History of Jefferson County, Illinois, Part 43

Author: Perrin, William Henry, d. 1892?
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Chicago : Globe Pub. Co., Historical Publishers
Number of Pages: 570


USA > Illinois > Jefferson County > History of Jefferson County, Illinois > Part 43


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Ohio, who was the Vice Presidential candi- date on the ticket with Gen. MeClellan in 1864. Since the adoption of township or- ganization, the township officials of Pendle- ton have been as follows:


Supervisors-W. A. Jones, 1870; Solomon Patterson, 1871; R. Brown, 1872-73; T. J. Holland, 1874; A. Kniffen, 1875: John Gib- son, 1876; T. J. Holland, 1877; R. Brown, 1878-79; W. S. Alexander, 1880-81; J. A. Wilbanks, 1882; L. E. Jones, 1883.


Township Clerks. - H. Patterson, 1872; L. W. Cremens, 1873; W. W. Watters, 1874 to 1876; J. S. Brooks, 1877; R. W. Shelton, 1878; J. W. Gilpin, 1879; C. M. Jackson, 1880-81; S. C. Gilbert, 1882-83.


Assessors .- J. Guthrie, 1872 to 1874; H. Patterson, 1875-76; O. P. Nesmith, 1877; J. Gnthrie, 1878; E. Price, 1879-80; D. D. Smith, 1881: W. H. Estes, 1882-83.


Collectors. - J. A. Creel, 1872; T. Cornel- ins, 1873; J. Maulding, 1874-75 ; A. Kniffen. 1876 to 1878; O. M. D. Ham, 1879; L. E. Jones, 1880; R. G. Wall, 1881; J. Guthrie, 1882; O. M. D. Ham, 1883.


Highway "Commissioners .- W. B. Good- ner, W. C. Henry, J. N. Miller, E. Jones, G. A. Creel, E. Moore, J. W. Miller, E. Jones, William Barbee, J. Smith, P. Will- iamson, J. B. Jones and R. G. Wall.


Justices of the Peace. -- William Carpenter and G. W. Bliss, 1870; Alfred Moore and G. W. Bliss, 1871-72; O. M. Tennison, 1873 to 1876; G. D. Jones and E. Price, 1877-80; J. R. Williams and A. C. Jones, the present incumbents.


Constables .- S. Tennison, W. H. Estes, S. L. Holder, J. E. Miller, J. Boswell, G. H. Edwards, S. L. Holder, L. McCann, W. Car- penter, E. B. Jacobson and William Price.


The following are the township officers of Moore's Prairie since the date of township organization:


357


HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.


Supervisors .- Q. A. Wilbanks, 1870; W. Oram, 1871-72; R. W. Burshead, 1873-74; C. H. Judd, 1875; W. G. Casey, 1876; C. H. Judd, 1977-78; J. H. Smith, 1879; A. J. Lionberger, 1880; J. D. Kniffen, 1881; A. J. Lionberger, 1832; G W. Clark, 1893


Town Clerks -C. C. Allen, 1872 to 1874; J. McPherson, 1875-76; J. H. Zahn, 1877- 78; W. H. Cofield, 1879; T. N. Woodruff, 1980 to 1892; J. W. Nooner. 1883.


Assessors .- W. G. Casey, 1872 to 1874; J. H. Smith, 1875; R. F. Heck, 1876; W. H. Hunter, 1877-78; A. Kniffen, 1879; R. S. Compton. 1880; J. H. Price, 1881; W. H. Cofield, 1832; O. H. Birkhoa1, 1893.


Collectors .-- J. A. Irvin, 1872; J. D. Kniffen, 1873-74; H. C. Allen, 1875; E. F. Burchead. 1876; A. Kniffen, 1877; W. H. Cofield, 1878; J. D. Kniffen, 1879-80; George Shipley, 1881; G. N. Allen, 1882- 83.


School Treasurers .- H. C. Allen, 1875; C. H. Jndd, 1876; W. G. Clark, 1877-78; D. S. Hunter. 1879; C. H. Judd, 1880; J. T. Watters, 1881; C. H. Birkhead, 1892; E. N. Karn, 1883.


Highway Commissioners .- J. Lionberger, Henry Bonnett, J. T. Watters, W. F. Wi- ley. J. S. Brooks. J. Hopkins, W. J. Fin- ley. Joseph Shirley, William Cofield, J. H. Zahn and J. A. Smith.


Justices of the Peace. - Edward Price, D. Boyle3, R. S. Compton and H. L. N. Mills.


Constables. - J. J. Fannin, F. Hicks, J. S. Cook, T. G. Barnett, T. Shipley. William Pearson, T. Shipley, G. Keons and J. W. Heck, Jr.


These townships, particularly Pendleton, are well supplied with villages. Lynchburg was laid out in 1852-53, by W. H. Lynch, who immortalized himself by giving it his name. It is located in Sections 5 and 8 of Pendleton Township, and originally com-


prised four blocks of eight lots each. Mr. Johnson gives the following introduction to the history of Lynchburg:


At the time Lynchburg was laid out, Jon- athan Belien lived at Mount Vernon, mak- ing himself conspicuous as an exhorter, in a protracted meeting. Lynch moved a small log house to the southwest corner of his town, and into this moved Belieu. The lat- ter built a frame addition to the end of the house, for goods, but by this time he had no means left. To replenish; his treasury, he resorted to measures not becoming a good Christian and an exhorter. He took one horse from Mr. Smith in Mount Vernon and one from a negro near town. These he took to Fairfield, sold Smith's horse and was re- turning home on the other, intending to turn him loose on Black-oak Ridge and walk home. But he missed his calculations by about half a mile. Just before he came to his place to change cars, he was met by Capt. Newby, who at once recognized him and the horse, and marched him on to town. Into jail he went. He was visited by his poor, afflicted wife, who brought him an auger, with which he bored the door in twain and made his es- cape. Dr. Gray found him, brought him back to town, and again he was incarcerated, this time in the dungeon. Then he tore his blanket into strips, and by its aid got through the scuttle hole up stairs, and when Mr. Thorn went to pass his breakfast down to him, he slipped out in his sock feet and again made his escape. This was the last heard of him and his family soon followed. This was quite a blow to the town, but Bar- net Lynch moved into the deserted house and built a small shop east of it. Then W. H. Lynch and Stephen G. Hicks built a storehouse and opened out a stock of goods. Lynch bought ont Hicks, and in 1854 sold to Russell Brown. D. E. Lynch came about


358


HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.


this time and built a blacksmith shop east of Barnet's shop. Soon after selling out to Brown, Lynch died and Brown undertook to make an addition to the town, when the fact was developed that there was no town on record to add to. So he waited till the Legislature assembled, when he got Gen. Auderson, then in the Legislature, to put a bill through, by which the original survey of Lynchburg was legalized and the title of purchasers established. This act is dated February 17, 1857, but Brown's Addition bears date July 31, 1854. A little later a post office was established. T. O. Brown joined his brother, Russell, in the store, but a year or two afterward they sold out to Dr. Short. He (Short) was a leading and active spirit until his death, which occurred in 1859. He built a house just north of town, and also a mill, and practiced his profession. Charles Rahm traded his farm for Anderson & Mills' stock of goods at Mount Vernon, and moved it to this place, where he flourished for a brief season.


At one time Lynchburg had a fair, even flattering, prospect for a railroad, and it ap- peared accordingly. Houses were built. stores opened and business flourished. Ben- jamin Brewer built a house; Davenport also improved; Richard Lyon, from Mount Ver- non, opened a stock of goods and built one or two houses, thus making times pretty lively. Frank Parker built a two-story honse and Dr. Stonemets came to where Major Estes lives. Brown made a second addition to the town and Romine also made an addition. Dr. Gray for several years had a business house. About the year 1862, a schoolhouse was built, with a hall above. But the poet of Bonny Doon tells us that the likes of "men and mice gang aft aglee," so it was with Lynchburg. When the St. Louis & Southeastern Railroad was built it passed


Lynchburg " by on the other side." With the railroad came Opdyke and Belle Rive, and Lynchburg went. Montgomery and Stone- mets went to Opdyke; Davenport went to Belle Rive, and so the town scattered. There is but little left of it now but a store and a shop or two, with a few dwelling houses.


"A place for idle eyes and ears, A cobwebbed nook of dreams; Left by the stream whose waves are years The stranded village seems."


Belle Rive was laid out April 1, 1871, on Section 27 of Pendleton Township. It was surveyed by Mr. Williams for Moses Wat- ers, William Canfield and Jesse Laird, the owners of the land upon which it is located. The original plat was sixty-seven blocks: Waters afterward four blocks and Laird eight blocks, and like all new railroad towns, it improved rapidly. It drew inhabitants from the other hamlets in the county until they were left almost depopulated. Lynch- burg and Spring Garden particularly suf- fered in this respect. A number of men came from the latter place; Barbee moved in from the prairie and put up a mill. Dr's. Hughey and Eaton, from Harris Grove, moved in, and Mr. Wall came from Farring- ton; Boudinot came from St. Louis and opened a store, and Howard opened a lumber yard; other mills were built. A schoolhouse was built, and soon every branch of business is represented in the live little town. At present the business of the place is about as follows: R. J. Eaton, W. S. Chaney, J. W . Wright, S. T. Grimes, general stores; S. C. Guthrie, drugs; J Guthrie & Son, dry goods and post office; R M. Seeley, M. D. Guthrie, J. Parks, J. Griffin, grocery stores; T. L. Boswell, hardware; G. P. Yeakley, tinware; Hunter & Davenport, lumber and farming implements; John Garner, harness and saddlery; J. W. Miller, furniture; J. H.


359


HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.


Gilpen, restaurant and family grocery; Belle Rive Hotel, by Jesse Laird; Miller Hotel, by John Miller; Buchanan & Co., lumber yard; physicians, W. R. Ross, W. A. Hughey, E. M. Miller and R. J. Eaton; J. W. Piper, Police Magistrate; Rudd & Maulding, blacksmiths; E. E. Fancher and Smith, wagon and blacksmith shops; L. D. Davenport, blacksmith; L. C. Waters, attor ney; F. M. Goodwin, tailor, and Miss Leake, millinery.


A Christian Church was organized about 1873-74; a good frame edifice has been built. Elder B. R. Gilbert is present pas- tor.


A Masonic lodge was organized in 1871, with C. S Todd Worshipful Master. They meet in a hall over Dr. R. J. Eaton's store. The membership is about forty-five. with C. S. Todd, Master; Edward Miller, Senior Warden; E. N. Karn, Junior Warden; R. M. Seeley, Secretary. In 1878, this lodge was consolidated with the lodge of Middle- ton, Wayne County.


Belle Rive was incorporated under the general law in 1872, and the present are the Board of Trustees: B. R. Gilbert, Jesse Laird. Scott Cook, C. A. Baker, H. A. Shields and W. A. Hunter. Of this board, B. R. Gilbert is President and J. W. Piper, Clerk.


Opdkye was laid out April 14, 1871, and like Belle Rive, its neighbor, was the result of building the railroad. It is located in Section 17 of Pendleton Township, and had almost as many proprietors as blocks in its plat. Among them were George D. Edgar, James K., Jonathan, Jefferson H. and Alonzo Jones and D. T. Philips. It covered origi- nally about 160 acres of ground and em- braced some sixty-four blocks. The first res- idences in the new town were built by Dr. Stonemets and another by Dr. Montgomery.


Dr Stonemets built a house which was for some time used as a store room. Joshua Al- len then put up a store house; W. S. Alex- ander also built a house; also Carpenter; James K. Jones and John Keller put up a mill. The town, like Belle Rive, improved rapidly, and became quite a lively place. Its business still continues, and Tis even growing constantly, as the country increases in wealth.


There are now two mills in the town -- Bar- bee & Co., who own the one built by Jones & Keller, and the Atlas Mills, by Montgom- ery & Co. William Poole, Rentchler & Smith. William A. Jones, Jesse D. Jones, general stores; Henry Philips, drugs; A. C. Jones, harness; Estes Brothers, hardware; John Adams and G. Hale, blacksmiths; W. W. Teltz, cooper shop; physicians, Drs. Stonemets and Montgomery.


A Methodist Episcopal Church was organ- ized in 1872. At present it has about fifty members, under the pastorate of Rev. Mr. Franklin. A good Sunday school is main- tained.


The school is an excellent one, with two departments, and an average attendance of about sixty children.


A Masonic lodge, which was originally organized at Lynchburg, was moved to this place about 1876. They meet in the room with the Odd Fellows. The officers are M. V. B. Montgomery, Master; John Adams, Senior Warden; W. W. Feltz, Junior War- den; and William Young, Secretary.


The Odd Fellows lodge was also organized in Lynchburg and removed to Opdyke. The present officers are George C., Hutson, N. G .; J. J. Jones, V. G .; Alonzo Gibson, Record- ing Secretary; and J. W. Estes, Permanent Secretary.


A post office was established in 1872, and W. S. Alexander was the first Postmaster.


360


HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.


The present Postmaster is J. C. Tucker. The village contains about 200 inhabitants, and is an enterprising, stirring little town.


The railroad has been of great benefit to Pendleton Township, and has increased the . value of property greatly since it was built. So far, Moore's Prairie Township is without


railroads; but as there are several projected roads, and which when built may give it railroad facilities, so the people live in hope. There are no villages in Moore's Prairie Township, nor manufacturing industries. It is an agricultural region entirely, and as such is not surpassed in the county.


CHAPTER X .*


ROME TOWNSHIP-TOPOGRAPHICAL AND PHYSICAL FEATURES-OCCUPATION BY WHITE PEOPLE -WHO THE PIONEERS WERE-THE MAXWELLS AND OTHERS-HARDSHIPS AND TRIALS- MILLS AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS-TOWNSHIP OFFICERS-SCHOOLS AND


CHURCHES-VILLAGE OF ROME-GROWTH, IMPROVEMENT, ETC.


"Another land more bright than this, To our dim sight appears, Aud on our way to it we'll soon Again be pioneers."


- William Ross Wallace.


N IGH upon sixty years have been gath- ered into the Great Cemetery of the ages, since the first pioneers came to this division of the county. Thirty years are a generation's lifetime, and thus the period alloted to two generations have passed. A few of the "old guard" remain, but they are fast hastening to the solemn valley where "Death sits robed in his all-sweeping shadow." The life of man upon the earth is short. Even his "threescore and ten years " are but a swing of the pendulum of the clock of Time. Were it not for the duty which, acted upon, becomes a part of our moral nature, it would be hardly worth while to undertake any great labors, to harbor any wearing anxieties We would be as children building play-houses of sand upon the shore, and little caring how we build, for the driv- ing wave, pulsating to the heart throbs of old ocean, would soon erase all results of our task and toil. But while life is short, society


is long. "Men may come and men may go," but society remains forever-an edifice whose foundations were laid when it was found " not good for man to be alone." Each gen- eration adds a story, solid and beautiful, polished in the similitude of a palace; or, unsteady and shapeless, daubed with untem- pered mortar.


The advent of the pioneers is now but a dream of the past-it is a book, the pages of which are turned. Few now remember when the first cabin was erected in Rome Town- ship, and when the first man came to its ter- ritory. Rome, it is said, was not built in a day, neither was Rome Township settled in a day. Its occupation by white people extends over a period of several years, from the time the first adventurous pioneer wandered into the section now embraced in Rome until the land was all taken up. The first comers were people who sought homes here because land was cheap and game plenty. Many of them were hunters, and spent much time in their favorite pastime.


Rome Township lies in the north tier of townships in the county, northwest of Mount Vernon, and is bounded north by Marion


* By W. H. Perrin.


361


HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.


County, east by Field Township, south by Shiloh, west by Grand Prairie, and is known and designated in the Congressional survey as Township 1 south, and Range 2 east. The surface is generally level. or slightly undulating, and divided between prairie and woodland, the latter predominating, and covered originally with oak, hickory, walnut, sassafras, wild cherry, etc. The principal stream is a branch of Big Muddy, which has its source in the north part of the township. No railroads intersect it, but the country is thoroughly a farming one, and is occupied by a set of thrifty and industrious farmers. Corn, wheat, oats, hay, etc., are the principal crops. But little attention is paid to stock- raising, except horses.


The first settlers in what is now Rome Township are supposed to have been the Maxwells. Mr. Johnson says there were three brothers, viz., Robert, William and Archibald Maxwell. Another authority, how- ever, says that Robert and Archibald were the sons of William Maxwell, and that the latter came about 1816-17, locating on Sec- tion 7. He was from Bourbon County, Ky., and sold out and left here about 1824. He is described as a man somewhat wild, dis- sipated and reckless, and when under the influence of whisky, a little dangerous. His boys would have choked him to death on one occasion, for some of his devilment, but for the interference of the neighbors. He was a good kind of man when sober, but, like hundreds of others, even at the present day, he let whisky steal his senses and then he was almost ungovernable. His sons, Robert and Archibald Maxwell, came soon after him, and Robert Maxwell entered the first tract of land in Jefferson County, and paid the full price in cash for it. He lived in Section 11, northwest of where Mr. Bruce now lives. Archibald Maxwell died in the county, and


had quite a large family; Robert had no family but a wife. He left his property with M. D. Bruce, and went back to Kentucky about 1848-50, where both he and his wife died. Mr. Bruce settled up his estate by order of the court, and after paying Maxwell's debts, turned over the residue to the County Treasury.


William Goins was an early settler here, and kept a tavern, one of the first kept in the county. He had a bad reputation, and was accused of being connected with horse- thieves, counterfeiters, and all sorts of law- less characters. He finally left, for the good of the community, as detailed in a preceding chapter. His tavern was the head-quarters of a band who committed, as was supposed, many dark deeds. Even murders were at- tributed to them. But as the country set- tled up, a better class of people came in, and the lawless band who frequented Goins' tavern were cleaned out, and. like their king- bee, Goins, were forced to leave for the good of the country.


Davis and Philip Whitesides, brothers-in - law of Thomas Jordan, settled in Jordan's Prairie very early. They were noted tight- ers, and considered the bullies of the neigh- borhood. Billington Taylor, originally from South Carolina, was also an early settler in this township, as well as his son-in-law, Nel- son. The latter, however, finally went to Salt Lake and joined the Mormons. A Mr. McDaniel settled in the South end of Jordan's Prairie, and died there. Mr. M. D. Bruce came in 1838, with his father, and were from Tennessee. The elder Bruce was known as one of the best farmers in the county. James Lewty settled early, but sold out and went to Texas. He afterward returned to this county and died. Arba Andrews located in this township, and built the first horse mill in this part of the county.


362


HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.


Thus the township was settled, and the wilderness reclaimed from its wild and natu- ral state, and converted into a fine agricult- ural region. But the labor required to do this was great, and required many years to accomplish. When we consider the rude simplicity of the times, and the few and in- ferior implements the people had to work with, we find ourselves wondering that they succeeded in their great work. Their mill facilities were meager, and as rude as the implements they had to work their farms with. The latter consisted of bull-tongue and shovel-plows, and the old "Cary," with the wooden mold-board These were made by Arba Andrews, who was the first black- smith, as well as the proprietor of the first horse mill. He is said to liave been quite a "mechanical genius." He made plows and stocked them for the farmers. He built a horse mill, the first mill in the town- ship, an institution largely patronized for miles around, and a great accommodation to the people. He also made all sorts of agri- cultural implements, such as plows and har- rows, and even essayed horse-power thresh- ing-machines. He put up the first steam mill in the township, but previously operated a horse-power circular saw mill, and earlier had a wind-power mill for grinding corn, and earlier still, a common horse mill. This steam mill stood a little south of Rome Vil- lage, and Squire Carpenter now has the original engine in his mill. Several other horse mills were put up in the township in early times, but the history of one is the history of all.


/ The educational history of Rome is similar to that of other portions of the county. So much has already been said upon the subject, that but little can be added here. The first schoolhouse in the township was a log cabin, 18x18 feet, on the land of M. D. Bruce, and


is still standing. The first school in it was taught by Mahulda Martin, who came here with her parents from Kentucky. Other early teachers were William Dill, S. An- drews, now a merchant in Centralia, and C. Andrews. The township now has eight good, substantial schoolhouses, and supports good schools.


The township is well supplied with churches, and if the people are not religious it is their own fault. Among the churches are Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, Ebenezer Methodist Episcopal Church South, and the Methodist Episcopal Church at Rome Village. Pleasant Hill Baptist Church was organized about 1850-52, and among the original mem- bers were Freemen and Mary Walker, B. B. Harvey and wife, James Ward and wife, Levi Williams and wife, and R. Whitlock and wife, It was formed in a log cabin, and the first preacher was Elder James Keel, now dead. The present church was built in 1867, is a frame 34x40 feet, and cost $1,375. It has 122 members, under the pastorate of Elder W. W. Hay, of Mount Vernon. It has a good Sunday school, with an attendance of eighty to ninety, of which Andrew Riley is Superintendent.


The Methodist Episcopal Church South was organized in 1863. Among the first members were Elijah Wimberly and wife, S. W. Carpenter and family. The present membership is about ninety, under the pas- torate of Rev. C. M. Whitson. A Sunday school is kept up, under the present su- perintendence of J. M. McCormick. The churchis an excellent brick edifice, built about 1865-66, and is 34x50 feet in dimen- sion.


The Methodist Episcopal Church in Rome Village was built about 1867, is 36x40 feet, and cost about $3,000. It has some fifty members, and Rev. Mr. Boyer is pastor. A


363


HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.


Sunday school is maintained, of which Will- iam Ayers is Superintendent.


Originally. this portion of the county was embraced in Grand Prairie Precinct, but when the county, in 1869, adopted township organization, it became Rome Township, and received the name from the village. Since township organization, the following is a complete list of township officers:


Supervisors .- G. L. Cummings, 1870; Will- iam Wood, 1871-72; W. A. Boggs, 1873; G. L. Cummings, 1874; Robert White, 1875; Robert White, 1876; G. L. Cummings, 1877; J. V. Bruce, 1878; Matthew Tilford, 1879; Matthew Tilford, 1880; Matthew Tilford, 1881; W. Snow, 1882; A. J. Riley, 1883.


Town Clerks .- J. D. R. Brown, 1870-73; J. M. Thompson, 1874; A. J. Riley, 1875; A. J. Riley, 1876; J. M. Thompson, 1877; A. J. Riley, 1878; W. Cobb, 1879; J. H. Rupe, 1880; J. H. Rupe, 1881; G. W. Lee, 1882; G. W. Lee, 1883.


Assessors .- J. V. Bruce, 1870-73; T. W. Self. 1874; T. W. Self, 1875; R. Casey, 1876; J. H. Clayburn, 1877; Matthew Tilford, 1878; B. J. Hawkins, 1879; W. Cobb, 1880; J. M. Thompson, 1881; R. White, 1882; M. Jennings, 1883.


Collectors .- R. White, 1872; R. F. Casey, 1873; J. D. Bruce, 1874; Matthew Tilford, 1875: J. D. Bruce, 1876; J. D. Bruce, 1877; J. M. Kellogg, 1878; J. N. Brown, 1879; J. N. Brown, 1880; M. Jennings, 1881; W. Talbott, 1882; F. W. Purcell, 1883.


School Treasurers .- W. S. Hodges, 1872- 73; B. P. Maxfield, 1874; W. P. Fizer, 1875; W. P. Fizer, 1876; W. P. Fizer, 1877; Ed- wiu Puffer, 1878; J. M. McCormick, 1879; B. P. Maxfield, 1880; B. P. Maxfield, 1881; J. T. McConnell, 1882; B. P. Maxfield, 1883.


Highway Commissioners .- W. P. Fizer, J. R. Ward, J. Saunders, H. Milburn, Will- iam Snow, E. D. Puffer, Hiram Williams,


R. Tate, M. D. Bruce, R. Baltzell, T. Pat ton, R. White.


Justices of the Peace. - R. M. Breeze, J. M. B. Gaston, William Snow, John Tilford, W. S. Rupe, J. M. B. Gaston, J. H. Ward, J. M. B. Gaston, J. Roberts.


Constables .- F. M. Purcell, D. Copple, J. F. Caldwell, S. T. Caldwell, J. N. Hawkins, S. N. Dakes. J. N. Hawkins.


Politically, the township is pretty evenly divided between Democrats and Republicans, while the Greenbackers hold the balance of power. In old times, this section was large- ly Democratic. The first voting place was at James Bates' house, but was afterward moved to Rome; the vote polled was small -- from 130 to 140-and the precinct was a good deal larger in extent than Rome Towu- ship now is. The township has always been patriotic, and turned out soldiers in the Black Hawk, Mexican and late civil war. M. D. Bruce and S. W. Carpenter are old Black Hawk soldiers. Indians were plenty in this section when the first whites came, and there are those living who still remember the noble red men, and saw them often as they hunted the wild game of the woods, without the benefit of soap and breeches. Mr. Bruce well remembers the noted chief Whitefeather. He was a rather intelligent Indian, and spoke very good English.




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