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 26
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Amaranths .- The cultivated coxcomb, globe amaranth and prince's feather (red, chaffy spikes) illustrate the characters of this family. Pigweed is one of the most common weeds in cultivated ground. The pigweed of the last paragraph should be called goose- foot only, or lamb's-quarters. White pigweed, generally known in the West as " tumble-weed," is abundant in some fields. Amaran- tus blitoides has recently become very abundant in our towns. At a little distance it resembles common purslane. Acnida and Froe- lichia are common in sandy soil near the rivers.
Buckwheat Family or Knotweeds .- Goose-grass is the most ubiquitous member of this order, forming a carpet in every door- yard. A taller variety with wider leaves also abounds under the shade trees about the premises. Two species of smart-weed, mild water-pepper, water Persicaria and two other species of knotweed are all common. Ont of 14 species of what appears to be smart- weed, only two are biting to the taste. Arrow-leaved tear-thumb, black bindweed and climbing false buckwheat are common vines.
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
Pie-plant, " yellow doek " and sheep-sorrel represent another di- vision of the knotweed family. The most common member of this division in Pike county is curled, or "yellow " dock; then follow sheep-sorrel (abounding in sandy soil), pale, water, swamp and bitter docks.
Laurel Family .- Sassafras is common along the bluff's and bot- toms of the rivers. Spice bush is also found in Pike county.
Sandal wood Family .- Bastard toad-flax rather scarce.
Spurges .- Spotted spurge, an herb growing more prostrate than all others, on cultivated ground; milky; no visible flowers. Three other species of spurge are almost common. Three-seeded Mer- cury, known in former years to inhabit only the dark forest, has followed to our city residences where it can find a similar situation. Croton is common near the rivers; an insignificant little herb.
Nettle Order .- Of the Elm family are the white and the slippery elm and the hackberry, -the first mentioned abundant, the other two scarce. Of the Bread-fruit and Fig family is the red mul- berry, which is scarce. Of the Nettle family proper are the true nettle (rare), wood nettle (common), richweed. pellitory, hemp and hop. Richweed, or clearweed, like the Mercury of the last para- graph, has followed man to his artificial groves and is very abun- dant on flat ground under heavy shade-trees, in some places. It is remarkable that botanists have placed in this order the Osage orange tree of our hedges, the bread-fruit tree of the far-off Pacific isles, the fig and the banyan, and the poison upas of the East Indies.
Plane- Tree' Family .- " Sycamore," or button-wood, or American plane. The true sycamore of Europe is a different tree.
Walnut Family .- Black and white walnut (butternut ) are well known. Three species of shell-bark and two of smooth-bark, be- sides pecan in the river bottoms, are common in this country. The list comprises the shag-bark, the western shell-bark, the mocker- rut or white-heart, the pig-nut or broom, bitter-nut or swamp hickories, and the pecan. The latter used to be abundant in the river bottoms, but the larger trees having been ent out for both the timber and the fruit, most of the pecan growth now is too young to produce much fruit.
Oak Family .- This family comprises not only the oaks but also the chestnut, beech, hazel-nut and iron-wood. Some of the oaks hybridize so much that it is difficult to keep track of the species and varieties. White oak, of course, takes the lead here as else- where, but the black jack is abont as abundant. The latter is usually the "second growth," and is as good as hickory for fire- wood. Bur-oak, scarlet oak and black oak (yellow-barked, or quercitron ) are common. Laurel or shingle oak, yellow chestnut oak and red oak are occasionally met with. Laurel oak is so called on account of the shape of its leaves, and is also called shingle oak, on account of its being so good in pioneer times for elapboards. Two species of iron-wood flourish here. They belong to different
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genera, one having seeds in clusters of involucres resembling hops: hence it is called hop hornbeam. " The other iron-wood or horn- beam is also called blne or water beech.
Birch Family .- The red, or river birch is sometimes found along the rivers and creek's.
Willows .- The most common willow, as well as the largest, is the black; then the prarie, glaucons, heart-leaved, shining and long-leaved. The black and the shining willows have tongh twigs which are very brittle at the base. Several other species of willow occur, but are rare. The, quaking asp, or American aspen, the cotton-wood, balm-of-Gilead, Lombardy poplar and silver-leaf, or white poplar, are well known.
Arum Family .- Indian turnip (Jack-in-the pulpit ) abundant; skunk cabbage common in wet places supplied by spring-water; sweet flag and green dragon very rare.
Duckweeds .- One species common on the surface of ponds. It does not take root in the earth.
Cat-tails .- Common cat-tail ( a kind of flag ) and a species of bur reed occur in wet places.
Pondweeds .- Several species grow throughout this country. They grow in or under water.
Water-Plantain Family .- Arrowhead (two species, with several variations) is abundant. Has large, arrow-shaped leaves and white flowers in threes, and grows along the sloughs. Water plantain is sometimes found : grows in same situation as last.
Amaryllis Family .- The star-grass is common. It is a modest little grass-like plant, putting forth its conspicuous, yellow, 3-petal- ed flowers in June.
Iris Family .- The larger blue flag is becoming rare. The blue- eyed grass looks like the star-grass just mentioned, except that the flowers are white or pale blue.
Yam Family .- Wild yam-root is a green vine sometimes seen in the woods.
Smilax Family .- Common green-brier, Sinilax hispida and carrion flower are all not very rare.
Lily Family .- Purple trillimm, or three-leaved nightshade, is abundant: flowers in May. One other species of trillium some- times occurs. Bellwort is an early flower in the woods. Smaller Solomon's seal and false spikenard are common. Wild orange-red lily is common in the margins of prairies which are not pastured and have never been broken. White dog's-tooth violet and great Solomon's seal are reported here. It is another early- flowering plant of a similar appearance to the last and in similar situations. Squill (eastern quamash, or wild hyacinth) is said also to be found in this county. Wild garlic, having tops like our garden top-onions, and wild leek are common in low places not pas- tured.
Rush Family .- The bog-rush is a very common, yellowish, grass-like herb along roads and paths, especially those leading
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through the forest ; but it is also found to some extent in all other situations.
Pickerd-rad Family .- Water star-grass, growing under run- ning water in the forest brooks, is common.
Spidermarts-Common spiderwort is common.
Sedyes. - There are three or four dozen species of sedge growing within the limits of any one county, but they are all unimportant plants. They have a grass-like appearance, but can readily be dis- tinguished from the grasses by their having triangular stems and bur-like tops (seed clusters). while the grasses have round or round- ish stems. What is generally called lake grass along the rivers is a true sedge, and its English name is great bulrush. It is by far the largest of the sedges. The river club-rush is next in size.
Grasses. - Blue grass takes the lead for prevalence and utility. Next, two species of fox-tail. Besides these the most common grasses are white grass, rice ent grass, Indian rice or water oats, timothy, rush grass (two species), bent grass, wood reed-grass, dropseed (two genera); reed bent-grass, blue joint grass, porcupine grass, fresh-water cord-grass, Koeleria, Eatonia (two species), melic grass, fowl meadow grass and its congener, Glyceria fluitans, low spear-grass, red top, Eragrostis (three species), fesene (two species), chess, Bromus ciliatus, reed (a tall, broom-corn-like grass growing in dense fields in the swamps of the river bottom), hordeum pra- tense (a kind of wild barley), two species of lyme-grass or wild rye, bottle-brush grass, reed canary grass, Paspalum, wire grass, eight species of panic-grass, among them two kinds of tickle-grass and one old-witch grass, crab-grass and barn-yard grass, sand-bur (in sand) and two species of beard-grass. About two dozen other kinds of grass can be found in the county, but they are all very rare.
Horse-tails .- Scouring rush and common horse-tail (especially along railroads) are common : two other species scarce.
Ferns .- Maiden-hair, brake, a spleenwort, a shield forn, a blad- der-fern and the sensitive fern are common in the order here named, while one species of flowering fern and two or three other ferns may be found.
CHIAPTER VIII.
ARCILEOLOGY.
Perhaps no district of country in the West contains more traces of that pre-historic people known to us only as the " Mound-Build- ers" than the district between the Illinois and the Mississippi riv- ers. There is scarcely a township of land in this section which does not contain more or less of these traces, and in some of them are works which in extent and character will compare with any in the West.
The monnds in this county are evidently of three classes : sacred mounds, which were used for the sacrificial fires; burial mounds, which were erected over the last remains of important personages; and mounds which were used for domestic habitations. These were probably residences similar to those of some tribes of our present Indians. First, poles or logs set up in a circle, then covered with brush or grass, and the whole with earth to a considerable extent. The sacrificial mounds always contained burnt earth, burnt bones, and frequently, too, the charred bones of human beings. In the burial mounds only the bones of a few persons are found, probably of some chief and his immediate family, and usually near them are . utensils of the kitchen, arrows, pottery, and such articles as were most prized in life by the departed.
In some localities immense shell-heaps exist, while it is not un- common to find in the mounds shells from the sea, notably the conch-shell and sea-periwinkles, the latter very common .. Imple- ments of bothi hardened copper and copper in a soft state are often found, and a metal resembling iron in texture and color, but hard enough to cut glass and which resists the action of almost all the acids ..
That these mounds were not erected by the same race as our present Indians is at once apparent from the bones of the latter being of a reddish hue, while those of the Monnd-Builders are of a different shade and much larger.
It is our opinion that the Mound-Builders were a pastoral peo- ple, who had made considerable progress in civilization. In the winter, doubtless, they drove their flocks and herds to the bluffs and rich, sheltered bottoms where they could obtain shelter, and
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
in the summer they drove them to the prairies for pasturage. Doubtless, like the Chinese of to-day, they esteemed their native hills sacred and sought to be buried there, no matter where the iron hand of Death overtook them; and their friends, respecting this desire, were in the habit of bringing the bones of each family or tribe to these sacred burial places, after they had been stripped of their flesh, for permanent burial.
Perhaps some future archaeologist will delve among these ruins and find a key to the mystery of the Builders, of whom we to-day know next to nothing; and unless some means are taken by the Government or societies organized for the purpose, and these meas- ures at no distant day, they will have become so far obliterated by the plow and by unskilled diggers that the slight clnes they contain will be buried in oblivion greater than now enshrouds the history of their builders.
A few years ago some of the prominent gentlemen of Pike county interested themselves in organizing an " Archaeological Society," but of late the interest, seems to have abated very per- ceptibly, and the Society so enthusiastically organized can now scarcely be said to be in existence.
The gentlemen proposing to organize an " Antiquarian Society " met at the court-house in Pittsfield, May 24, 1873, when Dr. T. Worthington was called to the chair and R. H. Criswell appointed secretary. They organized the "Pike County Antiquarian Soci- ety," and the permanent officers elected at this meeting were, Pres- ident -Wm. A. Grimshaw ; Vice Presidents-Wm. McAdams, Esq., Dr. E. S. Hull, of Madison county, Capt. W. H. Reed, of Calhoun county, Dr. T. Worthington, of Pike, Dr. A. Mittower, of Pike, Richard Perry, of Pike, II. J. Harris, of Pike, C. L. Obst, of Pittsfield, Archaeologist Artist; Dr. Thos. Aiton, Secretary; Wm. R. Archer, Treasurer.
W. B. Grimes, Dr. Mittower and C. L. Obst were appointed a committee to solicit contributions to the cabinet of the Society, and invite the exhibition of such relics as owners are unwilling to part with, the object being to obtain possession of evidences and traces of the people of antiquity, their implements and usages as far as practicable.
A letter was read before the Society from Mr. McAdams, of Wa- terville, Jersey county, May 18, 1873, as follows:
" I see in the papers a call for a meeting in Pittsfield on the 24th inst., to organize a society with a view of further investigation and more perfect knowledge of relics and ancient remains near the Il- linois and Mississippi rivers. I have for the last 15 years, during my leisure hours, been making'some investigations of the mounds and tumuli of Jersey and Calhoun counties. There is not perhaps in all the West a section richer or more interesting in its great numbers of relies of an almost unknown race of people who once inhabited this country. No thorough investigation has been made. Already many of them have been destroyed by the cultivation of
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new fields. Before many years the majority of them will be ob- literated, or so defaced that the original plan of construction will be lost. There should be a society like the one you propose to or- ganize, not only for the purpose of investigation but also for the purpose of making some record of their work. Comparatively little is known of the mounds of Jersey and Calhoun, although I have visited many of them and collected quite a number of interesting relics.
Yours truly,
"WM. MCADAMS."
The second week in June, 1873, the Society inade an excursion to the southern part of the county and spent several days among the numerous mounds in that locality, where they found many relics of the aborigines, among which were arrow heads, fish-spears, stone knives and hatchets, earthen vessels of various kinds, copper kettles, stone pipes, shell and copper beads, silver ear-rings, silver buckles, etc. Nearly all these articles were found imbedded in the mounds with human bones, pieces of pottery, etc., generally at a depth of about three feet below the surface. In some cases stone vaults containing bones and other relics were discovered a few feet beneath the surface. The members of the Society who went on that excursion say they had a most enjoyable trip and consider themselves well repaid for their trouble.
In the summer of 1873, Col. D. B. Bush presented to the Society for its museum Indian trappings of great value. Thos. James, of Martinsburg, presented a large lot of beautiful beads and amulets from the Big Mound of Sacramento valley, Cal .; also, moss, peat, cinnabar and Chinese corn, etc. - all from California. Col. S. S. Thomas presented a rare and beautiful specimen of coquine and concrete shells from St. Augustine, Florida. In September of the same year, Col. A. C. Matthews contributed to the museum one beaked saw-fish ( Pristis) from Matagorda Island, Texas; auto- . graph letter of Henry Clay, dated Oct. 5, 1829, Ashland, Ky .; pass of Lient. Gen. S. B. Buckner, C. S. A .: one copy of army cor- respondence; also coin and fossils. Geo. H. French presented a stone mortar from Pilot Bluff, Illinois river; E. N. French, speci- mens of columnar limestone; Hon. J. M. Bush presented one copy of the Massachusetts Centennial, published at Boston, Sept. 5, 1789, about four months after the inauguration of President Wash- ington; Hon. W. A. Grimshaw presented books as follows: Amer- ican volume, Ancient Armeca; Lines of Humboldt; two volumes of Smithsonian Institute Reports, 1865-'6; two volumes of History of Wisconsin; stone and flint implements, bone needle and speci- mens of pottery. Patrick Halpin presented specimens of Ameri- can and Italian marble.
In December, Mr. R. Perry contributed specimens of silicious and ferruginous conglomerate; Dr. A. McFarland, a very nice human skeleton, five bottles containing in alcohol specimens of .ophidian, all indigenous to Pike county, and also one containing
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tænia: Thos. Williams, seven beautiful flint implements; and N. W. Kibler, a very large tooth of a pachyderm.
Feb. 21, 1874, Geo. Bell, Thos. Bloomer, Hiram Horton and G. S. Pennington found remains of five human skeletons in the Mis- sissippi bluffs on the farm of Mrs. L. B. Lyon at the mouth of Dutch creek hollow. One skull measured 26 inches from the top of the cranium around under the lower jaw. Indeed, many
more skeletons are in these bluffs. Several wagon-loads of rock had been thrown over these remains. The heads appeared to be laid toward a common center of about three feet space. One skull contained a rock which had doubtless been thrown there when the remains were buried. The bones were very brittle and difficult to secure in their integrity from among the roots. There are seven of these mounds in Mr. Horton's field, in a semi-circle, all contain- ing human remains. Also a species of pottery has been found there.
In the southeast part of Pearl township about a mile from the Illinois river two copper vessels were once found, one smaller than the other, under some flat stones which had been plowed up, and a little lower down stone coffins were found in a field where they had been plowing; but these "remains" were probably left there by early French explorers.
Mr. C. L. Obst, photographer in Pittsfield, who is a fine archæ- ologist and the virtual founder of the " Pike County Antiquarian Society," has a splendid collection; namely, 100 varieties of flint implements, four varieties of stone hatchets, four of wedges, varie- ties of stone disks of various materials, as iron ore, sandstone, gran- ite and greenstone, four varieties of plummets, mostly iron ore, two of hammers, pestles, round stone for clubs, eight kinds of pipes, iron ore and greenstone chisels, plowshares and hoes, a large variety of pottery, drills and mortars, bone of the pre-historic bison, sinkers, weights, etc., etc. Mr. Obst has also a good collection of geological specimens.
The museum of the Society is in the Public Library room over the postoffice in Pittsfield, but the association is not active at pres- ent and their collection of relics seems neglected.
CHAPTER IX.
IMPORTANT LABORS OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS.
COUNTY COURT.
In 1847 a State election was held for members of the Constitu- tional Convention, which Convention prepared and submitted to the people a new Constitution, which was adopted by a large majority. By this Constitution, in place of the Commissioners' Court a County Court was organized in each county. This Court consisted of a County Judge, and, if the Legislature saw proper to so order it, two Associate Justices. This the Legislature favorably acted upon. The last meeting of the County Commissioners' Court was held November, 1849. After the transaction of such business as prop- erly came before them, they adjourned until court in course, but never re-assembled.
On the first Monday of December of the same year the first regu- lar term of the County Court was held. The duties of the Court in a legislative capacity were precisely the same as those of the County Commissioners' Court. In addition to the legislative power the members of this Court were permitted to exercise judicial anthority, having all the rights and privileges of Justices of the Peace, together with all probate business. This Court consisted of a County Judge and two Associate Justices. The Judge and As. sociate Justices acted together for the transaction of all county busi- ness, but none other. The Justices had an equal vote with the Judge, and received the same salary while holding Court, which was $2 per day. Two of the three constituted a quorum.
The County Judge who served under this regime was James Ward. The Associate Justices were Joshua Woosley and William P. Harpole.
TOWNSHIP ORGANIZATION.
The Constitution of 1847 provided for township organization in those counties desiring it. (Hons. Wm. R. Archer and Wm. A. Grimshaw, both of this county, were members of the Conven- tion framing this Constitution.) The question of organizing according to this provision soon began, of course, to agitate the
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people of Pike county, and the controversy grew bitter,-the bit- terest indeed that this more than usually peaceful community ever indulged in. Immigrants from the East were familiar with the workings of township legislation and management, and desired to perpetuate their home institution in the West; but the other citi- zens of the county were afraid that the introduction of the measure would necessitate an increase of office holders, useless expenses and many unforeseen vexations. . The Judges in office were all opposed to the innovation,-so much so indeed that they continued to hold Court even after the great victory of the innovators in carrying the county by 1,563 votes against 317, and the election of new mem- bers. For a short time the county had two legislatures at once. The vote was taken at the general election of November 6, 1849, at which election Peter V. Shankland was elected County Clerk on this hotly contested issne, and Stephen R. Gray Sheriff. Both these gentlemen were Democrats, in favor of township organization. In- deed, as a matter of curiosity, but of no political significance, we may state that the fight on both sides was nearly all done by the Democrats, the Whigs taking but little part.
An election was held in November, 1849, to vote "for " or "against " township organization, which resulted in favor of the measure. This was met with bitter opposition however, and an ap- peal was taken to the Circuit Court by Samnel L. Crane. The law was decided to be constitutional, and the election a fair one.
The Board of Supervisors of Pike county first assembled April 8, 1850, this being one of the first counties in the State to organize under the township mode.
There were present at this meeting the following members : Montgomery Blair, Barry; Hazen Pressy, Washington; Archibald Brooks, Chambersburg; David Preble, Salem; Wilson Adams, Hardin; Wm. Ross, Newburg; Thos. Hull, Kinderhook; A. W. Bemis, Martinsburg; R. C. Robertson, Milton; James M. Seeley, Atlas, and John McTucker, Hadley. Supervisor Blair was elected temporary Chairman and Col. Ross chosen Chairman. The Board then adjourned to re-assemble April 23, 1850. There were present at this the second meeting the following gentlemen: Wm. Ross; Archibald Brooks; Darius Dexter, Perry; Amos Hill, Griggsville; David Preble; John McTucker; Montgomery Blair; Jesse Seniff, Detroit; Thomas Hull; A. W. Benis; J. M. Seeley; J. T. Hyde, Pittsfield; R. C. Robertson; Wilson Adams; Hazen Pressy; and James Talbot, Pleasant Vale.
The County Court, when in session in 1849, appointed a com- mittee to divide the county into townships. This committee made their report to the Board of Supervisors, which is as follows :
"We, the undersigned, Commissioners appointed by the honor- able the County Court at the December term, 1849, to divide Pike county into towns or townships pursuant to the declared wish of the citizens of said county, decided by a majority of votes given for and against township organization at an election held on Tuesday
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after the first Monday in November, 1849, under and by authority of an act to provide for township and county organization, and may organize whenever a majority of votes of said county at any gen- eral election shall so determine, respectfully report that, after ma- ture deliberation and hearing the views and consulting the wishes of the people through delegations appointed by the different pre- cincts, they have unanimously agreed upon the following division boundaries and names, and report the same as organized :
" JOHN LYSTER, " S. R. GRAY, " JOHN K. CLEVELAND.
" Commencing at the northeastern corner of the county and making fractional townships 3 s., 1 and 2 w., a town by the name of Chambersburg; Congressional township 3 s., 3 w., Perry; 3 s., 4 w., Fairmount; 4 s., 7 w., and fractional of 4 s. and 8 w., Kin- derhook; 4 s., 6 w., Barry; 4 s., 5 w., Hadley; 4 s., 4 w., New Salem; 4 s., 3 w., Griggsville; fractional township 4 s., 2 w., Flint; fractional township 5 s., 2 w., Detroit; Congressional township 5 s., 2 w., Newburg; 5 s., 4 w., Pittsfield; 5 s., 5 w., Washington ; 5 s., 6 w., and the fractional townships 5 s., 7 w., and 5 s., 8 w., and 6 s., 7 w., Pleasant Vale; 6 s., 5 w., 6 s., 6 w., 7 s., 5 w. and 7 s., 8 w., Atlas; 6 s., 4 w., Martinsburg; 6 s., 3 w., Hardin; 6 s., 2 w., Milton; fractional township 7 s., 2 w., Pearl; 7 s., 3 w., Spring Creek; and 7 s., 4 w., Pleasant Hill."
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