USA > Illinois > Knox County > History of Knox county, Illinois > Part 9
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He finally arrived home, after a most laborions journey of four days. We speak of this trip in detail, to illustrate the manner and mode of traveling in the time of the early settlement of the county. Without. road or guide the pioneers roamed the prairies and timber with their slow but faithful oxen. At this time there was but one traveled road in the county, the one running from Peoria to Galena, through Vic- toria and Walnut Grove townships. This was the old " Galena trail" or "State road," by which terms it was familiarly known.
Mrs. Sheldon and family returned to Kentucky the following year. Thomas McKee is a resident of Galesburg, where lie holds the offices of Justice of the Peace and Supervisor; and although a strong Demo- crat and the recognized leader of that party in this county, his per- sonal popularity is so great that even in the Republican stronghold of Galesburg he scarcely finds opposition. There is perhaps no citi- zen of the county so well and favorably known as he, and but few if any whose acquaintance is so extensive.
In 1829 but few additions were made to the spare settlement at Henderson. Now and then a new-comer would be welcomed. Among the number were Dr. Charles Hansford* and John G. San- burn .* The former was the first physician in the county, and for many
* See biographical sketches.
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years perhaps the most popular man of the coutny; and the latter opened the first stock of general merchandise, and also became one of the most popular men the county ever knew. There also came James and William McMurtry, Jonathan Reed, William Lewis, Solomon Davis and Thomas Maxwell; all of whom prominently figured in the early history of the county, and one of whom afterward received the greatest official honors ever conferred upon a citizen of Knox county.
Mrs. Elizabeth Owen, a widow lady, with her son Parnach, and two danghters, came in the fall of this year, 1829, and settled in Haw Creek township. These were the first settlers to locate outside of Henderson, save a rather singular genius named Palmer, who stopped sonth east of Magnon in 1828. It cannot be claimed for Palmer that he was really a settler, for he did not expect to remain, and he never fenced or made any effort to improve the land. He was a profes- sional bee-hunter, and as such traveled in advance of civilization. He lived at the place referred to but a short time, . when he went farther west; but while near Maquon lie cultivated the hills made by thie Indians the year previous on the bottom lands of Spoon river.
It may seem strange that a widow lady should be the first to locate in a large region of country where the foot of white man had scarcely trod. It was the strong attachment she had for her son that led her to the western wilds of Knox county. He was determined to seek a home in the new country, and rather than see him go alone she joined him and located here. She died in Knoxville in 1839. Her two daughters are still living .- one the widow of the late John G. Sanburn, residing in Knoxville, the other the wife of Dr. E. D. Rice of Lewistown. Parnach Owen took an active part in the early history of the county. He did the first local surveying, and was one of the contractors for the construction of the first court-house. He went from this to McDonough county, thence to Iowa, and he died in Allamakee county in that State in 1845.
In 1830 the population increased rapidly. Fraker, Owen and Fitch settled in Lynn township, in the edge of a beautiful grove which since has been known as Fraker's Grove. These were the first settlers in the northeastern part of the county. Mr. Fraker had pur- chased several quarter sections before coming to the country, upon a portion of which he discovered an Indian town. His coming naturally aroused the Indians, and a great controversy arose between them con- cerning the possession of the land, the Indians claiming that their title came directly from God Almighty, while Mr. Fraker based his claim on patents he held from the Government. The Indians, however, after much parleying, concluded to leave. They moved to Indian Creek, some
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seven miles east, and built another village. They remained quite friendly with Mr. Fraker, and often came over to visit him, who was al- ways glad to see even an Indian. Soon the Indians adopted the habit of coming to the grove in the spring to make sugar and raise their squaw corn and vegetables, and then would return west in the fall to new hunting-grounds.
Some travelers passed by Mr. Fraker's, going northwest through Walnut Grove, where they saw Jones and De Hart, two settlers who came here shortly after the Frakers settled in Lynn. They were in- formed by the travelers of the settlers at Fraker's Grove, who were not aware of having neighbors nearer than Henderson; and the Frakers, Fitchies and Frasiers were greatly surprised on the following Sunday morning upon seeing Mr. De Hart, his wife and two children drive up in their two-wheeled cart, with a dry-goods box on, and drawn by oxen. These were the first white visitors except travelers that ever called at the settlement. Mrs. Fraker had not seen a white woman, except those of their own company, after coming to the grove.
KNOX COUNTY.
In 1830 it was thought that a sufficient number of inhabitants were living in this section to have the county organized, which accordingly was accomplished without any unnecessary delay. The law required a county to contain 350 legal voters before an organization could be effected, yet there were scarcely that number even of individuals within the boundaries of Knox county when organized. On the ad- mission of Illinois into the Union, what is now Knox county was a part of Madison county. Afterwards by an act of the Legislature, approved June 30, 1821, it was placed within the boundaries of Pike, which is the oldest county in the Military Tract. It then em- braced the whole country north and west of the Illinois river. By a subsequent act, approved February 10, 1826, its present boundaries were determined, and it was attached to Fulton county for judicial and recording purposes. On the 3d day of July, 1830, by an order of Judge Young, an election was held for the purpose of selecting three commissioners, and on the 7th they met and completed the organiza- tion of Knox county, for a detailed account of which we refer our readers to the following chapter.
We will state in this connection that, when the county was organ- ized in 1830, townships 12 and 13 north, range 5 east, were included within the boundaries of Knox county. This act of the Legislature was approved January 15, 1831. In 1837, when Stark county was or-
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ganized, these two townships were severed from this county and included in that. The town of La Fayette, Stark county, is located within this section, and consequently was originally in Knox county.
It was through the instrumentality of Riggs Pennington that the two townships referred to were attached to this county. There was a beautiful grove within the territory, which he thought would add materially to the wealth of the county, and be a counterpart to the delightful forest in Lynn township, subsequently known as Fraker's Grove. Pennington was almost a regular attendant upon the Legis- lature, although not a member. He wielded no little influence among tlie Representatives, and therefore when he wanted the section alluded to attached to his county his request was granted without delay.
In 1837 an attempt was made to divide Knox county for the forma, tion of Coffee county. But little interest was taken in the matter by the people residing in the western portion of the county, as it was a move especially concerning the residents of the eastern section. On the 10th day of April of that year, an election was held to vote for or against the division of the county, and the formation of Coffee county. There were 263 votes cast, 77 of which were for the measure, and 186 against it.
The " Military Tract" comprises all the land between the Illinois and the Mississippi rivers, south of the north line of Bnrean and Henry counties. It is so called because much of it was " patented" by the Government, in quarter sections, to soldiers of the war of- 1812. There was scarcely a soldier in that early day who counted his land of much value, and ever thought to occupy it himself; but immi- grants came in, entered Government lands and "squatted" on "patent"' or military land, improved it, and thus rendered it valuable. It was seldom that a "patentee" could be found at the time of settle- ment, and many of the early settlers presumed that the owner never would be known; but in many instances, after a patent quarter-sec- tion was made valnable by improvement, the original patent would be brought on by some one, who would oust the occupant and take pos- session, sometimes paying him something for liis improvements and sometimes not. Many holders of patents had no pity. This con- dition of affairs presented a temptation to merciless "land-sharks," who would come into this section and work up cases, ostensibly for the original patentees, but really for their own pockets.
The most notorious of these was one Toliver Craig, who actually inade it a business to forge patents and deeds. This he carried on extensively from 1847 to 1834, especially in Knox and Fulton coun- ties. He had 40 bogus deeds put on record in one day at Knoxville.
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He was arrested in New York State in 1854, by H. M. Boggess of Monmoutlı, and taken to the jail at Cincinnati, Ohio, where he at- tempted suicide by arsenic; but at the end of a year he was released on bail.
When the Military Tract was laid off into counties, most of them were named in honor of military heroes of the nation. This county was christened in honor of the brave statesman-general, Henry Knox. The following is a brief personal sketch of him whose name this county now wears:
Henry Knox, an American general and statesman, commander of the artillery during the Revolution, and Secretary of War under Wash- ington, was born in Boston, July 25, 1750, and died in Thomaston, Me., October 25, 1806. He was of Scotch and Irish Presbyterian stock, and his father came from St. Eustatius, one of the British West India islands. He received the common school education of his time in Boston, and was remarked as a youth of fine abilities and generous disposition, fond of the heroic examples of former ages, and, accord- ing to Dr. Eliot (who was nearly his cotemporary), giving constant prestige of future eminence.
General Knox played a most important part in the revolutionary struggle for liberty, and was admired and beloved by Washington, and like him, after a long, active, and eminently successful public career, retired to private life. Gen. Knox was large in person, of a robust and athletic frame, enterprising and resolute in character, of a generous, buoyant and social disposition, cordially appreciated and beloved by friends, possessing unquestionable integrity, unsurpassed energy, and a mind liberally cultivated by study.
. Knox County is about equally divided between timber and prairie land, the northern tier of townships being mainly prairie, while the southeastern, along Spoon river, is chiefly timber. In sketches of townships this feature will be noticed more at length. It is situated on the very height of the divide between the Mississippi and the Illi- nois rivers, with the 41st parallel of north latitude running very nearly through its center. It is well drained by streams running east and west from the central divide, and perhaps contains more high, dry and exceedingly rich and fertile lands, susceptible of producing all the grains and fruits common to this latitude, than the same number of acres lying in a body anywhere on the face of the globe. The soil is underlaid with a good quality of coal and building stone, and for a healthy climate Knox county has no superior and few equals.
The large prairies of the county presented a most beautiful sight before they were settled. The following very descriptive lines on
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" The Prairies of Illinois," by Captain Basil Hall, portrays their beauty in their wild and native state:
"The charm of a prairie consists in its extension, its green, flowery carpet, its undulating surface, and the skirt of, forest whereby it is surrounded; the latter feature being of all others the most significant and expressive, since it characterizes the landscape, and defines the form and boundary of the plain. If the prairie is little, its greatest beauty consists in the vicinity of the encompassing edge of forests, which may be compared to the shores of a lake, being intersected with many deep, inward bends, as so many inlets, and at intervals project- ing very far, not unlike a promontory or protruding arm of land. These projections sometimes so closely approach each other that the traveler passing through between them, may be said to walk in the midst of an alley overshadowed by the forest, before he enters again upon another broad prairie. Where the plain is extensive, the delin- eations of the forest in the distant background appear as would a misty ocean beach afar off. The eye sometiines surveys the green prairie without discovering on the illimitable plain a tree or bush, or any other object, save the wilderness of flowers and grass, while on other occasions the view is enlivened by the groves dispersed like islands over the plain, or by a solitary tree rising above the wilderness. The resemblance to the sea which some of these prairies exhibited, was really most striking. In the spring, when the young grass lias just clothed the soil with a soddy carpet of the most delicate green, but especially when the sun, rising behind a distant elevation of the ground, its rays are reflected by myriads of dew drops, a more pleas- ing and more eye-benefiting view cannot be imagined.
" The delightful aspect of the prairie, its amenities, and the absence of that sombre awe inspired by forests, contributes to forcing away . that sentiment of loneliness, which usually steals upon the mind of the solitary wanderer in the wilderness; for, although he espies no habitation, and sees no human being, and knows himself to be far off from every settlement of man, he can scarcely defend himself from believing that he is traveling through a landscape embellished by hu- inan art. The flowers are so delicate and elegant as apparently to be distributed for mere ornament over the plain; the groves and groups of trees seem to be dispersed over the prairie to enliven the landscape, and we can scarcely get rid of the impression invading our imagina- tion, of the whole scene being flung out and created for the satisfac-« tion of the sentiment of beauty in refined men.
"In the summer the prairie is covered with tall grass, which is coarse in appearance, and soon assumes a yellow color, waving in the
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wind like a ripe crop of corn. In the early stages of its growth it resembles young wheat, and in this state furnishes such rich and suc- culent food for cattle that the latter choose it often in preference to wheat, it being no doubt a very congenial fodder to them, since it is impossible to conceive of better butter than is made while the grass is in this stage.
"In the early stages of its growth the grass is interspersed witlı little flowers,-the violet, the strawberry-blossom, and others of the most delicate structure. When the grass grows higher these disap- pear, and taller flowers, displaying more lively colors, take their place; and still later a series of still higher but less delicately formed flowers appears on the surface. While the grass is green these beautiful plains are adorned with every imaginable variety of color. It is impossible to conceive of a greater diversity, or discover a predominating color, save the green, which forms a beautiful dead color, relieving the splen- dor of the others. In the summer the plants grow taller, and the colors more lively; in the autumn another generation of flowers arises which possesses less clearness and variety of color and less fragrancy. In the winter the prairie presents a melancholy aspect. Often thie fire, which the hunters annually send over the prairies in order to dis- lodge the game, will destroy the entire vegetation, giving to the soil a uniform black appearance, like that of a vast plain of charcoal; then the wind sweeping over the prairie will find nothing which it might put in motion, no leaves which it might disperse, no hanlms which it might slake. No sooner does the snow commence to fall than the animals, unless already before frightened away by the fire, retire into the forests, when the most dreary, oppressive solitude will reign on the burnt prairies, whichi often occupy inany square miles of territory."
PRAIRIE FIRES.
Annual prairie fires would visit the prairies in the autumn. The settlers who had pushed out from the timber took great precaution to prevent their crops, houses and barns from being destroyed, yet not always did they succeed. Many incidents are related of prairie fires. In 1831 Thomas Maxwell had succeeded in getting his wheat tlireshed and stored into a rail pen, when a prairie fire came along and totally destroyed his grain. His son, Henry, in attempting to save it by "burning alead," or " back-firing," got his back badly scorched. A · more serions case was that of Mr. William Lake, of Fraker's Grove, who was returning from the mill at Hennepin, Putnam County, when he was overtaken by a prairie fire. Ilis horses turned and run with the fire. Mr. Lake, seeing he could not save his team, as they had
· WALLIS
SECTIONAL VIEW OF LA SALLE STREET TUNNEL, CHICAGO.
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become unmanageable, jumped from his wagon upon the burnt and blackened ground. He ran on to recover the horses if possible, and, after going some two or three miles, came up to them and found one horse dead, and the other so badly burned that his usefulness was greatly impaired. His wagon and its contents were entirely consumed. The fire, though presenting a scene of sublimity, was as if the de- stroying angel had flown abroad, crying in terror-stricken tones while breathing tempests of fire and smoke from his nostrils, changing a scene of so much brilliance, which the prairies presented but a few minutes before, into a dark, charred mass.
The great conflagrations were caused either accidentally, or design- edly from wantonness, or with a view of bewildering the game. We find on the Circuit Court records that David Ogden and Mathew Her- bert were indicted on the 21st day of December, 1845, for burning prairies. The following day John Matlock and Nelson Case were in- dicted for the same offense. Bail was given to the amount of $100 each. Herbert jumped his bail, but was subsequently brought to trial, and with the other three fined $5 and costs. This was not an uncommon offense for which men were brought before the court to answer.
The fire often spread further than it was intended it should. Where- ever were extensive prairie lands, one-half was burned in the spring and the other half in the autumn, in order to produce a more rapid growth of the naturally exuberant grass, destroying at the same time the tall and thick weed stalks. Violent winds would often arise and drive the flames with such rapidity that riders on the fleetest steeds could scarcely escape. On the approach of a prairie fire the farmer would immediately set about " burning back,"-that is, burning off the grass close by the fences, that the larger fire upon arriving would become extinguislied for want of aliment. In order to be able, how- ever, to make proper use of this measure of safety, it was very essen- tial that every farmer should encompass with a ditch those of his fences adjoining the prairie. When known that the conflagration could cause no danger, the settler, though accustomed to them, could not refrain from gazing with admiration upon the magnificent specta- cle. Language cannot convey, words cannot express, the faintest idea of the splendor and grandeur of such a conflagration during the night. It was as if the pale queen of night, disdaining to take her accus- tomed place in the heavens, had dispatched myriads upon inyriads of messengers to light their torches at the altar of the setting sun until all had flashed into one long and continuous blaze.
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HISTORY OF KNOX COUNTY.
" O, fly to the prairies and in wonder gaze, -
As o'er the grass sweeps the magnificent blaze : The earth cannot boast so magnificent a sight,- A continent blazing with oceans of light."
The following graphic description of prairie fires was written by a traveler through this region in 1849:
"Soon the fires began to kindle wider and rise higher from the long grass; the gentle breeze increased to stronger currents, and soon fanned the sınall, flickering blaze into fierce torrent-flames, which curled up and leaped along in resistless splendor; and like quickly raising the dark curtain from the luminous stage, the scenes before me were sud- denly changed, as if by the magician's wand, into one boundless am- phitheater, blazing from earth to heaven and sweeping the liorizon round,-columns of lurid flames sportively mounting np to the zenith, and dark clonds of crimson smoke curling away and aloft till they nearly obscured stars and moon, while the rushing, crashing sounds, like roaring cataracts mingled with distant thunders, were almost deaf- ening; danger, death, glared all around; it screamed for victims; yet, notwithstanding the imminent peril of prairie fires, one is loth, irres- olute, almost unable to withdraw or seek refuge."
The following poem appeared in the Knoxville Journal of, March 27, 1850. It was written for that paper by "Flora" of Alstead, N. H., on seeing a notice of a railroad meeting, in the Journal of De- cember 12, 1849. It so beautifully and graphically pictures the grandenr, the magnificence and splendor of the vast prairies of Knox county as they were when cultivated by nature's hand, and being pre- pared especially for that excellent pioneer paper, and as it also refers to the building of the first railroad over the fertile prairies of Knox, we deem it well to give it in full. It is entitled
RECOLLECTIONS OF THE WEST.
Tho' many a lingering year has passed away Since last I saw thee, yes, and many a day Of grief, yet mem'ry still retains a zest Of thee, ye lovely prairies of the West! I've often rambled o'er thy verdant lawns, Where bound the wild deer with the playful fawns ; Where every breeze wafts fragrance and delight, And every prospect charms the wandering sight; I've seen thee clothed in thy rich, vernal dyes ; At every step new beauties met my eyes, From where the sun first darts his morning rays, To where he sinks in yonder deep, blue haze ; As on I stroll'd, through a long, bright day,
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Before me still, thou stretchest far away, Beyond the utmost limits of my ken; . Perhaps, methought, beyond the haunts of men, Save the wild savage, and his wilder steed, Who courses o'er thee with the lightning speed,
Pursuing still his wonted daily sport, Where'er the timorous, harmless deer resort, With murd'rous weapons, and a murd'rous hcart,
An eagle eye, he hurls the deadly dart, And brings the fated victim to the ground.
Poor, helpless creature! thou hast thine death-wound ; Oh, cruel sport ! could I thy life defend,
(Like Cowper's hare,) thou too should'st have a friend. But I have wander'd. Say, ye fairy grounds,
Where is your termination ? where your bounds ? No dense, dark forest, hill, or deep ravine, Obstructs thy progress. naught to intervene Thy onward course. Where'er I turn my eyes
There springs a lily ; here the wild pink vies With clustering roses, and the rich blue bell, The morning glories, and the daffodil,
And countless others; how and whence they came,
I leave for botanists to tell and name;
Ye lay before me, spreading far and wide,
From Illinois to Mississippi's t'de, One boundless picture, drawn by nature's skill; .
"Twere vain to imitate, let try who will.
I've lingered long amid your magic scenes,
Which savor'd more of truth than poets' dreams. But list, ye fiow'rets, there's a secret plot,
To mar your beauty and to spread a blot O'er your fair features, now so fresh with bloom,
Breathing on all around your sweet perfume; Beauty is potent, and perchance you doubt it, But mark my words, there's no mistake about it ; Tho' thou hast laid thy scenes far from the ocean, Thy Sucker friends have took the Yankee notion Of making railroads all the wide world over, That he who chooses soon may be a rover ; Fame says the tunc has turned, and we believe her, Your Western folks have caught the Eastern fever; Tho' now you grow in wild and sweet profusion, Yet soon they'll put their plan in execution. The whole fraternity are now array'd To crush your freedom, and your rights invade; For men who love to ride the iron rod, Will lay you lifeless soon beneath the sod; They'll crush you with the ponderous, iron railing, In spite of all your weeping and your wailing. Ye rural beauties, you must disappear;
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