USA > Illinois > Knox County > History of Knox county, Illinois > Part 42
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
for her. By nightfall the father, learning she was safe at the honse of Mr. Sherman, most joyously went for her and carried her home to the anxions, loving mother. Some two years after this the father died, and the little girl wished to go and live with Grand-pa Sherman, where she now resides, perfectly at home.
RACE TO QUINCY.
Many are the races occurring between parties who wanted to enter the same piece of land. The following story is only an illustration of others:
In 1849 Granville Fisher discovered coal on the northwest quarter of section 24, Sparta township. He proposed to Albert Cawlkins, if he would haul the coal to Galesburg, he would give him two days' work for each load hauled. Thus matters advanced about a year, when one Saturday morning Ezra Chapman came to view the land and coal, with the thought of entering it for himself and others, in order to secure a permanent supply of fuel. Mr. Cawlkins had also entertained the same thought, with regard to his own interest; and the same day, when on the way to Galesburg, mentioned the fact to Wm. D. Lee, who inquired why he did not do so. He replied that he only had half enough money. Mr. Lee then proposed to go in partnership with him and furnish the rest, which offer was accepted. Next morning Mr. Cawlkins returned home, and on Monday secured the number of the land and made arrangements to go to the Land Office at Quincy, 130 miles distant. On Monday evening he pro- ceeded as far as Mr. Lee's, where he was to be furnished with a fast- traveling horse, owned by a brother, John Lee. (The horse was after- ward called "Telegraph," and sold to parties on Long Island for $1,000.)
Meanwhile Mr. Chapman had returned home and talked the matter among his neighbors,-about one of them going to Quincy to enter the land. As none of them wished to go, it was proposed to take Mr. Horace L. Sage as a partner, as he was especially qualified by experi- ence to attend to such matters. This arrangement was effected, and Mr. Sage arrived at William D. Lee's a short time before Mr. Cawlkins. Mr. Sage, not suspecting any opposition, made known his business, and Mr. Lee informed him that he intended to enter the same land. Mr. Sage inquired if there was any one interested with him, and he replied that Albert Cawlkins was. The latter, having just arrived, entered the room at this point of the conversation. Mr. Lee withdrew his claim, leaving the matter between Mr. Cawlkins and Mr. Sage, who continued the discussion in a pleasant way until bed- time, having agreed that neither would start out before morning, both
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434
HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
being determined on having the land. Mr. Lee had off his boots, but remembered that he was to inform his brother John, who lived on the adjoining farm, that he would help him pick corn the next day. His brother had gone to Henderson. He left word with the family for him to prepare to go to the Land Office as soon as he returned. Mr. Sage, supposing an arrangement had been made with John Lee to go to the Land Office, made a pretext to go over to borrow his buggy for the morrow. John, having returned home, and being warned by some member of the family that Mr. Sage was coming, was earnestly talking about " husking corn " the next day. He concluded that he could not let the buggy go, on account of the " roads being too rough to travel on." Mr. Sage, thinking matters all right, returned. In his absence, Cawlkins and William Lee completed their arrangements, which his coming had prevented. William urged the subject of "corn- picking" as a necessity for early rising, and they had better retire. The visitors decided to sleep together, so as to keep an eye on each other. After they had retired, William Lee quickly inounted a horse, joined John, his brother, and proceeded as far as Cherry Grove, 16 miles on the way to Quincy, John riding his fast horse. At 5 A. M., he proceeded to Quincy. William returned that night to . his home, through a bitter cold, freezing wind .. He had just gotten home and to bed when Sage and Cawlkins arose. Lee's wife was dilatory in preparing breakfast, saying that Mr. Lee had been attacked with chills during the night, and his condition necessitated a late breakfast. Mr. · Cawlkins returned home, and Mr. Sage started on his journey to Quincy at 7 o'clock, sixteen miles, or two hours, behind John Lee. The latter traveled that day and all the next night. Mr. Sage, after traveling all day, began to think that possibly John had gone alead, but when he began to inquire along the way, no one had seen him. John had passed that road in the night. He inquired of a man who had seen such a man and horse, as described, pass along at a swinging pace, early in the morning. The young man advised Mr. Sage to tele- graph to Quincy. He therefore pressed the young man, with his team, into service, to convey him to the nearest telegraph office on the Mississippi, at a cost of $7. There was no box on the wagon, and they fairly bounced over the frozen hubs. They telegraphed, at an addi- tional cost of $7, appointing a lawyer in Quincy as agent, and sent a little boy to the Land Office, with the message, to enter the land. The boy entered the office at the same time that Lee did, and handed in the letter at once. Lee waited until he commenced to read the mess- age, when he presented his claim. The agent had read enongli to know the subject, and then decided the land would have to be sold to
Почаев Гигие
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
the highest bidder. The lawyer was sent for; they bid until the addi- tional amount was $2, when it was struck off to Lee, January 23, 1850. The answer sent to Mr. Sage was, "Gone." Thus the horse beat the telegraph, and that was the origin of his name "Telegraph." The result was eventually accepted with good grace by all parties interested.
EARLY MILLING.
While the pioneer farmers of the broad, fertile prairies of Illinois, by liberal application of enterprise and muscle, had little difficulty in producing an abundance of the cereals, they did sometimes experi- ence considerable inconvenience in getting their grains converted in- to breadstuffs. A severe drouth prevailed in Knox and the adjoining .counties in the latter part of the summer and autumn of 1842. Every water-mill in this region of country was forced to shut down because of the low stage of the streams; and the people many of them resorted to the old-time hand-grater to convert their corn into meal for bread, for to get wheat ground was out of the question. There was a small steam mill at Knoxville, but it, too, was obliged to suspend operations for want of water to make steam. It had a capacity of one run of stone. for : wheat and one for corn. Mr. Marcus Belden, then living on a farm eight miles from Knoxville, growing tired of home-made meal, became a little desperate and determined to have some flour. He accordingly loaded a few sacks of wheat into his wagon and drove to Knoxville. . He found the mill full of sacks of grain, and the miller fast asleep on them. Mr. B. awoke him and told him he wanted his grist ground. The miller proved to be in a rather unamiable mood and replied, "There is no water in the well; I can't do a thing; so you can take your grist and go home." Mr. B. replied that he must have some flour, and he did not propose to give it up until he had tried the experiment of supplying the engine with water from a small'running steam about eighty rods distant. His suggestion struck the miller forcibly, and he replied, "All'right: you furnish the water and I will grind your grist." Mr. B. looked about and gathered some barrels and casks, loaded them into his wagon and drove down to the brook, across which he constructed a rude dam. As the water collected he dipped it into his casks. When they were filled he drove to the well and dipped the water out of the casks into it. This was repeated several times, and before night the mill was started and Mr. B.'s grain was ground out. His improvised water supply worked so well that he proposed to the miller that for 200 pounds of flour per day he would haul water enough to keep the mill running. The miller acceded to his proposition, and the mill was kept going
438
HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
in this manner for more than two months before the fall rains fur- nished the supply in the usual way. People came from 15 or 20 miles away to the mill; and there would be from twenty to forty teams wait- ing for their grist to be ground, nothwithstanding, the mill was kept running day and night much of the time. While furnishing the water supply Mr. B. boarded with the miller at $1.00 per week, which, by the way, was rather cheaper than boarding now-a-days.
A. B. Codding and Calvin Lee in 1844 went to Round's mill on Yellow Creek. The streams were very high and had to be forded or swam. Codding was unable to swim, but Lee being a good swimmer would swim across with a rope and tow Codding over. Coming to Yellow Creek, Lee swam over and aided his companion with a rope. They left their team on this side, and went over for something to eat. Lee swam back and came home with the team. He succeeded in binding some flour to his person as he returned. Codding purchased a cow there and came around the head of the stream by way of La Fayette.
CANADA THISTLES.
This pest of all pests was imported from Europe, and is called the "Canada," formerly the "Cursed Thistle." Its root is perennial, and it lives and spreads the plant independently of seeds. Hundreds of thousands of acres curse the Eastern States, rendering them well nigh useless for raising small grain. Through grass-seed and grain, also in the packing of goods and fruit trees, they have been intro- duced into this State. The first known in Knox county were intro- duced at a very early day by some emigrants from the East who . were camping for the winter near or on section 36, Rio township. Here the thistle sprang up, and for awhile seemed destined to take the country, but by the combined efforts of the alarmed neighbors using salt and other means, they were destroyed in time to avoid a general spreading.
Through private and public discussions, and legislative action, at- tempts have been made to eradicate those already present and to pre- vent the introduction of any more. Great good has been done by these agitations, and many patches of the thistles have been entirely destroyed, yet very much more still remains to be done.
From among the different methods suggested for killing out this pest, after it is once thoroughly rooted, we give the cheapest and most effectual, in the words of the owner and destroyer of the largest
439
HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
patch ever reported in Knox county. The said report is found among official papers at the Capitol of our State.
HOW TO KILL CANADA THISTLES.
In the spring of 1873 I had a full & acre of this pest of all pests to the farmer. They spread from an adjoining lot upon mine. We knew the only way to kill them was, not to let themn grow at all. Any way to do this will surely destroy them. My way is my theme now.
I broke the land in April, 1873, about four inches deep, having first grubbed out every tree and shrub I did not care to save, and digging a ditch 22 feet deep a few feet outside of the plants. The last of May I began harrowing the ground and working it with a donble-shovel plow. Did this twice thoroughly. As my neighbor would not try to kill his, I gave up trying to kill mine, thinking they would keep running on me as before. So, on the the 3d and 4th of June I planted my patch to corn.
The thistles appeared with the corn, growing luxuriantly, forming a perfect mat on a good part of the ground.
Then I determined to let nothing grow but the corn.
This I did by plowing the ground six times and constantly cutting the thistles and the weeds with the hoe as fast as they appeared.
. To the more stubborn thistles I applied a few drops of sulphuric acid to each plant. No plant treated with this acid ever came up again.
Result .- After the 25th of July that year only five or six thistles put in an appearance that season; and only one puny plant has been seen since except where my neighbor's have run across the line. The acid and the hoe have held them in abeyance, but they must be constantly watched and the acid applied to the new recruits.
Thus they have been killed, and can be again. Yet it can only be done by the most persistent and prompt action, not allowing a single plant to grow. E. CHILD.
ONEIDA, Nov. 10, 1874.
BEE-RAISING.
This is a business that is becoming quite popular. There are a number of persons who have over one hundred stands of bees in this county, and the traffic in honey amounts to thousands of dollars an- nually. To meet a scientific bee-keeper is to meet an enthusiast. Bee-keeping affords a most wholesome recreation and liandsome profits,
440
HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
and leads to habits of close observation, thought and study. It is tauglit as a science by the professor of entomology in the Michigan State Agricultural College. Bee-keeping made Adam Grimm a wealthy man. Capt. Hetherington received over $10,000 for a single year's crop of honey. Mr. Harbison is reported to have shipped 11 car-loads of comb honey as the products of a single year. The results that might be obtained from bee-raising would be wonderful, if under a rational system of management, and with the aid of science, art and skill. As an example Samuel Chapman, Jr., of Ontario township, went to California last winter, bought 150 colonies of bees and shipped over 50,000 pounds, or two and one-half car loads of honey, as the product of the first season, and increasing his colonies to about 400, or rather the colonies brought the number up to 400. This he shipped to New York in five-gallon cans, where he expects to sell it for the English market.
POPCORN AND MUSTARD.
Nathan O. Ferris, ascertaining that no popcorn was raised in Eng- land, or had ever been introduced there, conceived the idea of raising a large crop and shipping it to that country. Accordingly, in 1846, he planted 50 or 60 acres on his farm, 22 miles west of Galesburg, which produced from 1,500 to 1,800 bushels. A hundred barrels of it he shipped to New York, and 20 barrels to Europe. Finding it difficult to introduce it in the American Metropolis, he never attempted shipping any more of the crop there, but went to England with the 20 barrels, and landing in London, with his cargo, he hired rooms and proceeded to pop a portion of the corn. He was introduced to some of thenobility and became acquainted with Prince Albert, chatting with him about the method of producing the corn, and upon leaving his Royal Highness, Mr. Ferris presented him with a barrel of it, for which the Prince heartily thanked him, in a letter received after his return home. The Prince also asked him in the letter, how corn could be cultivated in England, to which Mr. Ferris replied that he knew no other way than to ship a cargo of "Illinois prairie soil " across the Atlantic, in which to plant it.
While Mr. Ferris was in England, he boasted, truthfully, that every article of wearing apparel he had on, except the cotton and the linen in his shirt, were produced on his Illinois farm. He was also the first man who shipped any produce out of Galesburg township, his first cargo going to St. Louis.
Mr. Ferris was engaged in seed-growing, to a considerable extent, and as he was a man of originality and enterprise, he concluded to try
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
a speculation by raising mustard seed. Accordingly, he sowed and raised 220 acres of it, in 1844. The crop was a prolific one, yielding 2,250 bushels, and this was all cut with grain cradles, which were manufactured by George W. Brown's own hands, who has since gained a wide reputation under the cognomen of the "Corn-Planter man," a sketch of whose invention and manufactory will be found elsewhere in this volume.
The mustard crop was gathered and threshed from the gavels, in large wagons, the boxes of which were constructed for the purpose, and then deposited in a small granary, upon wheels, 14 by 16 feet, which was covered with canvass. Here the seed was cleaned by his son, Mr. Sylvanus Ferris; then it was conveyed to a barn and spread until it was dry, when it was put into casks and hauled on wagons to Peoria, from whence it was shipped down the river, via New Orleans, to New York, and consigned to parties who failed to dispose of it. satisfactorily to Mr. Ferris; and the enterprise not proving financially remunerative, he abandoned the production.
Mr. Ferris had raised 225 bushels of mustard and 125 bushels of canary seed, the year previous: hence his extensive experiment just noted.
During the great gold excitement in California, Mr. Ferris went to that State, and meeting with an accident there, lost his life.
The family have this year erected a monument to his memory, in the cemetery at Galesburg, at a cost of $1,000.
Perhaps one of the largest, if not the very largest watermelon that was ever raised in this county, was by I. M. Wetmore, in 1841, on section 36, Rio township. It was large enough to fill a flour barrel. It was packed in oats and sent to Win. D. Walcott, New York Mills, N. Y.
PRIZES FOR HOGS.
James Knox, in January, 1851, published proposals to his customers that he would pay premiums on the pork of the ensuing year, thus giving every farmer time in which to raise a fine drove. The pre- miums offered were as follows:
For the best lot of not less than 50 hogs, $20.
For the best lot of not less than 30 nor over 50, $15.
For the best lot of not less than 20 nor over 30, $10.
For the best lot of not less than 15 nor over 20, $8.
For the best lot of not less than 10 nor over 15, $6.
For the best lot of not less than 5 nor over 10, $5.
The year rolled by, and as the packing season closed, Mr. Knox 25
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
announced the result and distributed the premiums. The first pre- mium fell to James A. Bundy, on a lot of 103 hogs, averaging 3198 lbs ; the second to F. Wilson, on a lot of 36, averaging 292 lbs ; the third to S. C. Simpson, on a lot of 20, averaging 315 lbs ; the fourtli to Christopher Wright, on a lot of 19, averaging 284 lbs; the fifth to Lewis Coe, on a lot of 11, averaging 350 lbs ; and the sixth and last to James Runkle, on a lot of 5, averaging 346 lbs.
Mr. Knox, in referring to this offer of premiums, says: "Although my offer of last year was not seconded, as I hoped, by others and large pork-buyers, I am assured it has not been without its influence; and I am induced to offer the same premiums npon like lots of logs to those of iny customers of whom I may purchase in the ensuing year."
In giving a general retrospective statement of the year 1851, Mr. Knox says : "It is more than probable that for years to come 'the oldest inhabitant' will speak of the year 1851 as the worst year ever known by the farmers of Illinois. It is but too true that the indi- vidual, as well as general prosperity of the country is greatly retarded by the short crop of last year; and yet if any one will look back upon the last five years, and will look around him and see the improved condition of himself, his neighbor and the country in general, he must admit that he lias good cause to be satisfied with his locality."
In referring to the railroads, to secure which a great effort had been and was being made, he says: "A united and vigorous effort by all interested insures the early construction of the railroads now in progress. Let these roads be completed, and the products of the farmer will command increased and ready prices at home, and lie will find more time to devote to the care of liis farm. With increased products, at advanced prices, our farmer must become the most inde- pendent of this very independent portion of the community."
MATRIMONIAL.
The subject of matrimony lias always been an interesting one to the human race from the days of Adam to the present time, and doubtless will be until the angel shall stand with one foot upon the sea and the other upon the land and cry, "Time was, but time shall be no more." As showing how the subject has been dealt with here, we append the following statistics in relation to the number of mar- riage licenses issued each year since the organization of the county, which gives a grand total of 10,965. The greatest number issued in any one year was in 1866, the year after the close of the war. The boys in blue came home to fulfill vows long previously made. -
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
YEAR.
NO. ISSUED. YEAR.
NO. ISSUED. YEAR.
NO. ISSUED.
1830
3 1847
. 118 1864.
.351
1831
7 1848.
126 1865.
440
1832
7 1849
132 1866.
529
1833
9 1850
147 1867.
479
1834
14 1851
181|1868.
463
1835
15|1852
145|1869.
500
1836
31 1853
.161 1870.
460
1837
40 1854
.230 1871.
411
1838
53 1855
232 1872.
422
1839
61 1856
339 1873.
369
1840
65 1857
344 1874.
378
1841.
82 1858.
363
1875.
446
.1842
74 1859
289
1876.
412
1843.
71 1860
287 1877.
409
1844.
112 1861
302 1878, May 28.
119
1845.
88 1862
268
1846
94 1863.
293
Many laughable and interesting incidents have occurred in matri- monial affairs here, although at the time to the parties most deeply in- terested they were quite serious. Below we give a few such inci- dents.
Got Another Feller.
"High hopes that burn like stars sublime" are supposed to possess the heart of every lover when the auspicious moment arrives for him to deposit a dollar and a half in the County Clerk's hand in payment for his marriage license. He feels that he has a "dead sure thing" on the loveliest of her sex, and that in a few more days earth will not be large enough to contain the happiness that he will enjoy with his fair partner. But there's many a slip, as people occasionally learn to their sorrow. A young man, who fondly imagined he had met his fate, took out a marriage license on Christmas day, 1870 How and why his hopes were scattered, grief preyed upon his heart, and his life be- came a burthen are set forth in the following wail,-the untutored eloquence of sorrow:
JANUARY 3, 1870.
MR. JOHN S. WINTER. Sir, I will send you the licence that you gave me to get married with and stat that I was not married for this reason because the girl whos name is on the paper went back on me because she could get another feller his name- - send them so that you can give him license for her but bee sure and get your fee for so doin. No more at present but believe me
Yours most hart-broken
An Interesting Marriage.
One of the most romantic episodes with which any of the citizens
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
of this county ever were connected, was the wedding of Cager Creel and Miss Parmelia Swartz. Creel lived in McDonough county, and although an honest, well-to-do, pleasant young man, the parents of Parmelia were bitterly opposed to their marriage, and threw every ob- stacle in the way to prevent it occurring. But who ever knew parents, however stern, to prevent loving hearts from coming in union? There must be a mutual friend to facilitate the working of the plans of these devoted hearts. Accordingly, at their earnest solicitation, Judge Dennis Clark, then a young unmarried man, acted in this capacity. He met Mr. Creel at Walnut Grove, McDonough county, and with him went to Macomb, where he selected a wedding dress for Parmelia, which Mr. Creel purchased and had made. The time was then fixed when Mr. Creel would come to claim his bride. Mr. Clark was to take Miss Swartz to a camp-meeting held at Berwick, Warren county, where Creel could get her.
The day arrived-but the old folks frustrated their plans by going themselves to camp-meeting, taking their daughter with them and maintaining a strict watch over her during the day. Clark went in company with another lady on horseback. He supposed Mr. Swartz intended remaining all niglit, but in the evening he started for home, Clark following a short distance in the rear. He stopped at a Mr. Keller's, the nearest neighbor of Mr. Swartz. He then sent Mr. Keller's step-daughter, Nancy Ann Johnson, over to have Par- inelia come and stay all night with her. Parmelia hesitated, in order to throw aside any suspicion her parents might have had. Finally Miss Johnson took her bonnet and running out said, "I'll take this anyway." This was an excuse for Parmelia, wlio hastily followed. Clark had no gentle horse that would carry- two riders, so he went after dark to Joseph Latimer's barn and, without permission, took a horse. He was afraid to mention the matter to Mr. Latimer, for he might question him too closely besides ; he would run no risks for fear of a refusal. Getting the horse, he rode to the fence, when the fair Parmelia jumped on behind and they went to John C. Latimer's, where he left her and went to the road to hail Creel. Major Coy liad left the camp-meeting grounds to meet Creel and inform him of the state of affairs. Creel came with a hack, and his fair Parmelia, witlı Coy and Clark, went to the camp grounds with him. Here Clark wished to stop and let the loving couple proceed to Burlington alone, .but Parmelia would not listen to his leaving them. So on Latimer's horse he rode with them, traveling all night. On the following day, on the deck of a steamboat, on the waters of the Mississippi, they
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