History of Effingham county, Illinois, Part 31

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? ed
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, O. L. Baskin & co.
Number of Pages: 650

USA > Illinois > Effingham County > History of Effingham county, Illinois > Part 31

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A family of very early settlers in Liberty was the Coxes. There were three brothers of them-William, John and Josiah Cox- and they came from Tennessee. They had emigrated to Illinois in an early day, and settled in Shelby County, and, abont 1838- 40, moved over into this township. William died more than twenty years ago. John died about a year ago. Josiah is still living in the neighborhood where he settled.

From Ohio. the land of Buckeye statos-

men, came Thomas Dutton and a man named Starner. The latter was a German, and died in the township. Dutton eame with his mother. Both are still living, the old lady at a very advanced age. Tom had a brother who went into the Mexican war, and died while in the service.

George Eccles camo in 1841, and Jolin Allsop in 1847. They were both from Eng- land. Eccles is still living in the township, and, though he is now eighty-four years of age, he is hale and hearty, and has recently, according to the divine declaration that " it is not well for man to be alone," married his third wife. Allsop is dead, but has two sons living in the township, and one in Effingham City.

l'oland furnished to the settlement Alex- ander Bylaski and George Superoski, who eame in 1840. Bylaski finally removed to Washington City, went into the late war, and fell at the battle of Belmont. Superoski is still living, across the line in Shelby Conn- ty. Another addition to the settlement in 1840 was Thomas Tennery, who is still living in the township.

The old Granite State sent out Lansford and Dennis Stebbins, who settled in the township in 1840. Lansford went back to Massachusetts in a few years. Dennis went to sea, made a whaling voyage of three years' length, returned to the township and got married, as a good man should. He after- ward moved down into the southern part of the State, where he died. Another addition was made this year by a man named Hedge, who moved in with three stalwart sons -- John, A. J. and Jabez. A. J. (which stands for Andrew Jackson) moved away; John is still living where he first settled; and Jabez and his father are dead. George Olinger also settled here in 1840. He was from Ohio, and. like Hedge, brought three sons

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HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY.

with him-John, Peter and George. The old man died about the commencement of the war; George and Peter are also dead, and John lives in Cowdon, Shelby County

Samuel Lorton, the oracle of Liberty Township, and a regular encyclopedia on legs, is a native of Arkansas, and came to Illinois with his father's family in 1824, set- tling in Shelby County. This is one in- stance, at least, in the history of our country, in which the star of empire reversed the eter- nal fitness of things by moving east instead of west. He moved into Liberty Township in 1843, and has lived here ever since. He knows the history of the surrounding country, and can reel it off as one reads from a printed book. We are indebted to him for many of the facts pertaining to Liberty, and any im- perfections in its history we lay to his charge, while all the good things it contains we claim as our own undisputed property. Mr. Lorton has grown up and grown old in the county, and is familiar with its growth, prog- ress and development. This brings the settle- ment down to a period when the new-comers could scarcely be termed old settlers, and we here drop the record of their settle- ment.

The present generation, as they behold the " old settler," can scarcely realize or appre- ciate the hardships through which he passed, or the part he performed in reclaiming the country from savage tribes that roamed at will over all parts of it. "Young America," as he passes the old settler by, perhaps unno- ticed, little dreams that he has spent the morning and the noontide of his life in help- ing to make the country what it now is, and in preparing it for the reception of all those modern improvements which surround us on every side. The old settler should be hon- ored, and his deeds should be remembered and revered by all.

"Their forest life was rough and rude, And dangers clos'd them round,

Bnt here, amid the green old trees, Freedom was sought and found."

Education was not neglected by the people of Liberty Township. Schools were early established, and have always been supported liberally. It is not known now who taught the first school, nor the exact spot where it was taught. There is at present a good, comfortable schoolhouse in every neighbor- hood of the township, which supports a first- class school each year.

When the county adopted township organ- ization, and it came to forming the Congres- sional townships into civil townships, this was called Liberty, in honor of that boon for which our fathers " fought, bled and died " in our Revolutionary war. The officers of the civil township are a Supervisor, Treas- urer, Clerk, Collector, etc., etc. At the pres- ent time, the principal officers of Liberty Township are James Allsop, Supervisor; C. Parkhurst, School Treasurer; William All- sop, Collector; and A. Clark and George Brown. Justices of the Peace.

Villages .- Beecher City, the only village in Liberty Township, is a rather pretty little town, pleasantly situated on the Springfield Division of the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad, some ten miles north of Altamont. It was laid out on the southwest quarter of the southwest quarter of Section 29; the east half of the southeast quarter of the southeast quarter of Section 30; the north half of the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 31; and the north half of the north- west quarter of the northwest quarter of Sec- tion 32, of Liberty Township. The survey and plat were made by the engineer of the railroad, for Edward Woodrow, of St. Louis, proprietor of the land, and the plat recorded on the 8th of April, 1872. The place was

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HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY.

not named, as many might suppose, for the Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, the cranky pastor of Plymouth, but for one of its principal business men, who bears the same name.

The first store in Beecher was opened by Miller & Nelson, who moved the house in which it was kept here from an adjacent place. H. L. Beecher then kept a small stock of goods at the depot.

The Jennings Brothers had the next 'store. William H. Jennings is still in business here, but sold out and was away for awhile, then returned and again engaged in merchandis- ing. The business of the place now consists of three stores-William H. Jennings, H L. Beecher and William Swazy; one grocery store, by A. Tally; one drug store, by John Allsop; two blacksmith shops, one butcher shop, wood shops, one shoe shop, hoop-pole factory, etc., etc. A large grain business is done. George Brown buys for Brumbach, and ships large quantities of grain from here every month.

A post office was established soon after the town was laid ont, and H. L. Beecher was appointed Postmaster-a position which he still retains.

The schoolhouse, which is one of the best in this part of the county, was built a few years ago. It is a two-story brick structure, and cost about $3,000. The school is a large and flourishing one, employing two and some- times three teachers.

Churches .- There are two churches in the village, with neat and substantial edifices. The United Brethren built a church about 1874-75. It is a good frame building, which cost from $800 to $1,000. The church is not numerically strong, but turns out a good congregation. There is regular monthly preaching and a flourishing Sunday school.

The Universalist Church was built in 1880, and is a neat and tasty frame building, put

np> at a cost of about $1,200. It has some twenty members, under the pastorate of the Rev. David Williams. A good Sunday school is kept up all the year. The church has a comfortable hall over it, which is used as a lodge room by the Masons and Odd Fel- Iows. The church erected the building, and then sold the upper part of it to these socie- ties for a meeting-place

The Masonic Lodge, which is known as Greenland Lodge, No. 665, A., F. & A. M., was moved here from Greenland, in Fayette County, under a dispensation from the Grand Lodge, on account of this being a more fa- vorable location. It has been held here since the completion of the church building. It is quite a flourishing young lodge, and at pres- ent has the following officers: Ben F. Mark- land, Master ; Orlando Campbell, Senior Warden; William H. Anderson, Junior War- den; Thomas D. Tennery, Treasurer; James H. Allsop, Secretary; Isaac Tipsword, Sen- ior Deacon; John F. Wood, Junior Deacon; and Thomas R. Dutton, Tiler.

Beecher City Lodge, No. 690, I. O. O. F., was instituted March 25, 1881, by the Grand Lodge of Illinois. The first officers were: J. W. Hotz, N. G .; Azariah Larimore, V. G .; George C. Eads, Secretary; and Albert Larimore, Treasurer. The lodge has at pres- ent twenty-four members in good standing, and is officered as follows: George C. Eads, N. G .: George W. Brown, V. G .; Will H. Richards, Recording Secretary; John Cook, Secretary; and Henry Hunt, Treasurer.

This comprises a history of the beautiful and flourishing little village of Beecher. It has an intelligent population, and, with a continuation of the energy and industry hitherto evinced, there is a brilliant future in store for their lovely town. l'ime, pa- tience and perseverance will waft it on to wealth and prosperity.

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HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY.

CHAPTER XXII .*

LUCAS TOWNSHIP-INTRODUCTORY-TOPOGRAPHY AND BOUNDARIES-PIONEER OCCUPATION- WHERE THE SETTLERS CAME FROM-TIIEIR EARLY LIFE HERE-GROWTH AND IM-

PROVEMENT OF THE COUNTRY-MILLS. ETC .- EDUCATIONAL FACILITIES- CHURCHES AND PREACHERS-VILLAGES, ETC., ETC.

" All the world's a stage,

And all the men and women merely players. They have their exits and their entrances." -Shakespeare.

H IFTY years ago the portion of territory now known as Lucas Township was a wide, unsettled expanse, wild in every sense of the word, inhabited by wild men and in. fested with wild beasts. The lands now oc- cupied by fertile, well- tilled farms, where the cereals and luscious fruits of all varieties grow in abundance, and where blooded stock loll and graze, were less than threescore years ago a luxuriant wilderness, where the timid deer fled from its cronching foe. the panther, only to be pursued by that gaunt scourge of the prairie, the wolf. Fields now jocund with the merry song of the happy and con- tented farmer were once in the long ago lurid with the glare of the red man's camp fires or made hideous by the discordant yells of the savage war-dance. But these deep, fertile. prairie soils held abundant food for civiliza- tion, and needed but stout hearts, strong wills and sinewy arms to develop and set it free. The pioneers at length came, and stout-heart- ed, strong-willed and heavy-armed they were, both from nature and necessity.

Lucas is the southeastern township of the county and possesses a pleasant diversity of surface and soil. Large tracts of level and undulating prairie ocenpy the central, west- ern and southern portions, which form a strik-

ing contrast to the wooded and more broken surface that lies along the creeks in the north and east. The only water-courses of any note are Ramsey's Creek, which rises in Sec- tion 15 and flows in a westerly direction through the central part of the township, and Little Bishop Creek, a small stream that has its source in Section 3. from which it also takes a westerly course. These streams afford an excellent system of drainage, and are ne- cessities that could not easily be dispensed with. The only timber in the township, save a few scattering groves, is found skirting these water-courses, and consists mostly of walnut, ash, hickory, sycamore, elm, several varieties of oak and a dense growth of hazel and other undergrowths in the districts from which the larger trees have been removed.

Fifty years have served to change the ap- pearance of these wooded tracts, the greater part of the timber having been cut and sawed into lumber by the first settlers. The atten- tion of the farmer has of late years been called to the necessity of supplying himself with timber, as the native growths have dis- appeared, and artificial groves have been set out in different parts of the township. The soil of this section is a strong, deep loam, with a slight mixture of sand in some places and clay in the more elevated wooded por- tions.

Lucas is noted chiefly for its agricultural excellence, and hence was eagerly sought by the early settlers. Taken as a whole, its

*By G N Berry.

2. Williamson

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HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY.

territory presents as fine a tract of farm land as there is to be found in the county. As a wheat district, it is probably unexcelled, the peculiar nature of the soil being adapted to that cereal, though corn and all other grain crops aro raisel in abundance. The culture of fruit, also, has, of late years, received a great deal of attention from the farmers. The boundaries of Lucas are St. Francis Township on the north, Union Township on the west. Clay County on the south and Jas- per County on the east.

William Morris is believed to have been the first permanent settler within the present limits of Lucas Township. The date of his arrival is fixed at the year 1830, though not given as definite. It is not known from what State he came, nor how long he remained a resident of tho township. He settled on Sec- tion 18, and the place is known as Morris' field, and is at present owned by N. T. Cat- terlin Several transient settlers came into the country about the time Morris made his appearance, erected a few temporary shantios along Lucas and Bishop Creeks, where they lived for a year or so, when, becoming dis- satisfied with the country on account of the prevalence of ague and fever, they harvested their little crops and departed for other lo- calities. The next actual settler of whom we have any knowledge was a man named Mar- ion, who came from Kentucky, and entered a piece of land lying in Section 17, near Lucas Creok, in the year 1831, where he improved abont twenty acres in the timber. He was a true type of the pioneer, rugged, strong as a Hercules, and generous to a fault. The greater portion of his time was spent in hunt ing, in which he was a great expert and which he loved as he loved his life. For twenty years Marion lived where he first set- tled, and accumulated during that time a fine body of land, which was brought to a suc-

cessful state of cultivation, chiefly by the la - bors of his two sons, " Wash " and Daniel. He died in the year 1849 at a good old age.

In the year 1831. Presley Funkhouser came into this part of the county and made a tem- porary settlement in the timber on Lucas Creek, about one mile west of Waymack Mer- ry's farm. Ho remained here but one or two years, and made no permanent improvements, nor does it appear that he made any entry of land. From this place he went into Jackson Township, and as the country grew older be- came a very prominent citizen, and seems to have been publicly identified with much of the county's development. A son lives in the city of Effingham and is one of the lead- ing merchants of that place.

No other settlements were made here until about the year 1840, when James Holt and Thomas Stroud made improvements near the same place where the first-named parties lo- cated. Holt came from Indiana and made his first entry of land in the northern part of the township, in Section 4; he improved the place here and occupied it for about twenty years, when he sold out and purchased land in Union Township, where he still lives. Stroud located his home in Section 4, also, and occupied it about twelve years, when he sold to Joseph Barkley. The place is owned at present by Uriah.

The spring of 1845 saw the following per. sons, in addition to those mentioned, located in Lucas as permanent settlers: James Ben- nifield, Elijah Poynter, Smith Elliott and George Barkley. The first named located in Section 17, where he improved about twenty acres of land, which he sold about one year later to Edward Sanderson, and, with his family, moved to Indiana. Sanderson re- mained in the place about eight years, when he disposed of it to a man by the name of Russ, the present owner. Poynter came from

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HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY.

Kentucky and settled in the timber near the creek, but did not enter the land. He sold his improvements to a man named Marion, and moved near the central part of the town- ship, where he lived until his death, about ten years ago. Mr. Poynter was a man of unblemished character and a substantial citi- zen. A son, W. H. Poynter, is the present Treasurer of the township. Elliott settled south of the village of Elliottstown, about one mile, and entered land in Section 5, where he resided until the year 1854, when his death occurred. Mr. Elliott was a man of much more than ordinary intelligence and a sincere Christian. Though dead, he still lives in the influence which he formerly ex- erted upon the community he was instru- mental in founding. Daniel Merry, brother of Waymack Merry, was a prominent settler of Lucas, having come here when the pioneer cabins were few and far between. Mr. Merry came from Bond County, but was originally from Kentucky. He entered land in Section 17, which is now owned by his sons, John and George Merry, George Barkley was an old settler also, and the first blacksmith to work at his trade in the township. He set- tled in Section 5, where he improved land, and in addition to his farming carried on a blacksmith shop for a number of years. At the first election for Justice of the Peace, the honors of the office fell to him, a position he filled acceptably for several consecutive terms.

Among other settlers who came here in an early day may be mentioned W. C. Davis, William and Henry Lake, John L. Baty, Waymack Merry, Isaac McBroom, -- Til- ton and a man named French. Davis came to the township about 1846, and settled on land then owned by the Highland Company, in Section 18. The Lake brothers came here from Clark County, about the same time, al- though the land on which they settled had

been entered in their names several years before. Baty located in Section 6, where he lived until about six years ago. Merry en- tered the land where Elijah Poynter first set- tled, and is at present engaged in business at Elliottstown. McBroom came from Indiana and settled where Joseph Lidy now lives, in Section 4, about the year 1845 or 1846. French made a temporary settlement in the northern part of the township at a very early day, and improved a few acres of ground, which were afterward purchased by Tilton. The last named was the first physician in this part of the county and practiced his profes- sion for several years among the sparse set- tlements of Lucas and adjoining townships.

The pioneers of Lucas found no royal highway to affluence, but, like all settlers in a new country, had to brave many formidable obstacles, encounter many difficulties and ex- perience many hardships, which would appall their descendants whose lives have fallen in more pleasant places. The nearest markets where groceries, dry goods and other com- modities could be obtained were Greenville, Terre Haute and St. Louis, and to reach any of these places, a long journey of several days was required, oftentimes a week or longer were consumed in the trip, if the weather proved wet, as the prairies at that time were almost impassable, owing to their muddy condition. The first plowing of the settlers was done by night, on account of the flies, which were so numerous on the prairies, and which rendered the stock almost frantic. Dr. Field says that in crossing the prairies a man would have to keep his horse on a dead run in order to leave the swarms of flies be- hind; that if they once lighted upon the horse he became unmanageable, and would in a short time lie down in agony and roll over and over to rid himself of his tormenters. From this and other causes, but small crops

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HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY.

were raised during the early years of the country's settlement. Corn was the most practical crop; the early families in fact had to subsist in the main upon this product va- riously prepared, and to which they added deer, turkey, prairie chickens and other game that thronged the woods and prairies, fish that filled the streams and honey that was obtained in large quantities from hollow trees in the forests.

The first mill patronized by the pioneers of Lucas was the small horse- mill that stood in Bishop Township, a little north of Elliotts- town, and operated by a Mr. Armstrong. White's Mill, at Bishop's Point, was also ex- tensively patronized by farmers of this sec- tion until better machinery was put in opera- tion at Tentopolis. The nearest mill at pres- ent is the one at Georgetown, in Clay County, a distance of about fifteen miles.

It has been asserted, and wisely so, that the avennes of communication are an un- doubted evidence of the state of society. Savages have no roads because they need none. The Indiau trails through Lucas were the marks by which the first highways were run. As time passed, the old routes were changed, and the roads properly established. The first thoroughfare through this township was known as the Teutopolis road, and ran almost parallel to the eastern boundary for several miles, when it angled toward the southeast. The original course has been greatly changed, the road improved, until now it is one of the most extensively traveled and best highways in the southern part of the county. Another early road run through the northern part of the township, from east to west, and is known as the Douthard road. A road leading from Elliottstown south through Lucas was laid out and improved in an early day, but was not legally established until a few years ago. The greater number

of highways which traverse the township in all directions have been established in recent years, and the majority of them are well im- proved and in good condition. Like the thoroughfares in all parts of Central and Southern Illinois these roads during certain seasons of the year became well-nigh impass- able ou account of the mud, but the porous nature of the soil is such as to cause this mud to dry up rapidly, and within a com- paratively short time after the frost leaves the ground.

The first marriage that took place in Lucas was solemnized in the fall of 1846, the con- tracting parties being Jesse Marion, son of Richard Marion, and a Miss Greenwood. The first death occurred about the same time, but the name of the person was not learned.

In the early settlement of the county one of the greatest disadvantages under which the pioneer labored was the almost entire ab- sence of facilities for the education of his children. When the question of keeping soul and body together had once been solved, the settler's attention was turned to the necessity of schools and means of supplying the want earnestly sought, and buildings for the pur- pose were erected. The first school in the township was taught by Dr. Field in a little rude cabin that formerly stood on Section 5, and was for a term of three months. He appears to have given universal satisfaction, as he was at that time in the vigor of man- hood, and could strike a blow that never failed to bring the most reckless pupil to speedy terms-main strength being in those days a requisite qualification in a teacher. The school generally commenced as early in the morning as teacher and scholars could get to their work, and closed when the sun went down. The second school was taught by James Gibson, about the year 1850, in the same building. The second house erected

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HISTORY OF EFFINGHAM COUNTY.

especially for school purposes was situated in Section 18, and was a small improvement on the one first mentioned, having been better finished and furnished. It was first used by John Hanly, who taught a three months' term in the year 1853. The first public school in the township was taught by Eliza- beth Taylor about 1857. A frame house was erected in 1858 by Henry Kershner, and stood in the northern part of the township. The first teacher who occupied it was Henry Russ. There are now five district schools taught annually in as many good frame houses, and last from six to nine months of the year. During the school year of 1881-82, there was paid for tuition the sum of $800. The township board is composed of the fol- lowing gentlemen: Noah Merry, Matthew McMurry and W. H. Poynter.

The old story of the Cross will ever be new from its first annunciation to the shepherds of Judea by the angelic choir that sung. " peace on earth, good will to men," down through the ages to the present it has been a consolation and solace to the millions who have yielded to its gentle influences. It was first told in this township by Rev. George Monical, who conducted religious services at the residence of Edward Sanderson as early as the year 1846. He was a Methodist preacher, and had charge of a church at that time in Georgetown, Clay County. Alexan- der Ortrey was an early minister of the town- ship, also, and held public worship for sev- eral years at the private residences of Daniel Merry and Edward Sanderson, both of whom were zealous Methodists and sincere Chris- tians. These meetings were largely attended by the early settlers, who often came to them for several miles, and were the means of ac- complishing a great amount of good in that community. The first church was organized at the residence of Edward Sanderson. about

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History of Effingham county, Illinois, Part 31

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? ed Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Chicago, O. L. Baskin & co. Number of Pages: 650

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892? ed
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago, O. L. Baskin & co.
Number of Pages: 650