USA > Illinois > Jackson County > History of Jackson County, Illinois : with illustrations descriptive of its scenery and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 6
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This was the last important victory of the war, as it was one of the most brilliant, and General Jackson, henceforth entitled to the appellation of the " Hero of New Orleans," and liis brave followers, whose marksmanship was so unerring, received the plaudits of a nation, and the admiration of a world. When the tenth County of Illinois was organized in 1816, the name given it was that of the illustrious General whose reputation advanced with his life, and whose fame will shine brighter as "succeeding generations unfold their vast processions."
Some of the officers of the county were appointed before the location of the eouuty seat. Jesse Griggs, Nathan Davis and James Hall were the mem- bers of the first County Commissioner's Court. The deed to the site of Brownsville, was executed from Jesse Griggs, the owuer of the land, to the above County Commissioners. The aet for the location of the county capital specified its name. The first elerk was William Wilson of Randolpb County, who was appointed and came from Kaskaskia, in order to open in a proper manner the books of the new county. He only officiated a short time, when he made way for Mr. Edward Humpbries as Clerk and Re- eorder. Mr. Wilson was Circuit Judge for a short time, and on the 7th of August 1819 was appointed to fill the vacancy on the Supreme Bench of the State, created by the resignation of the gentlemanly swindler, William P. Foster, who had never gone near his circuit, but drew his salary with the regularity. of a modern member of cougress. Not much is known by the busy world of to-day of the men who, honestly and intellectually, assisted at the launching of the great ship of state, Illinois. Many of them sleep in obseure graves, their names and deeds uuknown to those who owe them so great a debt of gratitude. They possessed sturdy virtues, and high mental endowments.
William Wilson, at the time he came to assist at the political birth of Jackson county, was scarcely twenty-two years old. His character was spotless and his education, though good, was not collegiate, and his legal at- tainments were fair. "He was social in disposition, candid and artless by nature, with a manner pleasant and winning." After his elevation to bis high office, as one of the Associate Justices of the Supreme bench, he proved a sound judge, and presided with a dignity wbich inspired tbe utmost respect in the bar and attendants."
Mr. Humphries, brother of the receiver of public moneys at Kaskaskia, was succeeded in office by Timothy Nasb, who filled, uutil his death nearly all of the offices of the county. He was Recorder, Judge of Probate, Clerk of the county, and Circuit Clerk. He died in 1820, and Joel Manning was appointed his successor. Before the formation of the county came the Halls, James Hall, Sr., and James Jr., bis son, E. Cannady, John Glenn, and their families. James Harreld was a citizen of our county as early as 1816-see deed-from County Commissioner's court to him.
· The next year, 1817, brought quite an accession to the county. Among tbe immigrants were Samuel Cochran, who bought out Benjamin Walker at the Backbone, Peter Hammons and Richard Lee, a Methodist local preacher,
who lived in Big Hill township, the brothers Giles and Benjamin Heuson, and St. Clair Manson. The last three settled at Big Hill. There came also the Duncans, Joseph, Dr. John S., Polly Ann, and their mother, old Mrs. Moore and her son Ben. These brought a few slaves with them, and also located at Big Hill. Aaron Davis and family, about this time, arrived from Kentucky, and bought a place of Capt. Boon. He was a skillful hunter, and a good farmer. He resided on this farm, now called the Thomas Jenkins' place, until his death in 1826.
Joseph Duncan erected the best house in the county, near the river, just under the Bluffs, which was called the "Whitebouse" as long as it stood. He owned a mill and did a good business. Here the Duneans lived several years. Dr. Duncan is buried there. This year also came Corydon White. and some of the Bildeubacks and William Roberts. A large additional emigration from North Carolina of Germans, settled south of the Big Muddy, at wbat was called Dutchridge. The Etbertons' and some other families settled soutb of the Big Muddy.
A work publisbed a few years since, called the State Atlas, states that Governor Duncan, settled in this country in 1815. This is a mistake, Gov. Duncan came to this county in either 1818 or 1819. Matthew Dun- can settled, however at Fountain Bluff as early as 1815, aud hence the error of the compilers of tbat work. Seeing the name of Duncan, occurring as early as 1815, they hastily concluded it was the goveruor. Some other names are yet to be mentioned. That of a blacksmith named R. W. Allen, who worked in the employ of Capt. Boon, another smith who owned his tools, and had a shop at Big Hill ; Hothbun, had a shop at Brownsville for a while, and was succeeded by Mr. Green, and Hezekiah Davis, who worked on the Big Muddy. The new settlers who came in 1817, legal voters or heads of families were more than a hundred. These were, many of them, men of property and money, and the hard times fled before the revival of business whieb followed their arrival. Mills of better quality than those before known were built in all of the settlements. William Roberts erected one on the Mississippi ; old Mr. House, who had lost an arm in the revolu- tion while fighting for liberty, erected one on the Ridge. The Schwartz's erected a substantial one on the Big Muddy, for the accommodation of that large settlement, while Mr. Lipe owned another. The uames of the follow- lowing persons also appear, though just when they came into the county is not known. John G. Clarke, David Burkey, Kuntz, Teunon, Fuller, Find- ley and Lucas. In 1817, came A. M. Jenkins aud his sister, Diza, to Browns- ville the county seat. Mr. Jenkins fouud a home at Mr. Conrad Wills for a time. His sister lived with Mrs. Griggs, helping her in the boarding house, for some years, until she became the wife of Joel Mauniug.
Gov. A. M. Jenkins was a distinguished citizen of our couuty. He was a young man wben in 1817 he arrived at the county-seat, Brownsville, with his sister Diza. He learned the trade of carpeuter, with Michael Harmon. He was elected constable, and made a faithful officer. He rose to distinction in the State, and at the bar ; for he became a lawyer. He served the people, who delighted to do him honor, energetically and ably. He was at one time Lieut. Governor of Illinois. He was a man of enterprise and activity, and in his life turned his attention to many things. He bought out the Jackson Democrat, the first paper of our county, and edited the same for a short time, and then establisbed another. He was respected highly by his acquaintances, and honored in all the relations of life. He commanded a company in the Black Hawk war, and made an efficient and skillful officer.
MILITIA.
For many years after tbe close of the war of 1812 were held company battalion, and regimental musters, whieb brought together great erowds of people.
" And sleights of art and feats of strength went round."
The militia law required every able-bodied man to perform military duty ; that is, to drill once every month during the year. The battalion drill occurred once in six months only. The drill ground for this county was at Brownsville. Battalion drill day was looked upon as a great day. It gave the old settlers an exeuse to meet on the muster, and clasp friendly hands, as well as to recount the mighty exploits in hunting each had performed since they last met.
It was understood, always, that some of the parties on the way to the ren- dezvous should pass through the woods where deer could be found, and kill a buck or two and bring to the place of training. Then two of the most
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
noted hunters would be detailed to barbecue the venisou, while the others went through the various evolutions and manual exercises. The number belonging to the battalion ranged from seventy to one hundred men. They had their regular officers, who were appointed to their ranks. These officers were Colonel, Lieut. Colonel, Major, Captain, and first and second Lieutenants.
After the exercises in the art of war were over; after the officers, " dressed in a little brief authority," had bawled themselves hoarse ; after the march- ing and counter-marching to the music of the shrill fife and boisterous drums, came the jubilee and the good cheer. The detail would place the nicely- roasted bucks on a scaffold constructed for the purpose, and, upon word being given, each man would draw his knife and hasten to the onset. There were usually present on these occasions an old lady or two, who, enthroned on an ox-cart, sold ginger cakes from a sack made of deerskin, aud a drink called metheglin, compounded of water and honey. The men, while feasting, would gather in groups in the friendly shade, and tell hunting stories, imparting or gaining information as to where the most deer sign were to be found, or making engagements for puppies from the best bitches. Great attention was paid to the procurement of the best breeds of dogs from the older states.
Latterly whiskey was freely retailed at musters, and in consequence tlie good feeling was broken, and training day was often concluded with a num- ber of rough-and-tumble fights. Intemperance and profanity were greatly increased through their agency, while after all apprehensions of danger from Iudians had disappeared, they were productive of no compensating good. President Jackson, appreciating the fact that the musters were prejudicial and destructive of morality, finally recommended their discoutinuance, which recommendation was adopted by Congress, who enacted the legislation neces- sary to carry it into effect.
The people generally were glad of their discontinuance, but some of the offieers who were vaiu-glorious, and delighted iu the bustle attended therein, were far from being satisfied. Thus passed away the " pomp and circum- stance " of mimic war, which engaged the attention of a portion of citizens for a number of years.
To the names already given of old settlers, must be added those of Mr. Cox, who lived iu, and gave his name to, Cox's Prairie, and Mr. Sorrels and family.
There were at this time, only two physicians within the limits of the pre- sent county, namely, Drs. Vail and Witt. It is not thought that these were busy, as the climate of Jacksou was distressingly healthy in early days. Chills aud fever were almost unknowu, and did not appear until after farms began to be rapidly opened up, when decaying vegetation induced them hither.
NAVIGATION OF TIIE BIG MUDDY RIVER.
For the following accouut of the navigation of this tortuous stream, we are maiuly indebted to Edward Newsome, of Carbondale, who has held the office of County Surveyor, aud resided in the county for many years. The first boat, so far as is known, to float upon the bosom of this sluggish little river, was the one built by Mr. Boon, in 1811, and manned by himself and Jeptha Brooks and his black man, Petcr, to which allusion has been made.
In 1814, Mr. Byars steered a boat of stock out of Muddy, for Thomas Cox ; many erroneously suppose this to have been the first boat on the river. In early times, what little commerce there was with New Orleans, was carried ou by means of flat boats or keel boats. A good many boats were built on Muddy, and taken out laden with produce, into the Mississippi. Steam- boats have furrowed the waters of this narrow river, Big Muddy, many and mnauy a time. There are many difficulties in the way of navigation of this stream, the most serious and vexing of which, are the shoals, several of which exist. The shoal at Mount Carbou, just below the bridge, extends some dis- tance, including what used to be known as the Upper (?) Lower Fords. The most remarkable is the Fish Trap shoal, so called because it was such a good place to set a fish trap. This is the largest and most serious obstruction of all, the river being nearly three times its usual width, at this place. There is another at Worthen's place, and just below, a rock rises like a table in the middle of the river, which is covered during the time of high water. At the mouth of Rattlesnake creek, just above the Bald Rock, is another shoal. All those mentioned, are rocky and permanent obstructions, and will be diffi- cult of removal. At the mouth of the Muddy, a shoal of mud is often formed, during a rise of the Mississippi, if the Muddy is low at the same time; but when the Muddy comes down in the pride of her strength, and spreads out over her banks, and the great river has decreased its volume of waters, and hushed partially, its mighty music, then like a braggart, when danger has retired, she shows what she can do by cutting away the obstructing bar of
mud, and again recovers her deep channel. Another difficulty in the navi- gation of this stream, is its extreme sinuosity, for after you descend below Sand Ridge, it is very crooked, with some remarkably acute augles, the most notable of which, is at the Swallow rock, where the river running north 15° east, makes a suddeu turn along the face of the rocky wall aud flows due south. A story, illustrative of this peculiarity of the river, is told of Bat- tese, a French darkey.
Many years ago, in the early times, he was going down the river on a barge by moonlight. When the came to this place, Battese, who had never been there before, was looking at the high rocky wall that arose on the right haud above the tree-tops, then he looked forward to the sudden turn, but could see only trees, he, little thinking that the river ran between his position and that wall, cried out in terror to Mr. Kitchen, who was on the boat with him, " Mr. Kitchen ! Mr. Kitchen ! the river takes to the woods here !"
About the first account we have of a steamer navigatiug the Big Muddy was at the time of the first settling of Murphysboro', when a small steam- boat, named the .Omega steamed up to Mt. Carbon. Strange! that the boat beariug the name of the last letter of the Greek alphabet should have been the first to demonstrate tlie feasibility of steam navigation of the Muddy
It was not until the year 1851 that any other boat was venturesome enough to hazard a trial. On account of the shoals, boats can ouly aseend in high- water, and the sudden bends make it next to impossible for boats to make the turns when the current is strong; so the time usually selected is when the great river, to which it is tributary, rises, which is most generally in June. In the above named year, the Jackson county eoal company. having a quantity of coal on the banks of the river, just below Mount Carbon, they succeeded in charteriug a small steam ferry-boat, called Walk-in-the- Water that had just arrived in St. Louis, to bring down their coal. She came to Mount Carbon, was loaded, as were also two barges, which she took in tow. In a few days she arrived in St. Louis with her barges.
FIRST CARGO OF COAL.
That was the first introduction of this coal iuto the market, and it was then pronounced, by the foundries and gas-works of that city, to be the best coal west of Pittsburg. That verdict has not been reversed till this day. The company were now confident of selling any quantity of coal, so they purchased the Walk-in-the- Water because they considered her a very suitable boat for their use in getting their coal to St. Louis. On the 30th of May, 1851, at 10 o'clock A. M., she started, and arrived opposite Preston be- fore night, at a place selected for a landing, which was afterwards called Sheffield Coal Yard. Ou the 1st day of June, the boat started on the first of her regular trips, which continued until the 10th of July, usually going up the little river one day, aud returning the next. During these passages the Mississippi was continually rising, and continued to rise until the middle of the month, submerging all the bottomis. The water rose to the highest point ever known, with the single exception of the " Great Flood" which occurred in the summer of 1844, and which exceeded even this by four feet, so that the lively little steamer had the best time possible for navigation, so far as plenty of water was concerned. The greatest difficulty in navigating the Muddy by steam was found to be the dangers arisiug iu making the turns at the acute angles of the river, more especially at the sharp bends north of Conner's old steam mill and at Swallow Rock. Iu many cases, the boat would swing around sideways, and come in coutact with the overhanging trees, which line the chianuel the whole distance; then either the trees had to give way or damage would be inflicted upon the craft; often both trees and boat would suffer injury; but at the turns above mentioned they found it necessary to shut off steam, and push her around with poles. At one time, a snag that leaned out from the bank and overhung the water, struck the boat on the side of the cabin, rubbed along until it came to the first window, wlieu it pushed its ugly head iu, and tore the whole side out from theuce to the stern. It went into the bunks and stole a blanket, which was left suspeuded on the end of the snag. The owner of the bunk, from which the blanket was taken, who must have been somewhat of a wag, said the suag should have been welcome to the blanket had it not taken his tobacco also. On another occasion, when a family was on board, with their teams and stock, moving from the island to escape from the high water that threatened them, the boat collided with a tree, and showered the large limbs ou the deck ; one came ncar killiug Mr. Temples, and badly frightened his horses; another struck the smoke-stack and punched a hole in it, disturbed the pilot in his reverie by threatening to upset the pilot-house ; so that by the time the boat had finished her trip, she presented much the same appearance as that
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
afforded by a steamer on the Mississippi, after running the blockade at Vicksburg during the late rebellion.
At another time, by some mistake in the signal-bells, they ran the boat ashore. She ran several trees under water, and tore off one of her guards completely ; no one expected she would float again ; she was permanently crippled ; however, the hull was found to be entirely uninjured. After run- ning his boat awhile, Mr. Smith, the pilot, put on a whistle, and delighted to wake the echoes and scare the iuhabitants with its ear-splitting scream. When he passed Swallow Rock with his whistle the first time after its addi- tion, several men and women were standing above on the roek, looking down at the boat, when the pilot let on such a sudden scream that the women were very much frightened, and immediately fled the scene .. At every bend would this jolly pilot whistle loud and long, and when he arrived at the mines, nearly the whole population had assembled to learn what was coming, for most of them had uever heard the sound of a steam-whistle before. It was a common saying that Henry Dillinger and George Mckinney had dug out the channel of Big Muddy, so one day, when the boat took to the trees oftener thau was usual, Mr. Holden, who was ou board, suddenly called out, " George Mc Kinney ! George Mckinney !! " "Here ! What do you want?" answered George. "Why did you make this river so erooked, when you dug it, instead of making it straight ?" " Well, Holden," George replied, "we had to dig most of it in the dark, and so could not see to make it straighter ; so, I guess, you will have to put up with it as it is."
On the 6th of June, as the boat was ascending the river, the pilot, Smith, was at supper. Jut Jukes, his cub, was at the wheel, when suddenly a large log appeared, reaching completely across the channel. Smith ran to the pilot-house, but, by the time he reached it, the boat had struck the log, so all steam was crowded on, and the boat was made to climb over it She was a very staunch craft or she would have been sunk; as it was, she was not injured. One day they found a house iu the river. It was a log house, with a clap-board roof; the house floated deep in the current, only the roof pro- jecting above the surfacc. There was a hole in the roof where the boards had been pushed aside by some one apparently anxious to vacate his watery domicile. The great haste with which he did so, being eviuced by his hav- ing neglected to take his trousers along with him, and which were on the roof.
The water was so high that, in going down the river, no land could be seen below Sand Ridge on the west side, and none on either side below Bald Rock, the whole of the lower levels being inundated. The great Father of Waters was then from four to five miles in width. It is related that during the rising of the great river, Big Muddy was forced to reverse its course, and run up stream with a strong eurrent for a month, so that at one time the boat found the Island channel choked with drift, which they worked at all day to try to get loose, but without success ; they finally weut round by the other channel next day, leaving a gang of men to work it loose. By the time the boat returned, the vexatious obstruction had been removed. One day the Walk-in-the- Water had company, for the stem ferry-boat Jonesboro, at Willard's Landing, followed her up the river to the mines, and taking on a load of coal, returned. Some enterprising chap of Chester put a small engine on a flat-boat, built a small cabin, and fixing a wheel at the stern, made several trips in safety. At a sharp bend the Walk-in -- the- Water came near colliding with his boat. Mr. J. M. Morgan was on the small boat, with a lot of goods purchased for his store in Murphysboro. He looked out, surprised and somewhat frightened, for, if the boats had struck, the smaller would in all probability have gone to the bottom.
After the Walk-in-the- Water had finished for the season her work of taking out coal, she was sent to Thebes and loaded with steamboat lumber. Mr. Gross took command, and she started for St. Louis. She landed at the mouth of Muddy, and took in tow a barge loaded with staves and hoop- poles. On the 26th of July she went upon a sand-bar and there stuck. The water falling made the prospect of getting her off rather doubtful. The next day, she got off, however, and again steamed up the river. Ou the 28th she encountered a severe storm, and the barge sunk ; they were compelled to cut it loose, and it was a total loss. The boat reached St. Louis safely that night.
The following summer this boat was repaired, a new cabin, higher than the old one by one story, was built on her, and she was again started on regular trips up the Muddy. The pilot was now familiar with the stream, and more skilled in the management of his boat, so that the boat made her passages with much less difficulty, and finished her trips in good condition. In 1853, the Walk-in-the- Water again appeared on the scene, but having
showed the way to navigate Big Muddy by steam, she had company all the season. That Chester man, having built a larger boat than before, put his engine and wheel on her and named her the Silver Lake, made several voy- ages up to Mt. Carbon.
This year, the Illinois Central Rail Road was in process of construction, and several small steamers were employed to take railroad iron up the river to the railroad bridge, four miles north of Carbondale. These boats, to- gether with the Silver Lake and the Walk-in-the- Water made Big Muddy quite a lively stream for two months ; for a person could scarcely go near the river without seeing a steamboat go past, or hearing the whistle sounding through the woods. They not only carried iron to the railroad, but one day a boat took up a locomotive, which was landed on the north side of the river aud hauled up on the track, so they laid the track from the river north- ward. The boats also landed iron at the mouth of Sugar Creek, which was hauled ou wagons to the railroad at a point two miles south of Carbondale.
After the year 1853, the Walk-in-the- Water had the river to herself as before. She continued her annual trips for several years, until there came a time when, for two summers, the Mississippi did not rise high enough to float her over the shoals ; the coal accumulated on the banks of the river, and much loss to the company was the consequence. When the river did rise, the coal was all taken out, but the company soon afterwards abandoned the mines, and thus Big Muddy River was left to its original solitude again, and now that there are several bridges across the stream, (viz. : three rail- road bridges and three wagon bridges,) the navigation thereof is precluded for the future.
In 1817 came from Pennsylvania, Peter Kimmel, and a short time after, his son Singleton H. Kimmel, who had first located at Shannertown, joined him here. These were the first of the name in our county. Their descen- dant are numerous and all arc among our most excellent citizens.
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