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 9
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" Thus fell Joe Smith, the most successful impostor in modern times, a man who, though ignorant and coarse, had some great natural parts, which fitted him for temporary success, but which were so obscured and counteracted by the inherent corruption and vices of his nature, that he never could succeed in establishing a system of policy which looked to permanent success in the future. His lusts, his love of money and power, always set him to studying present gratification and convenience, rather than the remote consequences of his plans. It seems that no power of intellect can save a corrupt man from this error. The strong cravings of the animal nature will never give fair play to a fine understanding, the judgment is never allowed to choose that good which is far away in preference to the enticing evil near at hand. And this may be considered a wise ordinance of Providence, by
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which the councils of talented but corrupt men are defeated in the very act which promised success."
That it was a brutal and premeditated murder cannot be, and is not, denied at this day. But the end of the murderers was not gained, as the Mormons did not evacuate Nauvoo for two years afterwards. In the meantime the excitement and prejudice against this people were not allowed to die out. Horse stealing was quite common, and every case that occurred was charged to the Mormons. That they were guilty of it cannot be denied, but a great deal, we now know, was by organized bands of thieves, who knew they could carry on their nefarious business with more safety as long as suspicion could be placed upon the Mormons.
Before the spring of 1846 the great majority of the Mormons had left Nauvoo, but still a large number remained. About this time a man by the name of Debenheyer was killed near the town of Pontoosuc, and buried in a ditch by the side of a sod fence. The murderers were unknown, but a number of Mormons had been lying around the neighborhood for some time making night hideous with their noise, and were ordered away. They refused to go, when, one day while at work in a field surrounded on three sides by timber, they were surrounded by forty or fifty anti- Mormons, who captured them, took them to the place where Deb- enheyer had been buried, stripped them of their clothing, gave each of them thirty and nine lashes upon their bare backs, and again bid them go. They went to Nauvoo, reported the matter, and a few nights afterwards a large number of the Mormons sur- rounded the house of Major MeCauley, who lived in the neigh- borhood of the occurrence, and demanded his surrender. J. W. Brattle, now of Macomb, was stopping with him, and was like- wise arrested and taken with him to Nauvoo. The men were held for several days, when, after due trial, they were discharged. They would probably not have been let off so easily had not ser- eral leading Mormons been taken by the anti-Mormon party and held as hostages.
Some time in the years 1845 or 1846, a party of Mormons started from Nauvoo in search of a young man whom they thought had done them an injury. The young man fled to the house of John Vance, Esq., living near Blandinsville, and, as the Mormons were in close pursuit, jumped into bed, covered up, and told Mrs. Vance to tell the party he was her son. Quick as a flash she took in the situation, and, seizing a white handkerchief
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she wet it and laid it over his head. When the Mormons came in she requested them to be very quiet, for her son was in a high fever. Observing the young man in bed they pursued their search as quietly as possible, and soon retired. The young man afterwards remarked it was no sham about his being in a high fever, for well he knew if his identity had been discovered, his life would not have been worth a farthing.
About the first of September, 1846, a writ was issued against several leading Mormons, and placed in the hands of John Carlin, of Carthage, for execution. Carlin called out a posse to help make the arrest. Two or three companies of men went from this county to his aid, and quite a large force was soon gathered in the neigh- borhood of Nauvoo. Carlin, not being a military man, placed the command of the posse first under General Singleton, and after- ward under Colonel Brockman, who proceeded to invest the city, erecting breastworks, and taking other means for defensive as well as offensive operations. What was then termed a battle next took place, resulting in the death of one Mormon and the wounding of several others, and mortally wounding one man who volunteered from this county, but a citizen of Pennsylvania, who was here on a visit, and slightly wounding several others.
While the greater number of the male citizens of Macomb were gone to Nauvoo, apprehension was felt by the women that an at- tack might be made on the town, and they would not rest con- tent without a guard every night to give the alarm in case the Mormons appeared. James M. Campbell and others agreed to act as guard, and every night about dark would begin their regular patrol. They would remain out until the lights about town were put out and the inhabitants were supposed to be asleep when they would go home to bed. A gentleman from Ohio was at Macomb at this time, coming out for the purpose of purchasing land for a future home, but learning of the troubles, and hearing the cannon firing at Nauvoo, which could be heard very distinctly at the former place, mounted his horse and rode home, swearing that he would not live in a country where the inhabitants were engaged in killing one another. If this gentleman would return to the county now and see the great improvements that have been made, he would certainly be sorry that he was so hasty in forming his conclusions.
The Mormons now realized that their time had come. Says Ford, pages 423-425 :
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" At last, through the intervention of an anti- Mormon committee of one hundred from Quincy, the Mormons and their allies were induced to submit to such terms as the posse chose to dictate, which were that the Mormons should immediately give up their arms to the Quincy committee, and remove from the State.
"The trustees-of the Church and five of their clerks were permit- ted to remain for the sale of Mormon property, and the posse were to march in unmolested, and to leave a sufficient force to guarantee the performance of their stipulations.
"Accordingly, the constable's posse marched in with Broekman at their head, consisting of about eight hundred armed men, and six or seven hundred unarmed, who had assembled from all the country around, from motives of curiosity, to see the once proud city of Nauvoo humbled, and delivered up to its enemies, and to the domination of a self-constituted and irresponsible power. They proceeded into the city slowly and carefully, examining the way for fear of the explosion of a mine, many of which had been made by the Mormons, by burying kegs of powder in the ground, with a man stationed at a distance to pull a string communicating with the trigger of a percussion lock affixed to the keg. This kind of contrivance was called by the Mormons a ' hell's half acre.' When the posse arrived in the city, the leaders of it erected themselves into a tribunal to decide who should be forced away and who remain. Parties were dispatched to hunt for Mormons' arms and for Mormons, and to bring them to judgment, where they received their doom from the mouth of Brockman, who then sat a grim and unawed tyrant for the time. As a general rule, the Mormons were ordered to leave within an hour, or two hours; and by rare grace, some of them were allowed until next day, and in a few cases, longer. The treaty specified that the Mormons only should be driven in exile.
"Nothing was said in it concerning the new citizens, who had with the Mormons defended the city. But the posse no sooner had obtained possession, than they commenced expelling the new citizens. Some of them were ducked into the river, being in one or two instances actually baptised in the name of the leaders of the mob, others were forcibly driven into the ferry boats to be taken over the river, before the bayonets of armed ruffians; and it is believed that the houses of most of them were broken open and their furniture stolen during their absence. Many of these
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new settlers were strangers in the country from various parts of the United States, who were attracted there by the low price of property, and they knew but little of previous difficulties, or the merits of the quarrel. They saw with their own eyes that the Mormons were industriously preparing to go away, and they knew of their own knowledge that an effort to expel them with foree was gratuitous and unnecessary cruelty. They had been trained, by the States from whence they came, to abhor mobs, and to obey the law, and they volunteered their services under ex- ecutive authority, to defend their town and their property against mob violence, and as they honestly believed from distraction. But in this way they were partly mistaken, for although the mob leaders, in the exercise of unbridled power, were guilty of many enormities to the person of individuals, and although much per- sonal property was stolen, yet they abstained from materially in- juring houses and buildings. The most that was done in this way, was the stealing of the doors and the sash of the windows from the houses by somebody. The anti-Mormons allege that they were carried away by the Mormons, and the Mormons aver that the most of them were stolen by the anti-Mormons. Thus ended the Mormon war.
The following is a list of names of those who were out from this county :
E. B. Root, Colonel ; Levi Warren, Lieut. Colonel; V. E. Rem- ington, Major; Joseph Shute, Wagoner; S. McFarland, Adju- tant; H. Gilfrey, Sergeant Major; Thos. Gilfrey, Quartermaster Sergeant ; Wm. Duncan, Quartermaster Sergeant; Dr. H. G. Ayer, Surgeon.
Captains .- Chas. Creel, A. P. Smith, James M. Wilson, Chas. W. Waddill, Wm. S. Hendricks, Vandever Banks, Samuel C. Hogan, William I. Pace, F. D. Lipe, B. Maxwell, John Long, Wm. F. Blandin, Thomas Davis, J. L. N. Hall.
Lieutenants .- Joseph Crawford, Peter McClure, J. L. Cross, I. C. Webb, Harry R. Holden, John Baker, Thomas Shippey, John Smith, John R. Edmondson, II. H. Burr, Milton L. Archer, Patrick Laughlin, Thomas Mustain, Richard Brightwell, William Edmondson, I. L. Twyman, James S. Palmer, Absolom Parker, William B. Clarke, Bethel Owen, Philetus Rice, J. C. D. Carmack, Jonathan L. Berry, Andrew Alison, George C. Vest, John C. Webb, V. M. Hardin, A. Dorothy, Perry Langford, Harrison Hungate, Joseph P. Gates.
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Privates .- Henry Thompson, John Creel, John W. Clarke, G. E. Robinson, Silas Creel, David Hogsett, William Brooking, E. Brooking, Levi Hamilton, James R. Simpson, Ross Penan, Harper McCandless, James Kepple, John S. Campbell, Hugh Ervin, John Snapp, D. M. Crabb, Jonathan Palmer, William Hamilton, Garret Bonham, Thomas Davis, George Vanhowten, George Nichols, George W. Wade, J. H. Michael, Durham Creel, Valentine Clayton, Nicholas Bowman, Rutherford MeClure, Cal- vin Canote, William Stephens, Thomas K. Waddle, John Craw- ford, Charles Kepple, Andrew Walker, John Bishop, Ephraim Banning, John Stokes, P. Hamilton, D. R. Hamilton, Michael Harris, William M. McCartney, John Jackson, George Boothe, Wiley M. Sloan, William Stewart, O. II. Casley, S. A. Hunt, C. W. Dunsworth, Patrick Aber, Lewis Mourning, Richard Mus- son, Abraham Stephens, Joseph Riley, Thomas J. Hunt, Shad Goan, William Boyd, Peter Dye, Edmond Bean, Thomas White, John J. Lower, Luke Prentice, James Chamberlain, Levi Done, Isaac Bacon, William Stroud, Eliphate Jarvis, J. L. Cross, Wil- liam B. Walker, J. M. Head, G. S. Hainline, J. N. Clark, R. J. Scott, G. W. Head, John S. Wilson, William B. Head, H. II. McGee, Robert Garheart, James Dye, A. J. Walker, Stephen White, Eli Campbell, W. W. Clayton, William Lower, Silas Parker, Samuel M. Not, James Stroud, Abraham Fulkerson, James Wilson, William B. Clarke, John Rollins, A. D. McBride, J. W. Walker, George Painter, Samuel MeCray, Samuel Bland, George Head, J. B. Stapp, A. G. Haineline, Orin Chatterton, Jacob Strickle, Michael Youst, J. Mitchell, G. W. Eyres, J. II. Head, Nathan Hainline, Samuel Clark, Frank Clarke, Nelson Montgomery, S. H. Gillihan, C. W. Fulkerson, William Owens, Hugh MeDonough, David Badger, Jonathan Parker, Allen Por- ter, Asa Decker, Elias Clem, Andrew Jackson, Thomas Jackson, Bartlett Whittington, William Gibson, William Badger, Corne- lius McDonough, John C. Conants, Nathaniel Barker, Ambrose G. Owen, James Moore, Lewis Sealf, George Crossier, Charles Jackson, Peter MeDonough, David Kepple, R. G. King, John Badger, Roswell Tyrrell, William Grafton, Ladwick Courier, Matthew Framel, C. G. Gilchrist, B. B. Jackson, William Ervin, D. Boyd, James Rigdon, John Twidwell, Ishan Rigdon, Josiah Ralston, John Smith, Isaac Garrett, H. Garrett, Isaac Smith, Henry Garrett, II. Melton, Allen Melton, Bird Smith, John B. Wear, Joseph D. Wear, W. Melton, Andrew D. Wear,
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Augustus Lillard, James Hendricks, David Jenkins, Reuben Alex- ander, John Kennedy, Soloman Kennedy, John Hill, Levi Sawyer, Nicholas Jarvis, Isaac Howell, Isaac Welch, N. C. Averell, V. A. Caldwell, Thomas J. Caldwell, G. W. Welch, J. R. Welch, Jefferson Welch, B. J. Welch, H. J. Averill, John James, William Car- mack, Henry Carmack, Moses Stookey, William Walker, Rufus Botts, N. B. Wooley, James Williams, Othias De Haven, James Dorothy, Jessie Hainline, Hiram Hainline, John Logan, Jr., Wil- liam Martin, Henry Martin, Joshua White, William Hardestry, James Milsaps, James Seybold, Henry II. Monarch, E. T. Mon- arch, Isaac Bogart, Jacob Hutchinson, Jacob Keithley, C. C. Hungate, A. G. MeCord, William McCord, James Jarvis, Slocum Wooley, Rolly Martin, Charles Martin, Moses Haskins, Beta Has- kins, John Caldwell, Oliver C. Smith, S. M. C. Pennington, Robert Andrews, Henry W. Foster, James F. Greenup, Thomas Richard- son, Anson Richardson, Martin Miles, William Waddle, Robert Comer, Cyrus Wing, Clem Reddick, James McKee, John W. Lane, James Fulton, James McCurdy, Jonas Hushaw, Elam Chockley, Watson Chockley, Benjamin Chockley, Richard Chock- ley, Isom J. David, William Toland, Thomas Toland, George Woods, Randolph Hall, John Seward, D. Sandridge, Thomas Bailey, John P. Kinkade, George W. Shultz, Walter Scott, James II. Atkinson, Edmond Cave, Jerry Sullivan, James Walker, John Allison, Nelson Campbell, Samuel Pollock, T. W. Greenup, Wil- liam Henley, Alfred Ripitow, Benjamin Miller, Jessie Jeams, Ghol- son Lane, Elisha Dungan, Jessie Beck, William Beck, G. W. Coker, William Sullivan, Alfred Gibson, James Gibson, William Rice, Robert Smithers, John Hushaw, Johnson Downer, Joel Pennington, Lewis Springer, Fountain C. Tomberlin, Travis Miller, A. J. Cockeram, John J. Wyatt, Nathan Hayes, B. T. Gibson, Wesley Harlan, Robert Black, William B. Peak, James Rasor, David Later, Edmond Naylor, Jeremiah Sullivan, Hugh Black, Robert L. Dark, Samuel McClnre, Morton Pringle, Wil- liam S. Bailey, D. C. Riggs, Edmond Barber, William H. Pringle, John MeCormick, Nicholas Edmondson, Shad. Campbell, Isaac McCowen, Benjamin Stephen, John Friend, Robert Barber, Archi- bald Edmondson, Thomas Dungan, George W. Mitchell, William' W. McCormick, Francis Wayland, Joel Wayland, Francis Rice, Thomas Allison, Andrew Allison, G. C. Lane, Anderson Cannon, Jessie Niece, Henry Perry, Alexander Provine, John Fletcher, William Walker, Jacob Massingil, Nathan Stephens, Joseph
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HISTORY OF M'DONOUGHI COUNTY.
Bailey, Elijah Stephens, Israel Camp, Jr., John Barrett, William J. Despain, William Gahagan, Jonathan Comar, T. B. MeCor- mick, Nathan Scott, John E. Jackson, William Lovely, George W. Niece, L. M. Hobart, James Perry, George Hume, A. H. Rut- ledge, David Scott, Joseph Haines, Isaac Fugate, John W. Fngate, Jacob Morgan, Thomas Shoopman, Jacob S. Matthews, Edward Dixon, B. Mason, B. B. Edmondson, John G. Stoneking, Thomas E. Smedley, J. J. Smedley, Caleb Husted, John Bundridge, H. V. Craig, Samuel Calvin, Robert Clugston, John McCoy, G. W. Shoop- man, Carrol Lane, John Wilson, Jr., William Venard, C. Pruit, William T. Wells; J. C. Vawter, William Shannon, Russell Riggs, John E. Riggs, John Nankeville, William Thompson, Charles Patrick, M. C. Archer, Nathan Dunsworth, James Dunsworth, Thomas Hunt, Amos Gibson, Arch. Holstein, Robert MeCumsey, Washington Owens, John Patrick, Samuel Dark, John Ferguson, J. Q. McClure, Robert Archer, Robert Hall, G. A. Tayl, William Parks, George Venard, Peter Riggs, John B. Case, Nimrod Dus- kill, James C. Archer, Jacob Waimac, William T. Archer, John I. Foster, William W. Wilson, John Crisp, A. J. Edmonston, James McPeters, William Owens, J. J. Mathews, Samuel Wilson, William Ellis, Hugh B. Smiley, John Monk, Samuel Haney, N. B. Hardin, B. Past, Sanford Past, Jasper Twichell, Joseph Over- ton, G. Hainline, John Ledgerwood, John Purdy, J. H. Hughes, Jacob Humbert, Francis MeSpirit, Smith Haines, J. H. Baker, A. C. Bristow, Reuben Harris, Daniel Duncan, D. Bristow, Sylvester Ruddle, Wesley Langford, Preston Anderson, H. Mayhew, James Peak, Robert Dorothy, Lewis Past, JJ. E. Lansdown, Lorenzo Twichell, D. F. Martin, S. Stewart, G. G. Guy, William Scott, J. Rollins, William Humbert, William Stickles, Allen Bland, H. S. Head, Hiram Bellew, William D. Mustain, Robert Kellison, William J. Epperson, James D. Eads, E. F. Randall, Nathan Ferris, James P. Birtland, Thomas Speaks, C. A. Brown, William E. Duncan, Joseph Duncan, William Wilson, Simeon Everett, II. G Woodside, John Hall, Francis Mckay, John L. Charter, Henry Dorothy, Redmond Grigsby, Silas Grigsby, David Alton, Henry Alton, Hugh Conner, John Hagerty, William Moss, George Bughman, Philetus Knight, John Bowman, Jonathan Charter, A. L. Bryant, B. B. Ilead, Ephraim Hammer, Squire Charter, John T. Mustain, Samuel Dunlap, James Ward, James Grigsby, William Grigsby, Adonijah Hungate, Dotson Seybold, H-7
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John Vance, Isaac Harris, Alva Alton. John Huston, JJohn Dun- can, John L. Gordon, Alexander McCullin, John Gilfrey, Sr., Norman Davis, John T. Gilfrey, N. Herrin, C. A. Lawson, G. A. Farwell, N. Montgomery, T. B. Maury, P. H. Walker, Merritt A. Russell, William L. Broaddus, G. W. Smith, Joseph Long, R. HI. Broaddus, Samuel S. Whitmire, Joshua Conrad, J. M. Martin, Thomas Pickett, James Cannon, J. P. Head, David Lawson, Manva Perry, William H. Randolph, J. P. Updegraff, W. II. Kendrick, John Lowry, T. J. Beard, Andrew Lewis, J. E. Wyne, T. M. Luster, Milton Sweeney, B. F. Martin, John L. Anderson, N. McElrath, C. M. Duffec, W. H. Kyle, Thomas Adcock, Willian S. Hail, G. W. Watt, William H. Phelps, Henry Towls, William B. Gordon, Martin Read, James B. McCartney, John Wiley, C. W. Dallam, Marshall Rogers, Wesley Freeland, William Ervin, R. M. Bonham, Thomas MeElrath, James Walker, James Ander- son, Richard Rowley, Logan Kyle, Daniel D. Rall, J. C. Roberts, Robert Cannon, James B. Kyle, S. C. Watson, James Martin, John Harrow, Samuel McKamy, J. O. C. Wilson, Abner Walker, J. H. Updegraff, Theodore Laughlin, B. R. Hampton, Charles Chandler, Michael Martin, Robert HI. Broaddus, William F. McCandless, R. F. Anderson, Joseph Bailey, Gowen Decamp, Daniel Courtwright, Joseph W. McDonald, William Courtwright. O. C. Cannon, R. A. Brazelton, Charles Dunn, R. Garrett, Daniel Sullivan, John M. Sullivan.
The following is a copy of an original pass now in the posses- sion of Mrs. Charles R. Hume :
CARTHAGE, June 23, 1844.
Permit Joseph L. Blandin to pass and repass to and from Nauvoo, and to bring from thence his son Joseph C. Blandin without molestation.
THOS. FORD, Governor and Commander in Chief.
Also furnish those persons to bring any of their property with them.
THOS. FORD,
Governor and Commander in Chief.
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HISTORY OF M'DONOUGH COUNTY.
CHAPTER X.
A NEWSPAPER AND A RAILROAD.
In the spring of 1844, occurred the greatest fall of water ever known in the western country. The Mississippi river was higher than ever known before or since. All the streams in the county were over their banks; but little planting was done and not a half crop raised. B. R. Hampton, Esq., before the rains began to fall went to Ohio on a visit. Returning, he left the boat at Frederick, but could secure no conveyance to this county, and was therefore compelled to return on foot. The few bridges in the county were all washed away or covered with water; even small streams like Kill Jordan were too high to ford. Mr. H. was com- pelled to strap his clothes upon his back and swim across each.
In 1847, a State election was held for members of the Constitu- tional Convention, which convention prepared and submitted to the people a new constitution which was adopted by a large major- ity. By this constitution, in place of the County Commissioners' Court, a County Court was organized in each county. This court consisted of a County Judge, and if the legislature saw proper to so order it, two Associate Justices. This the legislature favorably acted upon.
The last meeting of the County Commissioners' Court was held September 3-8, 1849, Joel Pennington, C. C. Hungate, and Samuel Calvin being members, all of whom were present. After the transaction of such business as properly came before them, they adjourned "until court in course," but never re-assembled.
On the third day of December, of the same year, the first regu- lar term of the County Court was held. The duties of this court in a legislative capacity, were precisely the same as those of the County Commissioners' Court. The court itself consisted of a
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HISTORY OF M'DONOUGH COUNTY.
County Judge and two Associate Justices. In addition to the legislative powers, the members of this court were permitted to exercise judicial authority, having all the rights and privileges of Justices of the Peace, together with all probate business. Hon. James Clarke was elected the first County Judge to serve four years. The first Associate Justices were Charles R. Hume and C. C. Ilungate, Blandinsville. No business was transacted at this first term, save the allowance of a few bills and the appointment of viewers to view and locate certain roads. The court was in session three days.
In 1851 the subject of a railroad was extensively agitated in this county. A charter had been granted by the State for the building of the Northern Cross Railroad, running from Meredosia to Springfield. It was proposed, under the provisions of this charter, to build a branch of this road through McDonough Coun- ty, having its terminus at Clayton, in Adams county. The ter- minus was afterwards changed to Quincy.
In the fall of this year George W. Smith and Theodore L. Terry started a paper in Macomb called the MeDonough Inde- pendent. This sheet proposed to be " independent in all things ; neutral in nothing," and was edited with considerable ability by George W. Smith, the senior proprietor. Mr. Smith was a whole- souled, jovial fellow, and withal a talented man-himself his worst enemy. In the files of this paper, now in possession of J. M. Campbell, Esq., to which we had access, there are flashes of wit equal to any " take off'" of George D. Prentice, the Danbury man, or other wit of modern times. Mr. Smith came to an un- timely end by a fall from the fourth story window of a hotel in Hannibal, Missouri, about the year 1864 or 1865. The paper had an existence of about four years and a half. The last year it re- nounced "independency " and became a firm supporter of the Democratic party; but, in consequence of a disagreement be- tween Mr. S. and some of the leaders of that party in the county, patronage was withdrawn from him and the paper ceased to ex- ist. During the days of railroad excitement it was a consistent and earnest advocate of the road, and did much in influencing the people in its favor. The following we copy from it under date of October 10, 1851 :
"Railroads .- Reader, steam is up ! The people of the county of MeDonough want and will have a railroad. The age is progress- ive, and they must keep up. Our neighbors all around us are
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HISTORY OF M'DONOUGH COUNTY.
" ridin' on a rail,' and we must enjoy the same means of locomo- tion. The prairies have been tracktess, but they shall remain so no longer, come what may we are bound to have a railroad. A rail- road ! what an invention ! what a blessing ! See yon 'iron horse,' with his nostrils breathing fire, his long and shaggy mane, in the shape of smoke, streaming far behind, while in his might and strength, with his ' train' in the rear, he comes careering through yon 'neck of timber,' now over that creek, now across the prairie, now again in timber, until in half the time it has taken us to write it, here he is in Macomb, brought up 'all standing,' with his freight of bachelors and babies, married men and mules, ladies and live stock, dry goods and Dutch ! Oh, what a rumpus, what a din ! But still what a thing a railroad is.
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