USA > Illinois > Jefferson County > History of Jefferson County, Illinois > Part 49
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house, which was also to be a home, was one that gave zest to the rough toil and to the heavy labors. The style of the house was not considered. It was shelter they required and protection from the weather and wild animals. The settlers had neither the money nor the mechanical appliances for building themselves a house. They were content in most instances to have a mere cabin or hut. Their cabins were usually made to resemble . a human habitation, and were of round logs, light enough for two or three men to lay up, about fourteen feet square. roofed with bark or clapboards and sometimes with the sod of the prairie. For a fire-place, they made a wall of earth or stone, in an opening in one end of the building, extending out- ward and planked on the outside by bolts of wood notched together to stay it. Such were the hardships to which most of the early settlers of Dodds Township were ex- posed. Some of these we shall briefly notice in the following pages, which are framed not from records but from vague tradition. with here and there a fragment of personal reminiscence, which serves us as a guide through the obscurity which the shadows of sixty-five years have thrown around the early times. To say that in this chapter it is pro- posed to write the history of every family in the order in which they came into the township would be promising more than lies in the power of any man to accomplish. But to give a sketch of some of the pioneers and representative men of the times is our aim, and to transmit them in a durable form to future generations.
Joseph Jordan settled in 1818 on the land now owned and occupied by Isaac Garrison. Jordan was a man of considerable enterprise aud taet, and had an eye to business. Al- though his settlement in the county was made one year before Jefferson County was
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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.
organized, yet he had almost formed in his mind the extent of the prospective county and calculated the distance, and probably being enthused by a delightful view from a high part of that then uncultivated land- scape, he treasured the thought that the county seat migth be located there. He raised his first cabin, dispensed his hospital- ity to those who came that way, and with heroic patience and fortitude endured the hard life of the pioneer. Only a short time elapsed before he was forced to see his plans and prospects vanish like a morning dew be- fore the rays of the sun. The county seat was fixed at another place. Burdened with disappointment, he let his roving disposi- tion get the better of him, and he sold his claim at a small compensation to William Frizell and moved to Texas.
The Frizell family was a valuable acqui- sition to the territory, and the impress of their energy is yet visible. Their sad death by the cholera in 1847 is still remembered. William Frizell, wife and children, Joseph and Martha, were the victims of this terrible disease.
The old Jordan farm went into the hands of Isaac Garrison in 1853, and by his in- dustry it has been improved until it now ranks among the first of the county. Some time after Jordan's advent came Dr. Wil- loughby Adams, who was an excellent physi - cian. He located first in the then small vil- lage of Mount Vernon, where he followed his profession, and subsequently on Section 23 in Dodds Township. His services were val- uable, as the ague was a frequent visitor in every honsehold. His popularity grew in the estimation of the people, and as early as 1841 he was chosen as one of the County Commissioners, in which capacity he served with honor, and was frequently re-elected. In 1849, he was chosen Associate Justice of
the County Court. This position he filled for many years. He was the first practicing physician in Dodds Township, and was also the first County Surveyor. At his own re. quest, he was buried a short distance from his residence, where more of his family are sleeping the sleep that knows no waking.
Frank Hicks settled at a later date on Sec- tion 27. He was a rough-spoken man, fond of drink, and participated in shooting matches and hunting sprees, which were very frequent in those days. He was, however, true to a promise, and always fulfilled his contracts. He reared a large family. One son- John R. P. Hicks-lost the use of his lower limbs over forty years ago and is a res- ident of Mount Vernon. He employs his time in knitting upon some kind of a ma- chine. Auother son -- William - was a bright, industrious boy, and among the strongest lads in the neighborhood, but was running one day, when he was suddenly taken with a pain in his feet, which resulted in his being a complete reel foot. He is also living.
Stephen Arnold came from Tennessee among the first, and settled on Section 14. Here he experienced all the hardships inci- dent to the life of the then few inhabit- ants. Seth, the only living member of his family, resides on the old homestead. John Smith was an early settler on Section 15. He was a man of careless habits, and never accumulated much property. A few of his posterity survive. Absalom Estes settled on Section 10 some time between the years 1820 and 1822. He remained there but a short time, and sold his improvment to his brother Joseph. The latter was the father of sixteen children, all of whom grew to maturity and reared large families. Some of the Esteses accumulated large fortunes. It is said of the Estes family that they were sociable, in-
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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.
dustrious and energetic. Joseph Pace set- tled on Section 8. He was among the first surveyors in Jefferson County and surveyed some of the early roads, among which was the old Goshen road, and together with the Benton road, branching from the former on the farm of Isaac Garrison, leading thence to Vienna. Cairo and other old Southern cities in this State, were the only early roads in Jackson Precinct. Joseph Pace was the twin brother of Joel Pace, who was the first County and Circuit Clerk. and among the early teachers of this county. It was exten- sively discussed a few years since by the leading newspapers of America, and a con- clusion finally arrived at to the extent that they lived longer than any twins ever known, Joel having died at the age of eighty-eight years and Joseph four years later. Joseph Rogers settled pretty early on Section 7 and became the possessor of considerable property. William Davis settled what is known as the Harper place. He was a minister of the Baptist Church, and was among the first preachers in the precinct. He died in the county, leaving his family in affluent circum- stances. John Stewart came to Jackson Precinct at an early period. Stewart had the " big head " in reality. It was so large that he could not purchase a hat to fit it, and was compelled to have a hat block and employ a hatter to make his hats, which was done at his residence. David Shaffer located very early in the township and was content to live for awhile in a tent. On one occasion a fire swept over the prairie like a whirlwind. respecting nothing in its course, and it was only by the strongest efforts that Mr. Shaf. fer's tent was saved from the conflagration. He erected his first horse grist-mill in the township about 1838, near where is now the residence of W. T. Sanders. It was here that the inhabitants came early and stayed
late to get crushed their little bag of corn, while the wife and little ones awaited with anxiety and eagerness their return. Frank Hicks also put into operation a horse mill on Section 27, and did considerable grinding for several years. Isaac Watson was a real pio. neer of what is now Dodds Township.
From the earliest period of the world's history, the people of every civilized nation have realized the importance of learning. Education in its fullest sense comprehends the development and cultivation of the var- ious physical, moral and mental faculties of man. Hence it is that the standard of a people's morals, civilization and progress is indicated by the degree of interest mani- fested in developing and cultivating the moral, social and intellectual faculties of its masses. Society in every age and every nation upon which the refining hand of civ- ilization has been laid. has been ever ready to realize and accept the truth of this.
Thus from remote antiquity to the present time, we find associated with other benefi- cent institutions for the elevation and ad- vancement of mankind, institutions embracing every grade of instruction, from the elemen- tary school, where the first rudiments of an education are taught, to the university and college, where art, science and literature are disseminated. The history of education in Jefferson County finds its duplicate in the school history of other counties in South- eru Illinois. The pioneers, as soon as they had each prepared a habitation and inclosed a " patch " of land on which to raise the nec- essaries of life, turned their attention to the erection of a schoolhouse. In 1838, the pioneers of Jackson Precinct, now Dodds Township, erected a log cabin on Govern- ment land, which is now the property of W. T. Sanders. Some one took the initiatory step by notifying the settlers within a radius
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of three or four miles that, on a certain time those days were that the teacher possessed the physical ability to govern the school and be sufficient scholar to teach reading, writing and ciphering, especially the latter, as far as the " double rule of three." Mr. Sanders was very successful. From the beginning of this school. a new impetus was given to edu- cation, and each succeeding year the advan tages have improved in this direction. About the year 1850, A. C. Johnson taught a school at a private residence, and not far from the same time a log cabin, similar in construc- tion to the one mentioned above, was built on the line between Sections 10 and 11. In this schoolhouse Moses Smith and A. C. Johnson taught. As we have already stated, the interest in education began to grow. It is true there were some who thought educa- tion was not essential to farm life, but they were few, and the masses were warmly in at a designated place, they would meet for the purpose of erecting a schoolhouse. Punctual at the time and place, armed with their " working tools," they assembled, and in a short time, considering the disadvan- tages under which they labored, their work was consummated. The structure would not compare with the excellent [temples of learn- ing of the present day, but it afforded them an accommodation for their early schools. This building was about fourteen feet square. The walls were made of rough round logs from the forests; the chimney was of earth and sticks, and the roof of clapboards. Slabs split from trees, the rough edges smoothed with an ax, consti- tuted the floor. The windows were made by cutting out a log and pasting a greased paper over the aperture, which admitted all the light that was afforded the pupils. The favor of schools. There are now six good furniture consisted of " benches " made from frame school buildings in the township, and the best teachers are employed to instruct the young. large " puncheons;" "desks " or writing tables were formed by placing against the wall at an angle boards or " puncheons." Could the pupil of this early school have entered the spacious and elegantly furnished school rooms of to-day; could he have sat in the easy patent seat; could he have gazed upon the modern school apparatus and have listened to the sound of the " school going bell," he would, doubtless, have imagined that he had been magically transported to another sphere. After this cabin was finished and furnished, a school was the next thing in order. Some one of the settlers canvassed the neighborhood and determined how many pupils would attend the school at a stated sum per capita.
It is thought that W. T. Sanders taught the first school in this cabin, and it is not remembered that he went through any ex- amination. The qualifications required in
In the pioneer cabins of the township, Revs. Rhodam and George Allen, two early ministers, held meetings and added cheering words to those gathered from near and far. Services are now held in almost every school- house in the township, besides in two fine frame church buildings. The Lebanon Mis- sionary Baptist Church is located at the in- tersection of Sections 2, 3, 10 and 11. E. M. Knapp and Isaac Garrison are the present Deacons, and Rev. C. Richardson is pastor The organization has an enrollment of about 140 members. A good Sunday school is kept up, with an attendance of more than fifty. Samuel Meadows is Superintendent, and through his efforts the interest is gradnally growing.
A Methodist Episcopal Church was organ- ized in the township at an early date, but
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the precise spot and time we have been un able to learn. That kind-hearted and good old pioneer, Joseph Pace, was an early mem. ber of this church, and during his life its financial interests were not allowed to suffer through his influence. John Rogers, Will- iam Edgington and James Bradford and their respective families were members of the first organization. Some time subse- quently, a large frame building was erected at considerable cost on Section 7, and is known as " Bethel Church." The member- ship of the same is very large, and regular services are kept up during the year. Like the most of the Methodist Churches, it keeps up a first-class Sunday school.
The first voting place in the precinct was the old James Dodds house. The ballot box used then is the same one that now on elec- tion days holds the vote of the determined Democrat, the ardent Republican and ag- gressive Greenbacker. The present voting- place is the " Hebron Schoolhouse," situated on the line between Sections 10 and 11. The township polls about 250 votes, of which nearly 103 are Republicans, 110 Democrats and the remainder the Greenback and Inde- pendent votes.
John Baugh and Henry Gorham were the two first Justices of the Peace in the pre- cinet. George W. Bliss succeeded one of them, and no other change was made until the township was organized. The following is a list of officers since township organiza- tion:
Supervisors .- R. D. Roane, 1870; W. H. Smith, 1872-73; M. C. Garrison, 1874; S. Gibson, 1875; R D. Roane, 1876 to 1879;
A. Newby, 1880; S. Bumpus, 1881 to 1883, the present incambent.
Justices of the Peace .- G. W. Bliss and W. Adams, 1870; S. Gibson and W. Adams, 1873; J. B. Bradford and W. Adams, 1874-76; J. W. Bradford and S. Gibson, 1877 to 1883 the present incumbent.
Township Clerks .- None 1870; Ambrose Adams, 1872; J. M. Frizell, 1873; A. Adams 1874-75; J. Mills, 1876; J. W. Estes, 1877 to 1883, and now in office.
Assessors .- W. M. Hicks, 1872-73; J. G. Daniels, 1874; A. Newby, 1875; J. G. Dan- iels, 1876-77; A. Gibson, 1878 to 1880; T. J. Mills, 1881; J. W. Estes, 1882; A. C. Cullie, 1883, present incumbent.
Collectors. - F. E. Patton, 1872; N. F. Meredith, 1873; F. E. Patton, 1864; J. D. Downer, 1875 to 1877; W. S. Bumpns, 1878 to 1880; A. Gibson, 1881; S. T. Pace, 1882; E. Roane, 1883, now in office.
Highway Commissioners .- Isaac Garrison, 1872; S. Duncan, 1873; J. M. Frizell, 1874; A. D. Harper, 1875; N. F. Meredith, 1876; J. M. Frizell, 1877; Isaac Garrison, 1878; S. Duncan, 1879; William Hicks, 1880-81; C. Jenkins, 1882-83, at present in office.
School Treasurers .- S. T. Pace, 1872-73; J. A. Johnson, 1874-75; G. M. Bliss, 1876; S. T. Pace, 1877; S. Duncan, 1878; R. D. Roane, 1879; S. Duncan, 1880; R. D. Roane, 1881; J. L. Hinkle, 1882; S. T. Pace, 1883, now holding the office.
Constables. - T. J. Mills and W. T. Hicks, 1874 to 1876; W. Blythe, 1877; Thomas Mills, 1878 to 1881; M. Bradford and J. E. Gibson, 1882-83, the present incumbents.
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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.
CHAPTER XX.
BLISSVILLE TOWNSHIP-DESCRIPTION AND TOPOGRAPHY-KNOB PRAIRIE-SETTLEMENT-IIOW THE PEOPLE LIVED-NAME OF TOWNSHIP AND ITS LIST OF OFFICIALS-ROADS, BRIDGES,
ETC .- THE VILLAGE OF WILLIAMSBURG-CHURCHES AND SCHOOLS-RETROSPECTION, ETC.
" Nothing so dear as a tale of the olden time."
T TRANSCRIBING recollections of the aged, wavering memory, we do not seek to reconcile discrepancies, but to embody here the names and deeds of those whose like can nevermore be seen. We dimly outline, from our signal-point, the history which meets our eye, and steer our course between extremes of dates and happenings, but more often than otherwise the greatest incomplete- ness marks the narrative.
The most of those pioneers who came here half a century or more ago have passed to their reward, while upon the few still left the roll- ing years have written their record and left them trembling on the brink of the tomb. They left friends and civilization behind them and came here to build for themselves a home. Ah, a home! Home, celestial home of the world-weary, laboring heart, the sa- cred asylum of the wandering soul! It is the only type and symbol left on earth since the portals of paradise closed on our ruined race. And to make them a home in this wild waste, these people exposed themselves to the dan- gers of "flood and field," of savages and wild beasts and perils before which we, their successors, would quail. The history of their lives is one of noble heroism, by the side of which that of the warrior and the statesman pale with insignificance.
"A song for the early times out West, And our green old forest home, Whose pleasant memories freshly yet Across the ocean come."
Blissville Township, which forms the sub- ject matter of this chapter, is one of the west tier of townships, and is situated southwest of Mount Vernon. It lies south of Casner Towsnhip, west of Mcclellan, north of Bald Hill, east of Washington County, and is des- ignated as Township 3 south, and Range 1 east. The surface is rather broken, and diversified between prairie and woodland. An arm of Grand Prairie extends into the township. There are also several other small prairies-notably Knob Prairie. in the south- east part, which receives its name from the elevation of the ground, it being about as high as the site of Mount Vernon. In the timbered section are found black, white and post oak, wild cherry, black walnut, hickory, sassafras, together with hazel and other shrubs. The principal stream is Rayse Creek, or the west fork of Big Muddy. This passes through the northeast corner of the township and is fed by a few small brooks and branches which form the natural drain- age of the township.
The settlement of Blissville Township dates back to 1822-23. About that time Sherman Ross and Jesse Green, Sr., came and settled in the northeast corner. Jesse Green died in the township and left a large family. Ross moved to Shelby County, tak-
* By W. 11. Perrin.
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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.
ing his family with him. He was a thriftless sort of a fellow, with but little energy, but not of real bad habits. Green was fond of hunting, and participated freely in all kinds of backwoods sports and pastimes. John Hailes settled in the timber along Big Mud- dy, and was among the first comers in that section. He was a good, easy, harmless man, who never did much for himself or for any one else. He cleared a small " patch " of ground, and put up a cabin of poles. About two years afterward, he sold his improvement to Jesse P. Dees, an uncle of Judge Jesse A. Dees, of this township, and moved up to Gun Prairie. Jesse P. Dees, however, soon settled in another part of the township, where he died. He made an extensive improvement, and opened quite a large farm for that early day, and was in good circumstances at the time of his death. John Finch bought the first improvement of Jesse P. Dees, and set- tled here about 1826, but afterward sold out and moved to Missouri. He was a fariner and gunsmith; a rude, rough fellow, of the true frontier type, but finally professed religion at a camp meeting in Washington County, and was afterward licensed as a preacher by the Methodist Church. William Linsey was an early settler in the neighborhood of Jesse P. Dees. He was a good, honest man, and sold his improvement to Reuben Green and moved back into Washington County. Reu- ben Green, who bought his improvement, raised a large family, who settled around him.
An early settler was Mr. Herron, on Grand Prairie. He afterward moved into Washing- ton County. Peter Sibert afterward settled on the place where Herron first located. Erastus Fairchild settled in Grand Prairie, near the north line of the township. He was a common farmer, and sold out to Thomas Bagby. The latter occupied it several years,
and then sold out and moved into Washing- ton County, and afterward to Texas. Samuel Hunter also settled in Grand Prairie about 1840, and is living there yet. James Welch settled in the same neighborhood about the same time. He was from Ohio, and was a large land owner. He lost part of his fami- ly here in 1844 and returned to Ohio, but afterward made several trips between Ohio and Illinois, and was finally lost on the Ohio River in a steamboat disaster. A son of his had come here in 1839, and is still living in the township.
Jesse A. Dees, one of the prominent and wealthy farmers of the township, came to Jef- ferson County in 1824, with his mother and step-father, Lewis Green. They settled in what is now Casner Township, where James Wood lives. Mr. Dees is one of the oldest living settlers of the county, having been here almost sixty years. Joseph Laird came in about 1840, and settled in Grand Prairie. Knob Prairie was settled by David Fairchild. who sold to B. L. Herrons, who came here about 1822. He was from Ohio, and was a brother of Erastus Fairchild, already no- ticed. H. Hackett was here some time, but was a kind of a transient character. Eli Gil- bert settled in Knob Prairie about 1840, and was from Ohio. He opened a store soon af- ter settling here, and sold goods for several years; he died here and left a large family. Another Ohio family was the Places-Isaac and Sidney -who settled in Knob Prairie in 1840-42. The latter is still living here. Henry Bushon came in about 1845, and set- tled between Knob and Grand Prairies. Such were some of the settlements and the people who made them in this particular di- vision of the county. When we ponder on those olden times, rude and rough as they were, we almost wish for their return. Those good old days when the girls rode behind
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HISTORY OF JEFFERSON COUNTY.
their sweethearts to church or dance, and when the horses always " kicked up," and the girls held tightly on (then the girls hugged the boys-now the case is reversed); when husband and wife visited on the same nag, and the wife carried her babe snugly cuddled up in her lap. Those good old days when the hypocrisy, shams and selfishness of modern society were unknown; when the respectability of men and women was not measured by their bank accounts, nor by dis- play of shoddy finery, but by the simple standard of worth and merit, by their useful- ness in the community, by their readiness to aid the suffering and to relieve the distressed; when there were no social castes or distinc- tions, and when honesty and uprightness were the livery of aristocracy. Ah! those were the times of free-heartedness and gen- uine honesty.
The pioneer's first thought is something for his family to eat, and hence a mill in a new country is an object of supreme interest. One of the first institutions of this kind was a tread mill owned by Maj. Herron on Jand now the property of Samuel Johnson. It was a rude affair, but was much better than no mill at all, and the settlers used to come from a considerable distance to it to get their corn ground. Eli Gilbert had a mill very early. He built a water mill on Big Muddy, but it was never much of a success and soon disap- peared altogether. He found it impossible to dam the stream, and so he damned the whole thing and gave up the enterprise. A grist and saw mill, operated by steam, was put up near Williamsburg. It passed through different hands, and was finally moved to Saline County.
Blissville Township was named in honor of Augustus Bliss, who settled in Casner Township and made an attempt to lay off a village, which never improved. He started
to California during the gold fever excite- ment, and died of cholera on the way, leav- ing a wife and five children. The first vot- ing place was an old house on the place where Samuel Johnson now lives; the regu- lar voting place at present is at Locust Grove. The following is a list of the town- ship officers since the county adopted town- ship organization:
Supervisors-S. R. Johnson, 1870-73; J. A. Dees, 1874; Samuel Johnson, 1875-6; T. H. Mannen, 1877; S. Johnson, 1878-79; O. P. Norris, 1880; A. Welch, 1881-82; J. D. Norris, 1883.
Town Clerks-J. R. Dunbar, 1871-73; J. Lemmon, 1874-75; L. E. Denslow, 1876; E. Bagsby, 1877; J. D. Norris, 1878-80; WV. D. Hicks, 1881; J. Perry, 1882; W. D. Hicks, 1883.
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