History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches, Part 127

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 127

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Politically, Mr. Tontz is an avowed Republican. He held various positions, such as justice of the peace in 1867, de- puty sheriff under Brooks Moore, supervisor in 1876, 1877, 1879, and 1880. In the fall of 1880 he was elected a Re- presentative to the General Assembly. The duties of every position to which he has been chosen have been faithfully and honestly discharged. He is au earnest and faithful member of the Christian Church.

ALHAMBRA.

HIS portion of the county is bounded on the north by Olive, on the east by Leef, on the south by Marine and on the west by Hamel township. It contains thirty- six sections and embraces the whole of town five, range six. The principal stream is the west fork of Silver creek. which enters the township at section three and flows in a southwesterly di- rection making its exit at section nine- teen. There is some timber on this stream but the township is principally prairie. The township was originally about one-fifth timber, much of which has since been cleared and the land put under cultivation. A tributary of the east fork of Silver creek drains the eastern part.

William Hinch, a hardy pioneer, from eastern Kentucky, where he was born and raised, the son of George Hinch, who was an early settler in that state, was the first white inan to make his home within the boundaries of what is now Al- hambra township. He came here not with the intention of hunting and trapping for a short time, and. as civilization pressed onward, of seeking other hunting grounds, but with the firm determination of making this his permanent home, where by the advantage of cheap lands and a rich agricul- tural country, he could more easily gather about him a com- petency. He brought out his family, which consisted of his wife and three children, in what was called a stage wagon, the best kind manufactured at that time for making long journeys, as it could be closed up, and was about as com- fortable as the primitive cabin. He arrived here November 15th, 1817, and located in the edge of the timbers, a short distance north and west of Silver creek, section nineteen. All winter he lived in a camp built out of poles and clap- boards. It had no door and the fire was built on the ground on one side. As there was no chimney the smoke escaped through the cracks or openings which were nu- merous. The pioneers were not afraid of a little smoke. On the inside were hung panther-skins, deer-skins and wolf- skins to keep out the cold and drifting snow. The pioneers became used to the hardships and vicissitudes of their pe- culiar life, and found pleasure in it. Many a one yet living can say with truth that the happiest moments of his life, were spent during the pioneer times, in the homely but to them comfortable cabins. It is noticeable with what affection the pioneers speak of their old log cabins. It may be doubted whether palaces ever sheltered happier hearts. During the winter Mr. Hinch built a cabin. He broke up

a small prairie field north of his house the following spring. He lived here about four years. and then erected a hewed log house north of the field. This put him nearly a half mile out ou the prairie. This house had a puncheon floor. Some years later, he built the second hewed log house, one story and a half high, in the same yard. The lumber for the floors, doors and loft, as the upper room was called, he sawed out by hand. He was very skillful with the ax and whip-saw, and was also a great hunter, and kept his table well supplied with wild meats and honey. Hunting bee trees was a profitable recreation among the early settlers. The belts of timber along Silver creek were especially pro- lific of bee trees. The first winter Mr Hinch killed seven panthers in this settlement, and quite a number of wild cats and wolves. He brought a large bull dog from Kentucky with him, and when in the woods, this dog always accom- panied him. One day Mr. Hinch discovered a panther, about half grown, in a tree. He could easily have shot it, but he concluded to have some fun. Accordingly be cut a club of a length, to be easily handled. The tree was a forked one, and he climbed up the fork opposite the panther, and by motions of the club, and yells, frightened the beast till it jumped to the ground and into the embrace of the dog, that was quietly watching developments below. No sooner had the panther struck the ground than the fur began to fly, much to the amusement of Mr. Hinch, who wanted to test the grit of his dog, a very large and fine specimen of his breed. The panther was only half-grown, Mr. Hinch had much confidence in the dog's ability to kill him. but only after a hard struggle with the combined assist- ance of another large dog and Mr. Hinch's club was the panther finally killed. He would easily have escaped from Mr. Hinch's dog. The same winter Mr. Hinch wounded a full grown female panther, and this dog attempted the feat of dispatching her, when she unable to get up, seized the dog with one arm, and fastening her claws firmly in the side of his neck, held him as it were at arm's length. The dog used his utmost power to dislodge the panther's death-like grip, but without avail. Finally as a last resort, he began biting the panther's leg. The animal stood the severe punishment without a murmur, until Mr. Hinch sent a rifle ball through her head, and thus put an end to the struggle. A year or so later this dog was killed in the woods by the wolves. It is said that the wolves would often kill dogs, and that hunters took care not to allow their canines to get far out of sight, especially at night. The wolves were so numerous for many years in certain localities

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

along the streams. and their howlings so loud and incessant that to sleep was utterly impossible. The wolf was not only a midnight prowler, but was often seen in the day time, skulking through a thicket, or trotting cautiously along an open path. The panther is not to be found in a country after it begins to settle up. But wild cats were found here and the wolves were very troublesome for many years after settlement. Mr. Hinch lived on his homestead until his death in 1845. He left a widow and a family of nine children. His widow, who is eighty-eight years of age, still survives him, as do also seven of the children. Joseph T., lives in Kansas ; Mary H., now Mrs. Thomas S. West ; Ma- tilda E., who married John Harrington, now a widow ; Wil- liam C .; Susan C., now Mrs. James Williams, and Martha A., who married William Hulett, now a widow, live in this settlement. Jesse G., lives in Arkansas, and the two now deceased were born in Kentucky.

William Hoxsey a native of Rhode Island, came to the county late in the fall of 1817. For six weeks he lived in a tent in what is now Pin Oak township. In the mean time he built a camp iu the edge of the timber in section eighteen, where he moved his family the following January. During the winter he erected a hewed log house, twenty feet square, near the camp, in which he built a fire place that admitted a ten-foot stick. The floor was of puncheons made out of hickory logs split in two and placed evenly down and worked to a smooth surface. The red hard wood and the white oak sap wood of the hickory showed a beautiful con- trast, and Mrs. Doctor Weir of Edwardsville, a daughter of Mr. Hoxsey, says she has never seen a more beautiful floor than that old hickory puncheon one in the Hoxsey cabin of sixty-four years ago. Mr. Hoxsey raised a family of eleven children, several of whom were grown when he settled here. John and Archibald soon returned to Kentucky, and mar- ried, and brought their young wives into the settlement. John married Mary Martin, and Archibald, Harriet Stephenson. Mr. Hoxey lived in the edge of the timber, about five years, and then moved his cabin nearly a mile west, where he sub- sequently built a substantial frame house, and where he re- sided until his death, October 18th, 1832, at sixty-six years of age. His wife survived him until October 5th, 1850. John, James, Archibald, Tristram P., and Alexander, were the sons of the family. T. P., was for many years a promi- nent official of Macoupin county. The others owned a large quantity of land in the settlement, and were successful farmers and good citizens. The daughters were Jane, who married B. Robinson ; Ellen, who became the wife of John Gray; Eliza, who married Daniel Anderson ; Mary, who became the wife of John H. Weir, M. D .; Maria, who mar- ried Edward Dorsey ; Martha, who died a young girl ; Mar- garet, who married Anderson Blackburn, a son of Gideon Blackburn, who founded Blackburn University, and Lucy, who married Michael Walsh of Walshville, Montgomery county, Illinois. Mr. Hoxsey came from Kentucky to Illi- nois, and brought with him a colored woman who served the family until after 1840. When quite an old woman, she went with the colored settlement of Pin Oak. Old Aunt

Tempey is well remembered by many of the carly settlers. The only survivors of Mr. Hoxsey's family are Mrs. Weir, Mrs. Blackburn and Mrs. Robinson. James Gray, a brother of Mr. Hoxsey's wife, settled in the edge of the timber cast of the Farris place in the early part of 1818. He raised a large family of children and afterwards moved to Mont- gomery county, Illinois.

In the spring of 1818, James Farris came and settled the Thomas S. West place in section eighteen. He had a family of five children, Smith, George, Larkin, Margaret, who married John Riggin and Lucinda, who married Wil- liam Davis. They are now all dead and none of the de- scendants live in the settlement. George Farris built a " band mill" here in early times that did good service for many years. James Farris erected the first frame house in the township. It was ornamented with a brick chimney, made of the first brick brought into the township. This house is in a good state of preservation and stands near the new residence of Mr. West. The first death was that of the mother of James Gray, which occurred in 1818. She was buried in the home place of the Grays, in section seventeen, where many others have since been laid to rest ; but no tomb- stones mark their graves. It is said by the old residents that nearly one hundred persons lie buried there, and at this writing only two stones mark the places of the departed. The old settlers would bury a friend or relative, build a log pen around the grave, which would soon rot away, and leave no mark of the burial place. The first birth was that of a daughter of William and Anna Hinch, February 10th, 1819. It died in infancy. John Gray and Miss Nellie Hoxsey were the contracting parties to the first marriage. Mr. Gray was a son of James Gray, and Miss Hoxsey was a daughter of William Hoxsey. The young lovers were cousins, and their parents objected strongly to their mar- riage, and even went so far as to forbid the banns. The young- sters were determined. There was no rapid transit by steam to convey them speedily out of the country, into that haven, Missouri, where thousands of lovers living east of the Miss- issippi, have been united and made happy. They mounted two horses to take a morning ride and immediately set out for St. Louis, and before the enraged parents discovered the ruse, they were on their way with light and happy hearts. Of this union four children were born. Mr. Gray died in the township. None of his descendants now live in the county.

In 1818, quite a settlement was started on the east side of Silver creek in southwest part of the township, called the Piper settlement, made by John Piper, Richard Knight, Matthew Hall, Jackson and Prior Scroggins. Piper settled in the edge of the timber on the northeast quarter of section thirty. He lived on this same section until his death in 1864. He reared a family of six sons and three daughters, viz. William, James, Wesley, Holland, Oliver, Daniel, Jane, Nancy Ann and Catharine. Richard Knight settled farther down in the edge of the timber, in the southern part of sec- tion thirty, where he lived several years and then moved farther south in the state. He entered the first tract of land,

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

ninety-seven and a half acres, in the township, September 30th, 1817. William Hinch entered the second tract, one hundred and sixty acres, November 15th, 1817, and in De- cember following, he entered one hundred and sixty acres more in section thirty. November 18th, 1817, James Farris entered one hundred and fifty-one and a third acres in sec- tion eighteen. December 11th, 1817, William Hoxsey en- tered three hundred and twenty acres in section eight, and at the same time Robert Aldrich entered the northwest fractional quarter of section thirty. Mathew Hall located south of the Knight place in section thirty-one. He after- ward moved to Macoupin county. The Scroggin brothers lived in this settlement a short time, and moved farther north. They never entered any land here. Thomas S. West who lives on section eighteen came to the county with his father in 1815. He was then two years of age, having been born in Kentucky in 1813. He married his present wife, Mary H Hinch, in 1838, and the same year settled on the place where he now lives. Three days after he located here he bought out the Farris heirs. He and his wife are now among the oldest settlers living in the county They have had born to them a family of nine children, of whom four daughters are now living.

Andrew Keown was born in South Carolina. In the year 1819 he visited Illinois, but soon went to Kentucky, where he was united in marriage in December of that year to Miss Sarah Goodwin. In the spring of 1825 he brought his family to the county on pack horses, and located in the southeast quarter of' section 2, where he improved a good farm, and resided until his death, which occurred in 1880, when he was eighty-five years of age. He left a widow, who died the following year. They raised five children to be grown up, viz .: Elizabeth, who married Benjamin Brown, now deceased ; John, who improved a farm in the northeast corner of the township, where he now resides; Mary, who married Henry Harnsberger, who is now a widow; Calvin G., who is a Presbyterian minister, and Alexander, who lives in Jackson county, Illinois. Mr. Keown was a soldier of the war of 1812, and participated in the battle at New Orleans, January 8th, 1815. From 1871 until his death he received a pension as a survivor of that war. "Uncle Andy," as he was familiarly called, was a well-known citizen of the county ; he was much respected as a neighbor, and died regretted hy a large circle of friends. William Pitman, a brother-in-law of Andrew Keown, came to the settlement about the same time, and settled on the J. M. Hindsley place. He came from Kentucky, bringing his wife and all his worldly effects on one horse. It is said he walked, and carried his wife and axe. He made a comfortable home, where he died, leaving a widow, who never hore him any children.

William W. Pearce, one of the old and wealthy citizens of the county, was born in Kentucky, June 20th, 1815. His father, James Pearce, came to this county the same year. William W. married Miss Barbara A. Vincent. daughter of Isem Vincent, January 26th, 1834. He com- menced the improvement of a farm in what is now Olive township, the same year. Since 1851 he has been a resident of Alhambra township. Mr. Pearce had a natural turn for

hunting, and none were more successful in the county. He found a ready market in St. Louis for the fruits of his rifle, and he turned the profits realized into land. In this manner he entered about one thousand acres, since which time he has added largely to his possessions. Mr. and Mrs. Pearce have reared a family of ten children.

J. B. McMichael came to the county in 1826 from Ten- nessee; he was at that time a boy of eleven years of age. He indentured himself to Uncle Joe Bartlett, and remained with him until he was twenty-one years of age; he after- ward married a relation of his, Eliza Stinson, in 1846. Twelve children were the result of this union. Mr. Mc- Michael has lived in this township thirty-seven years, and spent most of his life at farming. From 1863 until 1867. he filled the office of assessor and treasurer of the county. He has served as constable, deputy-sheriff and postmaster, and now fills the office of justice of the peace. Ephraim Harnsberger was born in Virginia, where he afterward mar- ried. In 1812 he went to Kentucky, where he remained until 1832 ; he then came to Madison county, and located on the William Wiseman place, where he continued until his death, November 26, 1846. His wife survived him only a short time. They reared a family of eight children, four boys and four girls, viz .: Levy, Mary Ann, who married James Hosey ; Jane L .. who married S. Aldrich ; Henry ; Martha, widow of P. Aldrich ; Rebecca, who married R. R. Cooksey ; Lewis M. and Ephraim. Mr. Harnsberger was one of the pro- minent citizens of his time, and was the first justice in the town - ship. He represented the county in the commissioners' board, and was always identified with the best interests of the county. John Tabor came to the county with his family, consisting of a wife and four children, in 1829; he located three miles east of Edwardsville. The following year he came to this township, and settled half-a-mile north of where the old Tabor homestead now is. There he continued to reside until his death in 1881. His widow still survives him, at the age of eighty-two years. They reared a family of ten children, who lived to marry and start in life for them- selves. Four are now living. Henry H. and James M. are farmers in this township. Thomas K. lives in Wiscon- sin ; Eliza J., now Mrs. Jacob Rimmer, lives in Jasper county, Missouri. R. R. Cooksey, one of the early settlers, improved a place on section 10. He was a successful farmer, was a member of the Methodist church, and often preached to the early settlers. He was three times mar- ried, and raised a family of eight children. The old gentle- man now lives in Worden. David Martin came in 1831 from Kentucky, and improved a farm in Fork Prairie, in the northern part of the township, where he resided until his death. He raised quite a family. John G., a son, is the only one of the children living in the township, and is a farmer. The Prairie was settled principally after 1840. Among the first in the southern and western part were Cur tis Blakeman, William Highlander, Fred. Mindrop, Joshua Thompson and Gilmore.

Nutter Piper taught school in an abandoned cabin on the west side of Silver creek as early as 1820. William Davenport taught in an empty cabin in the Hinch settle-

THE OLD HOMESTEAD. RESIDENCE OF GUSTAV KAUFMANN SEC. 20 T. 5 R. 6. (ALHAMBRA TP.) MADISON, CO. ILL.

1878

FARM RESIDENCE OF H. WILLIAM BUESCHER, SEC. 29 T. 5 R. 6 (ALHAMBRA TP. ) MADISON, CO. ILL.

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HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

ment prior to 1830, a subscription school, and boarded among his employers. After teaching part of a term, he stopped the school, as it was a non-paying undertaking. In 1832 a log school-house was built in section 19. George Denny was the first teacher. School was taught at Andrew Keown's and R. R. Cooksey's, in out-buildings in the early times. The first school-house in the northern part of the township stood in the centre of section 2. This building was not put up until after 1840. It did service for about four years, and then burned down. It was heated by a large fire-place, from which some say it took fire. Others say the teacher set it on fire by saving ashes in an old barrel, for a lady in the neighborhood to make soap with.

Early preaching was had at the residences of William Hinch and Andrew Keown. Rev. Thomas Ray, a Baptist minister, was the first to expound the gospel here. Several years later he was assisted by Elder Thomas Smith. They organized the first church at a date not now known. The congregation never built a house of worship, and finally dis- banded. The Baptists, some time later, built the first house of worship in the northwest quarter of section 32, which is still in use.

ALHAMBRA

Was laid out by Louis F. Sheppard, on the northern part of the northeast quarter of the northwest quarter of section 14. The plat was recorded November 2d, 1850. Mr. Shep- pard's wife gave the place its name. William W. Pearce laid out an addition of three blocks, north of the original town, in section 11. Solomon Tabor and Louis F. Sheppard erected the first buildings, about the same time. Tabor put in his a general stock of goods ; Sheppard's was a residence. He also built a saw-mill soon after the town was laid out. William J. Lowry was the first postmaster; he was a farmer, living about two miles west. In 1846 or 1847 he procured the establishment of a post-office at his farm resi- dence, called " Lowry." When Alhambra was laid out, he moved there, and the name of the post-office became " Al- hambra." The office has been changed several times between this place and Greencastle. James B. McMichael moved it to Greencastle, and afterward changed it back to Alham- bra. R. D. Utiger removed it to Greencastle in 1870, where he has since retained it. The Narrow Gauge, or T. C. and St. L. Railroad, has been graded through the town- ship recently, and its completion is expected as early as the fall of 1882. A depot will be built in near proximity to Alhambra. This railroad extends diagonally through the township, entering at section 31, and passing out at section 1. Alhambra built up slowly, but with a steady increase, to its present size. The last census gave it a population of 108. The two-story frame school-house is a good substantial 76

building, erected in 1879, where two teachers are em- ployed. The town contains two general stores.

PRESENT BUSINESS.

General Stores. - Samuel Rosenthall, Leutweiler & Leuscher.

Hotels .- John Ottenad, and William Berg.

Physicians .- F. M. Pearce and H. T. Wharff.

Blacksmith Shops .- Chris. Stait and Keintz Brothers.

Wagon Shops .- George Schmidt and August Gross. Millinery and Dress Making .- Mary J. Warderman. Barber .- J. P. Pearce.

Harness and Saddlers .- H. Riffle, Casper Fridili.

Hardware and Agricultural Implements .- John Gehrig. Tailor Shop .- V. Deibert.

GREENCASTLE,

One mile west of Alhambra, was laid out by Levi Harns. berger, W. S. Randle and Henry Harnsberger, October 19th, 1859, on the corners of sections ten, eleven and fourteen. They were farmers here, and laid the town out on adjoining parts of their respective farms. In 1860, John Thornburg erected a store building, and opened a general stock of goods. About 1865, Thornburg's store was burned down. John Gale built a store immediately afterward, and com- menced business. In 1869, R. D. Utiger rebuilt the Thorn- burg store, and opened a general stock of goods.

Shortly after the town was laid out, Thomas Thornburg, William Lieserman and John Gale built a grist mill with two run of burrs. It subsequently fell into the hands of Pearce and Matthews, and about ten years ago was moved to Palmer, Christian county, Illinois. The Methodist church was built in 1861. The German Evangelical church was moved here from the Stepp neighborhood. It was used for both church and school purposes. It is now the German school. A new church was erected on the same lot in 1878. Captain John Thornburg gave the village its name, after Greencastle, Indiana. The last census gave it a population of 77. The following is the business.

PRESENT BUSINESS.

Post Master .- R. D. Utiger.

Physician .- S. E. Bucknell.

General Store .- Charles Ruedy.

Hotel .- William Mees. Blacksmith .- Jacob Leef.

Wagon Shop .- William Elliott.

The following have represented the township in the Board of Supervisors ; R. D. Utiger was elected in 1876, and re- elected for each successive term till 1881-82; H. H. Tabor was chosen in 1882, and is at present in office.

BIOGRAPHY.

W. W. Jeara

THE third son of James and Lucinda (Alison) Pearce, was born in Kentucky, June 20th, 1815. His father and family came into Madison County in 1815, and settled near Edwardsville, so that Mr. Pearce has spent his entire life- time, with the exception of a few months, here. At a very early age he manifested a taste for hunting, in which he great- ly excelled. The broad prairies in the eastern part of the county with their game of deer, turkey, etc., furnished him a fine field. Next to hunting, trading was his passion. When a mere boy he became the proud owner of a pair of match calves ; these he traded for the pre-emption right and improvements of an eighty acre tract of land a part of sec- tion 25. The improvements consisted of five acres of land, broken and fenced, and a log cabin. In about two years his

earnings enabled him to enter this land. From this begin- ning he has become one of the largest landed proprie- tors in southern Illinois. About one thousand acres of his possessions was the direct result of successful hunting, actu- ally made by his unerring rifle.

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History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches, Part 127

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