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 9
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for Governor on the Democratic ticket, but died before election. Thomas Ford was placed in nomination, and was elected, ex-Gov- ernor Duncan being his opponent.
PRAIRIE PIRATES.
The northern part of the State also had its mob experiences, but of an entirely different nature from the one just recounted. There has always hovered around the frontier of civilization bold, desper- ate men, who prey upon the unprotected settlers rather than gain a livelihood by honest toil. Theft, robbery and murder were car- ried on by regularly organized bands in Ogle, Lee, Winnebago and DeKalb counties. The leaders of these gangs of cut-throats were among the first settlers of that portion of the State, and conse- quently had the choice of location. Among the most prominent of the leaders were John Driscoll, William and David, his sons; John Brodie and three of his sons; Samuel Aikens and three of his sons; William K. Bridge and Norton B. Boyce.
These were the representative characters, those who planned and controlled the movements of the combination, concealed them when danger threatened, nursed them when sick, rested them when worn by fatigue and forced inarches, furnished hiding places for their stolen booty, shared in the spoils, and, under cover of darkness and intricate and devious ways of travel, known only to themselves and subordinates, transferred stolen horses from station to station; for it came to be known as a well-established fact that they liad stations, and agents, and watchmen scattered throughout the coun- try at convenient distances, and signals and pass-words to assist and govern them in all their nefarious transactions.
Ogle county, particularly, seemed to be a favorite and chosen field for the operations of these outlaws, who could not be convicted for their crimes. By getting some of their number on the juries, by producing hosts of witnesses to sustain their defense by per- jured evidence, and by changing the venuc from one county to another, and by continuances from term to term, they nearly always managed to be acquitted. At last these depredations became too common for longer endurance; patience ceased to be a virtue, and determined desperation seized the minds of honest men, and they resolved that if there were no statute laws that could protect them
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against the ravages of thieves, robbers and counterfeiters, they would protect themselves. It was a desperate resolve, and desper- ately and bloodily executed.
BURNING OF OGLE COUNTY COURT-HOUSE.
At the Spring terin of court, 1841, seven of the "Pirates of the Prairie," as they were called, were confined in the Ogle county jail to await trial. Preparatory to holding court, the judge and lawyers assembled at Oregon in their new court-house, which had just been completed. Near it stood the county jail in which were the prisoners. The "Pirates " assembled Sunday night and set the court-house on fire, in the hope that as the prisoners would have to be removed from the jail, they might, in the hurry and confusion of the people in attending to the fire, make their escape. The whole population were awakened that dark and stormy night, to see their new court edifice enwrapped in flames. Although the building was entirely consumed, none of the prisoners escaped. Three of them were tried, convicted and sent to the penitentiary for a year. They had, however, contrived to get one of their num- ber on the jury, who would not agree to a verdict until threatened to be lynched. The others obtained a change of venue and were not convicted, and finally they all broke jail and escaped.
Thus it was that the law was inadequate to the protection of the people. The best citizens held a meeting and entered into a solemn compact with each other to rid the country of the desperadoes that infested it. They were regularly organized and known as " Regu- lators." They resolved to notify all suspected parties to leave the country within a given time; if they did not comply, they would be severely dealt with. Their first victim was a man named Hurl, who was suspected of having stolen his neighbor's horse. He was ordered to strip, liis hands were tied, when thirty-six lashes of a raw-hide were applied to his bare back. The next was a inan named Daggett, formerly a Baptist preacher. He was sentenced to receive five hundred lashes on his bare back. He was stripped, and all was ready, when his beautiful daughter rushed into the midst of the men, begging for mercy for her father. Her appeals, with Daggett's promise to leave the country immediately, secured his release. That niglit, new crimes having been discovered, he was taken out and whipped, after whichi he left the country, never again to be heard from.
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The friends and comrades of the men who had been whipped were fearfully enraged, and swore eternal and bloody vengeance. Eighty of them assembled one night soon after, and laid plans to visit White Rock and murder every man, woman and child in that hamlet. They started on this bloody mission, but were prevailed upon by one of their number to disband. Their coming, however, had been anticipated, and every man and boy in the town was armed to protect himself and his family.
CAMPBELL KILLED-THE MURDERERS SHOT.
John Campbell, Captain of the "Regnlators," received a letter from William Driscoll, filled with most direful threats,-not only threatening Campbell's life, but the life of any one who should oppose their murderous, thieving operations. Soon after the re- ceipt of this letter, two hundred of the " Regulators " marched to Driscoll's and ordered him to leave the county within twenty days, but he refused to comply with the order. One Sunday evening, just after this, Campbell was shot down in his own door-yard by David Driscoll. He fell in the arms of his wife, at which time Taylor Driscoll raised his rifle and pointed it toward her, but low- ered it without firing.
News of this terrible crime spread like wild-fire. The very air was filled with threats and vengeance, and nothing but the lives of the murderous gang would pay the penalty. Old John Driscoll was arrested, was told to bid his family good-bye, and then with his son went out to his death. The "Regulators," numbering 111, formed a large circle, and gave the Driscolls a fair hearing. They were found guilty, and the "Regulators " divided into two "death divisions,"-one, consisting of fifty-six, with rifles dispatched the father, the other fifty-five riddled and shattered the body of the son with balls from as many guns. The measures thus inaugu- rated to free the country from the dominion of outlaws was a last desperate resort, and proved effectual.
MORMON WAR.
In April, 1840, the "Latter-Day Saints," or Mormons, came in large numbers to Illinois and purchased a tract of land on the east side of the Mississippi river, about ten miles above Keokuk. Here they commenced building the city of Nauvoo. A more picturesque or eligible site for a city could not have been selected.
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The origin, rapid development and prosperity of this religious sect are the most remarkable and instructive historical events of the present century. That an obscure individual, without money, education, or respectability, should persuade hundreds of thousands of people to believe him inspired of God, and canse a book, con- temptible as a literary production, to be received as a continuation of the sacred revelation, appears almost incredible; yet in less than half a century, the disciples of this obscure individual have in- creased to hundreds of thousands; have founded a State in the dis- tant wilderness, and compelled the Government of the United States to practically recognize them as an independent people.
THE FOUNDER OF MORMONISM.
The founder of Mormonism was Joseph Smith, a native of Ver- mont, wlio emigrated while quite young with his father's family to western New York. Here his youth was spent in idle, vagabond life, roaming the woods, dreaming of buried treasures, and in en- deavoring to learn the art of finding them by the twisting of a forked stick in his hands, or by looking through enchanted stones. Both he and his father became famous as " water wizards," always ready to point out the spot where wells might be dug and water found. Such was the character of the young profligate when he made the acquaintance of Sidney Rigdon, a person of considerable talent and information, who had conceived the design of founding a new religion. A religious romance, written by Mr. Spaulding, a Presbyterian preacher of Ohio, then dead, suggested the idea, and finding in Smith the requisite duplicity and cunning to reduce it to practice, it was agreed that he should act as prophet; and the two devised a story that gold plates liad been found buried in the earth containing a record inscribed on them in unknown characters, which, when deciphered by the power of inspiration, gave the his- tory of the ten lost tribes of Israel.
ATTEMPT TO ARREST JOE SMITH.
After their settlement in and about Nauvoo, in Hancock County, great depredations were committed by them on the "Gentiles." The Mormons had been received from Missouri with great kind- ness by the people of this State, and every possible aid granted them. The depredations committed, however, soon inade them
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odious, when the question of getting rid of them was agitated. In the fall of 1841, the Governor of Missouri made a demand on Gov. Carlin for the arrest and delivery of Joe Smith as a fugitive from justice. An executive warrant issued for that purpose was placed in the hands of an agent to be executed, but was returned without being complied with. Soon afterward the Governor handed the same writ to his agent, who this time succeeded in arresting Joe Smith. He was, however, discharged by Judge Douglas, upon the grounds that the writ upon which he had been arrested had been once returned before it was executed, and was functus oficio. In 1842 Gov. Carlin again issued his writ, Joe Smith was arrested again, and again escaped. Thus it will be seen it was impossible to reachlı and punish the leader of this people, who had been driven from Missouri because of their stealing, murdering and unjust dealing, and came to Illinois but to continue their depredations. Emboldened by success, the Mormons became more arrogant and overbearing. Many people began to believe that they were about to set up a separate government for themselves in defiance of the laws of the State. Owners of property stolen in other counties made pursuit into Nauvoo, and were fined by the Mormon courts for daring to seek their property in the holy city. But that which made it more certain than anything else that the Mormons con- templated a separate government, was that about this time they petitioned Congress to establish a territorial government for them in Nanvoo.
ORIGIN OF POLYGAMY.
To crown the whole folly of the Mormons, in the Spring of 1844 Joe Smithi announced himself as a candidate for President of the United States, and many of his followers were confident he would be elected. He next caused himself to be anointed king and priest, and to give character to his pretensions, he declared his lineage in an unbroken line from Joseph, the son of Jacob, and that of his wife from some other important personage of the ancient Hebrews. To strengthen his political power he also instituted a body of police styled the " Danite band," who were sworn to pro- tect his person and obey his orders as the commands of God. A female order previously existing in the church, called "Spiritual wives," was modified so as to suit the licentiousness of the prophet. A doctrine was revealed that it was impossible for a woman to get
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to heaven except as the wife of a Mormon elder; that each elder might marry as many women as he could maintain, and that any female might be sealed to eternal life by becoming their concubine. This licentiousness, the origin of polygamy in that church, they endeavored to justify by an appeal to Abraham, Jacob and other favorites of God in former ages of the world.
JOE SMITH AS A TYRANT.
Smith soon began to play the tyrant over his people. Among the first acts of this sort was an attempt to take the wife of Wil- liam Law, one of his most talented disciples, and make her liis spiritual wife. He established, without authority, a recorder's office, and an office to issue marriage licenses. He proclaimed that none could deal in real estate or sell liquor but himself. He ordered a printing office demolished, and in many ways controlled . the freedom and business of the Mormons. Not only did he stir up some of the Mormons, but by his reckless disregard for the laws of the land raised up opposition on every hand. It was believed that he instructed the Danite band, which he had chosen as the ministers of his vengeance, that no blood, except that of the church, was to be regarded as sacred, if it contravened the accomplishment of his object. It was asserted that he inculcated the legality of perjury and other crimes, if committed to advance the cause of true believ- ers; that God had given the world and all it contained to his saints, and since they were kept out of their rightful inheritance by force, it was no moral offense to get possession of it by stealing. It was reported that an establishment existed in Nauvoo for the manufac- ture of counterfeit money, and that a set of outlaws was maintained for the purpose of putting it in circulation. Statements were cir- culated to the effect that a reward was offered for the destruction of the Warsaw Signal, an anti-Mormon paper, and that Mormons dis- persed over the country threatened all persons who offered to assist the constable in the execution of the law, with the destruction of their property and the murder of their families. There were rumors also afloat that an alliance had been formed with the Western Indians, and in case of war they would be used in murdering their enemies. In short, if only one-half of these reports were true the Mormons must have been the most infamous people that ever ex- isted.
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MILITARY FORCES ASSEMBLING.
William Law, one of the proprietors of the printing-press destroyed by Smith, went to Carthage, the county-seat, and obtained warrants for the arrest of Smith and the members of the City Council, and others connected with the destruction of the press. Some of the parties having been arrested, but discharged by the authorities in Nauvoo, a convention of citizens assembled at Carthage and appointed a committee to wait upon the Governor for the purpose of procuring military assistance to enforce the law. The Governor visited Carthage in person. Previous to his arrival thie militia liad been called out and armed forces commenced assem- bling in Carthage and Warsaw to enforce the service of civil process. All of them, however, signified a willingness to co-operate with the Governor in preserving order. A constable and ten men were then sent to make the arrest. In the meantime, Smith declared martial law; his followers residing in the country were summoned to his assistance; the Legion was assembled and under arms, and the entire city was one great military encampment.
THE SMITHS ARRESTED.
The prophet, his brother Hiram, the members of the City Coun- cil and others, surrendered themselves at Carthage June 24, 1845, on the charge of riot. All entered into recognizance before a Jus- tice of the Peace to appear at court, and were discharged. A new writ, however, was immediately issued and served on the two Siniths, and both were arrested and thrown into prison. The citizens had assembled from Hancock, Schuyler and McDonough counties, armed and ready to avenge the outrages that had been committed by the Mormons. Great excitement prevailed at Car- tliage. The force assembled at that place amounted to 1,200 men, and about 500 assembled at Warsaw. Nearly all were anxious to march into Nauvoo. This measure was supposed to be necessary to search for counterfeit money and the apparatus to make it, and also to strike a salutary terror into the Morinon people by an exhi- bition of the force of the State, and thereby prevent future out- rages, murders, robberies, burnings, and the like. The 27tli of June was appointed for the march; but Gov. Ford, who at the time was in Carthage, apprehended trouble if the militia should attempt to invade Nauvoo, disbanded the troops, retaining only a guard to the jail.
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JOE SMITH AND HIS BROTHER KILLED.
Gov. Ford went to Nauvoo on the 27th. The same morning about 200 men from Warsaw, many being disguised, hastened to Carthage. On learning that one of the companies left as a guard had disbanded, and the other stationed 150 yards from the jail while eight men were left to guard the prisoners, a communication was soon established between the Warsaw troops and the guard; and it was arranged that the guard should have their guns charged with blank cartridges and fire at the assailants when they attempted to enter the jail. The conspirators came up, jumped the fence around the jail, were fired upon by the guard, which, according to arrange- ment, was overpowered, and the assailants entered the prison, to the door of the room where the two prisoners werc confined. An attempt was made to break open the door; but Joe Smith, being armed with a pistol, fired several times as the door was bursted open, and three of the assailants were wounded. At the same time several shots were fired into the room, by some of which John Taylor, a friend of the Smiths, received four wounds, and Hiram Smith was instantly killed. Joe Smith, severcly wounded, attempt- ed to escape by jumping out of a second-story window, but was so stunned by the fall that he was unable to rise. In this position he was dispatched by balls shot through his body. Thus fell Joe Smith, the most successful imposter of modern times. Totally ignor- ant of almost every fact in science, as well as in law, he made up in constructiveness and natural cunning whatever in him was want- ing of instruction.
CONSTERNATION AT QUINCY.
Great consternation prevailed among the anti-Mormons at Carthage, after the killing of the Smiths. They expected the Mor- mons would be so enraged on hearing of the death of their leaders that they would come down in a body, armed and equipped, to seek revenge upon the populace at Carthage. Messengers were dispatched to various places for help in case of an attack. The women and children were moved across the river for safety. A committee was sent to Quincy and early the following inorning. at the ringing of the bells, a large concourse of people assembled to devise means of defense. At this meeting, it was reported that the Mormons attempted to rescue the Smiths; that a party of Mis- sourians and others had killed them to prevent their escape; that
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the Governor and his party were at Nauvoo at the time when intel- ligence of the fact was brought there; that they had been attacked by the Nauvoo Legion, and had retreated to a house where they were closely besieged; that the Governor had sent out word that he could inaintain his position for two days, and would be certain to be massacred if assistance did not arrive by that time. It is unnecessary to say that this entire story was fabricated. It was put in circulation, as were many other stories, by the anti-Mormons, to influence the public mind and create a hatred for the Mormons. The effect of it, however, was that by 10 o'clock on the 28th, between two and three hundred men from Quincy, under command of Maj. Flood, went on board a steamboat for Nauvoo, to assist in raising the siege, as they honestly believed.
VARIOUS DEPREDATIONS.
It was thought by many, and indeed the circumstances seem to war- rant the conclusion, tliat the assassins of Smith had arranged that the murder should occur while the Governor was in Nauvoo; that the Mormons would naturally suppose he planned it, and in the first out- pouring of their indignation put him to death, as a means of retalia- tion. They thought that if they could have the Governor of the State assassinated by Mormons, the public excitement would be greatly increased against that people, and would cause their extermination, or at least their expulsion from the State. That it was a brutal and premeditated murder cannot be and is not denied at this day; but the desired effect of the murder was not attained, as the Mormons did not evacuate Nauvoo for two years afterward. In the meantime, the excitement and prejudice against this people were not allowed to die ont. Horse-stealing was quite common, and every case that occurred was charged to the Mormons. That they were guilty of such thefts cannot be denied, but a great deal of this work done at that time was by organized bands of thieves, who knew they could carry on their nefarious business with more safety, as long as sus- picion could be placed upon the Mormons. In the summer and fall of 1845 were several occurrences of a nature to increase the irritation existing between the Mormons and their neighbors. A suit was instituted in the United States Circuit Court against one of the apostles, to recover a note, and a marshal sent to summons
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the defendant, who refused to be served with the process. Indig- nation mectings were held by the saints, and the marshal threat- ened for attempting to serve the writ. About this time, General Denning, sheriff, was assaulted by an anti-Mormon, whom he killed. Denning was friendly to the Mormons, and a great outburst of passion was occasioned among the friends of the dead man.
INCENDIARISM.
It was also discovered, in trying the rights of property at Lima, Adams county, that the Mormons had an institution connected with their church to secure their effects from execution. Incensed at this and other actions, the anti-Mormons of Lima and Green Plains, hield a meeting to devisc mneans for the expulsion of the Mormons from that part of the country. It was arranged that a number of their own party should fire on the building in which they were assembled, in such a manner as not to injure anyone, and then report that the Mormons had commenced the work of plunder and deatlı. This plot was duly executed, and the startling intelligence soon called togetlier a mob, which threatened the Mor- mons with fire and sword if they did not immediately leave. The Mormons refusing to depart, the mob at once executed their threats by burning 125 houses and forcing the inmates to flee for their lives. The sheriff of Hancock county, a prominent Mormon armed several hundred Mormons and scoured the country, in search of the incendiaries, but they had fled to neighboring counties, and he was unable either to bring them to battle or make any arrests. One man, however, was killed without provocation; another attempting to escape was shot and afterwards hacked and muti- lated; and Franklin A. Worrell, who had charge of the jail when the Smiths were killed, was shot by some unkuown person con- . cealed in a thicket. The anti-Mormons committed one murder. A party of them set fire to a pile of straw, near the barn of an old Mormon, nearly ninety years of age, and when he appeared to ex- tinguish the flames, he was shot and killed.
The anti-Mormons left their property exposed in their hurried retreat, after having burned the houses of the Mormons. Those who had been burned out sallied forth from Nauvoo and plundered the whole country, taking whatever they could carry or drive away. By order of the Governor, Gen. Hardin raised a force of 350 inen, checked the Mormon ravages, and recalled the fugitive anti-Mormons home.
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MAKING PREPARATION TO LEAVE.
At this time a convention, consisting of delegates from eight of the adjoining counties, assembled to concert measures for the expul- sion of the Mormons from the State. The Mormons seriously con- templated emmigration westward, believing the times forbodcd evil for them. Accordingly, during the winter of 1845-'46, the most stupendous preparations were made by the Mormons for removal. All the principal dwellings, and even the temple, were converted into work-sliops, and before spring, 12,000 wagons were in readiness; and by the middle of February the leaders, with 2,000 of their followers, had crossed the Mississippi on the ice.
Before the spring of 1846 the majority of the Mormons had left Nauvoo, but still a large number remained.
THE BATTLE OF NAUVOO.
In September a writ was issued against several prominent Mor- mons, and placed in the hands of Jolin Carlin, of Carthage, for execution. Carlin called out a posse to help make the arrest, which brought together quite a large force in the neighborhood of Nauvoo. Carlin, not being a military man, placed in command of the posse, first, Gen. Singleton, and afterward Col. 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 loss to the anti-Mormons of three killed and four wounded. 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 re- move from the State. The trustees of the church and five of their clerks were permitted to remain for the sale of Mormon property, and the posse were to march in unmolested, and leave a sufficient force to guarantee the performance of their stipulations. Accord- ingly, the constable's posse marched in with Brockman at their head. It consisted of about 800 armed men and 600 or 700 unarmed, who had assembled from all the country around, through motives of curiosity, to see the once proud city of Nauvoo hum- bled and delivered up to its enemies. They proceeded into the
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