History of Fulton county, Illinois, Part 53

Author: Chas. C. Chapman & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Peoria : C.C. Chapman & co.
Number of Pages: 1096

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Swan was a man of enterprise, and was determined that his town should be populated at once; so, as an inducement to settlers, he announced his determination to give a lot to any man who would build and become a settler in the town. John Hannan was the first man to secure a lot, and was followed soon by others. Swan kept this offer good until about 1833, stipulating, however, in later years, as to the kind of house that should be built.

At this time ( 1826) Samuel Morse resided on what was then known as the Morse quarter, west of and adjoining the town plat. Morse was the owner of a hand mill, upon which was ground much

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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.

of the corn-meal used by the settlers of Canton. Morse continued to reside in Canton until some time about 1834, when he removed to Knox county. His wife, Mary Morse, was a tailoress, and the first that ever worked in Canton.

In 1824 Yelverton Peyton erected a house within the present city limits, on the Coleman tract, near where Hayden Keeling has now a brickyard. Peyton was a large man and a giant in strength. It is said that he ent the logs for his cabin and "backed" them up on his shoulders, carrying logs no twoordinary men could have lifted. Peyton lived here a few years and was taken down with consumption. He went south, finally, for his health and died.

Until about 1830 there were no regular dry-goods stores in Can- ton. Up to that period goods were purchased either at Edwards- ville or St. Louis. The settlers would several of them club together and select one or two of their number to take a "pirogue," loaded with the neighborhood peltry, beeswax and honey, to one or the other of those markets and exchange it for salt, lead, powder, and such other goods as might be within the scope of their ambition or means. This trip occupied about two months' time, and was at- tended with considerable difficulty and not a little danger.

"One of the buildings erected in Canton in 1825," says Mr. Swan in his History of Canton, "was a school-house. It was situated on the west side of Wood street, between Union and Illinois streets. John C. Owens was the first school-teacher. This house merits a description. It was of logs, unhewn and by no means straight. The roof was low and covered with clapboards, kept in place by weight-poles. The house-logs were very small, of willow and cot- tonwood timber, principally. Several holes were cut through the logs to let the dark out, but admitted a very seanty supply of light. The floor for the first year was of the best variety of prairie soil, tramped hard by the feet of the young ideas who were there taught to shoot. The seats were logs split in two parts and supported on pins driven into holes bored for the purpose. The one writing desk was a wide puncheon, with its upper surface planed, and supported on slant- ing pins driven into one of the logs. The door of unshaved clapboards, swung upon wooden hinges. One side of the room was occupied by an enormous old-fashioned fire-place. There was no ceiling save the clapboard roof, although one or two joists held a wide puncheon, whereon, at overcrowded meetings-for this school-house also did duty as a place of worship-the more adventurous of the boys would climb and sit out the service, with their bare legs swinging over the heads of the worshipers below. Here Owens assembled a few of the children in the winter of 1825 and 1826-Jo. and Jim Anderson, Henry Andrews, Ed. Therman, Harriet, Elmira and Williston Jones, the Owens children, the Peyton, Hughland and Fraker chil- dren, and a few others. Owens was succeeded by Ezra Fairchild. Fairchild succeeded in getting a puncheon floor put into the school- house, and some other trifling improvements made. He was an ex-

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cellent teacher, and for many years held the position of Justice of the Peace in Canton, being the successor of Isaiah Stillman in that office."

We take the following from Mr. Swan's History : "The Public Square formed a portion of Nathan Jones' First Addition to the Town of Canton. It was proposed originally to give to the public for a public square one whole block, extending from Main to Prairie streets east and west, and from Union to Elm streets north and south. This proposition, however, from some unknown cause, was not carried into effect, and when the survey was made the Public Square was limited to one-half its present area, extending from Union street south to the alley which divides the block. The two lots south of the alley were given as a donation to the Presbyterian house of worship which was ereeted upon one of them. It was not until in about 1841, after the removal of the church from the Public Square, that Deacon Jones,-who had not previously deeded the lots, although intending so to do,-by an arrangement between the two branches of the Presbyterian Church after the separation, deeded the lots in question, thereby making the square its present size. The deed to these lots was not immediately put upon the records, and as a result of this negleet they were assessed and sold for taxes, and purchased by Ahira Saunders. Mr. Saunders undertook, in about 1842, to obtain possession, but was met by the deacon's deed to the public, and, as publie property was not taxable, his specula- tion failed.

" Prior to 1830 the business of the town, as well as most of the residences, was on Wood street; and in that year, when Joel Wright and Childs & Stillman commenced business, they located their stores on that street. In about 1830 the first building was erected on the Square : it was a log house, built by Richard Stevens, a brother-in-law of Isaac Swan, and was about where Mansfield's brick store-house now stands, on the south side.

" In 1832 Joseph Anderson built a cabin on the lot now occupied by Ingersoll's store on the west side. Mr. Anderson moved into this house to be near the Fort at Esquire Wright's, during the Black-Hawk war. In 1833 Louis Bidamon erected the first frame house on the Square. This house was a very low one-story house, long and narrow, and stood on the east side. In 1834 Messrs. Trvon & Mccutcheon built and ocenpied the first store-house on the Square. This was a frame building, and was located on the west side. Messrs. Tryon & Mccutcheon sold out, a few years later, to Messrs. Markley' & Solomon. The property afterward passed into the hands of Dr. J. R. Walter, who remodeled it and occupied it as a residence for many years. Messrs. Tryon & Mccutcheon sold out to Messrs. Markley & Solomon in May, 1836 .- The Mr. Solomon of this firm was the well-known-to old settlers-Joel Solomon, for many years Circuit Clerk of the county. Judge David Markley was the senior partner. In November, 1836, Mr. Mark-

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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.

ley purchased Mr. Solomon's interest in this store, and became sole proprietor, continuing in business until 1839, Mr. Markley was a man eminently fitted for pioneer life. A large, powerful man, a wit, and at the same time a man of sound judgment, he soon became prominent among the pioneers. He had filled the offices of County Judge in Champaign county, Ohio, and of Colonel of a regiment in the war of 1812, previous to his emigration, and was very soon after his immigration identified with the public interests of the peo- ple with whom he had east his lot. In 1838, two years after his settlement in the county, he was elected to fill a vacancy in the State Senate, caused by the resignation of Judge Hackleton, and was twice re-elected, making his term of service ten full years. In 1847 he was elected a member of the Convention to form a new Constitution for the State of Illinois, and was one of most influential members. About the same time Governor Ford appointed him a member of the Board of Canal Commissioners. While acting in this capacity, he selected the lands granted by the United States Government to the State in aid of this enterprise. In 1844 Judge Markley removed from Canton to Banner township, near Monterey, where he remained until 1856, when he again removed to Nebraska ; but, not satisfied with that territory, he soon returned, and settled in Stark county, near Rochester in Peoria county.

" In about 1836 Messrs. Brooks & Cogswell opened a store on the Public Square. They continued in business until about 1839. In the fall of 1835 Jno. C. Willis erected a frame building for hotel purposes on the Public Square, on the west side. This hotel was rented to a Mr. Williamson and David Russell, who run it a short time and then gave place to Frederick Mennert, who, in his turn, was succeeded by Hugh R. Smith. Mr. Smith's successor was David Collins. In about 1841 Thos. Wills took the house, and re- mained its proprietor until about 1853 or'4. In 1836 Messrs. Steel & Ballard occupied one of the ground-floor rooms of this house as a store-room. Mr. Steel was the son-in-law of Ossian M. Ross. He came in 1836, and remained a resident of Canton until his death. In 1836 Messrs. Shinn & Vittum erected a store-house on the southwest corner of the Public Square, as a business house. This store was occupied by Mr. Shinn up to the time of his death.

" The first brick store-room on the Public Square was erected by Mr. John Blackadore, in 1845. It was on the south side, on the lot he now occupies. This was an old-fashioned briek, two-stories high, and was burned in 1865. In 1848 Mr. S. Smith built the second brick on the Square, on the lot east of Mr. Blackadore's building. This building was afterward purchased by the Messrs. Babcock, and was known as the "Regulator." It was burned in 1865, in the same fire that destroyed Mr. Blackadore's building.

"The same season, T. Maple erected the first three-story brick block in the city, on the southeast corner of the Public Square. The fall of the same season Mr. Jno. G. Graham and A. H. White each

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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.

erected three-story business houses. Mr. White disposed of his building by lottery in 1856. In 1838 a Mr. Squires built a house on the northeast corner of the Square, and established a grocery- store. This establishment did not run long before Squires sold out to Jones & Weeks, who turned it into a dry-goods store. Jones was either a Spaniard or Portuguese, and, from his complexion, was known as "Black Jones." He spoke several foreign languages, and was quite a shrewd man, but not suspected of honesty to any great extent."

Richard Addis came from the State of New Jersey and early identified himself with the infant village of Canton. While sub- ject to the malarial atmosphere incident to a new country, he soon afterwards succumbed to its deadly influence and died. When Mr. Addis conceived the notion of coming West he was in well-to-do circumstances. He traded a large interest in a woolen factory in New Jersey to one Munn, of New York city, for 32 quarter-sections of Illinois land just before starting, supposing, of course, that the title would be perfect. He did not receive his deeds until he had prepared to move,-indeed until he was in his wagon. No time for examination was had until he was well on his journey, when he found the supposed deeds were only a warranty for one year and no more; the consequence proved an almost total loss. After many years had rolled around, and long after " Uncle Richard " had passed away, a strange fatality seemed to overtake every effort to recover the loss. While an eminent counsel was engaged in taking testi- mony with a view of prosecuting the case, and ere he was scarcely through, he died very suddenly. In the course of time another friend undertook the task of prosecuting the elaim, and while en- gaged in securing facts and evidence, he, too, was taken suddenly ill and died, while on his way from Fairview to Lewistown.

" Uncle Richard's" widow, "Aunt Jemima," as she was known, survived him many years, to the comfort and pleasure of numerous friends who took great interest in hearing her relate incidents of early life here, and especially stories about the Indians. The latter, while upon their begging excursions, would take great delight in making as many tracks with their bared feet upon her newly-cleaned floor as possible, often turning around and laughing at their success- ful efforts. Coming in from the trail after a rain, with their feet thoroughly covered with clay and mud, might be sport to them to smear, her floor, but we imagine the neat housewife was not a little angered ; but discretion was the better part of valor, and the " less said the easier settled" was the rule. Her daughter married Isaac Swan, who was killed during the big storm recounted below. She also had an infant killed while in her arms. She afterwards married Mr. Gould, whose wife had also been killed during this tornado.

The Storm .- " There was one night in the history of Canton " says Mr. Swan in his History, "that will never be forgotten so long as one of its survivors is alive. 'The Storm' has been and will long

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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.

continue to be a household word of fear among the citizens, old and new ; for, so vividly have its incidents been described by the old to the new citizen, that he, too, has caught the infection of dread its terrors produced.

"The 18th of June, 1835, had been a showery day, and as night fell, dark clouds were observed looming up in the northwest. As the twilight deepened, from the ominous bank of thick clouds there would blaze out lurid flashes of red lightning that illuminated and made more ominous the approaching tempest. Nine o'clock came, and the people had either retired to rest or were preparing so to do. Isaac Swan was at family worship ; so were several other families in town, when the roar of the thunder, which had grown constant and terrific, was almost lost in the terrors of another roar, so mournful, so dreadful and wild that it will never pass from the memory of one who heard. It was the roar of the tornado; and in a moment it descended upon the doomed village, with a devastating force which could not be withstood by any frail tenement of man that opposed its course. In a moment of time the air became filled with the roofs and flying timbers of exposed houses. Rails and timbers of all kinds so filled the air that woe to the luckless animal or person who had no shelter ; and in another moment few of the citizens but were shelterless. And now came great hailstones and a rain-fall, that it seemed as though the windows of heaven were indeed opened and the rains descending in a solid volume. Over and above all the roar of the tempest, the cries and shrieks of the wounded and dying were heard, and by the constant glare of the lightning it was seen that nearly the whole town was in ruins. As the wind lulled, those who were not too badly injured would venture out to aid the wounded.

" Bryant L. Cook was at Philip Grimm's when the storm struck. Grimm's house was unroofed, the children sleeping up stairs, almost by a miracle, preserved, and no one of the family hurt. Cook at onee ran over to Isaac Swan's. He stepped upon a pile of ruins which had been the house, and as he did so Betsy Swan eried out from under the ruins 'Oh, help me!' Cook went to her and found her kept down under the weight of one of the cabin-logs. On removing it she cried, "Oh God, my poor baby is dead !" and it was. She had held it in her arms during all the storm, and its brains were knocked out by falling timber. Cook heard a groan. Betsy too heard it and said, 'Oh Bryant, try to get poor Isaac ont !' Cook lifted one after another of the logs, and soon found Swan's cody under the debris; but he was fatally injured. By this time help had arrived, and he was conveyed to the Presbyterian church, on the Square, which had sustained but slight injury.

" The people now assembled at Joel Wright's, Dr. Donaldson's, and a few other houses that were not seriously injured. At Don- aldson's there was a seene of wild confusion ; frightened women and children had been collecting until the house was crowded, and there

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too was Betsy Swan's dead baby, while many of those present were suffering from contusions and bruises. Elias Foster was killed,-a spoke out of the wheel of a new wagon was driven into his groin. His little girl was missing, and was not found until the next morn- ing, when she was found dead, having been blown from Foster's residence on the lot on Elm street, west of Wood, now occupied by Rev. Mr. Wasmuth, to a hazel-thicket near the residence of Hiram Snow, on Illinois street.

"The storm appears to have struck the earth between Fairview and Canton, and, after passing through the timber west of town, de- stroying, indeed literally mowing a path through it, swept over the village, leaving but one or two uninjured buildings, and perhaps a dozen that were habitable, but demolishing or seriously injuring every other house in town. It passed a little south of east over the present poor-farm, destroying the residence of Geo. W. Gonld in that neighborhood and killing his wife; then on through Duck creek timber to the bluff, where it appears to have lifted, and for some distance at least did no more damage.

" The scene the next morning was terrible. The earth was liter- ally swept clean of fences, out-buildings, and almost of buildings, but wis covered with shingles, boards, rails and timbers. Franklin P. Offield had just received and opened a large stock of goods in a new building on the corner of Main and Cole streets, opposite Piper's factory. This house was demolished, and the goods scattered over the prairie clear away to Duck creek. Cattle were killed and lying about in all directions. Chickens were blown away and killed, and the few standing honses were literally wrecked, moved from their foundations, unroofed, or with gables knocked in. The great won- der is that no more lives were lost. Out of a population approxi- mating five hundred, only four persons were killed in town,-Isaac Swan and his infant son, Elias Foster and his daughter. In the coun- try near, Mrs. Gould was added to the list, making five victims of the air-fiend's wrath. The destruction of property and life that would ensue were such a storm to sweep over the country now would be absolutely appalling. Then the country was sparsely settled, and of course the destruction was not so great as it would be now. The track of the storm was about one mile in width, extending from the residence of John Coleman on the north to the vicinity of the Cen- tral school-house on the south. The marks of the storm were dis- tinetly visible in the timber west of town until in recent years, since the timber affected has been cleared up."

Canton was incorporated as a town Feb. 10, 1837. Upon that day an election was held to vote for or against incorporation, result- ing in the adoption of the measure by a majority of 34, there being 46 ballots cast. Immediately thereafter the following five Trus-

V tees were chosen : David Markley, JJoel Wright, Thomas J. Little, William B. Cogswell and Franklin P. Offield. They held this first meeting March 27, 1837, "at Frederic Mennerts' inn." At this

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meeting David Markley was chosen President of the Board and Thomas J. Little Clerk, George W. Gould was chosen Treasurer, John Thorp both Collector and Constable, Nathan Jones, Lathrop W. Curtis and Isaiah Stillman Assessors, and L. W. Curtis Super- visor of Highways. Under the by-laws adopted by this Board, revenue was to be raised by a tax on all real estate within the bound- aries of the town, which, it was provided, should be assessed at its true value, and upon the assessment "an ad-valorem tax of not ex- ceeding fifty cents on every one hundred dollars should be levied by the President and Trustees annually." Section 36 of the ordi- nances provided that "any person who shall on the Sabbath day play at bandy, cricket, cat, town-ball, corner-ball, over-ball, fives, or any other game of ball, within the limits of the corporation, or shall engage in pitching dollars or quarters, or any other game, in any public place, shall, on conviction thereof, be fined the sum of one dollar.

Upon the 21st of February, 1848, an election was held to vote for or against a second incorporation of the village. There were 120 votes cast " for" and 42 "against" the said measure of incor- poration. It being carried, an election of town officers under this incorporation was held March 1, 1848, when William Parlin, Wil- liam Kellogg, George S. McConnell, James Wills and John G. Piper were elected Trustees. These gentlemen assembled on the follow- ing day in official capacity and chose Mr. MeConnell President and' Henry F. Ingersoll Clerk. On the 14th of April the latter gentle- man was chosen Treasurer of the town ; JJames R. Parker Assessor and Harrison P. Fellows Collector and Constable. An election was held Feb. 27, 1849, to vote for or against the acceptance of a char- ter granted the town by the Legislature. For the charter were cast 156 ballots, against, 9. Under this charter the President and four Trustees were to be elected by the people; previously the President was chosen by the Board. The Board divided the town into four wards for voting purposes. The first election heid under the charter was on April 28, 1849, when Davis Ferguson was chosen President ; William Thompson, Alderman from the First Ward ; N. H. Turner, Alderman from the Second Ward ; William Parlin, from the Third Ward, and J. B. Hinman from the Fourth.

Canton had grown to considerable size by the year 1853 and was quite prosperous, so much so indeed, that she desired to don the name of "city." The Legislature during its session that winter granted to the town a city charter. The first election under this charter was held April 4, 1854. Lonis Corbin was chosen Mayor; D. H. Dewey, Supervisor ; B. F. Mover, Marshal ; Aldermen-First Ward, W. M. Thompson ; Second Ward, Atharin Keeling; Third Ward, J. M. Thompson ; Fourth Ward, James Wills. The Council on the 6th of January, 1855, enacted a very stringent prohibitory liquor law, and vigorously prosecuted all violations of it, but not with en- tire success. It was during the administration of this Couneil that

C.1853

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HISTORY OF FULTON COUNTY.

the ladies destroyed the whisky of Canton, an account of which we take from the history of Canton by Swan.

" The Whisky War .- In 1835 the Town Council, acting in ac- cordance with the desire of the people of Canton as expressed by their votes, passed a very stringent prohibitory liquor law. This was openly set at defiance by some of the liquor-sellers. They not only continued to sell, but sold, in at least one case, in an open, defi- ant manner. These parties selling liquors were arrested, and one of them, finding that the suit was likely to go against him, proposed a compromise with the city, agreeing, if the suit against him was drop- ped and the city Council would pay the cost of the suit, giving him fifteen days to close out his stock, he would elose ont his establish- ment and quit the business. This compromise was agreed to by the city, but violated by Mr. Mallory, who it was claimed, went on from bad to worse. Other prosecutions were brought against him, which he appealed, and, when they were brought to trial in the Circuit Court obtained a change of venue to Mason county, showing a determination to contest the law, as he had an undoubted right to.

"The temperance ladies of Canton were very much dissatisfied with the slow progress being made in closing up the offending saloons, and finally determined to take the subject into their own hands. Secret meetings of the ladies were held to consider the ways and means by which the sale of liquor could be stopped, and a plan of action was finally agreed upon. It has been asserted that a woman cannot keep a secret. This was proved to be a mistake in this case, at least. ( So secretly had the women moved that Mr. Mallory, the chief of the offenders, entirely unsuspecting, and with no premonition of the fate that awaited his whisky-barrels, went to St. Louis to make additions to his already large stock.

" The firm of Charles Smith & Co., doing business on the south side of the Public Square, had been holding a series of ladies' auctions, at which they were disposing of a considerable stock of ladies' faney goods. To this auction, on Friday, the 4th day of April, 1856, the ladies, by previous understanding, came. The auction began about one o'clock, and it was observed that the crowd began to collect in the auction-room at an early hour. The auctioneer was delighted at the great numbers of ladies who sur- rounded his stand, and cried himself hoarse with praises of his goods ; but, to his astonishment, no body bid. The women con- tinued to collect, coming in twos and threes, all wearing shawls or cloaks, although the day was bland and pleasant, until about two hundred had collected.

"From some expressions let fall in the auction-room, it began to be understood upon the street that 'Sebastopol,' as Mallory's saloon was called, was to be taken. Mr. Mallory being away from home, his friends determined to volunteer in his defense; and accordingly quite a number of them took their positions at the entrance to the building,-which was securely barricaded,-determined, as they

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History of Fulton county, Illinois, Part 53

Author: Chas. C. Chapman & Co Publication date: 1879 Publisher: Peoria : C.C. Chapman & co. Number of Pages: 1096

Author: Chas. C. Chapman & Co
Publication date: 1879
Publisher: Peoria : C.C. Chapman & co.
Number of Pages: 1096