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 8
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It was some years after the first settlements were made before sheep could be profitably reared. The whole country was filled with wolves, which had not yet vanished before the rifle and woodman's ax. After the wolves had been nearly all destroyed, it was found that sheep were unprofitable and hard to rear; and owing to the richness of their pasture they became too fat. It was probably as late as 1824 or '25 before the settlers became acquainted with jeans.
As a substitute for wool, on one occasion at least, the wool or fur of the opossum was used. Sallie Roberts knit socks made of this, and the socks were pronounced good by those who wore them. Every house contained cards, wheels, and a loom, which were considered by the women as necessary for them as was the rifle for men.
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Many times, when the men gathered to a log-rolling or barn-raising, the women would also assemble, bringing their spinning-wheels with them. In this way sometimes as many as fifteen or twenty would be found in one room, and the pleasant voices of the fair spinners were mingled with the low hum of the spinning-wheels. " Oh! golden early days !"
Such articles of apparel as could not be manufactured, and were abso- lutely essential, were brought from the nearest store, which was at Kaskas- kia. These were few, however. The men and boys wore pantaloons made of the dressed skin of the deer, which were then found in great numbers. The young man, who desired to look captivating in the eye of the maiden whom he loved, had his "bucks" fringed, which lent them a not unpleasing effect. Meal sacks were also made of buckskin. Their caps were made of the skins of the wolf, fox, wild-cat, and musk-rat, tanned with the fur on. The tail of the fox or wolf often hung down from the top of the cap, lending the wearer a picturesque and jaunty appearance. Their feet were clad in moccasins, until they learned to tan leather. The process of tanning was soon learned, on account of its simplicity. A large log was hollowed out, and formed the vat, in which, with the bark of the oak, they tanned the hides. They dressed it with a drawing-knife, and greased it with coon, opossum or bear's oil. There were no shoemakers, and every family made their own shoes. The men divided their time between hunting and farming. Each had his rifle always in good order; his flints, bullet-molds, screw- driver, awl, butcher-knife, and tomahawk were fastened to the shot-pouch strap or to the belt around the waist.
The buckskin breeches were exceedingly comfortable in dry weather, but far from it in wet. George Holliday tells the following anecdote of a cir- custance that occured on Big Muddy in days when men wore " bucks." At the house of an old settler, a young lady of attractions was making her home, and thither came a courting, a stalwart young man dressed in the usual garb of the time, his nether limbs being tightly encased in" " bucks." His visit was made on a winter evening. The weather had been moderate for some days, and the early portion of the night, while raining, sleeting and snowing by turns, was tolerably comfortable.
" The golden hours on angel wings Flew o'er him and his dearie,"
and bed time came all too soon for the loving twain. The inclemency of the weather was such as to forbid his returning home that night. He was politely shown, by the loved damsel, into a room where he was to sleep, the roof of which, was sadly out of repair. The youth hastily divested himself of his buckskin trowsers, dropped them carelessly on the floor, and crept to bed, to live again in dreams, the happy hours that he had passed in the society of his charmer. The night, it has been said, was very stormy, and rapidly grew colder. His buckskin breeches were considerably open at the place of greatest circumference The wind blew fiercely, and drove the sleet and snow in masses through the defective roof, and into the poor fellow's " bucks" who was unconsciously dreaming beneath the coverings. The in- tense cold, towards morning, froze the snow 'and sleet, which had filled his trowsers, into a solid block of ice. When he arose in the morning and found it out of the question to get even a foot into the leg of his pants, his feelings may better be imagined than described. He stood on the cold floor in night clothes, that are said to have been somewhat abbreviated, the thermometer standing below zero, with a downward tendency, and thought " what shall I do ? " There was but one thing to do, thaw them out, so into the family room he went, with " bucks " in hand, up to the only fireplace in the house, and set them down upon the hearth. They stood erect as though containing the limbs of a pioneer, and thus he left them to thaw, while he went back to bed. But the troubles of the hapless youth, were not yet ended. The side next the fire thawed first, and as the ice gave way, the "bucks " toppled over towards the flames. The leather began to scorch and draw into patches ; the old settler smelling the odor, hastily sprang from his bed to save the breeches, but he was too late, they were a total wreck. The condi- tion of the young man seemed indeed desperate ; his home was miles away, and the cold was severe. The old man came to his relief, loaned him a pair of bucks, and sent him on his way. It was long before he called again. He married another girl, reared a large family of children, was elected County Commissioner of. Jackson county, and was, for some years, a Justice of the Peace, was a faithful and capable officer. He died in 1852 or '53.
In these days of furbelows and flounces, when twenty-five and thirty yards are required by one fair damsel, for a dress, it. is refreshing to know that the ladies of that ancient day considered six yards an extravagant amount to put into one dress. The dress was made plain, with two widths in the skirt, the front one cut gored. The waist was very short, and across the shoulders, behind, was a draw-string. The sleeves were enormously large, and tapered from shoulder to wrist and the most fashionable, for fashion, like love, rules alike " the court and grove," were padded, so as to resemble a bolster at the upper part, and were called " sheep-shank sleeves." . Those who could afford it, used feathers, which gave the sleeve the appearance of an inflated balloon from elbow up, and were known as " pillow sleeves." Some of these were extremely large, extending up to the ears, and almost, obscuring the countenance. Paper was used when feathers or pads were not obtainable. Kissing the girls at parties, was called, by the young men, " squeezing the pillows." The bonnet, was usually of tow, made for splits. Many bows and some ribbons, were worn, but scarcely any jewelry. The tow dress was super- seded by the cotton gown. Around the neck, instead of lace collar or ele- gant ribbon, there was disposed a copperas-colored neckerchief. The women mostly went barefoot in summer; in winter, they wore moccasins and shoe- packs. In going to church or other public gathering, they walked barefoot till they arrived in sight of their destination, when they would stop and put on their moccasins. They were contented and even happy without any of the elegant articles of apparel now used by the ladies, and considered neces- sary articles of dress. Ruffles, fine laces, silk hats, kid gloves, false curls, rings, combs, and jewels, were nearly unknown ; nor did their lack of them " vex their souls." Many of them were grown before they ever saw the in-
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
side of a respectable dry goods store. They were reared in simplicity, lived in simplicity, and were happy in simplicity.
'The mothers of our Forest-Land 1 Stont-hearted dames were they ; With nerve to wield the battle-brand, And join the border fray. Our rough land had no braver In its days of toil and strife- Aye, ready for severest toil, Aye, free to peril life.
The mothers of our Forest-Land ! How shared they, with each dauntless band, War's tempest and Life's toil ? They shrank not from the foeman- They quailed not in the fight- But cheered their husbands through the day, And soothed them through the night.
The mothers of our Forest-Land ! Their bosoms pillowed men ! And proud were they by such to stand, In hammock, fort, or glen,
Toload the sure old rifle- To run the leaden ball-
To watch a battling husband's place, And fill it should he fall.
The mothers of our Forest-Land ! Such were their daily deeds. Their monument 1-where does it stand 1 Their epitaph 1-who reads? No braver dames had Sparta, No nobler matrons, Rome-
Yet who lauds or honors them, E'en in their own green home!
The mothers of our Forest-Land ! They sleep in unknown graves, And had they borne and nursed a band Of ingrates or of slaves, They had not now been neglected."
The settlers generally brought some food with them to last till a crop could be raised. Hence, after a short time, they were dependent on their own exertions. It may be interesting to direct attention in few words more specifically to the diet. Wild meat was plentiful. Small patches of Indian corn were raised, which in the earliest days of settlement was beaten in a mortar. This made wholesome, but coarse bread, on which they could not shut their teeth very close on account of the grit it contained. Hog and hominy made a favorite dish, and also hoe-cake and gravy. Johnny-cakes and pones were served up at dinner, while milk and mush was the dish for supper. The streams abounded in fish, which formed a healthful article of diet, Many kinds of greens, such as dock and polk, were eaten. The " truck-patch " furnished roasting-ears, pumpkins, beans, squashes and po- tatoes, and these were used by all. For reaping-bees, log-rollings, and house-raisings, the standard dish was pot-pie. The typical woodsman thought coffee and tea fit only for sick women and children, and said they would not "stick to the ribs." Many kinds of fruits were contributed by generous nature. Wild grapes, cherries, plums, paw-paws, persimmons, crab-apples, red and black haws, and plums were plentiful in their season.
The amusements of that day were more rude and athletic than now. Among settlers in a wilderness, from the very nature of the case, a higher value is placed upon physical than upon mental endowments. Skill in wood- craft, superiority of muscular development, accuracy in target-shooting with the rifle, activity, swiftness of foot, were qualifications which brought their possessor fame. Foot-racing was often practiced, and the Jackson County settlements contained some runners of uncommon swiftness. Thomas Whit- son, whose sons are living east of Big Hill, at the old homestead, was cele. brated among the pioneers for his fleetness. He ran many races before there appeared a champion who was able to develop a burst of speed sufficient to beat him. A match was at last made between him and Marble Henson, which Mr. Henson won. But perhaps the most rapid runner which Jackson could boast was John Bittle. This man was a soldier in the war of 1812, and no one in His company or regiment could equal his astonishing speed. He defeated both Mr. Whitson and Mr. Henson. At the treaty of Fort Ash Mr. Bittle was victorious against all comers.
Target-shooting was practiced much, and shots were made by the hunters and settlers with flint-lock rifles that can scarcely be equalled by their chil- dren with the improved breech-loaders of this day. There was hardly a settler but shot well, but some few were especially celebrated for their skill. Among the first, if not the first, was Capt. William Boon, the ranger. Other distinguished marksmen were the Davis', James and Joshua, and Zekiel Tucker. Jumping and wrestling were indulged in, and those who excelled were thenceforward men of notoriety. Cards, dice, and other gambling implements were unknown. Dancing was a favorite amusement. It was participated in by all.
"Alike all ages ; dames of ancient days Have led their children through the mirthful maze, And the gray grandsire, skilled in gestic lore, Has frisked beneath the burden of three score."
From 1820 to 1830 a barbarous sport known as " gander pulling " was frequently indulged in by the young men. Whiskey was provided, and a pony purse was made up, or a premium was offered. A gander was then taken, and his neck was thoroughly greased or soaked, when he was tied by the feet to a springing pole, which was eight or nine feet from the ground. The riders then mounted, and spurred full speed under the pole, and endea- voured to jerk off the hapless gander's head. The first one who grabbed usually turned the feathers on the gander's neck the wrong way, and caused the neck to appear still more slender. A man was posted with a whip near the gander to whip up the horses, so that all would shoot by the pole at the same rate of speed.
We are glad to know that this brutalizing sport is a thing of the past. It is certainly possible for a rational being to amuse himself without inflicting pain upon helpless animals.
Disputes were settled often by a square stand-up fight, and no one thought of using other weapons than those of nature. They held no grudges after their fights, for this was considered unmanly. It was the rule that, if a fight occurred between two persons, the victor should pour water for the defeated as he washed away the traces of the fray, after which the latter was to perform the same service for the former.
On one occasion a couple of old " cubs " got into a fight. They "fibbed " away merrily on each others' ribs, for a while, struck out viciously for the " bread baskets," handled their " mauleys " dexterously, sent in " stingers " on " potato-traps," pasted each other hotly in their respective "smellers," after the most approved style of the fistic art, and in accordance with the rules of the "London prize ring." At last one got the head of the other in " chancery," and he was forced to cry " enough." As the winner of the first round was pouring water upon the hands of the loser, the latter said, " Well, you have whipped me, but I will bet you five venison hams that my wife can whip your wife. The bet was at once taken, and the time appointed for the "set-to" between the women. When they mentioned the matter to their spouses, however, they found them utterly unwilling to so unscx and disgrace themselves, and so the affair endcd.
Among the early settlers money was scarcely known of. Of this fact we have once briefly spoken, but now wish to be more explicit. In lieu of a medium of exchange, barter was adopted. Cattle were made the standard of value. A first-rate cow and calf were considered to be worth at trade rates, ten dollars ; a second-rate cow and calf were valued at eight dollars, and a third-rate cow and her calf were estimated to be worth only six dol- lars. The value of all other property was estimated by rate, and if there was a dispute as to its value, it was left to arbitration by neighbors, whose judg- ment was as that of the supreme court, and from which there was no appeal. All contracts made for years between parties, if there were a disagreement, were passed upon in this way, and their meaning defined. Beef was worth about one-half a cent a pound, and pork was about the same price, but no cash market existed for it anywhere. There were no regular religious ser- vices, and no system of schools in which to educate the settlers' children. A few subscription schools were taught in the country previous to the organiza- tion of the county in 1816. The teacher would commonly go among the settlers and get the number of children subscribed. The usual price of sub- scription was two dollars and fifty cents per scholar for a term of three months. Public-spirited settlers, who had no children, would frequently tell the teacher to go on and see how many he could enroll, and then if there were not enough to pay him for his services, to come to them again, when they would sign one or two, or more pupils. They clearly apprehended the
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HISTORY OF JACKSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
great principle underlying our public free-school system, that " the property of all should aid in the education of the children." Educate the child and he becomes a blessing not only to his parents, but.to his neighborhood, to his county, to his state, and to his country. Like the air and light, his influence cannot be confined, but will be shed freely upon all men.
The "band mills" were built in a very simple way, upon a cheap plan, and were driven by horse-power. The horse-power consisted of a large up- right shaft, twelve feet in height, with some eight or ten long arms let into the main shaft, and extending out from it 15 feet. Auger-holes were bored into the arms on the upper side at the end, into which wooden pins were driven. This was called the " big wheel," and was, as has been seen, about 20 feet in diameter.
The raw-hide belt or tug was made of skins, taken off of beef cattle, which were cut into strips 3 inches in width , these were twisted into a round cord or tug, which was long enough to encircle the circumference of the big wheel, where it was held in place by the wooden pins, then to cross and pass under a shed to run around a drum, or what was called a " trunnel head," which was attached to the grinding apparatus. The horses were hitched to the arms by means of rawhide tugs attached to the arms. Then walking in a circle the machinery would be set in motion. To grind ten bushels of corn was considered a good day's work for a band mill.
The settlers often went to Riley's Mill, near Kaskaskia, to get their grain ground.
The early settlers were honest and law-abiding. When all danger from Indians had happily passed away, the use of bolts and bars became obsolete. Such a crime as larceny rarely occurred, and when it did occur, generally was suggested by the pressing necessities of the thief. We have space for an account of a hog-stealing scrape that happened in the "good old days." A man, by the name of Wolf, was brought before one of the lower courts, charged with stealing a hog. When the charges were read, and he was asked by the court if he were guilty or not guilty, he coolly addressed him- self to the court, saying : " If your honor please, I believe I am ; but if you have any doubts as to the facts, just call up Bill Page; he was with me and got half of the shoat. But," said he, " we needed it, or we would not have taken it." The court considered the matter for some time in silence, and then proceeded to announce the verdict, as follows: "It appears from the testimony that you, Wolf, the defendant in this suit, have violated the statutory law of the state, and are guilty of a misdemeanor. Your are fined five gallons of whiskey, and the costs; the court to be paid in deer skins killed in the short-blue season." An explanation of the meaning of the phrase, "short-blue season," may be necessary. The deer sheds its coat twice a year. The thick and heavy winter coat is shed in the spring, and its place is supplied by a light and thin coat of hair; in September this is changed for a thick coat of iron-gray or cloudy blue hair. The season when this coat succeeds the other is called the blue-season, and at this time the skins are most valuable and durable.
The majority of the settlers were poor, hence poverty carried with it no sense of degradation like that felt by the very poor of our age. They lived, it is true, in a cabin, but it was their own, reared by their hands. They were destitute of many of the conveniences of life, and of some things that are now considered necessaries; but they patiently endured their lot, and cheerfully looked forward to better days. They had plenty to wear as pro- tection against the weather, and an abundance of wholesome food. They sat down to a rude table to eat off of pewter dishes, but the meat thereon spread -the flesh of the deer or bear, of the squirrel or wild duck-was superior to that which we eat, and was won by the skill of the head of the house, or of his vigorous sons. The bread which they ate was ground from corn or wheat of their own raising. They walked the green carpet of the grand forest that surrounded them, not with the air of a beggar, but with the elastic step of a self-respecting freeman.
The grater was used to supply them with meal, until hand-mills took their place. Often they took their grain to have it ground at Riley's Mill, near Kaskaskia, around which cluster so many deeply interesting historical recol- lections. The following description of it is taken from " Historical Sketches of Randolph County."
RILEY'S MILL.
This is situated on the eastern side of Kaskaskia. For aught that is now known to the contrary, the first mill that was erected in Illinois may have stood upon this mill site ; for the time previous to the building of a mill there,
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has passed from the traditions of Kaskaskia. Certain it is, however, that a mill was standing there one hundred and fifty years ago. According to the title records, now in possession of Mr. Riley, the name of the person owning the mill at that period was Prix Pagi. [This name is somewhat confounded with that of Paget, and as the French pronounced both names, it is probable that it is the same name, though spelled differently. Peck and Reynolds both employ Paget, in reference to . this miller, but the name in the deed of conveyance which Mr. Riley holds, is spelled Pagi.] He erected a stone building, and manufactured flour for the New Orleans and Mobile markets. How long he continued to run the mill is not known, but he lost his life in one of those tragic scenes common to Indian barbarity. One day while su- perintending the operations of the mill, the premises were attacked by a band of Kickapoo Indians, and he was murdered in a most shocking manner. When the attack was made upon the mill, a negro escaped by a back way, fled to the town and gave the alarm. The people came and found the body of Pagi upon the floor mangled and cut to pieces. The head was severed from the body, scalped, and thrown into the hopper.
After the death of Pagi, the mill was abandoned and became a ruin-the walls only remaining. About the year 1795, General Edgar purchased the tract of land and rebuilt the mill. The mill-pond, situated about three hun- dred yards distant from the mill, was made by nature, and apparently des- ignated for the purpose. It covers an area of about forty acres, and is sur- rounded by an irregular range of hills, with an outlet for the water on the side towards the mill, about three hundred feet wide. An embankment, or dam, was made across this outlet, and the water forced to pass through an arched culvert, at the end of which is a gate to regulate the passage of the water. During the interval in which the mill ceased to run, this dam was almost destroyed by the wear of the floods, but it was repaired by General Edgar, and made more substantial than before. At this time these repairs were made, Mrs. Edgar and "Dice," a negress belonging to the family, planted some little cotton-wood scions in mellow dirt, which have grown to be stately trees. The regular order in which these are standing upon that em- bankment has prompted many a curious conjecture. Strangers visiting the ground are apt to notice this regularity.
Gen. Edgar kept the mill in operation for many years, and the pioneers, as they came to the country and settled in different parts of the county, re- sorted to it to have their milling done. A few of those relics of early days are still remaining, and they retain vivid recollections of the days when they rode astride of a horse, with a sack containing two bushels of corn for a saddle, a distance of ten or fifteen miles, to " Edgar's Mill," and waited and fished in the mill-pond until their " turn " was ground. Waiting for " turns " was an interesting epoch for boys whose social disposition found but few opportuni- ties for exercise in their isolated homes. Many a happy hour has been whiled away around that old mill, by the boys who congregated there from different settlements. " Mill boys " did not require the formalities of an introduction before they joined in a game of marbles or bat. It was a privilege to go to mill, and the longer they had to wait the better it pleased them.
With men it was different. They were always in a hurry, and jealous of their rights. If one was ever cheated out of his " turn," which sometimes happened, a fight was the result. But these happy days for boys, and hours of nervous anxiety for men, have passed away.
The mill ceased to operate again while yet in the hands of General Edgar, and remained still for several years. In 1832 it was purchased by Messrs. Feaman & Co. It was again repaired and put in good business order. This company conducted it for some years, when it again changed hands.
It came into the possession of the present enterprising -proprietor, Mr. Daniel Riley, in 1842. Formally, the water was conveyed to the wheel through hollow logs. Since Mr. Riley has had it, he has constructed a substantial frame work for this conveyance, and has made such other improvements as prevents the waste of water, and secures a sufficient quantity to keep the mill running, with about fourteen horse power, during nearly the whole season.
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