USA > Illinois > McHenry County > History of McHenry County, Illinois : together with sketches of its cities, villages and towns : educational, religious, civil, military, and political history : portraits of prominent persons, and biographies of representative citizens, also a condensed History of Illinois > Part 15
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And thus the pioneer and helpsome, aged wife Reflectively review the scenes of early life."
The clothing of the early settlers was simple, being usually entirely of home manufacture. The supply brought with the family into the new country was made to serve until flax could be raised from which to make more. It was with difficulty that sheep could be kept, owing to the prairie wolves; but after sheep had been introduced and flax and hemp raised in sufficient quantities, it still remained a difficult task for the women of the household to make cloth and fashion clothing for the entire family. Flannel and linsey were woven and made into garments for women and children, and jeans for the men. The wool was usually colored with walnut or some other kind of bark; or else black and white wool mixed made "pepper and salt" cloth. Every household was a factory in which every branch of clothing manufacture was carried on-carding, spinning, weaving, cutting and sewing. Before card- ing machines were introduced all the wool used was carded by hand on cards about four inches wide and eight or ten inches long. Flax, after being dried, broken and "scutched," was spun on a small wheel, worked by a trcadlc, such as may now be seen once in a while among the lumber of an ancient garret. Tow and linen cloth was worked into shirts and dresses, or pantaloons for summer wear. Tow, the coarse part of flax, formed the filling of the cloth, the strong linen threads being the warp. A tow and linen shirt was not a thing of beauty, and it had a tendency to irritate the skin, but the boys of that day were satisfied with it. The follow- ing is a graphic description of preparation for the winter in a pioneer's household :
"The preparations for the family clothing usually began in
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the early fall, and the work was continued on into the winter months, when the whir of the wheels and the regular stroke of the loom could be heard until a late hour of the night. No scene can well be imagined more abounding in contentment and domes- tic happiness. Strips of bark of the shell-bark hickory, thrown from time to time into the ample fire-place, cast. a ruddy, flickering light over the room. In one corner, within range of the reflected light, the father cobbling a well-worn pair of shoes, or trying his skill at making new ones. Hard by, the young ones are shelling corn for the next grist. The oldest daughter whirls the large spin- ning-wheel, and with its hum and whir trips to the far side of the room, drawing out the thread, while the mother, with the click of the shuttle and the measured thump of the loom, fills up the hours. The whole is a scene of domestic industry and happiness rarely to be found elsewhere."
Shoes were one of the most expensive of necessary articles. Boots were then unknown. Shoes were used sparingly. A pair must be made to last a year, and longer, if possible. Men and women, boys and girls, all went barefooted in the summer months to save shoe leather. The shoemaker and the blacksmith were in- dispensable members of society in every settlement, and found enough work to keep themselves well employed. Every pioneer at times was obliged to be a jack at all trades, though by no means a successful worker in all. Happy the man whose native inge- nuity enabled him to turn his hand to shoemaking, blacksmithing, coopering, carpentering, cabinet-making or masonry, as occasion required! He at least was certain to have the best of imple- ments and furniture for his own use; and he was also able to assist many of his less skillful neighbors.
Tinware was too expensive to form much of the household sup- ply of dishes. Instead of it plates or trenchers and bowls of wood were used. Even knives and spoons for table use were fashioned of wood. Troughs or "gums" were made to serve the purposes of tubs, pails, etc. The "gums" were obtained in various sizes by cutting lengths from hollow trees and providing them with bot- toms of bark or puncheons, or blocks of wood. "A sugar trough for a cradle" is no fiction of the imagination; many a child has been cradled in that fashion, and has grown to a strong and vigor- ous maturity.
In a new and sparsely settled region, works of importance re- quire the united labor of all the settlers within a radius of several
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miles. To hew the logs for a cabin, raise them into position, and fit the dwelling for inhabitants requires the labor of all the men and boys in a settlement. Raisings were grand events. Every- body far and near was invited and everybody came that could, for they knew a raising meant a good time. To be sure there was hard work, but the presence of many and the good natured strife to out do one another made it seem like pastime. The process of erecting a log house has been described as follows :
"Neighbors for miles around were there to lend a friendly lift. One of the party was appointed captain, whose business it was to direct the work of the day. He was generally a man of strong character and commanding presence, one whose word was law, and yet whose directions were without the semblance of command. A jug of rum or home-made whisky was always 'on tap,' and con- tributed its strength to the spirit of the day. First, the ground was cleared. The trunks of large, straight-grained trees were split into clapboards for the roof or puncheons for the floor. Smaller trees were cut down and logs of suitable length prepared for the walls of the cabin. Flat stones were placed at each corner for the foundation, on which two heavy logs were adjusted, one at each side of the building. These were notched at distances of about four feet, and straight poles laid across to serve as joists or sleepers for the puncheon floor. A skilled axman then took his place at each corner, and as log after log for the walls tumbled into place it was notched near the ends so that the next, crossing at right angles, would rest more firmly. Thus, log by log, the cabin was raised to the height of about eight feet; another row of joists was then placed across for the upper floor. One or two logs more and then the gable was commenced, which was built up of smaller timber, secured by poles running the whole length of the building at inter- vals of about three feet. On these clapboards four feet long were laid in such a way as to make a tight roof."
Most of the early settlers learned to fear and dread the fever and ague. In case they were fortunate enough to escape it one season, they were in trepidation lest the next year should bring it to them. The ague or "shakes" is a disease peculiar to new countries and to malarious districts. It is caused by impurities in the air and water. It is not contagious, but is sure to result from the upturning of a rich, rank soil for the first time. The patient breathes in the impurities from day to day until his whole system is impregnated with them. Then, with electric force, the shock
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comes, returning at regular intervals to renew its attack. After the shock comes the fever, a burning, enervating, indescribable fever that leaves the patient thoroughly miserable. Of all forms of illness, chills and fever, or fever and ague, is one of the most pain- ful and tormenting.
For amusement, the early settlers had raisings, log-rollings, bee- hunts, wolf-hunts, and other diversions. Wrestling matches, and sometimes figlits, were also regarded as amusements; and the man who was agile and strong enough to be the champion wrestler of a ยท neighborhood was regarded as a very fortunate individual. The game of ball was played by men and boys with skill and dex- terity. It was not the modern game of "base ball," with such rules as none but a skilled " professional" can understand; but, in- stead, " round ball," " three-year-old cat," "four-year-old cat" and other games, with few rules and restrictions, yet requiring agility and muscle in a successful player. As the settlements grew and took on the ways of civilization, there were singing schools, spell- ing-schools, writing-schools, parties and "bees" of various kinds, where good-natured merriment and hearty fun were always dis- covered by the young people in attendance.
Agricultural labor was performed at a disadvantage on account of the crude implements in use. Hoes, spades, shovels, etc., were generally such as a blacksmith-and not always a skillful one-could fashion. Plows were far inferior to the smooth, cast-steel, light-run- ning instruments of to-day. Corn was planted by hand; grain drills, reapers and mowers were for long years articles entirely unknown to the Western farmer. Wheat and other grains were sowed by hand, and covered with earth by dragging a wooden-toothed harrow across the land, smoothing off the surface finally by dragging a heavy brush across the field. The grain was cut with the cradle, and thrashed either with a flail or trampled out by horses. Fan- ning-mills were very useful; and it occasionally happened that there was but one such mill in a neighborhood, when it would be moved from place to place and in constant demand. Those who were not able to obtain the use of a fanning-mill were obliged to winnow their grain by the aid of the wind.
The want of mills for grinding grain and corn was at first a serious inconvenience to the people of McHenry County. Journeys of forty and even of sixty miles, through woods and across prairies, had to be undertaken by those who wished to obtain a grist. But the settlement increased rapidly and this state of affairs did not
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long continue, the county being soon supplied with useful little mills run by water-power. They ground slowly and not always "exceeding fine," but they were more serviceable than the hand- mill, the horse grist-mill, or the mortar and pestle which had been used largely hitherto.
Pioneer life was free from conventional politeness, yet rich in true politeness. Morals were good if manners were rough. There were no neighborhood quarrels; no gossiping and slander; there was also. toleration of various religious opinions. Almost every shade of religion was represented, and all dwelt harmoniously to- gether-perhaps for the reason that there were no churches, church quarrels were impossible. But from whatever cause, pioneer society was as good an example of "brethren dwelling together in unity" as we are ever likely to find in this busy and selfish world.
PIONEER LIFE.
Extracts from an oration delivered before the Old Settlers' Asso- ciation of McHenry and Lake counties at McHenry on the 8th of September, 1869, by Hon. George Gage:
MR. PRESIDENT AND FELLOW-CITIZENS :- We are assembled to-day for the first time, as an organized association of old settlers of Mc- Henry and Lake counties; and probably, for some of us, the last time, to exchange friendly greetings with each other once again before taking our final departure from this beautiful land of ours that is endeared to us by all the sacred memories of the past, for that undiscovered country beyond the tomb, from whose bourne it is said no traveler ever returns and unto which we are all so rap- idly hastening.
After a residence of thirty-five years in this county, during which time the waves of adversity have beaten heavily against our frail bark of life, many times wrecking our dearest hopes of life upon a dark sea of uncertainty and doubt, it affords us untold satisfaction to meet so many of our old friends here upon this occasion, and un- der circumstances of so favorable a nature-circumstances which arouse every latent energy of the soul and inspire the most pro- found emotions of the heart. I see around me here to-day men and women whose faces were familiar in former years, gathered to- gether from the different States of the Union, from the East and from the West, from the North and from the South, to grasp the friendly hand again. One lady, in particular, one of the oldest settlers of the town of McHenry, has left her home upon the Pa-
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cific coast, over 3,000 miles distant, has scaled the Sierra Nevada and Rocky mountains, and crossed the great American Desert to join in our festivities.
I also see around me men and women venerable with age,, pass- ing down the declivity of life with that quiet, unpretending demeanor which characterizes a life of labor, of purity and use- fulness, a conscience void of offence and which dignifies old age,- who have lain the foundation for all the present and future pros- perity and happiness of this country. Here nearly thirty-five years ago we commenced this journey of life together. Animated by the alluring promises of youth and the rich prospects spread out around us, we have struggled on through storm and tempest, through summer's heat and winter's cold, sunless hours and clouded sky, until the vitalizing forces of youth are far spent, the realities of life are nearly past, and the grand, culminating reward is summed up in our children and our children's children around us. 1
No country ever inspired higher hopes and expectations than this, and few ever proved more deceptive and illusory. Disap- pointment heaped upon disappointment, loss upon loss, failure upon failure, has been the rule and not the exception in our strug- gle here against contending forces. Still no more inviting pros- pect was ever held out to mortal vision than this country presented in its native purity, with its rich, rolling prairies, before the hand of civilization had ever marred its original symmetry and beauty.
I wish to go back with yon to-day to our starting point in life here and trace our footprints along the winding way which brings us to our present position. And first I wish to introduce a prairie view, a view of the country as we found it-a prairie
" Whose rolling surface far exceeds our gaze Where herds run wild and wander as they graze."
These groves of timber in the distance, which seem to skirt the horizon, mark the line of some water course or lake which serves to protect them against the annual desolating scourge, the prairie fire. Those spanceled Indian ponies, quietly feeding by yonder grove, admonish us of the presence of a race of men who have been the terror of the frontier settlements in all ages of our country. The " prairie schooner " dragging its slow length along; the buck and the doe bounding lightly away over the lawn; the rich flowery carpet spread out under our feet; the grand, rolling prairie extend-
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ing in the distance-all are scenes which increase in interest as we gaze back upon them through the long vista of intervening years. This little bird that flies screeching and screaming around us, known as a " prairie jack," with his long pipe-stem bill, sends his sharp, shrill voice far echoing over the prairie. The sand-hill crane in yonder marsh catches the echo, and tunes her throat to the mel- ody her mother taught; her mate takes up the glad refrain, re- sponds in perfect time and harmony, and while they dance and sing
" A deeper melody Is poured by other birds, as o'er their callow young Watchful they hover. To the breeze is flung, Gladsome, yet not of glee,
A heart-born music, such as mothers sing Above their cradled infants' slumbering.
" The overarching sky
Puts on a softer tint, a lovelier hue,
As if the golden glory melted through
The sapphire walls on high ; And with the sunshine folded on the breast Float the white clouds, like zephyrs, to the West."
Such is a faint outline of the picture as mirrored from memory's chart to-day. Well might one exclaim like the companion of our venerable friend as his eye caught, for the first time, a view of our broad, rolling prairies: "My God, Bartlett, is that country just as God left it?" " I don't know," says Charles; " It was just so when I came here."
Now again, as we look over the country, upon the spot where the painted savage, the prowling wolf and the timid deer have been wont to roam unmolested, " a humble cottage marks a happy home." The quiet farmer with his plow has commenced a war of extermination against the prairie flowers and grasses. Civilization, which, like the Star of Empire, westward takes its way, in its grand progressive march has established a permanent residence here, carrying destruction to all the lower orders of animated nature, to make room for a higher, more perfect development of the vegetable, animal and intellectual kingdoms. * * * I have said that for some of us this is the last old settlers' convention we shall ever attend. * These facts admonish us that we are fast passing away and each succeeding year decimates our number and will continue to do so until the last one of us shall wait for the Angel of Death to roll back the door and show us those we love. In view of these
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truths let us not approach the Eternal Gates with fear and trem- bling, but rather
" Let us hope for the future, when Death shall relieve us And open the portals above to sight,
When those gone before us with joy shall receive us And welcome us home to the mansions of light."
Notwithstanding the fact that this country presented the most cheering prospects in our beginning here, with its rich alluvial soil spread out in unlimited extent, we were all doomed to bitter disappointment. Bright visions of golden harvests have loomed up before us only to be swept away in a single hour. Prairie fires have swept over the country like a flaming tornado leaving all a blackened mass of ruins in their path, and always finding victims among the farmers. Fences, hay, grain and buildings have fallen before the devouring element. The swarming blackbirds, like the locusts of Egypt, have been the terror of farmers in early times. They would first ruin our harvests and then add insult to injury by chanting their funeral dirge amid the green branches of the forest, while they laughed at our calamity and mocked when our fear cam . The malaria arising from the newly turned prairies has caused us to burn with fever and freeze with ague. We struggled year after year against fire, blackbirds, vermin and disease, until we began to realize fine harvests, and then we had no markets.
We came to this county poor in everything but strong constitu- tions, generous impulses and voracious appetites. We had our land to buy; our fences, barns, sheds, houses, school-houses, roads and bridges to build; our horses, cattle, hogs and sheep to buy or raise; our farming tools and household furniture to purchase. Money was sometimes borrowed at ruinous rates of interest, and as a consequence some have lost their farms, others their health, and some in the struggle have lost their lives.
In our primitive style of living the most fashionable dwellings were log shanties with " shake" roofs and puncheon floors. Our furniture was improvised out of such material as the country af- forded and manufactured with a farmer's "kit," which was gener- ally an ax, a hammer, a draw-knife and an auger.
We suffered much inconvenience for many years for want of proper farming implements, but most of all for a good crossing plow. Renwick and Gifford manufactured the first I ever saw, at Elgin, in 1844. * As we look back over the country to- day, behold how changed! Shanties have given place to capacious
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HISTORY OF MC HENRY COUNTY.
dwellings, constructed with all the convenience and elegance of the most approved style of modern architecture. The rude habi- tations of the past exist only in the memory as among the things that were. It seems more like a dream than a reality that these changes have been wrought in our generation. The oldest set- tlements on the continent furnish no more of the comforts and luxuries of life than are now enjoyed by all the country around us.
The first settlers of this county were composed of two classes: The one was the class that floats along on the tide of emigration for the purpose of plunder, and the other came here to secure homes and an honorable living. The former class soon floated away and left the country clear of tlie desperadoes for which some of the western counties in this State were noted in early his- tory. The latter class, who may now be considered as the only act- ual settlers, were emigrants from different States of the Union and provinces of Europe.
There was a glorious hospitality among the early settlers which we do not see to-day. With all your abundance, a meal of victuals is not now given as readily and freely to a hungry traveler as it was when you had to divide the last loaf to bestow it. You are not as whole-souled, benevolent, and philanthropic as you were. Your purest and noblest affections are dried up; your hearts are dead to the generous impulses of former days; are not overflowing with kind words, and thoughts beaming from the eye, speaking > from the tongue, radiating from the genial hues of the counte- nance, as in the days of yore. Why is this? Why is it that in proportion as our necessities decrease and as old age comes creep- ing on, the desire for wealth and influence increases and a more penurious spirit crowds out the nobler impulses of our nature? It is this: Ever since we began to accumulate property it has re- quired constant care and watchfulness to guard it. The world seems to be swarming with people who are trying to get something for nothing, and that something must come out of those who earn it. It is becoming second nature in us to guard against its being filched from our hard earnings. Should we not rather try and guard against the other extreme to which the force of such circum- stances tends to drive us? Better be poor, noble and generous than rich, acid and seclusive.
Now for a moment I wish to take a broader, more comprehensive view of the situation. This country which seems to have sprung up, as it were, out of the depths of the seas, extending from the At-
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lantic to the Pacific, from the great lakes on the north to the broad gulf on the south, with its giant mountain ranges, its majestic riv- ers, its fertile hills and verdant plains, seems to have been the chosen spot of all others on God's green earth for the highest and most perfect development of the human intellect. With a Gov- ernment based upon the principles of equal and exact justice to all mankind, recognizing the principle of human equality before the law, extending its protecting arm alike around and over all, with freedom of thought, freedom of speech, and freedom of the press, stirring up, agitating, purifying the stagnant pools of the dead past, America is fast advancing the sciences and arts, and is to-day the guiding star, the light and the hope of the world. Our rail- roads and telegraphs, our steamboats and steam printing presses, are scintillating light all over the world, over the Atlantic and through it, over mountains, hills and plains to all parts of the hab- itable globe.
These wonderful and marvelous inventions together with the thousands of others that aid the farmer and the mechanic in their daily labors are the results of American science and industry and the product of the age in which we live. These are the offspring of American institutions, freed from the spirit of bigotry, supersti- tion and intolerance which has so long been the blighting curse of humanity. In view of these considerations, what glorious prospects are spread out around us, for us and succeeding generations, in this land but just redeemed rom the hand of the vandal barbarian.
Now for a moment I wish to talk to the ladies wearing the badge of this association. I should always feel I had been derelict in my duty should I fail to express my high appreciation of your useful- ness in your field of labor here. In your early walks in life you never trailed long richly embroidered silk dresses in the dust in the vain hope of exciting admiration. You never disfigured your early tabernacles with stays and laces for the same object. You never shut out the light of heaven from your habitation for fear it might interfere with your personal beauty. But, satisfied with the divine form that God had given you, in which no sculptor could detect a fault, you attired yourself with neatness and simplicity; and when employed in the sphere of your usefulness you were more lovely and beloved than the gaudy queen in her palace. But you were the guardian angels of our household homes, without whom this land, would have been desolate indeed. You com- menced your journey in life here in log shanties with blanket
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HISTORY OF MC HENRY COUNTY.
partitions of your own manufacture, with probably a chest for your first table, and a three-legged puncheon stool for your first sofa; and without a single female friend to whom you could confide the secret treasures of your womanly heart. With all these discourage- ments surrounding you, you have patiently toiled and struggled on until your reward is apparent in your parlor and in your kitchen; in your fine carriage, your costly dwelling and your broad acres; but most of all in the bright prospects of these children around you. To you, ladies, we owe much for what our country is to-day.
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