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 9

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 9

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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

the dark and painful side of those early experiences. The loved wife of his bo- som fading slowly away before the breath of the cold destroyer, or some laughing, prattling babe, the joy of the household, laid away under the sod in solemn silence, by the hands of rough- appearing but sympathizing neighbors. Time has healed those wounds, but to- day, as memory is fast unlocking the chambers of the mind, the silent tear will well itself to the surface and drop as a tribute to the loved and lost of that by-gone time.

Notwithstanding the cares and adver- sities that clustered round the cabin door of the pioneer, these hardy Argo- nauts led a happy life. Here all were free and equal, and the absence of the restraining presence of wealth and po- sition was to him a source of comfort and satisfaction. The rough hospitality, the hearty feeling of brotherhood, among these vanguards of civilization were the spontaneous overflow of hearts full of regard for humanity, and was practiced more as the natural prompt- ing of their nature than from any teach- ing of a Christian duty. They were men in the highest acceptance of the word.

FRENCH EXPLORATIONS.

Early in the spring of 1673, accord- ing to the most authentic accounts, Father Marquette and Joliet, a fur- trader of Quebec, with five hearty voy- ageurs, began to make preparations for a grand expedition to discover the mighty river in the west, of which they had heard from the Indians, and which is now known by the name of Missis- sippi. On the 10th of June, of that year, they started on their momentous

trip. Crossing the water-shed dividing the Fox from the Wisconsin river, they journeyed to the latter stream. On the 17th of June, their two canoes entered the broad majestic current of the Mississippi river. They landed and remained for six days at the mouth of the DesMoines river, near the present site of Keokuk, enjoying the hospitality of the Illinois Indians. They then re-embarked, and sailing on down the mighty stream, eame to the confluence of the Illinois with the Mississippi. Here, upon the 2nd of July, they disembarked upon what is now the soil of Jersey county, ascended the bluffs for the purpose of viewing their surroundings. They did not linger long but soon entered their canoes and passed on down the river as far as the present site of Memphis, Tennessee. On account of the exposure to the malarial air, and the toil of striving against the strong current, some sickness prevailed, but none were seriously affected, except Father Mar- quette. They were informed, when nearing the mouth of that stream, by friendly savages, that the Illinois river was a shorter cut to the lakes. They therefore turned the prows of their canoes up that stream. Its languid current was easier to overcome, and in the journal of the voyage, kept by Father Marquette, himself, is given their highly drawn pictures of an earthly paradise, which, although at the time were treated by all that read them as wild fancies, but were found to be simply the statements of faets.

The next visitors to this county, were doubtless some of the command under LaSalle, in 1679. He started Father Hennepin down the Illinois river to its

HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

junction with the Mississippi, and which was then to proceed up that stream towards its headwaters. Thus Hennepin was the first of this band to gaze upon this beautiful land. In 1680, while in search of Tonti, his lieutenant, who had heen left at Fort Creve-cceur, and who had been deserted by most of his men, and compelled to leave the de- fense, came down the Illinois river, until he saw the mighty "Father of waters." He landed on the prominent point on the bank of the river, above Grafton, and set up a sign, so that it would attract the attention of Tonti, if he should come that way, and fastened to it a letter directing him to come on to the lakes. He then proceeded back up the Illinois,

Two years had hardly elapsed when this portion of Illinois was again visited by these adventurous Frenchmen. La Salle with 23 white men and 18 Indians, again descended the beautiful Illinois, and reached its mouth on the 6th of February, 1682. It was their intention to descend the Mississippi to its mouth, but on reaching this point, he found that the great river was filled with float- ing ice, and it was determined to camp and await the clearing of the stream. It has been conjectured that this camp was in the immediate vicinity of Grafton, but no clue exists in La Salle's account, further than a very vague description of the place, and the circumstance, that he could not cross the river through the ice so he most likely camped upon the soil of Jersey county. Here he remained a week. This expedition was the first to explore the giant river to its mouth. Many of the early settlers of Kaskaskia and Cahokia came by this same route,

the Illinois. But no settlement was made within the limits of what is now Jersey county, by these early French settlers, as far as known, but, probably the timbered bluffs of the south and west of Jersey may have held many hunting parties in these alnost, pre-historie days.

During the war of 1812-15, the In- dians, incited by British influence, were very hostile to the settlers, and depre- dations were of almost daily occurrence. Great numbers of block-houses or log- forts, were built for the security of set- tlers' families, at intervals from Kas- kaskia to the Illinois river. One of these log forts stood near the the site of the present town of Grafton, at the mouth of the Illinois, opposite the town of Portage des Sioux. Here were sta- tioned some rangers under Capt. John Whiteside The troops marching to and fro, between, the settlements down the river, and the Indian villages above, crossed the territory of what is now Jersey county, several times,

But with the close of the war emi- gration set in toward the rich lands of Illinois in a strong and steady flow. Congress passing in 1813, the pre-emp- tion aet, contributed to this to a large extent, as prior to this the incomers were compelled, in most cases, to " squat " on the public lands, without right or title to the improvements that they might make, and were in danger of losing them every day. In 1815, the set- tlements began to push themselves out northward from Madison county, and in five years had dotted most of the country now known as Central Illinois. It seems that the Indian title to this land had never been extinguished, so, we are

HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

told, in about the year 1817, Auguste Chouteau and Benjamin Stephenson, on the part of the United States, bought at Edwardsville, of the Kiekapoo Indians, 10,000,000 acres of land, lying between the Illinois river on the northwest, the Kaskaskia on the southeast, the Kan- kakee on the northeast, and the Missis- sippi on the southwest. On the 20th of August, Benjamin Parke, also, bought for the United States, all the lands on the Wabash, owned by the same tribe. In consequences of these purchases, the richest lands in the State were thrown open to settlement.

EARLY SETTLEMENT OF JERSEY COUNTY.

In the fall of the year 1815, six men, Daniel Allen and his three sons, John, James and Daniel and two brothers, Paul and James Harriford, left their native state-Tennessee, to search out a new home. They came as far as the Wood river settlement, without finding any place that suited them, and on ar- riving at that place, after some delib- eration, started on further north. They settled within the limits of what is now Jersey township, south of the Macou- pin creek, nearly opposite to the mouth of Taylor's creek or branch, on Section 13. Their nearest neighbors were 20 miles south of them and north of them much further off. During the year 1816 these pioneers raised a crop of eorn, and enjoyed themselves. During the fall of that year Daniel Allen, Sr., and his two sons, James and Daniel, Jr., moved westward about six miles into what is now Greene county. The Har- rifords removed to Missouri.

Philip Grimes came to this county in the spring of 1818, and erected a cabin

on Seetion 2, of what is now known as English township. He brought his family here from Upper Alton and in- stalled them therein. At this place, on the 20th of January, 1820, was born Jarrett T., his son, who is supposed to be the first white child born within the limits of the county, now living. Philip Grimes resided in the cabin until 1822, when he purchased the improvements of Thos. Lynn, on section 23, of the same township, and moved there. Mr. Grimes was born August 26, 1782, in Virginia, and was united in marriage to Polly Boyett, June 4, 1808, in Davidson county, Tennessee. Mrs. Grimes was a native of that county and state, born March 10, 1790. She died September 29, 1853, and Mr. Grimes, October 4, 1851.

Philemon Higgins is believed to have settled on the banks of the stream ealled after him, Phill's ereek, in 1817, as he was found there by those who passed that way early in the following year. He made this his residence for many years, and finally died in this county.

Jacob Lurton, Sr., came to Jersey county, in the spring of 1817, and built a cabin near the east line of sec- tion 1, in what is now Elsah township. He remained here but a short time, when finding the water not very good in that locality, moved a short distance east of it to the neighborhood of a spring, but which still left him in Jer- sey county. He lived in this latter cabin until his death in 1827. His son Judge Jacob Lurton and grand children are still residents of the county.

David Stockton and James White- sides came to Jersey county on the 10th

HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

of June, 1817. Tradition has it that a party, among whom were the above mentioned, Edward Carroll, and others came through this section of the state looking for a home, the most of them going as far north as Sangamon county, but these two gentlemen liking the looks of the country hereabouts, stop- ped and made settlements. James Whitesides settled upon section 25, in what is now English township, where he lived for several years. He made another improvement besides this, and in 1821, sold out and removed to Greenc county.

William Bates made a settlement in Elsah township among the very first to locate in that sub-division of the county. He erected his cabin on section 25, in 1817, and resided there some years and finally removed to a farm near Upper Alton, where he died at a later date. With William Bates came his son, James, a married man with a family.

John W. Huitt came to what is now Jersey county, and located on the north- east quarter of section 31, in Ruyle township in 1818. This land was en- tered at the land office on the 23d of October, 1820, in the name of H. and John, Jr. The elder Huitt remained here about two years, removing, in 1820, to the neighborhood of Carrollton on a farm, and later to the city of Carrollton, where he died in 1882. He was one of the pioneers of the state having located in Madison county in 1804.

The pioneer settler of Piasa township was John Wilkins, who came to this county in 1818, and located upon the southwest quarter of section 31. He improved a farm there, but in 1824, re- moved to section 18, near the present

site of Delhi. He lived there some twenty years, keeping a stage station most of the time. He then went to Jerseyville to live with his daughter, Mrs. Harriet Silloway. Shortly after- wards he went to Paw Paw Grove, Illi- nois, to live with his daughter, Sarah Baker. While there he died. He was a brother-in-law of V. R. and S. A. Lurton.

William Larue made a settlement in what is now Rosedale township early in 1818, where he lived, on section 8, until 1837, when he sold out and removed to Greene county.

Jesse White came to Jersey county, in 1818, locating in what is now Missis- sippi township. He was born in Madi- son county, Illinois, January 5, 1807. He is now dead.

Edward Carroll was one of the early settlers of what is now Elsah township; he having located with his family on the center of section 23, on July 17, 1818. Ilis settlement should probably date a little farther back, as he selected his lo- cation in 1817, and returned to it in the early spring of 1818, having everything in readiness for his family when they ar- rived, in charge of his brother-in-law.

With Mr. Carroll came his brother-in- law, James Moffit, who made a settle- ment on land adjoining Carroll's. He resided here a few years, but moved back to Ohio, where he died.

John Carroll, also, settled in the same locality in 1819, and resided there until 1837, when he died. He was the father of Thomas Carroll, at one time county commissioner, and prominently identified with this county. The latter gentleman died July 24, 1870.

David Gilbert and John Stafford were

HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

also settlers of the year 1819, taking up farms west of Grafton, on the Illinois river bottom.

About the same time, Henry Babcock settled in the southeastern corner of Quarry township, where he died.

George Finney, who had been a sol- dier in the regular army, on receiving his discharge, in 1819, came to this county, and located upon the Illinois bottom land, within the present limits of Quarry township.

Sanford Hughes, a companion and friend of the above, came here with him and located in the same neighborhood, the same year.

Timothy Copeland, another dis- charged soldier, settled in Quarry town- ship in 1819, on the southern part.

John G. Lofton and John D. Gilham came to Jersey county in 1819, and made a settlement in Mississippi town- ship, the former on section 31. This neighborhood received its name of Lof- ton's Prairie from the former of these gentlemen. Judge Lofton resided here nearly always after this, with the ex- ception of a short time spent in Fulton county, until the day of his death in 1837.

John D. Gilham was a South Carolin- ian, but came here from Kentucky, and later from Madison county, Ill., where he had settled as early as 1800. He settled, on coming here, on section 28, where he resided until the coming of death, in October, 1852.

John Crain settled in this county in 1819. He was a North Carolinian who had settled in Tennessee mn 1806, where he was married to Heriba Rumney. In 1811 they came to Illinois, settling in St. Clair county, where they resided

until coming here. They located in English township. He afterwards moved to Texas, where he died.

Walter Cresswell located in the pres- ent township of Rosedale, in 1819, and is said to have been the first justice of the peace ever appointed within the limits of what now constitutes Jersey county. He received this appointment in the year 1820.

Daniel McFain settled in what is now Richwoods township, on section 20, in 1819. He built a cabin at the foot of the bluff in the same year, and gave his name to MeFain's lake. He was one of the carly justices of the peace of this county. He died while a resident of the county, in 1830. He was a Penn- sylvanian by birth.

John Gunterman, a native of Ken- tucky, came into what is now Jersey county in the spring of 1819, and set- tled upon a farm on section 5, in the present Richwoods township. On the 10th of January, 1821, he entered a quarter section of land here, on which he lived until 1832, when he died.

Josiah Cummings and his sons, James and Jacob, made a settlement in Missis- sippi township in 1819, the former lo- cating upon land on section 11, where he lived until his death. James subse- quently moved to Oregon. Jacob died in this county.

Thomas Cummings, another son of Josiah Cummings, came to Jersey county in 1819, and assisted his father in agricultural pursuits until 1824, when he was married, and purchased a farm adjoining his father, where he resided until his death in 1856.

Col. Josiah T. Askew came to Jersey county in 1819, with George Finney,

HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

Sanford Hughes and the others. Ile was a native of Tennessee, and had served some five years in the regular army. On his discharge he came here, as above, and settled on Lofton's prai- rie. He married Hannah Bates in 1821, this being the first event of that nature in that precinct.

James Thompson, settled in the pres- ent township of Elsah, about the year 1819. He afterward removed to the state of Texas, and has been lost sight of.

Joseph Basey, came to the county as early as 1819, and settled neighbor to James Thompson. He is reported to have been the first justice of the peace in this township or precinct, having been elected to that office in 1822.

Jehu Brown, commonly called " Judge," came to Jersey county about the year 1820, Ile was a native of South Carolina, but came here from St. Louis county, Mo. He, on the 5th day of January, 1821, entered 880 acres of land, in sections I and 2, in English township. Ile died while a resident of this county in 1835.

John Brown came to Jersey county in 1820, and settled on section 25, of what is now English township. He lived here until his death which occurred about the year 1873.

Abiram Mckinney settled on the Illi- nois river bottom land in Richwoods township, in 1820, but in October, 1821, having entered land on section 23, he removed thither, where he lived until 1822, when he removed to section 24. where he did die in the year 1840. James McKinney, his son, came with him. The latter died here but his wi- dow is still living in Kansas.

John Stall, settled on section 3, Rich-

wood township in 1820, where he built a cabin, which he vacated the following year, going over on the Macoupin creek, eutting logs, and drifting them down to St. Louis.

Major Gershom Patterson was one of the settlers, coming late in 1820, and entering land in what is now English township, in January, 1821. Before coming here he had lived in St. Clair county for some time. He was known as an enterprising man, and built the first brick house, the first mill and the first distillery within the present limits of Jersey county. He was captain of a company in the Black Hawk war, and was afterwards made a major of the state militia. He was a zealous men- ber of the Methodist church, and became an exhorter in that faith. He died in 1857, a resident of this county.

Major Patterson had a large peach orchard on his place, and he put up a copper still, about 1828 or 1829, and en- tered into the manufacture of peach brandy. The quality of the produet is described as having been very good, and as the liquor was very cheap, there be- ing then no revenue tax, the capacity of the still was often taxed by appli- cants for the brandy, who would come with their jugs to be filled. Such goods are said to have been then much purer than they can be obtained at the present time, and were much used by the hard- working pioneers while at their labors. Still, it is said, there was little or no drunkenness among the early settlers. Major Patterson made a financial suc- cess of his pioneer distillery, and after about ten years, quit the business, hav- ing accumulated considerable money and property. He sold the still to some

HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

one at a distance. Some thirty years ago the buildings were torn down.

John Gillworth made a settlement in this county in 1820, in what is now Rosedale township, where the Otter creek passes through the bluff. In 1830 he removed to the township of Ruyle, entering a tract of land in section 29. He has since died.

John R. Black made a settlement in what is now Mississippi township, in 1820. A sketch of him will be found in the chapter entitled: "National, State, and County Representation," he having been the first treasurer of the county.

Samuel J. Kincade, came to Jersey county in 1820 or 21, and settled in what is now Mississippi township. The circuit court of Greene county, (of which this was then a portion,) in 1821, appointed him one of the judges of election for the company district, as it was called, to preside over the election of militia offi- cers.

John Waddle, was another settler of the same year, as is evident by the re- cord, he being one of the judges of the same election. With him came David Waddle and William Waddle. They probably settled within the limits of Mississippi township. These old pio- neers are now numbered with the dead, but have descendants living in Jersey county.

William Davidson made a settlement in what is now Otter creek township, about the year 1820 or 21, coming from the American Bottom. After a short residence here he returned to that local- ity, where he eventually died.

William Adair located in English township in 1821, and opened up a farm. He married a Miss Crain. He sold his

place to Robert La Force and removed from the county. This farm is now known as the Wright place,

Nathaniel Rowdon made a settlement in the present Richwoods township in 1820, where he lived for many years. He married a daughter of Abiram Mc- Kinney, who afterwards died. He is said to have lived, at one time, in a big hollow sycamore tree. He left here, going to Texas, where he is believed to have died.

William Rowdon, also, settled in Richwoods township the same year.

William Dixon and Ira Kelley made settlements in this county early in 1821. They have long since passed away from the memory of the oldest inhabitant, but they filled positions as judges of election in 1822, as appears from the records.

James Barnes, who settled in Elsah township, was an incorrigible bachelor, and remembered by old settlers as wear- ing a heavy beard and whiskers.

John Smith settled on section 8, in Richwood township, in 1820 or carlier. In 1823 he removed to Greene county.

Samuel Gates settled on section 9, Richwoods township, about 1820, and removed to Greene county in 1827, where he died in 1842. He was the first justice of the peace in the pre- cinct, being appointed to that office in 1828.

John and William Buck came about 1820, and located in the vicinity of John Smith's settlement, in the north- western portion of Richwood township. They removed to Greene county in 1823, and died there.

Among the settlers of 1820, were William Cresswell, Elisha Fowler, and

HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY.

John Cox, who made homes for them- selves within the limits of what is now Rosedale township. Elisha Fowler re- moved to Calhoun county, and died while a resident there in 1858, at an ad- vanced age.

Thomas Cresswell and Samuel Cress- well, settled in Richwood township in the spring of 1820, where they resided for many years. Thomas located upon the southeast quarter of section 9, and Samuel on section 4.

Moses Seeds was the next settler in the fall of 1820. He located in Rich- woods township, on section 17, where he lived until 1825, when he sold out and removed to the American Bottom, in Madison county.

John Thornton came to Jersey county in 1820, and in January, 1821, entered 280 acres of land on section 23, of Eng- lish township, where he resided until 1824, when he disposed of this farm to Mathew Darr, and removed to Rich- woods township, where he subsequently died.

Among the pioneers of 1821 or 22, was Joseph White, who settled in what is now Otter creek township. He died, a resident of the county, previous to 1830.

Silas Crain, Sr., settled in Jersey county in 1821, on some land one section 15, in what is now English township. He afterwards removed to Rosedale township. He died at the residence of James McKinney, of consumption.

John Medford made a settlement on section 8, Richwoods township in the spring of 1821. He was an English- man but came here from Cape Girar- deau, Mo .. He built his cabin, and started back after his family and brought them here and settled down to

the hard work of a western pioneer, and remained here until his death, which occurred in 1825.

Thomas White and Samuel Lofton made a settlement in Mississippi town- ship in 1821. They resided here for two or three years, when they removed to Otter Creek towaship, where they lived for many years.

Jesse Watson came to Jersey county in 1822, and located on a farm in Rich- woods township, where he hewed out a clearing and put up a cabin. Here he lived until his death which occurred in 1838.

John Neal made a settlement in Richwoods township in 1822, on a 40 acre tract on section 14. in the timber, one of the first to enter land on the bluff. He afterwards removed to an- other state.

Francis Colean, was another of the pioneers of the year 1822. In April, of that year he entered the west half of the southwest quarter of section 13, in what is now English township, where he lived until the day of his death, in 1846.

A man by the name of Richardson, the father-in-law of Ashur Chase, made a settlement in Mississippi township in 1822, or 1823. He removed, sometinie afterwards, to Scott county, where he was drowned.

John Ballard came to what is now Jersey county, in 1821, and located on section 30, of what is now Jersey town- ship, but in the year 1823 he sold out to John Falkner, who died there in 1824. Ballard then removed to the present site of Jerseyville, and erected a cabin. James Falkner, in 1826, purchased the improvements of Ballard, and the latter

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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 9

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