USA > Illinois > Pike County > History of Pike County, Illinois : together with sketches of its cities, villages and townships, educational, religious, civil, military, and political history, portraits of prominent persons and biographies of representative citizens > Part 15
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HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.
1870, 90,922. She furnished 1,810 soldiers. She is entitled to 1 member in Congress, and 3 Presidential electors. W. W. Thayer, Republican, is Governor; salary, $1,500; term, 4 years.
Pennsylvania .- This is the "Keystone State," and means "Penn's Woods," and was so called after William Penn, its original owner. Its motto is, " Virtue, liberty and independence." A colony was established by Penn in 1682. The State was one of the original thirteen. It has an area of 46,000 square miles, equaling 29,440,- 000 acres. It had in 1860 a population of 2,906,215; and in 1870, 3,515,993. She gave to suppress the Rebellion, 338,155. Harris- burg is the capital. Has 27 Representatives and 29 electors. II. M. Hoyt, is Governor; salary, $10,000; politics, Republican; term of office, 3 years.
Rhode Island .- This, the smallest of the States, owes its name to the Island of Rhodes in the Mediterranean, which domain it is said to greatly resemble. Its motto is "Hope," and it is familiarly called, "Little Rhody." It was settled by Roger Williams in 1636. It was one of the original thirteen States. It has an area of 1,306 square miles, or 835,840 acres. Its population in 1860 numbered 174,620; in 1870, 217,356. She gave to defend the Union, 23,248. Its capitals are Providence and Newport. Has 2 Representatives, and 4 Presidential electors. C. Vanzandt is Governor; politics, Republican; salary, $1,000; term, 1 year.
South Carolina .- The Palmetto State wears the Latin name of Charles IX., of France (Carolus). Its motto . is Latin, Animis opibusque parati, " Ready in will and deed." The first permanent settlement was made at Port Royal in 1670, where the French Huguenots had failed three-quarters of a century before to found a settlement. It is one of the original. thirteen States. Its capital is Columbia. It has an area of 29,385 square miles, or 18,506,400 . acres, with a population in 1860 of 703,708; in 1870, 728,000. Has 5 Representatives in Congress, and is entitled to 7 Presidential electors. Salary of Governor, $3,500; term, 2 years.
Tennessee-Is the Indian name for the " River of the Bend," i. e. the Mississippi, which forms its western boundary. She is called "The Big Bend State." IIer motto is, " Agriculture, Commerce." It was settled in 1757, and admitted into the Union in 1796, mak- ing the sixteenth State, or the third admitted after the Revolution- ary War-Vermont being the first, and Kentucky the second. It
185
HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.
has an area of 45,600 square miles, or 29,184,000 acres. In 1860 its population numbered 1,109,801, and in 1870, 1,257,983. She furnished 31,092 soldiers to suppress the Rebellion. Nashville is the capital. Has 10 Representatives, and 12 Presidential electors. Governor, A. S. Marks, Democrat; salary, $4,000; term, 2 years.
Texas-Is the American word for the Mexican name by which all that section of the country was known before it was ceded to the United States. It is known as "The Lone Star State." The first set- tlement was made by LaSalle in 1685. After the independence of Mexico in 1822, it remained a Mexican Province until 1836, when it gained its independence, and in 1845 was admitted into the Union. It has an area of 237,504 square miles, equal to 152,002,- 560 acres. Its population in 1860 was 604,215; in 1870, 818,579. She gave to put down the Rebelion 1,965 soldiers. Capital, Austin. Has 6 Representatives, and 8 Presidential electors. Governor, O. M. Roberts, Democrat; salary, $5,000; term, 2 years.
Vermont-Bears the French name of her mountains Verde Mont, "Green Mountains." Its motto is " Freedom and Unity." It was settled in 1731, and admitted into the Union in 1791. Area 10.212 square miles. Population in 1860, 315,098; in 1870, 330,551. She gave to defend the Government, 33,272 soldiers. Capital, Mont- pelier. Has 3 Representatives, and 5 electors. Governor, H. Fair- banks, Republican; term, 2 years; salary, $1,000.
Virginia .- The Old Dominion, as this State is called, is the oldest of the States. It was named in honor of Queen Elizabeth, the " Virgin Queen," in whose reign Sir Walter Raleigh made his first attempt to colonize that region. Its motto is Sic semper tyrannis, "So always with tyrants." It was first settled at James- town, in 1607, by the English, being the first settlement in the United States. It is one of original thirteen States, and had before its division in 1862, 61,352 square miles, but at present contains but 38,352 square miles, equal to 24,545,280 acres. The population in 1860 amounted to 1,596,318, and in 1870 it was 1,224,830. Rich- mond is the capital. Has 9 Representatives, and 11 electors. Gov- ernor, F. W. M. Halliday, Democrat; salary, $5,500; term, 4 years.
West Virginia .- Motto, Montani semper liberi, " Mountaineers are always free." This is the only State ever formed, under the Constitution, by the division of an organized State. This was done in 1862, and in 1863 was admitted into the Union. It has an area of
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HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.
23,000 square miles, or 14,720,000 acres. The population in 1860 was 376,000; in 1870 it numbered 445,616. She furnished 32,003. Capital, Wheeling. Has 3 Representatives in Congress, and is entitled to 5 Presidential electors. The Governor is H. M. Mathews, Democrat; term, 4 years; salary, $2,700.
Wisconsin-Is an Indian name, and means "Wild-rushing channel." Its motto, Civitatas successit barbarum, "The civilized man succeeds the barbarous." It is called "The Badger State." The State was visited by the French explorers in 1665, and a settle- ment was made in 1669 at Green Bay. It was admitted into the Union in 1848. It has an area of 52,924 square miles, equal to 34,511,360 acres. In 1860 its population numbered 775,881; in . 1870, 1,055,167. Madison is the capital. She furnished for the Union army 91,021 soldiers. Has 8 members in Congress, and is entitled to 10 Presidential electors. The Governor is W. E. Smith; politics, Republican; salary, $5,000; term, 2 years.
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HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.
ILLINOIS INSTITUTE FOR DEAF AND DUMB.
The first class of unfortunates to attract the notice of the legis- lature were the deaf mutes. The act establishing the institution for the education of these unfortunates was approved by Gov. Carlin, Feb. 23, 1839, the asylum to be located at Jacksonville. The original building, afterward called the south wing, was begun in 1842, and completed in 1849, at a cost of about $23,000. A small portion of the building was ready for occupancy in 1846, and on the 26th day of January, of that year, the Institution was formally opened, with Mr. Thomas Officer as principal. The first term opened with but four pupils, which has increased from year to year, until the average attendance at the present time is about 250.
ILLINOIS INSTITUTE FOR THE INSANE.
In response to an appeal from the eminent philanthropist, Miss D. L. Dix, an act establishing the Illinois Hospital for the Insane, was approved by Gov. French, March 1, 1847. Nine trustees were appointed, with power to select a site, purchase land, and erect buildings to accommodate 250 patients. On the 1st of May the board agreed upon a site, 12 miles from the court-house in Jacksonville. In 1851 two wards in the east wing were ready for occupancy, and the first patient was admitted Nov. 3, 1851. In 1869 the General Assembly passed two acts creating the northern asylum for the insane, and the southern asylum for the insane, which was approved by Gov. Palmer, April 16, 1869. Elgin was selected as a location for the former, and Anna for the latter. The estimated capacity of the three asylums is 1,200 patients. In addition to the State institu- tions for the insane, there are three other asylums for their benefit, one in Cook county, which will accommodate about 400 patients, and two private institutions, one at Batavia, and one at Jack- sonville.
ASYLUM FOR FEEBLE-MINDED.
The experimental school for feeble-minded children, the first institution of its kind in the North-west, was created by an act approved, Feb. 15, 1865. It was an outgrowth of the institution for deaf and dumb, to which idiots are frequently sent, under a mistaken impression on the part of parents, that their silence results from inability to hear. The selection of a site for the
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HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.
building was intrusted to seven commissioners, who, in July, 1875, agreed upon the town of Lincoln. The building was begun in 1875, and completed three years later, at a cost of $154,209. The average attendance in 1878 was 224.
THE CHICAGO CHARITABLE EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY.
The association for founding this institution was organized in May, 1858, and Pearson street, Chicago, selected for the erection of the building. In 1865 the legislature granted the institution a special charter, and two years later made an appropriation of 85,000 a year for its maintenance, and in 1871 received it into the circle of State institutions; thereupon the name was changed by the substitution of the word Illinois for Chicago. The building was swept away by the great fire of 1871, and three years later the present building was completed, at a cost of $42,843.
THE SOUTHERN ILLINOIS NORMAL UNIVERSITY
Is located at Carbondale. This University was opened in 1874, and occupies one of the finest school edifices in the United States. It includes, besides a normal department proper, a preparatory department and a model school. The model school is of an elementary grade; the preparatory department is of the grade of a high school, with a course of three years. The normal course of four years embraces two courses, a classical and a scientific course; both make the study of the English language and literature quite prominent.
THE ILLINOIS INDUSTRIAL UNIVERSITY,
Located at Urbana, was chartered in 1867. It has a corps of twen- ty-five instructors, including professors, lecturers and assistants and has an attendance of over 400 pupils. It comprises four colleges (1) Agriculture, (2) Engineering, (3) Natural Science, (4) Literature and Science. These colleges embrace twelve subor. dinate schools and courses of instruction, in which are taught domestic science and art, commerce, military science, wood engrav- ing, printing, telegraphy, photographing and designing. This insti- tution is endowed with the national land grant, and the amount of its productive fund is about $320,000. The value of its grounds, buildings, etc., is about $640,000. It is well supplied with appara- tus, and has a library of over 10,000 volumes.
PIKE COUNTY COURT HOUSE
HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
CHAPTER I.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
-
INTRODUCTORY.
We now begin to chronicle the history of one of the largest and wealthiest, as well as the oldest, counties in the great State of Illi- nois. To say that our task is a most difficult one will only be expressing the sentiment of all who have attempted the compilation of local history. Only such persons can fully appreciate the em- barrassment arising from the multiplied perplexities that are continually crowding around the local historian. We shall seek to make this a record as detailed and accurate as accessible data will permit. Of course it will be impossible to gather up all of the frag- mentary facts of the three-score years of the county's history, of most which no written record was ever made, and many even important facts have slipped through the meshes of memory never to be recalled. Doubtless when the early pilgrim reads, or has read to him, historical items recorded in this volume, it will rekin- dle in memory recollections of kindred facts, not given us, and that otherwise would have been forever cast into the darkness of oblivion. Records of these items should be made as they are brought to light, that the future historian may have the greater abundance of material from which to compile.
Truth and accuracy will be our motto, yet that some errors will occur in names and dates, and even in statements, cannot be denied. Studious care will be taken, however, to avoid as many such inac- curacies as possible.
The face of the country of this county, save that portion bordering on the Mississippi and Illinois rivers, is mostly rich, rolling prairie, watered by Bay, McGee, Six Mile, Honey, Pigeon and McCraney's
13
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
creeks, with their numerous and small tributaries, along which are extensive bodies of timber. The farmers have planted artificial groves extensively over the prairie, which has had the effect of ameliorating the climate, by keeping the winds of an open country from the surface of the earth. By the energy and enterprise of the citizens of this county, it has been transformed from the native wilderness into one of the most attractive portions of the State, if not of the West. It is claimed that there is no spot on the face of the earth capable of sustaining a denser population than the Mili- tary Tract; and those familiar with this beautiful portion of our State know that Pike county is not excelled by any other within its boundary. That this county contains as intelligent, enterprising and thrifty agriculturists as probably can be found elsewhere in the same breadth of territory in the United States, few will deny. Fine barns, with all the modern improvements, comfortable dwellings, lawns, gardens, out-houses, etc., are to be found on every hand; towns and cities have sprung up as if by magic, and every knoll is graced by a church edifice or school building.
The natural resources of Pike county, as above alluded to, for agricultural and manufacturing purposes, and marketing, give to the farmers and manufacturers of the county superior advantages. The agricultural interests of the county are well advanced. Indeed, it may be said that Pike is the great agricultural county of Illinois. The soil is mostly rich prairie loam, and has great productive qual- ities. It is mostly divided into farms of medium size, from 80 to 320 acres; but few large farms are to be found. The benefit of this is apparent by the increased population and a better cultivation. The staple crops of cereals are corn, wheat and oats, which generally yield abundantly. This is the condition of Pike county at present. How different when Ebenezer Franklin, with his family, located within its borders! Then these prairies were a vast wilderness covered with a rank growth of prairie grass, and much of the land now under a high state of cultivation was covered with heavy for- ests. At that time the native red men roamed unmolested over the flowery prairies and through dark forests.
We wish to quote in this connection the eloquent, just and ap- propriate tribute paid to Pike county by Hon. Wm. A. Grimshaw in his "Centennial Address." It speaks in praiseworthy, yet truth- ful, descriptive terms of both people and county:
"The citizens of this county have always been marked for a love of our national Government, for participation in all State measures to promote the common good of Illinois. With one brief exception, the period of the 'vigilance committee,' local government has always been of an orderly character. The brief excitement of that period led to more efficient laws for the protection of society, and thus good came out of evil. No fratricidal strife, no display of brothers in battle array with deadly cannon and all the dread habil- iments of war, are portrayed here. The life of our citizens has been with few exceptions that of peaceful farmers and townsmen,
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
busy in the affairs of domestic life. Thus your historian has no startling tales to tell.
"Still as the current of your own gentle river, Illinois, with & few swells in the stream of life, when wars waged beyond the lim- its of the present county called off our men to war, has been the life of your people. Industry has prevailed. Education has had its marked influence, and the holy gospel, taught in its beauty and simplicity, has pervaded every walk in life. Crime has, notwith- standing, been perpetrated, to be brought generally to condign punishment. Such is generally the end of those who violate the laws, human and divine.
"This county, once embracing the fairest portion of the once Eden-like State of Illinois, yet retaining within her limits land beautiful to look upon, desirable to inhabit, and famed for her fair daughters, her gallant sons, prosperous farmers and mechanics, able professional men and legislators, her present territory equal yet almost to some of the old thirteen States, owes much, if not all, of this to the patriotism and foresight of the Revolutionary fathers.
"Contemplate the vastness of Pike county as she was when organ- ized by the act of the Legislature of 1821, in these words:
SECTION 1 .- Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois represented in the General Assembly, That all that tract of country within the following bounda- ries, to wit: beginning at the mouth of the Illinois river and running thence up the middle of said river to the fork of the same, thence up the south fork of said river until it strikes the State line of Indiana, thence north with said line to the north boundary line of this State, thence west with said line to the western bound- ary line of this State, and thence with said line to the place of beginning, shall constitute a separate county to be called Pike.
" To repeat the extent of the boundaries: On the south, begin at the junction of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, then follow the Illinois to the fork of the same, meaning the Kankakee, thence to the line of the State of Indiana, thence north and west embracing the territory from Chicago, following on the line of Wisconsin to the Mississippi river, including the famed lead mines of Galena, and to the channel of the Mississippi, thence descending to the place of beginning.
" First note the beautiful, still gliding river, the Illinois, then observe the majestic Father of Waters; traverse all this territory, great in extent, formerly the home of savage tribes of Indians, the land marked by the tread of the buffalo and dotted over with the graves and mounds, the relics of extinct races, the fierce brute crea- tion and game and fish abounding, prairies illimitable, adorned with flowers of gorgeous hues, fruits delicious in profusion and great variety, forests of vast size filled with gigantic trees and of many species, rivers bounding unfettered by man's contrivances; then no locks and dams existed thereon, fish in myriads were the dwellers in those rivers,-and these all existed in 1821, when Pike county was struck off by name from the older settlements and the few counties then existing in Illinois.
.
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
" Pike county has been the mother of States to the west of Illi- nois. Having a pioneer population of an enterprising turn, large numbers have emigrated together to Oregon, Texas and California and other remots points, following the star of empire. Many estima- ble farmers who once lived in Pike have gone further east in Illi- nois and settled in the prairie counties.
" The health of this county is almost invariably good excepting in lowlands where some malarious disease comes on at times. Lon- gevity exists to a marked degree and children fairly swarm. Pros- perity and fine crops are the general results of industry."
ANTE-PIONEER HISTORY.
Before proceeding further in detailing the immediate history of the county, we desire to mention a few important facts relative to the earliest history of this section of the State. In 1673 the great French explorers, Marquette and Joliet, passed down the Missis- sippi and up the Illinois in their canoes, on their first famous voy- age down the great Father of Waters. Seven years later, Jan. 3, 1680, LaSalle, with his little band of Frenchmen, came down the Illinois river as far as Peoria lake, landed upon the opposite shore, and erected a fort-Fort Creve-cœur. This fort was soon evacuated and destroyed, yet the enterprising Frenchmen continued among the Indians as traders. They exerted no perceptible civilizing influ- ence, however, upon the red-skins: indeed, by life and inter-mar- riage among them, they became in all respects more and more like thein, until their identity was almost lost.
Year after year rolled by until almost a century and a half had passed since LaSalle stepped ashore from his skiff, before the abo- rigines who occupied the territory embraced within the present boundary of Pike county were molested by the encroachments of the white man. Generation after generation of natives appeared upon the wild scenes of savage life, roamed the forest and prairie, and glided over the beautiful, placid Illinois and Mississippi rivers in their log and bark canoes, and passed away. Still the advance of civilization, the steady westward tread of the Anglo-Saxon, disturbed them not. The buffalo, deer, bear and wolf roamed the prairie and woodland, the Indian their only enemy. But nature had destined better things for this fertile region. She had been too lavish in the distribution of natural advantages to leave it longer in the peaceable possession of those who had for centuries refused to develop, even in the slightest degree, any of her great resources. She accordingly directed hitherward the footsteps of the industrious, enterprising pioneer; and so fertile was the soil and so beautiful the flowers, so sparkling were the streams and shady the groves, that, in advance of all the surrounding country, the pioneers sought and settled the timber land and prairie of Pike county.
The thrilling scenes through which the pioneer settlers passed in the settlement of this portion of Illinois must ever awaken emotions
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
of warmest regard for them. To pave the way for those who fol- lowed after them, to make their settlement in the West a pleasure, they bore the flood-tide wave of civilization; they endured all, suf- fered all. But few of these spirits now survive; they have passed away full of years and honors, leaving their children, and children's children and strangers to succeed them and enjoy the fruits of the toil, privations and savings of their long and eventful lives.
Life with them is o'er, their labors all are done, And others reap the harvest that they won.
Too great honor cannot be accorded them, and we regret that we have not the data to speak more fully and definitely of them, their personal experiences, their lives and their characters.
FIRST AMERICAN SETTLEMENTS.
Coming on down through the years for over a century, we wish to speak of the first American settlements in the State, as an intro- ductory to the more immediate history of the original Pike county.
The first settlement made within the borders of the great State of Illinois by citizens of the United States was in 1784, when a few families from Virginia founded a small colony or settlement near Bellefontaine, in Monroe county. The next American settlement was made in St. Clair county, two of which were made prior to the year 1800.
The first American settlers in Illinois were chiefly from Ken- tucky, Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Tennessee and some from Maryland. Some of these had served with Gen. Clark, who conquered the country from the British in 1778. This whole people did not number more than 12,000 in 1812, but with the aid of one company of regular soldiers defended themselves and their settle- ments against the numerous and powerful nations of Kickapoos, Sacs, Foxes, Pottawatomies and Shawnees, and even made hostile expeditions into the heart of their country, burning their villages and defeating and driving them from the territory.
When the State was admitted in 1818 the settlements extended a little north of Edwardsville and Alton; south along the Missis- sippi to the month of the Ohio; east in the direction of Carlysle to the Wabash, and down the Wabash and Ohio to the conjunction of the Ohio and Mississippi. Such was the extent of the settlement in Illinois when the Territory was clothed with State honors.
There were but 15 organized counties represented in the conven- tion to frame the first Constitution. These were St. Clair, Ran- dolph, Madison, Gallatin, Johnson, Edwards, White, Monroe, Pope, Jackson, Crawford, Bond, Union, Washington and Franklin. The last three were the youngest counties, and were formed in 1818.
ORIGINAL PIKE COUNTY.
Pike county was the first or second county organized after the State was admitted into the Union. It was erected Jan. 31, 1821,
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
and included all of the territory west and north of the Illinois river, and its south fork, now the Kankakee river. At the first election in Pike county after its organization only 35 votes were polled, even though it did extend over the entire northern part of the State, and out of which more than fifty counties have since been organized.
A " Gazetteer of Illinois and Wisconsin," published about 1822, says that the county " included a part of the lands appropriated by Congress for the payment of military bounties. The lands con- stituting that tract are included within a peninsula of the Illinois and the Mississippi, and extend on the meridian line (4th), passing through the mouth of the Illinois, 162 miles north. Pike county will no doubt be divided into several counties; some of which will become very wealthy and important. It is probable that the sec- tion about Fort Clark (now Peoria) will be the most thickly settled. On the Mississippi river, above Rock river, lead ore is found in abundance. Pike county contains between 700 and 800 inhabi- tants. It is attached to the first judicial circuit, sends one mem- ber to the House of Representatives, and, with Greene, one to the Senate. The county-seat is Cole's Grove, a post town. It was laid out in 1821 and is situated in township 11 south, in range 2 west of the fourth principal meridian; very little improvement has yet been made in this place or vicinity. The situation is high and, healthy and bids fair to become a place of some importance."
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