of cabins in which to lodge. A platform was constructed for the preachers, seats arranged of logs partially hewu, and camp-meeting time was oue of good cheer and spiritual refreshment. The presiding elder at the time, Rev. John St. Clair, was also present during part of the time.
Jefferson Cross was the first person elected as justice of the peace. Many of his decisions, it was affirmed, were more in accordance with common sense than law. He was a mau of fair education, and acquitted himself well in drawing up papers that proved perplexing to his neighbors.
The first school tanght in the Lemen settlement, or in the north eastern part of the township, was by John Dongherty. The second was by a teacher, of whom his pupils-several of whom yet live near-declare he never kuew the difference between p and q or b and d. He was too lazy to engage in farming, and thonght to palm himself off as a teacher.
The first blacksmith to locate here was Solomon Despain, who first located in Waynesville in 1830, then here in 1837. He was also a Baptist preacher after the regularly approved backs woods style of oratory-a regular sledge hammer iu speech. Heput np his smithy on land owned by J. G. Wright, a son-in-law of Harp. Near Wilson's mill a man named Leonard erected a blacksmith's shop in 1860.
Harp is thoroughly an agricultural township, with the ex- ception of three mills, a blacksmith's shop, a tile and brickyard, and two small groceries, no business industries are conducted within its limits other than farming and stock raising.
Mills .- North Fork Mill was built by Thomas Bergen and
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HISTORY OF DE WITT COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
James Harp. It is now owned and operated by Peter Collins. Is located on the north fork of Salt Creek on section 22. It is a water mill supplied with an overshot wheel, and a combined saw and grist mill provided with a small burrstone for grinding corn.
Salt Creek Valley Mills, a combined saw and grist mill, was built by the present owner, Simeon Morrison, in 1862, at a cost of 89,800. It is provided with a turbine wheel of five feet in diameter, also an Adkin wheel for running the saw. The ca- pacity of the grist mill is 60 barrels per day ; of the saw mill 1,500 feet per day. This mill is supplied with excellent machinery, and is well supported. It is on section 28, well located on Salt Creek, as the name implies.
Levi Griffith opened a grocery store on section 15, in 1874, which is well patronized, as is that of J. W. Curl on section 2, and which was first opened in 1871 by Ilenry Lucas.
E. R. Ross commenced the manufacture of tile on his farm, section 14, in 1877. Thus far he has manufactured about 100,000 tile, for which he has found ready sale at home. Ad- joining the tile works is a brick-yard owned by him, first opened in 1869. Sale of brick, 100,000 per annum. The clay is of superior quality.
The first road cut through this township was that leading from Clinton to Marion, by Hugh L. Davenport. At the time citizens obtained their mail at Clinton, which was a decided improve- ment npon going to Bloomington. Letter postage on mail from Kentucky-the original home of many of their number-was 25 cents per letter at the time.
The Gilman branch of the Illinois Central railroad passes through this township from east to west, entering on section 24, and leaving on section 30. As yet there is no station within the limits of the township. One is in contemplation on section 20 on land owned by Thomas Snell; a switch is to be constructed
this winter, and doubtless a village will be the result. Railroad bonds to the amount of $55,000 were voted by the people of this township in favor of the above road, bearing date July 1, 1871,and bearing ten per cent. interest per annum. Much litigation has grown out of these bonds, the people refusing to honor them, because of non-compliance, on the part of the railroad company, with agreement- made and promises extended. A party named Henry J. Furber obtained judgment on the coupons held by himself in the United States Court in January, 1877, and man- damus to compel the levy to pay off the judgment. Several suits have been commenced aside from this in the local courts; in fact so famous have the Harp township bonds become that metropol- itan papers in referring to them do not mention either the county or state but simply the township. The population of this town- ship in 1860 was 743 ; in 1870, 1164; aud in 1880, 1077. The following statistics from the assessor's books for the last year exhibit the agricultural status of this township: horses, 499 ; neat cattle, 932; mules, 39; sheep, 213 . hogs, 2069 ; carriages and wagons, 163; sewing machines, 57; piano, 1 ; organs, 6. Total value of personal property, $54,130; of lands, $247,711.
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