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 18
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THIE FIRST NEGRO SETTLERS.
"Free Frank," a colored man, arrived in Hadley township, this county, in the spring of 1831, with his wife Lucy and three chil- dren. They were originally from Kentucky and had spent the pre-
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ceding winter in Greene county, Ill. This family were the first settlers in that township, and none others arrived for two years. To conform to the custom of the age the Legislature gave Free Frank the surname of MeWorter, and he was ever afterward known as Frank Me Worter. He'was a live, enterprising man, and laid out the town of New Philadelphia, which once had great promise of making a good town. He had bought his own freedom and that of his wife and many of his children, and left provision in his will to buy grandchildren, which was carried out by his son, Solomon Me Worter. Frank died about the year 1857, at 77 years of age. His wife died in her 99thi year in 1871. Mr. McWorter was born in North Carolina, his wife in Virginia. They were both members of the Baptist Church and led exemplary lives. By in- dustry and economy they left a valuable farm to their heirs. A large and respectable settlement of their descendants now exists around the old home.
In 1832 or 1833 a colored man came to the southern part of the county known by the name of " Bob," who wanted to marry a white girl, the daughter of a Mr. Guernsey. This aroused the indignation of the whites, and as soon as he saw the citizens after him he took to his heels and ran away so fast that "50 men couldn't catch him!"
NUMEROUS SETTLERS.
Before the Black Hawk war there came to this county, settling in various parts, besides those we have mentioned and many others; Hawkins Judd, Geo. W. Hinman, Stephen R. Watson, Garrett Van Densen, Daniel Clingensmith, N. E. Quinby, M. Branson and Horace Horton. Messrs. Hinman and Judd were County Com- missioners with Col. Barney when they bought of the United States for $200 the quarter section of land upon which Pittsfield was located. They are now dead. Mr. Van Densen, an eccentric Knickerbocker Dutchman, was a Justice of the Peace and likely one . of the earliest settlers east of Pittsfield on Blue river, and was the originator of a queer device to crack corn, operated something after the manner supposed to be in vogne in the days of Adam and Eve. He used the stream of Blue river at a narrow place, and by catching and confining the water therefrom in a hollow tree or trough, open at the end up stream and closed at the lower end, he worked a swinging vessel which was suspended over a mortar to crack: Indian corn. The process was to let the trough fill with water nearly to overflowing, when by its weight it would descend, dashing the pestle into the mortar and erushing the corn. The pestle being adjusted some distance from the end of the trough up stream, the water spilled beyond the mortar, and the machine adjusted itself for an- other beat at the corn. Col. N. E. Quinby was a lawyer. Mr. Clingensmith settled in the northern part of the county: he died in 1835. Capt. Horton was a jolly tar from Connecticut, an en- ergetic man and a good settler. He came in 1832 and located above Rockport. Branson and Watson, the latter a tailor, settled at Atlas.
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THE YEAR OF THE BLACK HAWK WAR.
Chronologically we have now arrived at the period of the Black Hawk war, and the connection of Pike county with that epoch will be given in the chapter upon that war. No county perhaps took a more active and decided part in this struggle of the pioneers with the Indians than this county. Almost as soon as it was known that soldiers were wanted Pike county had filled her quota. In an early day Indians were quite numerous here, but we have no record of any depredations being committed by them other than petty theft. The Sacs and Foxes made their headquarters along the Sny for many years, where they were often visited by Black Hawk and Keokuk. At or near Atlas the whites often saw thein in their war dances. These Indians however gave the settlers of Pike county very little trouble. Indeed they sometimes evinced some title to the epithet "noble." As for example, when a squaw was at one time sick of a fever and was nursed and doctored by a white family at Atlas until she got entirely well to the surprise of her Indian friends, they were very thankful and showed their gratitude in many ways.
In this connection we may relate a little anecdote characteristic of early times. John Jay Ross and a Mr. Filer thought they would have some fun one day by frightening Mr. Young and his family who resided at Atlas, and in the vicinity of his house they imitated the noise and whoop of Indians so perfectly that Mr. and Mrs. Young thought they were surrounded by blood-thirsty red- skins. They were greatly frightened and chugged their children into a small cellar which was not large enough for themselves to get into. They ran out into the mustard patch and remained there until the afternoon of the next day, so scared were they, before they dared to return to the house and liberate their suffering children.
JAMES W. WHITNEY.
A very noted character in the earliest days of Pike county was James W. Whitney, more generally known as "Lord Coke," on account of his knowledge of law. He was teacher of the second school at Atlas, but having no family or permanent home he can scarcely be denominated a "settler." He was the first Circuit and County Clerk, and held many local offices. He was a native of Massachusetts, a man of considerable education, having some knowledge of Latin. He came to Illinois before it was a State and resided at or near Edwardsville. Not much is known of his former life, as he was always very taciturn when the subject was intro- duced. It is said that there was a hidden sorrow in his former life which was a delicate matter to touch upon. He wrote a very pecu- liar hand, which would indicate that he was an oddity. At first sight one would have taken him to be a well-preserved preacher or schoolmaster of the days of the earlier Adamses. His dress was
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plain and even homely; his hair was sparse and all combed to the back of his head, and often tied with a buckskin string or old black shoe-string as a cue. Pecuniarily he was not prosperous, and he was very indifferent with respect to his dress. He made his jour- neys generally afoot and alone, putting up where night found him, with some friend, and his acquaintance was very extensive. He was always welcomed by the lovely pioneers, as he was a kind of gazetteer, bringing them the news when newspapers were scarce. He lived sometimes alone' in a log cabin and sometimes he made the city of Quincy his headquarters.
"Lord Coke " was also known as the " Speaker of the Lobby," as he was the leader of that branch of the Legislature for many years. When theaters and shows were rare, the citizens, judges and legis- lators at Vandalia were all agog to witness the convening of the Lobby. It was a great event. A throng would assemble, and after some ceremony " Lord Coke" would mount the stand and call the house to order. He would deliver his annual message, which would be received with cheers and laughter. Many hits and jokes were embodied in the message. Sometimes the satire was very broad, and at one time he hurt his standing with the Supreme Court by a farcical account of a meeting represented to have been held by that Court and leading members of the Bar to " exterminate the varmints of the. State." He presided over the "Lobby" with magisterial sway, and when mock heroics moved the man he would be a very important personage. The "Lobby " was organized by appointing subordinate officers and numerous committees, whose titles and functions would be of the most ludicrous character; and the mem- bers composing the same would be in physical form, public stand- ing and personal bearing the most opposite of that position and character. For example, Col. Thos. Mather, President of the State Bank of Illinois, was a man short in stature but of great rotundity of person, quiet in demeanor; Judge Thomas Brown and Jesse Thomas, jr., were fine, portly gentlemen. Such as these "Lord Coke " would announce, and that in print, as the most suitable members of " the committee on gymnastics and ground and lofty tumbling." Many reports of these committees would be submitted which would be in accord with their burlesque titles. These reports were often written by "Lord Coke" himself, and there was a broad personality in them rather Hudibrastic.
At the Bar " Lord Coke" was not successful, as there was a want of practical sense in his applications and his law was often obsolete. He died Dec. 13, 1860, between 83 and 85 years of age.
OTHER PROMINENT CHARACTERS.
Parvin Paullin, a native of New Jersey, came in mature years to this county, served one term as a Representative in the Illinois Legislature, and was Probate Judge, discharging always his duty with honor and efficiency. He died many years ago.
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
Ephraim Cannon was an early settler of Pike county, and for a time Sheriff.
Robert and Joseph Goodin and Fisher Petty were amongst the noted men of Highland. Petty was a County Commissioner at Pittsfield; Mr. Murphy was the first County Surveyor; and Joseph Goodin was County Surveyor thereafter and a good officer. He was living a few years ago in Missouri.
John George Nicolay, an illustrious representative of Pike county education, was born in Germany, and came to this county an ob- seure boy: being very studions he became highly self-educated; learned the printer's trade in Pittsfield; married Miss Bates of that place; he edited the Free Press for a short time. and when O. M. Hatch was elected Secretary of State Mr. N. was his elerk for two years at Springfield; read law in Abraham Lincoln's office, and on the election of Mr. Lincoln to the Presidency of the United States he became one of his private secretaries; subsequently he was Consul to Paris, and is now Marshal of the Supreme Court of the United States, which is a life office or a tenure during good behavior.
John Hay, son of Dr. Hay, of Warsaw, and nephew of Milton Hay, next mentioned, and for some time a resident of Pittsfield, was a e mpanion of Mr. Nicolay in the study of law in Mr. Lin- coln's office at Springfield and in being private secretary of the President. While in Pittsfield he published " Pike County Bal- lads." a collection of capital pieces of poetry, among the most noted of which are " Banty Tim," " Little Breeches " and " Bludsoe."
Milton Hay, now ranking high as a lawyer at Springfield, resided in Pittsfield in his earlier days as an attorney at law. He has since been in a Constitutional Convention and in the Legislature of the State.
Major Charles J. Sellon we can elaim as a son of Pike county, his parents having been the present wife of Col. D. B. Bush, by her former husband, Rev. John Sellon, an Episcopal clergyman who onee owned St. Ann's Church, New York city, and was a wealthy man, and whose sister was the wife of Sir Benjamin Brodie, the eminent English physician. Charles JJ. was brought up princi- pally in the family of Col. Bush, was in the Mexican war (in the battle of Buena Vista), and during our late war was Major of an Illinois regiment ; was editor of the Springfield (III.) Journal; still later on the Peoria Transcript. He died in 1862.
" Aunt" Roby Ross. still living at Barry, in her 92d year, came with her people to Atlas She was born Sept. 27, 1789, in Ren- sellaer county. N. Y., and was first the wife of Clarendon Ross and afterward of his brother Capt. Leonard Ross. Clarendon Ross was the first man who died in the county and Captain Ross is long since dead. Aunt Roby's memory is still clear, and she relates many in- teresting experiences and events of early times. Her house was the stopping place for many people; she has fed as many as a hundred in a day. She would arrange tables out of doors made of clapboards
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placed upon sticks, supported by stakes driven in the ground. In that day they had an abundance of meat, vegetables and sometimes fried cakes and crab-apple sauce. Mrs. Ross's son Schuyler,'by her first husband, died at the age of 20, in 1832, at Atlas.
Merrill E. Rattan, the first Postmaster at Pittsfield, long since dead, was also Probate Judge. He kept a hotel on the same lot where the Oregon House now stands. Wm. Watson, once a Pro- bate Judge, is still living in Pittsfield. As a business man Mr. Watson was ever foremost and has accumulated some property. Robert R. Greene and his cousin Austin Barber opened and carried on the first large store in Pittsfield. These gentlemen are both yet living in that town. Mrs. G. was one of the earliest and highly respected school-teachers. Mr. Barber was for a period County Clerk.
Wm. A. Grimshaw came to Pike county in 1833. For his biog- raphy see history of Pittsfield township. John U. Grimshaw, cousin of the former, settled near Pittsfield in 1834, and afterward moved to town and for many years was an active merchant. He died many years since. Jackson Grimshaw, a brother of William A., was a resident of Pittsfield for 14 years, then of Quincy, Ills., where he died in December, 1875.
Belus and Egbert Jones, brothers, were old settlers. Belus was never a lawyer, but a pettifogger, who hung on to " Lord Coke "( J. W. Whitney) like a bobtail to a kite. At court time it was said, "No court till Coke and Belus come."
Major James Tolbert, an old Virginian, was an officer in the 17th Illinois Militia at an early day. He was an early settler of Pike county.
Lyman Scott, an early settler, married a daughter of Leonard Ross. He was for a time one of the owners of a former mill at Rockport. He was a pushing business man. Many years ago he went to Kansas and is now dead.
John Neeley, an early County Commissioner, removed to Texas and has since died.
John Lyster, at times a Justice of the Peace, was an early settler in the Meredith and Neeley neighborhood near the Illinois river, now Detroit township.
David Dutton early settled in the vicinity of Pleasant Vale, once County Commissioner, a prosperous farmer, and peculiar in his ways. He has long since deceased.
Among the early settlers of Pike county was Mrs. Nancy M. Heath, who taught the first school in Pittsfield in the winter of 1834. She had 14 scholars, taught in a rented house and boarded herself. Her terms were $3 per scholar for 12 weeks. The names of her patrons were Jonathan Pike, Col. Johnson, Wm. Watson, Ephraim Cannon, James McNary, Wm. Grimshaw, Dr. Worthing- ton, Mr. Davis, and John Turnbull. Her maiden name was Dun- bar, and she was born Jan. 1, 1791, the first white child born in Cincinnati; was brought up by Gov. McArthur, of Ohio; in 1813 she married Dr. Jonathan Heath, who was born on the south bank
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of the Potomac, Morefield, Hardy county, Va. She came to Naples Morgan county, in 1825, taught school there, and came to Pittsfield in 1834. The school-house, which was also their dwelling, was a small hewed-log house rented of Mr. Turnbull. She has had six children, five girls and one son, all dead. Mrs. Heath is still living in Pitts- field, but has had feeble health for many years. Her daughter, afterward Mrs. A. V. Wills, also taught school with her.
Dr. Hezekiah Dodge emigrated from Virginia to Bayville, this county, in an early day. In his physical structure he was " long, lean and lank, and moved upon a spindle shank."
Mr. Gray, an early settler and prominent citizen of the county, was Sheriff about 1851: was Postmaster at Barry, and afterward for many years his home has been in Pittsfield.
Joshua Woosley, an early settler of Hadley township, has been Sheriff, and taken quite an active part in the politics of the county. He is still a man of great activity, living on the old homestead.
Among many other pioneers of Pike county we would mention, Henry R. Ramsey, Jacob Hodgen (father of Dr. John Hodgen), Charles T. Brewster, W. B. Grimes, D. B. Bush, Elias Kent Kane (nephew of the celebrated Elisha Kent Kane, the Arctic explorer), all of whom have been more or less prominent in the history of this county. A little anecdote concerning Mr. Kent, who settled in Montezuma township in 1836, we cannot forbear to relate here.
He went out deer-hunting one day, soon scaring up three large deer, which ran around him in a circle about 300 yards distant. He stood watching them with cocked gun in his hands, not knowing why he did not shoot; but subsequently learned from friends that he must have had the " buck agne."
Many other names of early settlers will appear in the histories of .
the respective townships.
Among the sons of Pike county who have departed to other fields of glory, are: Ozias M. Ilatch and Alexander Starne, both of Pitts- field, then of Griggsville; both have run about the same career in this county, having been Clerks of the Circuit Court, members of the Legislature, and Secretaries of State; and both are now resi- dents of Springfield, in prosperous circumstances. Mr. Starne left Philadelphia in 1836, " with the intention of getting so far away from home that he never could get back again," and he chose the beautiful section of country called Pike county for his permanent home. He relates many amusing stories concerning the olden times, clock peddlers, abolition riots, Dr. Dix's first land purchase and trip to the grist-mill.
Among other numerous settlers in various parts of the county we would name the following: Rev. John Shinn, one of the early preachers of the county, settled just west of Phillips' Ferry; then came David Johnson, who bought the farm owned by him. He settled there in 1828, and for many years was Surveyor of the county. Near him was Richard Wade; the next two who came were a Mr. Bateman and Andrew Phillips. Geo. W. Hinman, an
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early prominent man, came in 1829. Joel Moore was the first set- tler north of Atlas toward Griggsville. Nathan W. Jones, a resi- dent of Griggsville, was a well-known early settler. Abel Shelley, the Bradburys, Charles and Martin Harrington were also promi- nent pioneers. Boone Scholl, the founder of Perry, which was laid out first as " Booneville," was an early settler.
In concluding our personal mention of early settlers, we quote the following from Mr. Grimshaw's " Centennial Address:"
" Alfred Grubb, once called the 'Little Bay Horse,' for his sprightliness, was a good»Sheriff and a County Judge. Thomas Orr, noted as a grand juror for many long years, was respected by all. Thomas Hull, a good farmer and remarkable for his active piety. These all leave numerous descendants of respectability. The Blairs (father and several sons), all good men, were in the vicinity of Barry before Pittsfield was laid out. William, son of the senior, was a marked member of the Illinois Legislature, and an upright and useful man. He is long dead. Montgomery Blair was onee a member of the Constitutional Convention of 1847. Harvey Blair is yet alive, and is an estimable farmer.
"It is impossible in this sketch to notice all the early settlers; some have emigrated, others have died. At court time at an early day in Pittsfield, Samuel Gibson, Henry Kent, George Gibson, Sam'l Sitton, Esquire Hayden, the Tucker brothers would be seen, and Wm. Johnson, James Johnson, John and Jacob Heavener. The latter dressed in the homeliest garb, with his long rifle as bosom friend. James Johnson was a conspicuous man. Both of these men were possessed of great nerve and endurance, and made great havoc amongst the deer. Small " varmint " they despised. Sam'l G. Sitton survives in his 75th year; and on June 29th, 1876, he cut on his own farm an acre of wheat with a sickle and bound it up on that day, and the next day was at Pittsfield as spry as usual. Harvey Dunn, of Chambersburg, was an old settler, and in 1847 was a member of the Constitutional Convention of Illinois. He was a very unassuming but intelligent, honest man; but is long dead. Stephen R. Gray, venerable and respected in years, yet lives. He was Sheriff about 1851. He is an early settler and resided at or near Barry, and was at one time Postmaster thereat. Hamilton Wills is yet as happy as ever, jolly in person, comfort- able in business, an old settler in Pittsfield, as a Justice of the Peace in former years useful and respected. Richard Kerr, of Pleasant Hill township, was an old farmer, a leading whig, and represented Pike county in the Legislature for one term. Ile died many years since, esteemed by all, leaving many relatives in Pike. "Bonaparte Greathonse, of Milton, was County Commissioner at an early day, a man of great worth and a good farmer. He is long dead and left surviving him a numerous family. Several of his sons are practitioners at law. Sam'l L. Crane, now venerable in years, was a very early settler of Morgan county, Ill., and has filled acceptably with perfect integrity the office of Postmaster at
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Pittsfield. He is now in private life. He is the father of that useful son, resident of Pittsfield, James H. Crane, who has been Circuit Clerk of Pike county, yet lives here, and is a Deputy Clerk in the office of Geo. W. Jones, our present and efficient popular circuit clerk. Wm. B. Grimes yet lives in Pittsfield. He was an able and honest County Clerk for one term, succeeding Wm. Steers, who was a good and worthy officer; and his successor is Jonathan L. Frye, who was a son of an honest miller, Jonathan Frye. James Mc Williams, venerable for his years, influential in his town of Griggsville, has been a Representative of the county in the Legislature and often a Supervisor of Griggsville township. Daniel D. Hicks, now the esteemed Cashier of the First National Bank, is an old resident of Pittsfield and has honorably filled several offices. He was once Sheriff of the county. During his term of office a riot took place one election day in Pittsfield, when many wild boys who had been good soldiers in the Mexican war took a most active part in the riot, calling out, 'We are some punkins.' By aid of a posse of the people, called by Hicks, the riot was put down."
MR. HINMAN'S LETTER.
We copy the following very excellently prepared historical article from the Griggsville Reflector of July 1, 1876. It was prepared by Asa Hinman, son of the veteran pioneer, George W. Hinman. It so clearly portrays various features of the county's history, and knowing that it will be accepted as from a reliable source, we make no alterations in it, but present it as from the pen of Mr. Hinman:
"In 1829, I think Oct. 14th, my father, George W. Hinman, crossed the Illinois river at Phillips' Ferry with his family to make a permanent residence in Pike county. He drove out to the foot of the mound upon which the town of Griggsville now stands, and stopped with a man by the name of Bateman, who had made a small improvement and laid claim to the S. W. quarter of sec. 14, T. 4. S., 3 W., which my father soon afterward bought and occupied. This was on the main traveled route from Phillips' Ferry to Quincy and Atlas, the county seats of Adams and Pike, the two routes parting on top of the mound in what is now called Quincy Avenue. The first settlement on the road, which was then known as the Atlas trail, after passing the site where Griggsville was afterward built, was seven miles ont on Bay creek, where Joel Moore had settled some two or three years before. He emigrated from North Carolina, and, as I have understood, served in the army of the United States for the land he lived upon. The next settlement was Col. Seeley's, twelve miles farther and three miles from Atlas, on the trail to Quincy. It was thirty miles to the first house, where lived John Wiggle, a German, who formed the nucleus for the large German settlement that afterward settled in that part of Adams county.
" I believe Atlas was the only laid-out town in Pike county at
A Himman
PERRY
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that time. At Phillips' Ferry there was a small settlement. I will name those I remember: Nimrod Phillips, Dr. Bennett, first owners of the ferry, Tebo & McWorthy. One and a half miles up the road lived Charles Hazelrig, the only blacksmith in the eastern part of the county.
" The settlement on the road west from the ferry was David Johnson's, who settled on the farm owned for a long time by the Rev. Johan Shinn and now the property of E. S. Parker. Mr. John- son settled there in 1828. He was surveyor in this county for many years. Near this place on the north side of the road lived Richard Wade. The next two settlements were Bateman, of whom I have spoken, and Andrew Phillips, who lived just east of Marshall's blacksmith shop. Dr. Phillips lived one and a half miles south of town on the farm now owned by Davis. North of town lived Mar- shall Kee, John Matthews. father of B. L. Matthews, and grand- father of Col. Matthews, Abel Shelly, Wm. Wilkerson, Sam Hola -. way, Abraham Scholl, Sam Chenoweth, and an old gentleman by the name of Ayers. All these I have named were men of families; and none to my knowledge now remain but David Johnson, who still lives in the town of Perry, and is badly crippled with rheuma- tism, but otherwise is in good health. Many of their children and grandchildren yet remain in the county.
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