USA > Illinois > McDonough County > History of McDonough county, Illinois, its cities, towns and villages with early reminiscences, personal incidents and anecdotes and a complete business directory of the county > Part 2
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12
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XXXV.
RELIGIOUS.
Influence of Christianity-The Improvements That Follow the Teachings of the Bible- First Preaching in the County-Elder Logan-His Labors as a Preacher-Sketelies .- Regular Baptists-Antioch .- Christian-Blandinsville-Macomb-Bedford-New Salem- Bushnell-Colchester-Sciota-New Bedford .- Methodist Episcopal-Macomb-Tennes- see-Friendship-I'dnuington's Point-Bardolph -. Sticklcs -- Blandinsville -- Rock Creek- Maple Grove-Mound Chapel-Pleasant Grove -- Liberty-Prairie City-Industry-Col- chester-Mound-Linn Grove-Willow Grove-New Hope-Centennial -Greenwood- Adair-Second Church, Macemb
527-550
CHAPTER XXXVI.
RELIGIOUS CONTINUED.
Presbyterian -- Macomb-Camp Creek-Shiloh -- Prairie City-Doddsville -- Bushnell-Good Hope-Ebenezer -- Cumberland Presbyterian-Bersheba-Sugar Creek -- Good Hope-In- dustry-West Prairie-Congregationat-Prairie City-Macomb-Baptist-Hillsborough- Macomb- Prairie City-Independent- Cedar Creek- Tennessee- Bushnell-Seiota- Blandinsville-Second Church, Macomb-Universalist-Macomb-Reformed-Bushnell- Free Will Baptist-Prairie City-Maple Hill-Catholic-Tennessee-Macomb-Christian- Industry-German Baptist-Bushnell Arm of the Church-United Brethren in Christ- Elm Grove-Willow Grove-New Philadelphia-Jerusalem Chapel-Blandinsville- Pleasant Gale-Center Chapel-Evangelical Lutheran-Macomb-Salem-Statistics. ....... 531 -- 583
CHAPTER XXXVII.
REMINISCENCES.
Recollections of John Wilson-Salem Woods' Reminiscences-Silas J. Creel's-Robert Dark's -Martha Russell's-James Jarvis'-J. W. Brattle's-Martitia F. Harris'-Sailing on the
584-593 Prairie
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
PIONEERS.
Old Settlers' Association -- Constitution -- List of Pioneers.
.591-501
CHAPTER XXXIX.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Streams of the County-Crooked Creek-Camp Creek-Grindstone Creek-Troublesome Creek Spring Creek-Other Streams-Matrimonial Statistics-Remarks-Table of Distances- Pauperism-Number Admitted to the Alms House-Nativity-Other Facts .... 602-605
CHAPTER XL.
MACOMB.
Retrospective -- Organization of the County-Selection of Site for County Seat-Washington- Act Locating County Seat-McComb vs. Macomb-County Scat to be Permanent-Sale of Lots-Increase in Population-First Store-The Tavern-First Plat of the Town-Un- satisfactory-New One-Keaton's Survey-Brattle's Survey-Court Week-Effect of the Ardent-Circus Shows-Town Organization-First School House-First Brick Store- First Church-Cholera Epidemic-Incorporated as a City-First Board of Aldermen- City's Credit-City's Indebtedness-Improvements-Few Fires-No Tramps Allowed- Improvements Needed-Sanitary Condition-Thirty Miles of Streets-Expenses of the City-Assessments-Railroad-Public Buildings-Opera House-School Houses -- Merean- tile Trade-Manufactures-Public Schools-Graded System-Churches-Value-Mem- bership-Description of School Buildings-List of Town Officers-List of City Officers- " A Side Glance at Macomb "-City Made a Supervisor's Distriet-List of Supervisors- Items from City Directory-Business Notices-Classified Business Directory .606~636
13
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XLI.
BLANDINSVILLE.
Location-Name-" Job's Settlement"-Additions-First Dwelling-First Store Building- Mercantile Trade-Merchants-Schools-Growth-Seenring the T., P. & W. R. R .- Its Effeets-Amount of Trade-Churches-Summary of Business Firms-Business Direc- tory
637-641
CHAPTER XLII.
INDUSTRY-DODDSVILLE-MIDDLETOWN.
Proposition to J. M. Price-Shop Erected-First Post Office-Price's Recollection-First Store-First Physician-First Survey-Name and Nickname-Growth-Organization as a Town-First Town Board-Organization as a Village-Its Character -- Schools-Churches -- Manufactories-Distance from Railroad-Trustees-Summary of Business Firms-Busi- ness Directory-Doddsville-Town Laid Out-Location-Directory-Middletown. ..... 6-12-6-16
CHAPTER XLIII.
PRAIRIE CITY.
Situation-When Laid Out-First Store-First Building-First Preacher-Size of the Original Town-Distance from Macomb and Chicago-First School Building-Barnes" and Par- ker's Addition-Incorporated as a Town-Officers Elected-Newspaper-Growth of the Town-Prairie City Academy-Schools-Churches-Petition to the Town Board-Ceme- teries-Village Organization-First Board-First Resolution-List of Town Officers -- Prai- rie City Chroniele-Amount of Business Transacted-Business Notices -- Business Direc- tory
647-655
CHAPTER XLIV.
BUSHNELL.
Location-Survey-First Sale of Lots-Town Named-Wolf Pole-Trackless Prairie-Ilen- driekson Lost-Found-First Store Building-First Stock of Goods-First Dwellings --- First Hotel -- Prosperity of the Town-Liberality of the Original Proprietors-Failures- New Rallroad-Manufactories-Improvements-New School Building-Summary of Business Firms-Amount of Business-Public Library-Organization as a City -- Election, Officers Elected -List of Officers-Classified Business Directory 656-667
CHAPTER XLV.
BARDOLPH.
Town Laid Out-Location-Name-First Dwelling-First Store -- Growth of the place-Price of Lots-First School House-Incorporated as a Town-Trustees-Incorporated as a Vil- lage-Cause for the Change-Trustees -- Temperance Town-School-Cemetery-Ship- ments to and from the Town -- Business Notices-Business Directory .. GGS-676
CHAPTER XLVI.
COLCHESTER-TENNESSEE-HILL'S GROVE AND COLMAR.
Colchester-Land Surveyed-Name-First House-First Stoek of Groceries-Hotel-First Stock of Dry Goods-Additions-Prosperity of the Place-Incorporated as a Town- The Natural Advantages of Colchester-Coal Interests -- Roberts' Mines-Quiney Coal Company-Colchester Coal Company-Their Immense Business-Shipments and Re- ceipts-Schools-Churches-License Question-List of Town Officers-Mercantile Trade -Business Notlees-Business Directory-Tennessee-Town Laid Out-Location-Size of Lots-Value-Incorporated as a Town-Names of Members of the Various Boards of Trustees-Clerks-Churches-Schools-Calaboose-Shipments and Receipts by Rail- Business Directory-Hill's Grove-Laid Out-Location-Surrounding Country-Business Directory-Colmar-Location-Size of Plat-Growth of the Place-Shipment and Re- cripts by Railroad-Business Directory. 6:7-686
14
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XLVII.
SCIOTA-GOOD HOPE- ADAIR-NEW PHILADELPHIA-WALNUT GROVE AND SCOTTSBURG. Sciota-First Name- Location-Surrounding Country-Additions-First Stone Building- First Store-Incorporated-Trustees-First Sermon-First School-Churches-Prosperity of the Town-Great Grain Market-Mercantile Trade-Business Notices-Shipments by Railroad-Business Directory-Good Ilope-Rivalry Between Towns-Town of Sher- idan-Town of Milan-Post Office of Good Hope-Town named Good Hope-First Store-First Dwelling-Old Post Office -- Incorporated as a Town-Incorporated as a Vil- lage-Trustees-Prosperity-General Character of the Town-First Sermon-Schools- Churches-Amount Shipped by Railroad-Business Notices-Business Directory-Adair -Laid Out-Location-Amount of Stock and Grain Shipped-First Business House- Population-Business Directory-New Philadelphia-Location-Old Plat-New Survey - Name-Directory-Walnut Grove-Location-Business Directory-Scottsburg-Location- Shipment of Fire Clay
687-692
MCDONOUGH COUNTY COURT HOUSE.
$18
CHAPTER I.
EARLY SETTLEMENT-ORGANIZATION.
The first settlement of MeDonough county of which we have record was in the spring of 1826. Previous to this time the county was in a state of unbroken wildness, the home of red men, who roamed at will over its broad prairies, engaged in occupations peculiar to their race. No one, save the old settler, or one who has visited the far West, can fully realize the beauty of the coun- try at that time. Dividing the county centrally north and south, we had upon the east a broad prairie extending as far as the eye could reach, the tall grass gently undulating like the waves of the sea, while upon the west the giant oak, the stately elm, and the useful hickory seemingly pierced the very heavens, and stood as faithful sentinels over their entire surroundings. No fallen tim- ber or undergrowth of any kind obstructed the passage, the annual prairie fire making a clean path for all. A prairie on fire ! Have you ever witnessed one? The sight is a magnificent one indeed. A correspondent of the Philadelphia Enquirer, on a visit to this State in 1837, while traveling up the Mississippi, described in glow- ing terms the scenery on that grand old stream, and thus graphic- ally sketched a prairie on fire :
" Whilst enjoying the sublimity of the scene, night threw her mantle o'er the earth, and the sentinel stars set their watch in the skies, when suddenly the scene was lighted by a blaze of light illuminating every object around. It was the prairie on fire. Lan- guage cannot convey, words cannot express to you the faintest idea of the grandeur and splendor of that mighty conflagration. Me- thought that the pale Queen of Night, disclaiming to take her ac- customed place in the heavens, had dispatched ten thousand messengers to light their torches at the altar of the setting sun, and that now they were speeding on the wings of the wind to their
H-2
18
HISTORY OF M'DONOUGH COUNTY.
appointed stations. As I gazed on that mighty conflagration my thoughts recurred to you, immured in the walls of a city, and I exclaimed in the fullness of my heart :
'O fly to the prairie in wonder, and gaze, As o'er the grass sweeps the magnificent blaze : The world cannot boast so romantic a sight, A continent flaming, 'mid oceans of light.'"'
How changed the scene now ! The timber, in many places, has been cleared away, and beautiful farms appear in its stead. The broad prairies have been shorn of their native beauty, and the hand of man has endeavored to excel in their decoration. The iron horse now courses over the prairie and through the timber where once only the trail of the red man was known. Villages, towns and cities appear where the wigwam was once seen. All this change has taken place in fifty years. What will the next fifty years bring forth ? Who can tell ?
On the admission of the State into the Union, what is now known as McDonough county was a part of Madison. Afterward, by an act of the Legislature, approved June 30, 1821, it was placed with- in the boundaries of Pike, and by a subsequent act, approved Feb- ruary 10, 1826, its present boundaries were determined, and it was attached to Schuyler county for judicial and recording purposes. As before remarked, the county is about equally divided between timber and prairie, the eastern tier of townships being mainly prairie, while the western is chiefly timber. When we shall come to the descriptions of townships, we shall notice this matter more at length, giving the exact proportions of each. The county is bounded on the north by Henderson and Warren, on the south by Schuyler, on the east by Fulton, and on the west by Hancock.
To William Carter and *Riggs Pennington belong the honor of the first settlement, about one mile southeast of the present town of Industry, in the south part of the county. The settlement was named in honor of Mr. Carter, who resided in the neighborhood for several years, when he removed to the State of Missouri. Mr. Pennington, shortly afterward, removed also. He was the first Justice of the Peace residing in the county.
It is not known if any others settled in the county that year, but in the following year (1827) William Job and brother, John Vance, and others, settled near where the town of Blandinsville is now lo cated, the neighborhood taking the name, and being known for many
*Riggs Pennington left the county at a very early day, removing to Knox county, in this State, from which place he emigrated to Texas in the spring of 1837, and where he died some years since.
19
HISTORY OF M'DONOUGH COUNTY.
years afterwards as " Job's settlement." William Pennington, in 1828, located in the neighborhood now known as "Pennington's Point," in the southwest corner of New Salem township, where he remained about three years, removing to Spring Creek, in the north part of the county. Elias MeFadden, also, at this time set- tled near the present city of Macomb, living on the farm now owned by William Hunter, about one mile south of the city. John Baker came out in the fall of this year, or in the spring of '29, and built the first house on the site of the present city of Macomb. Mr. Baker was a minister of the Regular Baptist Church, but gave little time to his calling, engaging almost exclusively in secular pursuits. He was appointed the first Clerk pro tem. of the County Commissioners' Court on the organization of the county, which position he retained only a few months. He held membership -in the New Hope Baptist Church, in Job's settlement, from which he was expelled for unchristian conduct. He left the county about the year 1835, going to Missouri, and from thence to Texas. In the latter place he again felt a longing desire to become useful in the cause of Christ, and friends there, knowing his talents, desired him to resume the work of the ministry. This he was too con- scientious to do until first restored by the church from which he had been excluded ; so, in the year 1840, he returned to the county, riding eight hundred mile's of the distance on horseback, that he might again meet with the New Hope Church, make confession, and be restored to its fellowship. The church joyfully received him, and he was again commissioned to go forth bearing "glad tidings." Returning to Texas, he was occasionally heard from for several years later, and always with good report. Whether now living or dead, we know not.
In 1830, James Clarke, David Clarke, William Pringle, Resin Nay- lor, and a few others, settled in the neighborhood of Macomb. At this time Indians were still frequent visitors to the cabins of the white man. It was in the fall of 1830 that a large number of the tribe of Fox or Sac Indians encamped on the creek just west of Macomb for the purpose of engaging in their annual fall hunt, when a few of the brave settlers went out and ordered them away, and in order to hasten their departure, caught a few of them, and while some of their number kept guard, Resin Naylor, with a hickory withe, gave them thirty and nine lashes upon their bare backs. In doing this the settlers ran a great risk, for the In- dians were well armed, while the whites had only a few old flint-
20
HISTORY OF M'DONOUGH COUNTY.
lock muskets, the most of which were too rusty to be of any service. Luckily no resistance was made, and the Indians hastily left.
As showing how destructive of game the Indians were, it is re- lated that in the fall of 1829 one solitary Indian killed one hundred and sixty-nine deer in the region known as Wilson's Mill, about four miles southwest of Macomb; and, strange to relate, the last one he shot was the means of his own death. After shooting the deer, and seeing it lie motionless upon the ground, he went for- ward for the purpose of securing his prize, when it arose and ran him through the breast with its antlers. He was afterward dis- covered by others of his tribe, who gave him burial on the spot where he fell, placing within his grave his gun, tomahawk, knife, and other implements. The mound erected over his grave was still visible a few years ago, but about the year 1832 some vandal opened the grave and stole therefrom the buried arms.
In this same year (1830) Roswell Tyrrell, David Fees, John Gib- son, and others, settled in the western part of the county, in what is now known as Lamoine, Tennessee, and Bethel townships. They were followed shortly afterward by the Marks, Edmondsons, Dunsworths, Archers, and others, all the various settlements re- ceiving reinforcements. It was now thought there was a sufficient number of inhabitants to justify an organization of the county ; ac- cordingly, on the fourteenth day of June, 1830, a petition was pre- sented to the Hon. Richard M. Young, Judge of the Fifth Judicial District, then holding court at Rushville, Schuyler county, signed by a majority of the legal voters of the county, setting forth that MeDonough county had the number of inhabitants required by an act of the Legislature for the organization of counties, and upon the said day his honor issued the following order :
STATE OF ILLINOIS, 2- Sct. MCDONOUGH COUNTY,
To the People of the State of Illinois, to all who shall see these presents, greeting :
WHEREAS, By the said ninth and eleventh sections of the act entitled " An act forming new counties out of the counties of Pike and Fulton, and the attached parts thereof," ap- proved Jannary 13, 1825, it is made the duty of the Presiding Judge of the Fifth Judi- cial Circuit of the State of Illinois, whenever it shall be made to appear to his satisfaction that either of the counties of Hancock, Warren, Mercer, Henry, Putnam or Knox con- tains three hundred and fifty inhabitants, to proceed to organize the same, and to grant an order for the election of county officers preparatory thereto ; and
WHEREAS, By virtue of an act entitled " An act supplementary to an act entitled ' An act forming new counties out of the counties of Pike and Fulton, and the attached parts thereof.'" approved January 25, 1826, a new county was created, to be called the county
21
HISTORY OF M'DONOUGH COUNTY.
of McDonough, with the express provision therein contained that the inhabitants of the said county of McDonough should enjoy and possess all the rights and privileges granted to the inhabitants of the several counties created by the first recited act, and to which the said last mentioned act is a supplement ; and
WHEREAS, It has been made to appear to my satisfaction that the said county of Mc- Donough contains three hundred and fifty inhabitants and upwards, and inasmuch as the greater part of qualified voters of said county have requested, by petition, that the same should be organized with as little delay as possible, I do therefore, in pursuance of the power invested in me by virtue of the provisions contained in the above recited acts. order and direct that an election in and for the said county of McDonough. at the house of Elias McFadden. in said county. on Saturday. the third day of July next, for the election of three County Commissioners, one Sheriff. and one Coroner, to serve, when elected and qualified, in and for the said county of McDonough, respectively, until they shall be superseded by the persons who may be elected at the general election. to be held on the first Monday in August next ensuing the date hereof ; and for the purpose of having this order carried into execution, I do hereby appoint Ephraim Perkins, William McDonald and John Rogers. Esquires, of said county. judges of said election, whose duty it shall be to set up written or printed advertisements or notices of said election in at least six of the most public places in said county, inclusive of the place at which the said election is hereby directed to be held. having due regard to the situation and population of the dif- fent settlements, at least ten days immediately preceding the said election. to the end that all persons concerned may have timely notice thereof, the election to be riva roce. be- tween the hours of 10 o'clock in the morning and 7 o'clock in the afternoon of said day, and conducted in all respects. as near as may be practicable. in conformity with the act entitled " An act regulating elections." approved January 10. 1829 : and, lastly, the said judges are to certify the result of the said election to the office of the Secretary of State as soon thereafter as may be convenient. in order that the persons who may be elected and entitled to commissions may be commissioned and qualify with as little delay as possible, and after the said election of the said county officers shall have taken place in pursuance of this order. I do hereby declare the said county of McDonough to be organ- ized and entitled to the same rights and privileges as the other counties in this State.
Given under my hand and seal, at Rushville. this fourteenth day of June, A. D. 1830, and of the independence of the United States the fifty-fourth.
RICHARD M. YOUNG, Circuit Judge of the Fifth Judicial Circuit of the State of Illinois.
Pursuant to this order, the election was held, and James Vanee, James Clarke, and John Hardesty were elected County Commis- sioners, and William Southward, Sheriff, and Peter Hale, Coroner. On the same day the election was held the County Commissioners met and began the official business of the county. Their first order affirmed that the order of Judge Young had been fully carried out, and that the County Commissioners were duly elected. Their second order appointed Michael Stinson, Clerk pro tem., and their third order located the seat of justice at the house of JJohn Ba- ker, on the southwest quarter of section 31, in township Gnorth, and 2 west, which is now known as Macomb township, and that " the same be known as the town of Washington for the present." The Commissioners then appointed Ephraim Perkins, William MeDon-
22
HISTORY OF M'DONOUGH COUNTY.
ald, and George Dowell, judges of election, to be held at Wash- ington on the first Monday in August. Their fifth order adjourned the court until the fifth of July, at the residence of James Clarke.
On the fifth of July the Commissioners met pursuant to adjourn- ment at the residence of James Clarke, and proceeded to divide the county into three Magistrate's Districts, and provide for the election of Justices of the Peace and Constables in each. The districts were made eight miles wide, running east and west the entire length of the county, and were called First, Second and Third Magistrate's Districts, the first being on the south, the sec- ond the middle, and the third the northern portion of the county. An election was called for the First District at the house of James Vance on the first Saturday in August following (1830) for two Justices of the Peace and two Constables. George Dowell, Wil- liam S. Moore, and William Garrett were appointed judges of elec- tion. In the Second District, at the same time, an election was held at the house of John Baker for four Justices of the Peace and four Constables. Elias McFadden, Peter Hale, and David Troxwell were appointed judges of election. In the Third District, at the same time, at the residence of John Vance, two Justices of the Peace and two Constables were elected. William Deakins, John Wyatt, and Isaac Bartlett were appointed judges of election.
At this general election James Vance, John Hardesty, and James Clarke were re-elected County Commissioners; William Southward, Sheriff ; Peter Hale, Coroner, and Jesse Bartlett, Sur- veyor. The house of John Baker, at which the election was held, was simply a hut built of poles, scarcely large enough to deserve the name of logs. This house was used as a tavern, the Clerk's office, and Court House, until the erection of the old log Court House, in 1831.
At the special election, held August 7, in the several Magistrate's Districts, James Vance, Sr., and John Billew were elected Justices of the Peace, and James Lee and James B. Tomberlin, Constables in and for the First District. In the Second District were elected James Clarke, William McDonald, Robert Cook and Samuel Bogart, Justices of the Peace, and John Wilson, Oliver C. Rice, Thomas J. Pennington, and John Harris, Constables. In the Third Dis- trict Ephraim Perkins and Caswell Russell were elected Justices of the Peace, and Francis Reading and Jacob Coffman, Constables.
The third meeting of the first regular term of the County Com- missioners' Court was held on the first Monday in September,
23
HISTORY OF M'DONOUGH COUNTY.
1830, when the Commissioners proceeded to the selection of a grand and petit jury for the October term of the Circuit Court, being the first term. For grand jurymen the following names were selected : William Osborne, Joseph Osborne, William Garrett, Roland Lee, George Grace, William Hendry, William Stephens, Elias McFad- den, John Barber, David Troxwell, Peter Hale, Nathan A. Mc- Fadden, John Carmack, John Wyatt, Sr., John Woodsides, William Deakins, Wright Riggins, Elijah Bristow, Caswell Russell, Abra-
ham Gassett, and John Vance. For petit jurymen were selected Charles Shannon, William Shannon, John Wilson, James Vance, Jr., John Bridges, Thomas Bridges, Thomas Phillips, Nimrod Smith, Eli Osborne, Nicholas Campbell, John Massingill, Ephraim Mitchell, Enoch Cyrus, Nathan Bartlett, Russell Duncan, Reuben Harris, Jr., Ephraim Perkins, George Shell, William Job, Nathan Hume, Noble Owsly, and Larkin Osborne.
It required about two-thirds of all the legal voters in the county to constitute this grand and petit jury.
At this meeting John Baker was appointed Clerk pro tem., in place of M, L. Stinson, resigned ; James Vance, Sr., was appointed Commissioner of School Lands; Isaac Bartlett, County Surveyor, and John Huston, County Treasurer. The bond of the latter was fixed at $800, showing that it was not expected he would ever be entrusted with a large amount of money.
On the seventeenth day of October, 1830, the first term of the Circuit Court was held. There were present, in attendance on the Court, Hon. Richard M. Young, Circuit Judge; John Baker, Clerk, pro tem .; William Southward, Sheriff. In the absence of Thomas Ford, State's Attorney, James M. Strode was appointed pro tem. This term lasted but one day, and was held at the house of John Baker, In the town of Washington, the temporary county seat of MeDonough county. But little business was transacted, the grand and petit juries both being dismissed without performing any duties. The order of Judge Young calling an election for the or- ganization of the county was ordered spread upon the records of the court, as well as an order in relation to the time of holding court. The bonds of Isaac Bartlett, Coroner, and William South- ward, Sheriff, were approved.
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