History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches, Part 125

Author: Brink, W.R. & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Edwardsville, Ill. : W. R. Brink & co.
Number of Pages: 698

USA > Illinois > Madison County > History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches > Part 125

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One of the oldest citizens now living in the township, is Mrs. Nancy Wilcox, widow of Stephen Wilcox who settled in the northeastern part as early as 1825. Mr. Wilcox op- erated a horse-mill here for many years. Mrs. Wilcox came

to the county a widow. Her brother, George Kinder, brought her aud her mother from Kentucky. He had lived here many years before he brought them out. Mrs Wil- cox's first husband was Jeremiah Brown. He died in Ken- tucky, leaving her with three children. She married Mr. Wilcox in 1834. He died thirty-five years ago. Since that time she has lived here on the old Wilcox homestead and only a short distance from where they first settled She has only one child living, Thomas Minter Brown, who is a well to-do farmer in Iowa. She has grand-children and several great grand-children living in this settlement. Mrs. Wilcox was born in 1796. Her mother was a daughter of John Schmidt, who with his wife came from Germany and settled in Pennsylvania, where they died. Miss Schmidt first married Jacob Kinder, who was afterward killed by the Indians in the early settlement of Kentucky. She then married Thomas Minter, who also died in Kentucky. The early preaching in this part of the township, for many years, was at the residence of Stephen Wilcox, by the Rev. Peter Long. The Lemens and Days were all of the Baptist de- nomination. George W. Beaird, one of the early settlers in the northeastern part, was a blacksmith, wagon maker, gunsmith, and shoemaker. He died near where Worden now stands, in 1846. His widow yet survives him at the age of seventy-one. She is a native of Tennessee, and has lived in this immediate vicinity since 1830. William and James Best, sous of Michael Best, a well-known old settler of Macoupin county, improved places in the northeastern part of this township among the early settlers. William died in Staunton, and James now lives in Kansas, but still owns his farm here. Thomas Grant Sr., settled in the edge of Macoupin county, on the north line of this township, in 1831. His son, Thomas, one of the early settlers of this township, was born in South Carolina. He has been twice married- His second wife, Nancy, was a daughter of Col. Samuel Judy, born in the county in 1809, and is the only survivor of Col. Judy's family, by his first wife. She has twelve children, four boys and three girls living. Her marriage with Mr. Grant, in 1840, was her third. Since marriage they have lived in section thirteen, this township. She is a hale and hearty old lady, with a good memory and is very correct in facts pertaining to the early times. A short dis- tance up the branch from where Mr. Grant now lives, in the early days was a deer lick An ambuscade was arranged here by the settlers, and the deer coming to the lick fell an casy prey to the unerring rifle of the pioneer. Mrs Grant says that when she was a girl, she often passed this place on horseback going to and from her home to relatives who lived in Macoupin aud Greene counties.

The vicinity of the deer lick was a desolate looking place, and the land looked white and poor. She often thought to herself if any body ever entered this land it must be a fool. She jokingly said that she afterward entered it herself, and on trial found it equal to any land in the vicinity for pro- ductiveness. Captain Samuel Jackson, who in his early days was a sca captain, came to this township among the early settlers, and located a place on section fourteen, where Frank Peters now lives. Here he resided until his death some

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

twenty years ago. He was born and raised in North Caro- lina. There was a little "affair of the heart" connected with his life. Through some misunderstanding between him and his intended, the marriage was never consummated, and he spent his days in single blessedness. He lived here in a small cabin and did his own cooking. He was a very ec- centric character, and at one time in his life he had the im- pression that some evil-disposed person contemplated placing poison in his well. This thought so brooded upon his mind that he virtually became a monomaniac upon the subject. He accordingly built a cabin over his well, and ever after- ward kept it securely locked. This delusion led him so far, that if he at any time discovered any white substance upon his farm, he would view it critically with suspicion. He accumulated much property, land and personal, and took extra pride in his horses, and he always had some fine ones ; and yet his custom was to walk to church bare foot during the summer months. He joined the Methodist church, and at one time the preacher conducting the service asked him to lead in prayer. The congregation all knelt down as was the custom, then after several moments of suspense, the old gentleman spoke out, " I am not praying." The preacher remarked, " I see you ain't," and then asked some other brother to offer prayer. This was the first call for prayers that the old man had been solicited to perform. One can easily imagine the embarrassment of the situation, but the event passed off without any further observation on the part of the congregation. He was an excellent per- former on the violin, and always kept two or three instru- ments at hand. He would nse a different violin for each occasion, and thus he would entertain his friends, and while away many a lonesome hour. Every Friday, it was his custom to fast. He often went to the cabin of Thomas Grant. One day he stopped in just as dinner was on the table. The smoking chicken and new potatoes, the first of the season, fairly captivated the old man, Mrs. Grant said, Take some dinner with us, Captain. No, said he, this is my fast day. Mrs. Grant said, This is Thursday, Cap- tain. Said he, Well Nancy, if this is Thursday, I will believe you and eat. When the Captain died it was the general belief that he had money buried on his premises, and some parties did some digging in the vicinity of his house, with- out accomplishing anything, and if the old gentleman did bury his surplus money here, the secret of its whereabouts was buried with him.

Jonathan McMannus, a Tennesseean, was one of the early settlers. He built a saw and grist mill on Cahokia creek, west of where Worden now stands, in an early day, and continued to run it for many years. Ile improved the farm where W. J. Piper now resides. He was very handy with tools of all kinds, and often made the remark that he could make any thing out of wood or iron He had a blacksmith shop at one time on the Piper place. For many years he lived on the west side of the Cahokia creek. He was twice married and reared a family of four children, by his first wife, and five by his second. In 1856, he went to Texas, where he died about ten years afterward. W. J. Piper, who lives on section twenty-four, was born in the Piper settle-

ment, on Silver (reck, Alhambra township, in 1819, where he lived until about 1856, when he located where he now resides. His father and mother died on the place they set- tled on Silver creek, the latter in 1861, and the former in 1864, leaving a family of wine children, six sons and three daughters, five of whom are yet living, W. J., being the only one of the family that is now a resident of the county. Moses Barker was one of the carly residents on the cast side of the Cahokia. He was an castern man of gocd education, and possessed considerable ability, and was one of the prom- inent citizens of his time. He died on his old homestead many years ago, and was one of the first buried in the New Hope grave-yard.

Edmund Butler settled near the center of the township on the west side of the Cahokia, about 1833. The improve- ment was first started in 1832, by Richard Wall, who built a cabin but never lived here. Butler died on this place nearly thirty years ago. His widow still survives him, and lives on the old homestead. In 1833 Darius Sprewell set- tled the P. C. Randall place. He and his wife both died here. They left six children. His youngest daughter, Mrs. P. C. Randall, now lives on the old homestead. The Edward McDonnell place was settled by Robert Page, as early as 1830. Edward McDonnell was killed on this place in the spring of 1879 in a eyelone. This storm appeared like a huge ball and seemed to revolve, moving along within a few feet of the ground. Houses were raised clear off their foun- dations, smashed to atoms and the pieces hurled in every direc- tion. Trees were uprooted or twisted off close to the ground, and animals and persons were picked up and carried for quite a distance through the air, then dropped, bruised and bleeding to the ground. L. R. Weeks was among the early settlers in the northern part of the township. He improved a good farm, on which he died, leaving quite a large estate. His wife still lives on the old place. William Kell, a native of North Carolina, came to Madison county in 1829. He entered three hundred and twenty acres near where now stands the town of Worden. He reared a family of eleven children, all of whom grew up and married. His son, James Kell, who, in 1845, started out in life for himself upon a farm near Worden, took an active part with John C. Worden and others in getting the T. W. & W. R. R. extended through the town. He died in Worden, in 1876. Robert Roseberry settled just south of where Worden now is, in 1836. Part of the town has since been built on his land. He lived here until his death in 1848. His widow who was born in the Territory of Indiana, in 1800, survived him until 1875. She was the mother of seven children, four sons and three daughters, and had lived a member of the Baptist church since 1821. Mr. Roseberry for several years filled the office of Justice of the Peace.

Sandford Dove and Samuel Walker were early settlers here. The death of the latter's wife was the first in the northeastern part of the township. The first death occurred in the Omph Ghent settlement, and was that of the wife of a squatter named Camp. He was a trapper and hunter, and lived in the timber east of George Belk's place, in a pole camp, prior to the settlement of David Swett. Mrs. Camp

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

was laid to rest in the timber near by. Her coffin was truly a primitive affair. It was made by splitting a log into halves and hollowing them out like troughs, and fitting them together. They were fastened with wooden pins. If not as elegant as the modern style it was in keeping with the times of long ago. The first birth in this settlement was that of Mary Swett, daughter of David Swett, January 1822. Richard Saudbach, Sr., who was born in London, England, came to the township in 1839. He bought a place in sec- tions 22 and 23, where his sou-in-law, James A. Welch, now lives. He opened a general store here immediately after his arrival, which he continued to run until his death, in 1854 His widow carried on the business, with John C. Worden as manager, until her death, about ten years ago. Mr. Sand- bach was twice married. His children were: William, Richard, George S. and Alice A. The first school taught in Omph-Ghent settlement was in a small log building that stood near the present site of the church, in 1825, by Springer. The first schooling the children received in the northeastern part of the township was at a log house that stood where the Staunton grave yard is now located. At a later date school was kept by Henry Haveren, on the town- ship line, in an abandoned cabin built by Benjamin Bond. The first Sunday-school was held by Joseph Gordon, a Presbyterian, in David Swett's log barn, in 183 ;. The Omph-Ghent church was built by that congregation in 1848. New Hope Baptist church, north of Worden, was built thirty years ago. Frederick Handshey was the first German to settle in the Omph-Ghent settlement. He lo ated a short distance south of Swett's, in 1833. He died in Hamel township, in 1852. Four of his children, two sons and two daughters, now live in the county. Among the older Ger- man citizens are: Adam Höhe, Frank Peters, Rev L. Blume, Christian and Julius Kohlenburg, Herm Wiseman, Fred and Henry Durstmann, Fred Klein, J. C Schafer, Fred Hillebrand, Fred Lescmann and H. C. Nobbe. On the Cahokia and its tributaries are found, in large quantities, building stone of easy access, such as limestone, freestone and soapstone. Some of the quarries have been worked quite extensively. But, owing to their distance from the railroad, none of them are now being worked except to supply the immediate neighborhood.

WORDEN.

John Lamb, one of the early settlers, lived where his son, Joseph Lamb, now resides, in section 25. Nearly half-a-mile southwest of Lamb's a saw-mill was built and a post-office, called Lamb's Point, was established there by William Rose- berry, who lived near by. Afterward the office was kept by James Burley, who lived just across the road from Rose- berry. Iu 1857 this office was moved south to the farm residence of Hampton Wall, and kept by him Two years later Mr. Wall started a store here, and in 1860, he laid out the town of New Hampton, comprising ten acres, in the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of section 35. Mr. Wall was a son-in-law of Robert Roseberry, and he now lives in Staunton, Macoupin county, and is one of the prominent and much respected citizens of that county. Mr.

Wall, in 1867, sold his store and interest in the town to John C. Worden, who, in 1870, laid out in town lots the balance of the north eighty of the northeast quarter of section 35. Mr. Worden came to the county in 1554, and by this time had a good deal of experience in store keeping, having, as before stated, superintended his aunt's, Mrs. Sandbach's store, for several years. He continued the business in the store purchased of Mr. Wall, with a steadily increasing trade. After the railroad was built through the place in 1870, the company, in honor of Mr. Worden, who had taken a very active part in securing for the company the right of way and furthering the interests of the road, called the place Worden. The name of the post office was then immediately changed. The first mail by rail was received here October 12, 1870. Mr. Worden was the first railroad agent, and did the company's business for seven years, at the same time attending to his store. For eleven years he was the postmaster. This town was originally a country eross-road. In 1867, W. F. Robinson started a grocery store. William Wyatt was the first black- smith. Ile opened a shop in 1861. Frank Ferli was the second. After the railroad was built the place received new life, and during the years of 1873, '74 and '75, grew rapidly.

H. R. Dorr, M. D. was the first physician. In 1871, the Methodists built their frame church, 30x40 feet, at a cost of nearly $3,000. In 1876, the German Lutheran church was built and is used by them also for a school building. There are two steam elevators here. John C. Worden and James Kell built the first in 1870. At that time steam was not used as a motive power by this firm. It has since been greatly enlarged : it is now owned and conducted by C. A. King & Co., of Toledo, Ohio The second was built by George Breed & Bros., who are still the owners, and are residents of the place. In 1873, Joseph Floyd & Co. built a flouring mill of three run of burrs. This mill, through bad management, never accomplished much. After running about six years it was moved to Jonesborough, Illinois, and subsequently destroyed by fire.

COAL.

The Worden Mining Co.'s shaft was commenced in the winter of 1876. The first coal was sold the following year, June 26, 1877. The first wagon load of about twenty bushels; raised on that day, was drawn through the town, and then sold at auction to the highest bidder. Robert Nethercott, then of the Worden City Mills, bought it at the highest bid, $52.00. After much jollification the load was driven to the mill and burned in the furnace. The company is composed of farmers and business men of the vicinity. The depth of the shaft is two hundred and fifty feet, and the vein of coal averages from six to eight feet in depth. The Wabash Coal Mining Co.'s shaft on the farm of Joseph Lamb, was sunk in 1881, and it is owned by F. l'. Baker & Co., of St. Louis. J. H. McDonald and others are sinking a shaft on the land of W. J. Piper, section 24, and at this writing are at a depth of two hundred and fifty fect. They commenced work late in the fall of 1881.

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

BUSINESS DIRECTORY OF WORDEN.

Physicians,-IT. R. Dorr, J. HI. McDonald and H. Powers.

General Stores .- H. C. Picker, C. Rudolph, Henry Reese.

Groceries and Notions .-. W. F. Robinson.

Drugs and Notions .- P. H. Paul.

Postmaster. - P. HI. Paul. Notions .- D. Hirschfeld.

Merchant Tailor and Clothing -F. A. Schmitt. Groceries .- J. McDonnell, H. Knollmann.

Bakery .- Philip Enerich. Furniture and Undertaking .- Joseph Heidel.

Hardware and Tinsmith .- R. Wildi. Saddles and Harness -J. Uhl.

Hotel .- Frederick Putting.

Livery .- J. M. Lowry. Boots and Shoes .- Jacob Dornseip, K Lorch. Barber .- F. W. Schwer.

Blacksmiths .- Frank Firli, Wm. Schutte, Win. Winter. Wagonmaker .- Samuel Merz.

Police Magistrate .- John C. Worden.

Worden is young in years, situated twenty-nine miles from St. Louis. The census of 1880 gave it a population of 384. Since that time it has considerably improved and with the growing coal interests and other natural advantages, and from the fact that it controls a wide scope of country as a shipping point it bids fair to become a town of some importance.

PRAIRIE CITY.

Maurice Hartnett was the first settler of Prairie City. He built a small log house at the northwest corner of the four corners, in 1858. The same year the town was laid out by L L Dorsey. Mr. Klump, the next year, started a saloon. The same year F. and E. Best began blacksmithing, and continue in the business to the present time. In 1860 a general store and saloon was started by John Schaffer. Rich- ard Richards built about the same time and opened a general store. Mr. Schaffer had a post office established shortly after he began business, and was the first post master. The office is Prairie Town. The mail is a tri-weekly one on the Edwardsville and Bunker Hill route. Dr. Martin was the first physician. The brick Lutheran church, a short distance west of the village was built in 1874 at a cost of $11,000. The frame church near by, of the same denomination, now used for school purposes, was built in 1863. The following is the present business :- E. Engel, physician. M. Kyle, H. Grote and John McDonnell, have general stores. M. Kyle is the post master. F. & E. Best, Albert Farner, black- smiths. John Hess, wagonmaker. V. Schulz, C. Bockoer, boots and shoes. With a population of one hundred and twenty-five, it is situated in a beautiful prairie, surrounded by a thrifty class of farmers, and all the facilities of an inland town that one could wish.

The gentlemen whose names appear below have served the township as supervisors : James Kell was elected in 1876 and was in office two terms. He was succeeded by W. F. Kell, one term. Henry Dorr was chosen in 1879 and re- elected for successive terms till 1881-'82, when Joseph Floyd, the present incumbent, was elected.

BIOGRAPHY.

JOHN C. WORDEN,

THE founder of the village of Worden, in this county, is a native of England, born at Preston, Lancashire, June 24, 1834. He was the second son of Peter and Ann (Charnock) Worden, whose ancestry date back many generations in England, and members of the same family were among the earliest settlers on that narrow strip of country lying directly south of Cape Cod, in Massachusetts. Peter Worden once owned land where now stands Yarmouth Port, in Barnsta- ble county of that State, where he was married, aud died at

the age of seventy years. Mr. Worden has in his possession a genealogical history of the Worden family covering a pe- riod of three hundred years. When, at the tender age of six, Mr. Worden had the misfortune to lose his father. He remained with his mother until the age of thirteen, when that ambition, so marked a characteristic in his life, tempted him to emigrate to America, which he did, locating at Al- bany, N. Y. Here he found employment for six months at the public works, with a salary of seven shillings a day. Soon afterward he apprenticed himself for one year to learn

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ULTURE

BLIC SPIRIT

RPRISES

COAL SHAFTS NORDEN

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6. Norden

ORIGINAL PROPRIETOR OF WORDEN, ILL.

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YORKSHIRES.

RESIDENCE OF JOHN C. WORDEN, WORDEN, ILLINOIS.

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

blacksmithing at Schenectady. While thus working at the trade he attended regularly the night schools, and by studi- ous application to his books, made rapid progress in educa- tion. After the expiration of his apprenticeship, he became a canal-boy on the Erie canal ; but being desirous of im- proving his education, he soon left, and sought a position with a farmer, paying his board by labor, and attending school during the winter months.

His next occupation was working in a brick yard at four- teen dollars a month, which he continued during the brick- making season of six months. To further resume his stud- ies he attended for one term, Whitestown Seminary, after which he purchased a half interest in a caual boat. Ever changeable, this business did not occupy his attention more than six months. During the following winter he drove a stage from Mohawk to Herkimer, and in the ensuing spring clerked in a provision store.

Mr. Worden, now competent to teach school, engaged in that profession in the winter of 1853-54, in western New York State. The next spring he again entered a provision store, in which he remained eight months, leaving in 1854, to engage with his aunt (Mrs. Elizabeth Sandbach), then residing in this county, about two miles northwest of the present village of Worden. Mr. Worden was in his aunt's employ about five years, and had now grown to mauhood, and during the period of his rambling career, had managed to save money, and concluded that he could not do better than to devote a portion of it to visiting the home of his childhood. Accordingly, early in 1856, he returned to Eng. land, where he spent nine months with his relatives, and availed himself of the opportunity offered, during his stay, of visiting the many places of interest in his native country.

Mr. Worden came back to this country in the fall of the same year, and taught school in St. Louis county, Mo. At the completion of his scholastic duties there, in 1857, he

again returned to this county, and commenced teaching school in Moultonville, where he continued for five winters. In the meantime he was appointed Deputy Sheriff and Depu- ty Assessor. After the close of his school in Moultonville, he went into business for himself at New Hampton, now the village of Worden.

On the 26th of November, 1867, he was married to Miss Virginia J., daughter of G. S. and Nancy. J. Weaver. By this union six children were born, two of whom have since died. On the twelfth of September, 1881, Mr. Worden had the misfortune to lose, by death, his most estimable wife.

In 1869 was in contemplation the Decatur & East St. Louis Railroad, now the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific. An election was held to consider the matter of contributions, and decided against the railway. A subsequent clection, brought about by the exertions of Mr. Worden and a few others, resulted in a contrary manner. A short but pointed speech was made upon this occasion by Mr. Worden, in re- lation to the future prosperity of the town bearing his name, and the surrounding country. When the railroad was com- pleted the following September (1870), the town was laid out by Mr. Worden.

Politically be is a Democrat, and in religion he is a mem- ber of the Methodist church. He is also a member of the Masonic fraternity. Few of our citizens can present such a varied career as the subject of our sketch-thrown entirely upon his own resources and in a strange land, at the early age of thirteen ; self-educated and self-made-showing what a brave and determined spirit can do in battling with the world. The doubts, difficulties and impediments were each in turn overcome, and Mr. Worden stands to-day a repre- sentative of the most enterprising men of our country, and one of the most successful and best respected citizens of Madison county.

SALINE.

HIS division of Madison county contains all of town five, range five. It is bounded on the north by Leef, on the east by Bond county, on the south by Helvetia, and on the west by Marine. The St. L. V. T. H. & I. R. R. enters the township at section thirty two, and extends in a northeasterly direction, passing out near the center of section twenty four. When the territory of the township was first settled it was about equally divided, between timber and prairie lands ; but at present comparatively little timber remains standing. It is drained by Silver and Sugar creeks. Silver creek flows in a southerly direction through the west- ern part. Sugar creek drains the eastern and more central portion. In the edge of the Silver creek timber, on the east side of section thirty-one, the first cabin was erected in the southeast part of Madison county, 1809. It was built by the widow Howard, who emigrated from Tennessee with her family, consisting of several sons and daughters, some of whom were nearly grown. Abraham and Joseph were the eldest of the sons. They selected for their home a beautiful location on a ridge, in the edge of Looking Glass Prairie, from which they had an uninterrupted view of the landscape for many miles toward the south. This, the first cabin, stood on the northwest quarter of the northeast quarter of the section, The Hon. Solomon Koepfli in an article says, " In 1831 this cabin had been removed to another place, but Joseph Howard, one of the sons of Mrs. Howard, pointed out to me the place where in 1809 they had built the first house on the south side of the tract above named. A fine spring on the north side of the ridge furnished them with water. Mr. Howard showed me a large oak stump which had been hollowed out and wherein they had made their first meal by beating corn with a club. A small field was enclosed south of this cabin. Joseph Howard was about twelve years of age when he arrived with his mother in this prairie, 1809. A mere boy, he served his country as a Ranger in the war from 1812 to 1815, protecting then the settlements of the Mississippi Valley. The neighbors said of him, that he killed several bears and panthers in this neighborhood, and the tree was pointed out to me where he shot the last panther, in 1818. In 1820, he married the daughter of Samuel McAlilly, and built a eabin on a beautiful hill, now called Sonnenberg. Directly af er our arrival I had the good fortune to form his acquaintance. A truer and better man I never knew. 544

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History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches, Part 125

Author: Brink, W.R. & Co Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Edwardsville, Ill. : W. R. Brink & co. Number of Pages: 698

Author: Brink, W.R. & Co
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Edwardsville, Ill. : W. R. Brink & co.
Number of Pages: 698