History of Iroquois County, together with Historic notes on the Northwest, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and other authentic, though, for the most part, out-of-the-way sources, Part 117

Author: Beckwith, H. W. (Hiram Williams), 1833-1903
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co.
Number of Pages: 1180

USA > Illinois > Iroquois County > History of Iroquois County, together with Historic notes on the Northwest, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and other authentic, though, for the most part, out-of-the-way sources > Part 117

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Mr. Jolın Nunamaker, who had lived with Mr. Roberts, moved in the fall of 1835 to a farm given him by the bishop, on Sec. 19, upon which he had built a house, which stood near where the farm- house of Mr. Harvey now stands. In this house Joseph Nunamaker was born, he being the first white person born in the town; he is now living in Iowa. A few years after the settlement here Mr. Nunamaker and his boys, of whom he had quite a number, engaged themselves in the manufactory of crocks, jugs, churns and dishes of clay. The building in which these things were manufactured and burned was about one rod southeast of the place now occupied by Mr. Harvey's farm-house. Their first kiln was burned in 1838. This was carried on with apparent success for four or five years, when Mr. Nunamaker, thinking sawing and grinding was a more profitable business, commenced operating a mill situated on S.E. ¿ of S. E. ¿ of Sec. 19. The house of Mrs. Hamilton now stands on a por- tion of the ground occupied by the mill. It was run by a six horse power, but when horses were scarce oxen were forced into the work, and with the addition of a good deal of noise with about as good success. The farm, after many years, was sold to Luther Clark, and from him it passed into the hands of Wesley Harvey, its present owner, who says it is almost an impossibility to dig a post hole near the house on account of the broken pieces of crockery.

This settlement was followed by that of John Hunnel, who . came, in the fall of 1834, a short time after the arrival of Mr. Roberts and Nunamaker. He improved the N.E. ¿ of N.E. ¿ of Sec. 29, T. 25, R. 13, the place now owned by Peter Hickman. Mr. Hunnel had three sons : William, Jacob and David. The former improved the farm now occupied by William Young. The house is still standing, being the north part of the present dwelling, since weather-boarded and painted. In the fall of 1836 came John Henry, from Lawrence county, Indiana, a man possessed of a fine person and a clear brain. Instead of building castles in the air he looked at the stern realities of life, studied the present instead of dreaming

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of the future or wandering in the past, and consequently was a sturdy, practical man, prepared for any emergency. He settled on 80 acres one and a half miles northwest of what is now the village of Glen- wood, purchasing of the government at $1.25 per acre. In the fall of 1837 Mr. Henry erected a saw-mill twenty feet square upon his placc, which was also used for grinding corn. This was the first mill in the town, and was situated about a hundred yards southeast of where the house stood ; but in about two years it was moved about two and a half miles northwest of Loda. The farm is now occupied by Samuel Ladd, but owned by Mr. Blessing, of Indiana. The house built by Mr. Henry was moved some years ago on Sec. 16, T. 25, R. 13, by James Belt and Hamilton Spain.

James Chess, a brother-in-law of the bishop, came next, settling south of Lewis Roberts' place, across the creek, on forty acres given to Mrs. Chess by her brother. The farm is now owned by Charles Hickman, who is still using the cabin built by Mr. Chess as a kitchen attached to his house. Mr. Chess had one son, Robert, who fell heir to the property, and lived on it until his death, in 1871.

Lewis Brock and his son Allen joined the settlement in the summer of 1837, accompanied by Wesley Harvey, a young man of nineteen years. Mr. Allen Brock immediately commenced building, and in less than ten days, by thic energy and activity of these three early heroes, the two families werc keeping house in a cabin 18×20 on Sec. 14, T. 25, R. 14. Mr. Lewis Brock settled on the farm now owned by Mr. Isaac Whitted, building his house north of the place now occupied by his barn in the spring of 1838, and which is still standing, in a tolerably good state of preservation.

Jolın Cady came from Lawrence county, Indiana, with a yoke of oxen and a team of horses hitchied to the same wagon, about two weeks after the arrival of the Brocks, in 1837, and settled on the S. E. ¿ of Sec. 14, T. 25, R. 14, without either purchasing it or enter- ing it according to law, thinking to farm forever off the government. This he improved with one of the best houses in the neighborhood, a good orchard and considerable breaking. Here he lived a number of years. His orchard was bearing nicely and the farm yielding, by the sweat of an earnest brow, an abundance. But when to the Illi- nois Central railroad was granted every alternate section, it included Mr. Cady's. Then came a great trial in his eventful life, for, without enough money to purchase the place, he was forced to sell his im- provements at a great sacrifice to I. W. Tibbits, who, in about a year, sold to Mr. Trosper. Mr. Cady then moved just southeast, on the corner of section 13, so he would not be out of sight of what he once

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HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.

deemed a fine little home. On the place last settled he built a house, which stands to-day as the old gentleman left it, without a tree near it, and nothing but a few rods of fence, which reminded the writer, as he passed it, of a disappointed and heart-broken life. Mr. Cady was a man of innumerable good qualities, but of rather an unpracti- cal turn of mind.

John Martin and Thomas Hockins, sons-in-law of Lewis Roberts, came together in the fall of 1837. The former settled on the farm now owned by the present road commissioner, James Davis, on sec- tion 28, building a log cabin 16×18, in which he lived until his sale to Mr. Davis in 1853. The old house. is still held and looked upon by the family as a sacred relic of early struggles. It is used at pres- ent as a tool-house. Mr. Hockins settled on the N. W. ¿ of Sec. 19, building a dwelling 16×18, at which place meetings were held many years prior to the building of the old log school-house, to which they were afterward mnoved. The house is still in existence, having been moved to the place now owned by Amos Bishop, and used as a place in which to keep all kinds of farming implements.

The next person to make a settlement was Nathaniel Jenkins, coming in the spring of 1839 and settling on what is now known as the Watkins farm. Here, in 1840, he erected a saw-mill 24×40, which, after running about five years, during which time lie sawed timber for every family in the Grove, he sold to Aretus P. Jinks, who operated it until it was completely worn out. The mill was situated near the place where Mr. Watkins' house now stands. Mr. Jenkins then inoved to section 19, where he built the second frame house erected in Ash Grove, the first being built by S. W. Jenkins, the pioneer carpenter of Ash Grove. The old house is still standing, and owned by his son. Mr. Jenkins was a splendid christian, an example worthy of the following of any mnan. He was thoroughly known as the pioneer local preacher, and through his zealous labors in favor of the denomination of his choice, in doing genuine good and assisting largely in church duties, the Methodists owe a large portion of their success.

The fall of 1838 fixes the date of the arrival of two stalwart religious characters, Hiram Sturdevant and Samuel W. Jenkins, the former settling northeast of what was then Round Grove, but better known now as Roses Grove, in whose family the first deatlı occurred in Aslı Grove, being one of his little girls. She was buried on the bank of the creek, where, since, a few others have been laid. The lat- ter settled still fartlier northeast of the Grove, and followed farming with splendid success for a number of years. This same fall came

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ASH GROVE TOWNSHIP.

one of the pioneer carpenters, in the person of John Vaughn, settling in the forks of Mud and Pigeon creeks, north of where Mr. Jenkins had his saw-mill, on the S. ¿ of Sec. 29. Then came Joseph Hock- ins, who settled on the place now owned by Royal Smith, of Milford. The house is still standing, but not in its original position, and is used as an out-house for various purposes. Amos Jenkins, Perkins Farnum (who made the first brick in the township), Abel Sturdevant and Samuel Sturdevant, the pioneer blacksmith, came in 1840. James Spain came in 1841.

The year 1842 is remarkable to the younger inhabitants on account of a very interesting affair occurring in which the then boys of the town took an active part. It was in June that Mr. Harvey, with an ox-team and thirteen bushels of wheat, Mr. Willoughby with thirty bushels of corn, and Lewis Brock, Jr., with a few hundred pounds of bacon and two yoke of oxen, started for Chicago to market. This trip occupied about ten days. Upon their arrival in the then small city their produce was disposed of at the following prices : wheat 85c per bushel, corn 30c, bacon $2.50 per hundred. The boys then, after a settlement, and some shopping, started to leave the city on their way home. They camped for the night near where the Illinois Central depot now is. It was about dusk and fully dark when the boys had their teams unyoked. The day had been a very calm one, but in the evening the wind arose and drove quite a good sized dark object near the shore of the lake, and together with the white waves which came dashing in had a hideous appearance in the dim starlight. The boys knew nothing of the action of the lake and were inclined to think a ghost was about to attend to their case, but Willoughby suggested the boys be brave, march up to the object and capture it. This was agreed upon and all charged together, but no sooner were they near the water's edge than the wind rolled up a large wave on the beach, and not knowing but that this was their destroyer, from the rushing noise it made, their courage failed them and in single file, double quick, Willoughby ahead, screaming at the top of his shrill voice "Boys, it's a shark ! it's a shark ! " the boys made a lasty retreat to their wagons, while poor Brock's heart was fluttering so badly he could scarcely speak. Being unable to keep up, lie was left in the rear, and of course thought lie would be the first one taken in by the mad, excited shark. This was repeated several times, but to no avail, for each time they neared the shore they thought the unruly monster made a lunge for a boy. During the latter trials a pine stick was lighted and used as a torch, but it was blown so by the wind it revealed nothing. Frightened, discouraged

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HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.

and whipped, the boys all retired for the night in one wagon, fearing to sleep alone as they had done heretofore. Imagine their surprise the next morning when a large pork barrel was lying upon the sand near the wagons. This Mr. Brock put in his wagon and hauled home so the citizens of Ash Grove might have an opportunity of viewing John's lake Michigan shark.

About this time occurred an item of interest in the town's history in the form of a little fun. It was customary in those early days for quite a number of the settlement to congregate on Sundays at some of the neighbors' houses, and among other things discuss religious topics, so on the day to which the writer wishes to call attention they met at John Willoughby's, and among them chanced to be Aretus P. Jinks, a Universalist, at whom every one in turn aimed his strongest point in opposition to his theory while he fought the crowd, giving them as he thought, as good as they gave. Every one was excited about the discussion and each side thought a complete victory won. They adjourned in the evening, the best of feeling pervading the entire company. On the following Thursday Jinks, the Universalist, Gabriel Keath and another party, both of whom were Methodists, and participants in the argument the Sunday previous, started for Woodland. They had got out on the prairie some distance when an awful hail-storm came up, the hail being as large as walnuts and coming in such terrible force as to make the horses ungovernable, while to unhitch was impossible. They started to run, being pelted by the hail at every jump, when to save their wagons from being broken to pieces the horses were kept running in a circle. The storm continued with increasing fury, when Jinks, fearing lest they should be killed, and thinking his soul unprepared, shouted with all the earnestness he possessed : "Pray Gabe ! pray ! pray !" This was too good a joke on the Universalist, who had heretofore sneered at the idea of prayer, to go untold, so everywhere he went the story was told, much to his discomfort and disgust, while the laugh went around at his expense; but it cured him, for he never mentioned universal salvation again.

Alonzo Taylor came in 1848, and was known as a thorough relig- ious character and the first settlement doctor practicing the Thomp- sonian system. James Coalman came next, in 1849, and was the first minister to settle permanently in the town. He is now living near Onarga, practicing that same christian forbearance that charac- terized his workings during his stay in Ash Grove. In the building of Wesley he was the leading character, being one of four men to haul the lumber from Boone county, Indiana, a distance of one hun- dred miles. Amos and Henry Bishop also came about this time.

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ASH GROVE TOWNSHIP.

Z. F. Jenkins was the first man to build a house entirely away from the timber, being north of the grove, on See. 13, T. 25, R. 14, in 1853. This date marks the advent of the railroad, when it was suddenly discovered that the vast prairies were destined for other purposes than public pastures, and they began to be occupied rapidly. John Montgomery, Samuel Clark and son (John A.), David Swank, David Dixon, John Jones, T. J. Mets and Wm. and David Hunnel were some of the earliest who dared to brave the wolves, rattlesnakes and green-head flies that swarmed in the tall grass of the open prai- rie. From this time forth, through the inducements offered by the Illinois Central railroad, so many new settlers appeared that it is impossible, in our limited space, to chronicle them.

In 1861 came Solomon Dillon, one of the pillars and pioneers of the Friends' church. Samuel Speer was the second, settling on what is now known as the Mendenhall property. Then came many others in rapid succession until the Quakers had the largest congregation in the town.

FIRST ELECTIONS.

The earliest settlers were compelled to go to the farm then owned by a Mr. Joseph Ross, about two miles southwest of the village of Milford, in what was then known as the Burlington precinct, to vote, the election being held in that gentleman's house. This con- tinued for some time, when, in 1840, a precinct was opened at John Martin's house (the build- ing now used as a tool-house by Mr. Davis). At this election, being the first general one ever held in the town, the follow- ing persons announced, in sono- rous tones, Gen. Harrison to be their choice for president, who received every vote : Hon. Lewis Roberts, John Nunamaker, Wes- ley Harvey, John Willoughby, John Martin, Robert Roberts, John Hunnel, Thomas Hockins, John Henry, Alexander Henry, GEN. HARRISON. Lewis Brock, Allen Brock, Na- thaniel Jenkins, Samuel Jenkins and Hiram Sturdevant. Of this solid band of whigs but two remain, Mr. Harvey and Mr. Willoughby.

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HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.

The first election under the township organization was held Tuesday, April 1, 1856, at the school-house near the place then owned by James Wilson; John H. Stidham, a justice of the peace, acting as judge, while Daniel South and Robert R. Chess were ap- pointed and duly sworn as clerks. It is a fact worthy of note that from its very birth Ash Grove-has in political principles been whig and republican. From the first settlement by Hon. Lewis Roberts all were radical whigs of the most pronounced type, and for many years all were staunch members of that organization, and from that day to this have never failed to cast a large majority of votes for the whig and then the republican candidate running for a national office. At the first township election in 1856 John Wilson was chosen super- visor, Daniel South, clerk, Joseph Ross, assessor, Luther T. Clark, collector, and James Davis, Jacob Hunnel and Monroe Gilbert high- way commissioners. The present officers are: James Crangle, supervisor ; John Swank, clerk; August Lucke, assessor; Silas Brock, collector, and E. Stimpson, James Davis and Elbert G. Hickman, commissioners of highways. Lewis Roberts, Sr., was the first justice of the peace in the town, and as such was very peculiar and eccentric. It was an old saying of his that as long as he was justice of the peace that portion of Iroquois county should never be disgraced with a lawsuit; so, true to his word, as soon as any person would come to him entertaining the idea of commencing suit, the argument would begin, not, as in these days, after the testimony was in, but immediately, Roberts trying to effect a compromise. Sometimes two whole days would be occupied in obtaining a settle- ment. But it is said he never failed in making both parties satis- fied ; for at the expiration of his term there had not been a single suit in the town. In marrying parties he always collected the legal fee, but directly handed it over to the bride, be it a large or a small amount, as a wedding present. Mr. Harvey's first wife was the re- cipient of the fee, as was Rachel Brock, when she married Orvis Skeels, it being the second wedding in the township.

ROADS.

The pioneer highway of the township was known as the Lafayette and Ottawa road, which came into the town at the northeast corner of Sec. 24, T. 25, R. 13, running diagonally across it, reaching section 26 at its northeast corner. Here it ran along the edge of the timber, through sections 27, 28, 29, just north of Glenwood, through 19, continuing in a northwesterly direction through Secs. 24, 13 and 14, T. 25, R. 14 W .; thence into Artesia. To-day Ash Grove,

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ASH GROVE TOWNSHIP.

through the enterprise and industry of her citizens, has the honor of carrying the banner as being the best graded township in the state of Illinois outside of a corporation, and well does she sustain the glory. Tlie graded roads, of which seventy-five miles are com- pleted, are sixteen feet wide, with an average height of eighteen inches clear across, averaging something over two feet high in the center, and rounding toward the edges of either side. In the lower places the grades are sometimes raised by the use of machines to the height of four feet, making a road whichi soon dries after our heavy spring rains, and always passable in the muddiest seasons, while heretofore it was impossible to travel. Besides making an ex- cellent road the ditches made on both sides are of inestimable value, both in draining the road and the farms by their side. The honor of introducing the graders into this town belongs in a large measure, by general agreement, to Samuel Waslıburne, being the first to ad- vocate the buying of these machines. Having failed to convince any one of the commissioners of its advantages, he bought one himself, and during the fall of 1875 graded some four miles, for the purpose of educating the citizens, and especially the commissioners, that they were not a luxury, but a real necessity. This was not accomplished to the extent of influencing the commissioners to purchase a grader until the expiration of Mr. Washburne's term. In July, 1877, Edward Stimpson, Charles Hickman and George Sinderson, as com- missioners, purchased their first grader at a cost of $675, and in that year graded twenty iniles of road, at an average cost to the township of $68 per mile. This so far proved its worth above the expectations of the most sanguine supporters of this system of working that a second was purchased in June, 1878. This year thirty miles were graded, at an average cost to the town of $63 per mile, and in 1879 twenty-five miles were finished, at an average cost per mile to Ash Grove of only $57.50. In 1877 and 1878 a premium was offered by the state board of agriculture of $100 each year to the township grading the largest number of miles at the lowest average cost to the town. This, after a careful examination of all the reports made throughout the state, fell to Aslı Grove. In 1879, with the average cost per mile still lower, and thinking the premium offered belongs to them, it has again entered the contest ; but as yet no report has been received. These facts, we think, fully substantiate our assertion.

652

HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.

EDUCATIONAL.

The pioneer school-house was raised March 4, 1841, about a quarter of a mile northwest of the village of Glenwood, on a portion of the lot on which Amos Bishop's house now stands, being a log building about 18×26 feet, and was built by each one in the commu- nity (of which this was thought to be about the center) contributing so many hewed logs and clapboards, and so many days' work. This was run after it was finished upon a private plan, each one paying the teacher, Lewis Roberts, Jr. (now a Methodist minister, located at Peru, Indiana, and a son of Hon. Lewis Roberts, and teacher of the first term), in proportion to the number of scholars coming from the family, which was $1.50. The following children were registered as attendants at the three months' summer session in 1841: Anna Hunnel ; Matilda, Margaret J., Joseph and Michael Nunamaker ; Lewis Hockins, and Caroline his sister; Mary and Marquis Brock ; Mary, Nancy, Sarah, Cynthia and John T. Cady. The second term was taught by Robert Chess in the fall. The same scholars attended as above with the addition of Stephen and Wesley Sturdevant. At this house Silas Brock, the present town collector, Joel Belt, Z. F. Jenkins, Charles Brock, and M. L. Brock, who is now a professor in the Jacksonville Deaf and Dumb Asylum, attended their first term and commenced their education. Here the first singing-school was also held by Jolın Martin, between 1848 and 1850, in which nearly every person in the neighborhood participated. The second school- house was erected on the N.E. ¿ of S. E. ¿ of Sec. 28, T. 25, R. 13 W. in the spring of 1853, Miss Dixon being the first teacher. The third in the township and the first in T. 25, R. 14 W. was taught in Mr. Harvey's kitchen by Miss Nancy Tibbits. A building was soon finished, however, by Z. F. Jenkins, and was known as the Belt School-house, situated about a quarter of a mile north of the center of the south line of Sec. 14, in which school was held. It has since been moved on Sec. 23, E. ¿ , where it is used by the United Brethren minister as a stable.

Elihu K. Farmer was, as far as we can ascertain, the first practic- ing physician that visited Ash Grove. This was in 1839. In 1840 Nathan Wilson, who was then located at Milford, practiced to some extent through the settlement. But the honor of being the first practicing physician to locate permanently here belongs to William F. Horner, M.D., a very excellent gentleman, who is now practicing at Buckley, Illinois. Dr. Horner came in the fall of 1856, when a single man, and boarded with John H. Stidham, continuing his prac- tice here nearly fifteen years.

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ASH GROVE TOWNSHIP.

John Nunamaker was the first postmaster in the township, receiv- ing his commission in the spring of 1849. The office was in his dwelling-house, while the inail was carried from Milford on horse- back, by I. W. Tibbits, once a week, for $24 a year. John B. Clark was the second, but did not receive his commission for nearly three years after the leaving of Mr. Nunamaker, the inail being car- ried out from Onarga by the boys of the settlement in turn.

The principal " silent city " of the town is about a quarter of a mile south of Peter Hickman's house, on the shady and grassy bank of the creek, containing about three acres. Here, in 1839, was buried Daniel Ferris, being one of the first deaths occurring in the town. He was soon followed by Saralı Reed, John Shryer, Thomas Hockins, and Hon. Lewis Roberts. Like nearly all early settlers in a new country, a good many buried their dead on or near their own farms. The Chess graveyard marks the spot where the relatives of that pioneer family lay, receiving its name from James Chess, who was first to be laid here in 1837. There are now about a dozen. It is on the farm formerly owned by Mr. Chess, but now owned by Charles Hickman. The Friends' cemetery is a neat little resting- place for the dead, situated as it is on a beautiful knoll a short dis- tance northeast of their church, and on the bank of the creek. The first party buried here was a Mrs. Morris, in the fall of 1864. Joshua Endle soon followed ; then came Thomas Hayworth, Thomas Anderson, Solomon Dillon and others, until now the bodies of near a hundred honored friends lie mouldering here. The Lutherans also have a suitable burying-ground just south of their church, in which are buried a number of the members.

According to an act of the legislature of March 7, 1869, per- mitting certain townships lying within certain limits to appropriate money to aid in the construction of the Chicago, Danville, & Vin- cennes railroad, an appropriation was voted August 12, 1868, donating $3,000 to the above road. The bonds were issued July 1, 1871, and were due July 1, 1876, and payable at the American National Exchange Bank, in New York. A vote was carried to renew them in the fall of 1876, and new bonds were issued. By an agreement, when Fountain Creek was taken off Ash Grove received three-fifths of all town property, assuming three-fifths of all indebted- ness, making the principal of her bonds $1,892. In the fall of 1877, there was extended on the tax books a sufficient amount to pay the bonds, and about two-thirds of this was collected when, May 8, 1878, the treasurer was enjoined from paying over any money belonging to said town to any holders of the bonds. In September,

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History of Iroquois County, together with Historic notes on the Northwest, gleaned from early authors, old maps and manuscripts, private and official correspondence, and other authentic, though, for the most part, out-of-the-way sources, Part 117

Author: Beckwith, H. W. (Hiram Williams), 1833-1903 Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co. Number of Pages: 1180

Author: Beckwith, H. W. (Hiram Williams), 1833-1903
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co.
Number of Pages: 1180