History of Greene and Jersey Counties, Illinois : together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of representative men, History of Illinois, Part 121

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical
Number of Pages: 1150

USA > Illinois > Greene County > History of Greene and Jersey Counties, Illinois : together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of representative men, History of Illinois > Part 121

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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

our subject, Michael. His father re- sided with his sons until his death, which occurred in 1877.

Frederick Cook, a native of Prussia, Germany, was born Sept. 20, 1819, his parents being John and Lottie Cook, na- tives of Germany. He learned the shoe- maker's trade, and traveled seven years after serving his apprenticeship, going to Hamburg, Lebert, Bremen, Frank- fort, Horbusk, Berlin, Ochen, Littich, Brussels, Belgin, Lana, Teni, Cente, Elbert, Felt, Oscha, Brich, where he worked two years, Altenburg and sey- eral other places, where he worked as a journeyman. In March, 1847, after bid- ding adieu to fatherland and friends, ha set sail at Bremen, on the vessel Jose- phine, bound for New York, at which port he arrived after a voyage of 32 days. Since leaving the old country he has never seen a single person from there. From New York he went to Philadel- phia, and after staying five weeks there he came on to Pittsburg, and from there to Louisville, Ky., where he worked at his trade eight months. He then re- moved to St. Louis, where he remained about 18 months, engaged at shoemak- ing, and then set out for Greene county, arriving at Carrollton on Easter Sun- day, 1849. He worked there 10 or 12 years, and then bought 200 acres of land on sections 24 and 25, in this township, on which he moved, and after living there five years, he rented it out and moved back to Carrollton, where he re- sided seven years, and then moved back on the farm, and has since resided there. Mr. Cook has been twice married. In Feb., 1849, he was married to Clarissa Riee, who died in 1863. He was again married, Aug. 23, 1865, to Relief War-

ren, daughter of Harry and Rebecca Warren. By this union there were 10 children, nine of whom are living -- Frank, Lottie, Augusta, George; Me- linda and Rebecca, twins; Louis Harry and John. The one deceased is James. Mr. Cook has seen hard times in his early days in trying to make a start in life, and but few of the rising generation know what hardships their parents had to contend with in making for them- selves a home. Mr. Cook has by economy and untiring energy been enabled to ac- cumulate considerable wealth, and now owns 200 acres of fine land, 80 of which is in Carrollton township, and 120 acres in Wrights township. All this has been acquired sinee he was 28 years of age, as he then came here with but 10 cents in his pocket.

Gilbert L. Purl was born in Wayne county, Ind., on the 18th of Nov., 1856, and is a son of Thomas and Violet (Jones) Purl, his father a native of Pennsylvania, and his mother of In- diana. His parents came to Greone county in the year 1858, and located in Carrollton, where his father still re- sides. Gilbert L. was reared to farm life, and remained with his father until he reached the age of 19 years. He then removed to Kansas, where he was employed for about seven years on a farm which his father owned. He then returned to Greene county, and has since engaged in farming at home. He is now managing 105 acres of land, located about three miles north of Car- rollton, which is owned by his father. Although quite young, Mr. Purl is an intelligent, enterprising gentleman, and these qualities united with those of in- dustry and honesty are bound to meet

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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

with the success which they so truly deserve.

FIRST ITEM.

The first child born in this township was William, son of Benjamin and Hannah Ogle, born in 1818. This is said to have been the first birth in the county.

ORGANIC.

At the election in 1885, when the township organization went into effect, the following officers were elected: E. A. Eldred, supervisor; T. E. Evans, clerk; N. J. Andrews, assessor; F. M. Roberts, collector; A. J. Tunnell, Henry Schnelton and R. P. Driver, highway commissioners; Edward Booth, Jehose- phat Eldred and T. J. Carlin, justices; J. R. Kennedy, Warren English and William E. Ashlock, constables. Thos. E. Evans, the clerk, moving away, D. M. Fishback was appointed in his stead. This election took place April 7, 1885, and the judges of the election were : W. L. Armstrong, B. C. Hodges and John L. Eldred; the elerks were : L. D. Simpson and John Lavery.

EDUCATIONAL.

Distriet No. 1 .- In 1838, a school house was erected of brick, 20x20 feet in size, the first teacher in which was Cyrus Sargent. This was torn down in 1848, and a new one erected at a cost of about $800, which is 20x26 feet in size. This is also built of brick. It is situ- ated on the northeast quarter of section 20, in township 10.

School district No. 3, has a school house located on the east side of sec- tion 5, which was built in 1865, at a cost of about $1,000. It is 20x30 feet in size, a neat frame structure, and in a fair

state of repair. Winnie Beason was the first teacher, and the present one is Jes- sie Simpson. Average attendance about 25, with some 40 enrolled.

School district No. 5 .- A school house was built in 1856, at a cost of 8408, which was used until 1869, when the school was moved to the village of Berdan. The first teacher was T. O. Strain.

CEMETERIES.

Pinkerton cemetery was laid out by John F. Pinkerton in 1844. The first person buried in this cemetery was Sarah Pinkerton, who died June 15, 1844.

Berdan cemetery was, at one time, opened for a burial place, but is now abandoned for that purpose, only nine bodies having been interred here. The first one was an infant son of William and S. M. Pinkerton, who died July 15, 1832.

BERDAN.

The village of Berdan, which lies in the southeast quarter of Sec. 26, of T. 11, R. 12, May 12, was laid out and platted in September, 1865, the plat being filed for record on the 20th of that month, by William R. Kellogg, Lewis S. Olmsted, and Linus E. Worcester. It was named after James Berdan, of Jacksonville, who was prominently connected with the railroad. The pioneer business house was a grocery and notion store, opened at that point by Richard Vedder, the same fall that the town was born. Shortly after this George Sleight opened a grocery store, and a saloon in connec- tion, which he kept until 1881, when he sold out to Patrick Layden, who is the present store keeper.

M. L. Milledge came to Berdan in

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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

December, 1882, and started in business in the village as a dealer in groceries, medicines and notions. He also carries on the general blacksmith business in connection, is also dealer in agricultural implements and sewing machines, and is notary public and pension agent. He erected the building in which he does business in 1883. It is 20×46 feet in size, two stories high. He, when called upon, furnishes entertainment to the traveling public.

REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS.

Revel E. Pinkerton was born in Greene county, Ill., March 22, 1846, and is a son of Wiley E. and Sally (Allen) Pink- erton, his father a native of Tennessee, his mother of Illinois. Ilis father came to Greene county, A. D., 1823, and located near Berdan, where he pur- chased a tract of land on to which he moved and there resided until his death, Jan. 17, A. D., 1849. His mother is yet living and resides near Roodhouse with her daughter, Melissa. Revel was reared to the duties of farm life until he was 17 years of age, when in 1863 he enlisted in company A, 61st Ill. Inf., and served until the close of the war. He then returned home and attended school one year in the country and one term at Manchester, at the end of which time he begun to learn the carpenter's trade, partly under O. H. McGarvey, then going to Morgan county, Mo., where he finished under James Cowan. From there he removed to Washington county, Ark., where he was married and there remained eight years, working at carpentering and wagon-making. In 1878 he returned to Berdan and bought a house and two lots where he has since

made his home. He was married Dec. 11, 1870, to Nancy J. Atkisson, daugh- ter of William Atkisson. Mr. and Mrs. Pinkerton are the parents of six chil- dren, four of whom are living-Sarah L., William W., Mary A. and Ernest H. Those deceased are, Ethel J., who died July 5, 1883; and Revel E., who died July 31, 1883. Mr. Pinkerton is a member of the Christian church and his wife of the Methodist Episcopal church. He is a member of Carrollton lodge, No. 342, I. O. O. F., and is a man of intelligence, industry and enterprise. Mr. Pinkerton's forefathers were of Irish origin, and being Protestants were banished from the north of Ireland, coming to America at the close of the Orangemen troubles.

George W. Reynolds was born in Henry county, Va., Nov. 28, 1803, and is a son of Richard D. and Nancy (Grisom) Reynolds, natives of Virginia. His father removed his family to Muhl- enburgh county, Ky., in 1805, locating on a farm, where he spent the remainder of his days, his death occurring in 1835. Mrs. Reynolds survived him until 1845. George was brought up to farm life, liv- ing at home with his parents until he was 24 years of age, most of which time was spent in attending school. So much time was spent in his education on account of his being crippled, at the age of 16 years; while out swimming one day, he contracted a eold, resulting in white swelling in the left leg, which confined him to his bed for a year, and left him a cripple for life. In the spring of 1836, he came to Illinois, and bought. 640 acres of land in township 11, range 10, and also purchased town property in Fayette. In 1837 he went baek to

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· HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

Kentucky, and brought his family here to the town of Fayette, and there they resided until the spring of 1838, when he moved on to his farm in the same township, and remained there until 1869. Mr. Reynolds then sold out, and moved on a place near the Carrollton fair grounds, where he purchased 190 acres of land, and on which he lived until 1879. He again sold out, and re- moved to Berdan, where he bought five lots and seven acres of land, and he has since continued to reside there. Mr. Reynolds was married in Kentucky, May 27, 1832, to Elizabeth Bellamy, and this union has been blessed with 12 children, only six of whom are now liv- ing-Thomas F., married Rebecca Farr, and resides in Cass county, Mo .; Mary J., wife of Asbury Vandeveer, resid- ing near Greenfield; Elizabeth, wife of John Armstrong, residing in White Hall; Nancy, wife of Clinton Arm- strong, residing in Berdan; Maria A., wife of William J. Armstrong, residing near Carrollton; Bell, widow of Fred- erick Smith, living near Carrollton. Mrs. Reynolds died May 6, 1878, and Mr. Reynolds was again married, May 13, 1879, to Mary Taylor, daughter of Samuel and Jeannette (Mitchell) Taylor. Mr. and Mrs. Reynolds are members of the Cumberland Presbyterian church. Mr. Reynolds became a member in 1824, a minister in 1828 and was or- dained in 1830. He is an intelligent, upright citizen.

POSTOFFICE.

The postoffice was established in Jan., 1870, with George W. Sleight as the first postmaster. He held the commis- sion until his death, in 1881, but it was

continued in his name until 1882, when Patrick Layden was appointed to the office,and is the present incumbent.

SCHOOL.

A school house was erected in 1869, by subscription, which was to be used for a church and school. Into this the school of district No. 5 was moved, and is kept there now.

CARROLLTON.

The beautiful city of Carrollton, the seat of justice of the county of Greene, is located on Secs. 22 and 23, T. 10 north, R. 12 west of the 3d principal meridian. The history attending the birth of the town has been already given in the chapter relating to county gov- ernment. Thomas Carlin, afterwards governor of Illinois, was the first set- tler, of whom there is any record, within what is now the corporate limits of the city. In the spring of 1819, he came to this vicinity, with his mother and step-father, and camped under a large tree in the southern part of what is now the town site. He determined to make his home upon the prairie here, and built a log cabin about half a mile south of the square, and this was the nearest to what is now the center of a busy, thriving city. Michael Head- rick lived about a mile west of the same point, and Samuel Thomas, Abram Sells and others were at various dis- tances in the same general direction.

The county seat was located by the commissioners upon the 20th of Febru- ary, 1821, and was immediately sur- veyed on the 13th of March, of the same year, but was not filed for record until July 30, 1825.

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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

Thomas Carlin, the proprietor of the new town, offered Jacob Fry, afterward Well known as General Fry, a lot in Carrollton if he would build a house upon it, which was accepted. He im- mediately came here and cut the tim- bers, split the boards and put up a house, which stood for some 57 years, and for a long time formed a part of the St. James hotel, and was consumed by fire with the balance of that block, on the night of Thursday, March 21, 1878. But before Mr. Fry had finished his building he stopped his work to assist Thomas Rattan in the building of his log cabin, upon the northeast corner of the square. Thus, this was the first building finished in the new town, and Fry's the second. This building of Mr. Rattan's was built for and used as tavern or inn, and was the pioneer hotel of Carrollton.

Probably the next building put up in the town was a temporary office, built on the west side of the square, by Sam- uel Lee, Jr., clerk of the circuit court, recorder, county clerk, justice of the peace, etc.

Next was the court house, the contract to build which was let on the 13th of June, 1821, to William and Thomas Finley, who agreed to build it for $380. In the following September a contract was entered into with Thomas Rattan to build a chimney for the same, at an expense of $55, 6000 bricks to be fur- nished him. The building was entirely finished by the 1st of June, 1822. It was & long, two-story building, with one end to the square, a plain. wooden building, dingy in appearance, and far from ornamental or attractive.

In Dec., 1821, a contract was also let

to John Dee and Henry Teagarden, to build a hewn log jail, a little west of the court house.

On the east side of the square, on the north end, was erected the first store in the town of Carrollton. This was opened by a party in Edwardsville by the name of Pogue, who placed it in charge of John W. Skidmore, who sold the first goods in the young village. This build- ing stood on the site of the Sharon store, and was a small frame structure. Skid- more was an active, restless, nervous little man, who was always in a hurry, knew everybody, was everywhere at once, at least it seemed so, and always busy. He kept a small stock of goods of the general character usually found stores in all new countries, including liquors.

Shortly after this, Samuel Lee erected a dwelling on the north side of the square, on the site of the present Rus- sell block, where he boarded with John Skidmore, whose sister-in-law, Miss Faust, he afterward married. This was a neat frame building with a portico in front. This building was afterward known as the haunted house. Mr. Lee died here in 1829, having commenced a house, afterward inhabited by Judge Hodges, and which was finished after his death. After Mrs. Lee had moved into the new house, a man by the name of Clements, who had the contract for car- rying the mail from St. Louis to Car- rollton moved into the old house, which had been enlarged, and here his wife died of cholera, in the fall of 1832.

David Locke, deceased, was born in Shelbyville, Ky., on Feb. 22, 1799, and there grew to manhood, serving an ap- prenticeship to the trade of brick-mason.

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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

July 24, 1823, he was united in marriage with Caroline M. Burford, a native of Lynchburg, Va. The marriage cere- mony was performed by Rev. Simon Peter, who was afterward one of the pioneer ministers at Brighton, Ill. After marriage they resided in Mason county, Ky., and from there removed to St. Louis, and engaged as contractor and builder. While there he contracted to build a residence for Samuel Lee, Jr., of Carrollton, then circuit clerk. Mr. Locke, in 1828, removed his family to Carrollton, and afterwards built the first brick houses in Greene, Jersey and Ma- coupin counties. He built the first brick court houses in Greene and Ma- coupin counties, and also the original building of the Shurtleff College, at Alton. In 1838 he contracted to erect the buildings of the Indian Missions, near Westport, Mo., for the M. E. church, and removed his family to Lex- ington, Mo., which was then the near- est town to Westport, and the largest place on the Missouri river west of St. Louis. He continued as contractor and builder until just before the war. Po- litically, Mr. Locke was a whig from the time he attained his majority till the dissolution of that party, and then joined the know-nothing party. He was a believer in states rights, that the Union was a confederation of states. That a state had the right to secede, and that a man should obey the laws and commands of his state. Mr. Locke, like nearly all other mnen of Southern birth, claimed that, as Missouri had seceded from the Union, he must cast his lot with the south. At the beginning of the war many of his personal and political friends in Lexing-

ton were arrested by the Federal troops. For giving them a salutation, while they were in jail, he was arrested and placed in jail, in the summer of 1861. He was afterward removed to the Masonic College, which was occupied as a fort by Col. Mulligan, and there kept as a po- litical prisoner. While Gen. Price was bombarding the town and commenced storming the fort, David Locke and other political prisoners were put in the pockets of the breast-works between the fires of the Federals and Confederates, and were kept in that condition two days. In the meantime, all the pris- oners took the oath of loyalty prescribed by Col. Mulligan, and were released, except Mr. Locke, who refused to take the oath, even under such trying cir- cumstances. Gen. Price, being made aware of this, sent a flag of truce to Col. Mulligan, informing him that if Mr. Locke was not immediately removed to a place of safety, he (Gen. Price) would put Ex-Gov. Austin 1. King and John F. Ryland, and others, whom he held as political prisoners, in like jeop- ardy, which produced the desired effect. Mr. Locke was then confined in the basement of the building, where he spent his time during the remainder of the battle. During the time of his im- prisonment, his wife resided on the homestead at Lexington. She, during the battle, took refuge in the basement of her house, to avoid stray shots and shell, and while in the basement, a can- non ball passed through the house. At the surrender of the fort, Mr. Locke re- fused his release, until formally released by Col. Mulligan without any oath. After the war Mr. Locke was too far ad- vanced in life to resume an active career.

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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

He, however, resided at Lexington un- til the death of his wife, in 1868, after which he resided with his children. In 1878, he visited Carrollton, Jerseyville and Carlinville, and found a few old as- sociates and acquaintances of forty years before, but most of them had either died or moved away. Mr. Locke was a devoted member of the M. E. church. He built the first church of that denom- ination at Carrollton, and nearly paid for the same alone. Upon the division of the church in 1844, he went with the church south, and remained a member at Lexington, state of Missouri, until his death, which occurred at the home of his daughter, Mary A., at Buneeton, Mo., in Jan., 1879. Of the children born to Mr. and Mrs. Locke, five at- tained their majority-George and Mary A., reside at San Diego, Cal .; Morris R., resides at Jerseyville; and two sons are deceased. The oldest, Powhattan Burford, was a colonel in the Federal army and judge of the United States district court, under President Lincoln. His death took place at Louisiana, Mo., in 1868. He was the only one in the family who fought in the Federal army, George, James A. and Morris R. being in the Confederate army. James A. died at Jerseyville Aug. 1, 1881, after a brief and painful illness. He was con- neeted with every enterprise for the im- provement and betterment of the com- munity in which he lived. With his associates he projected the St. L., J. & S. R. R., and the Chesterfield Coal and Mining Co.

The principal store of early days was opened in the spring of 1822, by Pres- ton D. Kennett, who for many years car- ried on the largest business there.

Prior to June, 1823, lots were sold in Carrollton to the following named indi- viduals, who settled here: William Pinkerton, Martin Wood, A. W. Cav- erly, William Finley, John Brown, R. Stephens, Willis Webb, Stark Foster, Thomas Gilliland, Jacob Waggoner, Isaac Pruitt, Charles Banes, William Reay, Charles Gregory, John Huitt, Jr., Isaiah Streetor, Hugh Jackson, Samuel Whitley, John Moore and A. K. Barber. For many years the growth of the town was slow, so much so that in 1829 it was but a cluster of log hou es, according to the account of Prof. J. M. Sturtevant, of the Illinois College, who visited it. Willis Webb was one of the first settlers in the town of Carrollton, the house which he built in the fall of 1821 being rented in March, 1822, by the county commissioners, in which to hold a session of court.

Quite a number of taverns sprang into existence during the years 1822 and 3, as it is found that on the 5th of March, 1822, a license was granted to Henry Teagarden, to keep a place of entertainment for one year, that was reissued the following year. In April, 1823, licenses were granted for the same purposes to Lewis Abrams, Lester Brown, Willis Webb & Edward Prather and Samuel Howe.

The first church building in the town of Carrollton was erected by the Bap- tists, who were the pioneer denomina- tion of this locality. This building stood a little to the southeast of the square, a little out of town in those days. For several years Rev. Aaron Smith, a Revolutionary pensioner, who had been badly wounded at the battle of Eutaw Springs, was pastor. He did

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HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.

not reside in the village, but about a mile and a half southeast, but after- ward removed north of Apple ereek. He some years later emigrated to Ar- kansas, where he died. A history of this church is found with the other churches of Carrollton in the Ecclesias- tical chapter of this volume.

The history of Carrollton was for some years so interwoven with that of the county, that it has been difficult to separate them, and will be found in the general chapters of this work.

In 1833, the little town, then contain- ing but about 300 inhabitants, was swept by that dreadful scourge, Asiatic cholera, and over 30 inhabitants succumbed to the dreadful epidemic. A stage line ran from this place to St. Louis, where it was raging, and thus was it hrought to the pretty little village, to desolate so many hearths. Nearly every one in the town was either sick or busy in at- tendance on the sick. Business was entirely suspended, grass grew in the streets and the entire place had a de- serted, funereal appearance. Those who lived in the country dared not venture to leave their homes, being fearful of being stricken down among comparative strangers, and so perishing.

The first newspaper in Carrollton was the People's Advocate, published in 1842, of which an account is given in the chapter in relation to the press of the county.

PRESENT BUSINESS INTERESTS.

One of the largest and finest dry goods establishments in Carrollton is that of Vedder, Johnon & Davis. It was es- tablished in 1881, by Vedder & John- son, who conducted it until Jan., 1882, when the present firm was formed.

They occupy a fine, large store room, in the block owned by Kergher & Son, which is 30x80 feet in size, and have a well selected stock of dry goods, boots, shocs, hats, caps, etc., which will in- voice about $14,000.

Orange T. Vedder, one of the firm of Vedder, Johnson & Davis, the mammoth dry goods house of Carrollton, is a na- tive of this city. He was born Nov. 7, 1850. his parents being Francis P. and Wilhelmina (Lerpune) Vedder, natives of New York, who came to Greene county in 1830. Francis P. held the office of county clerk for 17 years. Mrs. Vedder died in 1861, and he in 1874. Orange was educated in the Carrollton schools, and in 1867 took a position as elerk in a dry goods house, where he remained until 1881, when in company with F. A. Davis and J. I. Johnson he started in the dry goods business for himself, in which he still continues, al- ways on hand at his busy post, where he has met with much success. He was united in marriage Jan. 31, 1882, with Mollie G. Jackson, daughter of Hayden and Louisa (Hinton) Jackson. By this marriage there is one daughter-Vena, born April 15, 1884. Mrs. Vedder is a member of the Christian church. Mr. Vedder is a member of the K. of P. lodge.

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History of Greene and Jersey Counties, Illinois : together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of representative men, History of Illinois, Part 121

Author: Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Number of Pages: 1150

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical
Number of Pages: 1150