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 95
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417
PIGEON GROVE TOWNSHIP.
explained, the ground over which they fed during the first year after leaving their native state, was so poisoned, that the native cattle here feeding on the same ground would become affected with a fatal disease, known, for want of a more appropriate name, as Spanish fever. To prevent this and the great loss to farmers in this state, the legislature passed an act forbidding the importation of Texas and Cherokee cattle, which was of course a proper measure, but its weakness was in the inability to enforce it. The constitution of the United States gives to congress the power to regulate commerce between the states. Some parties in Indiana (Tower & Earl), brought on a lot of Texas cattle and unloaded them at Loda, and fed them leisurely across this county into Indiana, and were beyond the reach of law. Soon after this Messrs. Milk, Burchard, Taylor and Andrews bought 1,700 head of cattle in Louisiana, which they in- sisted did not come within the statute inhibiting importing from Texas, and brought to Loda and took them to their herding ground in the northern part of the town, around section 10. They had been brought a long distance, and from lack of care and a sudden cold spell, some of them were dead when they reached Loda, and more before they got out of town. This fact was enough to cause uneasi- ness, although it was generally known that these cattle were not affected with Spanish fever. In July the native cattle began to die of the fatal disease, and the citizens assembled at Zion school-house to take measures for relief. They demanded that the Louisiana cattle should be kept within a certain range, which demand was cheerfully acceded to by Milk & Co.,-in fact it should be recorded to the credit of tlie cattle men, that every stipulation made by them was scrupulously fulfilled. This the citizens all willingly admit. A week later matters had taken a very different shape. Many cattle had died, and the citizens had become thoroughly aroused. Night and day nothing was talked of but methods to rid themselves of the Texans. Indeed, it is said that men who never owned a hoof were among the most demonstrative. The adjourned meeting was held under circumstances of the most intense excitement. The citizens invited in their two most discreet and wise friends, Hon. Addison Goodell, of Loda, and Hon. John A. Koplin, of Buckley, to have the benefit of their wise counsel. Mr. Milk came accompanied by Hon. T. P. Bonfield, of Kankakee, as his counsel. Mr. Milk's object plainly was to allay the excitement. He claimed that he was within the law ; that the disease had spread from the herd of Tower & Earl, and not from the herd which was being threatened with annihilation by the incensed citizens. Mr. Bonfield, in his best efforts
418
HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.
to present the matter, only seemed to further arouse the temper that prevailed. A motion was then made to ask Milk & Co. to withdraw from the house while the citizens decided what they would do. Mr. S. B. Warren went out and held a consultation with Mr. Milk, which resulted in another address, this time from Mr. Milk himself, which is pronounced "the greatest effort of his life." While insisting that they, Milk & Co., were not responsible for the losses, still he agreed that they would pay for all that had died, and buy all that were sick, and satisfy the people that they did not come there to injure them ; that if the people stampeded their herd, he could promise them they should never receive one cent, as the loss of the herd would put it out of the power of the owners to pay. This pro- position was agreed to, and losses were appraised by a committee and paid. Mr. Milk says it is a remarkable fact that nearly every heifer or calf which they were called on to pay for was of most ex- cellent blood, with pedigrees running back to the finest milkers and best stock of the continent; that there was not one which was admitted to be a cull or a scrub; every cow was the best, and every calf hand-fed with such care as to make it of great value to the owner; while the number which had been the gifts of deceased or absent relations was very large. This ended the war in Pigeon Grove, but it only commenced the fight with Milk & Co. Suits were at once commenced against them by persons who were not embraced in the stipulation at Pigeon Grove. Some parties in other counties who had sent cattle to this region in herds, undertook to collect their losses by law. These suits were numerous and very annoying, and were kept in the court for years. In the meantime Mr. Andrews had died, and his estate was suffering by the inability to settle it, which with other complications that arose, rendered it necessary for the defendants to settle in some way. After nearly ten years of litigation, they were all disposed of by compromise. The popular feeling was very strong against the men who were engaged in hand- ling these Texas cattle. A lot which were brought on after this war, were refused removal from the cars at every station from Tolona to state line, and were finally jumped from the cars between stations over in Indiana. Taken all in all, this Texas cattle war was one of the most exciting episodes. It has been the object of the writer to present it correctly, and it is due to Messrs. Milk & Co. to say that they believed then and still believe that their herd was not respon- sible for the infection, that the law did not forbid importation of cattle from Louisiana, and that they did not make a very big specu- lation out of it anyway.
419
. PIGEON GROVE TOWNSHIP.
An unsuccessful attempt was made in February, 1875, at the special meeting of the board of supervisors, to secure the organization of the township from portions of Loda and Fountain Creek. Supervisor Robert Carey presented the petition of some one hundred citizens of the territory thus proposed to be organized, and asked that it be re- ferred to the " committee on erroneous assessments." The committee was a favorable one, but as the duties of that committee were hardly that of carving out new townships, his request was not granted. The petition was referred to a special committee, consisting of K. Shank- land, Robert Carey and F. Babcock. It was proposed at that time to name their town in honor of the popular and patriotic order which had so strong a hold on its citizens, "Grange." Messrs. Sliankland and Babcock, a majority of said committee, reported that it was inex- pedient to grant the prayer of the petitioners, while Mr. Carey entered a decided protest against the report. The report was argued by Mr. Babcock and by Mr. Copp, of Loda, in the affirmative, while Messrs. E. S. Ricker, William Flemming and Moses Stroup presented very ear- nestly the views of the petitioners. The report was, however, adopted. Messrs. Hamilton, Carey and Sprague, of the board, were active friends of the organization, and they, together with Mr. Davis, of Ash Grove, and Hitclicock, of Crescent, voted against the report. At the Septem- ber meeting of the board, the same year, a new petition was presented, signed by one hundred and thirty-one legal voters of the proposed new town, and one signed by sixty-two voters of Fountain Creek, asking for the erection of the township, to be named Pigeon Grove. Mr. William Flemming attended the meeting to look after the interests of his pro-
spective constituents. After a lengthy discussion the petition was granted, receiving in addition to the votes above mentioned those of Messrs. Calkin, Duckworth, Koplin, Maggee, Masters, Palmer, Parker, Jones, Shankland and Switzer. The election of officers was ordered to be held at Zion school-house. The township was finally divided in 1876. William Flemming has been supervisor; Clark Martin, clerk ; and J. W. Gosslee, assessor, ever since the organization of the town. Myron Cunningham was collector the first year, and James Hill since. J. W. Gosslee and Moses Stroup have been the justices of the peace.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
. William Cissna, Ash Grove, was born in Chillicothe, Ohio, June 17, 1816. His parents were Stephen and Sarah (King) Cissna. His youth up to the age of sixteen was spent in a little village, nortlı of Chillicothe, and from sixteen to twenty he lived in Columbus, Ohio, learning the trade of tanner and currier, which he followed in La
420
HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.
Fayette, Indiana, the year after he left Columbus. In the winter of 1837-8 he went to Warren county, near Williamsport, where he subsequently followed farming a short time, and then engaged in buying and selling stock for his uncle, George E. King. After working . two years for his uncle he started on his own account, buying cattle, the most of which he drove to Detroit. In the year 1844 he opened out a stock of general merchandise in Williamsport, in which business he continued for about ten years with marked success. All this time he was still in the cattle trade ; he also bought grain and packed pork. He continued in the stock trade and farmed on one of his farms near Red Wood Point, in Warren county, after he quit Williamsport, until 1864, when he bought a farm east of Watseka, in Iroquois county. After staying here two years he came to his present farm in Pigeon Grove where he has since remained. He owns all of two sections here in one body, and devotes his entire attention to raising and feeding stock ; putting on the market annually about 300 head of cattle and 500 head of hogs. Pigeon Grove is all included within Mr. Cissna's farm. The protection from winter storms afforded by the Grove, com- bined with an abundance of flowing water, renders this one of the most desirable stock farms in, the county. Mr. Cissna was very active in bringing about the organization of the township, but has preferred to attend to his own business and keep out of township offices. In politics he is a republican. He is a genial old bachelor.
William H. Berry, farmer, Buckley, was born at Trenton Point, Maine, August 17, 1858. He came with his parents to La Salle county, Illinois, and from there went to Tipton county, Iowa, and then back to La Salle county, from whence he came to Pigeon Grove town- ship. He now lives with his parents on section 2, where his father owns 160 acres. His father, Sabin J. Berry, was born in Maine in 1829, and his mother, whose maiden name was Isabel W. King, was also a native of Maine, born in 1830. They were married in 1853, and have three children besides the subject of this sketch, whose names follow : Mark K., George H. and Alice E. William H. received a common- school education. He is a single man in good circumstances. He is a republican.
John A. Bush, farmer, Buckley, was born January 4, 1833, in Arm- strong county, Pennsylvania, where he grew up to manhood. He received only a common-school education. His parents' names were Andrew and Martha Bush. In 1857 he came to Knox county, Illi- nois, and shortly after went to Warren county, where lie followed the carpenter's trade for three years. In the spring of 1860 he went to La Salle county and worked with a mole ditching machine for three
421
LOVEJOY TOWNSHIP.
years. He was married, January 19, 1863, to Isabella L., daughter of Matthew and Catherine Brown, and remained in La Salle county until 1868. He then removed to this township, where he has made a home and a finely improved farm of 160 acres from the raw prairie sod. He has a fine orchard just beginning to bear. Mr. Bush is the father of seven children, one of whom died in infancy. Their names and dates of birth follow : Minnie B., born March 29, 1864; George F., born September 30, 1865 ; Cora C., born October 24, 1868; David L., born Marclı 9, 1871; James L., born November 16, 1873 ; Mary E., born June 14, 1876, and John M., born September 22, 1878. Mr. Bush's wife is a Presbyterian.
Augustus M. Crane, farmer and stock-raiser, Oakalla, was born in New Jersey, July 30, 1820. He learned a trade at the age of fourteen and this he followed for several years, after which time he returned to farming. He then moved from New Jersey to Missouri, where he staid eight years. In 1865 he came to this state and settled in Ford county. After three-years residence there he came to this county, where he has since resided .. He was married in New Jersey, in 1844, to Anna E. Miller, who was born in New Jersey in 1825. She died April 19, 1879. They were the parents of four children, two living, Anna H. and William J. The deceased were Edward B. and an infant. Mr. Crane has hield the office of school trustee, and is a repub- lican.
LOVEJOY TOWNSHIP.
This township lies west of Prairie Green and south of Milford, and contains all of the congressional town 24, range 12 west. This terri- tory was formerly a part of Milford township, and was established as an independent township by vote of its people at the first election, held in April, 1868, at the house of John Adsit. The petition for sep- aration was signed by thirty voters, and was granted at the February (1868) term of the board of supervisors.
One of the first actions of the people at the town meeting was tlie passage of a resolution restraining stock from running at large; also a resolution providing for a survey of all the lands in the township, the expenses of such survey to be defrayed by a tax of so much per acre on all of the lands in the township. July 3, 1868, at an election called to vote for or against giving aid to the Chicago, Danville & Vincennes railroad to the amount of $3,000, the vote was twenty-three for, and three against. Lovejoy had, in addition to. this, assumed $60,007.12 of the railroad indebtedness of Milford township, which had been voted
422
HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.
before the division of the township. The people at first were nearly unanimous on the question of giving aid to this road, but in later years a party has arisen that is endeavoring to avoid the payment of the bonds which were issued under the acts of the people. The payment of the bonds, both as to principal and interest, has been enjoined.
The surface of Lovejoy is rather level, yet it lias good natural drain- age, and all of the soil can be cultivated. Like its sister, Prairie Green, it was treeless in its wild state, save, perhaps, the " Lone Tree," which is still standing near the big spring on the farm of M. C. Daw- son. Gay creek runs north through the township, nearly in the center, while on the west is Little Fountain creek, or Little Burson, as it was formerly called, also flowing north. Artesian water is found almost anywhere within the boundaries of Lovejoy by boring a short distance, but flowing wells are found only in the northwest part of the township.
Lovejoy was first settled in the north. The "Red Pump" was the first building erected in the township. This was on the line of Hub- bard's trace or the old Chicago road, and not far from the north line of the township. It was erected by Strickler, of Milford, as early per- haps as 1845. Before the building was begun there had been some breaking done, and a shanty'put up. A well was dug, and into it was inserted a log pump,-one of the old-fashioned kind,-which was painted red, and hence the name of the farm and of the tavern that was kept here in the early days, when the first house to the south was Bicknell's, away over in Vermilion county.
The "red pump" was a great institution in its day, and its day compasses several years. Long processions of teams and herds of cattle were daily watered here when the ponds and sloughs were dry, as they nearly always were at the season of the year when it was prac- ticable to go to Chicago with teams. The well never failed, and the old pump faltered not for many years. Joseph Heffner bought the " Red Pump Farm " from Strickler, and sold it to Endsley and Scott, who lived here in 1853, and Scott, who bought out Endsley's interest in the farm, now occupies the old tavern. A. P. Hurd, Potter Austin and the Adsits, settled east of the "red pump" in 1852 or 1853, while to the south was Jolin Crawford.
When J. B. Wilson came to settle in Lovejoy, in March, 1855, he chose a location on Little Burson creek, as it was then called. This was near the line of Fountain Creek township, in section 7. There were then living near, John Robinson, in section 7, and Charles Hil- dreth, in section 8. John Finney then owned the Hamilton place, and lived in section 11, near where Mr. Hamilton's house now stands.
The only early settlement of note in the south part of the township
423
LOVEJOY TOWNSHIP.
was made by John Leemon, now living in Fountain Creek township. He moved on his farm here in 1857.
There are several large stock farms in Lovejoy. ` Among those who have made tlie business of stock-raising or of buying and selling a suc- cess, we may mention Charles Dawson, J. L. Hamilton (at present county treasurer), J. B. Wilson, A. J. Hall, Jo Williams, J. W. Clements and Richard Miskimmen.
Wellington, the only town in Lovejoy, was laid out in 1872, near the center of section 14. It consists of about thirty blocks lying on each side of the Chicago & Eastern Illinois railroad. Main street extends east and west on the half section-line. The first street east of the railroad, and running nearly parallel with it, is named Hamilton avenue, and east of that is Donovan street. To secure the location of the switches and depot here, J. L. Hamilton and R. T. Race each do- nated 40 acres of land to the railroad company where the town now stands.
Wellington lias had its share of fire. The first depot was burned with Stone's elevator soon after the town was begun; another fire burned out Daniel Weston, and others in November, 1875. The town, however, has steadily grown and now contains several fine residences and business houses. Coney & Pate and Rothgeb & Austin deal in general merchandise ; Daniel Weston has a good stock of drugs ; Malo and son have each a blacksmith-shop; A. C. Bowlby attends to making and mending boots and shoes for the people; and J. Jones keeps a boarding-house, where the wants of the inner man are well supplied.
The principal business of Wellington is that of buying and shipping grain. Wilson & Pate are the leading firm in this line. In the winter of 1878-9, this firm shipped more than a quarter of a million bushels of corn alone, and in 1879 handled 21,000 bushels of flax-seed. The shipments of the crop of 1879 from this place would perhaps ex- ceed 400,000 bushels. There is also considerable live-stock and hay shipped from this point.
The only church building in Wellington is that of the Methodists, which was constructed in 1878, but is not yet quite completed and has not been dedicated. It stands in the southeast part of the town, its size is 30×45 feet, and will cost when completed about $1,500. Ser- vices have been held in the church since Christmas, 1878. The trustees were William Brown, R. M. Hamilton, Alex. Pate, John Bradford, Robert Keely and E. Butler. In the summer of 1873 a Methodist class of six members, was formed in Wellington; the mem- bers were William Brown and wife, R. M. Hamilton, John Haskins, Nicholas Holmes and his daughter Katy. This society was then in
.
424
HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.
Milford circuit. Rev. A. Beeler was pastor until 1875. Since 1877 the present minister, Rev. J. D. Calhoun, has had charge of the church here and three other flourishing societies, one at "Round Top," in Prairie Green ; at Amity church, near J. B. Wilson's; and at Betliel, in Fountain Creek township. There is a parsonage in Wellington that was built in 1878, which cost about $800, where Rev. J. D. Calhoun now resides.
During a Methodist revival at Amity school-house in 1868 the directors of the school, with J. B. Wilson at the head, refused the use of the school-house, except from Friday night to Sunday inclusive. The directors took this action, as they believed, for the good of the school then in session. This led to a movement to build a church. The United Brethren of Fountain Creek proposed to help the Meth- odists and build a Union church, but as they could not agree on a site the United Brethren drew off and built a church of their own in Fountain Creek and the Metliodists did likewise.
J. B. Wilson, L. B. Russell and their father-in-law, P. J. Hickman, of Indiana, gave, in cash, $200 eacli to build a church at the Amity graveyard, on the southwest corner of section 6. With these liberal subscriptions it was not difficult to obtain enough more to carry the work on to completion. The building is 30x40 feet, plainly yet sub- stantially built and finished, and cost about $1,700. There is an inter- esting Sunday school connected with the church.
Amity graveyard, where the church is located, was set apart as a resting-place for the dead early in 1859. In January of that year J. B. Wilson and Richard Hickman each had a death in his home, and there being no burying-place nearer than eight miles, Mr. Wilson proposed to Mr. Hickman that they select a site for a graveyard in their own neighborhood. The site was chosen and $12 paid by J. B. Wilson and Richard Hickman to Levi Hickman, the owner of the land, which secured two acres in the corner of section 6, which was deeded to the Methodist Episcopal church for graveyard and burying- ground, free to all. The two children, whose death led to the selec- tion of the site, were buried January 16, 1859. There are now about 200 graves here, many of them marked with costly monuments.
Section 16, in Lovejoy township, or more properly in town 24, range 12, its legal school title was sold at public sale February 2, 1862, for the sum of $15,401.20. This large sum is a perpetual fund for the maintenance of schools in the township. The interest arising from this fund is nearly sufficient to defray all the ordinary expenses of the schools. School taxes, therefore, are liglit, unless for building pnr- poses, or for paying interest on building bonds. There are five school-
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LOVEJOY TOWNSHIP.
houses in Lovejoy. Each district supports a school about nine months in the year. The best teachers are generally secured, and the schools of Lovejoy are the pride of her people.
BIOGRAPHICAL.
J. B. Wilson, farmer and grain merchant, Wellington, was born in Warren county, Indiana, April 7, 1836. When he was very young his parents moved from Indiana to the lead mines of Wisconsin, and from there to Lee county, in Iowa territory. Mr. Wilson's first recol- lections are of living in this county, where his father died, in 1844. His mother moved to Mahaska county and built one of the first houses in Oskaloosa, Iowa ; this was in the winter of 1844-5. He remembers that the Indians were very numerous there then. In the fall of 1845 he removed with his mother to Benton county, Indiana, and in 1848 to Warren county, in that state. His mother married again. He staid in the home of his stepfather until September 24, 1852, and then struck out for himself, working for the farmers in Warren county up to February, 1854, when we find him sailing out from New York on the old Northern Light, bound for the newly discovered land of gold. He arrived in California in April, and at once repaired to Sutter's old mill, where for one year he engaged with boyish eagerness in gathering up the golden sands that formed the nucleus of his present comfortable for- tune. His trip to California had been made by way of Lake Nica- ragua, but on' his return he crossed the isthmus on the first through train from Panama to Aspinwall. He came directly to this town- slip, and soon invested $1,000 of his California gold in the north half of section 7, and a small tract of timber land, all of which he bought of Ambrose Wood, of Fountain Creek township. This was in Feb- ruary, 1855. He at once began to improve his land, and now has one of the finest farms in the county. He was married, February 28, 1856, to Eliza J. Hickman, daughter of Peter Hickman, of Warren county, Indiana. She died September 12, 1874. By this union they had seven children : Mary E., wife of Alex. Pate, of Wellington ; Sarah A., wife of Alonzo Hall ; Thomas N., Martha F., Eliza J., Lewis B., living; and William C., deceased. On June 1, 1876, he was married to Rachel A. Mills, of Warren county, Indiana. There is one child by this last marriage, named Hattie. Mr. Wilson early began to buy stock and ship to Chicago. In 1873 he commenced buying grain and hay and shipped from Wellington. The next year he associated him- self with Alex. Pate, and together they began and still carry on the largest grain business in Wellington, and perhaps the largest on the road, between Danville and Chicago. They also do a large business in
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HISTORY OF IROQUOIS COUNTY.
flax-seed. Mr. Wilson has been a republican from the time the first shot was fired on Fort Sumter, in 1861. He has served the people of his township as supervisor, and has held the office of school director for twenty out of twenty-one years, since the organization of the dis- trict. Mr. Wilson has also been justice of the peace.
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