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 31
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
The traveler always found a welcome at the pioneer's cabin. It was never full; although there might already be a guest for every puncheon, there was still "room for one more," and a wider circle would be made for the new-comer at the log fire. If the stranger was in search of land, he was doubly welcome, and his host would volunteer to show him all the "first-rate claims in this neck of woods," going with him for days, showing the corners and advan- tages of every " Congress tract" within a dozen miles from his own cabin.
To his neighbors the pioneer was equally liberal. If a deer was killed, the choicest bits were sent to his nearest neighbor, a half- dozen miles away, perhaps. When a "shoat" was butchered, the same custom prevailed. If a new-comer came in too late for " cropping," the neighbors would supply his table with just the same luxuries they themselves enjoyed, and in as liberal quantity, until a crop could be raised. When a new-comer had located his claim, the neighbors for miles around would assemble at the site of the new-comer's proposed cabin and aid him in "gittin " it up. One party with axes would fell and hew the logs; another with teams would haul the logs to the ground; another party would "raise the cabin "; while several of the old men would "rive the clap- boards" for the roof. By night the cabin would be up and ready for occupying, and by the next day the new-comer was in all re- spects as well situated as his neighbors.
Saturday was a regular holiday, in which work'was ignored and everybody went to town or to some place of general resort. When all were together in town, sport began. Of course whisky circula- ted freely and everybody indulged to a greater or less extent. Quarrels were now settled by hand to-hand encounters; wrestling- matches came off or were arranged for the future; jumping, foot- racing, and horse-racing filled up the interval of time; and every- body enjoyed the rough sport with a zest unknown among the more refined denizens of the present day.
CHAPTER XIII.
OLD SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION.
It is not strange that among the pioneer settlers of any new coun- try a deep-seated and sincere friendship should spring up that would grow and strengthen with their years. The incidents pecu- liar. to life in a new country,-the trials and hardships, privations and destitution,-are well calculated to test not only the physical powers of endurance, but the moral, kindly, generous attributes of manhood and womanhood. Then are the times that try men's souls, and bring to the surface all that may be in them whether good or bad. As a rule there is an equality of conditions that rec- ognizes no distinctions. All occupy a common level, and as a natural consequence a strong brotherly and sisterly feeling rise up that is as lasting as time. For "a fellow feeling makes us won- drous kind." With such a community there is a hospitality, a kindness, a benevolence, a charity unknown and unpracticed among the older, richer and more densely commonwealths. The very nature of the surroundings teaches them to feel each other's woe and share each other's joy. An injury or a wrong may be ignored, but a kindly, charitable act is never forgotten. The memory of old associations are always fresh. Raven locks may bleach and whiten, full, round cheeks become sunken and hollow, the fires of intelli- gence vanish from the organs of vision, the brow become wrinkled with care and age and the erect form bowed with accumulating years,-but the true friends of "long ago " will be remembered as long as life and reason endure.
The surroundings of pioneer life are well calculated to test the " true inwardness " of the human heart. As a rule the men and women who first settle in a new country,-who go in advance to spy out the land and prepare it for the coming people,-are bold, fearless, self-reliant and industrious. In these respects, no matter from what remote section or country they may come, there is a similarity of character. In birth, education, religion and language, there may be a vast difference, but imbued with a common pur- pose,-the founding and building of homes,-these differences are soon lost by association, and thus they become one people united by a common interest; and no matter what changes may come in
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
after years the associations thus formed are never buried out of memory.
In pioneer life are always incidents of peculiar interest, not only to the pioneers themselves, but which if properly preserved, would be of interest to posterity; and it is a matter of some regret that "The Old Settlers' Association " was not formed years before it was, and that more copious records were not kept. Such an asso- ciation with well kept records of the more important events, such as dates of arrivals, births, marriages, deaths, removals, nativities, etc., as any one ean easily and readily see, would be the direct means of preserving to the literature of the country the history of every community, that to future generations would be valuable as a record of reference, and a ready and sure method of settling important questions of controversy. Such records would possess facts and figures that could not be had from any other source. Aside from this historic importance such associations serve as a means of keeping alive and further cementing old friendships and renewing among its members associations that were necessarily interrupted by the innovation of increasing population, cultivating social intercourse and creating a charitable fund for such of their old members as were vietims of misfortune and adversity.
The subject of organizing an old settlers' society was brought up in the summer of 1869. In the Pike County Democrat of July 29, that year, the following signifieant passage oceurs: "The time will come when the history of this county will be written. For that history, the meeting of such society will furnish the best mna- terial, and the parties now living attest the facts that will form a large portion of it." There was nothing definitely done toward the organization of this society until the summer of 1872, when some of the leading old settlers interested themselves in it. The first meeting was held on what is called Blue creek, Aug. 21, 1872. The meeting was called to order by Wm. Turnbull, of Flint, on whose motion Capt. B. F. Westlake was appointed temporary Chair- man. Upon taking the chair Capt. Westlake stated in brief the object of the meeting, and for the purpose of effecting on organiza- tion hesuggested the propriety of appointing acommittee on perma- nent organization to report to the meeting at 1 o'clock, P. M. This committee consisted of Col. A. C. Matthews, Jas. H. Dimmitt and Wm. Turnbull. The meeting was then addressed by Rev. Mr. Mc- Coy, after which an adjournnemt was had until 1 o'clock, P.M. After the dinner was dispatched the people were called together by the choir, discoursing most pleasant musie. After singing the commit- tee on permanent organization reported the following named per- sons as officers of the "Old Settlers' Association of Pike and Calhoun Counties, Ill."
For President, Col. Wm. Ross, Newburg; 1st Vice President, Col. Benj. Barney, Pleasant Vale; 2d Vice President, Daniel B. Bush, Pittsfield; 3d Vice President, Capt. B. F. Westlake, Newburg; 4th Vice President, Capt. Benj. L. Matthews, Perry; 5th Vice
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
President, Jos. Brown, Chambersburg; 6th Vice President, John' Lyster, Detroit; 7th Vice President, Jas. Grimes, Milton; 8th Vice President, Abel Shelley, Griggsville; 9th Vice President, Perry Wells, Atlas; 10th Vice President, Sam'l G. Sitton. Hardin; 11th Vice President, Wm. Grammar, Hadley; 12th Vice President, Montgomery Blair, Barry; 13th Vice President, John Brittain, Martinsburg; 14th Vice President, Thos H. Dimmitt, Griggsville. Secretary, Marcellus Ross, Newburg; 1st Assistant Secretary, Dr. E. M. Seeley, Pittsfield; 2d Assistant Secretary Wm. Turnbull, Flint.
Col. Barney presided at this meeting, Col. Ross being absent on account of sickness. A 'communication was however read from the President. Rev. W. D. Trotter, one of the pioneer preachers of the county, spoke for about an hour, reviewing the early life of the pioneers. Hon. William A. Grimshaw delivered the address of the day. It was an ably prepared historical review of the county's his- tory. Indeed, so replete is it with interesting facts of pioneer times that we give the entire address in this connection:
ADDRESS OF HON. WILLIAM A. GRIMSHAW.
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen :- Selected by your committee of arrangements to bid you welcome here to-day, I do so most cordially, as an old settler myself, of, say, the second period of Pike county, coming here in the year 1833 ; that being after the winter of the deep snow, which was our early noted period in the annals of this then wild, romantic, and beautiful country, sparsely settled and embraced in the bounds of Pike county. That snow with us, once, was the starting point of the date of current events, although our records of the courts of justice do not legally recog- nize that as a "day in law," yet we even in courts, in the simplicity of our early language, often heard events traced by that snow as the date point.
In the early days we all enjoyed the largest constitutional liberty; we voted for him we liked best, as I, a Whig, did for " honest Joe Duncan," a Democrat, on a deep question in those days, the Illi- nois and Michigan Canal, " the deep cut ;" we also each worshipped God according to the dictates of our own conscience and under our vine and fig-tree. When Brother Trotter, who is now present, venerable with years and revered for piety, or old Father Woolf, now gathered to his fathers, blessed for his good deeds, came around to his appointment, all, of every religion and no one religion, turned out to meeting in the woods or the log school-house or at a settler's home. We had no fine churches in those days. Mormons puzzled the unwary by their startling pretense at new revelations. Or, if disappointed by the regular minister, old Father Petty would recite, in prayer, Belteshazzar's feast, in trembling tones of piety.
Our worthy and venerable President (elect but absent), Col. Wm. Ross, who has been often honored by the people of Pike Co. by their
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
votes, electing him to high offices of public trust, could tell you much of the first period or earliest year's of the settlement of your county, as he arrived in the county in 1820 and settled at Atlas, which was the county-seat in its day, and was laid out by the Ross brothers. Atlas was yet the place at which the county records were kept in 1833, but in the spring of the year Pittsfield was sur- veyed and laid off into lots and the sale thereof made at different periods, the first sale of lots being in that spring. A court-house was built in the summer of 1833 at Pittsfield ; from that event the greater prosperity of the county and an increase of population began.
The terror infused into the public mind, beyond the settlements of Illinois, by the Black Hawk war, which had retarded emigration to our State, the Indians being removed to the West of the Missis- sippi, the tide of emigration began to set in, and you witness to- day, in the presence here of this assemblage, the vast change in a little over fifty years since the Yankees (who came before the clock- peddlers) set foot within the limits of Pike county, as it now exists. Clock peddlers were the only gentlemen in those days, as they rode in the only covered carriages.
It is true, when you consider the rise and growth of Chicago in our own State, and of St. Louis in Missouri, rival cities, each of nearly four hundred thousand people, we don't seem to have much to brag of as to our growth. Consider, however, that we are almost strictly an agricultural county, that being our chief and most profit- able pursuit, and then the greatest zealot for progress must admit that, from a beginning of a few families in 1821, we are now a county not to be sneezed at, and especially when our vote at the polls is counted. Excluding counties in which cities have arisen, we are most densely populated, more so than many in our beauti- ful Illinois, and yet we have broad acres of valuable lands in a state of nature ..
Once our prairies were the home of the bounding deer in vast herds, of the prarie wolf, the prairie fowl in great flocks, the tim- ber land abounded with the squirrel, the turkey and the pigeon, and in the hollow trees we had the beautiful but noisy paroquet; as well as in their haunts numerous other birds and animals. These have in a great measure disappeared until game is a rarity. The wild fruits once abounding have been superseded by more luscious cultivated fruits. And yet, who of the old settlers does not remen - ber with a twinkle in his eye the old settlers' first substitute for an apple, a big turnip; and also find a good taste in the month when he thinks of those nice preserved plums, crab-apples and ground cherries, and the pumpkin pie, and the pork mince meat. We then think of the prairie and woodland each abounding in the sea- son in beautiful flowers, rivaling in their colors the rainbow. These were the holiday delights of dame and maiden, and the husband and lover were alike made glad in their contemplation. The retro- ยท spect of nature has its beauties. The reality of the first settler's
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life in a new country is often full of prose and but little poetry. Compare the simple and even poor furniture of our early homes with the elegant furniture now in nse, and what a contrast ! But with all the drawbacks of an early settler's life few repine at their lot in this beautiful land. None can who accept with reflection and thankfulness the inany mercies which crown our lives.
I am reminded by this retrospection, that yesterday, on return- ing home, I found a written, kind notification from your Com- mittee, in charge of the convening of this your first Old Settlers' meeting, that I was invited and expected to address you to-day. I then took my pen to endeavor to bridle my thoughts and to bid them serve the request of the Committee, that I should speak as to the "honesty, patience, industry, self-sacrifice and hospitality of the old settlers."
Honesty was the rule, crime the exception, in early days. It would seem as if at the first mention of the honesty of the old set- tlers it was a sarcasm, on the idea of lawyers settling here, and as if I had some personal experience and revelation to make. Of course I know something and much of the facts, and will relate them.
It was well known that because we had no locks we never locked our houses and out buildings; it was proverbial that the deer skin of the door latch was never pulled in, that is the latch string was ont; then we had not much to tempt people to steal; so our things lay about loose; our plows with their wooden mold-boards hung on the fences with impunity; but at Christmas time, the plow or ox skull hung upon a tree by the way side, reminded the passer-by, on the three-year old, riding to see his girl, that a fool's head was too soft to butt either of those pendants in the tree.
At an early day an old ax, worth fifty cents perhaps in these days being stolen, the vile thief was ordered to leave the settle- ment of Atlas, and did leave for his country's good. It was said that loud porcine cries were heard upon the "Sny Island " at times, because men would kill their neighbor's hogs : that was a trifling affair and cost only the penalty of going halves with the nearest justice; thus dividing the meat- unless the head and ears were found and those bearing some man's recorded mark; then that was a case for the Grand Jury. Hog stealing was said to be caused by drinking Sny water.
We have told only of the style of dishonest tricks in those days. With more facts to bear us out, we can now affirm that tlie general reputation of our early settlers was remarkably good for honesty in general, but there was a slight propensity to "hook timber" to make rails and to use as house logs, and some fellows in the land, held, in fact it was " common law," that a " bee tree " even in your pasture lot was lawful plunder.
As to the patience of our people, if that means bearing up with the courage of a true man and true woman under the perils to limb and property, the early settlers were exemplary for that; the
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
trials of an early settler's life were legion. His resources, so far as supplies for his family, were small; his debts were a great vex- ation, and some, if not all, had these rests, until the lands were entered and paid for, the money often being loaned at interest as high as 75 per centum per annum. Then if you went to mill, you journeyed a score, aye, three-score miles; to meeting often as far. No bridges, and but few roads existed; the saddle, or the ox cart, or truek, wooden-wheeled wagon, and no fine carriages, was the mode of travel.
Corn dodger, without salt, and pork or side- meat, were great staples; vegetables and fruits, unless wild fruits, were rarely on the table, unless when company came to spend the afternoon, or to a quilt- ing, then the best the house or the neighborhood afforded was forthcoming for the visitor. The quilting parties were generally the resort of young and old. Marriages were rare in those days, because bachelors were more plenty than belles.
As to the industry of the old settlers, as a class, industry was to the extent of present ability, implements, health and condition, and was not surpassed by the toil of men of the present day. The ma- tron and the few young ladies had much toil and vexation, and that was often more excessive on wash-day, because of having to pick up fuel as it could be gleaned, or carrying the clothes to and from the wash place, which was a branch or spring. The clothes-line was a grape vine or a fence, and the hogs and calves trespassed on that to " chaw the things," and to keep the "creeters " off, old boss and the old woman (not yet 25 years old) often had a hard fight lest the baby in the cradle sitting near the out-door fire should be "up sot."
Self-sacrifice was one of the many and noblest virtues of the early settler; in times of sickness you were free to call up any neighbor for help, to sit up with the sick, to ride 25 or even more miles for the doctor, and that mostly, as our doctors said, in the dead of night, to the great horror of the doctor, who had to saddle up and travel, even in the dead of night, to the farthest limits of his own or to an adjoining county.
Although the county of Pike was naturally healthy, the over toil, the privation, the imperfect protection from the inclemency of seasons, the water used from shallow water-holes, all these tended to multiply disease and death. This county was never, as a gen- eral thing, visited so much with sickness and death as other coun- ties in our State.
In the early day no iron horse snorted and raced over our prairies. The steamer once perhaps in several weeks dragged itself along. Twelve days was a short time for a trip from New York here, and that mostly by stage. Our mails arrived once a week, and a letter cost us our "last quarter." News from Europe a month old was fresh. No troublesome quotations of daily markets puzzled or enlightened us. A counterfeit United States bill was almost legal tender. Hoop-poles, staves and cord wood were equal
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
at a later day to gold. Store pay was better than any of the fore- going, but often lead to heavy mortgages and secret bills of sale. The laws were quickly enforced. Once a client of a celebrated lawyer was taken out of Court and the penalty of the law put on his back with stripes before the motion for a new trial was over; then the client protested against a new trial lest if convicted he would be a second time whipped.
Now how changed is everything around us! In the early day there was more variety in dress, if less taste. All dressed in their best, and sometimes (if the ladies will pardon such an o'er true tale) a white satin bonnet, the worse for the wear, was seen over a blue " Dolly Varden " ruffled cap. The most distinguished man at shows, for a number of years, was an old, gaunt, straight man, with a bell-crowned hat, in the height of the fashion when he was young, which was nearly twelve inches perpendicular; horses often carried double in those days, if girls were plenty, and about spark- ing and wedding time. Oh how sociable! and yet all was modesty and innocence.
Hospitality-that signifies strictly "practice of entertaining strangers," but in its true early settler's ways much more was meant, intended, and done. On a journey almost every house was a welcome home to the weary traveler; if any charge was made for the entertainment it was very moderate; at times the parting word to you was, " You are welcome to such as we had, and please call again when traveling this way."
Hospitality scarce expresses the fine sensibility, the manly Chris- tian spirit, of many of the olden time. The pioneer feels that each and every settler of his neighborhood (and he does not criticise much as to who is his neighbor) is entitled to such help and good feeling as may be asked or should be extended.
I felt and still feel a large degree of sympathy, and that the most cordial, with the old settlers. It occurs to mne that as Pike county once included Calhoun, and as some of the settlers there are co- temporaries with our earliest settlers, we should include the Cal- houn old settlers in our Society-in fact just this week that was named to me in that county.
With great hopefulness as to the prosperity of this new Society, desiring for it many happy re-unions, I offer to you the thanks of myself, an old settler, for your courtesy in inviting me to address this meeting; and may God bless our vast population, spread over our large county, which had when first known to myself about three thousand people, and now contains approaching forty thou- sand, although the hive of people has swarmed many times.
Farewell, my friends, one and all. Let us part with mutual good wishes, as we never more can all meet again in this life.
At the first meeting it was decided to invite the old settlers of Calhoun county to join with the Pike county Old Settlers' Society.
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HISTORY OF PIKE COUNTY.
In harmony with this decision Calvin Twichell, Smith Jennings and William Wilkinson were elected Vice-Presidents.
SECOND MEETING.
The second meeting of the Old Settlers' Association was held in September, 1873. The following letter from Judge William Thomas, of Jacksonville, was read :
" JACKSONVILLE, Aug. 30, 1873.
" MR. MARCELLUS Ross, Secretary :- Dear Sir,-I have received two invitations to attend the Old Settlers' Meeting in Pike county on Wednesday next. I regret that I cannot accept either, for I would be glad to meet the survivors of those with whom I became acquainted forty-five years ago. I attended the Circuit Court in Atlas in June, 1827, which was my first visit to Pike. The Court was held by Judge Lockwood, who now resides at Batavia, in Kane county. The attorneys in attendance were John W. Whitney, N. Hanson, and John Jay Ross, of Pike county, Gen. James Turney and Alfred W. Caverly, of Greene county, now of Ottawa, and J. W. Pugh, of Sangamon county, Mr. Jenkins, of Calhoun county, John Turney and myself, of Morgan county. Capt. Leonard Ross, one of nature's noblemen, was Sheriff. Col. Wm. Ross was Clerk; James M. Seeley was an officer of the Court. Of all these, Judge Lockwood, Mr. Caverly, and myself are the only survivors. The Court was in session three days, and then went to Calhoun county. It was held in a log cabin in the prairie, near which was a log cabin occupied by the grand jury. The traverse jury had the privilege of the prairies.
" In September afterward, returning from the Winnebago war I left the boat at Quincy, where I purchased a horse, saddle and bridle for $40. From Quincy I came to Atlas, a good day's travel; remained in Atlas one day and two nights, and then set out for home. Passing Col. Seeley's, I found no other house until I reached Blue river, where Van Deusen had a small grist-mill, and I crossed the Illinois river on Van Deusen's ferry. That night I . reached Exeter. The weather was pleasant, the roads were dry and smooth.
"Pike county was then a wilderness. I came as directed, the nearest and best route home. I could never then have been made to believe that I should live to see a population of 30,000 within its boundaries.
"Capt. Ross entertained the jury and the lawyers in their double log cabin free of charge, expressing his regret that we could not stay longer. I was at Atlas at the Presidential election in 1824 and voted for John Quincy Adams for President.
"Judge Lockwood, Mr. McConnell and myself, in attending Court at Atlas (the year I do not recollect), passed the present site of Griggsville and saw the man, Mr. Scholl, raising the first log
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