History of La Salle County, Illinois, Part 132

Author: Hoffman, U. J. (Urias John), b. 1855
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1286

USA > Illinois > LaSalle County > History of La Salle County, Illinois > Part 132

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Mr. Eckels was married December 13. 1887, to Miss Fannie L. Reed, of Ottawa, and they have one daughter, Phoebe. Mrs. Eckels is a daughter of John F. and Phoebe (Munson) Reed, and her ancestral history is one of close connection with the early development and pio-

neer progress of the county. Her mother was a daughter of William and Rachel (Hall) Mun- son, the latter of whom had an eventful history, being in early life, together with her sister, Rachel Hall, taken captive by the Indians in 1832, when the others of the family, with the excep- tion of one brother, were massacred. It was at the time of the Black Hawk war and the In- dian chief after the defeat of Stillman on Rock river sent detached parties to attack the fron- tier settlements. As soon as Shabbona was in- formed of the situation he hastened to warn the settlers at the points exposed, reaching the Indian Creek settlement on the 15th of May. Mr. Hall started with his family for Ottawa but was per- suaded by Mr. Davis to stop with him at his home, which was then containing the Hall, Davis and Petigrew families and some hired hands. They were attacked by seventy or eighty Indians on the afternoon of May 20, 1832. Fifteen were killed and Sylvia and Rachel Hall, then aged re- spectively seventeen and fifteen years, were taken captive while the others escaped to Ottawa. The following account of this memorable and de- plorable event in the pioneer history of La Salle county was made by the two captive girls, after- ward Mrs. Horn and Mrs. Munson: "Nemaha county, Nebraska, September, 1867. I, John W. Hall, being requested by my sisters, Sylvia Horn and Rachel Munson, to state what I recollect of the massacre of my father's family, and cap- tivity of my two sisters, in May, 1832, most glad- ly comply with their request. The lapse of thirty- five years has made my memory rather dim, but there are some things, which I will relate, which I remember most distinctly, and shall as long as I have a being. It was in 1832, and, as near as I can recollect, about the 15th or 16th of May, that old Shabbona, chief of the Pottowatomies, notified my father and others that the Sac and Fox Indians would probably make a raid on the settlement · where we lived, and murder us, and destroy our property, and advised him to leave that country for a place of safety. But Indian rumors were so common and some of our neigh- bors did not sufficiently credit this old Indian, and we were advised to collect as many together as possible and stand our ground and defend our- . selves against the Indians. So, after hiding all our heavy property, and loading the remainder and the family on the wagon, we started for Ottawa, meeting Mr. Davis, who had been at Ottawa the day before, and had learned that a company had gone out in a northerly direction to learn of the Indian movements, and would report on their re- turn in case of danger. My father was prevailed on by Davis to abandon his retreat and stop at Davis' home, where Mr. Petigrew and family,

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Mr. Howard and son, John H. Henderson and two hired men of Davis', Robert Norris and Henry George, were all stopping.

"On the 20th day of May, myself and dear father were at work under a shed adjoining a blacksmith shop, on the west side next to the dwelling house. Mr. Davis and Norris were at work in the shop, Henry George and William Da- vis, Jr., were at work on a mill dam, a little south of the shop. It being a very warm day, in the afternoon some one brought a bucket of water from the spring to the shop, and we all went into the shop a few minutes to rest and quench our thirst. At this time, John H. Henderson, Ed- ward and Greenbury Hall, Howard and son, and two of Davis' sons, were in the field on the south side of the creek in full view, and about a half mile from the house, planting corn; and while we were resting in the shop we heard a scream at the house. I said : 'There are the Indians now! and jumped out of the door, it being the opposite side of the house, and the others fol- lowed as fast as they could, and, as we turned the corner of the shop, discovered the door- yard full of Indians. I next saw the Indians jerk Mr. Petigrew's child, four or five years old, taking it by the feet and dashing its head against a stump. I saw Mr. Petigrew, and heard two guns seemingly in the house, and then the tom- ahawk soon ended the cries of those in the house, and immediately they fired about twenty shots at our party of five, but neither of us was hurt that I know of.

"Their next motion was to pour some powder down their guns, and drop a bullet out of their mouths and raise their guns and fire. This time I heard a short sentence of prayer to my right, and a little behind. On turning that way, I saw my dear father on the ground, shot in the left breast, and dying, and, on looking around, I saw the last of the company were gone or were going. The Indians had jumped the fence and were making towards me. Mr. Davis was run- ning in a northeast direction toward the tim- ber; he looked back and said, 'Take care;' he had his gun in his hand.

"I at this time discovered quite a number of the Indians on horseback, in the edge of the woods, as though they were guarding the house to prevent any escape. Then it flashed into my mind that I would try to save myself. I think there were sixty or eighty Indians. I immedi- ately turned toward the creek, which was fifteen or twenty steps from where I stood. The Indians at this time were within a few paces of me, with their guns in hand, under full charge. I jumped down the bank of the creek, about twelve feet high, which considerably stunned me. At this

moment the third volley was fired, the balls pass- ing over my head, killing Norris and George, who were ahead of me, and who had crossed the creek to the opposite shore. One fell in the wa- ter, the other on the opposite bank. I then passed as swiftly as possible down the stream, on the side next the Indians, the bank hiding me from their view. I passed down about two miles, when I crossed and started for Ottawa, through the prairie, and overtook Mr. Henderson, who started ahead of me, and we went together till we got within four miles of Ottawa, where we fell in with Mr. Howard and son, three sons of Mr. Davis, and my two brothers, all of whom were in the field referred to, except one of Mr. Davis' sons, who was with us in the shop when the alarm was given, and who immediately left when he heard the cry of Indians. We all went to Ottawa together and gave the alarm.

"During the night we raised a company, and with them started in the morning for the dread- ful scene of slaughter. On the way we met some of Stillman's defeated troops, having camped within four miles of where the Indians passed the night, after they had killed my dear friends. They refused to go back with us and help bury the dead, but passed on to Ottawa. We went on to the place where the massacre took place, and oh! what a sight presented itself.

"There were some with their hearts cut out, and others cut and lacerated in too shocking a manner to mention, or behold without shudder- ing. We buried them all in great haste, in one grave, without coffins or anything of the kind, there to remain until Gabriel's trump shall call to life the sleeping dead.

"We then returned to Ottawa and organized a company out of a few citizens and Stillman's de- feated troops, into which company I enlisted, and the next day were on the line of march, in pursuit of the savages, and if possible, to get possession of my two eldest sisters, who were missing, and who, we were satisfied, had been carried away by the Indians, from signs found on their trail. We went as far as Rock river, when our provisions failed, and we returned to Ottawa for, and laid in, provisions for a second trip. I found that General Atkinson had made propositions to the Winnebago Indians, through the agent, Mr. Gra- tiot, to purchase my sisters, as we were fearful if we approached the Indians they would kill them to prevent their capture. We then started the second time, and proceeded to Rock river, where we fell in with a company of volunteers, under General Dodge, when we learned that the friendly Indians had succeeded in obtaining my sisters, and that they were at White Oak Springs. I went with a company of regulars

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to Galena, and obtaining a furlough, went to White Oak Springs, where I found my sisters, and returned with them to Galena.

(Signed)

J. W. Hall."

Such was the plain narrative given but no lan- guage could describe or convey any adequate idea of what the mental suffering of the sisters must have been in witnessing the more than tragic death of their family and friends and of the fearful uncertainty that for days hung over their own destiny, held as they were helplessly in the power of those whose hands were still red with the blood of their kindred. The government and all parties showed a commendable sympathy to rescue the captives and the government paid about two thousand pounds, mostly in ponies for their ransom.

HENRY H. EBY.

Henry H. Eby is an author, a retired agricul- turist and a veteran of the Civil war. He lives in a fine home on section 26, Mendota township, and in a review of his life we find that his birth occurred in Lebanon county near the city of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, his parents being John and Mary (Miller) Eby, the former of German and the latter of English lineage. Both were na- tives of Lebanon county, Pennsylvania, and in the year 1850 they removed from the Keystone state to La Salle county, Illinois, their son, Henry H. Eby, being at that time but eight years of age. They traveled with several other families who made the trip by wagon. They journeyed over the national pike and had to pay toll in many places. Their road brought them through Ohio and Indiana and they had a two-horse wagon, also a spring wagon, to which one horse was hitched. The roads in Indiana were so bad that for miles they traveled over a corduroy road made of split rails, which caused much suffering. At one time the spring wagon slipped off this road and the horse went into the swamp nearly out of sight. Mr. Eby re- members seeing a railroad in Ohio for the first time. It was of wooden rails with iron top and was of most primitive construction as compared with the fine railroads of the present time. The family were over six weeks on the trip, arriving in La Salle county in May. The father pur- chased eighty acres of land on sections 25 and 26, Mendota township, one-half of which Henry H. Eby still owns within his farm. Other fami- lies of the party went on to Stephenson county. Land could be purchased at two dollars and a half per acre and some for one dollar and a quarter per acre. It was all wild and unim-

proved and there seemed little evidence of civili- zation up to this time. Mr. Eby purchased a log house, sixteen by twenty-four feet, and a story and a half in height, and moved it onto his farm, there living with his wife and children. He was twice married and by the first wife had five children, all now deceased. By the second marriage there were seven children, of whom five are living, namely: Lydia, the wife of Andrew Wenner, who resides in Iowa; Mary, the wife of James Brown, also living in Iowa; Lavina, who married Thomas Farling and lives in Mendota; Henry H., of this review; and Moses, who also came with the family to La Salle county and bought eighty acres adjoining his father's farm, but later removed to Free- port. John Eby was quite well advanced in years when he came and he died in 1861. His second wife passed away in 1852 and after her death he broke up housekeeping.

Henry H. Eby then began work on a farm. He had been reared under the parental roof and the public schools afforded him his educa- tional privileges but for four years after coming here there were no schools in his locality. In his nineteenth year he responded to the country's call for aid, joining the Twelfth Illinois Infantry for three months' service. Later he became a member of Company C, Seventh Illinois Cavalry, first commanded by Colonel Kellogg and after- ward by Colonel Prince. He was with his regi- ment for three years and two months and did duty with the Army of the Tennessee and Cum- berland. He was first engaged in battle at Island No. 10 and afterward went to Shiloh and later to Corinth, but the battle there was not heavy. He next went to Tuscumbia, Alabama, and later to Cortland, Alabama, where he joined General Palmer, becoming one of his aides, a mounted orderly. They went to Nashville in August, 1862, and were shut in by the Confed- erate forces for about three months, being at that place when Bragg invaded Kentucky. They afterward proceeded to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, to attack Bragg where the battle of Stone River was fought, in which he was en- gaged. They subsequently went south, partici- pating in the battle of Chickamauga, Mr. Eby being captured there. He was then serving on the staff of General Palmer and as the party were making their way over a rail fence a shell struck the rails, scared the horses and separated the party. Mr. Eby became lost in the woods when night began to appear but finally found his way back to where General Palmer's troops had been stationed during the battle. Seeing a long line of soldiers there he asked for the number of the regiment thinking they were

HENRY H. EBY.

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General Palmer's troops, and was told it was the Sixteenth Mississippi. He rode down the line a short distance and asked again and the answer came the Twentieth Louisiana. He had not yet been identified and rode away from this line but into another one and was confronted with "Halt! Get off yo' hoss." He was thus made a prisoner, having ridden into the Confederate lines, for General Palmer had moved from that point. This was the night on which the battle of Chickamauga ended-September 20, 1863, Mr. Eby was taken to Richmond, Virginia, and placed in prison at Belle Isle, which was nothing more than a ditch dug around a plot of ground, the ditch serving as the dead line. There he remained for a short time without camp or any kind of shelter, with poor food and plenty of graybacks. It was not an unusual thing for him to rise on a winter morning and see three or four of his comrades dead and frozen fast to the · ground. He was afterward transferred to Richmond and later to Danville, North Carolina, where he suffered from smallpox. On his re- covery he managed to escape but was captured after being out a week, during which time he had a number of adventures. With one com- panion he stopped and asked for breakfast at a house and on being invited in found two Con- federate soldiers sitting in the room, who made them prisoners again. He was taken back to Belle Isle, where he remained for one month, at which time he was paroled and, being ill, he was sent to a hospital in Maryland, March 15, 1864. From there he was sent to St. Louis, Missouri. Later he returned and found his regi- ment at Memphis, Tennessee, and on the expira- tion of his term of service was mustered out at Springfield, Illinois, October 15, 1864, after which he returned to Mendota. His company acted as body guard for General Grant for one week on an expedition in Kentucky in the winter of 1862 and his hospital record covered a period spent in St. Louis, Missouri.

When his military service was ended Mr. Eby returned to his home, rented land and began farming on his own account. Eventually he purchased sixty acres of wild land on section 26, Mendota township, which he still owns, and he built thereon a house in 1867. He made further preparations for having a home of his own by his marriage to Miss Mary L. Swisher, a native of Ohio, and they became the parents of two children : Clara B., the wife of Dr. Guy Adams, a resident of Mendota; and Mary, the wife of Dr. Willard J. Worsley, living in Dixon.

Mr. Eby is the owner of one hundred and fifty- seven acres of good land on section 26, Men- dota township, has tiled the place, has added

modern buildings, has set out fine fruit and has excellent orchards and beautiful flowers, all of which add to the value and attractive appearance of his place. He has two houses upon his farm and at each one he has planted a nice grove, the trees being now quite large. He raises excellent fruit, his orchards being kept in first class condition, and the tasteful arrange- ment of his flower beds and the harmonious coloring as displayed by juduicious arrangement indicates his artistic nature. He possesses much of the skill of a trained landscape gardener. His home is now surrounded by a beautiful park and lawn. He is interested in both horticulture and floriculture. He is now retired from active farm work but still gives personal supervision to his business interests.

In 1902 Mr. Eby was called upon to mourn the loss of his wife, who died on the 7th of August of that year. In politics he is a repub- lican and has served as school director, as trustee and as pathmaster. He belongs to the Grange and to Andress post, No. 135, G. A. R., of Mendota. He is a man of deeply religious nature and an advocate of temperance, and up- holds all that stands for justice, truth and right in man's relation with his fellowinen. His is a most creditable and honorable record. He is today as loyal to his duties of citizenship as when he followed the old flag on southern bat- tle-fields and he has written a book which is soon to be published concerning his experiences in the army, which shows much literary merit as well as a judicious treatment of the subject in hand. He is interested in general progress in the county and the beauty and value of his farm, gardens and orchards add to the attractive- ness of his place as well as indicate his taste in those directions. He has been very active in business, so directing his labors along well defined lines that his efforts have resulted bene- ficially to himself and at the same time promoted the agricultural progress of the community. Such a man is worthy of the respect and esteem of his fellow citizens and Mr. Eby enjoys the warm regard of the residents of his part of the county in a high degree.

VINCENT J. DUNCAN.

Vincent J. Duncan, accorded by the consensus of public opinion a prominent position at the La Salle county bar, was born in the city of La Salle, December 1, 1861, a son of Nicholas and Isabella Duncan, the former a contractor and builder. His early educational privileges were

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supplemented by the study in Niagara Univer- sity at Niagara, New York, where he pursued a four years' scientific course, which was com- pleted by graduation with the class of June, 1882. Having determined upon the practice of law as a life work, he prepared for his profession in the University of Michigan, which he entered in 1883. He is an alumnus of the class of 1885, in which year he entered upon active practice in La Salle, where he remained until December, 1892. He was then elected to the office of states attorney and removed to Ottawa, where he has since remained, practicing at different times as a member of the firm of Duncan, O'Conor & Gil- bert ; O'Conor, Duncan & Eckels ; O'Conor, Dun- can & Haskins; Duncan & Doyle; and Duncan, Doyle & O'Conor. He has gained a distinctively representative clientage, for the extent and im- portance of the litigated interests entrusted to his care have made him one of the leading law- years of the La Salle county bar. His devotion to his clients' interests is proverbial and his prep- aration of a cause is marked by a thoroughness and painstaking care that makes him an able ad- vocate or feared opponent in the trial before court or jury. He is now vice president of the La Salle State Bank and a member of the firm of Duncan Brothers & Carlin, private bankers at Utica, Illinois.

On the 7th of January, 1886, Mr. Duncan was married at Ann Arbor, Michigan, to Miss Frances A. Devany, who was born in Ann Arbor in 1862 and is a graduate of St. Mary's convent at Monroe, Michigan.

Mr. Duncan has been connected with the Modern Woodmen since 1888 and with the Knights of Columbus since 1903. He is a dem- ocrat in his political views and his religious faith is indicated by his membership in the Roman Catholic church. He was elected a member of the high school board of education in 1905 and has been a trustee of Ryburn Memorial Hospital since 1898.

JOHN LOCK.

John Lock, engaged in the breeding of Hereford cattle and owner of a farm on section 17, Ver- million township, operates five hundred and twenty acres of the estate left by his father, Noah Lock. His life record began in Eagle town- ship, La Salle county, January 24, 1874, his par- ents being Noah and Mary (Huss) Lock, both representatives of early families of this county. The father was born in Preble county, Ohio, in 1843 and in his boyhood days became a resi- dent of La Salle county. He was a son of Peter

Lock, who settled in Eagle township in pioneer times and secured the farm whereon Charles Al- bert now resides. He devoted his energies to its cultivation and development and resided thereon until his death, which occurred in August, 1888, when he was seventy-one years of age. His wife survived him for a decade, passing away in Sep- tember, 1898, at the age of eighty-four years, seven months and thirteen days.

Noah Lock, coming to La Salle county in his boyhood days, was here reared amid pioneer en- vironments. About thirty-one years ago he lo- cated in Vermillion township on the farm now operated by his son John and where his widow still resides. He departed this life in Kansas City, Missouri, February 4, 1899, leaving a val- uable estate of five hundred and twenty acres, which had been acquired entirely through his own labors and well directed energy. He was interested quite extensively in stock-raising and he operated his farm until his death. He also followed threshing for forty-three seasons and was a man of great activity and energy, who carried forward to successful completion what- ever he undertook. In his family were the fol- lowing: Mrs. Ella Warner, who is residing upon the home farm; Amelia J., at home; Peter, who is living upon a farm in Vermillion township; Mrs. Lydia Leslie, of Alden, Iowa; Benjamin, deceased ; John, of this review; Mrs. Clara E. Hampson, whose husband is engaged in mer- chandising at Deer Park; Mrs. Cora E. Boyd, of Vermillion township; Noah, of Tonica ; and Ina, at home. The mother was born Novem- ber 28, 1844, in Pennsylvania, of which state her parents, Benjamin and Sarah (Church) Huss, were also natives. The latter died February 25, 1846, at the age of thirty-nine years, and in 1853 Mr. Huss came to La Salle county, locating in Vermillion township, where he followed farming until called to his final rest February 25, 1876, at the age of seventy-one years. He was a self- made man and meeting with excellent success he became the owner of a fine farm of five hundred acres.

John Lock was only a year old when brought by his parents to Vermillion township. His life has been one of activity and energy. He was early trained to the work of the farm and has since old enough to drive a team been a factor in its improvement and development. He now successfully controls his farming and business interests. From the age of seventeen years he has operated a threshing machine and in connec- tion with his brother Peter he now owns a thresher and carries on the business during the harvest seasons. He is also engaged in the breeding of Hereford cattle, in addition to which

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he tills the fields which are under his supervi- sion and from which he harvests good crops.

Mr. Lock was married to Miss Mary M. Horn- ing, a daughter of George Horning, deceased, who is mentioned elsewhere in this work. She was born in La Salle county and the days of her girlhood were passed within its borders, while her education was acquired in its public schools. By this marriage there has been born a daughter, Alice Magdalene, who was born in October, 1901, and is therefore five years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Lock have a wide acquaintance in the community and the hospitality of their own home is greatly enjoyed by many of their friends. Mr. Lock is connected with the Central Life Insur- ance Company of Tonica, which has fraternal as well as insurance features, and politically he is a democrat.

JOHN MOSLEY.

John Mosley, who died in California in the early years of mining discoveries and excitement there, was one of the pioneer residents of La Salle county and as such his name should be enrolled among the honored dead. He was born in Indiana of southern parentage and came to this county in his boyhood days. He was reared by an aunt, Mrs. Hugh Griggs, who located near Harding, Illinois. John Mosley resided there upon the farm and assisted in its cultivation and improvement, working earnestly and persistently as the years passed by. After the outbreak of the Mexican war he enlisted for service in a company and regiment formed at Ottawa and went to the front, where he protected the inter- ests of the United States. In the spring of 1850, attracted by the discovery of gold in Cali- fornia, he made his way to the Pacific coast, starting to the west in April of that year. After reaching his destination he engaged in mining gold there and spent his remaining days in that locality, his death occurring in California in the '50s.

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History of La Salle County, Illinois, Part 132

Author: Hoffman, U. J. (Urias John), b. 1855 Publication date: 1906 Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1286

Author: Hoffman, U. J. (Urias John), b. 1855
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Chicago : S.J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1286