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 85
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FARM RESIDENCE OF NICHOLAS BOUL, Esp.(Sec. 25, T. 2 . N, R.9.N, FRENCH VILLAGE PRECINCT, ST. CLAIR CO.ILL.
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CAHOKIA PRECINCT.
HIS is indeed historic ground, its settlement be- ginning just about mid way between the land ing of Columbus upon American shores and the present time. It is situated in the western part of the county, and bounded on the north by the precincts of East St. Louis and French Village, on the east by French Village and Belleville, on the south by Centerville, and west by Prairie du Pont and Mississippi river, and contains upwards of 22,000 acres of rich alluvial soil of the American Bottom, except a portion of the south and south-east, which extends into the bluff for some distance. The drainage of the bottom land is necessarily poor, on account of being so nearly on a plane with the Mississippi. The few streams empty into the sloughs or Big Lake, and thence through a large artificial ditch to Prairie du Pont creek, and into the Mississippi. It is said, and is probably true, that the American Bottoms can never have an adequate system of drainage without lowering the bed of the Mississippi. The drainage question of the Bottomns has for many years been an unsolved problem, and will probably remain so until some freak of nature shall settle the vexed question.
The soil of the Bottoms is not surpassed in fertility anywhere on the globe. That it is inexhaustible has been proved by over a cen- tury and a half's tillage. This is largely due to the deposits of silt left after the overflowing of the Bottoms by the river. There have been several of these inundations within the last century, some of which have proved very disastrous to the villages and productions of the farmers. These occur usually in June, when the snow and ice of the mountain regions melt and flow back to the gulf. The first great rise in the river of which history gives any account, occurred in 1770; and in 1772 the whole bottom was under water. Again, in 1784, a deep inundation took place. Cahokia was several feet under water, and the inhabitants fled to the bluff south-east of the village for safety during the flood. A considerable inundation occurred iu 1826, but no very great damage was done. The deepest and most destructive overflow was in 1844. Large steamers plied from bluff to bluff. Villages, orchards, fences and nearly every improvement made was swallowed up and swept away by this flood. The villages of Cahokia, Prairie du Pont and Illinoistown (now East St. Louis), were almost destroyed, from the effects of which the former two have never recovered. In 1851 and 1858 there were very destructive floods, doing much damage to real and personal property. The dikes at East St. Louis and the government dikes midway between the above city and East Carondelet have been auxiliary in preserving what is left of Cahokia village.
Many years ago, Cahokia creek emptied into the river just north of the village ; its old bed is plainly visible to this day. Peck says, in his Gazetteer, that "Cahokia creek formerly passed the village of Cahokia and entered the Mississippi further down, but a mischievous Frenchman, having a pique against the village, cut a channel from the creek to the river, and formed its present outlet." But there is uo evidence to sustain the theory that the creek ever emptied into the river below the village. No sign of a channel or creek-bed can be discovered south of the village, and the oldest inhabitants informed us that there had been no history or tradition among them to sustain Mr. Peck's theory. It is true that a Frenchman turned the course of the stream at a point about midway between Cahokia and East St. Louis. This was done by cutting a ditch through a rise of ground that lay between the creek and a slough not far from the river. The stream wore its way through the high ground into the depression or slough, and thence into the river. This was its course until the construction of the Pittsburg dike at East St. Louis, when its course was diverted to its present mouth, just north of the dike.
Portions of the Bottom, especially along the creeks, Cahokia and Prairie du Pont, were formerly covered with heavy timber, such as black walnut, cottonwood, elm, oak and other varieties ; but the most of it has been cleared away to give room to civilization. Many · ancient mounds were, and a few may yet be seen near the borders of these creeks. In these as in all others, when excavated, are found human bones, shells and pottery that were deposited at some period by a pre-historic race.
Wheat is the chief product of the farmers, though much corn is cultivated, and with excellent success. There are many fine or- chards, but mainly confined to apples. Cabbage and other vegeta- bles are cultivated quite extensively and marketed at St. Louis.
The exact date of the first settlement at Cahokia seems to be an unsettled question among historians. According to Peck, the vil- lage of Cahokia was founded in 1683, by members of La [Salle's party who were left behind on his return to France. Reynolds says, "That in the year 1686, Tonti, then chief and captain-general, in conducting the war against the British and Iroquois, heard of his friend La Salle being in the West Indies, and descended to the mouth of the Mississippi in search of him, but returned without him .. On the route he established the post of Arkansas, and I pre- sume the settlements of Illinois, Peoria, Cahokia, and Kaskaskia may date their existence from the same period, 1686, or before." Another author says, "Cahokia, first called Notre Dame des Kaho- kias, from good authority appears to have been a trading post and mission station earlier than Kaskaskia, and that both were settled
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
by missionaries as early and perhaps before 1690." He further says, "That it is stated on good authority that a missionary known as Father Pinnet, founded Cahokia, and was successful in convert- ing many of the Indians to Christianity." Let it be as it may, not far from two centuries ago a few zealous French missionaries estab- lished themselves among the savage Kahokians for the pure pur- pose of teaching them the doctrines of Christianity. These formed the nucleus from which Cahokia grew and became the first settle- ment on the Mississippi.
The Indian traders soon followed the missionaries, and built stone houses, and commenced traffic with the natives. The emigra- tion excitement grew in intensity, and in a few years Cahokia be- came a place of thrift and civilization by a white population mostly emigrants from Canada. Their style of living at that early period was but little better than that of the natives; but about 1700 they commenced to cultivate the rich bottom land around the village, and to erect buildings suitable for white habitation. A church was built by the missionaries, and located on the very spot where the church now stands ; indeed, it is said that a part of the old structure composes a portion of the frame of the present house. They had no organized government until the establishment of the Company of the West. Reynolds in his pioneer history says "that the small number of inhabitants, and their destitution of wealth, made a government entirely- useless. The leaders of the first French settlements of Illinois were men of talent, and for the most part of classic education, while the common classes were innocent, honest and kind, and obedient to their commanders or leaders. They had no itching for wealth, and if provided with a scanty sup- ply of clothes, corn and deer's tallow, or meat to eat, they would sing and dance, and were in fact happy, whether they were in the snows of the Rocky Mountains or in the dancing saloons of Quebec.
" The community thus constituted needed little or no government: in fact they had none until the Company of the West was estab- lished in the country."
The early settlements of these people were usually in the form of small, compact, patriarchal villages, living as one great family as- sembled around their old men and patriarchs. The houses were plain and uniform in style. Usually each homestead was surrounded by its own separate inclosure of a rude picket fence. The lots of Cahokia were laid out uniform in size, being 300 feet square. For many years, on account of mutual protection from the Indians, the . people did not live on the lands they cultivated, but had their abode in the village, and went forth from day to day to perform their farm labor. In order that the reader may more fully understand the customs and rights of the early settlers of Cahokia, we quote from Judge Breese's decision, found in the Report of 27 Illinois, which relates to the inhabitants of Cahokia and the Cahokia Com- mons :
"The villagers were granted two tracts of land at convenient dis- tances, for 'common fields' and 'commons.' The former was a tract of laud containing several hundred acres, enclosed under one fence, each family possessing an individual interest in a portion of the field bounded from the rest. These lands were owned in fee simple, and could be conveyed like any other landed property. The 'commons' was situated outside and around the ‘common fields.' It was a tract of land granted to the town for wood, pastur- age, etc. In this each had a right in common, not an individual right." This tract sometimes embraced several thousand acres.
By an Act of Congress dated March 3d, 1791, a tract of land in- cluding the villages of Cahokia and Prairie du Pont, and used by the inhabitants as a common, was appropriated to their use as such, until otherwise disposed of by law. It will be seen from the above,
that the limits of the commons were left undefined by the Act of Congress of 1791. This, and subsequent questions relating thereto, induced congress to appoint commissioners to inquire into and ad- just the same. The following is a synopsis of their report, which was made Dec. 3, 1809:
On examination, they find that a tract of land four leagues square was granted to said villagers with title, etc., as above de- scribed ; but as the limits of the commons were left undefined by the act of 1791, it became a subject of compromise between the vil- lagers and the acting governor (St. Clair) of the territory, about 1797, and by their consent two tracts, in all 5,400 acres, were or- dered to be laid off for this purpose. Accordingly, Gov. St. Clair appointed a surveyor, and the land was located.
On examination the commissioners discovered that the surveys were inaccurately made, that of Cahokia in particular. Instead of 4,000 acres, it ought to have contained 20,000 acres. An account of the situation and circumstances of the said tracts not accommo- dating the inhabitants, the board thought it best to permit a new location to be made for commons for each of the said villages, on lands more conveniently situated for them. The action of the commissioners was acceptable both to the people and congress. Accordingly congress, on the 1st of March, 1810, passed an act confirming the decisions made by the board of commissioners. The lands included in the common fields retain their former boundaries, the board not having them under consideration. And thus stands the status of the commons at this time.
Prior to 1841 the commons of Cahokia were used by the inhabi- tants only for the common purpose of pasturage, fuel, etc. Here was a large and valuable tract of land, from which the villagers were reaping but a small advantage. Accordingly they appealed to the state to legalize by act of the legislature the leasing of the common, or so much as should be deemed expedient, the proceeds to be devoted to a common school fund for the use of the villagers.
An act was passed, in accordance with their expressed desire, dated Feb. 17th, 1841. This act empowers the supervisor elected by the inhabitants of the village, to cause lots to be surveyed out of the commons, and to lease the same for a term not to exceed one hundred years. From this fund school-houses have been built, teachers employed, and all other expenses defrayed appertaining to a free school system. They do not draw any of the state fund, nor do they need it, as the income from the commons is more than ade- quate to their wants.
Families moving from the village to the common fields, or else- where, forfeit their rights to this common fund. On the other hand, parties moving into the village, and becoming citizens, in accord- ance with the customs of the inhabitants, acquire an equal right to the benefits of said fund, the same as those who may have always been natives of the village.
The first house built in the precinct outside of Cahokia village was erected about 1834, by Louis Pensoneau. It was a small log structure, a story and a half in height, and situated near where the Illinois and St. Louis railroad crosses the highway leading to Paps- town; and a mile and a half south-east of Jarrot's station. The old stone chimney still stands as a landmark to inform the passer- by that this is the oldest relic of its kind belonging to the common fields of Cahokia.
From the date of the foregoing, and what has already been stated with regard to the customs of the first settlers, relative to their clustering together in villages for mutual protection, etc., it will readily be seen that this chapter's history is confined almost entirely to the ancient.
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
VILLAGE OF CAHOKIA.
That it is nearly two centuries old, and the first built on the banks of the Father of Waters, as well as the first in the Mississippi valley, has already been established. The village lies entirely within what is known as survey No. 759, which was originally a part of the com- mons. The plat is very nearly in the form of the outline of the boundaries of the State of New York. The larger portion of the site of the old village is now contained in the river slough, west of the present village. At the time of its settlement it was a perfect wilderness. Heavy timber of oak, elm, sycamore, and walnut covered the entire tract. New-comers were hailed with warmth, and the custom was to measure them off 300 feet square for a house, garden and stable-lot. This of course had to be cleared of the tim- ber before it could be occupied. Parties were appointed by the citizens to perform the work of laying off the lots. The chain was constructed from strips of paw-paw bark, knotted together to the de- sired length. Early deeds were made by giving boundaries from point to point, naming the persons who lived adjacent to the property sur- veyed. In fact, lots were not numbered until about 1850, when the people of the village, for the convenience of making deeds and recording the same, employed the county surveyor to make a plat of the town and number the lots. No changes, however, were made in the former location and direction of the streets. The deeds all read : "Three hundred feet square, more or less." Prior to 1850, but few deeds were made, and then rarely ever put on record. The villagers frequently bought or traded property, but it was merely a verbal swap, after the manner of trading chattels. The custom was the same relative to exchanging, or selling arpents of land in the common fields. At that time there was no bickering, no feel- ings of distrust between neighbors, their word was equivalent to their bond. The same spirit prevailed toward one another in their farm labors. Their arpents or farms lay side by side, and any friend- ly assistance that was needed by a neighbor, was always cheerfully given. This spirit of unselfishness will be better understood when it is explained that these farms were, in the main, but eleven and sixty-seven hundredths rods wide, and from three to four miles in length. No division fence separated them, they lay side by side, enclosed by one fence, in one common field; and yet, for more than a hundred years, they cultiva ted their arpents in harmony, and with- out the aid of the courts to settle any difficulties. For several years, however, they have been pretty well Americanized, and suits at law are no rarity among the Cahokians.
In speaking of Cahokia as it was in 1765, Captain Pitman, who was officially employed by Great Britain to survey the forts and villages in the English territories, after it had passed from the French dominion, says: "It is long and straggling, being three- fourths of a mile from one end to the other. It contains forty-five dwellings, and a church near its centre. The situation is not well chosen, as in the floods it is generally overflowed two or three feet." This was the first settlement on the Mississippi. The land was purchased of the savages by a few Canadians, some of whom married women, of the Kaoquias nation, and others brought wives from Canada, and then resided there, leaving their children to succeed them. The inhabitants of the place depend more on hunting and their Indian trade, than on agriculture. They have plenty of poultry and good stocks of horned cattle. What is called the fort is a small house standing in the centre of the village. It differs nothing from the other houses, except being one of the poorest. It was for- merly closed with high palisades, but these were torn down and burnt."
The old fort has long since disappeared ; no vestige of it can now
be seen. The church still stands, and is probably the oldest house of worship west of the Alleghany mountains. The village, instead of being " near the side of the Mississippi," is nearly a mile to the east of it. This change was mainly wrought by the general flood of 1844.
Early Settlers .- From the fact of the antiquity of Cahokia, but few of the names of the earliest settlers have been preserved. From the early marriage records, we are able to glean a few names, but nothing relating to their character or calliug ; they could be of but little interest to the reader. We shall, therefore, only mention those who have figured more prominently in the history of the vil- lage.
Among the early immigrants was the famous Mrs. La Compt, who came to Cahokia about the year 1770. She was of French birth, the family name being La Flamme. She was born at St. Joseph, on Lake Michigan, in 1734. She was a widow when she married M. La Compt of Cahokia, from which marriage proceeded one of the largest French families in the state. She was a great favorite among the friendly Indians, and through their aid and in- formation, she succeeded in saving the early settlers from many a bloody massacre at the hands of the hostile savages. After the death of her second husband, La Compt, she married the celebrated Thomas Brady, who was also a citizen of Cahokia. She outlived Brady, and died in Cahokia in 1843, at the advanced age of one hundred and nine years.
Thomas Brady, third husband of Mrs. La Compt, was a native of Pennsylvania, and came to Cahokia in a very early day. He was a brave and daring man, as many of his exploits in history at- test. He was among the first to offer his services in the war of the Revolution. As early as 1777 he raised a small company of men from the villages of Cahokia and Prairie du Pont, marched through the wilderness to the fort at St. Joseph, Michigan, then called the Cow Pens, and captured the fort with the loss of but one man. After the organization of St. Clair county by Gov. St. Clair, in 1790, known as a partof the Northwest Territory, he was appointed the first sheriff of the county. He died in Cahokia several years afterward, lamented by many warm friends.
Another pioneer and patriot was Charles Gratiot, who established an Indian trading store in. Cahokia as early as 1774. He carried on an extensive trade with the Indians, so that his business opera- tions embraced several of the present western States, but his grand. depot for supplies was located at Cahokia for many years. Al- though educated in England, at the commencement of the Revolu- tion he embarked his all in the cause. He lived to see his country free, when he retired to private life. In 1781 he married a Miss Cheauteau, a sister of Pierre Cheauteau, of St. Louis. Members of this family were the founders of St. Louis, which occurred in 1764. Mr. Gratiot lived to a good old age, and died in St. Louis in 1817.
Capt. McCarty was one of the old pioneers of the village. He headed a company of the French in the Revolution, and did good service at the conquest of Fort Sackville and Vincennes, and per- formed his duty to the satisfaction of his commanders. History does not give any account of when he died.
One of the most prominent settlers of Cahokia was Nicholas Jar- rot. He probably did more to build up and perpetuate the village than any of his day. He was a native of France, but the troubles of that country in 1790 induced him to emigrate to this country. He reached Cahokia in 1794, and prepared to make it his residence for life. His means were limited when he came to this country, but through his indomitable energy and perseverance he soon ac- quired a large fortune. At an early day he was elected major in a
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HISTORY OF ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
battalion of the St. Clair militia, and was known until his death as Major Jarrot. His first operations were as a partial Indian trader; he also kept a retail store of goods suitable to the market of the village. He afterwards became possessed of a large landed estate, wrought out by his own energy and foresight ; also, at one time, owned the greater portion of the Wiggin's Ferry Landing, op- posite St. Louis. His life was an eventful one, the history of which would fill a large volume. Major Jarrot brought up a large and respectable family, one of whom is still living in the village of Ca- hokia-Mrs. Ortance Brackett, at the advanced age of eighty- three years. Mrs. Brackett is a native of the village, and the old- est person in Cahokia. She is very active, notwithstanding her extreme age. Two of her sons are living at the old homestead with her, Nicholas McCracken and James Brackett. Another son, George Brackett, attorney-at-law, resides in St. Louis, and a daugh- ter, wife of Jno. O. Butler, lives in East St. Louis.
Major Jarrot died in Cahokia in 1823, lamented by a large circle of friends. His remains repose in the old cemetery, just under the shadow of the ancient church building.
Among other pioneers are Jean Francais Perry, who settled in the village in 1792; John de Moulin, in 1790; John Hays, in 1793; John Hay, same date; Julien Dubuque, founder of Dubuque, Iowa, in 1783; William Arundel, the same date; and William Morrison, in 1800. Isaac Darnielle was the first resident lawyer, and came to Cahokia in 1794. He was the second profess ed lawyer that emi- grated to Illinois, John Rice Jones being the first. Jones also practiced law in Cahokia, but resided at Kaskaskia.
Dr. Lyle was probably the first regular physician who practiced medicine in the village. He came to Cahokia in an early day, and was considered a very good physician, but was unpopular on account of his exceeding ill-nature.
Gov. Reynolds first tried the mettle of his legal how and spear in Cahokia in 1814. How well he succeeded every citizen of Illi- nois is abundantly able to answer.
In 1809 Samuel D. Davidson, a lawyer, and native of Kentucky, settled in the village. His talent did not run in the direction of the law, and he abandoned the practice and taught school. He was the first teacher, and taught in one of the rooms of Maj. Jar- rot's house, and was paid $400 a year. This salary was paid from the private purse of Maj. Jarrot. Davidson entered the military service in 1812. Some time after the war he left the village, and drifted to parts unknown.
Among other historic events of this ancient village was the assas- sination of the Napoleonic Indian chief, Pontiac. He was stabbed by a Peoria Indian in the streets of Cahokia in the year 1765, and was buried within the limits of the village. The spot where tradi- tion says he was buried is still pointed out by the oldest citizens. The place indicated is about sixty feet south-east of the lots owned and occupied by Dr. Illinski, upon which is situated the oldest house in the village. His body was subsequently buried in St. Louis by St. Auge, then commandant of that place, who had been a warm friend of the Indian chieftain.
The following inventory gives some interesting information rela- tive to the articles in use among the early French at Cahokia and the prices which they commanded, It will be seen that they are pos- sessed of many of the conveniences, and even the luxuries, of life ; while the sums obtained for the goods, at a forced sale, show that there must have been considerable ready money in the com- munity.
Inventory of the goods and chattels of J. J. R. Hanson, sold in pursuance of an order of the court of committees of Cahos, made on the 20th of November, 1778, for the sum of 2,232 livres in silver,
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