History of Macon County, Illinois, from its organization to 1876, Part 10

Author: Smith, John W., 1843-1906
Publication date: 1876
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Rokker's Printing House
Number of Pages: 326


USA > Illinois > Macon County > History of Macon County, Illinois, from its organization to 1876 > Part 10


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23


Mustered out June 7, '65, as corp.


Higgins, Jno. T., Aug. 14, '62. Detached at muster out of reg. Howell, Brice, Aug. 12, '62. Howell, Lewis, Aug. 15, '62. Hoots, Alex., Aug. 12, '62. Helm, John S., Aug. 18, '62. Harper, C. R., Aug. 11, '62. Died Jan. 12, '65; wounds. Hooker, Wm. C., Aug. 15, '62. Died at Memphis March 30, '63. Huston, Servantus, Aug. 13,'62. Mustered out June 7, '65. Huusley, C. E., Aug. 14, '62. Henson, J., Aug. 20, '62. 66 Hanks, Dunham, Aug. 12, '62. Kemp, Isaac, Aug. 12, '62. Kemp, Philip, Aug. 15, '62. Lyons, Wm., Aug. 12, '62. Lickliter, G. W., Sept. 29, '62. Lukens, John, Aug. 14, '62. Latham, Henry, Aug. 2, '62. Moore, David, Aug. 20, '62. Moore, Wm., Aug. 15, '62. Mahannah, H., Aug. 11, '62. Mott, Geo. W., Sept. 11, '62.


Mustered out June 7, '65, as sergt. Absent, sick, at muster out of reg. Died at Memphis May 1, '63. Mustered out June 7, '65; woun'd.


Mustered out June 7, '65. Discharged Feb. 18, '65, as sergt .; wounds.


Rosa, S. W., Aug. 12, '62. Rhodes, Wm. H., Sept. 18, '62. Discharged March 11, '63. Smith, A. L., Aug. 12, '62. Smith, Wm. C., Aug. 21, '62.


Discharged Dec. 18, '62. Died at Young's Point January 27, '63. Shupp, Samuel, Aug. 26, '62. Ist sergt .; absent, sick, at muster out of regiment. Shasted, Wm. E., Aug. 14, '62. Died at Young's Point February 20, '63. Mustered out June 7, '65.


Smith, T. W., Aug. 11, 62. Startsman, L., Aug. 18, '62.


136


HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY.


Name, and date of Rank.


Secrist, Wm., Aug. 12,'62.


Smith, Jno. W., Sept. 18, '62. Schmitz, M., Sept. 13, '62.


Remarks. Died at Mound City, Ill., August 1, '63. Discharged Sept. 12, '63. Mustered out June 7, '65. Discharged March 3, '65.


Spear, Wm., Aug. 14, '62. Troxell, John A., Aug. 14, '62. Transferred to V. R. C. June 15, '63. Willett, Jas. L., Aug. 12, '62. Williams, L. A., Aug. 17, '62. Mustered out June 7, '65, as corp. Transferred to V. R. C. December 15, '63.


Wheeler, Wesley, Aug. 12, '62. Discharged June 6, '63.


COMPANY "H."


CAPTAINS.


J. L. Dobson, Sept. 30, '62. Resigned June 13, '63. Resigned Dec. 22, '64.


John P. Lamb, June 13, '63.


Chas. P. Essick, April 20, '65. Mustered out June 7, '65.


FIRST LIEUTENANTS.


៛ Isom Simmons, April 28, '63. Killed Dec. 22, '64.


Jas. Goodwin, April 20, .'65. Mustered out June 7, '65.


SECOND LIEUTENANTS.


The. Short, Sept. 20, '62. Died Feb. 6, '63.


Wm. W. Winn, June 7, '65. Mustered out June 7, '65.


MUSICIAN.


Robinson, Jos. Sept. 18, '62. Trans. to Inv. Corps Dec. 17, '63. PRIVATE.


Sollars, Chas., Sept. 10, '62.


RECRUIT.


Bacon, Geo. W., Feb. 28, '64. Trans. to Co. F, 55th Ill. Inf.


137


HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY.


Name, and date of Rank. Remarks.


COMPANY " I."


CAPTAINS.


Uriah P. Forbes, Sept. 30, '62. Resigned April 25, '63. John F. Bishop, April 25, '63. Resigned March 30, '64, was ist lieut.


Isaac N. Martin, Mar. 13, '64. Mustered out June 7, '65; was ist lieut.


FIRST LIEUTENANT.


Fred. Schwab, March 13, '64. Mustered out June 7, '65.


SECOND LIEUTENANTS.


Irwin Miller, Sept. 30, '62. Dismissed Jan. 19, '65.


Joshua K. Carr, June 7, '65. Mustered out June 7, '65.


SERGEANTS.


Sheppard, F. M., Aug. 13, '62. Mustered out June 7, '65, as priv. Carr, Joshua K., Aug. 6, '62. as ist


sergt .; com. 2d lieut.


Workheiser, E., Aug. 14, '62. Mustered out June 7, '65, as priv. Phillips, W. H., Aug. 22, '62. Priv .; detached at muster out of regiment.


CORPORALS.


Vermillion, M., Aug. 14, '62. Priv .; died Larkinsville, Ala., Feb. 4, '64.


Carter, J. E., Aug. S, '62.


Mustered out June 7, '65, as priv. 66 as sergt.


Martin, Geo., Aug. 12, '62. Hammond, J. H., Aug. 14, '62. as priv. Schuh, Peter, Aug. 13, '62. 66 66 Absent, sick, at muster out of reg. Mustered out June 7, '65, as priv. Kingsberry, Asa, Aug. S, '62. Scott, John, Aug. 14, '62. Mendenhall, G. W., Aug. 8, '62. was pris.


MUSICIAN.


Whelan, Henry, Aug. 22, '62. Mustered out June 7, '65. -18


138


HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY.


Name, and date of Rank. Remarks.


Art, Joseph, Aug. 12, '62.


Barth, Jacob, Aug. 22, '62.


Bratz, Jacob, Aug. 14, '62.


PRIVATES. Died on hospital boat March 15, '63. Died on hospital boat March 15, '63. Died at Young's Point, La., Feb. 22, '63.


Bailey, G. C., Aug. 18, '62. Barnett, Samuel, Sept. 27, '62. Conaly, M. C., Aug. 13, '62.


Collins, E. R., Aug. 8, '62. as corp. Cline, Henry, Aug. 15, '62. as sergt. Cothen, Cors, Aug. 14, '62. 66 Church, Geo. W., Aug. 11, '62. Transferred to Co. A, 55th Ill, Inf. Drain, Joseph, Aug. 22, '62. Enkie, Jno. Q., Aug. 14, '62. Ebert, Henry, Aug. 14, '62.


Fry, Michael, Aug. 8, '62. Flaherty, J. J., Aug. 13, '62. Fulk, Henry, Aug. 16, '62. Flaherty, M., Aug. 27, '62. Fulk, John W., Aug. 22, '62.


Fry, John, Aug. 22, '62. Guthrie, David, Aug. 14, '62. Guthrie, Wm. S., Aug. 14, '62. Died at Young's Point Feb. 9, '63. Gehrt, Ferd., Aug. 21, '62. Absent, sick, at muster out of reg. Garver, Dan. H., Sept. 19, '62. Gloden, Michael, Aug. 14, '62. Mustered out June 7, '65, as corp. Goodpasture, J., Aug. 9, '62.


Discharged Oct. 9, '62; writ habeas corpus.


Hammond, T. R., Aug. 9, '62. Mustered out June 7, '65, as sergt. Hoff, Michael, Aug. 9, '62. Harris, Henry, Aug. 22, '62. 66 66 as corp. 66 Heinold, And., Aug. 12, '62. Herrindeen, O., Sept. 27, '62.


Mustered out June 7, '65. 66


Disch'd May 5, '65; disability. Disch'd April 8, '63; disability. Sergt .; absent, sick, at muster out of regiment.


Mustered out June 7, '65, as corp. 66 Absent, sick, at muster out of reg. Must'd out June 7, '65; was pris. Died at Young's Point, La., Jan. 29, '63. Trans. to Co. A, 55th Ill. Inf. Mustered out June 7, '65.


Died at Quincy, Ill., Mar. 25, '65. Died on hospital boat March 13, '63.


139


HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY.


Name, and date of Rank.


Jenkins, S. T., Sept. 10, '62. Keller, Mathias, Aug. 9, '62. Kitchen, J. B., Aug. 12, '62. Koehler, Ernest, Aug. 12, '62.


Latch, J., jr., Aug. 8, '62. Latch, Geo. B., Aug. 8, '62. Latch, Theo. R., Aug. 8, '62. Morganthall, J., Aug. 8, '62. Martin, John, Aug. 14, '62. Miller, Alex., Aug. 9, '62.


Remarks.


Disch'd Jan. 24, '63; disability. Died at Quincy, Ill., Oct. 25, '63. Disch'd March 27, '63; disability. Died at Chattanooga, Tenn., Feb. 19, '64.


Absent, sick, at muster out of reg.


Killed at Resaca, Ga., May 14, '64.


Mustered out June 7, '65. Disch'd Sept. 2, '63; disability.


Miles, Samuel, Aug. 13, '62. Mang, John, Sept. 26, '62. Miller, Henry S., Aug. 9, '62. Mustered out June 7, '65. Morrel, Andrew, Aug. 14, '62. Killed at Arkansas Post Jan. 11, '63. Disch'd March 6, '63; disability. Mustered out June 7, 65. Disch'd March 11, '63; disability. Died at Decatur Oct. 8, '62. Mustered out June 7, '65. Died on str. Planet Feb. 18, '63. Died at Evansville Jan. 10, '65. Died at St. Louis March 4, '63. Mustered out June 7, '65.


Mendenha, H., Aug. 20, '62. Nier, Fred., Aug. 12, '62. Odle, Wm., Aug. 12, '62. Reynolds, S. V., Aug. 13, '62. Smith, Val., Aug. 14, '62. Smoot, M. A., Aug. 14, '62. Strickland, Jos., Aug. 15, '62. Shinnaman, H., Aug. 19, '62. Stumpff, John, Aug. 19, '62. Smith, Fred., Aug. 22, '62. Smith, E., Sept. 13, '62. Mustered out June 7, '65, as corp. Tool, Geo., Aug. 22, '62. Vogle, Philip A., Aug. 14, '62. Trans to V. R. C. May 1, '64. Veail, David, Aug. 13, '62. Disch'd May 22, '63; disability. Mustered out June 7, '65. Witt, Michael, Aug. 29, '62. Westerhaver, H., Aug. 8, '62. Wagoner; absent, sick at muster out of regiment.


Younger, Josiah, Aug. 12, '62. Corp .; killed at Vicksburg July 2, '63. Younger, J. Q., Aug. 14, '62. Disch'd Mar. 28, '63; disability.


140


HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY.


Name, and date of Rank. Remarks. Young, Wm., Aug. 12, '62.


Corp .; absent, wounded, at muster out of regiment.


RECRUIT. Miller, Wm. H., Aug. 12, '62. Trans, to Co. A, 55th Ill. Inf.


COMPANY " K."


CAPTAINS. John E. Maddox, Sept. 30, '62. Promoted Lient. Col. Jas. H. Glore, June 15, '64. Mustered out June 7, '65; was ist lieut. and 2d lieut.


FIRST LIEUTENANTS.


John S. Windsor, Sept. 30, '62. Promoted captain Co. E. Jos. D. Mackey, June 15, '64. Mustered out June 7, '65.


SECOND LIEUTENANTS. N. W. Wheeler, Sept. 30, '62. Killed March 19, '63; siege of Vicksburg.


H. G. Eppler, June 7, '65. Mustered out June 7, '65.


SERGEANTS.


Green, G. W., July 17, '62. McCann, Thos.


Dermot, Jas., July 9, '62.


Absent, sick, at muster out of reg. Died at Milliken's Bend, La., May S, '63. Disch'd March 20, '64, as priv.


CORPORALS.


Tedroe, Wm. L., July 26, '62. Mustered out June 7, '65; was pris. Stackhouse, John, Aug. 6, '62. Purtroff, John, July 29, '62. Died at Mound City Sept. 7, '63. Discharged April 11, '63. Young, J. J. H., July 14, '62. Harbour, M. V., Aug. 14, '62. Sergt .; absent, wounded, at mus- ter out of regiment.


Thompson, Wm., Aug. 14, '62. Absent, sick, at muster out of reg. Herrin, John, Aug. 14, '62.


Died at Young's Point May 24, '63.


Griffin, Wm. T., Aug. 6, '62.


141


HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY.


Name, and date of Rank. Remarks. MUSICIANS.


McIntyre, Dan., Aug. 15, '62. Discharged July 3, '64. Berickman, B. C., Aug. 19, '62.


WAGONER.


Young, Wm., Aug. 6, '62. Absent, sick, at muster out of reg.


PRIVATES.


Ater, Geo., Aug. 7, '62.


Trans to Inv. Corps Sept. 1, '63.


Ashberry, J. W., Aug. 24, '62. Corp .; died at Rome, Ga., Sept. 9, '64; wounds.


Brewer, Wm. J., Aug. 14, '62. Mustered out June 7, '65. Burt, G. W., Aug. 15, '62.


Baird, C. M., July 25, '62.


Badger, James, July 22, '62. Brooks, Jasper, Aug. 24, '62.


Transferred to Invalid Corps Jan. 17, '64. Died at Young's Point February 23, '63.


Absent, sick, at muster out of reg. Died at Young's Point February 3, '63. Mustered out June 7, '65, as sergt.


Brooks, R. K., Aug. 24, '62. Chafin, Amos, Aug. 15, '62. Coleman, Adam, Aug. 15, '62. Died at Memphis March 21, '63. Clarke, Michael, Aug. 28, '62. Died at Memphis Jan. 31, '63. Carr, Clark, Aug. 22, '62. Clay, Wm., Aug. 2, '62. Collins, Naman, Aug. 8, '62. Cook, N. T., July 15, '62. Clark, Hugh, July 22, '62. 66 Cox, Jerome, Aug. 8, '62. Discharged July 1, '63. Chafin, Joseph, Aug. 25, '62. Deboy, George, Aug. 13, '62.


Devore, Benj., Aug. 9, '62. Eldridge, B., Aug. 19, '62. Epler, Hiram. Follis, Levi, Aug. 11, '62. Follis, Alex., Aug. 11, '62. Fry, Jesse, Aug. 7, '62.


Mustered out June 7, '65, as sergt.


Died at Atlanta, Ga., July 25, '64; wounds. Died at Decatur Nov. 18, '63.


Absent, sick, at muster out of reg. Mustered out June 7, '65, as sergt. Mustered out June 7, '65. Died on hospital boat May 23, '63. Discharged January 8, '65.


&


142


HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY.


Name, and date of Rank. Gingle, Andrew, Aug. 6, '62.


Hunter, J. S., Aug. 15, '62. Hix, Richard, Aug. 27, '62. Hampshire, Wm., Aug. 22, '62. Absent, sick, at muster out of reg. Herrold, J. A., Aug. 22, '62.


Hegar, or Haaka, H. Aug. 28,'62. Died at Big Shanty. June 23, '64; wounds.


Heck, John, Aug. 2, '62.


Holder, Wm., Aug. 1, '62. James, Jacob, Aug. 11, '62.


James, Daniel, Aug. 11, '62. Johnson, J., Aug. 25, '62. Jones, J., Aug. 2, '62. Kimberland, J. A., Aug. 15,'62. Luster, Wm., Aug. 11, '62. Leigh, G. W., Aug. 2, '62. Mattox, Maley, Aug. 14, '62.


McGloughlin, M., Aug. 6, '62. Mustered out June 7, '65. . Murphy, Patrick, Aug. 20, '62. Discharged Dec. 4, '63. McCantus, Owen, Aug. 22, '62. Maples, Jacob, Aug. 15, '62. Absent, sick, at muster out of reg. McCune, Wm., Aug. 22, '62. O'Neil, John, Aug. 25, '62. Discharged Sept. 29, '63. Poindexter, S. H., Aug. 22, '62. Absent, sick, at muster out of reg. Poyner, S., Aug. 16, '62. Purkey, David, Aug. 7, '62.


Ryan, James, Aug. 15, '62.


Reed, J. W., Aug. 8, '62.


· Reed, T. J., Aug. 22, '62.


Staines, Daniel, Aug. 15, '62.


Remarks.


Missing since May 31, '65; sup- posed insane.


Discharged May 6, '65, as corp. Died on hospital boat Jan. 31, '63.


Transferred to Invalid Corps Sept. 30, '63.


Mustered out June 7, '65. Died at Chattanooga June 14, '64. Killed near Atlanta, Ga., July 22, '64. Died at St. Louis July 20, '63. Died at Decatur Nov. 25, '62. Mustered out June 7, '65.


66 66


Died at Memphis Nov. 26, '62. Corporal; died at Young's Point Feb. 1, '63.


Died at Pana, Ill., June 20, '64. Transferred to Invalid Corps Sept. 1, '63.


Sergeant; died at Big Shanty, Ga., July 17, '64; wounded. Died at Keokuk, Iowa, Oct. 5, '63. Died at Young's Point February II, '63. Died at Young's Point February 7, '63.


143


HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY.


Name, and date of Rank. Shields, John, Aug. 15, '62. Shoemaker, David, Aug. 8, '62. Shaw, Henry, July 15, '62. Smith, C. R., July 25, '62. See, William, Aug. 27, '62. Terril, David B., Aug. 9, '62. Vest, Toliver, July 17, '62. Wannell, Jas. W., Aug. 9, '62. Wallace, David, Aug. 12, '62. Wood, Jas. W., Aug. 18, '62.


Remarks.


Mustered out June 7, '65. 66


Discharged April 15, '63. Mustered out June 7, '65. Discharged April 10, '63. Mustered out June 7, '65, as corp. Com. in 2d Miss. Colored Inf. Mustered out June 7, '65.


Died at Young's Point January 31, '63.


RECRUITS.


Chappin, E. C., Nov. 3, '62. Dobson, John. Hines, Wm., Feb. 15, '64. Richardson, Isaac.


Killed at Resaca, Ga., May 14, '64.


Died at Camp Butler Mar. 26, '64.


-


CHAPTER V. "THE DEEP SNOW."


Among the memorable events associated with the early history of the county, is the " deep snow." This is one of the land-marks of the early settler. It is his mile-stone, from which he counts in dating preceding or succeeding events. He reckons the date of his coming, his marriage, and the births of his children, from it. You ask him the age of John, Sarah or Susan, and he seldom fails to fix their births at so many years before or after the deep snow. You may locate a certain event as occurring Anno Domini, so and so, and your ante-deep-snow resident will at once commence count- ing on his fingers the intervening years between the deep snow and the particular time in question, in order to verify your date. The fact is, that the deep snow was an important and very.extra- ordinary phenomenon. There has been nothing equal to it in this latitude for the last hundred years-if the Indian traditions are cor- rect as to what occurred before the white man's advent. Accord- ing to their traditions, as related to the first white settlers, a snow fell, from fifty to seventy-five years before the settlement by the white people, which swept away the immense herds of buffalo and elk that then roamed over our vast prairies. This tradition was verified by the vast quantity of buffalo and elk bones remaining in different localities upon our prairies when first visited by white men.


The deep snow under consideration occurred in the' winter of 1830-'31.


It commenced snowing early in the fall, and continued, at inter- vals, throughout the entire winter. The snow falls would be suc-


145


HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY.


ceeded by heavy sleets, forming crusts of ice between the layers of snow. There were weeks that the sun was not visible, and the cold was so intense that not a particle of snow would melt upon the sides of the houses facing the south. People were for weeks absolutely blockaded or housed up, and remained so until starva- tion compelled them to go forth in search of food, or to procure corn and to get it ground at the few horse mills then in the coun- try. It may be of interest, in this connection, to relate an incident connected with the early history of the late Abraham Lincoln, who was at that time a resident of Macon county. Late in the winter, Mr. Lincoln and John Hanks, with great difficulty made their way across the Sangamon to a horse mill owned by Robert Smith, five and a half miles southwest of Decatur, for the purpose of getting some corn ground. They found Mr. S. in the field gathering corn. He had succeeded in getting a road opened to the field, and would drive a yoke of oxen, attached to a sled, to the end of the road, lift the sled around, turning the cattle in the direc- tion from which they came, and then, with baskets, gather the corn that was exposed above the snow, and carry it and deposit it in the sled. Mr. S. was engaged at this when Mr. Lincoln made his appearance, requesting his " grist " to be ground. Mr. Lincoln was asked if he had to labor under such difficulties on his side of the river. " Yes," said he, "we have to do worse than that, for we have used up all of our corn, and now have to go to our neighbors for assistance."


It is not known that any one starved or was frozen during this trying ordeal; but suffering, hunger and untold hardships were endured by the people. Game, such as prairie chickens, quails, deer, etc., prior to that time, had been abundant, but for years after- wards was very scarce, having perished in the snow. Deer were often caught and killed without the aid of guns or other fire-arms, being unable to get through the snow or walk on top. Later in winter, when the mass of snow and ice had become compact, fences that were staked and ridered were driven over with heavily loaded vehicles, and, in fact, in places could not be seen. The snow is usually estimated at three feet deep at places where it was not drifted, and of course would have been much deeper than that if it had fallen in a short space of time. In the spring, when this immense amount of snow melted, the river and streams were very


-19


146


HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY.


high, and, for this reason, it was almost as difficult to get from a place as it was during the winter.


THE "SUDDEN FREEZE," OR "SUDDEN CHANGE."


In January, 1836, occurred an extraordinary atmospheric phen- omenon experienced by the residents of this county, known as the " sudden freeze." It was attended with loss of life to both man and beast, and the most intense suffering from cold. Incidents are related in connection with this " sudden change," that, to the in- credulous, seem marvelous and highly colored, and as some have expressed it, "rather fishy." Immediately preceding the storm the ground had been covered with snow, which, from rain falling on the day of the occurrence, had become "slushy." The storm came from the northwest, and the clouds, upon its approach, assumed a very threatening and extraordinary aspect, those above being dark, and those below of a white, frosty appearance. The air seemed to be filled with innumerable particles of frozen mist, and the moment the storm struck the unfortunate person away from shelter, he seemed to be instantaneously transferred from a temperate to a most frigid zone. The father of the writer, as this storm approached, was going on an errand, not over a quarter of a mile distant. As he went, the ground was covered with sleet and water; on his immediate return home, the ice had formed sufficient in thickness that he could walk on top.


" The late Gen. I. C. Pugh left town on horseback in the rain, for his home on the Bloomington road, and when he reached the large pond which formerly lay on the east side of North Water street, the cold was so intense that long needles of ice were shoot- ing over the surface of the pond in every direction, presenting a very singular appearance, and in a few moments it was frozen en- tirely over. The late Dr. Thomas Read came near freezing to death on the prairie, on his way to Shelbyville, on horseback, at that time, and several persons did lose their lives by being on the prairie and unable to reach a shelter. Cattle that were in the fields were held fast by the "slush" freezing about their feet, and it became necessary to cut away the ice to liberate them. Ducks and geese were imprisoned in the same way. It was scarcely fifteen


147


HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY.


minutes from the time the cold wave swept over the place, before the water and melting snow were hard enough to bear up a horse."*


Another instance is related of a man who came into his house and remained but a few minutes, when some member of the family came in and remarked that the ice and snow had frozen so hard that it would bear a person up. The man at once flatly contra- dicted the assertion, and accused the person making it of prevarica- tion, and was only convinced when he had made the experiment himself.


METEOROLOGICAL.


In connection with the above atmospheric phenomena, we would desire to extend our observations, but there have been no records kept in this locality until within the last two years. Meteorology is a science entitled to as much consideration as astronomy or other natural sciences. It owes its origin to the observations and study of meteors and their connection with the planetary system. It has extended its field so as to embrace atmospheric phenomena, and their climatology, as well as the changing influences of nature on land and sea. Records are now being made and tabulated, from which much very valuable information may be derived by the great agricultural west. We have no doubt but a few years more of observation and study of this science, will result in the predic- tion of all unusual and extraordinary atmospheric phenomena, with almost as much certainty as eclipses, transits, etc., are foretold. We give below tables of observations made at Decatur for the last twenty-one months, which, so far as we know, is the only record kept in the county.


*Historical sketch of Macon County, read at Decatur, July 4, 1876.


148


HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY.


SYNOPSIS


Of Meteorological Record for the twenty-one months commencing April Ist, 1875, and ending December 31st, 1876; Decatur, Ill .; latitude, 39 deg. 53 min .; longitude, 88 deg. 50 min .; elevation of barometer above mean sea level, 685.17 feet.


TABLE NO. I.


BAROMETER ..


THERMOMETER.


RANGE.


RANGE.


1875.


Monthly mean.


Highest.


Lowest.


Difference in inches.


Monthly mean.


Maximum observed.


Minimum observed.


Different degrees.


Monthly mean humidity.


Number of days on which rain fell.


Amount of rain-fall in inches, inclu-


Number of days in which snow


Monthly depth of suow-fall, in


Mean of 2 spring months, 1875.


29.909


57.42


24


11.23


2


.71


June.


29.927 30.232 29.595


.637


71.40


92


44


48


84


16


6.41


July


29.868 30.223 29.650


.573


77.63


95


60


35


81.4


18


12.49


August


29.888 30.239 29.539


.700


71.38


88


50


38


80.12


11


4.77


Mean of sum'r.


29.894


73.47


81.84


45


23.67


Sept


30.029 30.276 29.654


.622


64.53


90


33


57


77.13


6


2.23


October


30.005 30.474 29.390


1.084


52.02


80


27


53


74.38


7


2.82


November


30.055 30.646 29.619


1.027


39.64


67


13


54


75.07


6


1.25


Mean of fall.


30.029


52.06


75.52


19


6.30


December


29.945 30.393 29.377


1.016


40.32


74


78


75.74


8


1.37


6 1.8


Mean of 9 m'ths


ending Dec. 31,'75 29.948 30.646 29.261


1.385


59.08


95


-4


99


78.23


96


42.57


8 1.79


1876.


January.


30.096 30.638 29.336 30.067 30.510 29.428


1.302


1.082


37.12 36.61


69 70


4


65 75


71.11 67.08


6


3.56


5


3.


Mean of winter 1875-'76.


30.036


38.01


March


29.976 30.459 29.113


1.346


37.38


74


10


64


72.16


11


5.84


11


8.8


Apri


29.952 30.249 29.363


.931


54.06


82


30


52


61.88


11


3.57


May


29.925 30.299 29.632


.667


66.23


89


36


53


61.49


8


3.13


Mean of spring.


29.951


52.55


65.17


30


12.54


11 18.8


-


April May


29.923 30.252 29.469


.783


52.17 62.68


82 88


20


62 58


78


10 14


1.81


2


.71


29.895 30.432 29-451


1.171


9.42


ding melted snow.


fell.


inches.


1.1


February


-5


71.31


24


8.19


13


5.9


10


3.26


2


1


-4


30


149


HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY.


TABLE NO. 1 .- Continued.


BAROMETER.


THERMOMETER.


RANGE.


RANGE.


1876.


Monthly mean.


Highest.


Lowest.


Difference in inches.


Monthly mean.


Maximum observed.


Minimum observed.


Different degrees.


Monthly mean humidity.


Number of days in which rain fell.


Amount of rain-fall in inches, in -


Number of days in which snow


Monthly depth of snow fall, in


June.


29.852 30.075 29.469


.606


71.65 78.


89


49


40


73.86


20


9.35


July


29.942 30.149 29.714


.435


94


56


38


73.


13


3.46


August


29.976 30.197


29.744


.453


77.26


93


53


40


71.63


12


3.80


Mean of sum'r. 29.923


75.64


72.83


45


16.61


September


29.968 30.241 29.657


.584


65.83


85


43


42


74.66


13


7.37


October


29.958 30.483 29.395


1.085


52.79


80


27


53


64.51


9


4.40


November


30.011|30.262 29.489


.773


38.98


16


58


74.44


6


1.96


6


3.6


Mean of fall.


29.979


52.53


28


13.73


December


30.129


30.536 29.664


.872


19.95


49


-12


61


71.14


0


37


6


3.7


Mean of year


29.988 30.638 29.113


1.525


52.99


94


-12


|106.


69.74


119


50.07


30 30.2


cluding melted suow.


fell.


inches.


Compiled by J. STEBBINS KING, M. D., Observer Signal Service, U. S. Army.


150


HISTORY OF MACON COUNTY.


STATEMENT


Showing how many times wind was observed blowing from the eight cardinal points of the compass, during each month, from April 1, 1875, to Dec. 31, 1876; also, aspect of the sky.


TABLE NO. 2.


| April, 1875.


May, 1875.


| June, 1875.


July, 1875.


August, 1875.


September, 1875.


| October, 1875.


| November, 1875.


| December, 1875.


| January, 1876.


February, 1876.


March, 1876.


| April, 1876.


May, 1876.


June, 1876.


July, 1876.


| August, 1876.


September, 1876.


October, 1876.


November, 1876.


| December, 1876.


Grand total of ob- servations.


North


2 11 10


5


8 13


9:11


0


3


12


5


10


4


4


9


7


6


7


10 150


Northeast


20 6 13 13


5


6


5 13


2


3


2


8


14


118


8


14


110


16


1


3


8


188


East


7


2


5


7


4


3


7


7


2


3


5


3


5


6


15


13


6


3


2


113


Southeast


5 11


6


10


3


2


5


8


17


6


6


15


4 13


14


17


12


12 13 6


193


South.


4 17 22


14


21


21 28


15


17


25 35


14 12,26 24


18 24 13 23


15


12 400


Southwest


16 18 15 31


17


17 26


9


16


:22


3


8


22


15 21


25


10


6 22


10


24 343


West


12 7


5


5 12


9 19


9


18 17 13


10


14


8


13


4


1


6 12 20 12


226




Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.