USA > Illinois > Fulton County > History of Fulton county, Illinois > Part 20
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Sometimes the amusements of the pioneers were rough, almost to the point of fatal results,-sometimes, as in the case we are about to narrate, more witty than rough. In the carly days of Canton a church building belonging to the Presbyterian denomination stood in the public square. This church had a steeple and bell, probably at that period the only one in the county. The belfry of this church always stood open, and one night a party of wild fellows conceived the idea of a huge practical joke to be played upon the citizens by means of this bell. Several balls of twine were procured, and after everybody had got to sleep an adventurous spirit mounted to the bell and tied one end of the twine around the clapper of the bell, throwing the ball of twine out at the window. The knot around the clapper was so arranged that by pulling on an extra cord the twine could be loosened and made to disappear. When one o'clock, "the hour when grave-yards yawn," approached, this cord was taken to a second-story window opposite, where, ont of sight above any night passer, it was pulled, setting the bell to tolling solemnly and slowly. It tolled for an hour, when those who had awakened at its first stroke with a yawn began to wonder what it all meant, and one by one windows here and there were opened and heads peered out into the darkness. Soon curiosity began to get the better of sleepiness, and here and there a man might be seen going towards the church to see what the bell was tolling for. On reaching the church the bell cord was found hanging as usual with no mortal ringer pulling it; still the bell tolled on, ding-dong-ding! Others came, from every cabin in the town a representative, still the bell tolled on with no visible mortal sexton swinging its iron tongue. "What is the mys-
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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.
tery ?" eager tongues asked of eager ears; "what does it mean ?" Some one suggested that some straggler had climbed up into the belfry and was doing the ringing, and one or two adventurous spirits climbed to the belfry to learn if such was the case, only to report that no mortal hand was tolling the bell ; and now the mys- tery deepened. Men with solemn faces spoke to men whose coun- tenanees marked deep concern, and declared that the end of the world must certainly be approaching. Some suggested that it was Satan, others his heavenly opponent, Michael, who was tolling the knell of a world about to depart; still the bell tolled on. At last James Wright, for a "spiritual" consideration, volunteered to solve the mystery. . Of course the parties pulling the bell had confreres in the crowd, and, when Wright mounted into the steeple, gave the signal, and the cord was disengaged ; the bell stopped tolling; but the mystery was not solved. The mysterious bell furnished food for talk and texts for wise homilies for weeks, until at last the joke got too heavy to hold, and the parties dropped it, to the infinite relief of many a superstitions soul.
What the Pioneers Hare Done .- Fulton county is a grand county, in many respects second to none in the State, and in almost every- thing that goes to make a live, prosperous community, not far behind the best. Beneath our fertile soil is coal enough to supply the State for generations ; our harvests are bountiful ; we have a medium cli- mate and many other things that make us a contented, prosperous and happy people ; but we owe much to those who opened up these avenues that have led to our present condition and happy surround- ings. Unremitting toil and labor have driven off the sickly mias- mas that brooded over swampy prairies. Energy and perseverance have peopled every section of our wild lands, and changed them from wastes and deserts to gardens of beauty and profit. When but a few years ago the barking wolves made the night hideous with their wild shrieks and howls, now is heard only the lowing and bleating of domestic animals. Only a half century ago the wild whoop of the Indian rent the air where now are heard the engine and rumbling trains of cars, bearing away to markets the products of our labor and soil. Then the savage built his rude huts on the spot where now rise the dwellings and school-houses and church spires of civilized life. How great the transformation ! This change has been brought about by the incessant toil and aggregated labor of thousands of tired hands and anxious hearts, and the noble aspira- tions of such men and women as make any country great. What will another half century accomplish ? There are few, very few, of these old pioneers yet lingering on the shores of time as connect- ing links of the past with the present. What must their thoughts be as with their dim eyes they view the scenes that surround them ? We often hear people talk about the old-fogy ideas and fogy ways, and want of enterprise on the part of the old men who have gone through the experiences of pioneer life. Sometimes, perhaps, such
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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.
remarks are just, but, considering the experiences, education and entire life of such men, such remarks are better unsaid. They have had their trials, misfortunes, hardships and adventures, and shall we now, as they are passing far down the western declivity of life, and many of them gone, point to them the finger of derision and laugh and sneer at the simplicity of their ways? Let us rather cheer them up, revere and respeet them, for beneath those rough exteriors beat hearts as noble as ever throbbed in the human breast. These veterans have been compelled to live for weeks upon hominy and, if bread at all, it was bread made from corn ground in hand-mills, or pounded up with mortars. Their children have been destitute of shoes during the winter ; their families had no clothing except what was carded, spun, wove and made into garments by their own hands ; schools they had none; churches they had none; afflicted with siekness incident to all new countries, sometimes the entire family at once ; luxuries of life they had none ; the auxiliaries, improvements, inventions and labor-saving machinery of to-day they had not ; and what they possessed they obtained by the hardest of labor and indi- vidual exertions, yet they bore these hardships and privations with- out murmuring, hoping for better times to come, and often, too, with but little prospects of realization.
As before mentioned, the changes written on every hand are most wonderful. It has been but three-score years since the white man began to exercise dominion over this region, erst the home of the red men, yet the visitor of to-day, ignorant of the past of the coun- ty, could scarcely be made to realize that within these years there has grown up a population of 50,000 people, who in all the aecom- plishments of life are as far advanced as are inhabitants of the coun- ties of older States. Schools, churches, colleges, palatial dwellings, beautiful grounds, large, well cultivated and productive farms, as well as cities, towns and busy manufactories, have grown up, and occupy the hunting grounds and camping places of the Indians, and in every direction there are evidences of wealth, comfort and lux- ury. There is but little left of the old landmarks. Advanced civilization and the progressive demands of revolving years have obliterated all traces of Indian occupancy, until they are only remembered in name.
In closing this chapter we again would impress upon the minds of our readers the fact that they owe a debt of gratitude to those who pioneered Fulton county, which ean be but partially repaid. Never grow unmindful of the peril and adventure, fortitude, self- sacrifice and heroie devotion so prominently displayed in their lives. As time sweeps on its ceaseless flight, may the cherished memories of them lose none of their greenness, but may the future genera- tions alike cherish and perpetuate them with a just devotion to gratitude.
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CHAPTER III.
IMPORTANT LABORS OF THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS' COURT.
First Meeting .- The first meeting of the County Commissioners' Court of Fulton county was held at "the office of H. R. Colter in the town of Lewistown," on the 3d day of June, 1823. The records hold forth the "office of H. R. Colter" very prominently, yet we surmise this "office" of which the records speak so often was simply a portion of his cabin home. David W. Barnes, Thomas R. Covell and Joseph Moffatt, County Commissioners, were all present. The first business transacted by the Court was the appointment of Hugh R. Colter as Clerk. The records open with the simple statement that "the Court held a special term June 3, 1823." They give us no information whatever concerning its organization, or its previous history, or of the organization of the county, but, like the Holy Scriptures, begins with unqualified statements and records its aets with the greatest simplicity. We were, however, fortunate enough to find in another old book some memorandums of the prior history of this Court, and of the official transactions of the county previous to the first meeting of the Commissioners' Court. These items, which are noted on the first four pages of the first Circuit Court records, are headed "Fulton County Clerk's Records." These were kept by Hugh R. Colter, and were written previous to his ap- pointment as Clerk by the Commissioners, and even prior to his being qualified as Justice of the Peace. The most satisfactory solution we can give why he should thus head the records and by what authority he swore men into office and transacted other official business, was, that he was appointed by the Legislature (aet of Jan. 18th, 1823, for the organization of Fulton county), as a Clerk to transact such business as was necessary to carry out the provisions of the act and complete the organization of the county. Whether this was really the case or not we cannot positively state, as we have been unable to procure a copy of the act. The record of these four pages embrace the following items :
On Feb. 11, 1823, nearly four months prior to the date of Colter being appointed Clerk of the Commissioners' Court, this certificate was recorded : "This day Ossian M. Ross personally appeared be- fore me and took the several oaths prescribed by law to authorize him to act as Justice of the Peace in and for the county of Fulton, State of Illinois, and on the back of his commission I wrote and
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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.
subscribed the usual certificate." Then follows a similar record of a certificate of John N. Ross to act as County Surveyor.
On March 17 Mr. Colter recorded in this same place that he had advertised an election anthorized by law for county officials, to be held at the house of Ossian M. Ross on the 14th day of April en- suing. On that day he noted the following words: "This day I attended the election for county officers and qualified the judges who conducted the election ;" and on the same date, which was April 14, these : "Received in this office the returns of the above election, and after examining said returns I gave certificates to the following persons, to-wit : David W. Barnes, Thomas R. Covell and Joseph Moffatt ; Coroner, William Clark ; for Sheriff, Abner Eads." He then states that John Hamlin and Samuel Fulton appeared before him and qualified as Justices of the Peace.
On April 29 Thomas R. Covell came before him and qualified to act as Lieutenant in the 17th Regiment of the Illinois Militia. May 12, we find this: "Ossian M. Ross, Esq., deposited in this office the following certificate for record, to-wit: Hugh R. Colter personally appeared before me and took the several oaths prescribed by law to authorize him to act as Justice of the Peace."
He next records that on May 17 he sent from his office an official certificate to the Governor, relative to the situation of our county officers, who were elected on the 14th of April at the house of O. M. Ross.
On June 3 he wrote that "Joseph Moffatt took the oaths pre- scribed by law to authorize him to act as County Commissioner. David W. Barnes and Thomas R. Covell qualified April 15."
July 4 William Eads qualified as Sheriff and the following day William Clark as Coroner.
The last item on these four pages of record is a certificate filed July 9, from O. M. Ross, certifying that Hugh R. Colter appeared before him and took the oath to act as Judge of Probate.
Thus we have all the items, or record of the official acts (save the one we give below relative to locating the county-seat) prior to the first meeting of the Commissioners' Court that the officiating pio- neers have left us.
Appointments by the Court .- After the Court had appointed a Clerk, it recommended to the Governor that Amherst C. Ransom be appointed Justice of the Peace, rice Samuel Fulton, resigned. The next act was the appointment of John Eveland as Treasurer of the county. Then Thomas L. Ross was appointed Assessor. Aquila Moffatt, John Griffin, George Matthews, William Totten and Hor- ace Enos were appointed Constables.
Road Precincts .- The county was then divided into road pre- cinets, and William Eads appointed superintendent for district No. 1, which began at Ft. Clark (now Peoria) and ran northwesterly to the Mississippi river. Stephen Chase was appointed superintendent for district No. 2, which road ran from Ft. Clark through Lewis-
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town to the mouth of Spoon river. Amos Eveland was appointed for distriet No. 3, which "began at Spoon-river bluffs and continu- ing same to base line." This would run it south to Beardstown. "The Court was then declared adjourned, to meet at seven o'clock on the 4th, by O. M. Ross, an elisor, [acting sheriff] who was appointed for that purpose.
County-Seat Located .- The Court met on the 4th and the follow- ing papers were laid before the august judges: "A return made by the Commissioners who located the seat of justice ; and also a deed made by O. M. Ross to the county of Fulton for 13 town lots in the town of Lewistown for public purposes." Further on in these records we find the report for the location of the county-seat re- corded, which report we give in full :
"A Return of the Commissioners who Located the Seat of Justice for Fulton County, Illinois :
"Know all men by these presents, that we, the undersigned Commissioners, having been appointed agreeably to an act of the Legislature, approved Jan- nary 28, 1823, an act forming a new county out of the attached part of the County of Pike, to be called Fulton, now know ye that, whereas we, John Totten, Stephen Chase and Hugh R. Colter, were appointed by said act Commissioners to locate the permanent seat of justice for said county, met at the house of David W. Barnes in said county on the 11th day of February, 1823, and being duly sworn before Ossian M. Ross, Esq., a Justice of the Peace, we then proceeded to make inquiries and to hear proposals from inhab- itants of said county; and after some time spent therein we adjourned till the 14th inst., at the house of O. M. Ross, in said county. On the 14th we met, and after taking into consideration the duties of our office we agreed to, and do hereby permanently locate the seat of justice of said county of Fulton on lot No. 214, in the town of Lewistown, being on the southwest quarter of sec- tion 22, township 5 north and range 3 east; said town of Lewistown having been platted and surveyed by Stephen Dewey, Esq., and on the lands belong- ing to Ossian M. Ross, Esq., in said town aforesaid, and as a donation to said county. The said Ross has this day made to the county of Fulton a good war- rantee deed in fee simple for the following town lots for public buildings, etc., to-wit : Lot No. 16 for burying yard, and lots Nos. 213, 214 and 215 for a court- house and jail, and lots Nos. 147, 148, 149, 180, 181 and 182 for a public square, or at the disposal of the County Commissioners, for public or county purposes. In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands and seals this 14th day of February, 1823.
JOHN TOTTEN, HUGH R. COLTER, STEPHEN CHASE."
Tavern Licenses,-The first "tavern" license was granted at this term of the Court. A tavern in those days was a combination of an inn and a saloon. The proprietor, however, did not expect to derive any great revenue from the hotel, but looked to his liquors for an income. Many of these "taverns" were the smallest of log cabins. Here and there all over the country, sometimes miles from any other cabin, they might be found. Some of them were indicated to be such by signs nailed to a post, tree, or to the side of the cabin. These were of the rudest make and design. Some simply had the word "entertainment" scrawled upon them, while others, more explicit, read "entertainment for man and beast." Some were still more definite and said simply " whisky and oats." The storms of
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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.
a half century, the advancement of civilization, the culture of the age, have all combined to transform these rudest of signs, scribbled by an uncultured pioneer upon hewn boards, into gilded and glitter- ing letters artistically traced upon French-plate glass.
The name by which the place was known where liquor was vended was shortly after this changed from "tavern" to "grocery" or " groggery," and subsequently assumed the appellation of "saloon ;" and finally, that coming into disrepute, many have adopted the more modern title of " sample room," "hall," "garden," etc.
The Court ordered, "that Ossian M. Ross have license to keep an inn or tavern in the house wherein he now resides, by paying the sum of $10, in ' State paper.'" The following schedule of "tavern rates" were then established to govern him :
Victuals, per meal,. 25 cents
Horse keeping, per night, .. 37%
Lodging, per night, .. 121
Whisky, per half pint, 12
Rum and gin, per half pint,.
25
French brandy, per half pint,. 50
Wine, per half pint,
371
And all other liquors in like proportion.
Joseph Ogee was granted similar license, with the same schedule regulating him.
Ferry License .- O. M. Ross was then given a license to keep a ferry across the Illinois at the mouth of Spoon river, the present site of Havana. He continued to run this ferry until his death, which occurred in 1837, and after which his sons ran it for a number of years. During the earlier years Mr. Ross would send a man clown to the river every few days to carry the travelers with their saddles across the water in a canoe, swimming their horses beside it. It was generally understood among the settlers on both sides what days the ferryman would be there, and travelers always learned of the time. This was considered a splendid way to cross the river and a great accommodation to those who came to look at the country in the Military Tract.
The following were the ferry rates established by the Court :
Man and horse. 25 cents.
Each footman. 123
Each wagon drawn by two horses or oxenl. 75
Each additional horse or ox .. 12} ..
Each hog or sheep 3
6 .
Each lead or drove horse, or other animal. 123 66
Each cart drawn by two oxen. 50 66
Each Dearborn wagon or sulky. 75
And all other property in the same proportion, and double when the river is over its banks.
These rates seem high, but ferry patronage was limited, for we certainly must know that the number of persons were few who desired to cross the Illinois river at any one point fifty-six years ago.
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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.
More Justices of the Peace .- The Court then recommended, as a fit and suitable person for Justice of the Peace, Mr. Wm. Eads, of Peoria, then known as Fort Clark. Further on in the records we find the trio of Commissioners ordered that John Kinzie be reeom- mended to the Governor as a fit person for Justice of the Peace for Fulton county. This gentleman was the well known first settler of Chicago, and at that time resided there, it then being in this county. It must be remembered that Fulton county at that time spread over a vast territory, and embraced all of the northern part of the State. Yes, though unlearned in law and unacquainted with science and literature, the Commissioners held jurisdiction over a large district ; and that they conducted the public affairs rightly, and built a firm and solid foundation upon which the future prosperity and greatness of this portion of our beloved State should rest, can not be gainsaid. This is plainly evident from the unparalleled strides made in agrieul- tural and mechanical progress ; from the hundreds of thousands of busy inhabitants now dwelling within this territory ; and from the vast stores of wealth accumulated solely from resources within it. Those great and unconcealed wonders reflect honor and credit each day upon their founders ; and as days and years multiply, when the same territory over which they presided shall be teeming with mil- lions of earnest and energetic people, then will great honors and more exultant praise and adoration be expressed for the brave, sturdy pioneers who explored and opened up a region so prolific, and founded a community that for genius, enterprise and wealth will in the near future out-rank many older settled countries, and indeed will vic with many kingdoms of the earth. Then these vast prairies will be cultivated as a garden. Every forest tree and woodland will be ntil- ized, and populous cities with numerous factories and vast stores of commerce may be numbered by the score. Then will the modes of travel be superior to the remarkable railroad facilities of to-day, and transport the increased prodnets with greater facility. Indeed, every- thing will then be as different and as superior to what they are at present as the things of to-day are as compared with those of fifty years ago. Our readers may regard this as wild and unreasonable speculation, as wholly visionary ; but they are only the conclusions deduced from a careful study of history, of a comparison of what has been accomplished, with certain advantages, with the results that the superior advantages now enjoyed will as certainly accomplish.
First. Court-House .- The Court then ordered "that a court-house be built, with a jail under the same roof; said buildings to be built of bricks, 26 by 34 feet, two stories high and well finished, or a hewed-log building 24x30 feet, one and a half stories high, with a separate building for jail, 12x15 feet, built of hewed timber one foot square and well finished off and secure in every part."
It was then ordered that the Court meet July 3, at the office of Hugh R. Colter, to let the above jobs. Before adjourning, how- ever, a tax was ordered levied on personal property, household goods excepted, and on all town lots at "one-half per cent."
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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.
On July 3 Barnes and Covell met per agreement, but adjourned without transacting any business, because Moffat was not present. They met again the following day, and again adjourned, "for good causes, till the 5th at five o'clock in the morning." That was an early hour for officials to assemble to transact publie business. Soon, however, the Commissioners did not meet till a later and a more fashionable hour, one in keeping with the modern spirit of the age. As the customs of civilization began to make themselves felt, they adjourned to meet at nine o'clock. The honorable Commis- sioners would fain indulge in a second morning nap and not don the ermine till the "third hour of the day." And before this distin- guished and time-honored official body was abolished ten o'clock was the hour for opening Court.
On the 5th the Court assembled and by Abner Eads, Sheriff, was declared opened. This is the first time Eads attended Court. A petition was presented by O. M. Ross, a former supervisor of roads, praying to have the privilege of returning the delinquents of his district or of giving them over to the present supervisor in dis- trict 3, "on the road leading from the village of Peoria to the mouth of the Illinois river."
In regard to the court-house and jail it was ordered that the fol- lowing be a description of their size and the manner in which said buildings are to be finished :
"The size of the court-house 26x30 feet, one and a half stories high, and built of hewn logs ; a shingle roof. the shingles three feet long and well nailed on ; the upper floor, if puncheons, to be hewed on both sides; three windows below and two above, with twelve lights of glass in cach window ; window shutters to each window ; a briek chimney with two fire-places, one below and one above; one pair of stairs to go up on the inside of said building, to accommo- date the upper room. The above building to be raised and the roof on so that Court ean be held in said house at the next term of the Circuit Court, which will be on the second Monday of October next ; and to be completed by the first day of January next. One- half of the money to be paid to the contractor when the house is raised and covered, and the balance when the house is completed.
"On motion it was ordered that the following is a description of the style in which the jail is to be finished, to-wit : All of hewed logs or timber one foot square, floors and sides; one window with good iron grates ; the roof to be the same as that of the court-house ; a good jail-door, and everything else to make it a strong, substan- tial jail."
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