USA > Illinois > Jersey County > History of Jersey County, Illinois > Part 5
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In the investigation of these matters, many times the antiquarian comes across some evidence that is liable to confuse his case. From a mound of earth and stone in Calhoun County, from which I took a number of rough, flint implements, paint stones, with instruments of bone, and which I pronounced as soon as brought forth, as the effects of some red man, perhaps of a Dacotah, I came suddenly upon a beautiful
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pipe with its thin, delicate, crescent-shaped stem, that fits nicely between the teeth, and whose polished surface felt smooth as glass between the lips, and which sustained a delicate, ornamented bowl, just large enough to hold a thimble full of tobacco. I found myself wondering where that pipe originally came from. There was too wide a difference between the pipe and the associating relics. Had the red man picked it up where it had been lost by a Mound Builder ? Or had he been digging in an old mound for an intrusive burial, came across the ancient pipe and appropriated it to his own use? It would seem probable that the later Indians sometimes picked up and used relics left by a preceding people.
The numerous pipes found in this county, with the exception of two or three, are made for the insertion of a stem, being unlike the ancient , pipe in this respect. Some are of stone, others are of baked clay, others still of a composition similar to earthen vessels, the fragments of which are common in this locality. I have a pipe of sandstone, taken from a mound in St. Charles County, Mo., on which there is an excellent aboriginal profile, and, what is most singular, there is a beard depicted on each side of the face, from ear to chin. The thin lips, delicate nose and clear cut features show but little resemblance to the counte- nance of the modern red man. With this pipe was buried an earthen vase, with four ears or handles, and beautifully ornamented by lines or scroll work. It is of a capacity to hold a gallon or more, and in shape is not unlike illustrations of ancient Egyptian water vessels from the Nile. In fact, the profile on the pipe bears a strong resemblance to delincations of the human face sculptured on rock in the same region. In Layard's Explorations of Ancient Nineveh are given illustrations of sculptured profiles that have the beard depicted in almost precisely the same manner.
We have two curious pipes from Calhoun County, made to repre- sent frogs. One weighs several pounds, and is carved from a block of magnesian limestone, the other of smaller size, and is made from a tough piece of micaceous shale.
Beautiful Mound Builder pipes are found in the American bottom. But the finest pipes of this description that have come under our notice, not even excepting those from Ohio, have been found in the mounds on the Illinois River bottom, near Naples, in Scott County, Ill. One of these pipes represents a coon, so true to nature in every particular that the rings on his tail are plainly seen, and the pupils of the eye are rep- resented by pellets of native silver inserted in the head. The animal sits
J. W. Becken
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on a crescent-shaped base, which forms the stem. The bowl for the re- ception of tobacco is in the back of the animal. The whole pipe is carved from a solid piece of most obdurate greenstone, and highly polished.
The impression made by our viewing such relics as these, leaves little room to doubt that at one time this vicinity was inhabited by a race of people who had made considerable advances from a savage state, and were different from our so-called Indian.
PLUMMETS
There is still another class of relics, of which great numbers are found here, and of which we have nearly a hundred in our possession. They are usually called Plummets, from their resemblance to the plumb, an instrument used by mechanics to ascertain perpendiculars. They are from one to four inches long, pyriform or pear-shaped, and from an ounce to two or three pounds in weight. About the smaller end there is often a crease or perforation, as if for the purpose of being suspended. The majority of them are made of iron ore, the remainder of various kinds of stone. Many of the plummets are very neatly made and highly polished.
Various have been the conjectures in regard to the use of these curious relics. Some collectors suppose them to have been sinkers for lines or nets in fishing; but there is evidently too much care and labor expended in their manufacture for the simple purpose of fishing, when something more easily obtainable would answer as well. By others they are supposed to have been pendants worn as ornaments in the ears, nose, and about the neck, etc .; but many of them weigh several pounds, and would be evidently too heavy for such a purpose, besides a majority of them have neither crease nor hole by which to be suspended. Some persons have thought them to have been covered with rawhide and used as a slungshot, or after the manner of the bolus of the South American Indians. But some weigh less than an ounce, and would apparently be too small for such a purpose. Still others have supposed them to have been used as paint stones, from the fact that a large portion of them are hematite, which being wet or incased in water and rubbed against another stone forms a bright red paint, with which they adorned their persons. That hematite was thus used by the aborigines is highly prob- able. But we have a number of nicely made plummets, made of both granite and limestone.
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ANCIENT MORTARS
Another class of stone implements found in this county, and of which we have quite a number, are ancient mortars. They are generally made of round, drift rocks, such as granite or porphyry, and weigh from ten to twenty pounds. These generally have a rounded or oblong basin, scooped out' from both the flattened sides of the rock. Some have a circu- lar basin on one side, and are oblong on the other, as if two kinds of pestles had been used. The depression, forming the basin of the mortar, is from one to four inches deep. These implements are worn very smooth, as though from long contact with the hands or persons of the ancient workers.
OTHER RELICS
There are a great many relics found in this section, the uses of which we can only conjecture, and for which we have no name. Some of these were doubtless intended for ornament, others, possibly, as badges of office. We have a beautiful relic of the latter class, found in a plowed field on the Illinois River bottom, a short distance from the mouth of that river. It is in the form of a double crescent, or like a two-edged axe, the rounded edges of which at their points extend out over the perforation for the handle. The edges of the stone, however, are not sharp. It is made from a variety of reddish jasper, translucent, and beautifully polished. The relic is about four inches long. The per- foration is about half an inch in diameter. How so hard a rock was worked, especially how the perforation, which is straight and true, was made through such obdurate material, by means in possession of such a primitive people, surpasses our understanding. There is no evi- dence that such objects were made by, or even known to the modern red men, so we refer them to that mysterious race of stone carvers, gen- erally known as Mound Builders. So great labor bestowed on the manufacture of an object must certainly have greatly enhanced its value, and it is possible that it was worn by some ruler as a badge or ornament indicative of his office.
There are numerous relics, worked from stone with great patience and some skill, which we shall not attempt to describe in the limits of this paper, which we have prepared in the midst of other arduous labors, and'is not at all complete. We have refrained from dwelling on some important departments in our collection from this vicinity. Notably
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among these is our collection of skulls and pottery. The skulls found in the old mounds and caves are of great value in determining the in- tellectual condition of pre-historic man. We have about fifty of these old crania, some of which are very peculiar in shape. They are all much smaller than the average European skull.
The pottery of the ancient inhabitants of this region affords an excel- lent means by which to judge of their advancement from a savage state. Some of the pottery is very rude, other specimens exhibit a considerable degree of skill and some taste in ornamentation. We have some splen- did specimens of pottery from the American bottom and the lowlands between the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. They were taken from ancient mounds.
REMAINING RELICS
There is a remaining class of relics found in this county and vicinity, which, though but little known, are of great interest to the antiquarian. These evidences of the presence of ancient men are found in caverns and rocky recesses about the limestone bluffs of the rivers and streams.
In these rocky bluffs are numerous small caves and recesses under the overhanging cliffs that contain ancient fireplaces, on which are great quantities of ashes, mingled with curious implements, and the bones of animals and fishes used as food. These piles of ashes are evidently the result of fire kept burning for ages by a peculiar people, who made their abode in these rocky recesses.
A number of years' investigation of these caverns has led me to believe that there was a peculiar race of savages who lived along the streams and subsisted principally on fish, mostly shell fish, as is evidenced in vast piles of shells, mostly Unios, half buried in debris about their habitations. They were cannibals, as is shown by the human bones among others, being broken lengthwise, as if to obtain the marrow. Most of their implements and ornaments were made from the stalagmite and stalactite from the floor and roof of their cavernous retreats. My dis- coveries in regard to these savage men must, however, be reserved for a special paper.
PLEASANT YET HARD TASK
It will thus be seen that this county and vicinity contain many evi- dences of pre-historic races. Different species of indigenous men, no
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doubt, in the course of time made this their home, and in the great struggle for existence, have been forced to succumb. To collect these relies and study them and endeavor to restore a portion at least of a lost history, is the pleasant yet hard task of the antiquarian.
WILLIAM MCADAMS.
CHAPTER IV
. EARLY HISTORICAL EVENTS
DISCOVERY OF AMERICA-A WOMAN'S INSTINCT-ABBOT'S ACCOUNT-THE QUEEN'S GENEROSITY-OTHER EXPEDITIONS-OTHER DISCOVERIES-FUR- THER DEVELOPMENT-A MISSION OF PEACE-THE CALUMET OF PEACE- FIRST MENTION OF JERSEY COUNTY TERRITORY-INDIAN ART-THE MIS- SOURI RIVER-THE RETURN VOYAGE-THE ILLINOIS RIVER-LOSS TO HISTORY-THE BEGINNING OF CHICAGO-DEATH OF MARQUETTE-GOV- ERNOR REYNOLDS' EULOGY-MISSION OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION.
DISCOVERY OF AMERICA
Since the smaller division of territory is included in the larger one until its segregation, so Jersey County will be considered a part of North America until it is separated from the larger body. This history will commence with the discovery of America and the events leading up to it, and will trace down through the subsequent events and changes that be necessary to reach the County of Jersey.
At the close of the fifteenth century there was a spirit of general unrest in the countries of western Europe, and a very great desire was expressed to be permitted to participate in the rich trade with the Orient, from which they had been excluded by the merchant princes of the east- ern Mediterranean Sea. Many minds were engaged in trying to solve this difficult problem. Among others was Christopher Columbus. He was a sailor by calling, a native of Genoa, Italy, and he had studied this problem until he had become obsessed with the idea that the earth is a sphere, and that by sailing westward a vessel could reach the Indies and China without obstruction. He presented his views to his own coun- try, and to Portugal, where he was married to the daughter of a rich maritime merchant; and his theories were rejected. He then went to Spain, and applied to King Ferdinand for help to outfit an expedition to test his ideas of a western route to India.
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A WOMAN'S INSTINCT
His propositions were rejected, but he had the good fortune to make a convert of Queen Isabella, and several leading churchmen and states- men of Spain, and through the Queen's intercession, a council of phi- losophers and prelates was called to consider the propositions of Columbus and deliberate upon his theory. He went before this council and very eloquently presented his cause, but met with very little, if any, sym- pathy. His theories were negatived in the council.
ABBOT'S ACCOUNT
In Abbot's Life of Columbus, it is said with reference to the con- ยท duct and decision of this council :
"The philosophers and the clergy alike assailed him with arguments which now provoke the derision even of the most common minds. The following passage from Lectantius was quoted as a triumphant refu- tation of the statement of Columbus that the world is round : 'Is there anyone so foolish as to believe that there are antipodes with their feet opposite to ours; people who walk with their heels upward and their heads hanging down? That there is a part of the world in which all things are topsy-turvy ; where the trees grow with their branches down- ward, and where it rains, hails and snows upward?' The idea of the roundness of the earth was the cause of the inventing of this fable of the antipodes with their heels in the air, for philosophers having once erred, go on with their absurdities, defending one with the other."
THE QUEEN'S GENEROSITY
Columbus was dismissed from this council in disgrace as a visionary enthusiast, and started at once for the court of France, to which he had been invited. Queen Isabella, hearing what had been done, at once sent a messenger to secure the return of Columbus, and stated that she would, if necessary, pledge her crown jewels to raise the money to furnish an outfit for the expedition to test Columbus' views. Her sacrifice was not required, for the funds were raised by other means, and Columbus' three vessels and outfit were furnished, and he started on his voyage of discovery in 1492, returning the following year with samples of dis- coveries and specimens of the inhabitants of the countries they had found, reporting that he had discovered the route to India on his voyage.
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He was received with great consideration, and invited to the capital, being treated as a hero of a great expedition.
OTHER EXPEDITIONS
It is unnecessary to follow him in his other expeditions and the treatment lie received, it being sufficient to state that they were four in number. The other countries of western Europe, having learned of Columbus' success, fitted out expeditions to participate in this great trade with the Indies, not being then aware that a continent lay between them and the Orient.
OTHER DISCOVERIES
The Cabots, Jolin and Sebastian, from England, in 1497, discovered Labrador and Hudson's Bay. The French, about the same time, dis- covered the St. Lawrence River. Other discoveries were made farther south along the Atlantic coast. It may be true that prior to that time a Norseman had coasted along Labrador and probably farther south, but no attention had been paid to these discoveries by the civilized coun- tries of Europe, and Columbus' expedition was regarded as the real discovery of America. The French ascended the St. Lawrence River, and established Quebec and later on, Montreal. Europe was so engaged in turmoil and warring among their nations over political and religious subjects, that the governments had little time to pay attention to the affairs of the newly discovered American continent.
FURTHER DEVELOPMENT
During the sixteenth century but little progress was made in the de- velopment of the new continent. At the beginning of the seventeenth century, settlements were made on the Atlantic coast of North America, in what are now Virginia, Massachusetts, Connecticut, the Carolinas and Florida, but little advance was made in penetrating into the interior of the country until about the middle of the seventeenth century, when the French pushed on up the St. Lawrence River and through the Great Lakes, accompanied by Jesuit missionaries, who were establishing mis- sions of their order at different localities where traders had opened up trading posts, and pushing their way into Indian country, to convert the natives. In 1666, Father Marquette, a highly educated and consecrated
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Jesuit priest, left Quebec and pushed further on, establishing missions of his order in Lake Superior, Lake Huron and Lake Michigan districts, and in connection with this work, he learned from the Sioux Indians that there was a great river; known as the Father of Waters, that was very large and flowed southward for many miles. He learned what he could with reference to this river and its bearings, and reached the conclusion that possibly the river flowed into the Pacific Ocean and that it would give an outlet to the European trade coming up the St. Law- rence River and through the lakes into the river, and by means of this access could be gained to the Orient. In 1673, he and Monsieur Joliet, with five Frenchmen, started in two bark canoes from Green Bay, Wis., across the divide to find this great river. They followed the Wisconsin River on the east side to the portage, when they crossed it, and going down it, after many difficulties on June 17, 1673, they passed out of the Wisconsin into the Mississippi River.
A MISSION OF PEACE
While floating down the river, after several days, the travelers dis- covered footprints of men upon the bank, and thereupon they hid their canoes and left their men to watch them, and Marquette and Joliet fol- lowed the tracks back into the country until they reached an Indian village, where by a "hello" they made their presence known. After much delay, and many forms and ceremonies, lasting over two days, which are minutely described by Marquette in his journal of this ex- pedition, Father Marquette was presented with a "Calumet of Peace." This journal, which was found by Judge Sidney Breese among the old archives at Quebec, and translated by him from the original French in which it was written, is printed as an appendix to Breese's Early His- tory of Illinois at page 235, and it is the only accurate and authentic history of this voyage of discovery of the Mississippi River that is still in existence.
THE CALUMET OF PEACE
Father Marquette says of the Calumet of Peace: "Nothing is to it, among these people, more mysterious or estimable. They would not do as much honor to the scepter of kings, as they render to it; it ap- pears to be the God of peace and of war, the arbiter of life and death; it is enough for one bearing it to go with confidence in the midst of
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enemies, who in the heat of combat throw down their arms when it is shown to them; it was for virtue in it that the Illinois gave me one to serve me as a safeguard among the nations through which I should be compelled to pass in my voyage."
In his preparation for the voyage, Marquette had not included any weapons or arms of any kind, offensive or defensive, relying wholly upon his authority as a messenger of Almighty God and the Prince of Peace, to overcome any and all difficulties he should encounter by the way ; but he was very glad to be able to have the benefit of this "Calumet," which was of great benefit to him in his meeting and dealing with the hostile tribes met by him on his journey down the river. At the close of his visit to this tribe, they all accompanied him to the river for his embarcation, and expressed much surprise at the appearance of the bark canoes for they had never seen any like them:
FIRST MENTION OF JERSEY COUNTY TERRITORY
While continuing to float down the river, Father Marquette made notes of the forest, nuts and fruits seen along its shores until the party reached the mouth of the Illinois River, which is now included in Jersey County. His reference to this is the first mention of any part of Illinois specifically referred to, and his company were the first white men who ever visited or looked upon any part of Jersey County. This voyage took place 245 years ago. At page 258 of the history above mentioned, Mar- quette says :
INDIAN ART
"As we coasted along, the rocks frightful from their height and vast- ness, we saw upon one of them two monsters painted upon it, that we were alarmed at first sight, and upon which some of the most courageous savages dare not, for a long time, fasten their eyes. They are as large as a calf, have horns on the head like a deer, a frightful look, red eyes, a beard like a tiger, the face something like a man's, the body covered with scales, the tail so long that it made the circuit of the body, passing over the head and returning between the legs, terminating in a tail like that of a fish; the colors that composed it, were green, red and black. In truth these two monsters are so well painted, that we cannot believe that a savage was the workman, since good painters in France would find it difficult to do as well, and, moreover, they are so high up on the rock
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that it is difficult to reach them conveniently by painters. As we were conversing about these monsters, rowing quietly in a beautiful water, clear and tranquil, we heard the noise of a rapid into which we were going to fall.
THE MISSOURI RIVER
"I have never seen anything more frightful; an impediment caused by whole trees and branches and floating islands proceeded from the mouth of the river Pekatononi (Missouri) with so much impetuosity, that we could not attempt to pass across without danger; the agitation was such that the water was all muddy and could not be purified."
Leaving Father Marquette's account of the painting on the bluff, it is sufficient to say that it was a representation of the "Piasa Bird," the foundation of the famous Indian legend which represented a great monster visiting the tribe and carrying away into captivity their finest and bravest young warriors each year.
THE RETURN VOYAGE
After passing the mouth of the Missouri, the voyageurs descended the river to the mouth of the Arkansas, stopping to ascend the Ohio to the mouth of the Wabash, meeting a number of hostile Indian tribes, the hostility of whom was overcome through the efforts and influence of Father Marquette, who finally preached the gospel to them until July 17, when, having been just a month on their trip from the mouth of the Wisconsin River, and two days from the Gulf of Mexico, on account of being subjected to the scorching rays of the July sun by day, and innumerable swarms of voracious mosquitoes by night, and being scant of a proper supply of food, and having only warm, brackish river water to drink, upon due consultation with Joliet, they decided to return and make report of their discoveries. So, upon July 17, A. D. 1673, they started upon that long, toilsome and wearisome journey, contending against the strong current of the river, under all of the adverse condi- tions mentioned. They found themselves resting at the mouth of the Illi- nois River, at Grafton, where they took under consideration the question of abandoning their hard and laborious journey up the Mississippi River, or returning to Green Bay by way of the Illinois River and Lake Mich- igan, and the further problem of Marquette's health, which had broken down under the terrible strain of this trip. With the rest, shade, and
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HISTORY OF JERSEY COUNTY
cool, refreshing spring water, however, his health, before many days, was sufficiently restored to permit a resumption of the return trip, and they left the Mississippi River there, and went on up the Illinois River. Father Marquette says :
"We quit it (the Mississippi River) at the Thirty-eighth degree to enter into another river which shortened our way very much, and con- 1 ducted us with little trouble to the Lake of Illinois.
THE ILLINOIS RIVER
"We have never seen anything like this river, which we entered, for the richness of the soil, the prairies, the woods, the buffaloes, the elks, the deer, the wildcats, the bustards, the swans, the ducks, the paraquets, , and beavers. It is made up of little lakes and rivers. This upon which we voyaged was wide, deep and gentle for sixty-five leagues. In the spring and part of the summer it is necessary to make a portage of half a league. We found a village of Illinois called Kuilka, consisting of seventy-four cabins; we were very kindly received by them, and they obliged me to promise them I would return to instruct them. One of the chiefs of this nation with a young man conducted us to the Lake of Illinois, by which we returned to the Bay of Plants (Green Bay) at the close of September, and which we had left at the commencement of the month of June.
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