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 59
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The story of the "Lost Child," which was published in Clarke's Monthly, in January, 1876, I well remember, as well as the dread- ful murder of John Wilson, which occurred in 1834.
I was born in New Castle, Henry connty, Kentucky, September 19, 1824, and was married to Merritt A. Russell.
James Jarvis's Reminiscences .- To illustrate the difficulty the pioneers had in having their grain ground, I will relate an incident which occurred at an early day. There were no flouring mills running in our county, and we were compelled to go to Spoon River, Rushville, Vermont, and other places for that purpose. William Lawyer, David Jenkins and myself took our grain to the
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HISTORY OF M'DONOUGH COUNTY.
mill at Vermont. On driving up I asked the miller, "What chance have we for our grinding?" He replied, "We can do it in about three weeks." "Do you think you can do it that soon?" "Yes, if the mill don't break, I think we can." "Can we unload our grain, so as to feed?" "Well, you had better put it all in one wagon and feed in the other." "Can we drive in the lot for that purpose?" "I think you had better drive off a little ways." "Don't you think we had better go to Beardstown or Rushville?" "You can do just as you please so far as I am concerned," and he turned his back on us and returned to his work; as independent as you please. But we were not to be bluffed off, and thought, if possible to have our grain ground in less than three weeks, so when night come, instead of going to bed, we concluded to run the mill ourselves, which we did, and had our grist all ground before two o'clock A. M. On driving off in the morning with our flour the men who had been waiting many days for their grist were quite indignant to see how we had got ahead of them, but, then, we were all right aud went home happy.
J. W. Brattte's Reminiscence .- In the summer of 1832, Thomas Adkisson, and John Gibson, from Morgan county, called on me to go out to Walnut Grove, to survey a new settlement which they designed to locate. We went out and surveyed the whole region of country, spending five days and camping out during the whole time. The men were greatly discouraged at the prospect, think- ing there was not enough timber in that township for the pur- poses of settlers, and therefore no considerable number would ever settle there; the consequences of which would be that their children would grow up without the influences of schools and meeting. They returned to Morgan county, but afterwards came back and settled in Industry township, this county, where there was more timber, and where they lived and died.
While surveying this tract of country, we found a house which had the appearance of being lately built, but which was then un- occupied. Isaac Bartlett afterwards told me he built the house in the fall of 1830, with the intention of moving in it; but having raised a crop on Spring Creek, which he desired to feed out before moving, he placed his aged parents in the new house, in order that he might hold his claim. This was in the winter of 1830-31, a winter that no old settler can ever forget, the like of which has never been experienced since. Others may probably have told
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IIISTORY OF M'DONOUGH COUNTY.
you of some of the horrors of that long winter. It is hard to describe. The elder Bartlett and his wife were in the cabin when the snow fell. They had with them a cow which provided the milk for their use. When the snow ceased falling, Isaac Bartlett took his sled, and hitching a yoke or two of oxen to it, started for the residence of his parents to bring them away, but the snow was so deep he could make no headway, and night coming on, he had to await another day, when he again made the attempt to reach them. It was five days before he finally got through. He found his parents without food of any kind, the cow dead, having died from hunger and cold, and his father in the act of dressing it for the purpose of eating. Having brought provisions with him, their immediate wants were supplied, and the next day all returned to Spring Creek. Such were some of the experiences of the early settlers in this county.
Respectfully, J. W. BRATTLE.
Martitia F. Harris' Reminiscences .- I was born March 20, 1814, in Adair county, Kentucky ; moved to Sangamon county, Illinois, in 1830, and from thence to MeDonongh county, in the following year, 1831. Was married before leaving Kentucky, to Alexander H. Harris, who died in 1861, and had one child born while living in Sangamon county, Illinois. We moved to the county in an ox wagon, and settled on the place where I am now living, four miles northeast of Macomb. We were very favorably impressed with the county, and thought we had a very good soil for cultivation but did not think those large prairies would ever be so thickly settled as they now are.
Our nearest neighbors were old Father Harris, who lived half a mile northeast of us, and Joseph Smith, who lived three miles east. Land, at this time, was worth from $1.25 to $2.50 per acre; the same will now bring $40 to $50 per acre.
Macomb was our trading point, but it did not have the fine stores now in the place, nor did the merchants carry the stock now kept by the merchants of the place.
The first sermon preached in our neighborhood was by Rev. William K. Stewart, of Macomb, a Presbyterian minister. The first couple married was James Osborne and Ruth Smith. Ruth borrowed my mother's shoes to be married in. The couple started the next morning on foot to the infair, which was near Industry, and stopped at my father's house on their way, to see if she could
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HISTORY OF M'DONOUGHI COUNTY
keep the shoes until after the infair. She was barefooted, and was carrying the shoes in her hand, and this on the twenty-fourth day of November, 1838.
My daughter, Parthena Harris, was the first child born in this neighborhood, April 1, 1835. The first death was Samuel Harris, my husband's brother.
Sailing on the Prairie .- Thomas Camp, in 1849, settled near where the present town of Good Hope is situated. All north of him for many miles was one vast, unbroken wilderness, with not a house or dwelling ot any kind, and also perfectly void of tim- ber. A few winters after his settlement upon the prairie, there came a heavy fall of snow, and upon the top of that a sleet of rain, which freezing, formed a solid crust on top, and over which a man could walk or slide. Mr. Camp thought he would have a good sleigh ride ; so taking a sled out several miles from his house, and rigging it up with quilts for sails, he jumped in, and there being a brisk northwest wind, he was soon sailing over the prairies. The wind being so strong he could not lower his sails, although in a measure he was able to direct his course, and therefore, on arriving at home, he could not stop, but run into an out-house, wrecking his prairie schooner and almost losing his life. He never tried the experiment again, although he declared it was a perfect success.
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HISTORY OF M'DONOUGH COUNTY.
CHAPTER XXXVIII.
At a meeting ealled for the purpose of organizing an "Old Settlers' Association," held in Campbell's Hall in June, 1869, Major John M. Walker was called to the chair and a committee, consisting of J. M. Campbell, J. P. Updegraff and J. B. Kyle, were appointed to draft a constitution and requested to report the same at an adjourned meeting to be held on the fourteenth day of July, 1869, which meeting was duly held and the committee re- ported the following constitution, which was unanimonsly adopted
CONSTITUTION.
ARTICLE 1. All citizens of McDonough county, who have resided therein thirty-three years, or who have resided in the State of Illinois thirty-three years, and who are now residents of said county, by givingtheir names, place of birth, age, and residence, be- come members of this Association.
ART. 2. The officers of the Association shall be a President, a Vice President for each township, a Secretary and Treasurer-whose duties shall be such as usually pertain to those offices-who shall be elected by a majority of the members present at each annual meeting, and shall hold their offices for one year, and until their successors are elected and qualified.
ART. 3. The above named officers shall constitute an Executive Board, who shall have power to call special meetings of the Association, to fill vacancies in the offices, when any occur, and shall have power to transact any business in the name of the Association which they may deem necessary during recess.
ART. 4. The Secretary shall keep a fair record of the proceedings of the Association and Executive Board, in a book provided for the purpose, and therein to enter the full names of each member, place and date of birth, age, date of residence in Illinois, and date of residence in the county, present place of residence and occupation ; he shall give public notice of all meetings of the Association.
ART. 5. The Treasurer shall hold all monies of the Association, and shall pay the same only on the order of the Executive Board, attested by the Secretary, and shall annually report the same to the Association.
ART. 6. The Vice President in each township shall be a committee to present the claims of the Association to the old settler citizens, and obtain their names and forward for record of membership to the Secretary.
ART. 7. Any five members of the Executive Board shall constitute a quorum to do business after notice duly given of a call-meeting of said Association.
ART. 8. The meetings of the Association shall be held annually on the twenty-ninth of September, but the Executive Board shall have power to call special meetings at such times and places as they may determine.
ART. 9. The Executive Board shall designate a badge of membership to be worn by each member at all meetings of the Association.
ART 10. This Constitution may be amended at any annual meeting of the Association, or an adjourned meeting by a vote of two-thirds of the members present.
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HISTORY OF M'DONOUGH COUNTY.
Meetings of the Association have been held annally ever since the adoption of the foregoing constitution, with the exception of the year 1875. Although there has not been that interest mani- fested in the meetings of the Association their importance de- serves, they afford considerable pleasure and satisfaction to those participating in the annual re-unions. We append below as com- plete a list of old settlers, those living in the county forty years and upwards, as we could obtain :
John Alison, born January 31, 1820, in Washington county, Penn. ; came to MeDon- ough county in 1835. Resides on a farm in Scotland township.
John L. Anderson, born March 28, 1815. in Adair county, Kentucky ; came to this county in 1831. For many years resided in Macomb, but at present resides in Bushnell.
Andrew Alison, born in Washington county, Penn., in 1815; came to McDonough county in 1835, and settled four miles south of Macomb.
Emeline Atkinson, wife of J. H. Atkinson, born April 7, 1827, in Washington county, Kentucky ; came to this county with her father, William Willis, in 1830.
James C. Archer, born in Casey county, Kentucky, December 25, 1812 ; came to this county in 1832. Lives in Bethel township.
Robert Andrews, born in Washington county, Penn., April 12, 1811 ; came to McDon- ough county in 1839. Resides on section twenty-five. Eldorado township.
J. H. Atkinson, born in Barren county, Kentucky, in 1822 ; and came to this county in 1834.
Larkin C. Bacon, born May 2, 1819, in Washington county, Tennessee ; came to Mc- Donough county in 1834. Resides on farm in Tennessee township.
Lorina A. Banks, widow of the late Vandever Banks, born in Adair county, Kentucky. Jannary 15, 1806, and moved to McDonough county in 1835, settling in Hire township, where she continues to reside.
John D. Barber, born in Fairfield district, South Carolina. in 1799 : came to this county in 1729.
W. T. Brooking, born in Union county, Kentucky, in 1824 ; came to McDonough in 1834.
J. H. Baker, came to this county in 1837. Resides in the city of Macomb. He was born May 8, 1817, in Chesham county, New Hampshire.
H. R. Bartleson, born in Macomb, in 1839, where he still resides.
Robert M. Bonham, came to McDonough county, January 9, 1839; he was born in Fleming county, Kentucky, March 26, 1806. Resident of Macomb.
Jessie D. Bowen, born in Franklin county, Ohio, October 19, 1826 ; came to McDonough in 1831. Lives in Chalmers.
Thomas Bullock, born February 13. 1794, in Downe county. Ireland; came to Mc- Donough county in 1836. Resides in Bethel.
Robert Barber. born in Pulaski county, Kentucky, in 1822; came to McDonough county in 1829.
Mary Black, wife of Henry Black. of Industry township, was born January 15, 1822, near Washington, Washington county, Pennsylvania, and came to this county with her father, Mr. Alison, in 1836.
James W. Brattle, born June 16. 1795. in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, came to this coun- ty in 1831 ; residence in Macomb.
Alexander H. Brooking, born in Clark county, Kentucky, in the year 1818: came to this couuty in 1833 ; settled in Emmet township, now resides just north of Macomb.
Thomas Caldwell, born in June, 1824, in the State of Kentucky : came to McDonough county in 1832.
Mrs. Mary Clarke, widow of the late James Clarke, was born in South Carolina, on the fourth day of December, 1798 ; came to MeDonough county in 1830 ; resides with her daughter, Mrs. Franklm, in Macomb.
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HISTORY OF M'DONOUGH COUNTY.
C. S. Churchill, born in MeDonongh county, Illinois, April 25, 1834, resides in Ma- comb.
C. C. Clarke, born in Macomb, November 24, 1839, yet a resident of that city.
J. S. Campbell, born in Washington county, Tennessee, in 1816; came to McDonough county in 1830, and settled on section three, Industry township. In 1836 moved to Walnut Grove township, and in 1865 to his present residence in Sciota township.
Nelson Campbell came to the county in 1835, and settled on Camp creek, seven miles south of Macomb, in Scotland township. Was born in Cook county, Tenn., in 1814.
Harvey T. Chase, born May 5, 1797, in Sullivan county, New Hampshire ; came to Mc- Donough county in 1836. Residence, Macomb.
James Clark, born August 14, 1825, in Washington county, Virginia ; came to this county September 25, 1835. Resides in Scotland township.
William B. Clarke, born in Washington county, Kentucky, March 31, 1819, and with his father, James Clarke, came to Morgan county, Illinois. in 1829, and to this county in 1830. Mr. Clarke resides in the town of Sciota, of which he is the founder.
Hugh Conner, born in Jefferson county, Tennessee, in 1809; came to this county in 1833, settling in Blandinsville township.
John A. Crabb, born in Montgomery county, Virginia, November 20, 1828; came to this county in 1836, and has since resided in Macomb township.
William Cannon came to the county in 1833. Resides in Macomb. He was born in Washington county, Kentucky.
Charles Creel, born in Adair county, Kentucky, August 17, 1807 : settled near Wolf Grove, this county, in 1836.
Silas Creel, born in Adair county, Kentucky, in 1818: came to McDonough county in 1833; settled at Wolf Grove, now known as Bardolph.
John Charter, born in Washington county. Kentucky, in 1829, and came with parents to this county in 1833.
William E. Crabb, born in Clinton county, Ohio : came to McDonough county with his father, John M. Crabb, in 1836 ; resides in Macomb township.
William H. Dawson, born in Adair county, Kentucky, in April, 1829; came to the county in 1832 ; resides in Macomb.
Isom David, of Eldorado township, was born in 1819 in Hardin county, Kentucky : came to MeDonough county in 1836.
James Dorathy was born in Edwards county, Illinois, in 1825, and emigrated to this county in 1835. and settled on section eighteen. Hire township, where he still resides.
Margaret Elting, widow of the late Philip Elting, was born in the county of Fer- mana, Ireland, in 1823 ; came to America in 1825, and to this county in 1836, settling in Macomb.
Hugh Ervin, born in Augusta county, Virginia, August 19, 1810 ; came to McDonough county in 1836 ; now resides in Macomb.
Geo. W. Eyre, born September 20, 1812, in the State of Pennsylvania: chue to this county in 1837. Residence in Macomb.
Orsamus Farrington, born January 26, 1811, in Meggscounty, Ohio : came to this county in 1830.
Moses Foster, born in Davis county, Indiana, in 1811 : came to this county July 4. 1831. Settled in the southeast corner of the county.
M. C. Foster, came to this county from Pennsylvania, in 1834, and settled south of Middletown.
Wm. H. Franklin, born June 13, 1813, in Mercer county, Kentucky : came to Macomb October 25, 1839, where he still resides.
J. N. Foster, born in Dubois county, Indiana, February 8, 1829; came to this county with his father, A. J. Foster, in 1831, who was the first to settle Eldorado township, locat- ing in the northeastern part ; his sons H. W., W. D. and S. J., all have made McDonough their home, and live in the neighborhood known as Foster's Point.
Charles W. Fulkerson, was born October 14, 1822, in Tennessee. He came to this county. in 1832, residing on section 29, Tennessee township.
John W. Fugate, born in West Virginia in 1817 ; came to the county in 1834, and settled on section thirty, Bethel township.
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HISTORY OF M'DONOUGH COUNTY.
James Fulton. born in 1804. in Fleming county, Kentucky : came to McDonough county in 1830, and settled in Macomb township.
John Gilfrey, Sr., born in Philadelphia county, Pennsylvania. in 1793: came to this county in 1836. Mr. Gilfrey was one of the early settlers of MeDouough, and was well and favorably known all over the county. He died in 1874, in Blandinsville township. where he had long resided. His widow vet lives on the old homestead, enjoying compar- atively good health at the ripe old age of eighty-four.
Mrs. Flora Gates, born in Lexington, Kentucky, April 17, 1803; came to this county in 1835, and settled in Chalmers township. Resides in Bardolph. She is the mother of Thomas R. and John M. Wilcox, well known residents of the county.
Thomas M. Gilfrey, born in Philadelphia county, Pennsylvania, in 1820; came to this county in 1836. Resides on a farm in Blandinsville township.
David Glenn. born in the State of Virginia in 1793; came to MeDonough county in 1833.
S. F. Greenup. Place of birth, Monroe county. Kentucky, in 1835. In 1836, with his father, John Greenup: came to McDonough county and settled in Pennington's Point.
Charles W. Greenup came to this county in 1836. Was born in Monroe county, Ken- tucky, in 1829.
William Greenup, born in Monroe county, Kentucky : came to this county in 1836 with his father. John Greenup. Resides in Scotland township.
Nathaniel Grigsby, born in Hardin county, Kentucky, May 8, 1825, and came to this county in 1830.
Redman Grigsby, born in Prince William county, Virginia; in 1800, came to this county in 1830 ; residence in Blandinsville township.
Silas J. Grigsby, born in Hardin county, Kentucky, in 1823; came to McDonough county in 1830; residence. Blandinsville.
George G. Guy came to McDonough county in 1836, and settled on section 20, Em- met township, where he still resides ; was born September 2, 1808, in Adair county, Kentucky.
Cynthia A. Hall, wife of David Hall, was born February 6, 1322, in Washington coun- ty, Kentucky, and came to this county with her father, William Willis, in 1830 ; resides in Sciota township.
John T. Hagerty, born February 8, 1817, in Harrison county, Kentucky : came to the State in 1830 and the county in 1835 ; now resides in Macomb.
William S. Hail. Macomb, born in Simpson county, Kentucky, April 19, 1818; came to this county in 1836.
John S. Holliday, born January 25, 1811, in Galitan county, Kentucky: came to this county in 1832 ; resides in Lamoine township.
Demothenes Hamilton. born April 13. 1811. in Rockbridge county, Virginia : came to this county January 6, 1835 ; residence. Prairie City.
S. Hamilton, born in Adair county, Kentucky, in 1828: came to the county and settled on section four, Macomb township, in 1831.
James E. D. Hammer came to McDonough county in 1833. Was born in Washington county, Tennessee. April 28. 1809.
William Hardesty, born in Hamilton county, Illinois, in 1819 : came to this county in 1830.
Victor M. Hardin, born in Washington county, Kentucky, in 1812: came to McDou- ough county in 1834. Resides in Blandinsville.
Advice Hays, born October 4. 1798, in Limtie county, South Carolina : came to the county in 1830, settling in Industry township.
Jolın H. Hays, born in Hire township in 1836, near the place in which he now resides. Mrs. Sarah Hagerty came to this county in 1827. Was born in Lafayette county, Indiana, June 18, 1822. Wife of John T. Hagerty.
Stewart F. Hammer, born in Monroe county, Marsh 31, 1831; came to this county in 1834. Resides in New Salem.
Durham Harris, born in McDonough county, December 22, 1832: resides in Macomb township.
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HISTORY OF M'DONOUGH COUNTY.
John H. Head, Washington county, Kentucky, place of birth, in the year 1812; re- moved to this county in 1831.
Charles Hill, born in Hardin county, Kentucky, in 1816 : came to this county in 1830 ; settled on section twelve, Lamoine township.
John M. Holmes, Mound township, was born August 7, 1818, in Green county, Ken- tucky ; came to McDonough county in 1835.
Charles C. Hungate, born in Washington county, Kentucky, in 1812, and came to McDonough county in 1833 : was one of the early County Commissioners and County Judges.
Harrison Hungate, born in Washington county, Kentucky. in 1810; came to this county in 1833 ; resides in Blandinsville.
Caroline Hunter, born in Washington county, Kentucky, April 7, 1827: and came with her father, William Willis, to McDonough county in 1830 ; residence in Macomb.
Samuel A. Hunt, born in 1817 in Washington county, Tennessee ; came to this county in 1831. Residence, Bushnell.
Preston Huston, born in Blandinsville township in 1836 ; living there to the present time.
Rigdon Huston. born in Blandinsville township in 1833 ; still resides in that towil- ship.
W. M. Huston, M. D .. born in the county in 1828 ; resides in Blandinsville.
John M. Jackson, born October 11, 1825, in Orange county, Virginia : came to McDon- ough county November 11, 1836 ; residence in Bardolph.
James N. Jackson, born in Forquer county, Virginia, in 1830 ; came to this county with his father, Wm. H. Jackson, in 1836, and settled west of Bardolph.
William J. Jackson, born in Forquer county, Virginia, April 15. 1872 ; came to the county in 1836. Settled at Wolf Grove.
James Jarvis, born in Madison county, Kentucky, August 1, 1812 : came to the State in 1829, and to the county in 1837. Resides in Tennessee township.
John E. Jackson, born December 16, 1811, in Mason county, Kentucky: came to this county in 1837, settled near Middletown. Resides now in Tennessee township.
N. H. Jackson, born in Orange county, Virginia, October 13, 1834; came to the county with his father, William H. Jackson, in 1836. Resides in Bardolph.
Charles Kepple, born in Virginia in 1823 ; came to this county in 1834. Lived with his father one mile south of Bardolph.
Robert Kepple born in Virginia, October 12, 1812: came to this county in 1832. Re- sides in Mound township.
William H. Kendrick. born in Scott county, Kentucky, September 10, 1813; came to this county 1839. Residence now in Macomb.
Dr. James B. Kyle, came to MeDonough county, January 10, 1835. He was born in Miama county, Ohio, September 20, 1808. Resides in the city of Macomb.
Michael Lawyer, came to McDonough county, in 1837, settled on section 34, Tennessee township, where he yet lives. He was born September 16, 1798, in Virginia.
John Ledgerwood, born in Knox county, Tennessee, December 17, 1810 : moved to this county in 1836, and located on section seventeen, Emmet township.
Nancy Logan, born in Green county, Kentucky, January 13, 1802, and with her late husband, Elder John Logan, came tu this county in 1828.
Samuel C. Logan, born October 24, 1822, in Simpson county, Kentucky ; came to Mc- Donough county in 1828. Resides on a farm in Hire township.
Margaret Morrow was born June 22, 1826, in Rhoan county, Pennsylvania, and came to McDonough county in 1831. Wife of Samuel Morrow, of Scotland township.
John McCormack, an early settler of Bethel township, was born in Maryland, August 21, 1789, and came to the county in 1835.
Edward MeDonough, born in this county on the fourteenth of April, 1832; resides in Macomb).
James McMillan, of Scotland township, was born in Washington county, Virginia, August 14, 1822, and came to McDonough county September 25, 1835.
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HISTORY OF M'DONOUGH COUNTY.
John Login, Jr., born October 13, 1824. in Dubois county, Indiana; came to this county in the early part of 1828 with his father, the Rev. John Logan. Mr. Logan now resides on farm in Sciota township.
Evan Martin, born in Indiana, 1797, and came to McDonough in 1834 : resides in Hire township.
A. Y. McCord, born in Overton county, Tennessee, in 1825; came to MeDonough county in 1832, and settled in Emmet township.
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