USA > Illinois > McDonough County > History of McDonough County, Illinois, together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of the representative citizens > Part 120
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Grove township, but also in the entire county. He has represented his party in the board of supervisors with distin- guished ability. and will doubtless reach a higher mark in the political world.
James Booth, the father of the sub- ject of this sketch, was a native of Ire- land, and in 1828, came to Philadelphia, where he located as a weaver and built up a large business, which went down in the financial crash which followed the suspension of the U. S. bank, in 1837. In 1846, he removed to Macomb, Illinois, and in 1855, located on the homestead in Walnut Grove, McDon- ough county. James C. was born Oc- tober 16, 1839, in Ireland, while the fam- ily were on a visit to the Emerald Isle, and is the youngest of six children. He was married January 30, 1871, to Saralı Elizabeth Cruse, of Monroe county,Iowa, and three children blessed the union. James C., early responded to the call for men, enlisting in 1862, and serving to the end of the struggle. He participated in many of the movements of the west- ern armies, and was mustered out at Mo- bile in 1865. He met his brother, Wil- liam, who was a member of company F, 55th Illinois infantry, once during his term of service. The family owns 182 acres of fine land, all under cultivation, and are fine types of American farmers. James is a member of the Odd Fellows lodge at Good Hope, and is a prominent worker in the order.
EDUCATIONAL.
The following general statistics are taken from the last annual report of the county superintendent, for the school year ending June 30, 1884: Walnut
1038
HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.
Grove township has 334 children of school age. There are 242 pupils enrolled in the schools of the district township. There are eight school buildings in the township, all of which are frame, and the average number of months of school taught annually, seven and seven-eighths. The highest monthly wages paid any male teacher is $45, and the lowest, $36. The highest wages paid female teachers is $40, and the lowest, $20 per month. The value of school property in Walnut Grove township amounts to $2,500, being free from any bonded indebted- ness. The amount of tax levy for the support of schools amounts to $2,875.
The first school house on the present site of the southwest corner of section 4, in district No. 1, was removed there in 1863. It was 24x28 feet in size, and was valued at $200.
School district No. 2 embraces sections 3, 4, 9 and 10. The school house, which was erected in the fall of 1863, is located on the southeast corner of section 4. A meeting was held, August 3, 1863, at the the northeast corner of section 9, when .the following directors were chosen: James W. Griggs, Warrel Tracy and George W. Beckner. The first teacher was Dell Stearns, who was employed to teach a three months' term. James Erving did the carpenter work on the building. In the fall of 1877, an addi- tion was made to the house, which at present is 16x32 feet in size. Eva Hud- son teaches the school at present. Pre- vious to the erection of the present building, a school house was built on the southwest corner of section 9, in 1856, which was attended by the children for miles around. It was known as
Hickory Grove school house. The funds for its erection were furnished mostly by the county, although several citizens who were able, subscribed different sums, that the building might be large enough to be used also for religious purposes. The first teacher in this house was a young man by the name of Frost.
School district No. 3 was organized in 1863, and a house erected, the following year, on the northwest corner of section 7, the district embracing sections 5, 6, 7 and 8. It is 20x30 feet in dimensions, and was completed at a cost of $300. The first board of directors were: John Cochrane, A. E. Campbell and David A. Vanice. It is not remembered who taught the first term of school in the building, but James B. Campbell, now deceased, taught the second term. Those who serve the district at present as di- rectors are: Robert Campbell, W. J. Edie and I. Lenhart. There was school taught in a log cabin, which stood on the site of the present building, by Emma Colts, in 1863. Two terms were taught there, the second by Priscilla Waddle. The cabin was torn down when the pres- ent school house was erected.
Hiwassie district No. 4 was organized August 10, 1863, and a house built on the northeast corner of section 19, the same year, at a cost of $351.50, and in 1873 it was moved to its present location, on section 18. School was first taught in this building by S. P. Camp, who commenced teaching on December 10, 1863. Owing to ill health, he was com- pelled to quit teaching in a short time. William H. Harris taught the remainder of the term. Previous to building this
HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY. 1039
house, the children of this district, as well as of districts 1, 2 and 3, were sent to Hickory Grove school, which stood on section 8, and is now the Shiloh church building. The first directors were: S. P. Camp, E. Lemons and C. C. Kennett. The present directors are: J. A. Brown, Charles Stairwalt and Frank Kidder. Minnie Edie is the present teacher in this district.
Center district No. 5 was organized in 1863, and a building 22x24 feet in size, erected on section 14, at a cost of $500. Minnie McConnell taught the first term of school in this building. George Lackens taught the school during the winter of 1884-85.
The school house in district No. 6, also known as Linn Grove, is located on the northwest corner of section 24. It is 18x26 feet in size, and was erected in 1863.
The building in district No. 7 is lo- cated on the southwest quarter of sec- tion 26. It is 20x30 feet in size, and was completed in 1872. The district is also known as Greenwood.
School district No. 8 is a union of No. 3, of Macomb, and No. 8, . of Walnut Grove townships. The building is situ- ated on the southwest quarter of section 32, Walnut Grove township, and is valued at $500.
District No. 9 is a union district with that opposite, in Sciota township, the building being situated in the village of Good Hope.
TOWN HALL.
At the annual town meeting, held on April 3, 1883, a town hall was ordered to be built, the dimensions to be 20x30
feet, and to cost $400. The building was constructed during the summer of 1884, about the geographical center of the township, the contract being let to William Parkins, of Good Hope ._ The building committee which was appointed was composed of James Hudson, W. J. Edie and J. A. Brown, Sr. At the meet- ing in 1884, an additional $100 was ap- propriated for the completion of the structure.
SORGHUM MILL.
A sorghum mill. was erected in the fall of 1860, by a son of R. W. Whit- tlesey, on the northeast corner of sec- tion 16. Sorghum making was a new feature here at that time, and as there were a couple of families living there, the location was facetiously known as Sorghum City. There was, however, some talk of starting a town, previous to the advent of the T., P. & W. railroad.
RELIGIOUS.
The first religious services in Walnut Grove township were held at the house of Gilmer Walker, on section 24, in the early spring of 1836, Rev. William Fra- zier, a Presbyterian minister from Ma- comb, conducting the services. Among those who were present were: Alexan- der Campbell, Quintus and Mahala Walker, Mary Walker, Robert Pollock, Levi and Malinda Hamilton and their child, Silas, Gilmer and Susan Walker, Louisa, Martha, Susetta, Mary J., Cyn- tha, Catharine and Ellen Walker, Sam- uel Pollock, and Messrs. Dague and Tal- bot.
The second religious services in the township were conducted by the Rev.
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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.
Griggs, a Presbyterian minister, who was passing through the county during the spring of 1836. He preached in a small log cabin erected and deserted by some of the early settlers who did not remain long in the township. Among those who attended were Gilmer Walker and wife, Quintus Walker, and wife and daughter Mary, Alexander Campbell and wife, and John S., David, Samuel, Mary A. and Margaret, their children. The services were to have been held at the residence of Gilmer Walker, but owing to the sickness of some of the children, with whooping cough, the place of meeting was changed to the cabin, as above mentioned.
There are several church organizations in the township, a complete history of which appears in the Ecclesiastical chapter.
ORGANIZATION.
At the election held at the house of Thomas F. Flowers, Tuesday, April 7, 1857, for the purpose of organizing the township in accordance with an act of the legislature, the following persons were elected to fill the several officers of the township: David J. Duncan, super- visor; Joshua Larkins, assessor; Fred- erick Cruser, collector and clerk; W. S. D. Campbell and John O. Wilson, jus- tices; Jesse B. Pearce, overseer of the poor; Harrison Hamilton, S. Painter, and William W. Stewart, commissioner of highways; Samuel Painter and John J. Buxton, constables; Jesse B. Pearce and Solomon Snooks, pound-masters. The township was divided into six road districts, with the following overseers: Joshua Larkins, Samuel Painter, Lewis Shafer, John McSpirit, Thomas F.
Flowers, John Hogue. There was also $100 raised for town expenses, and $100 for building bridges and repairing roads. The officers for 1884 were: E. W. Fox, clerk; Jacob Detrick, assessor; John Bauman, collector; Simon Rutledge, commissioner of highways; Henry Mar- iner, school trustee; Samuel Burtis, con- stable.
HISTORICAL.
In 1837, while justice of the peace, Gilmer Walker held court under a large elm tree, which stood on his farm. The tree has since been cut down.
The first religious services were held at the house of Gilmer Walker in 1836, by Rev. William Frazier, a Presbyter- ian minister.
The pioneer marriage of the township, was Rev. Harrison Berry, a Cumber- land Presbyterian preacher, and Mary M. Walker, a daughter of Alexander and Margaret (Frost) Walker. They were united in marriage at the residence of her parents, on section 16, February 15, 1838, by Rev. Cyrus Haines, a Cum- berland Presbyterian minister who had been preaching in the county for some time. The groom is now living in Kan- sas. The bride died in Industry town- ship, November 22, 1844.
The first school was taught by Walker Findley, in 1838, in a log cabin on sec- tion 16, near what is known as the Deer park, on the land now owned by Frank- lin Smith. The cabin was built by Robert Perry, a settler of 1837, who came from Knox county, Tennessee. Among the scholars of that school were: David Hogshett, Robert Pollock, Mary and Margaret Walker, and Margaret and David Campbell.
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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.
The first prairie was broken by Sidney Geer in 1835. Gilmer and Quintus Walker did some breaking in 1836.
Sidney Geer planted the first corn in the spring of 1835, but did not gather any that year, as the wild hogs destroyed the crop.
Gilmer and Quintus Walker sowed the first wheat in the spring of 1837. They sowed a small amount for family use only.
The first death in the township was that of Martha, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Gilmer Walker. She died in the fall of 1837 and is buried in the Pearce ceme- tery, near the northwest quarter of sec- tion 26, and was the first one interred there.
The next death in the township was that of Frederick Dague, who had come from Virginia and had worked for Gil- mer Walker, and who had just erected a house for himself, when his death occur- red, in 1839. He was also buried in the Pearce cemetery.
The third death was that of Mrs. Eph- raim Banning, whose death occurred shortly after Dague's. She was also buried in the Pearce cemetery.
The first frame house was built by Gil- mer Walker on section 34, in the fall of 1835. It was a small one-story affair.
Alexander Campbell was the first jus- tice of the peace, and Dr. D. J. Dungan was the first supervisor.
The first cabin was erected by Isaac Bartlett, on section 34, in the fall of 1830. He was also the first settler in the town- ship.
WALNUT GROVE.
The town was laid out by William J. Edie, county surveyor, under the direc-
tion of D. B. Keith, in 1870. It is located on the southeast quarter of section 1, on the line of the St. Louis division of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad, the plat covering about three acres. The surrounding country is thickly settled and well improved, affording a lucrative business for the few enterprises here. There are two grain elevators, one feed mill, one general store, two blacksmith shops, postoffice, station, a town hall and five dwelling houses in the plat.
The iron for the railroad was laid into what is now the station of Walnut Grove, in August, 1869, and depot grounds laid out, but no building was erected until later in the fall.
The first store at Walnut Grove sta- tion was erected by S. P. King, in the fall of 1870, who put in a general stock of merchandise. He afterward disposed of the business to Henry Livingston, who has been succeeded by Dr. Cowgill, and S. A. Hendee, of Bushnell. The latter gentleman removed the stock to the building now occupied by G. F. Fair- man.
POSTOFFICE.
A postoffice was established a number of years ago. The succession of post- masters are as follows: S. P. King, H. Livingston, H. M. Harrington, J. W. Darneille, D. B. Keith and G. H. Fair- man.
ELEVATORS.
The Burtis elevator was constructed in 1877, having been torn down and removed from Neponset to this place, and rebuilt by Hendee & Dole, of Bushnell. The main building, or elevator proper, is 30x50 feet in ground area. Besides this, there is a horse power room 16x20 feet
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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.
in size. Lewis Russell was the first to operate the elevator for the firm, and was succeeded in 1878, by Harry Benson. It was afterward managed by Robert Rus- sell, Joseph Sanders, Samuel M. Burtis, James Garretson and Philip Fairman. August 4, 1884, Samuel M. Burtis pur- chased the interest of Mr. Heudee, and the exclusive ownership of all fixtures, scales, horse power, etc., while Mr. Dole retains an interest in the elevator proper, and under this management the business of the elevator is now carried on. It has a capacity of about 15,000 bushels, be- sides an additional ware room.
The elevator owned by George W. Mc- Mahill, was erected by that gentleman in the fall of 1882, and is 24x30 feet in ground area, with a horse power room 20x20 feet in size. There is also a drive- way 12 feet in width, with a dump at- tachment, and a wind mill, Eclipse pat- tern and Beloit construction, for the grind- . ing of feed. The mill has a 20-foot wheel and is 70 feet in height. Mr. Mc- Mahill and Simon Raymond run the ele- vator for about one month, when Samuel M. Burtis took Mr. Raymond's place in the firm and it continued under this man- agement about one year. At the expira- tion of that time Mr. Burtis leased the entire concern and operated it until March, 1885, since which time it has been idle. The elevator has a capacity of about 10,000 bushels of grain.
SOCIETY.
Grange No. 119, Patrons of Husbandry, was organized by dispensation October 6, 1873. The date of the charter, which was granted, is October 6, of that year.
SCOTTSBURG.
This place is situated on the T. P. & W. railroad, on section 35. No regular survey has ever been made or plat re- corded, and no effort ever put forth to make the place one of · special import- ance, as it is but four and a half miles east of the town of Good Hope and about an equal distance west of Bushnell. Large quantities of fire clay are hauled here from various clay banks for ship- ment to Peoria and elsewhere. There is also considerable grain shipped from this place.
Scottsburg station was opened Novem- ber 22, 1870, with Thomas Burley as . agent. He has been succeeded by J. R. Smith, R. E. Harris and A. C. Ford, the present incumbent, who took charge of the office July 5, 1871.
A. C. Ford, son of John and Grace (Smith) Ford, is a native of Otsego county, New York, born May 2, 1843. He was there reared until he attained his 17th year, when he removed to Susque- hanna county, Pennsylvania, where he followed farming some six or seven months. He then returned to New York, going to Windsor, Broome county, where he enlisted in company G., 89th New York infantry, in October, 1861, being in the 9th army corps, under Burn- sides. He took part in the engagements of Hatteras and Roanoke islands, and Washington court house, when he was stricken with the typhoid fever and sent to the hospital. On leaving the hospital he went to Newport News and up the James river to reinforce McClellan, go- ing as far as White House Landing, where the rebels were found to be re-
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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.
treating. He afterward participated in several engagements, among which were Fredericksburg and South Mountain, af- ter which he went to David's Island, New York, where he received his dis- charge. After returning from the army he spent two or three years at Iowa City, Iowa, and after a residence of two or three years in New York, came to this county, where he has since resided. Mr. Ford was married July 9, 1867, to Esther J. Darwin, daughter of A. F. and Har- riet Darwin, and a native of Cortland county, New York. Four children have been born to them-Anna Grace, De Witt Kay, Albert W. and Alva L. Mr. Ford is a member of the A. O. U. W. frater- nity, at Good Hope, and at present is the inside watchman of the lodge, and is also a member of the I. O. O. F. order. He has 86 acres of land in this county, and owns 1,280 acres in Weld county, Colo- rado.
POSTOFFICE.
The postoffice at Scottsburg was estab- lished in 1872, and G. C. Pierce appointed postmaster.
ELEVATOR.
In July, 1882, an elevator was erected by J. Cole & Co., of Bushnell, the firm being composed of J. Cole and A. C. Ford. The building is 26x64 feet in ground area, 50 feet to the comb of the roof, and has a capacity of 15,000 bushels. They also have side track facilities, Fair- banks scales, and operate what is termed a dump elevator. They buy mostly corn, rye and oats, their principal ship- ping points being eastern markets and the city of Peoria. They ship on an ave- rage about 200 car loads per year.
REMINISCENCE.
The following material is furnished by Quintus Walker. That which appears elsewhere is omitted here. It is mostly in his own language:
The first winter spent by Quintus Walker and his family in Illinois was that of the deep snow. After undergoing many experiences, they finally arrived in McDonough county, locating at what was then called Roger's settlement, which was in the northwest corner of Industry, and the southwest of Scotland townships. On the night of the 26th of September, there came a freeze, which killed every green thing, and in a few days the prai- rie took fire and burned off, and for that reason, they had to feed the stock much sooner than they had expected; there- fore the hay, of which they supposed they had cut enough, ran out, the corn was frost bitten, and but little in the set- tlement. An older brother, Andrew Walker, went back to Sangamon county, to get a wagon load of provisions, but it snowed, and turned so cold, so that he could not take a load back. So becoming uneasy about the family, he took a pack horse and what provision he could take, and started back .. In crossing the river, he got about the middle of the stream on the ice, when it began to crack, as if it would break. He left his horse and ran for the bank; but upon reaching it, and looking back, he saw the horse still standing where he left it; he then went back and got the horse and got home safely and found the family almost out of provisions. It was a very cold and stormy fall and winter. It snowed three times in October, and was so cold and stormy that they could not get back to
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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.
Sangamon county for provisions. Com- ing from the south, as most of the set- tlers did, their clothes were not as warm as they should have been for this climate, being mostly cotton, and instead of boots every one wore shoes. Thus, they were not in condition to go across the prairie to get relief. There were no provisions to be bought in the settlement, and they became reduced to such straits that they had nothing to live on except bread, and that was made from frost bitten corn, grated into meal, and when made into bread, was black, and scarcely fit to eat. The deep snow of the winter before, and the Indians, had driven the wild game almost all out of the county. They were out of hay, which was all the stock had to eat, there being none to be bought, but they each were willing to divide with the other, so Quintus and Andrew Walker made a hand sled and hauled hay half a mile from a neigh- bor's, for the stock. Then, with all the care they could give them, five of the cows which they were expecting to give milk, got so weak that when they would lie down, they could not get up, and it got so that when any of the neighbors saw Quintus coming, they would say, "there is another cow down," and as soon as the grass began to grow in the sloughs, enough so he could get a hatful, Quintus would go daily and pick grass for the cows, they being too weak to go themselves. It was a very backward, cold spring, and their horses were so weak that they had to wait until grass came, before they could do any work. It was the 10th of May before the teams were fit to do anything, then it was so cold that the men would work with their
overcoats and mittens on. There was no seed corn here, so they had to wait until corn was brought from the south, to Beardstown, and had to go there for
it. When the weather became warm enough, a great many of the settlers were so discouraged that they went back south. The houses were built of round logs, notched at the ends, and then chinked and stopped up with mud; the floor was of split timber, or puncheon, and the roof was covered with clap- boards, which were split out of logs. They were eight or ten inches wide, and three feet long, and laid on and weighted down with poles. There was no stone or brick used, and the fireplace was made of earth, and the chimney of wood, built up and daubed with mud, both inside and outside. The whole house, windows, doors and all, were built without a nail being used. Every time it would snow, it would sift in all over everything. It was no unusual thing to wake up in the morning and find an inch of snow on the bed and over the floor, and have to sweep it out of the house. I would say that for the first 25 years after we came to the country, it was hard on the women and oxen, and the next 25 years was very hard on the men and horses. It was hard on the women, because they worked out in the fields, and made all the wear- ing apparel for the family; it was hard on the oxen, because the breaking of the prairie and all the work was done with them. They were even used in traveling about the country, going to church, etc. It is now hard on the men and horses, because the farm work is all done with horses instead of oxen.
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HISTORY OF MCDONOUGH COUNTY.
It might be interesting to the younger persons of to-day to know something of how we broke the prairie. We never considered it a good team unless we had from four to six yoke of oxen hitched to the plow, which would have to be turned out at night to get something to eat. They would fre- quently go to the bush and hide. I have many times searched for them for half a day before finding them. The tall grass would be wet with dew, and I would be as wet as I could be. The team generally consisted of two yoke of well-broke oxen, and the others of raw steers, and it was a great deal of trouble to get them yoked, and I would have to get them in a lot to do so. The time for break- ing was in the months of May and June. If broke earlier than that, it would grow up again; if later, it would not rot by the next spring. Oxen were used for every- thing. Some had no horses at all, and had to put in and tend all their crops with oxen. In those days we had no threshing machines. The first load of wheat I sold, I cleaned off a circle on the ground, put my wheat on it, and then chained three yoke of oxen together, and, standing in the middle of the circle, drove the oxen around until the grain was tramped out. I then cleaned it with the wind, and hauled it to Rush- ville, and it sold for 30 cents per bushel.
The land through here was all used in payment to soldiers for their services in the war of 1812. A good many of them were dead, and the others sup- posed that it was not worth much. The settlers coming, not knowing who was the owner of the land, would squat on it, hoping to find the owner when they be-
come able to buy it. It was necessary that they should have timber, and not knowing who the owner of any of the timber was, they got wood where it was the handiest. It was not considered stealing, because the settlement of the country made the timber land more valuable than hitherto. I remember an instance in my own experience. In 1837, I was getting timber north of where I lived, when the owner, who had come on to see about his land, came over to where I was. He wanted to sell the land to me. I told him I was not able to buy, and he then wanted me to sell it for him, and keep the settlers from cutting the timber on it. I told him I could not do that, for all of us had to have fuel. He then told me not to cut any more off of his land. I told him it was the handiest for me, and that we had to have wood, and that his land would be worth more if the country was settled up, even if his tim- ber was all cut off. He then said, "Don't cut any more than you can help," and went away in perfect good humor He offered me the land for less than the congress price. The same land sold a short time ago for nearly $3,000.
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