History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc, Part 64

Author: Mercer County Historical Society (Ill.); Henderson County Historical Society (Ill.)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co.
Number of Pages: 1424

USA > Illinois > Mercer County > History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc > Part 64
USA > Illinois > Henderson County > History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc > Part 64

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

One of the worst enemies the settlers had to contend with was the prairie fire. Hunters would frequently set fire to the tall grass, which,

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in the fall, would readily ignite; the prairie would soon be a sea of flame, and woe unto the unlucky farmer who had not taken the proper precautions to protect his property. These fires were sometimes arrested in their flight by the settlers, who would turn out and "fight them." Mr. W. P. Collins states that he, in company with his father, brother, and several neighbors once fought a fire from Saturday until Sunday night, without food, water or sleep. The manner in which this was done was to plow a furrow in front of the fire, and then burn the grass between, being careful in the beginning to prevent the grass on the opposite side from igniting.

The people also experienced great difficulty in getting breadstuff. Mills being scarce, they were frequently, in case of bad weatlier, com- pelled to manufacture their own meal, which was done by grating the corn while on the ear. Corn bread and pork constituted the bill of fare.

William Terry was also one of the earliest settlers in Greene town- ship, having came in 1836, from New York state. He entered in all abont 440 acres of land, 160 of which was entered in his son's name. Mr. Terry is now nearly eighty-four, and is apparently as rugged as when the writer first saw him a score of years ago. His mind is as clear and his memory as retentive as in his boyhood. He is familiarly spoken of as "Uncle Billy." During an interview with this venerable gentleman, the writer listened to many amusing incidents illustrative of pioneer life. When Mr. Terry came to Mercer county, there was but one other settler in Greene township. Game of all kinds abounded He states that he has seen as many as fifty deer in a drove, browsing on Pope creek bottom. Lynx and wolves were also very plentiful. One evening, while driving his cows down to the creek bottom, he heard a rustling in the bushes near at hand, and on walking up nearer to ascertain the cause, a huge black wolf sprang at him, with glaring eyes and open jaws. Uncle Billy sprang across a little stream that ran near by, and started homeward at a rate which he thinks was the fast- est on record at that time. He arrived safely at home, minus his hat. . On the following morning he went back to the scene of the fright and found from its tracks, that the wolf had pursued him as far as the water and stopped. He was returning home one evening from Bridger's corners, where he had been transacting some business which had not gone to suit him. This rendered his feelings very unamiable, and as he was passing through Pope creek timber, his mind was very sud- denly diverted from his financial affairs by the appearance of a large gray wolf, immediately in front of him and right in his path. He stopped for a moment, and the wolf raised himself on his hannches,

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and sat glaring at him in a very threatening manner. But Uncle Billy's combativeness would not allow him to flee, nor to turn from the path. IIe seized a club, started toward the animal, and it politely stepped aside, allowing him to pass, but he states that he kept one eye on his wolfship until he disappeared in the distance. Mr. Terry states that the settlers in that part of the county did their trading at Hender- sonville, Knox county, where they paid as high as twenty dollars per barrel for flour, and other commodities in proportion. His family once subsisted for several weeks on bread made from wheat ground in a coffee mill. The first religious services Mr. Terry attended in Illinois were held in the cabin of Mr. James Mann, in North Hender- son township. People then drove to church with ox teams.

Hopkins Boone, now a resident of Viola, was the second settler in Preemption township, having located on Edwards river in the fall of 1835. Mr. Boone first made a trip to Illinois in 1830 and had decided to make his home in the southern part of the state. But on returning after the close of the Black Hawk war he found that locality too thickly settled to suit his ideas of a new country, and he accordingly came farther north. At that time and for several years subsequent the county was divided into three voting precincts, his being called the Richland Grove precinct. The polling place was then at the residence of a Mr. Parker in what is now Richland Grove township. On election day in 1836 Mr. Boone, in company with a neighbor, walked to Mr. Parker's to cast their votes. On their arrival they found fifteen or twenty settlers from other parts of the precinct who had congregated there for the same purpose. They had no printed tickets, and as not a soul of them knew the names of the electors, it was impossible for them to vote, and after laughing and joking considerably over their predicament they returned to their respective homes.

Mr. Boone states that at that time there was no road leading north and south except an Indian trail, which could be traveled only on horseback, and which lay between Monmouth and Rock Island. He states that there had been a state road laid out from Beardstown to Rock Island, but as there had been no work done on it through Mer- cer county it could not be traveled by wagon.

Until after they had raised a crop the settlers were obliged to get their provisions from Knox and Warren counties. In order to reach Monmouth by wagon they were obliged to go west to the Mississippi and there take a road running from New Boston to that place, which made a roundabout journey.

For several years after locating at Farlow's Grove their nearest mill was one situated on the Cedar fork of Henderson creek in Warren

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county. As there was but little wheat raised the settlers were obliged to subsist principally on corn bread, and occasionally on "hog and hominy." As game was plentiful a piece of venison or a wild turkey frequently broke the monotony. Mr. Boone states that a drove of wild hogs was seen along the river in 1836 and some of them were shot by the settlers.

Mr. Boone erected the first saw-mill built on Edwards river and did work for settlers for many miles around.

He is one of the four remaining pioneers of Mercer county. He is a distant relative of the famous Daniel Boone, and like him, in his younger days, excessively fond of life in a wild country. He says the happiest days of his life were spent in a log cabin. In early times he could stand in the door of his rude habitation and look far up and down the river and across the country for miles, seeing nothing but prairie, with here and there a belt of timber; hills adorned with flowers of every hue, between which glided the silvery waters of the river, and here and there herds of deer feeding on the plain.

But what a change time has wrought. Civilization in its onward march has blotted out all traces of the cabin, and where the bounding deer dwelt and the wild flowers bloomed, are school-houses, dwellings and fields of grain.

The canoe of the swarthy savage is seen no more darting up and . down the stream, while in the distance can be heard the shriek of the locomotive and the changing of the church bells.

He like many others has stepped out of the busy whirlpool of life, aud is living in quiet retirement. He has the satisfaction of knowing that he assisted in paving the way for civilization and for progress, and in his later years his memory loves to dwell on the past, which for him has been marked by many hardships and dangers, yet has not been without its pleasures

ORGANIZATION.

Greene township assumed organization in 1854. The name of Greene was suggested by John Collins, with whom General Greene of revolutionary fame was a great favorite. The first town meeting was held in a school-house that stood on a hill in what is now the eastern part of the village of Viola. John Collins was chosen chairman by acclamation, after which Uri Smith was chosen moderator, and Henry Hoagland, clerk pro tem. The polls being opened the following officers were chosen by ballott : Elisha Miles, supervisor ; Henry Hoag- land, town clerk ; William P. Collins, assessor ; Alexander McGauhey, collector ; John Frazier, overseer of the poor ; Samual E. Russell, John

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H. Park and David Somerville, Jr., commissioners of highways; John Griffin and Henry Hoagland, justices of the peace ; William T. MeGauhey and W. P. Collins, constables ; Jeremiah Boyer, and David Somerville, Jr., pound masters ; Alexander M. Stewart, Van R. Har- riott, and C. Doty, overseers of highways.

VIOLA.

The village of Viola was laid out by Ford, Shepard and Perkins in 1856. As that time the old Air Line railroad was being surveyed through the country, and Viola was one of the points selected for a station. The name was conferred upon the infant village by Judge Perkins, and is said to have been suggested to him by one of his daugh- ters. In 1856-7 the judge erected the large briek hotel, supposing that a prosperous town would soon surround it. But owing to the collapse of the railroad scheme the great building stood almost alone in its glory for several years after, and proved to have been a very unprofitabte investment to the builder.

The first business house erected after the laying out of the village was that of Dyer Ford, father of M. M. Ford, one of the proprietors of the town. Soon after, the Crosby brothers erected a building and opened up a stock of general merchandise. The first drug store was opened by Mr. Balkam. The postoffice was established in the village in 1856 at the residence of Samuel Perry, Mr. Perry officiating as postmaster for a short time, resigned, and was succeeded by Dyer Ford. The names of the successive postmasters down to the present time in the order of their appointment are as follows : B. F. Warner, resigned, E. S. Fugate, resigned, N. H. Pond, resigned, E. T. Crosby, resigned, E. L. MeKinnie, removed, and V. R. Harriott. The latter named gentleman was appointed in 1880, and has discharged his duties faithfully and satisfactorily.

For a period of nearly twelve years after the laying out of the village, but little growth or progress was made, but after the comple- tion of the branch of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad in 1869, it began to show some signs of life, and entered upon an era of prosperity and growth which surprised the most sanguine. In 1869 Park & MeKinnie erected a handsome drug store. In 1870 Crosby & Phares erected a building in the same block. In 1871 H. B. Frazier built a handsome two-story store building 22×60 feet, and has since added twenty feet in length. In the winter of 1869-70 John G. Gilbert erected a store building and masonic hall on the corner of Shepard and Eighth streets. Since that time he has added two other handsome store-rooms, making the entire building 64×64 feet. The

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HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.

first stock of hardware was put in by V. R. Harriott, in the old hotel building. In 1869 an elevator was built by Mack, Reynolds & Co., of Galesburg, which was operated by the Manning brothers. In 1880 E. J. Morgan also erected a large grain elevator west of the former one, which is now owned by Pinkterton Brothers. The capacity of this building is 20,000 bushels.

During the winter of 1880-81, 400,000 bushels of corn were shipped from Viola, which we presume was not exceeded at any point in the county. The village was incorporated March 19, 1870, Dr. J. V. Frazier, E. J. Morgan, Henry Allen, P. L. McKinnie, and W. K. Garwood being the first trustees. During the twelve years of her in- corporated existence Viola has had a licensed saloon within its limits but two years. During that time king alcohol held undisputed sway, and with his polluting breath sent misery and wretchedness, want and despair into many households. With his subtle power he tore the dimpled arms of the laughing child from about its father's neck, and changed him from a loving father to a demon. Thanks to the unceas- ing labors of the temperance people, he was checked in his devilish career. They declared, through the ballot, that the saloonkeeper must go, and he has gone, let us hope, forever.

NIGGER RIDGE.

For several years previous to and during the war, the people in the western part of the township are said to have been large stockholders in the underground railway. A depot or station was established in the neighborhood, and many a dusky slave, fleeing from the cruelty of the master's lash, was by those kind-hearted people assisted on his way toward the star in the north, and owing to such humane acts, to- gether with the fact that the people in the vicinity were almost unani- mous in the most radical abolition principles, the neighborhood won the name of Nigger Ridge. Rather an uncouth nickname it is, yet one of which they may justly be proud. With it are mingled the recollections of the child being torn from the arms of its dark-skinned mother and sold at the auction block, of the cruel lash, of the savage bloodhound, of the four long years of war that struck the shackles from the arms of millions of slaves.

FIRES.

In June, 1865, the residence of Dr. J. V. Frazier took fire from a defective flue, and was burned to the ground ; loss, $1,500.

In 1866 the drug store of E. S. Fugate took fire, burning the north- west corner of the building, and destroying his books and papers ;

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loss, about $800. Owing to the timely assistance of the citizens, the building was saved from entire destruction.

In 1878 the residence of B. N. Peck took fire, and, with almost its entire contents, totally destroyed. The dwelling was insured, and Mr. Peck received the entire amount.

EPISODES.

In February, 1881, the postoffice was entered, and stamps and reg- istered letters, amounting to $100, taken. The perpetrator was never captured.

July 3, 1875, a large crowd assembled at Viola for the purpose of celebrating the Fourth, that day coming on Sunday. During the after- noon a crowd of miners got into a melee with the police, and a general row ensued, in which some bravery and a great deal of cowardice was manifested. Titus Snyder, Samuel Park, and one or two others having been authorized to act as policemen, contended for a time with a howl- ing mob of infuriated drunkards, and, although severely handled, they succeeded in leveling half a dozen of the ruffians to the earth, after which quiet was restored.

In the fall of 1876 George Parrot, a traveling salesman stopping at the village hotel, committed suicide by taking morphine.

On the night of November 17, 1878, a burglar named Lothringer tried to effect an entrance into the dry goods store of H. B. Frazier & Co. George Goding, a brother of one of the firm, was sleeping in the store at the time, and was suddenly awakened by the cracking of glass in the rear end of the building. He seized his revolver and crept quietly back until he felt the cold air coming through the hole that had been made in the glass in the panel door. The head and shoulders of the burglar soon appeared, and he was in the act of crawling in, when Goding fired, the ball taking effect in his breast. He turned and ran across the street, where he fell and was captured. He was afterward sent to the state prison.

ORGANIZATIONS.

The United Presbyterian Church-Was organized in 1855 by the Rev. Matthew Bigger, and was at that time known as the Twin Grove congregation. The names of the first trustees elected are as follows : John Mitchell, chairman; W. P. Collins, secretary ; trustees, S. E. Russell, J. B. Mitchell, and W. P. Collins. The membership then numbered twenty-eight, and was organized under the care of the Associate Reform Presbytery at Monmouth. John Collins, John Mitchell, Sr., and Samuel Ross were members of the session. The

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first regular pastor was the Rev. D. C. Cochran, who was installed in the spring of 1857. There has been since the organization of the society about 325 members united with them. The present member- ship is 110. The largest number of members attending services at any one time was 130. The present pastor is the Rev. W. S. McClan- nahan. The present session is composed of the following-named members : Richard Gardner, J. C. Pinkerton, Leonard Hogg, Richard Aitkin, James Stewart, and S. E. Russell. The present trustees are : W. C. Breckenridge, John Ashenhurst and S. E. Russell. The Sabbath school in connection is in a very flourishing condition and numbers abont 100 members. This congregation is one of the largest and most prosperous in the county. The church building was erected in 1857; in 1876 additional improvements were made. The entire cost of the building was about $4,500.

Methodist Episcopal .- This society was organized in 1867. The first trustees being Delos Crosby, Jonah Flora, James M. Walker, E. J. Morgan, Elias Beachlor, George Griffin, and O. R. Morey. The church building was completed in 1870. The first pastor was the Rev. Theodore Hoagland. Owing to very imperfect records the data in regard to this organization are very meagre. The society was first organized by the Rev. J. Fleharty, who held meetings in the old brick school-house, and through whose earnest efforts many converts were brought into communion with Christ.

Congregational Church .- This society was organized in 1857, by the Rev. C. H. Eaton, who acted as the first regular pastor. The church building was erected the same year. The first trustees were : B. C. Perkins, Joseph Schofield, George Bolton, Thomas Merriman, John A. Hoffman. This organization was in a very flourishing condi- tion until about 1865-6, but having been originally composed of mem- bers who had previously belonged to other denominations, it began to decrease in number and soon became practically extinct.

Presbyterian .- This society was organized April 22, 1872, in the old Congregational church building, and was made up principally of persons who had formerly been members of the Edwards river congre- gation, and the old Congregationalist church at Viola. The first pastor was the Rev. E. Robb, licentiate of Auburn, New York, seminary. The first elders were Russell Park and Hopkins Boom. In 1878 the society erected a church building at a cost of about $2,700. This building is pleasantly located, surrounded by a natural grove, and is an ornament to the village. The interior of the building is handsomely finished, and furnished to correspond. The congregation is in a pros- perous condition, and is at present under the supervision of the Rev. R. H. Fulton.

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Bethel Church .- About four miles west of Viola a society was organized in 1854, and was called the Bethel Free Presbyterian Church. At the time of organization the membership numbered twenty. J. R. Whittim was the first pastor, and the first trustees were James McClure. William M. Carnahan, and John Carnahan. The church was known by the above name until 1866, when slavery had ceased to be an issue and the name was changed to Wesleyan Methodist, and since has gone by that name.

Lodge No. 577, A. F. und A. M., was organized July 16, 1867, with the following officers : Master, J. B. Longley ; Senior Warden, B. F. Morey ; Junior Warden, S. B. Atwater ; Treasurer, Russel Park ; Secretary, V. R. Harriott ; Senior Deacon, Warren L. Smith ; Junior Deacon, Robert Park ; Tyler, M. K. Flory. Following are the names of the charter members : Allen Robinson, W. L. Smith, M. K. Flory, Edward Lynes, John Baxter, Levi Mclaughlin. Russell Park, . B. F. Morey, J. M. Erne, Robert Park, V. R. Harriott, S. B. Atwater, S. R. Moore, W. D. Morford, J. B. Longley, Allen Mclaughlin, Rich- ard Cooper. The Lodge was conducted under dispensation until 1868, when they received their charter. The names of the present officers are as follows : Worshipful Master, H. B. Frazier ; Senior Warden, P. F. Mauk ; Junior Warden, B. C. Bowers ; Treasurer, Russell Park ; Secretary, V. R. Harriott ; Senior Deacon, W. L. Smith ; Junior Deacon, J. E. Greenwood ; Stewards, Reuben Perry, M. K. Flory ; Tyler, J. B. Smith. The present membership of the lodge number forty-three.

SCHOOLS.

The first school in the township was taught by Elizabeth Collins, in the rear part of her father's (John Collins), residence, in 1840, which, during its existence, was kept up by subscription. The first public school building in the township was erected in 1842, and stood on a hill in the eastern part of the village of Viola, north of the present site of the steam mill, and was used until 1856, when a two story brick build- ing was erected, about forty rods southwest of it, which was occupied until 1871, when the large increase in attendance made it necessary to erect a new and larger building. Accordingly, the people of the dis- trict held a meeting, for the purpose of ascertaining the sentiment in regard to it. and it was decided to proceed at once with the work. Dr. J. V. Frazier drew up and submitted to the meeting a plan for the proposed building, which was adopted, and Delos Crosby employed to superintend the construction of the same. The grounds selected upon which to erect the building are in block 114, where two lots were pur- chased, at a cost of about $500. The building, one of the best in the

HISTORY OF MERCER AND HENDERSON COUNTIES.

county, was completed in 1871, and school opened in the fall of that year, Miss Sarah Hayes being the first principal. For reasons which might be mysterious to some and transparent to others, the accounts of the expenditures on the building were very imperfectly kept ; in fact they were not kept at all, and the people of the district are to-day ignorant of the cost of their school edifice. An investigating commit- tee was once appointed to look into the matter, but their labors were rewarded by the same success that usually attends such efforts. They were obliged to guess at both the cost of the building, and the disposal that was made of the public funds. We will state that their opinion in regard to the former, but will withhold it in reference to the latter. According to their estimate, the building, including grounds, cost about $7,000. The building is two stories in height, the main build- ing. 54×32 feet in size, and the wing 17×20. It is divided into four departments, which are designated in alphabetical order, beginning at A. Mr. S. P. Wiley, of Aledo, is the present principal, and is con- ducting the school to the entire satisfaction of the people of the district.

THE CEMETERY.

The cemetery is located about a half a mile north and west of the village. The ground was donated to the United Presbyterian church by John Collins. The first burial that took place here was the remains of John Kennedy. It is now used as a public cemetery and has recently been enlarged.

It is admirably located on gently rolling ground, and is surrounded by a grove of forest trees. In visiting this burial place one is struck by the surrounding beauty, by the hallowed stillness, broken only by the twittering of wild birds, and cannot but realize how well the loca- tion was chosen. John Collins, the donor, is buried here.

The cemetery in connection with Bethel church was established in 1856 on land donated by William and Porter Carnahan. It is located in section 18. and is used is a public burial place.

THE VIOLA VINEYARD.

Prominent among the places of interest in Mercer county is the vineyard owned by J. M. Erne, contiguous to the village of Viola. In 1875 Mr. Erne purchased twenty-two acres of timber land, joining the village on the north and east, and by ceaseless labor and excellent man- agement he has removed the timber and is now the proprietor of the largest vineyard in the county. He carries on the business in a scien- tific and skillful manner. The hillsides facing the southeast are orna- .

mented by rows of vines, numbering in all about 6,000, and consisting

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of about thirty varieties of grapes. In 1880 these vines produced about fifty tons of fruit.

In addition to these he has about 600 apple trees, among which · about twenty varieties of apples are represented. He also has about fifteen different varieties of strawberries, six of raspberries and three of cherries. He is experimenting with German prunes and several other kinds of fruit which have heretofore been unknown in the American vineyards.

Among the novelties to be found in his vineyard is the "Viola Crab," which is indebted to Mr. Erne for its name, and which is des- tined to figure prominently among the fine fruits of the country. The tree from which the grafts were taken was discovered by Mr. Erne in the timber south of Viola, and seemed to be a cross between the tame apple and wild crab apple. The fruit resembles the Roman stem in shape and color, and Mr. Erne thinks it superior to any fruit of the crab genus in existence. This fruit is supposed to be transcendent. Mr. Erne is carefully cultivating this novelty and thinks his labor will be rewarded by his being known as the discoverer of a fine species of fruit.

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History of Mercer and Henderson Counties : together with biographical matter, statistics, etc, Part 64

Author: Mercer County Historical Society (Ill.); Henderson County Historical Society (Ill.) Publication date: 1882 Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co. Number of Pages: 1424

Author: Mercer County Historical Society (Ill.); Henderson County Historical Society (Ill.)
Publication date: 1882
Publisher: Chicago : H.H. Hill and Co.
Number of Pages: 1424