History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches, Part 126

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 126

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Of his learning and preaching. I cannot judge, but this I know, his life was that of a true Christian. His wants were not great, and it left him plenty of time to aid new comers in their early struggles, to help them with rare dis- interestedness by giving advice and assistance. When he heard of a neighbor's sickness, leaving him unable to attend to his crops, you were sure to see Joseph Howard the next day in the sick man's field plowing his corn or attending to his harvest, and in the night waiting upon him. This he did regardless of any difference of religion. It was enough for him to know of one of his fellow-men being in distress to hasten to the place to give relief and ease, should it lay in his power." Rough and rude though the surroundings may have been, the pioneers were none the less honest, sin- cere, hospitable and kind in their relations. It is true as a rule and of universal application that there is a greater degree of real humanity among the pioneers of any country than there is among the inhabitants of a rich and popu- lous country. If there is an absence of refinement that absence is more than compensated by the presence of generous hearts and truthful lives. Neighbors generally did not even wait for an invitation or request to help one another in case . of need. They came forward with as little hesitation and with as much alacrity as though they were all members of the same family and bound together by the ties of blood.

It is related by an old settler and a relative of the How- ards that, in 1811, when the earthquake of that year caused so much terror among the pioneers, the Howards felt the shock so perceptibly that they thought the Indians were on the cabin roof with murderous intentions. With the bravery characteristic of the Howards, Abraham aud Joseph took up their rifles and opened the cabin door cautiously, and after peering around and seeing no Indians while the shaking yet continued, came to the conclusion that the Indians were surely on the house top, where they had no business. That they must be dislodged immediately for the safety of the family flashed through the minds of the Howards. So they walked backward cautiously out of the cabin with uplifted rifles ready to shoot the first copper-colored peace-disturber that became visible. One of them went to the right and the other to the left until they came in sight of each other in the rear of the cabin when, to their surprise, no Indians were to be seen. They looked about them, and all was still as death. They re-entered the cabin believing they had been made the victims of a practical joke, by some lonely hunter that had been passing by. Mrs. Howard was quite an old lady when she immigrated here, and only lived a few

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

years. Her death was the first in the settlement. Joseph and Abraham received eighty acres of land each, from the government, for services rendered in the war of 1812. The former was a preacher of the Presbyterian faith. He married Jennie McAlilly, and they reared a large family of children. He settled the widow Rilliet place, and subse- quently went to Iowa, where he died. All of his descendants live in that state. Captain Abraham Howard, in 1830, went to Fayette county and settled a place east of Vandalia, now known as Howard's Point For further history of the Howards see the chapter on St. Jacobs. In 1810, Abraham lluser, of German descent. who married a Howard, settled not quite a mile north of the Howard place, and near some springs not far from the center of section 29. This was the place which James Reynolds, twenty years later, adopted for his home. Abraham Huser, about 1815, selected a new place some miles south of Troy, and there laid the founda- tion of the Huser settlement.

Archibald Coulter was the first settler in the north part of the township He came from Kentucky in 1816, and located where the widow Mudge now resides. About ten years later he left the settlement and located farther south in the state. July 29, 1817, Robert Coulter entered the sec- ond tract of land here, one hundred and sixty acres in section 4. Rebecca Brotherton entered one hundred and sixty acres in section 8, July 3, 1817. This was the first entry. James East, a Kentuckian, arrived in 1816, having left his wife at home. He erected a pole cabin, and planted two acres of corn in the edge of the prairie with a spade He then returned to Kentucky for his wife. Afterward he built a good hewed log house. He was a man of industrious habits, accumulated a good deal of pro- perty, raised a large family of children, eight sons and three daughters, and died in the township. Samuel McAlilly was born in South Carolina, near Chester, and was of Scotch descent. He married in his native state and immigrated to Tennessee, where he lived until 1818 He then emigrated to Illinois, with his family of four boys and three girls. At the time two of his sons, John and Samuel, were married, The others were William, James, Jennie, Elizabeth and Mary.

He arrived at the cabin of Archibald Coulter, in the fall of 1818, where his family remained until a cabin could be erected. Building a house in the early times was a job of short duration ; for every man "turned out," and while the men cut and laid up the logs that; furnished the primitive dwelling place, the women prepared the dinner. Sometimes it was cooked by big log fires near the site of the building, or it was prepared at the nearest cabin, and at the proper hour carried to the men where they were at work. The ladies of to-day, familiarized with elegantly fashioned cook- ing stoves, would make a sorry effort were they compelled to prepare a meal with no other conveniences than those of pioneer times. The cabin when finished stood in the south- east part of section thirty, on the present site of the High- land Cemetery. Mr. McAlilly dug two wells here upward of sixty feet deep, but could obtain no water. The place was abandoned after a few years, and he built a second cabin on what is now the Frank Lorenz place, where he lived until 1832. He then moved to the M. Journey place, now the 75

Chas. Chipron farm, where he died two years later of chol- era. In four days his wife followed him. John McAlilly built a hewed log house near that of his father, where he lived a few years, and then went to Alabama. In 1826, he returned to the settlement, and subsequently located in Fayette county, north of Vandalia, where he died in 1872, leaving a family of two sons and four daughters. Samuel McAlilly, Jr., also built a cabin near his father's, where he lived some years. William C., Elizabeth and Matilda were born here. He then returned to Kentucky. After three years he came back to the settlement and rented the farm now owned by F. Ryhiner, to which he moved his cabin. Melinda and Mary were born on this place. In 1835, he bought out the heirs of his father, and moved to the old home place, where he lived many years. William C, the only son, lives in the northeast part of St. Jacob's township, William McAlilly also lived near his father's. His wife died after being married about two years, leaving one child, James J., who now lives in Clinton county, Illinois. Mr. McAlilly afterward married the widow of Adam Kyle, Jr , and lived east of Highland until his death, at which time he had three daughters.

James McAlilly married here and moved to Indiana, where he was engaged in the mercantile business until his death. Jennie married Joseph Howard ; Elizabeth became the wife of Alfred Walker, who settled a place in the north- east part of St. Jacob's township as early as 1824. None of his descendants now live in the county. Mary married John Journey, who settled on part of the Adam Nagel farm as early as 1825. Ile afterward went to Fayette county and from there to Wisconsin, where he died. In 1818 Samuel McAlilly, shortly after he arrived in the set- tlement, went up to Coulter's place one afternoon, and re- turning just after nightfall discovered some dark object in a tree, around which his dogs were barking. He dismounted, and concluded to investigate. Having his rifle with him, as the pioneers at all times had, he walked round the tree, but, as it was quite dark, could not satisfy himself what the object was. Thinking it, however, an animal ferc natura that ought to be exterminated, he drew up his rifle and fired. His aim was good, and at the crack of his gun the object came crashing down through the limbs and fell heavily on the ground. 1. After satisfying himself the animal, as it chanced to be, was dead, he endeavored to put it on his horse, but after several attempts he became convinced he could not accomplish the feat. He rode down to the Howard cabin and related his adventure. Joseph and Abraham accompanied him back to the spot, and informed him he had killed one of the largest panthers ever slain in that settlement, meas- uring uine feet from tip to tip. The ball had passed direct- ly through the heart. The Howards assisted him in get- ting the panther on the horse, and, as they had had several years experience in the new country with the larger game, gave him some wholesome advice in regard to shooting pan- thers in the night when alone. This panther was killed near where the widow Ambuhl's residence now stands. Deer at this time might be seen daily trooping over the prairie in droves. From ten to twenty and sometimes as many as fifty

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

were seen grazing together. Game of all kinds was very min May was one of the early settlers on the west side of plentiful. Deer were worth about a dollar, and deer hides | Silver Creek. Benjamin Reimmer, one of the well-known brought fifty cents. Capt. Abraham Howard killed forty- seven, and Samuel MeAlilly forty-five in one fall, in the prairie and in the timber between Sugar and Silver creeks. They found a ready market for them in St. Louis. Bears. while not plentiful, were often seen and killed. Wolves were so numerous that when the dogs ventured too far out from the cabins at night they would be driven back by them to the very doors.

Cyrus Chilton settled in the edge of the timber on the east side of Silver creek, in section seventeen, about 1822, where he lived until the first State Assembly met at Vanda- lia. Hethen went there for the purpose of boarding the members of that body. He continued to live in Vandalia until his death. His widow afterward married a Mr. Mc- Cullom and returned to the farm, where they resided for some time, subsequently returning to Fayette county. One of the influential and honored citizens of this settlement was James Reynolds, who emigrated from Kentucky to Il- linois in 1818. He first settled near the old Chilton fort, but in 1830, bought the land Abraham Houser had settled in 1810. He was an energetic and enterprising man, and began farming on a larger scale than was at that time usual in this vicinity, and became a model for other agriculturalists in the settlement. He introduced the new inventions as soon as they were thrown in the market. Before his com- ing, the only plows used here were those with mouldboards of wood, and in some cases of half wood and half iron- The man who had one of the latter description was looked upon as something of an aristocrat. But these old plows did good service. and turned the soil of many of the present best improved farms in the county. The prairies were sel- dom settled till after the pioneer period, partly because wi h the old style plow it was next to an impossibility to break the tough sod, while in the timber the grass grew less rank and the roots were more easily overcome. Mr. Reynolds was elected to the Twelfth Assembly of the State Legisla- ture in 1840, and also served the people many years in the capacity of Justice of the Peace. He left a family of four children, viz: Renben, William, Nancy and Sarah. Nancy married Samuel Thorp, and after his death became the wife of bis brother David. Sarah married Curtis Blakeman, Jr. They are all now deceased. Several of their descen- dants live in the county. Thomas Johnson, Jr., entered land in 1817 in section four, and began the improvement of his place that year. His cabin stood a short distance south- east of Martin Buch's store in Saline. He had a small farm where he resided until his death. He planted an or- chard soon after his coming, which in pioneer days was the best one on Silver creek. He was past middle life when he settled here. His son, Jackson Johnson, located about three quarters of a mile west at the same time the elder Johnson began his improvement, known as the Reimmer p'ace. He resided on his farm until his death.

H. Carson, who was an old man, settled a place in 1829, a short distance southwest of Jackson Johnson's. He only remained a short time and then went to Arkansas. Benja-

old citizens, came in 1818, and first located in the southern part of the township, where he resided until about 1830. He then moved into the west part, where he improved a good farm lying in this and Leef townships. Soon after the late war he went to Missouri. McCullom was one of the early settlers on the east side of Sugar Creek. In 1822 he located on what is now the Nancy Gillett place, where he resided some three years. William Pearce purchased the farm, and lived on it until an accident caused his death. He was reaping grain, wheu the horses became frightened and ran away, throwing him before the sickle, cutting off an arm and inflicting other injuries, from which he died in about a week. Mr. Pearce was twice married, and reared a large family by his first wife. His second wife, to whom he had beeu mar- ried but a short time, was the widow of Samuel McAlilly. Her first husband died in 1852. Mr. Pearce died in 1864. Her third husband, Seth Gillett, died in 1881. She still lives on the Pearce homestead, a hale and hearty old lady of eighty-two years.

H Lisenbee settled on the east side of Sugar Creek, on section 26, about the same time. Here McCullom settled, and improved a small farm. He has been dead nearly fifty years. His widow still survives him, and lives where they first settled. One of the children, Maria, (now Mrs Edward Ellis), is still living. Mrs. Gillett and Mrs. McCullom, residing near together, are the oldest settlers now living in the township.

James Pearce settled on section seven as early as 1817. His cabin stood near a spring. He was named "Salty Pearce" by his neighbors to distinguish him from another James Pearce who lived in the settlement. The name Salty was an allusion to the fact that he was a laborer in the Biggs salt works. About 1826 be sold out and located in the southern part of the state, on the Big Muddy, where he lived for some time. The family were afterwards all murdered by the Indians, with the exception of three, a married daughter and two sons. The daughter had moved south. A grown up son had gone to Texas, to put in a crop and build a cabin for the family who were to follow. As the family were making the trip, in the summer or fall, the Indians surprised them and murdered the entire party, with the exception of a young son. He slipped away during the massacre, but was captured again by the Indians. The boy, it is said, with true pioneer pluck, when his pursuers came upon him, showed a determination not to be captured. His bravery saved his life. He was taken into captivity, and after many years of dilligent search by his brother, was found among the northwest Indians. He had lost his know- ledge of the English language and declined to return to civilization with his brother, who had paid a ransom of one thousand dollars. He had to be taken away by force.

John Charter came into the township about 1835. He bought the Archibald Coulter place of Robert Plant. The state road was subsequently changed to run south of his place, and the stage stand was changed from Pearce's, in Leef township, to Coulter's.

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

In 1823 William Biggs, a Kentuckian, sunk a salt well near the bank of Silver Creek, in section nineteen. He then bored to the depth of four hundred and forty feet, when the salt water began to flow. The creek has since so changed its course that now the old salt well is in the bed of the stream. Biggs invested a considerable amount of money in the works. He had forty large kettles for evaporating pur- poses. Fifteen cords of wood per day were consumed in making six bushels of salt. About twenty men were em- ployed in the works. Mr. Biggs was in the first General Assembly of the Territory convened west of the Ohio after the Revolution. November 25th, 1812, the first legislative body elected by the people of the Territory assembled. Biggs was a member (for two years) of the council elected from St Clair county. He was one of the gallant soldiers of Gen- eral Clark, and acted as a subordinate officer in the conquest of Illinois in the years 1778 and '79. Governor St. Clair, in 1790, appointed him sheriff of St. Clair county, an office he held many years. In the year 1826 Congress granted him three sections of land for services rendered to the colonies in the Revolution. He was at one time taken into captivity by the Kickapoo Indians and severely treated. He paid a rausom of nearly $300, and obtained his freedom. In 1826 he published a narrative of his captivity. He died the fol- lowing year, an aged and respected pioneer, at the residence of Colonel Judy, his brother-in-law. Solomon H. Mudge, who was a prominent carly citizen, came to St. Louis in 1835 from Portland, Maine, where he had been engaged in the commission and shipping business. He engaged in banking in St. Louis, and in the spring of 1836 made a trip through Madison county, prospecting for a country home. Ile bought and entered one thousand and eighty acres of land in this township. In section three, he built a comforta- ble summer residence and beautified a home. Two years later he changed his business from banking in St. Louis to that of hotel keeping in New Orleans, La., where he made a reputation which extended throughout the Mississippi Valley as " mine host of the St Charles Hotel." He died in the spring of 1860, and his remains lie buried at his country home. During his business career in New Orleans he was accustomed to spend the summer months at his country residence. His widow still survives him, as do also six daughters and two sons, G. M. B Mudge, now engaged in the dry goods business in New York city, and E. W. Mudge, at present well known iu Madison county.

Anton Suppiger was born in Switzerland. He came to this county in 1831. He is one of the prominent farmers of the township, and resides in section thirty-two. His wife, Monika, is a native of Baden. Among the other early immigrants to the county who now reside in the town- ship, may be mentioned the name of Bern'h Trautner and Nicholas Trautner, his son, a farmer, who resides in section five; John Spengel, farmer and stock-raiser, residing in section twenty-three, and Charles A Voegel, who lives in section twenty-six.

The first preaching was at the cabin of Mother How- ard, by the Barbers and Knights. As early as 1825 the Cumberland Presbyterians established a camp-ground

in the northeast quarter of section thirty-one, where camp- meetings were conducted for several years in succession. Some of the camps were quite substantial, aud afforded a good shelter during a hard rain. The early preachers officiating were John Barber, his son Joel and John Knight. It was here in the camp of Cipt. Abraham Howard that the first school was taught by John Barber. School was conducted here for several summers and one winter. Wil- liam C. McAlilly and Alfred J. Parkinson, farmers, of St. Jacob's township, are the only scholars left in the settlement that attended that school.

The following gentlemen have represented the township in the Board of Supervisors : Jones Tontz was elected in 1876, and served two terms; E. W. Mudge, elected in 1878, served one term; Jones Toutz, re-elected in 1879; served two terms; George Hotz was elected in 1831, aud is the present incumbent.

The Germans began settling here as early as 1831. The first to arrive were Casper Koepfli, Joseph Suppiger, the Ambuhls, F. Kustermann, C. Koffmann, H. Stufflebach, more fully written up in the article on European emigration. The Germans now comprise a large majority of the inhabit- ants of the township. There is no town wholly within the township. Highland lies partly in section thirty-two, Saline partly in section four, and Pierron partly in section twenty- four.

PIERRON.

The village of Pierron, is a station on the Van lalia Railroad, thirty-five miles from St. Louis, containing about two hun- dred inhabitants. That part lying in Madison was laid out by Jacques Pierron, September, 1871, and that in Bond in July, 1874. In 1869, August Pierron erected a building on the present site of the village, which was used as a bar-room and grocery store by A. Pierron & Co. In February, 1870, the post-office was established, and August Pierron was appointed postmaster. Pierron & Rinderer carried on business as general merchants for four years, when, upou a dissolution, J. D. Rinderer built a large and commodious store-house ou the Bond county side of Main street, where he continued the same line of business. The first warehouse for grain was built in 1870 by J. Pierron and L. Knebel. In 1880 L. Knebel built an elevator, at a cost of about 85,000, capable of storing 20,000 bushels of graiu. J. Weindel was the first blacksmith to begin operations in his line, which was in 1870. The first hotel was that of Charles Britsch, opened to the public iu 1870. The present business of the place is represented as follows :

General Merchandise .- Suppiger & Utiger. Agricultural Implements .- Aug. Pierron. Wagon-Makers .- G. Schwarz and F. Helbolt.

Grain and Lumber .- L. Knebel & Co.

Physician and Surgeon -Dr. M D. Tibbitts. Saddler .- R. Balsiger.

Blacksmiths .- R. Lang and W. Seegar.

Carpenter and Builder .- J. Bosler. Hotels .- J. Kurz, F. Haenny and L. Lehnert. Dressmaker .- Mrs. R. Balsiger.

BIOGRAPHIES.

A.MITLE

George Nik

WAS born in Madison county, April 21st, 1843. As indicated by the name, his parents were of Teutonic origin. They came to America in 1840, locating north of Highland. Christian and Mary E. Hotz (nee Weber) were the parents of fourteen children, of whom ten are living, and who were all, save one, born in this country. Of these, George was the second. Such advantages as were offered in this country thirty years ago, in the way of schools, were made use of by him, and, by perseverance and energy, he acquired a fair business education. He was married to Anna Merkel, May 5th, 1864. By this union there have been born twelve i

children. Mr. Hotz is a progressive farmer, and, by force of circumstances, somewhat a politician. His neighbors have repeatedly placed him in office, the duties of which he has discharged with satisfaction to all In 1874 he was chosen constable; in 1876, assessor ; in 1880, collector ; and in 1881, and again in 1882, supervisor. In politics he is an unswerving Democrat, and has contributed much to his party's success. Upright in his dealings, faithful in the dis- charge of all duties devolving upon him, he is a man worthy of confidence and position.

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

549

37.

Jones Jonty

THERE are many men of prominence in Madison county who are of Swiss origin ; among those is he whose portrait is presented on this page. Jones Tontz was born April 27th, 1836, in Igis, Canton Gran-brienden, Switzerland. His parents were Christian and Barbara Tontz (Bernet). His father was a carpenter. There were four children in the family ; John, at present County Treasurer of Crawford county, Kansas, and mayor of the city of Girard, being the eldest ; Joncs, the second ; Christian, a well-to-do farmer of Saline township, the third ; and Elizabeth Hirschi, the youngest. They all came to America, and directly to Saline township in the winter of 1845. Their attention had been attracted to this country through reading letters written by S. Koepfli, who spoke of Highland and vicinity as being a new Switzerland, with fertile plains in place of barren mountains. His writings brought many hither. The Tontz' came via. New Orleans. Christian Tontz, aged with his four-score years of life, still lives in Highland. His wife died August 26th, 1881. In the old country he was com- paratively poor. Hopes of bettering his condition had much to do with his seeking a new home. The subject of this sketch obtained a fair education in the old country, and followed it up by attendance upon the common schools here.

In 1856 he went to Kansas, and there cast his first ballot in behalf of making Kansas a free state. In 'May, 1858, he returned here, where he has since resided. He was married to Elizabeth Hirschi, July 4th, 1860. By her he had six children, of whom five are living ; Christian J , a student at Eureka College; Magdalena, at Eureka also; Barbara, Elizabeth Susan, Frederick R., who died in 1872; and Mary Elizabeth. Mrs. Tontz died Sept. 24th, 1870. He married Dorothea Lemback March 23d, 1871, by whom he had three children, George J., Frank F., and Dorothea R., who alone is living. His second wife died Sept. 9th, 1876. IIe married his present wife, Emma Kuhrt, Sept. 13th, 1877; by her he has two children living, Knowles Shaw, and James A. Garfield.

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History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches, Part 126

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