USA > Illinois > Lee County > History of Lee County, together with biographical matter, statistics, etc. > Part 9
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" The old school-house was very plain, rough and uninviting to look upon, but there are many recollections associated with it which are always dwelt upon by the early settlers with great interest, and should make the memory of it dear to the people of Dixon. It was within its rough brown walls that the venerable and revered Bishop Chase, then senior bishop of the American Episcopal church, first preached to the scattered members of his fold as were hereabout, and broke to them the bread of the sacrament, and where Rev. James De Pui, a man of rare culture and gentle and genial social qualities, preached for more than twelve months. It was there that the Methodist and Baptist churches of this place were formed and nurtured in their infancy.
" The Rev. Dr. Hitchcock and the Rev. Philo Judson, who for
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RELIGIOUS PROGRESS IN THE COUNTY.
nearly half a century have been among the foremost laborers in the great and beneficent organization to which they belong, then in the vigor of early manhood, each preached his two years there. The Rev. Thomas Powell, a devoted missionary of the Baptist denomination, well known among the early settlers of no inconsiderable portion of the state for his indefatigable and faithful service in the religions interest of the people, then often living remote from each other, and either des- titute or but poorly supplied with competent religious teachers, often held services in the old school-house, and officiated at the formation of the Baptist church of Dixon. Also the Rev. Burton Carpenter, the remembrance of whose labors here is cherished by many of the old set- tlers, and who in the high standing he afterward attained in the denomination to which he belongs, and in a life of great usefulness in another part of the state, he has not disappointed the expectations of his early friends, commenced his labors in the ministry and preached about three years in this same old school-house. During nearly the whole time religious services were held in the old school-house the Methodist and Baptist congregations occupied it alternate Sundays,-the Meth- odist clergyman preaching at Inlet Grove or Sugar Grove, and Mr. Carpenter at Buffalo Grove the intervening Sabbaths.
" In the spring of 1840 there was a convention of the whig party of the Jo Daviess representative district, which embraced the whole north- western part of the state, held at the school-house, and Thomas Drum- mond, known in this generation as Judge Drummond, of the United States court at Chicago, then a young lawyer of Galena, was nom- inated as a candidate for member of the house of representatives in the state legislature. Here presented an extent of territory now con- stituting nearly two congressional districts. Among the teachers in the old school-house was the late lamented W. W. Heaton, whom the citizens of Dixon have seen rise by his industry and legal acquire- ments from the schoolmaster's chair to the bench.
" In the beginning of the year 1843 the Methodist church was finished and dedicated, and the court-house was so far completed that the courts were held in it, and was used for religious and political meetings, and the old school-house fell into comparative disuse.
"Some time during the year 1844 it began to be noised about that John Van Arnam claimed the old school-house as his property, as he had purchased the lot upon which it stood. One day the people were notified that upon a tap on their windows the night following they might know that they were wanted at the school-house, and the less said about it the better. Upon arriving there we found it surrounded by a great crowd busy at work. Some were raising the building with crow- bars and levers, others adjusting planks and rollers under the sills.
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
There was that prince of movers of old buildings, N. G. H. Morrill, as usual, directing operations, not giving authoritative orders to others, but by taking hold and showing them how by doing the major part of the work himself. The industrious crowd tugged away in silence or talking in whispers or suppressed tones, now moving the heavy oak building an inch or two, and again making a more fortunate move and getting ahead several inches or one or two feet, until it was thought the building was entirely over the edge of the lot, but by pacing from the street and making observations in the dark it was thought best to give it just another little shove to make the thing sure. So all took hold with a will, and the old school-house began to move again upon the rollers and made a lunge of twelve or fifteen feet, creaking and groaning as it went, as if conscious of the ignoble uses of trade to which it was destined, for the time came (my pen grows shaky as I write it) when it was used for liquor selling. Upon this last move of the old school-house every tongue seemed loosened, and all gave vent to their satisfaction in a wild shout or cheer, which rang through the darkness, and by its heartiness (so I was informed) quieted the fears of some of the ladies whose husbands had at the tap on the window so mysteriously bounced out of bed and left them without saying a word. About this time Mr. Morrill, upon a vote of two freeholders at an election held for the purpose of voting upon the question of building a new school-house, was building the stone structure for that purpose back of the Na- chusa house, so the old building was sold and moved down on the corner of Main and Hennepin streets, and was used for varions pur- poses of trade, and finally burned in the great fire on Main street in 1859."
CRIME.
It is by no means a pleasant duty to the historian to chronicle the wicked deeds of men, or bring to light the dark phase of humanity to cast a shadow upon the fair fame of a civil and cultured community ; but there are obligations which the science of history imposes upon every hand that wields a historic pen, that cannot be disregarded and claim the honor of an impartial historian ; though gladly would we draw the veil of oblivion over the faults of erring humanity were they not so intimately associated with the welfare and peace of a community.
As every page of human history seems to be stained with blood and bedewed with tears, the fair pages of the history of Lee county are not unsullied by the dark spots of crime. These rolling prairies and beautiful groves have been the theater of bloodshed and crime. The following anecdote written by an early citizen of Palmyra, Lee county, will be in place here to illustrate the mixed state of society in the early days of the history of Lee county. He says :
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" We had a weekly eastern mail, carried from Chicago in the Frink & Walker coaches, on Saturday. On that day all those who had rea- son to expect letters met in Dixon to get their mail and exchange drinks at a little building near the ferry, called "The Hole in the Wall." Here we also met many of those curious waif's and strays of society, of which Dixon, like all frontier towns, had her full share. Among them was a man by the name of Truett, who had shot an ed- itor of a paper in cold blood, but had escaped the rope. An old gentle- man had been introduced to him; without hearing his name distinctly, after some conversation with him, said to his introducer, " Who is that fellow, Billy, you introduced to me ?" "Oh, that," said he, " is Trnett -Truett who murdered Dr. Early." His horror on hearing this was most ludicrous. "Shaken hands with a murderer !" he exclaimed. " Good God !" shaken hands with a murderer ! Bring me some water." And he continued to turn his hands over and over and vociferate for water until a basinful was brought and he was enabled to wash out the spot."
Lee county was infested with members of the great " Banditti of the Prairies," that was exposed and published by Edward Bonney as early as 1844. This author says : "The valley of the Mississippi river from its earliest settlement has been more infested with reckless and blood-stained men than any other part of the country, being more con- genial to their habits and offering the greatest inducements to follow their nefarious and dangerous trade. Situated as it is, of great com- mercial importance, together with its tributaries stretching four thou- sand miles north from the Gulf of Mexico, and draining all the country south and west of the great chain of lakes, and between the Alleghany and Rocky mountains, it has afforded them an unequaled chance to escape detection and pursnit, and thus wooed, as it were, countless vil- lains and blood-stained, law-doomed ones to screen themselves in its bosom.
" Organized bands, trampling upon right and defying all law human and divine, have so annoyed the peaceful and quiet citizens of this great valley, that in the absence of a sufficient judicial power the aid of " Judge Lynchi " has been but too frequently called in and a neighbor- ing tree proved a gallows, and 'a short shrift and strong cord' been the doom of those who have ever plead vainly for mercy at its bar."
The same author adds: "So great, indeed, was the terror that the banditti had caused that the good, quiet, and orderly citizens, before retiring to rest at night, made all preparations for resistance that were in their power, and armed to the teeth, with doors and windows se- curely barred and bolted, laid down in fear and trembling to wish for the return of morning again."
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
A plan had long been on foot to rob the Dixon land office, by in- tercepting the stage conveying the deposits to Chicago. Large sales of public lands had been made and the money deposited in the Dixon land office. "One of the gang, in order to ascertain the particulars and the precise time of its removal, took occasion to ask the receiver when he intended to go to Chicago. The receiver, however, being upon his guard, and a prudent man, set the time one week later than he intended to start, and thereby baffled the preconcerted schemes of the robbers."
At the time designated by the receiver for making the deposit the stage-coach belonging to Frink, Walker & Co., which was supposed to be carrying the money, was stopped near Rockford, and a trunk taken ont by the robbers, which contained, however, only clothing. Every effort to apprehend the perpetrators of the theft was fruitless.
William Cullen Bryant wrote in June 21, 1841, " When I arrived in Dixon I was told that the day before, a man named Bridge, living at Washington Grove, Ogle county, came to town and complained that he had received notice from a certain association that he must leave the county before the 17th day of the month, or that he would be looked upon as a popular subject for lynch law. He asked for assist- ance to defend himself and dwelling against lawless violence of these men. The people of Dixon came together and passed a resolution to the effect that they approved fully of what the inhabitants of Ogle county had done, and that they allowed Mr. Bridge the term of four hours to depart from the town of Dixon. He went away immediately and in great trepidation. This Bridge is a notorious confederate and harborer of horse thieves and counterfeiters. The thinly settled popu- lations of Illinois were much exposed to the depredations of horse thieves, who have a kind of center of operations in Ogle county, where it is said that they have a justice of the peace and constable among their own associates, and where they contrive to secure a friend on the jury whenever any one of their number is tried. Trial after trial had been held, and it was impossible to obtain conviction on the clearest evidence, until April 1841, when two horse thieves being on trial, eleven of the jury threatened the twelfth with a taste of the cowskin unless he would bring in a verdict of guilty. He did so, and the men were condemned. Before they were removed to the state prison the court-house burned down and the jail was in flames, but luckily they were extinguished without the liberation of the prisoners." The man Bridge, who was compelled to flee from Dixon, and to whom reference was made above, had his family removed and house demolished on the 27th of the same month by the " Regulators."
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Horse thieves infested this country at this time, and extended their
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operations from Wisconsin to St. Louis and from the Wabash to the Mississippi. Bryant wrote: "In Ogle county they seemed to have been bolder than elsewhere, and more successful, notwithstanding the notoriety of their crimes, in avoiding punishment. The impossibility of punishing them, the burning of the court-house at Oregon eity last April, and the threats of deadly vengeance thrown out by them against such as should attempt to bring them to justice, led to the formation of a company of citizens-" Regulators " they called themselves-who determined to take the law in their own hands and drive the felons from the neighborhood. This extended over Ogle, De Kalb and Win- nebago. The resistance to these desperadoes resulted in the death of some of their number who had been dealt with summarily and some good citizens were assassinated by a band of thieves."
In the early days of the county a great number of horses were bred and herded on the prairies. Every "full-grown mare " would have a colt running by her side. Most of the thefts were committed in the spring or autumn. In the former season the horses were turned to feed upon the green grass that grew luxuriantly, and in autumn they would be in the finest condition, when they were fed on corn. The best of the drove were usually taken and passed from one station to another until they were sold in some distant market.
Tragedy of Inlet Creek .- It is a trite saying, and not unfrequently true, that " truth is stranger than fiction." And it is seldom that we are called upon to chronicle a combination of more thrilling events and bloody deeds than the following, which we are required to record, however painful may be the task.
There resided on the old stage road at the crossing over Inlet creek, a few miles below the present site of the city of Amboy, a family by the name of Croft. They owned the toll-gate which stood at the north end of the corduroy bridge across the above creek and adjacent swamp. In the spring of 1848 a jew peddler passing through the country en- gaged to Mr. Croft as a farm laborer for half a month. After the expi- ration of the time, which oceurred on the 29th of May, the stranger was never seen or heard of by the neighbors. On the 3d of June, five days after the disappearance of the peddler, Mr. Croft visited the land office and entered a tract of land. These circumstances may have been suf- ficient to cause a just suspicion in the neighborhood. There being no traces of a possible tragedy, the matter was soon lost sight of until the following summer, when other circumstances awakened unpleasant reflections in the minds of the neighbors. A young woman who had been living with the Croft family for some time, including the stay of the peddler above mentioned, was left by Mrs. Croft in the care of the household affairs while the latter was absent on a visit. It was in the
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
time of hay gathering, and Mr. Croft was assisted by four of his neigh- bors, among whom was one man commonly known by the name of " Sam Patch." The young woman was cooking for the harvest hands. On a certain day she suddenly disappeared. Mr. Croft walked about the premises calling for the missing one, feigning great anxiety and surprise. After a few days, there being no tidings of the whereabouts of the young woman, a search was made by the neighbors, lasting three days, when the body was found in a pond in the neighborhood in the presence of hundreds of citizens of the county who had participated in the search. Mr. James Goble, then sheriff of Lee county, being present, at once arrested Mr. Croft and lodged him in the county jail at Dixon. On the approach of the next session of court an officer visited the home of the said "Sam Patch " to cause him to appear before the court to give testimony in the above case. Seeing the officer approaching his house, he fled with gun in hand to the corn-field, where he shot himself and soon expired. Mrs. Croft having returned home was a frequent visitor to the jail in which her husband was incarcerated, having secured most of the money he had about him, with a gold watch and chain. Becoming despondent, the culprit cut his throat with his razor, which he had in his cell, and paid the terrible penalty of his crime. Soon after this one of the neighbors who was assisting Mr. Croft on the day of the murder of the young woman, as he was returning home from Dixon stopped at the house of Mr. Meeks to quench his thirst and was suddenly taken ill and expired. One of the two surviving members of that party soon afterward died in La Salle, leaving but one of the six, including the unfortunate girl, who composed that har- vesting party. The first fell by the hand of the murderer; two by their own hand, to evade the just retribution of the law; and one died probably from poison. The cause of the death of the fifth is not known to the writer.
Tragedy at Franklin Grove .- In 1848 or 1849 a Norwegian living at Franklin Grove was visited by a friend of the same nationality who purposed spending the night with him. They occupied the same bed, and after falling asleep an assassin entered the room and with an ax dispatched both men in their bed, where they were afterward found horribly mutilated and bathed in their own blood. The murder was supposed to have been committed for the purpose of robbery, as the man residing there was reputed to have had money in his possession, whom the robber doubtless expected to find alone. The perpetrator of the bloody deed was never detected, but was believed to be connected with the " Banditti of the Prairie," to which reference is made above.
In the winter of 1844-5 it was " communicated to the gang," says Bonny, " that a Mr. Mulford, in Ogle county, had in his possession a
abram Brown
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX AND TILDEN FOUNDATIONS R L
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CRIME.
large amount of money that he had recently received from the State of New York. This was communicated by the friends of the gang at Washington Grove. The amount of money in possession of Mr. Mul- ford was believed to be $1,400, a prize which the gang made prepara- tions to secure. One of their number visited the home of Mr. Mul- ford under the assumed name of Harris, assuming to be a laborer seek- ing employment. After making some observations about the house he retired, on promise that he would return again. A few nights follow- ing three men entered Mr. Mulford's house armed with pistols and knives. On entering the house, one seized a loaded rifle which stood in one corner of the room, and aiming at Mr. Mulford threatened him and his wife, who lay at his side, if they should attempt to rise or give an alarm, and demanded of Mr. Mulford his money.
After seizing about $400, which Mr. Mulford surrendered to them, they demanded more, with threats of death if denied. He having repeatedly assured them that he had no more, they placed one at the door and one at the bedside as gnards, while the third one, whom Mrs. Mulford recognized as Harris, made search for the desired treasure. Going to a bureau in the room, he commenced shaking out the linen which had been carefully folded away. Mrs. Mulford being greatly disturbed by the careless manner in which her linen was handled, though placed in the greatest peril, could not remain quiet, but ad- dressed the robber : 'Mr. Harris, you conduct yourself very differently from what you did the other day when you wished to obtain employ- ment.' "'
"The unveiled robber sprang to his feet with a loud oath, surprised at the daring of the defenseless and heroic woman, and with eyes flash- ing with rage he sprang for the bedside, and drawing his bowie-knife waved it above her head with threats of immediate death if she would utter another word while they were in the house. Then turning to his comrades he said : 'Boys, I must be missing. I'm known, and this is no place for me; a minute more and I am off!' Hastily closing the search, and warning Mr. Mulford not to follow them, the unwelcome visitors were off, and nothing could be learned of them since, though diligent search was made. In the following year, 1845, one West, of Lee county, on being arrested, turned state's evidence, which led to the arrest and conviction of Bridge and Oliver as accessory to this rob- bery."
In the fall of 1844 a peddler by the name of Miller was robbed of a large amount of goods at Troy Grove, for which the man West, re- ferred to above, was arrested, which led to an exposure of the gang and their operations, implicating parties in Lee and Ogle counties. He gave particulars of the robbery of the stage near Rockford, before
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HISTORY OF LEE COUNTY.
mentioned, and of the intended robbery of the land office at Dixon. He accused one Fox, alias Sutton, and John Baker of having commit- ted the robbery at Troy Grove, and that the goods had been secreted at Inlet Grove, and afterward taken to Iowa. He also claimed that Fox and Birch, alias Blecker alias Harris, committed the robbery at Inlet Grove which had caused so much trouble to some of the citizens, whom the robbers had imitated so perfectly as to disguise their own identity.
Prior to this, Esquire Hascal, a merchant at Inlet Grove, had been robbed of money deposited in a small trunk which he kept under his bed at night. This trunk was extracted from its accustomed place one dark, stormy night; the robber entering the house on his hands and knees, then lying flat upon the floor, he cautiously, and serpent-like, made his way to the bedside, where Mr. and Mrs. Hascal lay engaged in conversation while the thunderstorm was raging without. He would lay quietly until a clap of thunder would come, when he would push himself forward unheard until he grasped the trunk and crawfish his way out carrying the prize with him. This robbery West also set to the credit of Fox. This man was a noted member of the gang, and extended his operations from the Alleghanies to the Rocky Moun- tains, and was one of the shrewdest of the clan, and one whom Mr. Bonney found the most difficult to capture.
In 1862 the board of supervisors, at the September term, passed the following resolution :
Resolved, That it is the bounden duty of every good and law- abiding citizen in this county to aid, all that lies in his power, in the suppression of crime and theft; and any person or persons rendering good and valuable service to the county by informing the sheriff, or any other officer of the law, of the whereabouts of stolen property, or information that will bring to justice criminals in this or adjoining counties, should and will be suitably rewarded by this county."
On the 22d of June, 1863, a " Vigilance Society " was organized for the purpose of detecting and bringing to justice thieves, and to reclaim and restore stolen property.
In March, 1852, the village of Dixon was thrown into considerable excitement over the continued brutality of a fellow named Hamill, upon a young girl living at his house near Dixon. Several citizens visited his house and took the girl from him and brought her to town where the circuit court was in session, and her story listened to. The next day the fellow had the " cheek " to come to town, and it produced such indignation in the community that he was treated to a liberal supply of tar and feathers.
At the May term, 1877, of the circuit court of Lee county, the
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THE CITY OF DIXON.
grand jury found a bill of indictment against Samuel H. McGhee, of said county, for the murder of Samantha H. McGhee, his wife. The court ordered the arrest of said McGhee under capias, returnable forth- with, and that he be held without bail. The bill was found upon the testimony of thirty-four witnesses who were supcenaed for the trial.
When the case was called, May 29, for hearing before the court, the ordinary course of pleading was deviated from in favor of the defendant, who by his counsel moved the court to quash said indict- ment, which motion, after being argued, was overruled by the court. The prisoner was remanded to the county jail to await trial, which was again called May 31, 1877. The trial lasted twelve days, and. on June 13 the jury returned a verdict of guilty, and fixed his penalty at fourteen years in the State Penitentiary. On the following day a motion was made for a new trial, which was refused by the court. The defendant, by his counsel, moved the court to arrest judgment upon said judgment, which the court refused, to which refusal the defendant excepted, and on his motion was given thirty days to file his bill of exceptions. He was duly delivered into the custody of the warden of the State Penitentiary at Joliet, to serve his time of impris- onment.
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