USA > Illinois > Knox County > History of Knox county, Illinois > Part 13
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
Wallace .* Joseph Holliday .* John MeAdams, Rees Jones .* Alex. Williams. James MeGechee, John Criswell, Jesse Adkins.# Stephen Pennington,* James MeMurtry, Sr., Joseph Roe. John Miles, Benja- min Brown,* William H. Bell,* Daniel Fuque# James Roundtree .* Matthew Cov, Thomas Maxwell.# Willis Pecenpaugh,* Henry Pecen- paugh. John Vaughn,* Heary D. Bell. Elijah Osborn, Erbin D. Cov.# James Reynolds.# Andrew Osborn,* James Maxwell .* James B. At- wood, Stephen Osborn, Robert Bell, Alexander Osborn, William Lewis,* Jesse D. Gum. Jones Osborn, Henry Maxwell,# Obadiah Fu- qui,* Nicholas Voiles. John Norton. Josiah Vaughn .* J. G. Sanburo. Henry M. Gillett,# Charles Hansford, Erbin Reynolds, Benjamin Jennings.# Daniel Tanner .* Riggs Pennington, Jacob Adams,* F. V. Barber,* Benjamin Tucker, Wilson Brown,# Pleasant McGeehee, Simeon Pennington, Corbin Pennington, Alexander Frakes,* Jona- than Rice.# George Brown,# William Hill, Moses F. Freeman.
Of the 12 men who are represented in the above list there are but five now living in Knox county. Almost the entire number have passed from earth, and but a few more years will roll by until not a a single name will be represented among men.
The military organization formed in this county was called the - Volunteer Rangers," and was commanded by Captain William Mc- Martry .- Turner Roundtree, First Lieutenant, and George Latimer, Second Lieutenant. They did not wear military uniforms, but con- tinued in citizen's dress. The battalion was mounted, each man fur- nishing his own horse. They ranged over the country from this county to the Mississippi river in the neighborhood of Oquawka. Although out about 60 days, they were fortunate enough not to have an engagement with the enemy.
The Rangers were dismissed from service at Macomb, being out over two months, and received therefor the remunerative sum of $6 cents per day for self and horse. Afterward the General Government was kind enough to give to each participant 80 acres of land.
For further protection three log forts were constructed,-two in Henderson township and one in Rio: also another three miles south- east of Knoxville, but was never occupied. Those in Henderson stood one on section 10 and the other on section 33. Fort Aggie, as the one in Rio was termed, stood on section 27. These places of refuge were rather a stockade than a fort, except the one below Knoxville, although known among the early settlers only by the latter name. A description of Lewis" fort, as the one on section 33 was known, will suffice for all. It was built under the supervision of William Lewis, who, with 16 others, constructed it in the short time of four
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
weeks, which, considering the vast amount of physical labor required. is a case almost without a parallel. It stood a short distance from the timber, and was 210 feet square, being built of oak timbers 12 feet each in length, set close together in the ground, forming a fence about S or 9 feet high, which was lined with sod, ploughed 2 feet wide and 4 inches thick, and cut in pieces 2 feet in length. Every + feet port-holes were made. On two of the corners were erected block houses, at which each of the four sides of the fort could be protected by the guard. These were 16 by 20 feet, and a few feet from the ground, projected beyond the walls of the main structure, thus enab ling the guard to prevent an approach of incendiaries. These were covered with clapboards. On the inside and adjoining the outer walls was a shed extending all the way around. One doorway, 12 feet wide. which was closed with a heavy puncheon door, was the only place of entry. They were preparing to construct a sham cannon of basewood. which they intended to place above the wall pointing toward the tim- ber, from which place they expected the Indians; but peace was de- clared ere it was finished. The only shelter being the shed referred to, consequently the exposure of those " forted" was often great. On one occasion, when many of the settlers had taken refuge, Mrs. Hans- ford commenced packing up her things preparatory to leaving for home, which aroused the curiosity of the others, whoanxiously inquired if she intended to leave. She told them that she "would rather be killed at home by the Indians than die from exposure, as they were all bound to if they staid there." Late one night, while everything was quiet around their cabin, this same lady awoke thinking she heard the stealthy tread of red men. She aroused her husband. telling him the Indians were coming and that they must be off to the fort. He was not so easily frightened, and said he " wouldn't go, as no Indians were near." Soon Mr. Coy's family came and knocked for admittance. They were on their way to the fort.
After the arrival of the Coy family, with the startling intelligence of the approach of the treacherous enemy, Dr. Hansford and family joined them, and they all hurried toward the fort. They, however, stopped at Peter Bell's the remainder of the night. The settlers. especially the more timid women, had no trouble in discovering bands of marauding Indians lurking in every grove of timber. Cattle, stumps, trees, and other objects, by their imaginations, were easily converted into Indians. Everybody could see, as one old lady re- marked, "whole mountains of Indians any time." The following incident illustrates the verity of this statement; although ludicrous now, if we could realize the real situation of the women it would be 10
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
quite serious: Mrs. Hansford and Mrs. Lewis, the latter with a little daughter, were returning home late in the afternoon from a neighbor's, where they had been visiting. Coming in sight of one of the forts they saw several wagons there, which they readily conceived were Indians. Indeed they could see hundreds of them slaying the few whites that had reached the place. Mrs. Lewis in agony cried out, "For God's sake, run; I smell the powder!" and, at a speed women seldom go, they ran for Peter Bell's cabin. They were compelled to pass through a piece of timber, and here they were positive they could see the lurking red-skins on every hand. They never slackened their run until they reached Bell's, who was much diverted at their timidity.
Two young men, Jones and De Hart by name, had pushed away out upon the frontier, and naturally had become accustomed to "rough- ing it." De Hart, nevertheless, was greatly frightened one day when no danger was near. They had broken ten acres of prairie land in Walnut Grove township, on what was afterward the farm of Amos Ward. While De Hart was plowing with a yoke of oxen, an old Indian squaw came out of the woods and waved a red blanket. This, he surmised, was a signal for him to flee for his life. Accordingly he started immediately for the fort at Henderson, leaving his oxen in the furrow. On hearing it was only a scare, he returned the follow- ing day for his team and effects; but left the county and never re- turned. His experience of border life had been sufficient to convince him that a more civilized community would be as congenial. Several times during the Black Hawk war did the settlers flee to the forts, leaving their homes in such haste that but little preparation could be made. Rumors were ever rife of the coming of Indians; and as the settlers really expected them, it is no wonder that many believed every rumor afloat.
The faithful Indian Chief, Shaubena, whose portrait appears in this book, was a friend to the white man, and deserves more than a passing notice. Although not so conspicuous as Tecumseh or Black Hawk, yet in point of merit he was superior to either of them. Shaubena was born at an Indian village on the Kankakee river, now in Will county, about the year 1775. While young he was made chief of the band, and went to Shaubena Grove (now in De Kalb county), where they were found in the early settlement of that section. In the war of 1812 Shaubena, with his warriors, joined Tecumseh, was aid to that great chief, and stood by his side when he fell at the battle of the Thames. At the time of the Winnebago war, in 1827, he visited almost every village among the Pottawatomies, and by his persuasive
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
arguments prevented them from taking part in the war. By request of the citizens of Chicago, Shaubena, accompanied by Billy Caldwell (Sauganash), visited Big Foot's village at Geneva Lake, in order to pacify the warriors, as fears were entertained that they were about to raise the tomahawk against the whites. Here Shaubena was taken prisoner by Big Foot, and his life threatened, but on the following day was set at liberty. From that time the Indians (through reproach) styled him the "white man's friend," and many times his life was endangered.
Before the Black Hawk war Shaubena inet with his men in coun- cil at two different times, and by his influence prevented his people from taking part with the Sacs and Foxes. After the death of Black Partridge and Senachwine, no chief among the Pottawatomies exerted so much influence as Shaubena. Black Hawk, aware of this influ- ence, visited him at two different times, in order to enlist him in his cause, but was unsuccessful. While Black Hawk was a prisoner at Jefferson Barracks he said, had it not been for Shaubena the whole Pottawatomie nation would have joined his standard, and he could have continued the war for years.
To Shaubena many of the early settlers of this county owe the preservation of their lives, for he was ever on the alert to save the whites. He visited the settlement in the northeast part of the county, telling them if they did not leave they would be killed. John Essex, David Cooper, Thomas Essex, Sr., and Thomas, Jr., with their families, immediately set out for the fort near Pekin. Here they re- mained until December, when all returned to their homes except Thomas Essex, Jr., who never came back to the county, but moved near Peoria, where he yet lives.
Shanbena, by saving the lives of the whites endangered his own, for the Sacs and Foxes threatened to kill him, and made two attempts to execute their threats. They killed Pypeogee, his son, and Pyps, his nephew, and hunted him down as though he was a wild beast.
Shaubena had a reservation of two sections of land at his grove, but by leaving it and going west for a short time the government declared the reservation forfeited, and sold it the same as other vacant land. Shaubena finding on his return his possessions gone, was very sad and broken down in spirit, and left the grove for ever. The citizens of Ottawa raised money and bought him a tract of land on the Illinois river, above Seneca, in Grundy county, on which they built a house and supplied him with means to live on. He lived here until his death, which occurred on the 17th of July, 1859, in the 84th year of his age, and was buried with great pomp in the cemetery at
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
Morris. His squaw Pokanoka was drowned in Mazen creek, Grundy county, on the 30tli of November, 1864, and was buried by his side. In 1861 subscriptions were taken up in many of the river towns to erect a monument over the remains of Shaubena, but, the war break- ing out, the enterprise was abandoned. Only a plain marble slab inarks the resting-place of this friend of the white man.
Shaubena often came to the house of John Essex, of Lynn town- ship. He always was very kind to them, and on one occasion brought them a quarter of deer which he had killed himself. In after times when the younger Indians, knowing the popularity of Shaubena with the whites, called for something to eat and were asked whose papooses they were, they would invariably answer Shaubena's, thinking they would certainly get the food then, which they always did.
Shaubena came to William Morris, who lived in Persifer township, and told him if he would go with him to the northeast corner of the township he would show him a silver mine, which was marked by a big flat rock. Mr. Morris, not knowing that Shaubena was a friend to the whites, was afraid to go, for he thought the Indian wanted to kill him. Finally, in his travels over the country, in company with his wife, he found a bee-tree laded with honey. On their way home with their honey they came across the rock Shaubena had told them about. The location and description being as the Chief had defined, he several times after the first visit went in search of the rock, but failed to find it.
During the Black Hawk war two Indians came to Mr. Essex's, when his wife was alone. She was a brave pioneer woman, and ordi- narily would have experienced no fear had the number been a dozen; but this time she felt quite timid. She believed them to be spies, which indeed they were, as was subsequently discovered. They were learning the movements of the people, whether or not they were pre- paring to leave. On their arrival they asked for some potatoes to cook and honey to eat with them as they would gravy.
As referred to above, the Black Hawk war caused no little uneasi- ness to the Fraker Grove settlement. For two summers the settlers, finding it unsafe to remain there, sought refuge at Henderson fort. The first season, hearing that peace was declared, they returned to their homes about harvesting time. They repeated their journey to the fort the next spring. On their first trip, as they came to Walnut creek they found the stream so greatly swollen by recent rains that they could not cross. While waiting for the water to fall the Indian chief Miximack, who had followed them, came up. He quietly took liis steel, struck fire and lit his pipe. Sullenly he sat smoking,
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
doubtless musing on the slaughter of whites of this county, which he thought would soon occur. Mrs. Fraker, who also was accustomed to smoking, as many of the pioneer women were, asked him for some fire to light her pipe. On complying with her request he said, " You'll have plenty of fire by and by." She interpreted this to mean that the Indians engaged in the war would soon give them plenty of fire. This statement frightened her still more. Miximack was a rough, burly Indian, and feared by all the settlers.
The following year the Rangers came to Fraker's settlement and told them to go to the fort. The soldiers remained in the neighbor- hood that night, and the next day the settlers, before leaving, intended to give them a dinner of chicken; but when they went after them in the morning not a chicken was to be found. The soldiers had doubt- less feasted upon chicken without giving the settlers the trouble of serving them.
A few of the Rangers remained and accompanied the people to the fort. Their crops had all been put in, and were growing finely. They returned, however, in time to harvest their small grain. All returned to their homes except Miss Amelia Fraker, now Mrs. James Jackson of La Fayette, Stark county, who remained with friends at Henderson.
The greatest scare ever given the settlers was by young Atwood, son of Mr. Atwood who lived in Warren county. He was in the timber hunting the cows, when, knowing the timidity of the settlers and being, like his father, fond of a joke at others' expense, he conceived the idea of giving the settlers a " big scare." Knowing the people would discredit any statement he might make without other proof than his word, he divested himself of his clothing, hung it on the limb of a tree, and shot several bullet holes through the different garments. In order to show the effects of the bullets on his body, he took a stick and irritated the flesh near, or in range, with the various bullet holes in his clothing, afterward claiming the balls only grazed him. Everything being at length arranged to suit him, he started for home, running at full speed, and yelling with all his power, " The Indians are coming! The Indians are coming!" Of course the settlers were soon in a great degree of commotion. Men, women and children were starting pell-mell toward the forts. Consternation was so great among the easily duped and frightened people that nothing was thought of but fleeing from the coming savages and the saving of their lives; so that everything in their homes was conse- quently left in the greatest haste and most disorderly manner. When
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
the people learned how cruelly their fears had been played upon and they had been deceived, their indignation knew no bounds.
After the surrender of Black Hawk in August, 1832, hostilities ceased. There now being no danger of Indians molesting the settlers, vigorous and active preparations were made and measures inaugu- rated by them for the improvement of their homes.
In 1833 the quiet and tranquillity into which the pioneers had settled was partially disturbed by the rumor that the Indians were dissatisfied with the treaty they had made, and were resolved upon another war. This report, however, happily proved to be unfounded; and never since have the rumors of " Indians coming" been heard in Knox county.
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Truly Unis J He Lewis
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
CHAPTER IV.
GEOLOGY OF KNOX COUNTY.
The following chapter is gleaned from a geological survey made by the State geologist, A. H. Worthen, in 1870. Knox county com- prises a superficial area of twenty townships, or seven hundred square miles. It is bounded on the north by Henry county, on the east by Stark and Peoria, on the south by Fulton, on the west by Warren and Mercer. The fourth principal meridian passes along its west- ern border; the southeastern part of the county is intersected by Spoon river, which enters it in township 11, range 4, and passes out in township 9, range 2; French and Littler's creeks lie to the east; while Haw and Court creeks, with their branches, the larger of which are Brush, Middle, North and Sugar creeks, lie on the west. In the northeast is Walnut creek, a branch of Spoon river, while in the northwest Cedar, Henderson and Pope creeks have their origin, and run to the westward.
By these and some smaller streams this county is well watered. Springs, though not numerous, are occasionally found along the lower lands. Good wells may generally be found at a depth varying from 15 to 50 feet. A larger portion of the country is prairie, but so numerous are the streams that the prairies are commonly but a few square miles in extent. The soil does not present any material dif- ference from other counties in this portion of the State, and is of the usual dark-colored vegetable loam, with a brown clay sub-soil. That along the water courses is generally of less depth and lighter in color.
SURFACE GEOLOGY.
This embraces the usual subdivisions of the quarternary, with the exception of the loess, which was not noticed. The alluvial deposits are not extensive, seldom over a mile or so in width and commonly much less, and comprise the bottom lands found along nearly all the water courses. The soil is dark-colored loam, frequently intermin- gled with sand and gravel. The drift is spread over the entire sur- face of the uplands, to a depth of from ten to sixty feet, perhaps occasionally a little more. It comprises a series of yellow and blue
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
clay, here and there inixed with sand and gravel. Boulders of igne- ous and metamorphic rocks are not uncommon in it, and may be fre- quently seen along the courses of the streams. Wells are not usually sunk entirely through this deposit, an abundant supply of good water being found before the coal measures are reached, though occasionally they go deeper, and good water is sometimes found in the coal measures. All the stratified rocks exposed in Knox county belong to the coal measures, and they comprise a series of sandstones, limestones, clays, shales, and seams of coal, and represent the middle and lower part of the series of coal No. 6 of the Illinois section to coal No. 1 inclusive.
The upper seam, No. 6, is found principally in the eastern half of the county. It varies in thickness from four to six feet and affords a good quality of coal. In this and the adjoining counties it has a clay band about a foot and a half to two feet from the bottom and fre- quently several other clay partitions. In the western half of Victoria township, a coal seam has been extensively worked. Mines have also been opened in sections 5, 17, 18, 19, 29, 30, 31, and 32. In some mines coal runs as thick as six feet. At the mines of P. Peterson, Esq., in the northwest part of the northwest quarter of section 32, and some others in the vicinity, the coal was thicker than in the mines in the northern part of the township. The overlying limestone is here quite hard and durable, and is worked somewhat for building stone. In township 12, range 3, mines have been worked in sections 1, 10, 11, 18, 19, and 20; east of Wataga, township 12, range 2, in sec- tions 13, 15, 22, 23, and 24. Much coal lias been taken from this seam in the mines of John A. Lighton, Esq. In section 12 the following section was obtained:
1 Clay shale, not measured.
2 Limestone,. 1 foot 6 in. to 2 feet.
3 Clay, 6 in.
4 Black slate, 8 in. to 2 feet.
5 Coal, . 4 feet 2 in.
8 Clay, not measured
The center of section 24, limestone is found in considerable quan- tities which makes good lime.
In township 11, range 3, there are mines in sections 3, 4 and 5, and the coal is reported to belong to this seamn, and to be from 4 to 5 feet thick. In section 15, township 10, range 4, the coal appears along the bluffs a number of feet above the stream. A seam of limestone is worked at this place. This limestone is again exposed and worked in the southeast quarter of section 25, township 9, range 4. It is
1
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
quite hard at this point and makes a valuable building stone and being 4 feet thick can be quarried more readily than at most other localities in the region where it is thinner. It also forms a good roof for the coal below, there being but 6 inches of shale limestone be- tween. This seam is worked in sections 23, 24, 31, and probably 32 and 33. There is also a mine in 35, township 9, range 3. At this point the coal is found high up in the hill, and is reported to be some- what rotten.
The mines formerly worked by Messrs. Camp & Powell at Oneida, section 36, township 13, range 2, also belongs to this seam. The next seam, No. 4, of the Illinois section, usually lies from forty to sixty feet below this one. This coal is seldom less than three or more than four feet in thickness. Mines which appear to be in this seam are worked in 2 and 3, township 13, range 1. In the cannel coal, No. 4 of this section, there are the remains of fishes and plants, some of which are beautifully preserved, though generally quite fragmentary.
The mines along Sugar creek and its branches, in township 12, range 3, may belong to this seam, or perhaps to No. 6. The coal furnished by these mines was reported to be of superior quality, and this would seem to indicate that it belonged to No. 6.
South of Spoon river there are a number of mines along Littler's creek in sections 26, 27, 28, 34 and 35, township 9, range 3. A sec- tion here gave:
Feet.
1 Sandstone, . 3 to 5
2 Clay shale. 8 to 12
3 Clay, . 2
4 Black slate, 2 to 4
5 Coal, 2 to 3
6 Clay shale, .not measured.
This seam, though not as extensively worked as No. 6, underlies a much larger portion of the country. It probably underlies township 13, ranges 2, 3 and 4, and the eastern part of range 1.
A short distance southwest of Milroy a thin seam was reported. A thin seam was reported somewhere from twenty to forty feet below the one now worked there, which appears to be No. 6. Should this lower seam be No. 4, it is much thinner here than it is usually, and is probably No. 5. It probably underlies township 12, ranges 2, 3 and 4, township 11, range 2, and the southeastern part of range 1, and the northern borders of ranges 3 and 4, perhaps the eastern part of township 10, range 4, and township 9, range 4, and the southern
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
half of range 3. The coal from this seam is generally of fair quality, but is a little harder and not as well liked as that from No. 6.
In township 10, range 1, there is a coal seam worked in several places which may be No. 3 (?) of the Illinois section.
Abundance of fossil plants were found in some portions of the shale overlying the coal seam of this section, for which there are scientific names; but as there are no English names, we give no list here.
Near the former site of D. E. Hall's mill, section 5, township 13, range 1, there is an outcrop of limestone along Pope creek close to the water's edge. It is supposed there is a bed of coal but a few feet below this, but the matter had not been thoroughly tested when I was there. Should it prove to be so, it seems quite probable that it may be the same seam, No. 3 of the general section, and the same as the one formed in the southwestern part of the township 14, range 2 west, in Mercer county. Much of the limestone in this outcrop is highly fossiliferous, and contains many well preserved remains.
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