History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches, Part 17

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 17

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SCANSORES, OR CLIMBING BIRDS.

Birds of this order have their toes in pairs, two in front and two behind. Under this order and indigenous to this county are the swift, or chimney-swallow ( Cypselus pelasgius), red-headed woodpecker (Melanerpes erythrocephalus), golden- winged woodpecker ( Colaptes auratus,) Carolina paroqnet ; (Conurus Carolinensis), sap sncker ( Picus pubescens); ( Cir- cus cyaneus) ; goshawk (Falco palambirius) ; sharp- skinnel hawk (Buteo borcalis) ; red-shouldered hawk, pigeon-hawk (Falco Columbarum); ring-tailed, or golden eagle (Aquila chryatos).

To the owl family (Strigide) belong the great horned owl (Bubo Virginianus); snowy owl (Stric nisa); barred owl (Syrnium nebuloscum, or "hoot-owl"); American barn or screech-owl (Strix flumme) ; spotted owl, marsh owl, Kenni- cott's (?) owl.

Of the vulture family Vulturido, the only representative is the turkey-buzzard ( Cathartes aura).

RASORES, OR SCRATCHING BIRDS.

Birds of this order are characterized by their stout bodies, strong legs and feet, and their general adaptation to living on the ground. It includes the wild turkey ( Melengris gallo- paro,) prairie-hen ( Tetrao cupido,) ruffled grouse, or "part- ridge " ( Bonasa umbellus,) quail ( Ortyx Virginianus,) turtle- dove (Turtur auritus,) wild or passenger pigeon (Ectopistes migratoria.

GRALLATRES OR WADING BIRDS.

These have long necks, long bills, very long and slender legs, and slender bodies. Their general form is well adapted to wading. This order includes the plover ( Charadrius,) common snipe (Scolopax gallinago,) American woodcock (Philohelo minor,) Wilson's snipe ( Gallinago Wilsonii,) mud- hen ( Fulica Americana,) Kill-dee (Aegialits vociferus,) red- breasted-snipe ( Gambetta melanoleuca,) tell-tale snipe ( Gam- betta flavipes,) water-rail (Rallus Aquaticus) sand hill erane

(Grus Cumadensis, ) blue crane ( Grus Americanus,) yellow- legged and upland plover, white crane ( Grus Albus,) and heron (Ardea cinerea.)

NATAATORES, OR SWIMMING BIRDS.

These are broad and flat; feathers compact and well oiled ; legs wide apart; femur short; and feet webbed. Under this order are found the common wild goose (Anser Americanus,) summer or wood duck (Aix sponsa,) Canada goose ( Bermicala ('anadensis, ) American Swan ( Cygnus Americanus, ) braud-goose, or ("brant " (Anser Bernicla,) butter ball (Bucephala albeola,) mallard (Anas boschas,) blue-winged teal ( Boschas crecca,) American widgeon ( Ma- reca Americana,) red-head duck (Apthaya Americana,) canvass-back duck (?) (Aythaya vallisnerio,) green-winged teal (Nettion Carolidensis,) pintail duck (Dafila acuta,) trumpeter swan ( Cygnus buccinator.)

INSESSORS OR PERCHING BIRDS.

The perchers differ greatly among themselves ; all have three front toes and a single hind one ; feet well adapted to perching. To this order belong the majority of birds, of which we note, as belonging here, the wood thrush ( Turdus mustelinus,) mocking bird (Mimus polyglottus,) blue-bird (Sialis Wilsonii,) cat bird (Mimus Carolinensis,) robin ( Turdus migratorius,) brown thrush, or " thrasher " ( Tur- dus rufus,) titmouse, or chickadee (Purus atricappillus,) brown creeper ( Certhis familiaris, ) nuthatch (Sittu Caro- linensis,) winter wren (Troglodytes hyemalis,) cedar bird (Ampelis cedrorum,) rose-breasted grosbeak ( Guiruca ludo- viciana,) chewink (Pipilo erythrophthalmus,) meadow-lark (Sturnella magnat,) blue jay (Cjinura cristata,) wren, ( Troglodytes domestica) warblers, barn swallow ( Hirundo hordeorum) bank swallow ( Cotyle riparia,) blue martin Progne purpurea, cardinal red bird ( Cardinalis Virgini- anus,) field sparrow (Spizellu pusilla,) indigo bird ( Cyanos- piza cyanca,) great northern shrike, or butcher bird ( Col- lurio borealis.) yellow, or thistle bird ( Sylvatica astiva,) swamp, or red winged black bird (Sturnus predatorins,) cow blackbird "cowbird."

CHAPTER VII.

PIONEER SETTLEMENTS.

HE first time that the eye of civilized man ever rested on the soil of the present county of Madison was in the year 1673. Marquette and Joliet, on their voyage of exploration, reached the waters of the Mississippi on the seventeenth of June, and a few days afterward their canoes were gliding past the shores of the dis- trict of country embracing what is now Madison county. The sensations of these explorers are given by Marquette in this language :

" As we coasted along rocks frightful for their height and length, we saw two monsters painted on one of the rocks, which startled us at first, and upon which the boldest In-

HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

dian dare not gaze long. They are as large as a calf, with horns on the head like a deer, a frightful look, red eyes, bearded like a tiger, the face somewhat like a man's, the body covered with scales, and the tail so long that it twice makes the turn of the body, passes over the head and down between the legs, ending at last in a fish's tail. Green, red, and a kind of black are the colors employed. On the whole these two monsters are so well painted that we could not believe any Indian to have been the designer, as good paint- ers in France would find it hard to do so well; besides this they are painted so high upon the rock that it is hard to get conveniently near to paint them. As we were discour- sing of them, sailing gently down a beautiful still clear water, we heard the noise of a rapid, into which we were about to fall. I have seen nothing more frightful ; a mass of large trees, entire with branches, real floating islands, came rush- ing from the mouth of the river Pekitanoui (the Missouri, ) so impetuously that we could not, without great danger, ex- pose ourselves to pass across. The agitation was so great that the water was all muddy, and could not get clear."

Such were the circumstances under which white men first saw this part of Illinois. The rocks, to which Marquette re- fers, were the precipitous bluff's which extend along the river north ward from Alton. On the face of the bluff, just above the present city, werc depicted the figure mentioned by Mar- quette, and with which we connected the famous legend of the Piasa Bird .* These paintings must have been renewed by the Indians from time to time, for they seemed fresh on the settlement of the country in the present century. It is still within the memory of living men when every Indian, as he passed down the river in his canoe, discharged his arrow, or his rifle, at the representation of these monsters.

The French, who made such early settlements in the more southern counties of Randolph, St. Clair,and Monroe, do not seem to have secured any permanent hold within the limits of Madison county. West of the Mississippi they pushed north to St. Louis (1764), to St. Charles (1769), and to Portage des Sioux (1799), but on the eastern side of the river they founded no new villages, probably from the fact that by the treaty of Fountainbleau, 1762, Ilinois had pass- ed under English control. There is evidence that a French- man named Jean Baptiste Cardinal, had made a settlement, as early as the year 1785, at Piasa, supposed to be the site of the present city of Alton. Ile there built a house and re- sided with his family, but was taken prisoner by the Indians, when his family were obliged to flee for refuge to the village of Cahokia. Reynolds mentions that, in the year 1800, there were a few French families residing on Big (or Chouteau) island in the Mississippi, while the report of the commission- ers to examine the claims for land within the district of Ka-kaskia, shows that several early improvements had been made by the French in the southern and western part of the county. 1Ou Chouteau island settlements were made by the

: This legend will be found in the subsequent chapter on the History of the City of Alton.

¡ Michael Jones and E. Backus, commissioners appointed by Con- gress, reporte l on the 31st of December, 1809, that twelve claims for land, within the limits of the present county of Madison,

French about 1750. An orchard was planted here, the trees of which had attained such size in 1820 that they must have been planted fifty, or sixty, years previous. In this orchard was a pear tree whose trunk in the year mentioned had grown to be a foot and a half in diameter. ' This orchard was planted by Chouteau from whom the island received the name by which it is now known. On both Chouteau and Cabaret islands some French residents of Cahokia raised large numbers of horses which they shipped in flat boats to New Orleans. The island was well adapted to this purpose, its exclusion from the main land preventing both the escape of the horses and their theft by the Indians. This orchard years ago succumbed to the floods of the Mississippi, as also did an old grave yard in which many of the early French residents were buried.

should be confirmed on the ground of actual improvements having been made. These claims are as follows :

" Claim 1865. Original claimant, Alexis Buyatte ; present claimant, Nicholas Jarrot, 400 acres. Affirmed to the legal representative of A. Buyatte. Situate on the river l' Abbe nine miles above Cahokia. " The river l' Abbe here referred to derived its name from the monas- tery, or l' Abbe, on Monk's mound, which was once called " Abbe Ilill", even by the American settlers, and is what is now known as Cahokia creek. The claim, however, is really some distance from Caho- kia, on the bank of the Mississippi in township three, range ten, near Kinder station, and opposite Cabaret island.

"Claim 526. Original claimant, James Biswell, present claimant heirs of Biswell, 400 acres, on Buck run, a branch of the Kaskaskia river, affirmed to the legal representatives." This claim is in the southwest corner of township three, range seven, and extends into St. Clair county.

" Claim 519. Original claimant, Alexander Denis; present claimant, William Bulin Whiteside; 400 acres, on Winn's run in the county of St. Clair (St. Clair and Randolph were then the only counties), begin- ning at a white walnut near Cummin's sugar camp." This is in sec- tion twenty, township four, range eight, on the bluffs of the American Bottom, in what appears to have been considered at that time the most attractive part of the county, the " Goshen" settlement.

Claim 561. Original claimant, Clement Drury ; present claimant, heira of Samuel Worley ; 400 acres. Below the Narrows, below Ilull's Station, to be located adjoining the patented militia rights of Samnel Worley and James McNabb, these rights having been located in the improvement." This is mostly in section six, of township three, range nine, and included one of the earliest improvements in the county, upon which pear trees were planted in the year 1790, or soon thereafter, which were standing more than three-quarters of a century afterward.

"Claim 1841. Original claimant, Jacque Germain ; present claim- ant, Nicholas Jarrot; 400 acres, at l' Abbe, thirteen miles above Cahokia. " This is in section thirty-two of township three, range nine, on the borders of Horse Shoe lake, and not far distant from Venice.

" Claim 133. Original claimant, Jean Baptiste Gonville, alias Rap- pellay ; present claimant, Nicholas Jarrot; 400 acres. Affirmed to Jarrot, situated at Cantine, about ten miles above Cahokia." This claim includes l' Abbe itself or Monk's Mound, on which was the monastery of the Monks of La Trappe, who resided here from 1810 to 1813. It lies mostly in sections thirty-five and thirty-six of township threc, range nine.

" Claim 1883. Original claimant, Joseph HIanson ; present claimant, Nicholas Jarrot, 400 acres, affirmed to Jarrot, situated on Marais Mensoui." This lies mostly in section twenty-six, of township three, range nine, and on the borders of Horse Shoe lake, which, perhaps is identical with the Marais Mensoui.

" Claim 637. Original claimant, James Kinkead; present claimant

HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

James Kinkead by George II. Dougherty, 400 aeres. In the Missis- sippi bottom, four or five miles above the ferry opposite St. Louis. " This lies in township three, range ten, in sections twenty-five and twenty six, about two miles above Venice.

" Claim 1855. Original claimant, Baptiste Lionais ; present claimant, Nicholas Jarrot, 400 acres, affirmed. " Situated opposite the month of the Missouri. The whole of this claim has been swept away by the waters of the river. It is in section thirty-two of township five, range nine.

" Claim 902. Original claimant, Isaac Levy; present claimant, Isaac Darnielle, 400 acres. On the river l' Abbe, above Cahokia, about twelve miles near where the French church stood." The most of this claim lies in St. Clair county, a part in sections thirty-four and thirty live, of township three, range nine, close to Cantine village.

" ('laim 1838. Original claimant, Michael Pichette ; present claim- ant Nicholas Jarrot, 400 acres. At a place called l' Abbe river, eight miles above Cahokia." The most of this claim lies in section thirty- one, of township three, range nine.

"Claim 1653. Original claimant, Isaac West ; present claimant, Isaac West 400 acres. By the testimony of George Atchison and David Waddle, that this land on which the actual improvement was made had been included in the survey of James Piggott ; and by Alexander Waddle and Amos Squire that this claim had been sur- veyed about the year 1802, in the place where the said West now lives, affirmed." This tract is partly in section nineteen, of township three, range eight.

The foregoing claims were awarded on account of actual improve- ments that had been made on the land included in the claim There were four species of land claims :

FIRST. Ancient grants, or allotments, derived from former govern- ments ( French or British) or from the Indians, under act of Congress of June twentieth, 1788. The commissioners were satisfied that no grants were authorized by the British government while in possession of the country. The French records had in great part been destroyed by the British officers, and the grants made by the French were proved up by oral testimony. There were no grants of this class within the present territory of Madison county.

SECOND. Donations to heads of families. Under the law of the twentieth of June 1788, a donation of four hundred aeres of Jand not given to each of the families living at either of the villages of Kaskas- kia, Prarie de Rocher, Cahokia, Fort Chartres, or St. Phillips. The commissioners construed this to provide for all those who had become heads of families from the peace of 1783 to the passage of the law in 1788. Claim 527, originally claimed by James Biswell, and con- firmed to his legal representatives ; 400 acres in township three, range seven.

THIRD. Improvement Rights. Under the law of the third of March, 1791, where lands had been actually improved and cultivated, under a supposed grant by any commandant or court, it was directed that the claim should be confirmed, not exceeding four hundred acres to any one person. The twelve claims above described belonged to this class. The commissioners construed " actual improvement and cultivation " to mean, not a mere marking or deadening of trees, but the actual raising of a crop, or crops, such, in their opinion, being a necessary proof of an intention to make a permanent establishment.

FOURTH. Militia Rights. Under the aet of March third, 179], a grant of land, not exceeding one hundred acres, was made to each person who had obtained no other donation of land from the United States, and who on the first day of August, 1790, was enrolled in the militia, and had done militia duty

Commissioners Michael Jones, John Caldwell and Thomas Sloo, on the fourth of January, 1813, reported five other claims in Madison county which they recommended for confirmation on the ground of actual improvements having been made :

" Claim 602, Original claimant, Peter Casteline ; confirmed by Gov. William Il. Harrison, to Peter Casteline; claimant before former board of commissioners, Peter Casteline, 250 acres. " This fies mostly

in section thirty-two of township three, range eight, on the bluffs near Collinsville.

"C'laim 328. Original claimant, Isaac Enochs; confirmed by Gov. Harrison to Isaac Enochs, claimed before the former board of com- missioners by Jacob Whiteside, 250 acres. " This traet is in sections four and nine of township four, range nine. Nearly all washed away.

"Claim 517. Original claimant, Abraham Rain ; confirmed by Gov. Harrison to the widow and heirs of Rain ; claimants before the former board of commissioners, L'el and Bolin Whiteside, 250 acres." This is in sections twenty and twenty-one of township four, range nine. On the surveys the name is spelled Rainer.

"Claim 756. Original claimant, John Sullivan ; confirmed by Gov. Harrison to Larkin Rutherford ; claimed before the former board of commissioners by Larkin Rutherford, 440 arpents. This is mostly in sections eight and nine, of township five, range nine.

"Claim 544. Original claimant, David Waddle ; confirmed by Gov. Harrison to David Waddle ; claimed before the former board of com- missioners by David Waddle, 250 acres." This lies mostly in sec- tions thirty-one and thirty-two of township four, range nine.

The commissioners on the 24th of February, 1810, discuss, "Claim 2056. John Edgar claims four arpents in front by forty in depth, at Piasa, so called, in virtue of an improvement said to have been made by J. Baptiste Cardinal, and the claim appears to have been conveyed to John Edgar by deed, dated 17th September, 1795, wit- nessed by La Violette, and acknowledged before William Morrison, April 10th of the same year, five months before its execution. This board is fully impressed with the belief that the name of this witness was written by John Edgar. It is further remarkable, that, although the said Cardinal affixes his mark to the deed, the claimant ( Edgar) adduces, in proof of the fairness of this transaction, a letter from said Cardinal, dated the 29th of July, of the same year, offering him this land, which is signed by himself in a very good hand. It is further apparent, from the most respectable testimony, that no improvement in early times was here made."

In a subsequent report of the commissioners, on the 4th of January 1813, the following appears in relation to this same claim :

" This claim derives its validity from a confirmation made by Gov. St. Clair to the said John Edgar. It is proved that about thirty years ago, Jean Bte. Cardinal lived at Piasa, five or six, leagues above Ca- hokia; that he built a house, and resided there with his family ; that he was taken prisoner by the Indians, when his family were obliged to abandon there, and retired to the village of Cahokia; that no culti- vation is recollected to have been observed. Should the foregoing claim be confirmed by C'ongress, the commissioners would recommend that the confirmation be to the said Cardinal, or his legal representa- tives, as the title papers of the said John Edgar appear not to be reg- ular. "

In the same report mention is made of claim 2079, confirmed by Gov. Ilarrison to John Edgar, by reason of an improvement said to have been made by Philip tiallaghen, for 400 acres. This claim was located in sections eight and seventeen of township four, range eight. The commissioners report that "The deponents state that they knew said Gallaghen, but know of no improvement made by him."

The greater part of the claims confirmed in Madison county were militia rights, given to every militia man enrolled and doing duty, Angust Ist. 1790. The following are contained in the report of the commissioners, dated December 31st, 1800.

Claim 1869. In township four, range nine, a little above the old town of Madison, and now beneath the waters of the Mississippi, 100 acres. Original claimant Jean Brugier Affirmed to Nicholas Jarrot.

Claim 1324. On the head waters of Judy's creek, mostly in sec- tions twenty-two and twenty-three, of township four, range eight about two miles south of Edwardsville, 100 acres. Original claimant, Mathew Rene Bouvet. Affirmed to James Haggin.

Claim 338. Four claims, affirmed to Samuel Judy, were located together mostly in sections thirty-two and thirty-three of township four, range eight. The original claimants were Louis Bibo, i Biboux

HISTORY OF MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

on the surveys), Lonis Laflamme, Jacob Judy, and Francois Ritchie, 100 acres each, 400 in all. These claims were located by Judy about the year 1800. On the farm which Judy improved an orchard was sct out in the year 1802, or 1803, and a brick house, still standing, was built in the year 1808, the walls of which were cracked by the earthquake of IsIl.

t'laim 605. In section five, of township three, range eight, adjoin- ing claims of Samuel Judy. Original claimant, Louis Bison. Affirm- ed to Ison Gillham, 100 acres.

Claim 2603. In section seventeen of township five, range nine, covering in part claim 2056, and including the site of the former town of Milton, on Wood river, embracing a mill, 100 acres. Original claimant, George Biggs. Affirmed to John Whiteside.

Claim 98. In sections seven and eight of township four, range eight, on Cahokia creek near the month of Indian creek. In early days a mill site. Original claimant, Jean Beaulieu. Affirmed to Nicholas Jarrot, 100 acres. At the June term of the Court of Com- mon Pleas in 1815, we find a verdict of inquest of John Robinson and others to the effect that a mill dam seven feet high could be built without damage to any person's land.

Claim 1258. This location embraced the original claims of Fran- cois Campeau, Pierre Martain Jr, Jean Baptiste Rappalais, Jaeque Mulott, Louis Harmond, Joseph Poirier, Dennis Levertne, Philip Le Boeuf, Joseph Lamarch, Constant Longtemps, each of 100 acres, and all confirmed to John Rice Jones, and was in sections one and twelve of town-hip three, range ten, "in the Mississippi bottom, between Grand Isle and Presque Isle, opposite Isle of Cattarot, bound- ed by the Mississippi West." Presque Isle is probably the peninsula on which Venice was situated, and the Isle of Cattarot is probably intended for Isle of Cabaret, Isle de Cabaret, or Tavern Island, is the probable meaning.

Claim 1258 (second). In sections four and five of township three range eight, and "located in Goshen adjoining Samnel Judy and Isham Gillham," 100 acres. Original claimant, Jean B. Girand, alias Jean Pierre ; claimed before the board of commissioners by John Rice Jones, and by him conveyed to Thomas Gillham.

Claim 485. In section thirty-six of township three, on the south line of the county, range ten, "on the bank of the Mississippi adjoin- ing Cahokia common." 100 acres claimed caeh by Pierre Clement and Antoine Labussiere, both affirmed to John Biggs.

Claim 752. On Cantine creek, part in sections thirty-one and thirty-two, of township three, range eight, and remainder in St. Clair county ; Claim 753, and Claim 755, described in the same manner; Original claimants respectively Francois Deneme, Francis Colline, and Thomas Callaban; each claim of 100 acres, and all confirmed to John Blum.

Claim 754. Original claimant, J. B. Deronsse St. Pierre. Affirm- ed to John BImm, 100 acres. Surveyed adjoining Ettienne Penso- nean, and probably in seetion thirty-five or thirty-six, of township three, range ten.

Claim 1061. Original claimant, John Whiteside, and claim 1745, original claimant, Elisha Harrington, 100 acres each. The first con- firmed to Joho Whiteside and the second to Uel Whiteside, were surveyed on Cahokia Creek, in sections one and two, of township three range eight.

Claim 115. Original claimant, Charles Ilebert, alias Cadieu, affirmed to Nicholas Jarrot, "on the bank of the Mississippi, about two miles below the mouth of Mad river," ( Wood River) is in sec- tions eight and nine of township four, range nine.

Claim 1851. Originally claimed by Baptiste Lecompte, and affirm- ed to Nicholas Jarrot, is in section seventeen of the same township near Madison Landing. Claim 1851, original claimant Barzle Lecompte, affirmed to Nicholas Jarrot, was surveyed in front of 1851, and included the site of the old town of Madison. Claim 1880, ori- ginal claimant, Louis Menard, affirmed to Nicholas Jarrot, is in section eight of the same township. These claims have been swept away by the encroachments of the Mississippi.

('laim 1719. Original claimant Lowis Le Bruu, jr. Affirmed to Thomas Kirkpatrick, 100 acres. In section twenty-three of town- ship four, range eight.

Claim 331. Original claimant, Francois Louval. Affirmed to Henry Cook. Situated on the waters of Judy's creek, the survey in- cluding the militia claim of William Young Whiteside, on the cor- ners of seetions four, five, eight and nine, of township three, range eight, near the claim of Samuel Judy in Goshen.

Claim 484. Original claimant, Jolin Lisle. Affirmed to John Biggs, 100 acres, " located, beginning at a stake on the banks of the Mississippi."

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History of Madison County, Illinois With biographical sketches, Part 17

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