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 20
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HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY.
enl. March 23, '64; tr. to Co. A; mus. out November 22, '65. Six, Daniel C., enl. March 19, '64; tr. to Co. A ; mus. ont Novem- ber 22, '65. Six, Dorson, enl. March 17, '64; died June 4, '64. Swisher, Calvin, enl. January 19, '64; tr. to Co. A. Stickel, Charles W., enl. January 15, '64 ; tr. to Co. A ; mus. out September 18, '65. Welsh, David C., enl. March 23, '64; tr. to Co. A ; mus. out November 22, '65. Williams, Samuel T., enl. March 23, '64 ; died Monticello, January 18, '65. West, Hiram, enl. February 9, '64 ; tr. to Co. A ; mus. out November 22, '65. Bolen, Jolm, enl. September 8, '64; tr. to Co. A. Carter, Peter, enl. Sept. 8 '64 ; tr. to Co. ; mus. out July 22, '65. Field, John, enl. September 8, '64 ; tr. to Co. A ; mus. out November 22, '65. Grant, Charles, enl. Sep- tember 15, '64 ; tr. to Co. A ; mus. out November 22, '65.
Co. I-Veterans : Coffinan, Aaron, enl! January 5, '64; mus. out June 10, '65. Nowlin, Elijah B., enl. January 5, '64 ; mus. out June 10, '65.
Recruits-Blasdell, James W., enl. August 16, '62 ; mus. out June 10, '65. Blasdell, Jacob W., enl. August 16, '62; discharged January 1, '64 ; promoted. Crosby, Lewis, enl. November 17, '63 ; killed at Mansfield, Louisiana, April 8, '64. Friesner, Henry C., enl. August 16, '62 ; discharged August 10, '63 ; disability. Kauffman, E. B., enl. August 11, '62; tr. to Co. C.
FIFTHI ILLINOIS CAVALRY.
Co. B-Privates : Bell, Joseph, enl. August 27, '61 ; tr. to V. R. C. October 1. '63. Davis, Thomas E., enl. August 27, '61 ; discharged May 12, '63 ; disability. Dowding, John C., enl. August 27, '61; died at Helena, Arkansas, March 4, '63. Honnman, James, enl. August 27, '61 ; died at Benton Barracks, December 31, '63. Ryce, Daniel, enl. August 27, '61; died at Vicksburg, October 11, '63. Riggen, Wilson, enl. August 27, '61 ; died at St. Louis, February 21, '63. Riggen, Geo. W., enl. August 27, '61; died at St. Louis. February 21, '63. Shire, Jeremiah, enl. August 27, '61 ; died at Helena, Arkansas, March 5, '63 ; wounds.
SEVENTH ILLINOIS CAVALRY.
Co. I-Privates : Merricks, Alonzo N., enl. December 24, 63 ; mus. out November +, '65.
HISTORY OF THE TENTH ILLINOIS CAVALRY.
Was organized at Camp Butler, Illinois, November 25, 1861. After November 13, 1862, formed a part of the Army of the Frontier
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PATRIOTISM OF PLATT COUNTY.
and operated from Springfield, Missouri, to Kane Hill, Arkansas ; portion of cavalry participated in battle of Prairie Grove, Arkansas, December 7, 1862. Regiment mustered out of service November 22, 1865, at San Antonio, Texas ; ordered to Springfield, Illinois, for final payment and discharge.
Co. A-Officers: Samuels, David A., corp., enl. September 21, '61; re-enl. as veteran. Halderman, Samuel N., farrier, enl. September 21, '61 ; discharged October 24, '63 ; disability. Wolf, Emerson, wagoner, enl. September 21, '61 ; discharged May 20, '62.
Privates-Conner, Edward, enl. September 21, '61 ; died at Spring- field, Mo., July 15, '62. Coneen, Michael, enl. September 21, '61 ; re-enl. as veteran. Connelly, John, enl. September 21, '61; died Rapp's Landing, Ark., September 29, '62. Hardman, Patrick, enl. September 21, '61; died at Coldwater, Miss., December 8, '62. Koffer, Joseph, enl. September 21, '61 ; re-enl. as veteran, January 3, '64. Lynn, Jolm A., enl. September 21, '61; died at Oldtown Landing, Ark., September 9, '62. Miller, Jolın G., enl. September 21, '61 ; re-enl. as veteran January 3, '64. Rodgers, Joseph, enl. September 21, '61; mus. out December 30, '64. Sindle, Thomas J., enl. Septem- ber 21, '61; died Little Rock, Ark., September 16, '63.
Veterans-Coneen, Michael, enl. January 3, '64; tr. to Co. A ; mus. November 22, '65, as corp. O'Brian, Jolin, enl. January 3, '64 ; tr. to Co. A ; mus. November 22, '65. Samuel, David A., farrier, enl. January 3, '64 ; tr. to Co. A; absent sick at mus. out.
Recruits-Brushwiler, Hanson, enl. January 17, '62 ; discharged April 13, '63 ; disability. Green, Gilbert, enlisted January 2, '64; tr. to Co. A; mus. out November 22, '65. Wilkins, Lewelin, enl. December 31, '63; tr. to Co. A; mus. out November 22, '65.
Co. L.Officers-Swartz, Jacob, corp .; enl. September 21, '61; re-enl. 'as veteran January 3, '64 ; mus. out November 22, '65, as corp. Irwin, John, farrier, enl. September 21, '61; discharged June 17, '62; disability.
Privates -- Cole, William H., enl. September 21, '61 ; died at Camp Bloomington, Mo., February 18, '62. Graham, Thomas, enl. September 21, '61 ; re-enl. as veteran January 3, '64; mus. out November 22, '65, as corp. Madden, James N., enl. September 21, '61 ; mus. out De eember 30, '64. Madden, Francis M., enl. September 21, '61; mus. out December 30, '64, as bugler.
Recruits-Barber, Charles W., enl. August 18, '62 ; discharged March 30, '63; disability.
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HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY.
SIXTEENTII ILLINOIS CAVALRY.
Private Co. L-Ivey, Peter, enl. August 6, '63 : was prisoner ; absent at mus. out.
FIRST REGIMENT LIGHT ARTILLERY.
Battery K (Colvin's Battery) - Babcock, Elias, enl. August 11, '62 ; mus. out June 19, '65. Barker, William, enl. August 15, '62 ; mus. out June 19, '65. Babb, George M., enl. August 13, '61 ; mus. out June 19, '65. Collins, Jacob, enl. August 11, '61 ; mus. out June 19, '65. Etherton, Henry H., enl. August 11, '61 ; mus. out June 19, '65, as 1st serg. Evertt, Wilson Y., enl. August 11, '61; mus. out May 25, '65. Ellis, John R., enl. August 14, '61 ; died near Knoxville, Tenn., January 28, '64. Hays, Elijah, enl. August 11, '61 ; mus. out June 19, '65, as corp. Miller, Jacob, enl. August 13, '61 ; mus. out
June 19, '65, as corp. Nassalrod, Jesse, enl. August 13, '61 ; mus.
out June 19, '65, as corp. Mitchell, Nelson, enl. August 13, '61; mus. out June 19, '65. Pifer, Henry, enl. August 11, '61 ; mus. out June 19, '65. Rowlen, Leonard, enl. August 13, '61 ; mus. out June 19, '65, as artificer. Rowlen, Henry, enl. August 13, '61 ; mus. out June 19, '65. Shonkwiler, Jacob W., enl. August 13, '61; mus. out June 19, '65, as corp. Smith, Alexander, enl. August 13, '61 ; dis- charged October 26, '64. Sherman, Jolin, enl. August 11, '61 ; died at Monticello November 9, '64. Sherman, Edmund, enl. August 11, '61 ; mus. out May 25, '65.
CHAPTER X.
THE "SNOW-BIRDS" AND THEIR RELATIVES."
M R. GEORGE HAYWORTH was the first man to settle within the limits of what is now Piatt county. He came to Illinois from Tenne- see withli a colony of Quakers. Some went to Tazwell county, and some to Vermilion county, while Mr. Hayworth came to this county in the spring of 1822. He built a small log cabin on what is now W. E. Lodge's place in Monticello. Soon after he, with the assistance of some Indians, built near the other a larger cabin, which is still stand- ing. Mr. and Mrs. Hayworth had four children, two girls and two
* In this chapter we include the sketches of those persons who came to the county previous to the deep snow.
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THE "SNOW-BIRDS" AND THEIR RELATIVES.
boys. Mr. Hayworth lived in his new home about three years when he went to Danville to school his children. In 1829 he owned a hewed log house, the largest residence in Danville.
MR. JAMES MARTIN, formerly from Kentucky, came from Ohio to Illinois in 1822. In the fall of 1822 he settled in what is now Piatt county. He built a little log cabin near where Mr. Nath. Rhoades' barn now stands. During Mr. Martin's first season at his new home his wife died, and he sold out his claim to a gentleman by the name of Daggot. Mr. Martin then went back to Indiana and persuaded his niece, Mrs. Furnace, and nephew, John Martin, to move to Illinois. They all came west, and camped from fall to spring near where Mr. Jim Blacker now lives. In the spring a cabin was built near the camping place. These people were living in their camp when Mr. Abraham Henline, sr., made his first visit to this section of the coun- try, Mrs. Furnace had two children, Nancy and Sam. Nancy is still living. Her first husband's name was Jacob Cline. Mr. Ingram, who is now dead, became her last husband. Mrs. Furnace and Mr. John Martin both died in the old cabin where they moved in the spring after their season of camping out. Their remains lie in the Wright burying ground. Mr. James Martin went to Indiana about 1831 and died there.
MR. DAGGOTT bought Mr. Martin's claim on what is now a portion of Mr. Rhoades' land. Mr. and Mrs. Daggott had five children; two girls and three boys. After living here about two years they left their claim and went to Big Grove -- Urbana-in Champaign county. It is related by the old settlers of the county that Mr. Daggott spent one winter in capturing and penning up wolves, with the hope that the legislature would pass a law paying a bounty for wolf skins. Mr. D. had several wolf traps in different parts of the county. Quite a num- ber of years afterward the remains of some of the traps could be seen. The bones of deer and hogs were scattered in their vicinity. At one time Mr. Daggott had as many as ten or twelve wolves in a rail pen in his dooryard. Mr. Daggott had a tanyard near the bridge, not far from Mr. Nath. Rhoades' house.
MRS. HARDING INGRAM nee Nancy Furnace, who came to the county in 1822, thus having lived longer in Piatt county than any one else, was born in Kentucky in 1818. Her folks came to the county in Octo- ber, 1822, and stayed at what was afterward known as the Terry place. The next fall they moved to where Jim Blacker now lives and camped there. The family included her mother, brother, uncle and herself.
216
HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY.
In the spring of 1824 a house was put up and Mr. Henline's people came the same year. Mrs. Ingram, when a child, was a warm friend of the Indian children and used frequently to play with them. She first married Mr. Jacob Cline. He died leaving three children, only one of whom is living. Jane married John Wilson. One child, Nancy J., is still living. Jacob Cline married E. Caroline Story, has four children-Jennie, Steven, Gertrude and Alıner M .- and lives with his mother. Mr. Harding Ingram became Mrs. Cline's second . husband. Two of their children are now living. Of these, Susan first married Samuel Shoe, by whom she had one child, Charles. She next married William Baker. Maggie, the wife of Almer Heath, has one child, Ora May, and lives in Sangamon township. Mrs. Ingram's youngest son was killed by being thrown from a horse in 1865. In about two months afterward Mr. Ingram was killed almost instantly by being thrown from a loaded wagon on his way home from Champaign.
MR. NATHAN HENLINE .- The next season after the siege of Boones- borough, a family moved on pack-horses from North Carolina to Kentucky. Abraham Henline, a lad eighteen years old, was a mem- ber of this family, which remained in Kentucky for a time. Mr. A. Henline married Elsie Mosslander, who formerly was from New Jersey. After the birth of one child these people moved to Ohio, and while living there nine more children were born. Of this family of ten children, the next to the youngest was named Nathan, and it is he who is the subject of this sketch. Nathan was born November 22, 1815.
In 1822 Mr. Abraham Henline with his wife and four of his sons - Abraham, Jacob, James and Nathan-moved to Illinois. They stopped for a time on Fancy creek, within nine miles of Springfield. Mr. Henline did not feel quite satistied to remain there permanently without first looking over the country somewhat. In the midst of his indecision he met with Mr. Martin, a man whom he used to know in Ohio. Mr. Martin had come west previously and had decided to locate within the present lintits of Piatt county. He had gone to Springfield to have a pair of shoes made, and while in that vicinity had heard of Mr. Henline, and upon meeting him, spoke so highly of the country where he expected to live that Mr. Henline was indneed to accompany him home.
Mr. Henline, taking his son Abraham along, started to look up a place for permanent location.
He was satisfied with the country in Mr. Martin's vicinity and went back home to prepare for moving.
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THE "SNOW-BIRDS" AND THEIR RELATIVES.
During the short time that Mr. Henline had lived on Fancy Creek, death had come into his family, and the wife and mother had been taken away. Accordingly, then, Mr. Henline, with only his four sons started to their new home in the spring of 1824. The first house they saw on their way was at Mechanicsburg; the next was owned by Mr. Stevens, on Stevens creek. The trading-house on the Sangamon, about two miles below the mouth of Friends creek, was the next house they reached. Mr. Hayworth's, within the present limits of Monticello, was the fourth house they had seen since leaving Fancy Creek.
Mr. Henline took a claim of 160 acres and built a cabin near Coon's Spring, north of Monticello, and with his sons kept batchelor's hall a number of years. This new home was taken possession of in April of 1824, and immediately was begun the work of clearing a place for corn. After fifteen or twenty acres were cleared, and after the crop was laid by, a misfortune came to these new settlers. All but one of the five horses they brought with them died from the effects of fly and mosquito bites. Everything that could be thought of was resorted to during the season to destroy or keep off these dreaded insects. Fires were built near the horses with the hopes that the smoke would keep them away, and the horses were sometimes seen to roll in the very midst of the coals of fire. After the loss of the horses, oxen were used instead.
At this time there were plenty of wild hogs all through the woods. One day Nathan and his brother James found two wild sows with their pigs in a bed of leaves and straw. James slipped up and caught one of the sows by the hind legs, which action caused a great scat- terment among the pigs, but James held fast to his prize, while Nathan and the dogs secured the other hog. These hogs with their pigs, were kept penned up for awhile and then let out, when their natural instincts led them to seek their home in the forest again. The little pigs had become tame and were readily kept at home.
It will be seen by the dates mentioned that Nathan IIenline was about nine years old when he came to the county. At this time he was a hale, hearty, fun-loving boy. He early learned the use of a gun and has been a hunter ever since. The Kickapoo and Pottawa- tomie Indians in this vicinity outnumbered the white people, so it was to them that Nathan looked for company. He soon made many last- ing friends among the Indian boys, and for several years was almost constantly with his swarthy playmates. He learned to be almost as
218
HISTORY OF PLATT COUNTY.
swift on foot as the Indians, and their arts of fishing and trapping were made known to him.
An Indian squaw made him a present of a buckskin hunting shirt. This was of great service to him and was in use for many years.
It would have been very romantic had this palefaced youth fallen in love with some beautiful Indian maiden - but he didn't. · He did something vastly more sensible. He met, loved and married Sarah Souders, who lived in the northeast part of what is now Piatt county. 1 Sarah, the danghter of Peter and Mary Souders, was born in Vir- ginia, in August, 1818. Her parents moved from Lee county, Virginia, to Edgar county, Illinois, in 1830. In 1832 they moved to what is known as the Argo settlement, in Piatt county. Mr. and Mrs. Sou- ders lie buried near this home, where they both had selected their burying-place. Of the family of eleven children, only two are now living - Mrs. Henline and one brother in Missouri.
Mr. and Mrs. Souders somewhat reluctantly gave their consent to the marriage of their daughter to Mr. Nathan Henline. His worldly possessions were quite meager, and, too, the extreme youth of both parties was an objection.
However, all arrangements that could be made in those times were resorted to for the approaching marriage. Maple sugar was pre- pared and sold in Pekin for breadstuff and for Sarah's wedding dress. The dress was made of white goods that cost 75 cents per yard, and its style was very simple. A draw-string drew it together at the neck and another string answered for a belt. Mr. Sonders tanned leather and made Sarah's wedding shoes.
Mr. Henline bought his wedding clothes in Pekin. His wedding shoes were the third pair he had ever had, and his wedding shirt was done up by a little boy. The 12th of November, 1833, was chosen for the wedding day, and when the eventful time arrived, Mr. Abe Hen- line started to Big Grove- now Urbana-for Squire Byers to perform the marriage ceremony. When he arrived at Big Grove, the squire was not there and Mr. Henline had to hunt him up. This additional ride delayed him so that the folks at Mr. Sonders' had given up their coming that night. Near eleven o'clock, when preparations for retir- ing were about to be made, Mr. Henline arrived with the squire. Hurried preparations were made, and the couple were about to step forward to be united, when some one remembered that the license was gotten in Champaign county. As Mr. Souders resided in what was
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THE "SNOW-BIRDS" AND THEIR RELATIVES.
then Macon county, the marriage would be illegal if performed in his house, Again the marriage was delayed until the wedding party, bearing burning sticks of wood for torches, marched over beyond the county line into Champaign county. There, in the woods, near mid- night of the 12th of November, 1833, the young couple were made one. The company returned to Mr. Souders' for the night. In the midst of the remaining night Sarah was awakened by her mother rush- ing into the room and saying : "Sally, get up and prepare to meet your God, the stars are all falling !" The folks all rushed to the doors and windows and beheld that great meteoric shower of 1833. There was a good deal of superstition in the world even at that late day, and it is not strange that many, upon beholding that unusual scene, felt that some great judgment was laid upon them.
After staying with Mrs. Henline's folks awhile, Mr. Henline, with the labor of making 100 rails, bought a claim and cabin near the Cham- paign county line.
Mr. Henline, in speaking of his early married days, says : "I tell you, we were poor- we were worse than poor." "We hadn't a plate, and were obliged to make pieces of bark serve the place of plates." " We had just one fork, which we have yet." This fork was presented to Mr. Henline by the Indians, and is known to be fifty-three years old. Mr. Henline also has a kettle, which has been in his family eighty-four years.
Shortly after their house was built, Mr. Henline borrowed a team and with but five dollars, which he had earned by splitting rails, he and his wife started for a store called Homer, on the Salt Fork of the Vermil- ion river, to buy things to begin housekeeping with. By the time a skillet, oven, set of blue-edged plates, and knives and forks were selected the money was all gone. The merchant, Michael Coffin, who was acquainted with Mr. Henline, urged him to take five dollars' worth more of goods, and said that he would willingly wait until fall, when Mr. Henline could send in otter skins to settle the debt. Somewhat reluctantly Mr. Henline consented to go in debt, and so they started home with just ten dollars' worth of goods to go to housekeeping with.
For a bedstead in the new house Mr. Henline made what was known as a prairie bedstead. This was made by inserting the end of a pole into the logs of the cabin, about four feet from the corner and two feet from the floor. At the end of this eight or nine-foot pole, another about four feet in length was joined, and it projected at right-angles toward the side of the house and was inserted in the logs. Upon these poles boards
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HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY.
were laid and the bedstead was completed. Mrs. Souders had fortu- nately presented the newly married conple with good bedding and a good feather bed, so with the new bedstead they were quite comfortable. When conpany came, a pole sled was brought into the house and a bed was made upon it.
The other articles of furniture in the house were similar in construc- tion to that of the bedstead.
Although Mr. Henline saw many discouraging times, he gradually began to see better days. During the summers he farmed, and for three winters he worked a saw-mill at Centerville.
During his married life Mr. Henline has inoved several times, but always within the limits of Piatt county. After going to housekeeping his first move was to Mr. John Madden's place. He next moved to Mr. Martin's place, and then back to where he first lived. Finally he moved to the place about one and one-half miles southwest of Monti- cello, where he now lives.
Mr. Henline has spent two summers of his life in Chicago. He was a teamster there, and his principal business was to carry emigrants from the lake landing out into northern Illinois. When not occupied in transporting emigrants, he did various kinds of teaming. He helped to haul brick for the first brick church that was built in Chicago. At this time Mr. 'Henline remembers but one brick build- ing in Chicago, and that was owned by Guerdon S. Hubbard, who is still living there. At this time there were but four houses on the west side of the Chicago river. At the time of his working there, Chicago, in his estimation, was not "half as big " as Monticello. He was at Chicago when the last payment was made to the Pottawatomie Indians, when they started for Kansas.
Mr. Henline was well acquainted with many of the Kickapoo and Pottawatomie chiefs. He knew Shabbona, the peace chief of the Pottawatomies, and Shawnessah, a war chief of the Pottawatomies. He witnessed on the Illinois river, near Dresden, the inauguration as chief of a son of old Wawpawnsah. A great number of white people were present. The ceremonies began-by getting in readiness a great fire some twenty steps in length. On this fire ahnost every delicacy that an Indian could prepare was cooked. The Indians danced around this fire, the one in front walking backward and rattling a gourd that was partially filled with fish-teeth. He was followed by an Indian with a drum, and this one was followed by the rest of the dancers. After dancing for some time a new blanket was spread down, and the
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THE "'SNOW-BIRDS" AND THEIR RELATIVES.
man to be inaugurated as chief was conducted to the blanket. The retiring chief made a speech, and then other Indians addressed the people. Finally the young chief, who was dressed as fantastically as . their customs would permit, arose and made a grand speech. Then
INDIAN IMPLEMENTS.
after some more dancing the feast was ready. About three hundred Indians were present. Mr. Henline says that he and the gentleman with him were placed to eat out of the same ladle with three Indians. Mr. Henline, in speaking of his relishing the dinner, says, "I tell you I was hungry - hungry as a houseful of school-children." Mr. Hen- line lived in communication with the Indians long enough to learn their
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HISTORY OF PIATT COUNTY.
. language. In speaking of some Indian stories, Mr. Henline related the following. One of the party of white men who had stolen five ponies from the Indians, stopped at Mr. Henline's house, and said he had bought the ponies for ten bottles of whisky. Mr. Nathan IIen- . line recognized the ponies as belonging to some of his Indian friends, and after the man had started for Salt Creek, he, disbelieving the story of the purchase, went and informed the Indians of the route of the thieves. One of the Indians insisted upon Mr. Henline's joining in the pursuit. He went, and one of the theives was overtaken in Randolph Grove, in McLain county. The Indian frightened the man nearly to death by first threatening to shoot him, and then by flourishing his tomahawk. By Mr. Henline's persuasion the man's life was spared and the Indians secured all they had lost. This horse-thief, who was so frightened, after- ward came back and stole some horses of Mr. James Piatt. Later, at Decatur, he received punishment in shape of forty-five to fifty lashes for stealing horses. Mr. Henline used often to scare out deer for the Indians to shoot. There was one bald-headed Indian named Que-a- the-hun, whom Mr. Henline considered the best marksman he had ever seen. In speaking of this Indian he says, "One might as well lie down and die as to start to run in hopes of dodging the fire from his gun." During the Black Hawk war some of the settlers in this section of the country moved in order not to be so much on the frontier. Mr. Henline's folks remained here, and there were no molestations by Indians in this vicinity.
As has been stated, Mr. H. was a great trapper and hunter. He has caught many an otter by trapping. As is quite generally known, the otters have quite an original pastime, which consists in sliding down the banks of streams into the water. The otters evidently enjoy this very much, for they have been seen to repeat the operation many times in quick succession. Mr. H. used to place the traps at the base of these "otter slides," and the unsuspecting sporting otter, instead of making his usual dive into the water, would suddenly find himself en- trapped. Mr. N. Henline tells of being frightened nearly to death once by a wild cat. IIe, followed by one of his hounds, started up the river to look after his otter traps. After going a distance the hound began barking, and Mr. H. went to the river bank to see the cause of his excitement. There on a log, which was lying partly in the water, was a very large wild cat. Mr. H. was not at all afraid of a wild cat, so approached and began to throw clubs at the animal. He succeeded only in arousing the animal's ire, so that when he stooped for another
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