USA > Illinois > Piatt County > History of Piatt County; together with a brief history of Illinois from the discovery of the upper Mississippi to the present time > Part 12
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"My heart swells while the dilated sight Takes in the encircling vastness. Lo, they stretch In airy undulations far away, As if the ocean, in its gentle swells, Stood still, with all his rounded billows fixed And motionless forever."
Nurtured under the protecting forests of their native states, the immigrants sought timbered land for their new home. In fact it . was- years after the first settler came to this county ere it was known that. prairie soil could be successfully cultivated. Upon reaching the water- courses of the county, the timbered region, the new comers pitched. their tent, and with their ax, " the first weapon of offense against the forests," began to fell trees, thus clearing land for cultivation, and at the same time preparing to build the primitive log cabin of the county. For years after the first settlements were made in the county, all the men living therein collected together to aid in the raising of each new cabin. These cabins were usually from 14 to 16 feet, and rarely twenty feet, square. They were usually built in the following manner: "First- large logs were laid in position as sills ; on these were placed strong sleepers, and on the sleepers were laid the rough-hewed puncheons which were to serve as floors. The logs were then built up till the proper height for the eaves was reached ; then on the ends of the building were placed poles, longer than the other end-logs, which pro- jected some eighteen or more inches over the sides, and were called " butting pole sleepers "; on the projecting ends of these were placed the "butting poles," which served to give the lines to the first row of clapboards. These were, as a matter of course, split, and as the gables
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of the cabin were built up, were so laid on as to lap a third of their length. They were often kept in place by the weight of a heavy pole supported by what was called knees, which was laid across the roof parallel to the ridge-pole. The house was then chinked, and daubed with coarse mortar."
In the first cabins of the county huge fire-places, occupying nearly the entire end of the room, were built. These were large enough for persons to sit in chairs on either side of the burning fire, and being entirely within the fireplace they could look up the chimney and out at the sky above. At these fireplaces our mothers cooked, and our fathers tell us that the bread from the "dutch-oven," the corn bread from the "pone " board, the venison from above the coals, and the potatoes from out the ashes, were sweeter far, and formed more deli- cious food, than any of the dishes of modern device.
. In a few of the first cabins in the county, a log being left out of one side, sheets of paper greased with "coon grease" covered the opening and feebly let in the daylight to the inmates. Nearly all the furniture of these first cabins were "home made." A single puncheon board witli four legs projecting from the underside formed the dining table, and blocks of wood on three legs were their chairs. The bed- stead corresponded with the rest, and sometimes was made with but two poles united at a right angle, and projecting into the side and end of the room. Boards resting on this framework formed a spring bed compared to the hardness of the puncheon floor.
Come with me for a moment and we will take a peep into one of these primitive cabins, after more modern furniture came into use. Here we are on the hewn threshold of the one door, which is in the south side of the house. The latch-string, which is "always out," is drawn and the wooden latch lifts with a sharp click. Slowly the mas- sive door swings back from the generous opening and we in truth see some of the charms of " ye olden time." In spite of carpetless floor, limited space and crude furniture, there is an air of comfort about the interior that cannot be denied. After our return we will relate our experience and what we saw in the cabin. At first our entire attention was attracted to the fireplace on the west side of the room, and we saw verified Whittier's twilight scene in "Snow-bound." We saw
"The oaken log, green, huge, and thick, And on its top the stout back-stick ; The knotty forestick laid apart, And filled between with curious art
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The ragged brush ; then, hovering near, We watched the first red blaze appear, Heard the sharp crackle, caught the gleam On whitewashed wall and sagging beam, Until the old, rude furnished room Burst, flower-like into rosy bloom.
* *
Shut in from all the world about, We sat the clean-winged hearth about, Content to let the north-wind roar In baffled rage at pane and door, While the red logs before us beat The frost-line back with tropic heat ;
And ever, when a louder blast Shook beam and rafter as it passed,
The merrier up its roaring draught
The great throat of the chimney laughed.
The house-dog, on his paws outspread,
Laid to the fire his drowsy head. And, for the winter fireside meet, Between the andirons' straddling feet, The mug of cider simmered slow, The apples sputtered in a row,
And, close at hand, the basket stood With nuts from brown October's wood."
Sitting there in the mystic light from this charmed fireside we gazed about the room. The sand-scoured puncheon floor reflected the fire- light to wall and ceillng. Chairs, stools, benches and chests were scattered about the room. Three curtained beds with narrow pass- ways between, and mayhap a trundle bed beneath, stood with heads to the east at the back part of the room. Under the spotless curtained windows-the one at the west and the other at the north of the roomn- stood a stand and dining table. In the corner to the left of the fire- place an old-time cupboard rested against the wall. Rows of blue and white plates lined the uncurtained shelves, while a huge onion or a ripe tomato ornamented the top. High over the fireplace the narrow mantle with its medicine bottles, candlestick, and what not, rested ; while, at various places about the room, boards resting on sticks driven into auger lioles formed shelves for bedding and other things. The pioneer's friend and weapon of defense, his gun, rested on wooden hooks fastened to the centermost joist of the ceiling. Hanging on wooden pegs against the wall in the back part of the room were the " linsey woolsey," drawstring tow, or eight-yard calico dresses, of the economical and thrifty women, of the household, and the stocking-pole
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or line found its place in the corner of the cabin. The spinning wheels, both large and small, had their place in the corner of the room. From the joists and about the wall, dried herbs of various kinds were hanging. From these, soothing beverages were made by the family nurse of the home-the good house-wife -for healing the wounded and curing the sick. On peeled hickory poles resting on pegs driven into the joists there hung numberless rounds of dried pumpkins and strings of dried apples.
While viewing all these numerous articles we sat in the midst of the inmates of the house. With genuine pleasure and good will beam- ing in their kindly faces, they had made us welcome and with generous hand and open heart had entertained us well.
, As we reluctantly left this genial home and turned our steps to a modern one, we thought along the years from then till now-the old days to the new, and we grievingly saw many dear old customs that had gradually dropped out of use, so that perhaps but a shadow of their influence reaches the present time.
Very much of the free-hearted hospitality which used to make each cabin a home to the stranger is gone. There is less of the genuine neighborly feeling which existed between the early inhabitants of the county. In the early days here there was not much need for lawyers ; the good-natured judgment of the pioneers quietly settled all disputes. There was a simplicity of demeanor, and a wonderful amount of gen- uine upright integrity in the character of the pioneer, whose counter- parts are seldom found in the character of people of to-day.
There is one thing of which the early settlers of the county all had an equal share,-they all had a generous portion of poverty. It being a common article no feeling of degradation accompanied it. However, they had one comfort,-what little they did have was their very own. They lacked many of the conveniences of life and some of what now seem necessaries, but with patient hearts and laboring hands they toiled on, hoping for brighter days.
The first settlers did most of their tarm work with oxen. The ploughs first brought here were of little use in breaking the grass- matted prairie soil. This was a drawback to the cultivation of the lat- ter, after the truth was made clear that the prairie soil would grow grain as well as the timber ground. When the county was first settled the nearest sawmills were on the Wabash river, and some of the houses are yet standing, the lumber of which was brought from the banks of the said stream. The Wabash region and Sangamon county furnished
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the grist-mills for a number of years. The groceries came from the same regions, while the salt mines of Vermilion county were fre- quented. These, too, were the market-places, while many hauled their grain all the way to Chicago and exchanged for groceries. It has not been over thirty years since a family in this county hauled peaches in a wagon to Chicago and sold them. For a number of years all blacksmithing was done outside the limits of the county. It would be utterly impossible to give an accurate idea of all the suffering and hard- ships undergone by the people living under such inconvenience.
The people on coming to make a new settlement were generally pre- pared with breadstuffs and groceries to last until a crop could be raised. Corn-meal seemed to be the staple article of diet. Johnny-cake and pones made of this were relished for breakfast and dinner, while mush- and-milk or "hasty pudding" was the usual dish for supper. The "truck-patch " contained about the same kind of vegetables we find in modern ones. All kinds of wild fruit were plentiful. Honey was found in great abundance in the forests, and maple sugar was success- fully made, though the sugar camps were never as extensive as those in more eastern states. Wild meat was very plentiful. Venison and wild-turkey meat abundantly supplied their tables.
The thrifty housewife of the early days of the county not only kept her house neatly and in order, cooking for a large family, and ofttimes for a whole wagon-load of travelers, but she manufactured nearly all of the clothing worn by the family, and made much of the bedding. Many women in the county are yet using blankets woven by their own hands. "Linsey-woolsey " was made into winter gowns for the women, while blue and butternut jeans suits were worn by the men. The men, too, often wore buckskin shirts, and, in fact, entire suits of the same. The early settlers upon coming to the county found the Indians here, and some of their athletic sports were copied. Most of the sport in way of games were those testing muscular strength or the skill with the gun and bow and arrow. Shooting matches were sometimes in- dulged in.
The first settlers were located, some of them, miles apart, but they were never too far to refuse to obey a call to a house-raising, log-roll- ing or corn-husking. "We're going to raise to-morrow," was all the invitation needed to obtain abundant assistance to erect a cabin.
For a number of years after the first settlement was made in the county, the inhabitants made yearly preparations for the sickly or ague season, which usually began about August and lasted several months.
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HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY.
During this time often the entire household would be " shaking " at one time, and neighbors who lived at a distance of from sixteen to twenty miles willingly left their home work to minister at the bedside of sick friends.
One great annoyance to the settlers in the early days of the county was land speculators, who often entered land before the settler who anticipated entering it could get time to travel some seventy miles to the land office. One instance is already recorded relating the fact that one of the ladies now living in the county rode horseback to Danville, swimming the Vermilion river on the way, and reached the land office, entered her land, and walked out of one door of the office just as the speculator came in at the other.
In such way have we related some of the manners and customs of the long ago. If by such relation we have succeeded in pleasantly recalling to some of the old people of the county their early days here, we will feel amply repaid for our labor.
CHAPTER VI.
PIATT COUNTY.
"Sweet clime of my kindred, blest land of my birth ! The fairest, the dearest, the brightest on earth,
Where'er I may roam, howe'er blest I may be, My spirit instinctively turns to thee."
P REVIOUS to the coming of the first white settlers to this county, the small portion of the state now known as Piatt county served no higher purpose than as grazing land for herds of deer and buffalo, and as camping ground for the Indians during the hunting season. The buffaloes disappeared ere the coming of the whites, leaving as evi- dence of their habitation here some decaying bones, and a portion of some of their trails to the water-courses. A small part of one of these trails can yet be seen about half a mile west of Mr. McIntosh's mill on the Sangamon river.
The deer remained long after settlements began, and, in fact, some were seen in the county not over sixteen years ago. These timid, graceful creatures were the pride, as well as the chief support of the
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early settlers of the county. They furnished much of the sport, too, for the old as well as the young. Deer hunts were greatly in vogue, and the children spent days in playing with their pet fawns. Some of the old settlers have at hand many jokes and incidents relative to the deer hunts of their youthful days. Most of the early settlers were hunters, some excelling the others, however. "Uncle Nath " Henline was always a hunter and we expect him to remain one for many years to come. Mr. Simon Shonkwiler has killed many a deer, while " Uncle Joe " Moore has well earned his sobriquet of " Buckskin Joe." " Uncle Ezra" Marquiss is one of the few early settlers who spent very little time with the gun. He sometimes relates his early disap- pointments in that direction and his subsequent decision to spend his time at something else. He never killed a deer in his life. Dr. Hull was a noted deer hunter in his day here. The Maxwells, just beyond tlie line, in Champaign county, were the companions of Mr. Henline and others of the early settlers in their hunting expeditions. Joseph Mallory says that he shot his first deer December 9, 1835, on what is now Mr. Thomas Reid's place. He was in. company with William Piatt, and the latter undertook to have his nag carry both himself and the dead deer. Upon crossing a little stream and when the horse went to drink, he was so frightened by tlie deer's legs swinging and striking him, that both the deer and Mr. Piatt were tossed into the stream. Many other similar incidents might be related which would but serve to emphasize the fact that the hunting was a hard necessity, yet once in a while a little sport tempered the hardness.
Wolves were at one time-and are still in some parts of the county-a great annoyance to the early settlers. Many ways and means were devised for exterminating them. They were chased with bloodhounds, were dug from their lairs, and in some cases were caught in traps. Mr. Piatt has seen the remains of a wolf trap sup- posed to have been erected by Mr. Daggott, which had the skeletons of deer and wild hogs which had been used for bait scattered around it. According to Mr. Henline the wolf traps were made similar to those for prairie-chickens. The bait was so fixed that, when the wolf jerked it, the lid of the trap came down and the wolf was a prisoner. Some of the ladies in the county had a little share in wolf and deer hunts. One lady, now living in the county, told us how astonished she once was to have a wolf bound over the fence, alighting at her side as she stood in the garden. From the garden the wolf went from one lot to another and then lay down in the pig-pen to
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HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY.
rest. The neighbors with their dogs were out on the trail, and as the barking of the dogs began to be heard plainer, the wolf started from the hog-pen and ran in another direction. In the meantime, and ere the men came in sight, the lady referred to had mounted a horse and was quickly off, taking the lead in the chase and witnessed the killing of the wolf by the hounds. Several equally interesting incidents are remembered by the pioneers. The howling of the wolves was one of the disagreeable sounds the people had to listen to in the early days. Some of the now men and women can yet, in imagination, hear the frightful noise as it sounded in their childish ears.
Indians in the county .- Indians of various tribes used to pass through and camp in Piatt county, but the Pottawatomies and Kicka- poos frequented the place more than any others. Mr. Henline was well acquainted with many of these Indians. They taught him their language, their arts of hunting and trapping, and the use of snow- shoes. Shabbona, the peace chief, has been in the county, and Mr. Henline knew him. He was also acquainted with Shaw-nes-sah, an under chief of the Pottawatomies. Mr. ITenline assisted in opening an Indian grave- that of a chief in the war of 1812,-near Coon spring, and he yet has some of the trinkets taken from it.
There was one old Indian, named Capt. John, who wintered for several seasons just a little west of the Wabash cattle-yards, near Monticello. He considered Mr. James Piatt's folks, who lived in a cabin just north of the depot in Monticello, his friends. One summer Indian John wanted to stay and plant corn, and Mr. Piatt showed him ground on the present site of Monticello where he could plant. John, however, wanted to plant in the pasture, but upon Mr. Piatt's assuring him the horses would eat it he went off contented, returning in the fall to find a fine lot of corn on the ground he would not use. He pointed to the corn telling what a patch of corn he had. Mr. Piatt told him to go cut it, but the old Indian only laughed adroitly and turned away. Just before the Black Hawk war, this Indian went to Mr. Piatt and bade him good-by, telling him that there was going to be war.
One morning several Indians called at Mr. Piatt's for food. Although it was after breakfast time Mrs. Piatt gave them a good meal. While in the house one of the Indians saw a book on the shelf and took it down, asking William Piatt to read for them under the trees in the yard. The latter read until the Indian reached for the
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' PIATT COUNTY.
book and began to read as well as William, after which he drew forth a Testament from his pocket.
At the time that Mr. James Piatt was helping Mr. Fry to build his cabin, an Indian came out of the woods and beckoned to Mr. Piatt, who was on the house. He got down from the house and followed the Indian, who presented him a part of a deer in remembrance of the time Mr. Piatt fed him during the war of 1812.
Part of the land Mr. Piatt owned in and about Monticello was paid for by money received from Indian agents. At one time five or six hundred Indians on their way west were camped in his neighbor- hood and he furnished the agents provisions for them.
A pond several miles north of Monticello commemorates the name of a Delaware brave. A Delaware squaw killed two Kickapoo chil- dren and was sentenced to death. An Indian married her to save her life and she was banished. Her husband chose banishment too, and they settled in the fall upon the banks of the Sangamon river. Upon the rising of the river they moved back just above a pond on C. W. Piatt's place. Here the squaw was taken sick and her husband gave her steam baths by pouring water on hot stones, but to no purpose, for she died. Nathan Henline was a boy at this time and was at the burial. The grave was dug on the bank of the pond, puncheon boards were placed therein, and into this mude sepulcher. the body was placed. The next morning old Buck and his ten-year old son, Calish, started to camp, and ever since the pond has been known as Buck's pond. Some time after the burial of the squaw a band of Kickapoo Indians passed through this section of the country, and the grave was robbed of its dead, -the bones were scattered on top of the ground. A number of years afterward the Marquiss boys found the old squaw's skull and took it home with them. Traces of the grave are yet visible.
Organization and name .- At the time of the first settlements in what is now Piatt county it was a part of Macon and De Witt counties. About 1837 the people located here began to think themselves too far off from the county seats, and they decided to try to have a new county struck off. Accordingly a meeting was held to see what could be done to advance such decision. The result was that Isaac Demorest and William Wright were instructed to carry a petition, which was made out by George A. Patterson, in Champaign county, for the purpose of getting some portion of it for the new county. Abraham and Ezra Marquiss and William Barnes were to canvass De Witt county, while George A. Patterson, James Piatt and John Piatt were to work in
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HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY.
Macon county and over the southern part of what is now Piatt county. The canvassers in Champaign county accomplished nothing, but the others succeeded in getting their petitions quite well filled out, and George A. Patterson was appointed to lobby in the legislature for the formation of the new county. Mr. Patterson called a meeting at the house of Abraham Marquiss for the purpose of deciding upon a name for the probable county. Isaac Demorest proposed the name of Web- ster, and made a speech in its favor, while William Barnes proposed that of Piatt, and spoke at length in favor of the same. Only seven or eight votes were cast and Piatt gained the day by a majority of about one vote. Mr. Patterson went to Springfield, and wrote a letter to 'Squire Wiley, January 7, 1841, from which we quote the following: "I have become acquainted with many of the members and my busi- ness is favorably received. The petitions were introduced New Years' day, and referred to the committees on counties. I had the privilege of drawing the bill and with only one amendment it was presented and read yesterday for the first time. One gentleman has hinted that he would propose to alter the name of our county to that of Grundy, but I have opposed it, because we agreed to have no party political name, and so the name of Piatt will be sustained."
The result of all this was that by an act of the legislature in Jan- uary, 1841, Piatt county was formed. The following, from the "Laws of Illinois for 1841," defines the boundaries of the said county:
"Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly : That all of that part of Macon and De Witt counties, included within the following boundaries to-wit: Beginning . where the north line of town fifteen, north, intersects the middle of range four, east, and running thence north through the middle of range four to the middle of town nineteen ; thence east to the west line of range five; thence north to the northwest corner of town nineteen, north, range five, east ; thence by a direct line to the southwest corner of section seven, town twenty-one, north, range six ; thence east to the east line of range six ; thence south along the east line of range six to the north line of town fifteen, north ; thence west along the north line of town fifteen to the place of beginning, shall constitute a new county of Piatt."
After the county was thus organized, Monticello, which had been laid out and-named in 1837, was chosen as the county seat. At once the first county election, in April 1841, was held, and John Hughes, W. Bailey and E. Peck comprised the first county commissioners'
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court. Hon. Samuel H. Treat presided over the first court held May 14, 1841. Joseph King was made the first circuit clerk; James Reber, probate judge, and John Piatt, sheriff.
For a number of years the county was divided into the following precincts : Liberty, Monticello, Sangamon and Okaw, and the people living therein, voted accordingly. In 1861 the present organization into townships was made.
First. settlements .- It seems that the southern states, though in some cases in a roundabout way, were the first to send settlers to our little county. Mr. Hayworth, who came in 1822 and built the first house in the county, moved from- Tennessee to. Illinois, with a colony of Quakers. Mr. James Martin, who settled here in 1822 and built the second house, was formerly from Kentucky, but he moved to Olio, thence through Indiana and to Piatt county. Mr. Henline's people, who settled here in 1824, were originally from Kentucky, but moved from Olio to Illinois. Mr. York, who moved to this state from Ken- tucky, was formerly from North Carolina. Thus, at the outset, the characteristic element of the southern people-hospitality-was im- planted on Piatt county soil. Soon other people came in from Indi- ana, Ohio, and other states.
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