USA > Illinois > Jersey County > History of Jersey County, Illinois > Part 28
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" 'When I fell, my horse was straight in the road; they then took me up to Green's and put me in the porch. Pogue was there when I was shot and saw the whole of it; he was ahead with the officers.
" 'One circumstance I forgot. At Gullem (Otterville), Parker called me into the anteroom and ordered me to go to the end and ordered a soldier to go to the opposite end ; I begged him not to shoot me.
" 'The inspector general asked me if I had a family. I said I had a wife and nine children, one over twenty; then the inspector general said he could take care of my family. When Parker told me to go to the other end of the room, I did not want to; he then said, "Get down on your knees and beg my pardon."
" 'I have never done an unconstitutional act, and I love the govern- ment of our fathers. I expect to die soon ; I can't stay long.'
"Being questioned by Lawyer Pogue, he said, 'My horse was not out of the line. I fell square in the road. I did not say that I got out of the line because I was afraid that the soldier's horse would stumble on me. I forgive my murderers.'
" (Signed) J. O. SMITH.
"State of Illinois, -
Jersey County SS.
"I, J. M. Hurd, a justice of the peace of said county, do hereby certify that the foregoing statement was made, subscribed and sworn to before me, by the said J. O. Smith at the National Hotel in Jersey- ville, in the presence of Dr. J. L. White, J. C. Dobelbower, and the wife of the said Smith, this nineteenth day of August, 1864, about five o'clock.
"(Signed) J. M. HURD, J. P."
CORONER'S INQUEST
The substance of the evidence at the inquest of the body of J. O. Smith, held August 20, 1864, was as follows:
"Dr. James Bringhurst, sworn, says Smith's death was the result of a shot through the body, entering near the backbone, and coming out in front, near the side. 'I first saw him on Wednesday, at Kane; I found a shot through the arm, and the one above described through the body ; gave strict directions to have him kept as quiet as possible, and very much to my surprise I found him the next day at Jerseyville; had
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
been brought in a spring wagon; do not know but he may have died of the wound if kept quiet; but think his chance very much lessened by his being moved when he was.'
"Dr. J. L. White, sworn, corroborated the statement of Dr. Bring- hurst in regard to the cause of his death.
"L. Kirby, sworn: says he was not with the company that shot Smith and Mr. Parker of Jerseyville was not with them. Saw the man Smith at Judge Green's, on the porch, after he was shot; heard a man dressed in soldier's clothes, say, 'I shot him; I was placed there for that purpose; he tried to get away.'
"William H. Pogue, sworn. says: 'I was ahead in the squad of men that shot Smith; saw him lying on the ground very near the middle of the road soon after he was shot; did not see him shot; the squad belonged to Captain Stratton ; heard a soldier say he had shot Smith for trying to get away ; don't know the soldier's name. Smith said he did not try to get away. Lieutenant Parker was not with us when Smith was shot.' "Tell Noble, sworn, says: 'We were riding in a gallop, citizens all in front of Smith, riding two and two; I was on the right and the man that led Smith's horse was one or two behind me, and Smith's horse on the left; heard two reports of pistol or carbine, looked around, found my horse was shot in the rump; saw Smith lying, I should think, about three feet from the middle of the road; his horse standing by him with his head turned to the left a little out of line; do not know which shot hit my horse.'
"Virgil Stillwell, sworn, says: he saw about the same as Tell Noble. "State of Illinois, . ).
Jersey County S.
" August 20, 1864.
"We the undersigned, summoned and sworn as a jury of inquest to inquire how and in what manner, and by whom, or what, J. O. Smith, came to his death, find, after examining the body and matresses, that the said J. O. Smith came to his death by being shot, either by pistol or carbine, in the hands of soldiers under the charge of Captain Stratton and Lieutenant White, while said Smith was in their custody in the southern part of Greene County, Illinois.
"P. C. WALKER,
J. N. MAUPIN,
"ROBERT WHITE,
J. F. SMITH,
"JAMES ROSS, SENIOR,
C. M. HAMILTON,
"O. P. POWELL,
L. M. CUTTING,
EDWARD TRABUE,
"M. L. HILL, "C. H. KNAPP,
CYRUS TOLMAN, Foreman."
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
NOLLE PROSSED INDICTMENTS
At the October term, 1862, indictments were found against Captain M. S. Littlefield, of Company F, Fourteenth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and Lieutenant W. H. Scott for bringing negroes into the state of Illinois. These indictments were continued from term to term and finally were nolle prossed. Indictments were also found in that term against ex- Lieutenant Mortimer B. Scott for receiving stolen property-buying a stolen mare-and later for larceny. These indictments were continued from term, and then were also nolle prossed ..
POSSE OF SUBSTANTIAL CITIZENS
There were a great many horses stolen and other robberies com- mitted, and other lawlessness prevailed to such an extent throughout the county, with which it was rumored that ex-Lieutenant Mortimer B, Scott was connected, that a posse of substantial citizens of Jersey County, headed by Hon. William Shephard, Hugh N. Cross, David B. Beaty, Benjamin Wedding, Levi D. Cory, and many others of similar standing from Jerseyville and vicinity, surrounded the Scott residence on his fakm west of Delhi, and there arrested Scott and some of his associates, among whom were one called "Tom Moss," and another called "Hen- derson." Some stolen horses were found there and information secured through which other stolen horses were secured. Henderson, Moss and Scott were brought to Jerseyville, but, owing to the general excitement caused by these proceedings, and for fear that Henderson would be mobbed, he was taken to the military prison at Alton. The others were kept in jail here. Scott gave bail, Moss escaped from the prison at Jerseyville, and Henderson from the military prison at Alton. Later Henderson and Moss returned in disguise to Jerseyville. Henderson was recognized by some of the people of Jerseyville, and Lieutenant Parker, provost marshal, undertook to arrest him, and was shot by Hen- derson in the arm, who then escaped and went to Fidelity in the eastern part of the county, where he and Moss, on November 7, 1864, in a drunken spree, came into conflict with the citizens of Fidelity, during which three men were killed, namely : Robert Watson, Wilbur A. Hoag, and George Miller, the latter a. merchant who was operating a store there. These desperadoes escaped across the line into Macoupin County, where they were followed by a constable and posse from Fidelity. An- other posse had gone from Rhoades Point and had found Henderson, who
1
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
was wounded, in a house near Macoupin Creek. He was taken into custody by the Rhoades Point posse, but was later turned over to the constable and posse from Fidelity, who were returning with him to Fidelity, when he was shot and instantly killed by some person. The corpse was taken back to Fidelity, put in a coffin, and later taken to near what is now the cemetery at Medora, and there buried. There was no mark put on the grave, and no trace can now be found of it's location. The story told relative to Henderson's being shot on the county line is not true.
AUTHENTIC ACCOUNT
The facts herein given are obtained from the only survivor now living in the county who was present during the transaction, according to the best knowledge of the writer. Moss escaped, but later was arrested and incarcerated in the jail at Jerseyville, and tried at the special August term in 1865, convicted, and was executed on September 1, 1865, by hanging in the courthouse. Hon. T. J. Selby was sheriff of this county at that time. This is the only execution of the death penalty within the limits of Jersey County since its organization.
HISTORY OF INDICTMENT OF MOSS
During the time of the last incarcaration of Moss before his trial and execution, citizens voluntarily contributed a fund to keep ą close guard around the jail to prevent his escaping a second time. Moss was indicted under the name of William A. Brown, alias Tom Moss, alias Amci Moss. Henderson, his associate is said to have also been going under an assumed name. These two men were from Missouri, and were desperadoes of the most pronounced character. The indictment against Moss for shooting Robert Watson, was found April 20, 1865. George H. Jackson is endorsed as foreman of the grand jury, and William Brown was the state's attorney. Witnesses endorsed on the indictment are: Wilson T. Whitfield, Quinn M. Hauskins, Isaac Christopher, Dr. B. Hudson, James Hauskins, Dr. James Bringhurst, Dr. John L. White, and Henry Folger.
ANOTHER DESPERATE AFFAIR
In April, 1866, there was a spirit of extreme tension and unrest in the district along the rivers above Grafton, growing out of several
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
robberies, horse stealings and other crimes perpetrated in that vicinity by night prowlers, and lawless and vicious persons, the result being that in order to make an end of these conditions, a posse of citizens took the law into their own hands and killed Charles Parker, Thomas Dunoway, George Clifton, James Fairburn and William Rollins. The latter had escaped, but was brought back to Grafton, and was in the custody of Sheriff T. J. Selby, who surrendered him upon the demand of a delega- tion from the posse. Rollins was put on a horse and taken up the hollow a short distance and shot to death in plain hearing of the sheriff and persons who were with him. Later the grand jury returned an indict- ment against John Murphy for the murder of William Rollins; against Nicholas Caslick, Jr., and William Smith for the murder of George Clifton and James Fairburn. The trial of Caslick, Jr., and Smith was had at the special December term, 1866. The jury was as follows : J. T. Hauskins, Theodore Updike, P. C. Walker, Peter P. Voorhees, Wesley Updike, Silas Bates, Samuel R. Marshall, Thomas Kirby, William Davi- son, J. M. Terry, Isaac McAllister, and Henry Turner. Their verdict was not guilty. The trial of John Murphy for killing William Rollins was at the April term, 1867. The jury were : J. P. Bell, W. E. Keller, Charles T. Edee, Lewis Kirkpatrick, Sidney Liles, N. E. Landon, Wil- liam Kelly, Levi Halliday, B. F. O'Rourke, Richard Quinn, Francis Schattgen and James Thrush. They returned a verdict of not guilty. Hon. William Brown was state's attorney and prosecuted these cases.
In order to show clearly the condition of the public mind and spirit of anxiety and unrest felt by all of the better class of citizens at that time, the proceedings of public meetings held at the courthouse in Jersey- ville, in August, 1864, as printed in the "Democratic Union" of August 27, 1864, are given as follows :
JERSEYVILLE SELF-PROTECTING SOCIETY
"At a meeting of the citizens of Jerseyville and vicinity held at the courthouse in said town on the 17th day of August, 1864, C. H. Goodrich was chosen chairman, and Benjamin Wedding secretary.
"The object of the meeting was explained by D. E. Beaty to be for the purpose of organizing the whole community for mutual protec- tion of persons and property against any unauthorized raid, or threat- ened raid, in said county, and against any horse thieves and lawless characters generally. On motion of W. H. Pogue the chair appointed a committee of four : G. G. Lyon, David E. Beaty, Peter P. Voorhees
Hathier & Pearce
G. R. Peace
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
and E. M. Smith to draft resolutions for the government of said or- ganization. In absence of the committee, the meeting was addressed by John C. Dobelbower, E. Trabue, R. M. Knapp, William Shephard, Smith M. Titus, Job Collins, C. H. Goodrich and others. Mr. Goodrich said he had not lost confidence in the people of Jersey County, that the unity of sentiment upon the subject, for which the meeting was called, was just what he knew it would be from his long acquaintance with the citizens of the county. The committee's report :
"Resolved: That we organize ourselves into a club for the purpose of protecting our persons and property, to be governed by the following rules :
"First. A committee of six (three from each political party) shall have the control and direction of said organization, said committee shall have full power to divide said organization into as many sub-divisions as they may think that the exigencies of the case may require.
"Second. All men enrolling themselves, shall be the duty of all, to properly arm themselves.
"Third. Each member shall pledge his honor as a gentleman, to faithfully obey all orders given by said committee, and to abstain from all political conversation while on duty. That all insinuations as to the actions of any member of said company detailed for any duty, shall be strictly prohibited, believing that said censure should come from the commanding officer ; after an investigation of the matter.
"On motion of W. H. Pogue, D. E. Beaty, Levi Cory, E. M. Smith, S. M. Titus, W. H. Pogue and B. Wedding were appointed the committee in accordance with rule 1st.
"On motion of William Shephard, the committee was authorized to make rules and regulations in accordance with the above report, for the government of said club, to report at the next meeting.
"On motion of E. Trabue, the proceedings of this meeting were ordered to be published in the Democratic Union.
"Adjourned to meet Friday evening, August 19, at the courthouse at seven o'clock.
"C. H. GOODRICH, Chairman, "B. WEDDING, Secretary."
"Jerseyville, Ill., August 19, 1864.
"The citizens met pursuant to adjournment, the chairman being absent, John C. Dobelbower was appointed president, pro tem.
"The committee on organization reported the following :
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"Rules and regulations for the government of the Self-Protecting Society of Jerseyville Precinct.
"Rule 1st: The general signal shall, for an en masse meeting of the members be as follows :
"At night, a red light on the courthouse and firing of cannon three times.
"In the day, a white flag on the courthouse and the firing of cannon twice.
"Rule 2nd : A badge shall be furnished by said committee, to be furnished to members detailed at the time duty is required of them.
"Signed, S. M. Titus, E. M. Smith, Benjamin Wedding, D. E. Beaty, W. H. Pogue.
"Which on motion was adopted.
"The meeting then proceeded to appoint a committeeman to fill the vacancy caused by L. D. Cory, Esq., who declined to act, when, on motion, P. P. Voorhees was appointed.
"On motion of Mr. Voorhees, it was agreed that all members of said society should be above the age of eighteen years.
"On motion of George Wharton, the committee on organization was authorized to enroll those who willingly consent to become members of said society.
"The roll was then presented and fifty-six citizens enrolled them- selves.
"On motion adjourned to Wednesday evening, August 24, 1864. "JOHN C. DOBELBOWER, Chairman,
"BENJAMIN WEDDING, Secretary."
"Jerseyville, Ill., August 24, 1864.
"The society met pursuant to adjournment, J. C. Dobelbower in the chair; the minutes of last meeting were read and after discussion, ap- proved. On motion of William Shephard, the society's committee was constituted a board of enrollment. J. A. Davies moved that the com- mittee appoint a commanding officer of the society, for the purpose of drilling, which motion, after a thorough discussion, was laid on the table. Job Collins moved that the committee be instructed to select six, twelve or twenty-four members, to be ready for any emergency that might arise, which also was tabled.
"In the opinion of a large majority of the members present, J. A. Davies was guilty of violating Rules 3 and 4 of our organization, when, on motion of Mr. Pogue, it was resolved that,
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
"J. A. Davies, having used language derogatory to the character of a gentleman, and contrary to the rules of this body, he be and he is hereby expelled.
"On motion of Mr. Walker it was agreed that each member pay fifty cents to the committee for incidental expenses.
"On motion adjourned to meet on call of the committee.
"J. C. DOBELBOWER, Chairman,
"BENJAMIN WEDDING, Secretary."
JERSEY COUNTY HORSE THIEF DETECTING SOCIETY
From the time the first settlers located in what is now Jersey County, there had been horse thieves harassing them. These thieves were first Indians, and later white men. Such conditions led to the formation of societies for detecting horse thieves, in the older settlements, and later in Jerseyville, which later became the head association with branches in the other settlements in the county. These societies had their regular officers, and when a horse was stolen, the president notified the mem- bers, and a chase after the thief was started. This chase did not stop at the river; it was continued as long as any substantial trace could be found. Horse and thief were frequently returned. In some instances the horse was returned with the report that the thief got away; when, sometimes later perhaps, the body of a man suspended from a limb of a tree, would be found. These societies were maintained with much rigor until after the close of the Civil War. The following roster of members of the main society was framed and preserved by Capt. Jona- than E. Cooper, towit :
List of members of the Jersey County Horse Thief Detecting Society : Robert L. Hill, president; Isaac Harbert, Jr., secretary ; Thomas L. Mc- Gill, treasurer ; and John Frost, Joel Corey, Isaac Darneille, George H. Collins, Edward A. D'Arcy, John Kimball, Sidney A. Potts, Albert G. Miner, Hugh L. Gross, Nathaniel Miner, Joseph Dundan, William Hamil- ton, Harrison Colean, Solomon Calhoun, Julius C. Wright, James Har- riott, Francis Colean, William H. Frost, Caleb Stone, N. L. Adams, C. B. Fisher, Cyrus Tollman, John Carpenter, E. Van Horn, James A. Goodrich, Thomas Cummings, William Lavender, C. D. W. Warren, Benjamin F. Massey, Isaac E. Foreman, John M. Brown, John Brown, Peter Voorhees, Richard Johnson, John Cowen, Jacob Van Dike, Asa Snell, Horatio N. Belt, William S. Wilson, R. Henderson, John Cope, Joseph Robbins, Robert Whitehead, John N. English, John L. Terrill,
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
Aaron Rue, Joseph McReynolds, James T. Post, Abijah Davis, J. Van Lew, George W. Lowder, James C. Perry, Isaac Baird, C. H. Goodrich, Cyrus Morrell, Alexander Coles, James A. Potts, Murray Cheney, George H. Jackson, John M. Smith, William Kelley, James Downey, Samuel L. McGill, Joel Hinson, Samuel T. Kendall, Henry Cope, James McKinney, Amos Pruitt, John Anderson, Harman P. Crum, R. H. Van Dike, Melane Anderson, Jonathan E. Cooper, James C. Graham, Robert B. Robbins, Perley Silloway, Warren A. Smith, A. D. Holliday, Joshua Allen, David T. Bonnell, Thomas Perrine, William D. Landon, John Denfer.
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CHAPTER XXVIII
THE OLD SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION 1
ORGANIZATION-OBJECT-REQUISITES FOR MEMBERSHIP-OFFICIALS-LIST OF OLD SETTLERS-OTHERS WORTHY OF A PLACE IN THESE RECORDS- REMINISCENCES-CHARACTER AND CUSTOMS OF EARLY SETTLERS-PIO- NEER APPLIANCES-HOME INDUSTRIES-PRIMITIVE SCHOOLHOUSES- LACK OF MILLS-PIONEER AMUSEMENTS-MANNERS AND EQUIPMENT- UNUSUAL POEM.
ORGANIZATION
The survivors of the early settlers of Jersey County long felt the need of an organization whose object would be the preservation of the recollections connected with their first coming to the county. To supply this want, The Old Settlers' Association was organized October 7, 1871, and was known as The Old Settlers' Society of Jersey County, Ill.
OBJECT
The object of the society was declared to be the perpetuation of the memory of the pioneers and old settlers of the county; to collect and preserve the history of the settlement and progress, and of interest- ing events connected with the same; to revise and keep alive by annual meetings, old friendships, and the memory of bygone days; and to obtain and record, as far as practicable, the names and ages of the early settlers in the state and county, the place of their nativity, the date of their location in the county, the record of their deaths, and other matters of similar interest.
REQUISITES FOR MEMBERSHIP
By the provisions of the original constitution adopted, all persons residing in the State of Illinois in 1840, who were then twenty-one years of age, and who have resided in the counties of Greene and Jersey
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
for twenty-five years, were entitled to become members by enrolling their names on the rolls of the society. The constitution has since been amended in this respect, so that the persons entitled to become members include all "who were residents of the state of Illinois in 1840, who were then of lawful age, and who have resided in Jersey County for twenty-five years, and all persons from within the limits of the state prior to January 1, 1831, and have had a like residence of twenty- five years in the county."
OFFICIALS
The officers of this society consist of a president, thirteen vice presi- dents, one elected as far as possible from each township, and a secretary.
The first officers elected were as follows: Cyrus Tolman, president ; Benjamin F. Slaten, Brook Stafford, George Stafford, William Hackney, Thomas McDow, John M. Hull, Thomas Wedding, Jeremiah Bell, J. E. Cooper, John Brown, Z. Reddish, D. P. Pritchett, and William Waddle, vice presidents ; and George H. Jackson, secretary.
Mr. Tolman continued the president until 1876, when Jonathan E. Cooper was elected and filled that position. In addition to the gentle- men named above, Samuel Erwin, William McDow, William Kellar, Moses Cockrell, William Chapple and J. N. Englishi acted as vice presi- dents. George H. Jackson has continued the efficient secretary.
An annual meeting and picnic are held, and the society has been the means of reviving no little interest in matters relating to the early settlement of Jersey County. Since the organization of the society in 1871, all original members have died ; and the rapid inroad of the hand of death in the ranks of those who took part in the first settling of this portion of the state, suggests that the time has arrived when the events connected with the pioneer times of Jersey County are matters of tra- dition only, and the eye witnesses and participants in the doings of a century ago are gathered to their fathers.
Below we append a list of the old settlers who have been connected with the Old Settlers' Society, when born, and where, the year in which they came to Illinois, and also the year in which they came to Jersey County.
Adams, Newell L., born Wyndham Co., Vt., 1796; came to Illinois, 1831; came to Jersey County, 1833.
Adams, Z. H., born Oneida Co., N. Y., 1798; came to Illinois, 1832; came to Jersey County, 1833.
A.B Piggatt
Elizabeth. J. Paggott.
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
Allen, Joshua, born Jefferson Co., N. Y., 1806; came to Illinois, 1832; came to Jersey County, 1857.
Bell, Jeremiah, born Georgia; came to Illinois, 1811; came to Jersey County, 1819.
Barton, E. H., born Juniata Co., Pa., 1815; came to Illinois, 1836; came to Jersey County, 1837.
Bowman, Elisha, born Royalton, Vt., 1795; came to Illinois, 1836; came to Jersey County, 1836.
Brown, John, born Pendleton Co., S. C., 1790; came to Illinois, 1820; came to Jersey County, 1822.
Buffington, J. H., born Chester Co., Pa., 1812; came to Illinois, 1838; came to Jersey County, 1838.
Black, John R., born Lancaster Co., Pa., 1797; came to Illinois, 1815; came to Jersey County, 1822.
Blaney, John, born Ireland, 1807, came to Illinois, 1836; came to Jer- sey County, 1837.
Bates, William, born Pendleton Co., S. C., 1812; came to Illinois, 1818; came to Jersey County, 1821.
Baily, William W., born Essex Co., N. J., 1814; came to Illinois, 1835; came to Jersey County, 1835.
Brock, T. F., born Franklin, Va., 1802; came to Illinois, 1825; came to Jersey County, 1829.
Burke, G. W., born Addison, Vt., 1807; came to Illinois, 1834; came to Jersey County, 1834.
Burley, Daniel, born Adams Co., Ohio, 1816 ; came to Illinois, 1834; came to Jersey County, 1834.
Brock, Robert T., born Greene Co., Ill., 1829 ; canie to Jersey County, 1829. Beeman, Mrs. Orman, born North Carolina; came to Illinois, 1804. Bonnell, D. T.
Cockrell, Moses, born Scott Co., Ohio, 1806; came to Illinois, 1833; came to Jersey County, 1833.
Cornelius, Daniel, born St. Clair Co., Ill., 1820; came to Jersey Co., 1830. Cooper, J. E., born Henry Co., Ky., 1807; came to Illinois, 1829; came to Jersey County, 1829.
Cheney, Murray, born Addison Co., Vt., 1809; came to Jersey Co., 1833. Corey, Joel, born Somerset Co., N. J., 1805; came to Illinois, 1834; came to Jersey County, 1834.
Cope, Jacob, born Rowan Co., N. C., 1808; came to Illinois, 1827; came to Jersey County, 1827.
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
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