History of Sangamon 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 168

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Inter-state publishing company
Number of Pages: 1084

USA > Illinois > Sangamon County > History of Sangamon 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 168

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

"As the first Rochester church formed an inte- gral part of the old South Fork Church, its early history is included in the record of that church. Its territory included the Round Prairie, Rochester, and thence south one and a half miles to the sectional line running east and west across the township. After the year 1841, the Rochester church was considered as an inde- pendent organization, its elders being Andrew Richards and Samuel Williams, and after 1842, its deacons were Samuel West and William S. Bashaw. In August, 1842, Elder William Brown held a five days' meeting in Rochester, which resulted in about twenty-four additions to the church, among whom were Benjamin West, Sam- uel West, Dr. B. F. Dickerson, James McCune, and others. Our meetings were usually held either in Rochester or a school house in the northeast corner of the township. During about twenty years, the church continued to prosper, being sustained by its own public services and the occasional aid of Elder William M. Brown, A. J. Kane, Walter Bowles, William A. Mal- lory, and several other preachers. But about the year 1862, Elder Richards and other leading members having died, and I being no longer able to preach, in consequence of failure of health, and the members not being able to build a house in Rochester, it was thought best for those who could be thus better accommodated to unite with the brethren in the German Prairie, and others over the Sangamon river. A good meeting house was there built and a prosperous church organized. It may be proper to add that the first Rochester church was seldom disturbed, either by internal strife, or by contentions with other religious organizations. It usually con- tained from fifty to eighty members.

SECOND ROCHESTER CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

"Near the close of the year 1874, there were some members in the South Fork Christian Church, who thought it advisable to sustain preaching in Rochester, and by the contribution of church members and other persons favorable to the effort, the services of Eider A. J. Kane, of Springfield, were procured one Sunday in each month. In this manner he served the brethren in Rochester four years. Near the close of De-

cember, 1875, he continued his meetings several evenings and during the last two, five persons obeyed the Gospel. But instead of continuing the interesting meeting he was under the neces- sity of leaving to attend a protracted meeting of his own appointing in Fulton county. In order to continue the meeting the services of James Logan, of California, were obtained. During a meeting of four weeks continuance, many per- sons professed faith in Christ, and were baptized. Before the close of the meeting Elder Kane re- turned, and before the departure of Elder Logan most of the new converts and other old members residing within two or three miles united together as a church of Christ.

"In September, 1877, our new meeting house, thirty-six by fifty-six feet was ready for use, and the dedication sermon was preached by Elder W. W. Everest, President of Eureka College. In December, 1877, Elder P. Vawter held a pro- tracted meeting, which resulted in sixteen or twenty additions to the church. In 1878, Henry P. Clark and James McCune, were chosen as elders, and William Windsor and Samuel Wol' ford, deacons of the church. Elder Burton suc- ceeded Elder Kane as preacher for several months, in the year 1879, and perhaps some longer, and after a few months vacation, Elder W. A. Mallory succeeded him and still continues to serve the church as pastor. Since the organi- zation of the church, nine or ten members have died, and many have moved to distant localities, while others, choosing to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season, have abandoned their religious profession; yet there still remains thirty-six or forty members faithful to Christ. The church is now out of debt, and the present indications are, that it will survive some of the degrading vices of the present day."

MINERAL SPRINGS. By D. G. halb.

By special request of the publishers, Mr. K. visited a mineral spring, located in the south- west corner of section twenty-one, township fif- teen, range four, about eight miles southeast of Springfield, and writes of it as follows:

"No special attention has been given to pre- paring the spring for public use, but the present owner had it walled up with brick a few years ago, and enclosed it with a board fence within a space of twelve feet square, allowing any who so wished to come and take water from it as they might desire.

"On the 15th day of October, 1881, the writer visited the place for observation and inquiry, in

N.D. CHE boy

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

company with Rev. A. H. Gunnett, and was hos- pitably entertained by Mr. and Mrs. Olcott, who furnished every facility to aid him in his re- search. The spring is about one-third of a mile from the family residence, in a narrow ravine, through which passes a small rill heading in the prairie, a few hundred yards north of the spot, which unites with another similar stream a few yards south.

"The water within the brick wall was four feet in diameter, and about five feet in depth at the time of the visit; but subsequently a small vein of water which seems to be of the same kind as that in the spring is found issuing from the side of the ravine, a short distance below the junction of the two mentioned, and, as is supposed, has lessened the amount that issnes at the spring above. On making further obser- vations at the spot, the writer calculated that the level of the water in the spring is about fifty feet lower than the general level of the prairie a short distance north of the place, the land slop- ing off toward the south fork of the Sangamon river, which is probably not more than one- eighth of a mile distant, southward.

" There have been numerous instances of the efficacious uses of the water producing satisfac- tory results. Dr. Shields, of Ball township, was the owner of this spring many years ago, and re- lates that he at times, before the country was settled up, saw many wagon loads of persons from the southern part of the State, and else- where, that came to the spring and camped there for the benefit of the medical qualities of the water; so that more than fifty years ago it was renowned as valuable. But many remarkable cures therefrom have been known of later times, and numerous witnesses can be obtained to testify thereto. Mr. Oleott is also now using the water with good effect, upon himself. He further says that though he has fed a great many hogs, he has never had any cases of cholera among them, and he aseribes it to the fact that they have always had access to the water issuing from the spring. A similar testimony is given by his neighbor, Mr. Dickerson, through whose feed-lots the water passes.

"The following is the testimony of the State Assayer and Chemist, of Massachusetts:

'OFFICE OF S. DANA HAYES, STATE ASSAYER AND CHEMIST, 20TH STREET, BOSTON, MASS., May 8, 1869. To James H. Olcott, Esq., Springfield, Illinois: Sir-The sample of mineral water received frem you has been as thoroughly analyzed as the small quantity would permit, with the following results: It is trans- 116-

parent and clear, with a sulphuretted odor and taste. One United States standard gallon contains 72 13-100 grains of solid mineral water, consisting of potash, soda, lime, magnesia, carbonic and sulphuric acids, chlorine and sulphur. It is a valuable and unusual mineral water, belonging to the class known as sul- phuretted saline waters, and it is certainly worthy of an exhaustive analysis. Respectfully,

S. DANA HAYES.

State Assayer of Massachusetts.'"

REMINISCENCES, By Samuel Williams.

The following incidents the writer, Rev. Samuel Williams, gives as facts connected with the early history of Rochester township:

"In the fall of 1821, in company with Elias Thompson, Orange Babbitt and Samuel Draper, with their families and some stock, we crossed the Wabash river near Terre Haute, and after traveling a few miles through heavy timber, we came to the eastern edge of the great Illinois prairie. There we saw a patch of cotton and a small log house, but we did not see another house until after traveling several days, when we arrived at the house of Titus Gragg, near what is now called Campbellsburg, in Christian county.

"In March, 1822, my father and the family having arrived, he rented a part of Fields Jarvis' farm, situated in the southeast part of the town- ship, on the farm now owned by Benjamin Auxier. Further north, there wasanother farm, which was also rented in 1822, by Elias Thomp- son. At the north edge of the timber were the residences of John Warrick and Daniel Parkin- son, and across the prairie, further north, lived James McCoy, with whom his brother Joseph usually resided, Archibald Sattley, Robert Sattley, Oliver Stafford, William Roberts, James Bowland, John T. Benham and James Gregory, Sr. Further west, Isaac Keys, Sr., Levi Gooden, James Vaughn, the large blacksmith, and Philip Clark, Sr. And in the Round Prairie, Edward Clark, Andrew Jones, Andrew St. John, Wm. Woods, Christopher Paine, some of the Sheltons, Levi Locker, and a family in a house near the present residence of Joshua Graham. Andrew Johnson, the father of John and Samuel John- son, was a millwright by occupation, and he came from Scotland at an early date, and he and James Gregory, Sr., were the principal architects in the erection of Mr. Clark's mills. Besides these, there may have been other settlers in the township whom I did not know, or whose names I cannot recollect after a lapse of more than fifty years.

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

" In those early times, there were many wild wild bees, wild deer, turkeys, raccoons, minks, muskrats, and some others, still hunted in many places by small parties of Indians.

"There were also many patches of cotton and flax in Sangamon county. The women spun and wove the raw material into cloth, from which substantial clothing for both men and women was made. But cloth of a finer texture, mostly white, but delicately striped with bright colors, was also made, which was chiefly designed for women and children's fine dresses. When clothed with such dresses, the young women ap- peared, not only modest, but very attractive.

" In the year 1822, there was a military com- pany muster in the township, at which many persons were present, some of whom lived many miles distant. Elias Thompson was captain. Some of the men had guns, others used various substitutes. Before proceeding with the exer- cises, there was some debating with reference to the choice of military tactics, some preferring those of Scott, and others Duane's. The per- formance was awkward and in some respects comical. After the drill was ended, the captain, as was customary in those days, treated the com- pany to two or three gallons of whisky. Soon after, some of the men became very boisterous, and several of them stripped to the pants for a fistic fight, but finally wiser counsels prevailed, and all went home peaceably.

"There being much rain in those early days, there was much ague in the country. Drs. Dar- ling and Jayne were the first physicians, and in later times were Dr. James P. Kipper, and Dr. Todd, of Springfield.

"In the year 1822, Rivers Cormack, a local Methodist preacher, and William Roberts, of the Baptist persuasion, were the only preachers. Mr. Roberts was rather eccentric, and manifested considerable antipathy against preachers, who received money as pay for their labors. He is said to have given it as his opinion, that 'the Gospel cannot be carried on silver wheels.'

" In the summer of 1823, I taught my first school, the first in the township, in a log cabin, located on the open prairie, on the land now owned by Robert Billings. In 1824, there was a school taught in the Sattley settlement, by Richard E. Barker. In 1824-5, there was a school taught on the south side of the river, near Mr. Clark's mills, by Jabez Capps, a worthy man, and an excellent scholar, but, as reported, so easy and indulgent with children in regard to his discipline, that his school was considered by some as very defective. The first school house

on Round Prairie was built in the year 1827 or 1828. William Jones was the first employed as teacher, and taught one day, when the house was burned down at night, supposed to be mali- ciously, as there had been some contention be- fore it was built, as to its location.

"The following is a description of a school house on Sugar creek, in which I taught school in the year 1824: It was built of logs; was about fourteen by sixteen feet in size, very low; had a clapboard roof, kept down by poles; the chim- ney was made of wood and clay, with stone back-wall, and jambs; the size of the fire-place was about three feet by six; the house was daubed, both inside and out, with clay mortar, up to the roof. If I remember correctly, it had a puncheon floor below, but none above; the door shutter, was made of clapboards fastened together with wooden pins, and hung on heavy wooden hinges. When raising the house the upper and lower half of two logs, in the south end and west side, were cut out for window spaces, in which, strips of wood were placed up and down, on which paper was pasted, and after- wards greased, in order to admit the light; in the lower logs two-inch augur holes were bored, in which strong pins were inserted, as a basis for the puncheon writing desks or tables. The seats or benches, were made of split logs. There were two or three clapboard shelves, on which spare books and the childrens' dinner-baskets were usually placed. There was a small pun- cheon table and a split bottomed chair, for the use of the teacher. This completed the furniture of the room. Now all was ready for the admis- sion of teacher and pupils, who in those early times enjoyed much pleasure, and seemed proud when meeting together in this very modest and humble school house.

" During fifty-six years, great changes have occurred. Then the Government had not sold any land in the township; now it is all owned by individuals. Then there were no bridges across the large streams and canoes supplied the place of ferry-boats. Then there were no mills, except two second-rate horse-mills; now there is one good steam flouring mill, four substantial meeting houses, nine school districts furnished with commodious school houses. There are now two drug stores, one dry goods store, two gro- cery stores, one good livery stable and a first- class flouring mill."

ORGANIC.

At the general election in November, 1860, the question was submitted to a vote of the peo-

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

ple, as to whether the county should organize under the Township Organization Law. The vote being favorable, Rochester, in connection with other townships in the county, was organ- ized in April, 1861.

VILLAGE OF ROCHESTER.

The village of Rochester is one of the oldest in the county. The lands on which the village was located were entered by Archibald and Rob- ert Sattley, and transferred by them to L. V. Hollenbeck, one of four brothers-Lawrence V., Andrew F., William Henry and Henry William -who came to what is now Rochester township in 1829 or 1830.

Shortly after arriving here L. V. Hollenbeck erected a carding and corn-mill and distillery, run by a tread wheel, and located on the small branch just at the north end of Water street.

The town of Rochester was surveyed and platted by James Gregory, Esq., December 16, 1831. L. V. Hollenbeck was proprietor of all north of Main street. A. F. Hollenbeck, ad- ministrator, acknowledged the plat before C. B. Stafford, justice of the peace, which is recorded in book H, page 141 of records.

C. B. Stafford built a two-story log cabin, where he kept the post office and stage stand. It stood on the corner of Main and Water streets, east of the Iron Bridge. Robert Sattley built his rude cabin a short distance to the west- ward of this, and near the spot where stands the Rochester House. A third log cabin was built by Minas Johnson, on the lot just west of the rail- road depot. Several of the primitive cabins of these hardy pioneers may yet be seen.

These buildings were erected before the plat was made, yet were the beginning of the village.

INCORPORATION.

The town of Rochester was incorporated Feb- ruary 1, 1869, under the provision of the general town incorporation laws of the State, passed in 1831, which were afterwards amended from time to time, and elections have been regularly held since that time.

On the 3d day of June, 1873, under a provis- ion of the general incorporation act of 1872, en- titled " An act to provide for the incorporation of cities and villages, approved April 10, 1872 ; in force July 1st, 1872," the organization of the Town of Rochester was changed to that of the Village of Rochester under said act. The certi- ficate required by law was filed in the office of the recorder of deeds, of Sangamon county, and one copy with the Secretary of State.

EDUCATIONAL.

The first school in the territory now compris- ing the village and vicinity of Rochester, was in the winter of 1823-'4 and was taught by Richard E. Barker, in a log house built for another pur- pose, and transformed into a school house, in which religious services might be held. In 1826, this house was burnt down, and for a time the people had no place of meeting, and the children were without a school house.

The first public school building, proper, was also a log cabin, built late in the fall of 1831, eighteen by twenty feet in size, in the most im- proved style of those times, having greased paper for window lights and one whole end of the house for a fire-place. However, it could boast of a fair quality of seats and desks made of sawed walnut boards. The lumber of the house was donated by Edward Clark, then running a saw-mill. The condition of the gift was that the house should be used as a school house, and if used for any other purpose, he should have pay for the lumber, at customary prices. But, to whatever uses the house was put to, no pay was ever given to Mr. C. for his lumber

This house was replaced by another and more improved one in 1837, and the first teacher who occupied it was Samuel Williams, who had a short time before taught school in a private house. Several succeeding school houses were erected on the same site, and for some years this was the only school for miles around, and the little house was crowded, at times, with sixty and seventy children.

"The second school house in the village of Rochester was of stone obtained at Samuel Wil- liams' quary on the south fork of the Sangamon river. In the same year this was built, one of frame was also built, about two miles west of the village, near the present south fork bridge, and a few rods west of the residence of John Clark, son of Edward, and now constitutes a part of John's residence. The stone house above men- tioned, was twenty by twenty-four feet, and was equal to that of any other village anywhere about.

In the autumn of 1865, the old stone house was removed, and a two-story frame one put in its place, being twenty-six by forty feet, and costing $3,600. From that time the school was graded, and taught by a principal and assistant. The following have been the principals: Everett, Hasbrouck, Stephen Goldsmith, A. O. Houston, I. K. Bradley, J. J. Berry, D. W. Binns, W. T. Crow, Robert Bradbury, Wm. R. Corey, Miss L. D. Burroughs, C. P. Johnson, Timothy McGrath, and S. A. Tobin.

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

On Friday, September, 10, 1880, the house took fire from a defective flue, and was con- sumed. School had commenced on the previous Monday. No other place being attainable for the school, preparations were immediately begun for the erection of another upon the same site, which was near enough finished by the spring of 1881, to resume the school.

The house is built of brick, and contains four rooms; but at present only two of these are needed. It is thirty-two by fifty feet, and sit- uated on the west side of Main street, in the central part of the village, and presents a com- manding appearance, being a creditable orna- ment to the village. It cost $5,000, which was procured by issuing bonds.

Dr. E. R. Babcock is a physician and surgeon in the village of Rochester, and was born in Lewis county, New York, March 21, 1826, the son of Job and Sarah (Williams) Babcock.

His father was a farmer on the banks of St. Lawrence river till his death in 1834. His mother died in Michigan, 1862. Dr. B. was ed- ucated in the common schools of his native county, and at the academy there. At the age of twenty-four, he began the study of medicine under Dr. Bruster, of Jefferson county, New York, and in 1851 attended the State University at Ann Arbor, Michigan, and for some years practiced medicine in New York, and then grad- uated at Burlington University, in Vermont, 1861. In 1863, he came to Sangamon, and soon was placed in charge of Post Hospital at Camp Yates, near Springfield, as surgeon, eighteen months, when he resigned (January 1, 1865), and accepted an appointment on the Board of Examining Surgeons for the Eighth District of the State, which he held till the close of the late war. He spent the summer of 1866 in the East, and returned in the fall to the village of Roch- ester, where he has continued the practice of medicine to the present time. He was married in 1857 to Martha Bruster, who was born in New York, the daughter of Dr. Bruster, his former preceptor, and has had two children: O. B., who was born March 26, 1857, in Jefferson county, New York, and married to Emma Merriam, also born in Jefferson county, New York, but at the time of marriage resided in Romeo, Michigan. Young Dr. O. B. Babcock graduated in the study of medicine, and is now practicing with his father. A younger son, born September 2, 1872, died March 1, 1873.

Dr. Babcock has been a very skillful physician and surgeon, and now, in partnership with his

son, has a large share of patronage in, and many miles around the villages in which they reside, enjoying the confidence of all who know them, both being good and influential citizens of the county, while the Doctor and his intelligent and amiable wife are useful members of the M. E. Church. Politically, they are all active Repub- licans.

James M. Bell, a farmer in Rochester, was born August 6, 1856, in Sangamon county, the son of James and Milla (Dotson) Bell, whose sketch appears in this book. He was raised on a farm, and educated in the common schools till 1872. He then attended the schools of the First Ward, in Springfield, Illinois, and in 1875, he entered upon the study of medicine, under the direction of Dr. H. O. Bolles, of Springfield, and afterwards graduated in the State Uni- versity, of Ann Arbor, Michigan, in the year 1879, after which he practiced medicine at the village of Blackburn, in Christian county, Illi- nois, during one year. He was married April 29, 1880, to Laura F. North, who was born in Sangamon county, November 7, 1859, the daughter of Robert North, who was born Octo- ber, 1814, in Buckingham county, Virginia, and taken by his parents to Jefferson county, Ten- nessee, when he was a boy. He came

to Sangamon county with his brother, John North, who had been back to Ten- nessee. They arrived in September, 1832, in what is now Cooper township. Robert North was married in Sangamon county March 29, 1838, to America Schmick. She was born Feb- ruary 10, 1816, in Lincoln county, Kentucky, and came to Sangamon county in company with her mother, brother-in-law - John Clemons, one brother, two sisters and two nephews, arriving in the fall of 1829, and settled three miles south of Springfield. Robert North and wife had six children living in Sangamon county. He was one of the most successful farmers in Sangamon county, and was a resident of Cooper township till his death, September 24, 1880. The widow is yet living at the old homestead. Since their marriage they have moved to the farm now sit- uated in Rochester township, and now own nine hundred and twelve acres of land in Rochester, Buck Hart and Cooper townships, which is under a good state of cultivation, and worth $40 per acre. His wife is a member of the M. E. Church. Politically, they are Democratic.

James H. Bell was born November 30, 1822, in Nicholas county, Kentucky, the son of Robert Bell, who was born March 8, 1795, in Bourbon county, Kentucky. His father was born in Ire-

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HISTORY OF SANGAMON COUNTY.

land, and had but four children, Robert, and three sisters. After his sisters were married, he had no knowledge of any relative in America, bear- ing his family name. He was a soldier from Bourbon county in the War of 1812. Robert Bell and Susannah Baker were married February 12, 1818, in that county, and moved to Nicholas county, Illinois, arriving in the fall of 1830, and settled four miles south of the present town of Rochester, where he continued farming to the time of his death on June 25, 1872, near Illiopo- lis, from injuries caused by a runaway team, four days previous. Mrs. Susannah Bell was made a cripple for life by the same accident. They had lived more than fifty-four years as man and wife, and she survived him till February 29, 1876.

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History of Sangamon 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 168

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1881 Publisher: Chicago, Inter-state publishing company Number of Pages: 1084

Author: Interstate publishing co., Chicago. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1881
Publisher: Chicago, Inter-state publishing company
Number of Pages: 1084