USA > Illinois > Greene County > History of Greene county, Illinois: its past and present > Part 32
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Landiss, Wm. H. 1827
Lisles, A. H. 1837
Linder, Johnson 1827
McCracken, W. A. 1840
Martin Josiah 1828
Mayberry, Wm. M 1837
Meek, J. M. 1823
MclTail, Jno. A. 1827
McBride, S. T. 1823
Mitchell, J. G. 1838
Morrow, M. 1838
Morton, Mr. 1832
Metcalf, Jas. 1834
1834
Morris, M. 1826
Marmon, Wm. 1832
Miller, David 1826
Kelly, J. C. 1829
King, Jas. G 1821
Mitchell, A. K 1835
Miller, Francis 1822
McAdams, L. 1836
Mason, Josiah 1831
Miller, James
1826
McConathy, Perry Martin, Saml.
1839
Kinkaid, W. L
Lemen, Elizabeth 1835
Linder, John M 1835
321
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
NAMES. YEAR.
NAMES. YEAR.
Pigott, Rev. Joseph 1820
Robley, Vilroy 1827
Pigott, Rev. Isaac N. 1820
Robley, Mrs. C 1833
Peck, Rev. J. M. 1820
Robley, Charles. 1822
Robley, George B. 1821
Roodhouse, J. D. 1831
Page, Elizabeth 1831
Page, Reuben, 1831
Piper, J. W.
1837
Powell, J. G. F 1839
Pegram, Alvan 1839
Pegram, W. H. 1836
Pruitt, Wm. 1830
Pinkerton, Jas. H 1822
Scoggins, J. H. 1838
Stout, Martin 1832
Scoggings, C. J. 1828
Stringer, Wm.
1835
Parks, Major J. C. C. 1826
Parker, H. L.
1836
Pope, J. L.
1835
Short, J. H.
1839
Scroggs, Mr.
1829
Perry, Col. N. M.
1836
Perry, A. T. 1836
Perry, J. M.
1837
Parker, Thos. L. 1837
Pope, Saml 1835
Quigley Chas.
1826
Rives, Rev. J. 1834
Rainey, Major 1831
Reno, Aaron 1828
Roberts, Joseph
1834
Rattan, Thos.
1819
Stubblefield, F. L. 1827
Smitherman, L. T. 832
Stevens, Ruleff. 1823
Smith, Rev. Aaron
182I
Samms, Davidson
1821
Roodhouse, Benj. 1830
Sharp, Thos
Smith, Wm 1828
Scott, B. T.
1828
Rawlings, Jas
1826
Stringer, W. W. 1835
Was born in Kentucky, April 6, 1807.
Stevens, Clark 1828
Sheffield, G. W. T. 1830
Rafferty John C.
1835
Rafferty, Wm. M.
1836
Robinson, R. G.
1837
Russell, S. G. 1828
Russell, John 1828
Russell, Laura Ann 1821
Simpson, J. F. 1834
Robinson, Wm. B. 1837
Scandarett, W. T. 1836
Sanders, C. H. 1836
Spencer, John 1837
1832
Stephens, Moses
Swinney, Wm.
1828
Sample, Mr.
1835
Spruance, Saml.
1835
Shull, Alfred L. 1833
Shelton, Elisha 1830
Stubblefield, H. L. 1830
Stoddard, J. L. 1830
Seeley, A. S. 1822
Smith, Ben 1818
Samuels, Dr. 1832
Reader, Levi. 1819
Robinson, Alexander 1832
Robley, R. 1821
Rives, J. H 1834
Roodhouse, John 1830
Roodhouse, Peter 1830
Reynolds, Levi
1821
Rawlings, Rev. Rhoderic. 1825
Ruyle, John 1829
Risby - 1831
Scandarett, Chas. L. Jr 1838
Stubblefield, G. A. 1825
Stubblefield, Jas. H. 1825
Stout, John 1826
Strang, Wm. H. 1839
Reynolds, Rev. G. W. 1836
Rhobards, Jesse 1834
Rawlings, John T. 1836
Ridings, Jesse 1835
Reeve, J. B. 1834
Reynolds, Joseph C. 1829
Reynolds, W. C. 1831
Rountree, V. K 1831
Pinkerton, W. R 1 827
Pinkerton, J. G. 1830
Prather, Wm.
1825
Stone, James. 1827
Short, Cyntha A. 1832
Parker, Wm. P. 1835
Shepherd, Orphy
Skidmore, John
Prather, Edward IS28
Prentiss, Amos 1832
322
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
NAMES. YEAR.
Sweetin, Wm. L. 1839
Spencer, Henry R 1833
Trimble, Harvey 1833
Thomasson, Wm. 1831
Underwood, Wm 1839
Smith, Benj. 1821
Short, Wm. S. 1832
Short, R. A. 1835
Short, F. L. 1837
Strickland, J. N. 1829
Scott, Benj. 1832
Short, T. J
1829
Smith, J. P. 1834
Stephens, C. 1829
Thompson, D. A. 1833
Tunison, Hy. Sr 1835
Tunison, Jacob 1835
Thomas, J. I. 1818
Teaney, Dan 1835
Thomas, Sam 1818
Tunison, H. 1835
Tunnell, Luther 1818
Tunnell, Colin 1819
Walthrop, Wm. G
1819
Whiteside, L. F.
1820
Whitlock, J. C. 1826
Whitlock, R. C. 1826
Waller, John H. 1833
Wright David 1830
Woodson, D. M.
1834
Walthrop, M. 1819
Whitlock, J. M. 1826
Worcester, L. E. 1835
Ward, Jonas 182I
Wright, George 1829
Thomas, Mary A 1819
Thomas, Nancy 1821
Thomas Eliza J 1823
Welch, 1819
Whittaker, Robt.
1820
Thomas, Lewis H. 1827
Wright, John
1838
Thomas, S. R. 1829
Weaver, Greene
1831
Wood, Isaac 1826
Wood, Alfred 1826
Wiggins, Sandy
1831
Thomas, Wm. D. 1835
Wylder, Wiley.
1829
Thomas, Mrs. Elizabeth 1818
Willard, Julius A.
Thomas, Mrs. Ann 1821
Williams, David J
1829
Wright, A. J
1833
Wright, Thos.
1835
Tunison, Isaac C. 1838
Williams, G. L.
1836
Williams, John G.
1825
Thompson, James 1825
Twitchell, J. S. 1837
NAMES. YEAR.
Tolman, W. O. 1829
Short, Wm. 1831
Seeley, R. G. 1836
Seeley, Anthony S. 1823
Vigus, T. W. 1829
Vandeveer, T 1828
Vanmeter, Jas. 1828
1828
Valentine, Ichabod 1829
Vanarsdale, Peter 1835
Valentine, James 1837
Vangiezen, James 1838
Vinyard, G. W 1826
Varble, C. H ..
1837
Varble, Nancy J
1836
Varble James 1836
Vandeveer, Wm 1837
Vensel, Joseph 1835
Wooley, N. C 1823
Weisner, J. H 1829
Wood, Dr. B. C. 1834
Tunnell, Calvin 1818
Thaxton, Billy 1820
Throcmorton, Dr. 1829
Taylor, Isaac 1820
Taylor, John 1820
Taylor, Ambrose 1820
Teagarden, Henry 1821
Tucker, John A.
1843
Was born in Claiborne Co., East
Tennessee, July 22, 1820.
Turner, Miriam
Thaxton, Doctor 1819
Wooley E. 1823 1
Woodman, Elijah 1820
Thomas, Elizabeth A. 1825
Thomas, Gilla Ann. 1831
Thomas, Matilda A. 1833
Thomas, Catharine M. 1838
Taylor, Hubbard 1835
Taylor, Geo.
1837
Taylor, John A. 1822
Winn, Geo. W. 1829
Ward, John P. 1830
Vanmeter, Amasa
323
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
NAMES.
YEAR.
NAMES. YEAR.
Ward. Mrs. Hester
1827
Waller, John H
1833
Wood, A. B.
1831
Waggoner, John
1839
Witt, Dicy
1831
Washburn, J. M. P
1836
Waltrip, James
1828
Williams, John T
1836
Wyatt, J. W.
1 824
Whitlock, Tarlton
1829
Walker, Jas. F.
1838
Wood, Sarah
1830
Whiteman, Maria J
1827
White, Ira
1837
Wood, James A.
1835
Ware, James
1829
Wells, Wm. D.
1834
Wells, Mrs. Sarah
1830
Young, Jacob
1829
Wylder, Samuel
1830
Yates, Wm.
1842
THE AGRICULTURAL AND MECHANICAL ASSOCIATION.
The Greene County Agricultural and Mechanical Association was instituted April 15, 1854. Its first officers were Luman Curtius, President ; J. C. Winters, Vice-President; A. W. Bridges, Treasurer, and F. P. Vedder, Secretary.
The following were chosen members of the General Committee: From Carrollton Precinct, Samuel Thomas and Jacob Bowman; White Hall Precinct, L. E. Worcester, B. Baldwin ; Northwestern Precinct, L. J. Patterson, A. J. Whiteside ; Walkerville Precinct, A. Sweeten, Michael Kinser ; Bluffdale Precinct, William Halbert, J. W. Calvin; Woodville, T. W. Vigus, W. L. Greene; Kane Precinct, Samuel Longstreet, David Thompson; Eastern Precinct, J. H. Van Arsdale, Geo. L. Burruss; Greenfield Precinct, W. H. Ellis, I, R. Ostrom ; Fayette Precinct, John Rives, Martin Thorpe; Athensville Precinct, Thomas J. Short, Benjamin King ; Mineral Spring Precinct, Perry McConathy, James D. Martin. For the County, Elon Eldred and Wm. Black.
The first fair was held October 12, 1854, on the farm of J. E. Brace, Esq., just northwest of the town of Carrollton. This fair seems to have been in every way a brilliant success, and some said, as has been remarked more recently of other displays, that the show of fast and fine horses was superior to that at the State fair. The following complete list of premiums will prove very interesting, as nearly all the names of the suc- cessful competitors will be recognized as belonging to prominent citizens of the present day :
CLASS I .- Cattle.
To Jeremiah Turpin, best bull, Filmore, 3 years old, 1st premium, silver cup. and diploma.
Anthony Potts, 2d best bull, 4 years old, 2d premium, silver cup.
Eri Edwards, best bull, 2 years old, 1st premium, silver cup and diploma. James J. Eldred, 2d best bull, 2 years old, 2d premium, silver cup. Silas Eldred, best bull, 1 year old, 1st premium, $4 and diploma. Henry Tunison, 2d best bull, 1 year old, 2d premium, $4.
Jonas Ward, best cow, 6 years old, 1st premium, silver cup and diploma. Jeremiah Turpin, 2d best cow, 4 years old, 2d premium, silver cup.
'James W. Gregory, best heifer, 2 years old, 1st premium, silver cup and diploma.
·
Witt, Randolph 1829
White, Balaam
1833
324
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
Elon Eldred, 2d best heifer, 2 years old, 2d premium, silver cup. Elijah Dee, best heifer, 1 year old, 1st premium, $4 and diploma. Eri Edwards, 2d best heifer, 1 year old, 2d premium, $4. Elon Eldred, best bull calf, 1st premium, $3.
R. N. Neece, 2d best bull calf, 2d premium, $2.
J. Turpin, best heifer calf, premium $3.
Elon Eldred, 2d best heifer calf, $2.
James J. Eldred, best working oxen, diploma.
Elijah Dee, best fat heifer, diploma.
CLASS II .- Horses and Mules.
E. H. Chorn, best stallion, 8 years old, 1st premium, silver cup and diploma.
Wm. Crane, 2d best stallion, 7 years old, 2d premium, silver cup.
J. H. Waller, best brood mare, 9 years old, diploma.
Michael Kinser, best stallion, 3 years old, 1st premium, silver cup and diploma.
Anthony Potts, best stallion, 2 years old, 1st premium, silver cup and diploma.
Wm. O. Greaves, 2d best stallion, 2 years old, 2d premium, $3.
Anthony Potts, best stallion, 1 year old, 1st premium, $4.
A. Minsterman, 2d best stallion, 1 year old, 2d premium, $2.
J. P. Henderson, best filly, 3 years old, 1st premium, silver cup and diploma.
Jeremiah Turpin, 2d best filly, 3 years old, 2d premium, $4.
Daniel Morfoot, best filly, 2 years old, 1st premium, silver cup.
Peter M. Brown, 2d best filly, 2 years old, 2d premium, $3. Milton Williams, best filly, 1 year old, 1st premium, $4. Lemuel Jackson, 2d best filly, 1 year old, 2d premium, $2.
Benj. Roodhouse, best draught horse, 5 years old, premium $4. Same, best gelding, 7 years old, premium $4.
J. E. Brace, best single mare, 4 years old, premium $4.
A. S. Seely, best matched horses, 6 years old, premium $4.
Felix Morris, best saddle horse, gaited, 5 years old, premium $4.
Peter Roodhouse, best single horse in harness, 4 years old, premium $4. Henry Spencer, best sucking colt, 1st premium, silver cup.
William Black, 2d best sucking colt, 2d premium, $4.
E. B. Eldred, 3d best sucking colt, 3d premium, $3.
L. H. Thomas, best jack, 3 years old, premium silver cup and diploma. Geo. L. Burruss, best jack, 2 years old, premium $4. Same, best jack, 1 year old, diploma.
Hiram Keach, best jennett, 3 years old, diploma.
Same, best jennett, 2 years old, diploma.
L. H. Thomas, best jennett, 1 year old, diploma.
Wm. Cannedy, best pair mules, 2 years old, $4.
E. W. Johnson, best single mule, $2.
CLASS III .- No. 1. Sheep.
Jas. W. Gregory, best fine buck, premium $2 and diploma.
Same, best fine ewe, premium $2. Jeremiah Turpin, best coarse buck, premium $2 and diploma. Same, best coarse ewe, premium $2.
325
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
No. 2. Swine.
French N. Hazle, best boar 12 year old, 1st premium, $2 and diploma. Wm. Black, 2d best boar, 1 year old, 2d premium, $2.
Elon Eldred, best breeding sow, 1 year old, premium $2 and diploma.
Same, 2d best breeding sow, 2 years old, 2d premium, $2.
Same, best lot pigs, 6 months old, 1st premium, $3. J. E. Brace, 2d best lot pigs, 6 months old, premium $2.
Samuel Longstreet, best pair pigs, 6 months old, premium diploma.
CLASS IV .- No. 1. Poultry.
J. E. Brace, best pair chickens, premium $1 and diploma.
No. 2. Cheese and Butter.
Jas. J. Eldred, best cheese, premium $3 and diploma.
David Black, best lot butter, made in June, premium $2 and diploma.
Alfred Hubbard, best lot butter, made any time, premium $2 and diploma.
Jas. B. Samuel, 2d best lot butter, made any time, 2d premium, $2.
David Black, 3d best lot butter, made any time, 3d premium, $1.
CLASS V .- Grain, Vegetables, and Fruits. No. 1.
Samuel Longstreet, best sample pure white corn, diploma.
Jesse Ridings, best lot yellow corn, premium $1.
Samuel Longstreet, best half-barrel yellow corn, diploma.
David Black, best bushel Timothy seed, premium $1
Samuel Thomas, best bushel clover seed, premium $1.
David Black, best sample white wheat, diploma.
Same, best sample red wheat, $1.
Price Lovelace, best sample flour corn, $1.
No. 2. Fruit.
Samuel Longstreet, best winter apples, 1st premium, $1.25.
Jas. D. Martin, 2d best winter apples, 2d premium, 75 cents. Jacob Bowman, best fall apples, premium diploma.
No. 3. Vegetables.
Drury Overbey, best lot white turnips, diploma.
Samuel Longstreet, best lot sweet potatoes, 50 cents.
CLASS VI .- Household Manufactures, Boots and Shoes. No. 1
Mrs. John J. Thomas, best ten yards woolen flannel, premium 50 cents. Mrs. William Potts, best double carpet coverlet, 1st premium, $1 and diploma.
Mrs. Benj. Baldwin, 2d best double carpet coverlet, 2d premium, $1.
Mrs. J. Thomas, best single carpet coverlet, premium 50 cents.
Mrs. E. Morfoot, best pair woolen knit stockings, 1st premium, $1 and diploma.
Mrs. John T. Williams, 2d best pair woolen knit stockings, 2d premium, 50 cents.
326
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
No. 2.
Frederick Cook, best pair boots, diploma.
CLASS VII.
Benj. Roodhouse, best carriage, diploma.
John Long, best bedstead, diploma.
CLASS VIII .- Articles not Enumerated.
Dr. John Hardtner, best set teeth, diploma.
Mrs. Luman Curtius, best jar preserved peaches, diploma.
Joseph Coats, best barrel flour, diploma. Misses Pierson, best embroidery, diploma.
Same, best crab apple jelly, diploma.
Mrs. J. B. Eldred, best single coverlet, premium $1.
Mrs. David Dodgson, best quilt, $1.
Samuel Longstreet, best cherry wine, diploma.
Our Agricultural Society now numbers over two hundred and thirty members, and is rapidly increasing in numbers and interest. We shall largely extend our list of premiums for the next year, especially for the ladies.
N. B. All the above premiums will be paid in silverware, or agri- cultural books, on the first Monday of December next, at the annual meeting of the Society, to be holden at the Court House in Carrollton, at which time officers are to be elected for the ensuing year, and transact such other business as shall be considered necessary. A general attendance is most earnestly solicited. LUMAN CURTIUS, President,
F. P. VEDDER, Secretary.
Since the organization of the Association the various Presidents have been David M. Woodson, George L. Burruss, Joseph Ballinger, who held the position from 1858 to 1865 inclusive, Jacob Bowman, who presided for five years, B. F. Baldwin, E. M. Husted, L. S. Eldred, Benjamin Roodhouse, who was president for two years, and George W. Davis, who is now (1879) serving his second term. The Secretaries have been F. P. Vedder, L. S. Norton, Dr. C. Armstrong, L. F. Wheeler, Henry Bonfoy, George W. Davis, Isaac Powell, W. W. Beaty, N. J. Andrews. George W. Davis held the offices ten years, W. W. Beaty three years, and Dr. Armstrong, Henry Bonfoy and N. J. Andrews, each two years. A. W. Bridges, Jordan Howard, J. E. Brace, W. L. Greene, Robert Pierson, N. J. Andrews, D. D. Pierson, each have held the office of Treasurer, J. E. Brace for ten years, and several of the others for more than one year.
The second fair was held on the grounds which the one hundred and sixty stockholders had purchased, south of the village of Carrollton, near the present site of the public school building. This was securely fenced and supplied with stalls and other conveniences, and served the purposes for which it was designed, until becoming too small, in 1860, the present large and beautiful park owned by the Association was bought, and the improvements moved thither. The first financial statement of the con- dition of the Association on the records is found in the year 1856. It is
327
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
as follows: Receipts from fair, $950.15; paid for premiums, $500.00; expenses, $45.95; total, $545.95; balance on hand, $404.20.
During the early fairs the premiums consisted almost entirely of silverware, and we frequently find in the Treasurer's report a list of silverware left on hand after the premiums had all been paid, and in one instance a valued officer is voted a five dollar cup as a mark of appreciation of his faithfulness. During successive years the receipts were as follows : 1857, $1,338.15; 1858, $1,615.34; 1859, $1,882.85; 1860, $2,025.82; and so on, the expenses increasing in the same or a greater ratio. In 1866, the present commodious amphitheater was built. In 1872, the name of the Association was changed to "Greene County Agricultural Board." During the war, and for some time after, the fairs did not pay expenses, and the result was that in 1874, the Board found itself saddled with a debt of over $6,000. In order that this might be paid off and the prosperity of the fairs insured, in the Autumn of that year a resolution was passed to form a new corporation, and D. M. Woodson, J. W. Gregory, G. L. Burruss, J. H. Rives, S. F. Greene, L. F. Wheeler, and John Kaser, were appointed incorporators. License was issued February 27, 1875, authorizing G. W. Davis, J. F. Ballinger. L. S. Eldred, G. L. Burruss, N. J. Andrews, J. H. Rives, and George W. Witt, as commissioners to open books of subscription to the capital stock of the Greene County Agricul- tural and Mechanical Association. The following persons at once subscribed for the number of shares set opposite their names, at fifty dollars per share, and a charter was issued by the Secretary of State, bearing date March 26, 1875 :
NAMES.
SHARES.
NAMES.
SHARES.
J. E. Ferguson
I
William Black
2
S. F. Greene
2
H. C. Withers
I
Sharon Bros
2
Thos. Black
I
Benjamin Roodhouse I
Jas. Cullimore
I
William M. Maberry
2
W. D. Thomas
2
McFarland & Robinson
David Wright
I
J. E. Brace
I
, C. H. Eldred 2
L. F. Wheeler
I
Pierson's Bank
3
T. W. Brace
I
L. S. Eldred
2
J. T. Cameron I
W. W. Beaty-
I
Jno. I. Thomas
Thomas E. Evans
2
B. B. Bartholomew
Samuel Bowman
I
J. B. Eldred
A. J. Tunnell
I
J. S. Hunt
J. H. Rives
2
E. A. Eldred
D. M. Woodson
2
J. K. Farrelly
Geo. L. Burruss
2
John Kaser
Thos. J. Carlin
I
Wright & Laning
Geo. Meister
I
Peter Hobson
I John C. Burruss
I
Geo. W. Davis
I Harry Burruss I
J. Eldred
2 Luman Curtius
I
N. J. Andrews
2 J. F. Ballenger
2
Vilroy Robley
I B. F. Baldwin
2
Daniel Morfoot
I L. S. Bushnell
I
R. C. Bradley
2
WV. B. Robinson .
2
F. M. Fishback
2 W. W. Ashlock
2
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1
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2
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328
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
NAMES. SHARES.
NAMES.
SHARES.
Geo. Ashlock
I
John Rhodes.
2
J. W. Gregory
J. D. Tunison 2
I
A. B. Gregory
2
Geo. Tunison I
Peter Roodhouse 2
L. P. Griswold
I
Henry Tunison I
Geo. W. Witt
2
E. V. Baldwin 2
A. J. Rives
I
J. H. Baldwin
2
Willis Brooks I
John North
I
Martin Thorpe
I
Jos. Rickart
2
Keeley & Davis
I
Jesse Riding
I
E. M. Husted
I
C. J. McCollister & M. North.
I
Jesse Robards
James Morrow
I
Jacob Bowman.
I
J. H. Stubblefield
2
Wm. Eglehoff.
I
E. A. Giller.
2
A. M. Cunningham
I
C. W. Brace.
2
These subscriptions readily raised the six thousand dollars required, and the old indebtedness was paid off. The capital stock was afterward increased $2,000, bringing it to $8,000, the greater part of which was soon subscribed. The new society took possession of the property of the old, and a more prosperous era began. The recent fairs of the Association have been in an eminent degree successful, and a very bright future seems to be before the Association.
CARROLLTON.
Carrollton, the county seat of Greene County, is one of the wealth- iest and most flourishing towns in Central Illinois. The circumstances attending its origin have been already stated. Probably the first settler within what are now the corporation limits was Governor Thomas Carlin, who camped under a large tree near the present residence of Mrs. Wil- liam Carlin, and chose the prairie on which he then stood as his home. This was in 1818, and during the latter part of that year, or early the next, Mr. Carlin, with his mother and step-father, came north of the Macoupin and built a cabin in the southern part of the present town. There were then but a very few cabins north of the creek, probably not over half a dozen or a dozen. Samuel Thomas had made an improvement in a beautiful grove near the site of the present Thomas homestead. Michael Headrick, Abram Sells, and one or two others, had built cabins near the present residence of David Wright, Esq., and there were a few log huts a short distance east. Very early in 1821, occurred the land sale at Edwardsville, when this territory came into the possession of the settlers. Immediately thereafter the county was organized, the seat of justice established on the land of Mr. Carlin, and the name of Carrollton given to it. Settlers at once came in very rapidly. General Jacob Fry built a cabin near the former site of the St. James Hotel. Thomas Rat- tan erected a log structure on the lot now occupied by Marmon's building, on the northeast corner of the Square, where for a long time he kept a tavern. A more modern building succeeded this, also used as an inn, and for a long time known as the " Jack Traveler." Samuel Lee, the first
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Winn & Bros
I
Edgar Griswold
329
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
County Clerk, built a temporary clerk's office on the west side of the Square, and this was soon followed by the first Court House. The early county buildings have been described in the history of the county. The first frame building in the town was probably a dwelling house on the east side of the Square, built by Cyrus Tolman and Charles Gregory, both afterward very prominent men in the county. The first brick edifice in the town was also said to have been erected on the east side, near the present location of Charles Weimer's tobacco store. For a year or two the little town grew steadily. The county was then a large one, and the transaction of county business made quite a number of buildings and people a necessity at the county seat. William A. Tunnell writes as fol- lows of the town when it was only a year or two old : "The land upon which Carrollton is situated belonged to the Hon. Thomas Carlin. Concerning the beauty of the spot before the hand of man had changed its appearance I am not prepared to speak, but freely express the opinion that it would have suffered in a comparison with Mount Pleasant. When I first saw the place it contained a few small houses, the first of which was probably built by the Hon. Thomas Rattan for a tavern. It stood north of the east side of the Square, and was erected not far from the year 1821. How long this building occupied that spot, or whether it was the same that was afterward called the 'Old Jack Traveler,' or 'Jack Tavern,' I am not prepared to decide, but since the days of the 'Old Jack Traveler' another building has occupied the spot and passed away, to make room for one which will probably continue there for many years. A little farther west. perhaps half way along the north side of the Square, stood a neat little frame with a porch or portico in front, which was, at an early day, the residence and office of Samuel Lee, Esq., Clerk of the Circuit and County Courts, County Recorder, Justice of the Peace, etc., etc., a man very much esteemed. He died some thirty-five years ago (in 1825), and was the first, or about the first, person interred in the Carrollton burying ground. On the west side of the Square, very near the residence of Dr. Hardtner, stood the Court House, a long two-story building, with one end to the Square. There was nothing very attractive about its appearance. It was simply a plain wooden building, rather dingy in appearance. West of the Court House, occupying the ground now used for the same purpose, stood the little hewed log jail, in which prisoners were kept by the aid of a guard or suffered to escape, as seemed most conducive to the general welfare. On the south side of the Square was the residence and store of John Evans, Jr. Further east, across the next street, stood a small frame, which was used for some kind of traffic, the exact nature of which I have forgotten; and just east of it was the residence of Jacob Fry, Esq., well and favorably known in the annals of Greene County, as an efficient, intelligent and faithful officer and good citizen. On the east side of the Square, at the north end, was the store of John Skidmore, an active, restless little man, who was everywhere, knew everybody, and kept himself not only busy, but always in a hurry. His storehouse was a small frame building, that occupied the spot for sev- eral years. Skidmore, or ' Skid,' as he was familiarly called, kept a small stock of inferior goods, such as all merchants kept at that day, and such as the necessities of the people compelled them to buy, including an as- sortment of pure liquors, to render the stock complete.
330
HISTORY OF GREENE COUNTY.
"I think it was at 'Skid's' store where the inimitable Willis Cheek was said to have treated his friends and himself through the long hours of one whole night, paying for the liquor with a raccoon skin, which, as often as 'Skid' threw it behind the door and went to draw the whisky from a barrel, would mysteriously resume its place in Willis' pouch, where it remained snugly until another drink was wanted. Just across the street from Skidmore's, about where the public well is situated, was the whipping-post, where those covetous individuals who took clandestine possession of other people's property, received from the hands of the Sheriff the panacea applied in those days for the healing of such moral distempers. The patient's hands were confined to the top and his feet to the bottom of the post with ropes, the shoulders denuded and a ' deter- mination to the surface '-as the doctors express it-induced by an appli- cation of rawhide or hickory. To witness such an operation is revolting to the finer feelings of humanity. Imagine a man thus pinioned hand and foot, striving to bury his face between his extended arms, his shoul- ders laid bare to the lash. The Sheriff coolly takes up a long ' cowhide,' as hard as a ribbed and twisted iron wire, raises it above his head and brings it down upon the poor fellow's bare shoulders, as an assistant standing by, deliberately calls out ' one !' The operation is repeated in the coolest, most formal manner, at intervals of abont one second - the assistant continuing to call at each blow, 'two,' ' three,' etc., up to fifteen or twenty, according to the sentence of the court. All this time a circle of eager men and boys are crowding as near as possible, pulling each other back, to see him writhe and endeavor to free himself from the torture."
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