USA > Illinois > St Clair County > History of St. Clair County, Illinois. With illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 14
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In 1826 he was a candidate for lieutenant-governor against Samuel H. Thompson, a minister of the Methodist Church. Gov.
Kinney was considered one of the most efficient canvassers of the day. His great knowledge of human nature enabled him to suc- ceed. He was elected by a small majority, though the candidate for governor on the same ticket, Thomas Sloo, was defeated. In 1830 he was a candidate for governor in opposition to Governor John Reynolds, the campaign being one of the most exciting ever known in the State. Both were democrats; Kinney was supported by the ultra-Jackson democrats, while Reynolds was favored by the more conservative elements in the democratic party, and also re- ceived in general the votes of the whigs, who preferred his election to that of such an uncompromising democrat as Kinney. The campaign was commenced in the spring of 1829, and lasted till the election, in 1830. It resulted in the election of Reynolds. During the Jackson administration Gov. Kinney possessed much influence, and often visited Washington. He was regarded as the represen- tative in Illinois of the straight-out Jackson party. Toward the close of his life he was appointed commissioner of internal im- provements, a position which gave him much. trouble, and was a serious injury to his fortune. He died on his farm, where he had lived for forty years in the year 1843. This place subsequently became the residence of Hon. J. L. D. Morrison, and the fine resi- dence erected by Morrison is known as " Glen Addie." Sometime since Morrison sold this property.
John Messinger, an early settler at Clinton Hill, two miles and a half north of Belleville, kept the first post-office in the county, outside of Cahokia. Messinger was an accomplished surveyor, and surveyed a large portion of the land in this and adjoining counties. He was born at West Stockbridge, Massachusetts, in the year 1771. He was raised on a farm, and was taught the science and practice of agriculture, and at the same time secured a good education. He was particularly fond of the study of mathematics, which he pursued under the instructions of William Coit, who resided in the neighborhood of his father's residence. He removed to Vermont in 1783, and became acquainted with the trade of a carpenter or house-builder, and of a millwright. He had a good share of energy and activity, and much aptitude for mechanical pursuits. It is said that in maturer life, his whole delight and pleasure was found in the science of mathematics and the various branches arising out of that science. "His whole life seemed to be tinctured with mathematics," and for many years he was be- lieved to be the most profound mathematician and best land sur- veyor in Illinois. He came to Kentucky in 1799, and to Illinois in 1802, and after remaining some time in the American Bottom, he removed to the New Desigu settlement, in the present Monroe county, and in 1804 purchased a mill and premises on Rock House creek, cast of New Design. He repaired the mill, lived there for some years, and then moved to Clinton Hill.
There were not many opportunities for instruction in those days and Mr. Messinger, who was an excellent English scholar, taught the science of surveying to many young men, and also instructed many grown people, male and female. He was among the first surveyors who, in the year 1806. surveyed this section of the state into townships. During that year he was employed in surveying town six south, range seven west, and the adjacent territory. He did this work as sub-contractor under William Rector. He sur- veyed much of the public domain in St. Clair and Randolph coun- ties. He wrote and published a book called "A Manual, or Hand- Book, Intended for Convenience iu Practical Surveying." This work was printed by William Orr, at St. Louis, in the year 1821. For some time he was professor of Mathematics in the Seminary at Rock Spring. Iu 1815 he was appointed deputy-surveyor, under the surveyor-general of Ohio, Edward Tiffin, with authority to
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
survey the military tract in the forks of the Mississippi and Illinois rivers; he surveyed much of this tract. He was subsequently appointed to assist in the survey of the northern limits of this state; he made part of the astronomical and mathematical calculations by which the line dividing Illinois from the state of Wisconsin was located. He, and Philip Creamer, whose superior skill as a me- chanic is referred to on a previous page, made surveyors' compasses that were as well calculated and as well finished in workmanship as any made in the United States.
He did not care to take any active part in political affairs, but several times was prevailed upon to represent St. Clair county in the legislature, both of Indiana territory and the state of Illinois. He was first elected in 1808 to the legislature of Indiana territory, and did much to secure the division of the territory, which took place the next year. He was a member of the convention which met at Kaskaskia in the year 1818 and formed the first constitution of the state of Illinois. He was also a member of the first general assembly of this state which convened in 1818, and on its organiza- tion, was elected speaker of the House of Representatives. His death occurred in the year 1846. He had no enemies, but a large number of friends mourned his departure.
The Badgleys, who are among the early settlers of St. Clair county, are the descendants of Anthony Badgley, of New Jersey, who settled in Virginia, and died about the year 1800. The Rev. David Badgley, a Baptist preacher, visited Illinois in 1796; he preached in the New Design settlement, and founded there the first Baptist church in existence in Illinois. He also visited Missouri. On his return from Missouri he preached a sermon from a rock in the Mississippi river, the people gathering to hear him from either shore-doubtless the first Baptist sermon preached along the Missis- sippi. Returning to Virginia, he gave such a favorable account of the country that his sons and a number of other persons deter- mined to emigrate to Illinois. The colony consisted of a large number of families, among which were the Teters, Carrs, Millers, Strouds and Eymans. They floated down the Ohio in flatboats from Brownsville to Shawneetown, and thence made their way overland to Kaskaskia, which place they reached on the 4th of July, 1797. Nothing but an Indian trail at that time led from Shawneetown to Kaskaskia. The streams, swollen with rains, they were compelled to swim. Their goods, and the women and the children were ferried over on temporary rafts. No trace of a white man was seen till they reached Kaskaskia. They saw animals running off at a distance, which some thought to be buffalo, and others elk.
David Badgley settled in the American Bottom, west of More- dock lake, in the present county of Monroe, in 1797 or 1798. He moved to a place a few miles north of Belleville, (in section 4 of township 1 north, range 8 west) in the year 1804. He improved a farm, on which he died on the 16th of December, 1824, at the age of seventy-six.
Anthony Badgley, brother of David Badgley, who accompanied the latter from Virginia in 1797, first settled in the New Design settlement, in Monroe county, but in 1804 moved north of Belleville, and began improving a farm in section 34 of township 2 north, range 8 west. He at that date built a log house which is still pre- served in memory of one of the hardy pioneers of the county. He died in 1837 at the age of seventy-seven. He has a son, Simeon Badgley, still living within a stone's-throw of the place where his father settled, and where he was born. His youngest daughter, Eliza Dixon, is also still living in that locality. Hiram Badgley, one of the sons of Anthony Badgley, took part in the war of 1812, and was in Howard's campaign up the Mississippi, against the Indians.
Aaron Badgley, one of the sons of David Badgley, settled on the Horse Prairie, west of Red Bud, in 1797, and while living there his wife and two children died. In 1800 he married Catharine Stroud, and settled on the bluff south of Waterloo, and in 1804 moved north of Belleville, settling in section 4 of township 1 north, range 8 west. In 1812 he became a ranger, and was an orderly sergeant through Edwards' campaign. On his return, he visited Virginia in com- pany with his father, but coming back to Illinois, he rejoined the army under Capt. Stuntz, and served until peace was declared. In 1830 he was chosen justice of the peace, and was afterwards re- elected. He and his son, Adam Badgley, hauled the first goods from Belleville to Springfield for Governor Edwards. It was in the winter ; they were obliged to sleep out on the prairie, and came near perishing with cold. Aaron Badgley died in the year 1858 at the age of eighty-five. His wife survived him several years, and died when ninety-one. He has three sons now living, Elijah, Adam and Strander. Elijah is now seventy-nine years of age, and is now among the oldest native-born citizens in Illinois. Aaron Badgley's four brothers, sons of Rev. David Badgley,-Ichabod, David, Job and Abraham Badgley,-were all among the early pioneers of the Illinois country.
Ichabod Badgley opened a farm north of Belleville, which is now owned by his grandchildren. He served as justice of the peace. David Badgley was killed by being thrown against a tree while riding a horse which had taken friglit; his son Absalom is still living at a ripe old age. Job Badgley built an ox mill near Unity Church; he has two sons still living. Abraham Badgley was elected assessor, treasurer, and county commissioner several times ; he has three sons living at this date.
Among the early settlers connected with the development of the manufacturing interests of the county, the Harrison family de- serves mention .. Thomas Harrison was born in the York district, South Carolina, in the year 1779. His father moved to Ruther- ford county, North Carolina ; then settled in Georgia; afterward removed to Buncombe county, North Carolina, and from that point, Thomas Harrison and some others emigrated to Illinois in July, 1804. Mr. Harrison and some others settled the same year three or four miles south-west from the present city of Belleville. Mr. Harrison here improved a farm, and in the year 1813, erected a cotton gin, one of the first in Illinois. It was propelled by horse- power. At that date considerable cotton was cultivated, but the price afterward became reduced so low, that the cotton business and the gin were abandoned. It is said that James Gilbreath, who settled on Silver creek, near where it is crossed by the road leading from Belleville to Shawneetown, built the first cotton gin ever seen in the Illinois country. Mr. Harrison subsequently purchased an oxtread-mill in Belleville ; then built a small steam mill, and then a larger one which was burnt, and with it more than sixty thousand bushels of wheat. His enterprise gave the first impetus to the growth of the milling interests of Belleville, now so important. His descendants are still largely connected with the manufacturing in- terests of the town.
A few miles from the mouth of Silver creek, Abraham Teter, his sister, Mrs. Shook, and Peter Mitchell began making improvements in 1804. Peter Mitchell served as justice of the peace and county commissioner, and was a respected citizen.
Another settlement on Silver creek was made by the Bradsby family, about three miles north from the present town of Lebanon, at the edge of the Looking Glass prairie. William H. Bradsby, the oldest son, came from Kentucky with two other young men in the spring of 1804, and made an improvement and raised a crop of corn. The family followed them from Kentucky in the fall. At
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
the time this settlement was made, it was seven or eight miles in advance of the other inhabitants. Mr. Bradsby taught school for several years in various parts of the county. In the year 1806, he had a school in the American Bottom, almost west of the present town of Collinsville, and the next year he had charge of another in the Turkey Hill settlement. His two sons, William H., and James Bradsby, were in the ranging service during the war of 1812-14, and made good soldiers. William H. Bradsby returned to Ken- tucky and qualified himself for the practice of medicine, and then came back to Illinois. He was elected a member of the legislature in 1814. He was a resident of Washington county at the time it was organized, and filled a number of public offices in that county. He lived at Covington for a number of years. Among the settlers on Silver creek in 1807, was Thomas Higgins. His name deserves a place in history for his heroic adventure with the Indians in 1814, at a block house on Shoal creek about eight miles south of the present town of Greenville in Bond county, further mention of which is made in the chapter on patriotism. Higgins was related to the Bradsbys, and settled near them, north of Lebanon, on com- ing to Illinois.
Abraham Varner settled east of Belleville about the year 1804. He established himself in the blacksmith business on the main traveled road, leading from Vincennes to Cahokia and St. Louis. His place was four miles east from the present city of Belleville.
Jabez and Curtis Moore came to St. Clair county previous to the year 1812, and settled five miles east of Belleville. Risdon Moore, in his day, was a conspicuous and popular citizen of St. Clair county, came to Illinois from Georgia in the year 1812. Beside his own fa- mily he brought with him his wife's mother, Mrs. Dent ; a nephew, W. D. Moore, a Mr. Deshields and wife, and seventeen colored per- sons. His object in removing to Illinois was to get rid of slavery. During the summer of 1812, he cultivated a crop on the farm of William Scott at Turkey Hill, and the next fall purchased land of John Jarvis, four miles east of Belleville, where he resided till his death in the year 1828. He took an active part in public affairs. He was one of the judges of the county court, and was several times elected to the legislature both under the territorial and the state government. He served as speaker of the house of representatives. He warmly opposed the attempt to make Illinois a slave state, and in the contest in the legislature during 1822-3, over the emancipa- tion of the slaves held by the French, he did all in his power to aid the cause of freedom. His oldest son, William Moore, served as a captain during the war of 1812. He married Margaret Alexander, and settled on a farm east of Belleville. He was an ardent Whig in politics, and a supporter of Adams and Clay. He commanded a company of soldiers in the Black Hawk war, both during 1831 and 1832, and was also tendered the command of a company in the war with Mexico. He served several times as assessor and surveyor, and twice represented St. Clair county in the lower house of the General Assembly. He was a Methodist, and for many years a local preacher. At the time of his death in the year 1849, he was president of the joint board of trustees of McKendree college. Se- veral of the other children of Risdon Moore resided for many years in the county. A son, Jonathan Moore, married Elizabeth, daugh- ter of George Lunceford, for a time resided in the "Sugar Loaf" farm at the foot of the bluffs, south of Cahokia, in 1833 purchased his father's old farm, and in 1850, removed to Lebanon. He served in the Black Hack war.
Another Risdon Moore became a resident of St. Clair county in 1817, and settled five miles and a half east of Belleville. He served once or twice in the state senate, and was a leading member of the Hard Shell Baptist church. One of his sons, Atlas Moore, moved
near Risdon in the south-eastern part of the county, and for several years was a Missionary Baptist preacher. Another son, Daniel T., settled in the north-east part of the county, and represented St. Clair county in the legislature.
William A. Beaird, who for a number of years served as sheriff of St. Clair county, came with his father to this state in the year 1801, and settled on the east side of the Kaskaskia river, four miles north-east of Kaskaskia. His family had previously resided in Tennessee and Kentucky. His father, John Beaird, was a brave and energetic man of strong and comely person, and was invariably se- lected as a leader in the troubles, which the pioneers of East Tennes- see experienced with the Indians. In May, 1793, with fifty men under his command, he pursued the Indians across the Tennessee ri- ver, and succeeded in killing several. He represented Knox county, Tennessee, in the state legislature. He subsequently removed to Wayne county, Kentucky, and from there to Illinois, where he died in 1809. The family were relatives of Gov. Reynolds. One of his sous, Joseph A. Beaird, resided for a time at Cahokia, and with him Reynolds made his home when he embarked in the practice of law He represented Monroe county in the General Assembly for several sessions, and died in 1829. William A. Beaird naturally possessed a good mind, but obstinately refused to become educated or to receive any information through the medium of books or printing. He had, however, by observation and intercourse with the people acquired much practical knowledge. He never married. He was kind and benevolent in his disposition, and was always ready and willing to assist any one in trouble or distress. He was appointed deputy sheriff in 1815, and acted as such till the organization of the state government in 1818, and then was elected sheriff of St. Clair county, and was afterward re-elected five different times. Altogether he acted as sheriff from 1815 to 1830. He was popular with the people, and kind and indulgent in his administration of the sheriff's office. He died at Belleville in 1843.
Among the former citizens of St. Clair county, perhaps none have led a more distinguished and useful life than the Rev. John M. Peck, D.D., who moved to Rock Spring, near Lebanon, in 1821, and died there in 1857. Few men have compressed more active labors in a life-time. He was born at Litchfield, Connecticut, on the thirty-first of October, 1789. At the age of twenty he was married, and in 1811 moved to Greene county, New York, and the same year began to preach in the Baptist churches of that part of the state. In 1813 he was ordained as a regular minister, and in 1817 was sent to St. Louis in the interest of Baptist missions. He at once began the work of evangelization, and preached extensively through Missouri and Illinois. In 1821 he moved to Rock Spring, and a few years afterward founded there a theological school called the Rock Spring Seminary. In 1829 he issued the first number of the Pioneer, the first religious newspaper ever published in the West. His frequent travels over the country brought him into such prominence, that he was frequently consulted by letter by a large number of persons who proposed to emigrate to the West, and wished definite knowledge of certain localities. To meet this demand for information, he published the "Guide for Emigrants." In 1834 he published the "Gazetteer of Illinois," in which was contained a concise and accurate description of each county, town, settlement, stream and prairie in the state. An enlarged edition of this work appeared in 1837. He was also the author of several other volumes. All this time he was busy with his ministerial labors ; assisted in founding educational institutions ; formed Bible societies ; organized Sunday-schools ; established churches, and made frequent visits to other states. His health finally failed, and he died in March, 1857. By nature he was gifted with a strong
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
and vigorous intellect, and in addition possessed an energy and activity that shrank from no labor. He was admirably fitted for western pioneer life. He was hardy, self-denying, courageous and independent. For forms and theories he had little respect. Few men of his day were more influential in guiding the thoughts and forming the institutions of the West. He gave his whole power, physical and intellectual, to his work, to which even the social affections seemed subordinated. A story is told of him to the effect that, after having been absent some months from bis family, while acting as Secretary of the American Baptist Publication Society in Philadelphia, he reached home by the stage in the morning, and, unobserved by any of his family, went into his study, and finding a great accumulation of letters and papers during his absence, soon became absorbed in their examination. Late in the afternoon some member of the family, to his great surprise, found him in his study peering over his papers.
Gov. John Reynolds became a resident of St. Clair county in 1814, in the beginning of which year he opened a law-office at Ca- hokia. He was born in Montgomery county, Pennsylvania, on the twenty-sixth of February, 1788. His father, Robert Reynolds, and his mother, Margaret Moore, were natives of Ireland. When he was about six months old, his parents moved to East Tennessee, near Knoxville, which town, however, was not founded till threc years later. In the year 1800 his father, with his family, left Ten- nessee with the intention of settling in Missouri, then under the government of Spain. Arriving at Kaskaskia, he was induced to remain in Illinois, and settled two miles and a half east of Kaskas- kia. Robert Reynolds was elected representative from Randolph county to the Indiana territorial legislature, and also held the office of judge of the Court of Common Pleas and justice of the peace. In 1807 the family moved to a location in the Goshen settlement, at the foot of the Mississippi bluff, three or four miles southwest of Edwardsville. In 1809 he went to East Tennessee, and attended college in Knox county, near the residence of his uncle, John Rey- nolds. He was back in Illinois by the time of the breaking out of the war of 1812, and enlisted as private in a company of rangers. He began the practice of law in 1814, and in 1818, on the organi- zation of the state government, was elected by the legislature one of the associate judges of the supreme court. He held this position till 1834. He was several times afterward chosen to the state legislature, and in 1830, after an exciting canvass, with William Kinney as his opponent, was elected Governor. During his admin- istration occurred the Black Hawk war. In 1834 he was elected a member of Congress, but was defeated for that office in 1836. He was again elected in 1838. In 1837 he was engaged in the construction of a railroad six miles long from the foot of the bluff to the Mississippi opposite St. Louis. It was built with the purpose of conveying coal to market. This was the first railroad constructed iu the state ._ In 1839 he was appointed by Gov. Carlin commis- sioner to secure a loan for the completion of the Illinois and Michi- gan canal, and in the summer of that year visited Europe. He was subsequently twice chosen a member of the legislature, in 1846 and in 1852, and when last a member, was made speaker of the house of representatives. He was the author of several works. His " Pioneer History of Illinois" has been widely read, and con- taius graphic and original descriptions of the men who figured in the early history of the state, and of the incidents and customs of pioneer times. "My Own Times," a later work, is not so well known, but deserves careful reading. He died at Belleville on the 8th of May, 1865. Further mention of his name will be found in the chapter on the Bench and Bar.
Among the arrivals in 1817 was Samuel Mitchell, who settled
southeast of Belleville, where Reutchler station now is. The next year his brother, Edward Mitchell, came to the county. The Rev. Edward and Samuel Mitchell were born in Cecil County, Maryland, the first mentioned in 1760. They both served through the Revo- lutionary war, Edward Mitchell filling the position of quarter- master. They moved to the Valley of Virginia at an early date, settling near Fincastle, the county seat of Botetourt county. They were among the first converts to Methodism in that part of the state, and were both men of ability and great moral worth. Both were ministers in the Methodist church. Edward Mitchell settled at Turkey Hill, about a mile south of his brother, and lived there till his death in the year 1837, at the age of seventy-eight. James Mitchell, one of the sons of Edward Mitchell, was one of the early postmasters at Belleville, and continued several years in the office. Three of his children are now living, one of whom is Mrs. Susan Dennis of Belleville. Samuel Mitchell moved to Galena, and lived to an old age. There are persons now living in the county who heard him preach in his eightieth year. Soon after their settlement in the county, with the aid of the few living near, Samuel and Ed- ward Mitchell built a house of worship, that was used for many years both as a church and school-house. For a long period the ordinances of religion were regularly administered without money and without price. Three sons of Rev. Samuel Mitchell became ministers of the gospel. Edward Mitchell was accompanied by his sons-in-law, John Henry Dennis and Major Washington West, and a number of blacks, the whole constituting a colony of fifty-seven persons. John Henry Dennis settled in 1818 on a farm three miles south of Belleville. He was a gentleman of the old school, and had obtained a thorough education at Hampden-Sidney College in Virginia He abandoned his farm in 1824, and removed to Belle- ville. At the request of Gov. Ninian Edwards. a great patron of learning, he engaged in teaching. to which he devoted his time during the remainder of his life. Many of his pupils attained dis- tinction at the bar, in the professions, and in the different walks of life. The school which Mr. Dennis started in Belleville was the first in the state in which an opportunity was given for the study of Hebrew, Greek and Latin languages, and the higher mathema- tics. For a number of years it continued to draw students from St. Louis and points as far east as the Wabash river. Mr. Dennis acted as justice of the peace, and in latter ycars served as county superintendent of schools.
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