History of La Salle County, Illinois, Part 14

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 14

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He had everything to learn about managing a company of soldiers. It is said, in reply to his first command, he received the answer to "go to the devil". But he made the best of the situa- tion, kept his temper under control, and never got the "big head'. His honesty. courage, good sense, ready wit and humor, won and held the confidence of his men and they obeyed him,

PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

and loved him. When president he told a story to illustrate his own ignorance of military tac- tics which, however, shows his sincerity and good sense as well. He was marching his com- pany along, twenty men abreast, when they came to a narrow gate. He could not think of the command to get his company in single file to pass through the gate. So he shouted "This company is dismissed for two minutes when it will fall in again on the other side of the gate."

While on the march Governor Reynolds, who was with the army, was much annoyed by the men firing their guns. Orders were given to do so no more. They crossed a river with great difficulty. To celebrate this victory Captain Lincoln fired off his gun and his example was followed by his men. For this he was repri- manded and as a punishment was made to wear a wooden sword. He took his punishment in good spirit and so lost the respect of neither his superior officers nor his men.

Again his company got possession of a keg of whiskey and the next morning were so drunk that they were not able to continue the march. For this Captain Lincoln was in no wise to blame, but was again reprimanded and made to wear the wooden sword. His men knowing that their captain was made to suffer on their account were drawn closer to him and were careful to get him in trouble no more.

On his way to Ottawa to be mustered out of service, an old Indian came into camp tired and hungry. The soldiers were going to kill him on the spot. The Indian showed them a pass signed by General Cass, the Indian agent. But the soldiers said it was a forgery and were going to dispatch him. Captain Lincoln stepped in between their raised guns and the frightened Indian and said: "This must not be. He must not be shot by us." Some one called out, "This is cowardly on your part, Lincoln." To which Lincoln replied, "If any man thinks I am a cow- ard let him test it." Another said, "Lincoln you are larger and heavier than we are." Lin- coln said, "This you can guard against : choose your weapons." But there was no one willing to enter a fight with the captain, whose anger was strongly in evidence at the wrong that was about to be committed on a helpless human -being.

A story is told of Lincoln which shows that even at that time he possessed the good sense and self-control that afterward served him so well. He had a reputation as a wrestler which caused his friends to brag of him and to chal- lenge every one else to measure strength with

him, though Lincoln himself never referred to his prowess. Just where this wrestling match occurred is not definitely known but many think it was at Ottawa. Stevens' History of the Black Hawk War thus describes the incident :

"Thompson, a man of burly form, champion of his section, was tendered to Captain Lincoln for a match in a way that to decline it would have disgraced his men and his friends. Cap- tain Lincoln was not given to separating him- self from a responsibility at any time, and with- out formality accepted the challenge. Up to that date there had been no pay day and it is safe to assume that the entire company could not inventory five dollars in money; but the men had knives, souvenirs, watches and knickknacks, the last one of which was staked on the issue of the match. The combatants grappled and it soon became evident that Thompson was qualified to bear championship laurels. The tussle was long and uncertain and keyed all the men up to a high tenison, as each contestant was being cheered to a victory : but Thompson, after a hard battle, secured the first fall. Lincoln could recog- nize a worthy antagonist and before taking on the second bout said to his friends: "This is the most powerful man I ever had a hold of. He will throw me and you will lose your all unless I act on the defensive." Accordingly, when the men came together again, Captain Lincoln played for a "crotch holt," which Thomp- son was able to avoid. Then, as the struggle progressed, the trick of "slidding away," was tried. In this Captain Lincoln was more success- ful for in the scramble for advantage both men went to the ground in a heap, which, according to the ethics of frontier wrestling, is denominated a "dog fall", hence a draw. Armstrong, a friend of Thompson, claimed a victory, at which a storm of protest went up from Captain Lincoln's back- ers, and a free fight was imminent. Believing that trouble was imminent. Captain Lincoln came forward, and in a voice that compelled at- tention, exclaimed, "Boys, the man actually threw me once fair, broadly so, and the second time, this very fall, he threw me fairly, though not apparently so," and that settled the question for all time, though "dog fall" was frequently re- peated during the remainder of the campaign by the Captain's partisans. That defeat and the acknowledgment of it in no sense diminished the influence or standing of Captain Lincoln with his men or those who were beginning to know and like him.'

This encounter shows Lincoln to have been the same "honest Abe" that was a principal in

NEW POSTOFFICE-OTTAWA.

PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

the great intellectual wrestling match with the "Little Giant" Douglas on the same ground in 1858.

Douglas at that time took a most unfair "holt" of Lincoln and in the estmation of his partisans threw Lincoln. Lincoln simply said Judge Douglas' charges are not true and instead of getting angry he went on with his own argument. In his closing speech Douglas held him up to scorn because Lincoln "dodged" the questions which he propounded based on his own falsehood. As in the previous contest with the burly Thompson, he quietly submitted to the injustice. Vindication, however, was not delayed. The Chicago papers next day showed Douglas' un- fairness and Lincoln's magnanimity and history has amply shown that Lincoln was the victor in that he not only championed the right but that he conquered himself, which the good book says is greater than to conquer a city.

In Captain Iles' company there was a lawyer from Springfield by the name of John F. Stuart who became acquainted with Lincoln and afterward invited him to study law in his office. The next time Lincoln was in Ottawa was in 1858 in the celebrated debate with Douglas. An account of this will be found elsewhere in this history.

THE ORGANIZATION OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

Up to 1823 the northern part of the state was called Sangamon County. In that year Peoria County was organized. For a time Mack- inaw was the county seat and the county in- cluded all the northern part of the state, but soon Peoria became the county seat.

In 1826 the commissioners of Peoria fixed the boundaries of "The Fox River Precinct" from Senachwine Creek on the west to La Page (Du Page) River on the east, the northern line of the state was the northern boundary. This sub- division of Peoria County thus extended from Chillicothe to Joliet and to Wisconsin.

The first election in the precinct was held at John Green's house at Green's Mills, now Day- ton, August 2, 1830. Pierce Hawley, John Green and Samuel Grove were the judges. The voters were John Green, Samuel Grove, Hugh Walker, Pierce Hawley, William Parcell, Edmund Weed, Joseph Grove, John Silsaver, Alexander McKee, Reason DeBolt, Peter Samsett, Jacob Grove, Robert Beresford and Henry Brumback.

Three votes were cast for John Reynolds for governor and eleven for William Kinnee. All the votes were cast for Rigden B. Slocum for

lieutenant governor, Henry Stillman for sheriff, John Shary, John Hamlin and Stephen French for county commissioners.

The village of Ottawa was platted by the state and recorded at Mackinaw, the county seat of Peoria County, the fifth day of September, 1830.

In January, 1831, the legislature passed a bill creating three new counties out of the northern part of Peoria County, Cook, La Salle and Put- namı. The boundaries of La Salle were begin- ning on the southeast corner of township 29 north, range I east of the third principal meridian, eastward eight townships (48 miles), northward to the Wisconsin line ( 108 miles), thence west- ward eight townships to the third principal meri- dian, thence southward to the point of beginning. The county covered 144 townships and from 500 to 700 inhabitants. Ottawa was made the county seat.

The first election held in the new county of La Salle was on the 7th day of March, 1831. George E. Walker was elected sheriff ; Moses Booth, cor- oner : John Green, James B. Campbell, Abraham Trumbo, county commissioners. The first meet- ing was held March 21st, and David Walker was appointed county clerk and the county divided into three precincts. The first included all the territory in ranges 1 and 2, the polling place was at the house of David Letts in township 32, range I east, now Eden. William Seeley, Martin Reynolds and David Letts were named as elec- tion judges. The central precincts included all the territory in ranges 3 and 4, and David Walk- er's house at Ottawa was the polling place. John Brown, Edward Keyes and Samuel Allen were judges of election. The eastern precinct included all the territory in ranges 5. 6. 7 and 8. The polling place was at the house of Vetal Vermett at Holderman's Grove and the judges were John Dougherty, Edward Weed and William Schermerhorn.

The commissioners assembled in special ses- sion April 2, 1831, and selected a grand and petit jury, and levied a tax of 1-2 per cent on all per- sonal property. A boat forty-five feet long and nine feet wide "with two side oars and one steering oar," was also ordered, agreeable to the state law of January 15, 1831, creating the coun- ties, which compelled the commissioners to main- tain a ferry at the county seat. At the Sep- tember term this boat was accepted. James Brown receiving $65 for building, and Thomas True $2 for rope for it. The ferry was let to the former for one year, and the rates specified as follows :

PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

Each footman 6 1-4C

Each man I2 I-2c

Each horse, jack or mule 6 1-4C

Each Dearborn chair, or sulky with springs. 50c

Each two-horse wagon, drawn by horses or oxen 50c

Each two-horse wagon, drawn by four

horses or oxen 75c

Each head of cattle 6 1-4C

Each barrel of whisky, salt or pork. I2 I-2C Each bushel of wheat or other grain .. . . 3c

This tariff was doubled in time of high water. It pertained to all non-residents of the county, excepting county officers and the canal commissioners.

The first marriage after the organization of the county was that of Sheldon Bartholomew to Charlotte Hogaboom. It took place, according to the records, June 22, 1831.

The fees of the commissioners and their clerks were $1.50 per day, the latter also receiving 6 1-4 cents for entering each order for the court.

At the session of April 16, 1831, William Richey was appointed assessor, and September 5 was allowed $20 for his work. He received the appointment the succeeding year.

June 6, 1831, the commissioners, for the sum of $20, granted license to Wilburn F. Walker to sell goods. This is the first record of any one engaged in merchandising, but during the next two years quite a number appear upon the records, the license being reduced from $20 to $7.

At the above meeting of the board, a road was authorized from Ottawa to the east line of the state. Vetal Vermett, Joseph Cloud and James Galloway were the viewers. This was the first road laid out in the county. Shortly afterward there was one surveyed along the Vermillion River, leading to Vandalia. David Letts was the first road supervisor, and began work on the latter road. William Seeley, at this meeting, was appointed school commissioner. The county had not yet a place of records. Accordingly, we find at this session an allowance of $7 for carrying the poll books seventy miles to "Macacna", still the county seat of Peoria County. The official bond of David Walker, clerk of the board, for $1,000, was presented, signed by G. W. Walker and Vetal Vermett, and approved.

In the following July attention was called to the poor, some of whom were undoubtedly pres- ent, for David Shaver and Edward Keyes were appointed overseers.

In December the board authorized the build- ing of a courthouse, 16x24 feet, two stories high, part of which was designed for a jail. For the sum of $5 they granted license to Joseph

Cloud, to act as auctioneer, and recommended him to the Postmaster General as a suitable per- son to be appointed postmaster at Ottawa. At this time the mails all came up the river, by way of Peoria. For some time Mr. Cloud distributed the portion intended for Ottawa in his hat. In 1832 a mail route was opened from the center of the state, via Decatur and Fox River to Chi- cago. It was not formally established, however, until 1837, Daniel E. Ebersol being the first mail carrier.

The first estate that was ever entered for pro- bate in the county was that of Anthony Antonio, a man of color (so mentioned in the records), who died about the end of February, 1831, and left some effects. It was thought best to take care of the goods for any heirs that might appear. The judge, Joseph Cloud, accordingly appointed Lewis Bailey administrator, and John Slater, Jacob Potts and Steward Ward, appraisers. In the list appears coats, pants, handkerchiefs, pow- der, shot, one rifle, a razor, a bottle of turpentine and one pair of truss irons, in all, with $6.98 cash, $26.78. The property was sold in Decem- ber, and brought $20.75.

In March, 1832, term of the Commissioners' Court, an estray pen was authorized, and horses and cattle over three years old were placed in the list of half per cent taxable property. George E. Walker was allowed $30 for his services as sheriff, which extended back beyond the day of organization.

The first tavern license was granted to Simon Croziar, on July 19, 1832. He was allowed to sell spirits. On September 4th, George Hollenbeck received a like license for Ottawa. September 3d L. S. Robbins, circuit clerk, received $5 for his services, from April 27, 1831, to July 20, 1832.

George E. Walker turned over to the county treasurer, on the 26th day of October. 1832, the taxes collected, amounting in the aggregate to $141.42, $69.46 being for personal property, $58.25 on lands and $II.31 on town lots.

The first Board of Supervisors met on the 27th day of May, 1850, and organized by electing Wells Waite, Esq., of Dayton, President. The list is as follows: Adams, E. S. Beardsley ; Brookfield, George S. Maxon; Bruce, Samuel Mackey; Dimmick, William Mitchell; Dayton, Wells Waite; Deer Park, William Clayton ; Eagle, Elijah M. Galloway; Eden, M. M. Letts; Earl, James McBurney ; Fremont, Mr. Worsley ; Freedom, William Barber; Farm Ridge, Elmer Baldwin; Grand Rapids, Abraham Trumbo; Hope, Mr. Lucas ; Meriden, O. W. Bryant; Mis- sion, Joshua Lewis; Manlius, Giles W. Jackson ; Northfield, Mr. Jones; Ottawa, W. H. L. Wal- lace ; Saulsbury, John Hoffman; South Ottawa,

PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

Calvin W. Eels; Troy Grove, Peter J. Wagner ; Trenton, A. D. Butterfield ; Utica, Hiram Higby ; Vermillion, Emory Stanford; Warren, Samson Hoxie ; Waltham, E. D. Hartshorn.

The first term of the circuit court held in La Salle County is thus described by Perry A. Arm- strong in a speech before the Old Settlers' meet- ing held in Ottawa, 1877 :

"Your first term of circuit court was held be- neath the protecting boughs of a majestic old elm, standing upon the north side of the Illinois, just below the mouth of the Fox River. It was a grand old hall of justice, built up by a master mechanic, He who built the heavens and the Its ceiling was the sky; its walls the earth.

boundaries of the universe. This giant elm, dis- daining to associate with the pigmies of the for- est, proudly withdrew to the bank of the river, where it stood solitary and alone like a wierd sentinel watching the union of the Illinois and the Fox, over which it cast the shade of its rich foliage. But the ruthless ax of the woodsman felled it many years ago, and no stake or stone points out the spot where it stood. Palsied should have been the arm and withered the nerve . that struck the blow that felled it; while the ax with which it was done should never have been forged. Richard M. Young was judge of this court, George E. Walker was the sheriff, Joseph Cloud the clerk, Moses Booth the bailiff, and the autumn of 183I was the time.

"The grand jury, that secrec inquest which holds its sessions with closed doors, used a grotto or recess in the rock, on the west bank of the Fox, near the place where the Clifton House now stands. There they were safe beyond the reach of the curious and eavesdroppers. The passage leading to their retreat was of sufficient width to admit but one person at a time. It was there- fore easily guarded. The roof over their heads, the floor under their feet and the walls of their jury room were of St. Peters sandstone, with the waters of the beautiful Fox River sweeping majestically by at their feet, all combined to ren- der the surroundings of this first grand jury of La Salle County worthy of a pen of a Macauley and the pencil of a Raphael. In this secluded retreat, not made by hands, under the solemnity of their oaths, did these twenty-three men in- quire whether the solemnity of the law had been violated in the county. The rock, an emblem of firmness, and the placid water of the river, a symbol of purity and emblem of justice, all com- bined to point out their duty as the people's in- quest-firmness in the discharge of their duties. To let none escape through fear, favor or affec- tion, yet to scrutinize the conduct of all against whom charges were made, and while so doing to

be actuated by pure motives, and above all, to ar- rive at just conclusions ere they presented an indictment. Take into consideration all the surroundings of this grand jury, and no county in this or any other state can present a parallel in point of sublimity.

Mr. A. K. Owen, now living in Missouri, who was the foreman of that grand jury, informs me that no complaints were made to it, and that the only duty the bailiff had to perform was to en- deavor to obtain a dinner for the jury. But in this he failed, being politely informed by the restaurateur that he had only provisions enough for the dinner of the court and sheriff."

DEVELOPMENT OF THE COUNTY.

From 1830 to 1850 may be regarded as the period of settlement ; from 1850 to 1860 as the period of development; and from 1860 to the present time as the period of improvement.

From 1830 to 1850 the people lived in a primi- tive way. The houses were small, and most of them were of logs. A few sheds only could be erected for the horses and stock. The small fields were fenced in and the cattle roamed over the prairie. A family expected to produce everything needed; for there was no market and very little money. The farm tools were mostly home-made, as was the clothing. The spinning wheel was found in every house and in every neighborhood there was a loom. The women and grown girls were not expected to be idle even when resting or engaged in social intercourse. The knitting needle must be busy at all times when the hands were not otherwise employed. The boys hunted and trapped for peltries in the winter when other work could not be done. A few carpenter and blacksmith tools were a neces- city in every well-to-do family, and in some even the shoes of the family were manufactured and mended.

Mrs. Samuel Dewey, of Ottawa, stated to the writer that when her father, Ansel Dewey, came to the country in 1837 they came from Massa- chusetts to the home of an uncle, Justin Dewey, near Triumph. Before the mother left for the west she laid in a supply of clothing. She bought the cloth and cut out the garments. They were expected to fit some of the family in the future.

Her uncle's house was a one-room cabin so there was not room for the new family of four children. Rev. S. R. Beggs lived in a one-room cabin in the same dooryard. As the Beggses had only one child, the newcomers were wel- comed there. In time it became a problem for the four Dewey children to keep in their part of

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PAST AND PRESENT OF LA SALLE COUNTY.

the house. So a line was drawn across the mid- dle of the floor and each person must keep on his side of the line. One stove in the middle of the room served both families.

In the course of time the supply of clothing was exhausted and a new supply must be pro- vided. The mother had spun the yarn but there was no room for the loom. She took her yarn to the house of a cousin, Mrs. Julia Towner, who had a loom. There she expected to stay until she transformed the yarn into cloth. But the pioneers had to figure to do their work to the greatest advantage. So it was decided to weave the cloth at the time the baby was to be weaned. The narrator says, she being the oldest girl about ten years, remained at home with the father to care for the baby. She had the pleasure of car- ing for him all the hours of the day and walk with him an entire night. One of the younger children went with the mother to care for one younger than herself. Their cousin, Mrs.

Towner, was well to do. She had a house of two rooms, two bed rooms and a loft. At home with her were ten children. She was the mother of seventeen.

Mrs. Dewey said the girls in their family earned money by braiding men's straw hats. She could braid enough oats straw for one hat in a day. Her mother could sew it together and press it in three or four hours. For such a hat they got 50 cents.

A neighbor, a southern family, thought they would undertake the hat industry. They braided the straw and brought it to Mrs. Dewey to be made into a hat, remarking that she would find a good many "balks" in the braiding. This was a new word to the Yankee children and greatly amused them. The cloth that the mother wove was dyed black with yellow checks by the father and was made into winter dresses for the girls.

Food was plain but abundant. Meat was easily raised and there was no other use for the grain than to be caten. Getting the grain ground was no easy matter. Green's mill at Dayton ground the grain for farmers fifty miles around. Often the farmer had to camp for days to await his turn to have his grist ground. Hogs were butchered at home, loaded on wagons and hauled all the way to Chicago, as was the sur- plus wheat to get a little cash.

The hard times of 1837 struck the pioneer hard. But he economized, lived hard and waited. The more thrifty broke prairie, fenced the land hoping for better timcs. Those who did so found it profitable, for when better times did come they were ready, and received abundant pay for their labor.

The actual settler felt hard toward the specu- lator. When the land was offered for sale in 1835, the settlers could buy but a small part of it. The rest was bought by speculators for $1.25 an acre and at once the price went up to $5 an acre and choice pieces even twice that amount. This seems to us a small price, but to the settler it put the land simply out of reach.

Towns were laid out everywhere that suited the speculator's fancy. Some traces still re- main in the names of the localities : Munsontown near Freedom or Harding, Gouldtown in the same township, Science on the river near Utica, Shippingsport across the river from La Salle. Vermillionville near Lowell, LaFayette near Triumph, Rockwell near La Salle.

The first roads were Indian trails. These kept along the high places leading to the fords of rivers. Before the buffalo left the country they used these trails. The constant trampling of feet killed the long prairie grass and the blue grass came in its place. When roads were laid out they were crude and much of the time im- passable. Much of the land was in sloughs and only the high places could be cultivated.

There were no public schools. Children if taught at all were taught at home. Or some- times a Yankee or an Irishman came into the neighborhood, opened a school and taught the children of the families that could pay for three or four months. The first school in Fall River Township was taught by Rev. George Marsh in a cabin owned by Abraham Trumbo in 1835. The first schoolhouse was erected near W. R. Lewis' place in 1846. Many of the schools were taught by preachers who in this way were able to add a little to the support of their fam- ilies. In a settlement of considerable size a cabin would be erected for school purposes and the children would come sometimes four or five miles.

ERA OF DEVELOPMENT.

The opening of the canal connecting the Illi- nois and the Mississippi Rivers with Lake Mich- igan in 1848 was the beginning of the era of de- velopment. Boats had come up the river previ- ous to this time to Ottawa only in times of high water, to Peru and La Salle at all times. In 1831 one boat arrived at Ottawa October 16th, in 1832, one April 4th, in 1833, one on January 3d, one July 3d, one July 13th. In 1849 nineteen boats arrived in March and twelve in April. This gave the people an opportunity to buy goods but did not afford much of a market for their prod- ucts. In 1841 corn sold for ten cents a bushel, store pay. In 1850 dressed hogs $1.25 per hundred.

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History of La Salle County, Illinois, Part 14

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