USA > Illinois > Tazewell County > History of Tazewell 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. History of Illinois Digest of state laws > Part 22
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CHIEF WALKER AND HIS DAUGHTER.
Mr. Joshua Wagenseller tells us an amusing story connected with the Indians who eamped on Dillon creek. An Indian, familiar to many of the early settlers, by name of Chief Walker, often came to Pekin. On one occasion he offered a barrel full of dollars to any young white man who would marry his daughter. Six young men, from Pekin, thought they would go out and see the young Indian and perchance could strike a bargain with Chief Walker. A barrel of silver dollars was an inducement to take most anything in the shape of a woman for a wife. The boys all posted off to Chief Walker's wigwam. On arriving the old chief met them and led them into his eabin to see the daughter. The boys filed in, took seats around the room and saw the object of their visit sitting silently therein. The boys sat and gazed upon the maiden for a few moments, not a word was spoken, supreme silence reigned. The situation began to grow more embarrassing, the boys looked at one
266
HISTORY OF TAZEWELL COUNTY.
another, at the Chief and then at the girl. Soon one of them sneaked out, another followed, and one by one they all slipped away, leaving the Chief and his loved daughter alone. Each one of the wife hunters told the others, "any of you can have her and the dol- lars, I don't want her." So Chief Walker failed to marry off his daughter, and none of the boys got the proffered barrel of dollars.
y
CHAPTER IV.
GEOLOGY.
T AZEWELL county comprises an area of about six hundred and thirty-five square miles, and is bounded on the north by Woodford county, on the east by McLean and Woodford, on the south by Logan and Mason, and on the west by the Illinois river.
SURFACE GEOLOGY.
The surface of the country, over a large portion of this county, is a high, undulating prairie, with here and there groves and belts of timber. The soil is generally a rich brown mold, varying some- what in different localities, in the proportion of clay, etc., which it contains, some portions being more argillaceous than others. In the timber, however, which occupies not more than one-fifth of the entire surface, and in the broken country along the Illinois river, the soil is of a somewhat different character, the lighter colored and more argillaccous subsoil appearing at or near the surface.
The principal streams which drain this county are the Illinois and Mackinaw rivers. Along the Illinois river we find, in some places rather extensive sandy tracts of river formation, and the bald bluffs of the Loess, are in some localities conspicuous features in the general landscape.
The principal kind of timber found in the upland wooded tracts of this county are, the several varieties of oak and hickory, black walnut, butternut, maple, bass-wood, red-bud, sassafras, ete. On the river bottoms, and in low damp lands generally, the sycamore, buckeye, black ash, elm, etc., are abundant. The sandy ridges are generally covered with a growth of scrubby oak, and black jack, with a thin admixture of other species.
The geological formation appearing at the surface in this county, consists almost entirely of the Drift, and later formations, the older rocks outeropping only at a comparitively few localities. The underlying rocks, however, as far as can be ascertained from these outcrops, consists entirely of the Coal Measure series.
268
HISTORY OF TAZEWELL COUNTY.
In the western portion of the county, in the ravines and broken country along the Illinois river, we observe, in a number of places at the base of the Drift, a bed of cemented gravel or conglomerate, showing sometimes an irregular stratifieation, similar to that of beach deposits. A ledge of this material 9 or 10 feet thiek may be seen in the north-western quarter of section 7, Groveland township, up one of the side ravines which comes down through the Illinois river bluffs, a little south of Wesley City, and other similar ledges appear in various places in the vicinity of Fond du Lac and also on the Mackinaw in the eastern part of the county. Another similar bed of cemented gravel, of, however, a comparatively insignificant thickness, may be seen about half way up the face of the bluff at the steamboat landing in the city of Pekin, where it does not appear to be more than a few inches thiek.
COAL MEASURES.
All the stratified rocks which outcrop within the limits of this county, as before stated, belong to the coal measures, and the actual exposures are confined, for the most part, to a thickness of about 60 or 80 feet of the middle portion of the formation. In the whole county there is but one boring which affords an artificial section of the beds down to the base of this formation. This one is that made by Voris & Co. on the bottom lands of the Illinois river directly opposite the city of Peoria. The first bed of the coal measures which is met with in the boring is about 40 feet below the lower coal seam, which is worked in this section, No. 4 of the Illinois river section as given by Prof. Worthen. The following is a sec- tion of the first 459 feet of the boring. Below that depth the records kept by Messrs. Voris & Co. were not completed as to the thiekness and material of all the different beds :
FEET.
1. Alluvial soil of river bottom, -
4
2. Sand, - - -
4
3. Gravel (boulder drift),
20
4. Clay shale, - -
59
5. Bituminous slate, -
3
6. Fire elay, - - -
15
7. Clay shale, 15
-
- 120
269
HISTORY OF TAZEWELL COUNTY.
8. Coal, -
- - - - 4
9. Clay shale, - - 34
10. Sandy and argill shale (very hard),
- 34
11. Sandstone, - - -
- 4
12. Nodular argill, limestone, - - -
6
13. Compact, fine-grined sandstone, - 5
14. Hard, dark blue, sandy shale, -
- 25
15. Coal, - - - - -
3
235
16. Sandy and argill shale, - - -
- 25
1
17. Bituminous shale, with bands of limestone, 57
18. " Cherty rock," -
19. Hard, silicious rock, mainly chert, - 33
20. Fine-grained sandstone, - - -
65
459
As nearly as the limits of the formation can be made out from this section it may be referred to the coal measure. The greatest depth reached in boring was 774 feet, and the lowest rock was a gray, porous limestone, the fragments of which, brought up by the instruments, were exactly similar in appearance to some of the upper limestones of the Niagara group, exposed in the northern part of the State, with which formation this bed may doubtless be properly identified.
Passing up a small branch which comes down through the bluffs from the southward, just back of the village of Fond du Lac, we observe a striking exposure, of about 25 feet of verticle thickness, of concretionary sandstone, sandy shale and soft sand rock. The more shaly beds contain numerous ironstone concretions, and the more massive portions, indistinct vegetable impressions, but no other fossils. Along the Illinois river bluffs, between Fond du Lac and Wesley City, there are several points where coal is now or has been worked. In the vicinity of Pekin there are but few natural expo- sures of the underlying rocks, but the lower coal is mined at several points in the neighborhood of the city. At Mr. Hawley's place, about 5 miles southeast of Pekin, a shaft was sunk which passed through both the upper and lower coals, affording a section of the intermediate beds, which, as reported to us, was as follows :
- - - 44
1
270
HISTORY OF TAZEWELL COUNTY.
FEET.
1. Argillaceous shale, -
-
-
4
2. Light-colored limestone, -
2
3. Coal, -
-
4
4. Fine clay,
8
5. Sandstone, -
50
6. Bluish-black slate, -
4
7. Coal, -
4
-
8
In the central and eastern portions of the county there are a few localities where borings, etc., have been made, but satisfactory records, in all cases, could not be obtained in regard to the varia- tions in the strata. , At Ropp's mills, near the centre of the north line of section 20, Elm Grove township, a shaft was sunk to the depth of 85 feet, and, as it was reported to us, struek limestone at that depth. The shaft, however, was abandoned before completion, on account of keeping it free from water. At Delavan, in the southeastern part of the county, a boring was made which was re- ported to have passed through 60 feet of sandstone, and below that, 75 feet more of arenaceous and argillaceous shales. No coal was reported in this boring.
We find by the boring opposite Peoria, by Voris & Co., two seams of coal at the depths of 120 and 230 feet, and respectively 4 and 3 feet in thickness, which are most probably the equivalents of Nos. 1 and 3 of the general sections referred to. Although we have no positive data as to the existence of these or other beds under the coal No. 4 in other portions of the county, yet, from their existence at this point, and from our general knowledge of the coal measure in this portion of the State, it seems quite probable that these seams of coal might be found at the proper depth in other portions of this and adjoining counties. A boring of from 200 to 250 feet below the known horizon of No. 4, or from 500 to 700 feet below the sur- face in different parts of the State, would probably penetrate all the coal measures, and settle all the questions in regard to the existence and development of the underlying coal seams.
BUILDING MATERIALS.
This county is not abundantly supplied with building stone; Along the Illinois river, however, the sandstones of the Coal Measures have been quarried to some extent to supply local demand,
-
8. Fire clay, - -
271
HISTORY OF TAZEWELL COUNTY.
and in some localities appear to afford a stone suitable for founda- tion, cellar walls, etc. The limestone beds which also occur in the Coal Measure strata in this region, though generally of inconsider- able thickness, may also furnish a limited supply for the same purpose, as well as for the manufacture of lime. Dimension stone etc. when used in this county are brought from beyond its limits, in great measure from the quarries at Joliet.
Clay and loam suitable for the manufacture of a fair quality of red brick, are found here and have been made use of in all the different towns in the limits of the county. Sand for building purposes is also sufficiently abundant.
MINERAL SPRINGS.
We may properly mention again under this head, the artesion well sunk by Messrs. Voris & Co. on the edge of the bottom land along the Illinois river opposite Peoria, in which a current of water, holding in solution sulphuretted hydrogen, was struck at a depth of 734 feet. When struck it was stated to have had a head of 60 or 70 feet, and the flow is said to be nearly as strong at the pres- ent time. This water appears to be derived from the upper portion of the Niagara group, but before the boring had reached its present depth a strong current of saline water was met with, at a distance from the surface of 317 feet.
Copperas and saline springs occur in various places in the county, and occasionally give names to some of the minor streams. Such names as Salt creek, and Lick creek, occur here, as in other por- tions of the State. These springs, however, are few in number, and can hardly be considered of any economic value.
18
CHAPTER V. ZOOLOGY AND BOTANY.
QUADRUPEDS.
M ANY of the various species of animals that roamed the native prairies of Tazewell county, or made their homes in the wild forests within its borders, and lived undisturbed and free from the haunt of the hound or the crack of the hunter's rifle, are gone from this section forever. Not even a specimen is preserved in taxidermy. The buffalo which grazed upon the verdant prairies has been driven westward. With or before it went the beaver, elk, badger, panther, black wolf and black bear. Some animals that were quite numerous have become very rare, such as the gray fox, the catamount, otter, lynx, and the beautiful Virginia deer.
There still remain many of the different species, mostly inhabiting the country adjacent to the Illinois river and a few of the other larger streams. These are, however, fast disappearing, and ere long will be known only in history, as are the deer, the beaver, and the bison. Among those still to be found here are the gray wolf, which is numerous in some parts, the opossum, raccoon, mink, muskrat, the common weasel, the small brown weasel, skunk, woodchuck, or Maryland marmot, prairie mole, common shrew mole, meadow and deer mouse, and the gray rabbit. Of squirrels there are the gray timber squirrel, the fox, chipmunk, the large, gray prairie squirrel, the striped and the spotted prairie squirrel, and the beautiful flying squirrel. The dark brown and the reddish bat are common. Other small animals have been found here which have strayed from other localities.
BIRDS.
Of the 5,000 existing species of birds many have sojourned in this county, some temporarily, and others for a considerable time. Many migratory species come only at long intervals, and therefore but little is known of them.
273
HISTORY OF TAZEWELL COUNTY.
There is not a more fascinating study than that afforded by our feathered friends. Their free movements through seemingly bound- less space, the joyous songs of many, and the characteristic tones of all, their brilliant colors, their lively manners, and their wonderful instincts, have from earliest ages made a strong impression on the minds of men, and in the infancy of intellect gave rise to many pecu- liar and mysterious associations. Hence the flight of birds was made the foundation of a peculiar art of divination. Religion bor- rowed many symbols from them and poetry many of its ornaments. Birds avail themselves of their powers of wing to seek situations adapted for them in respect to temperature and supply of food. The arrival of summer birds is always a welcome sign of advancing spring, and is associated with all that is cheerful and delightful. Some birds come almost at the same date annually ; others are more influenced by the character of the season, as mild or severe.
The following list is as nearly correct as can be compiled from the available information upon the subject :
Perchers. - This order of birds is by far the most numerous, and includes nearly all those which are attractive either in plumage or in song. The ruby-throated humming-bird, with its exquisite plumage and almost ethereal existence, is at the head of the list. This is the humming-bird which is always the delight of the children, and is the only one found in Illinois. The chimney swallow, easily known from other swallows by its very long wings and forked tail, and which is a true swift, is quite numerous. Of the whippoorwill family there are two representatives,-the whippoorwill proper, whose note enlivens the forest at night, and the night-hawk. The belted king-fisher, so well known to the school boy, is the only member of its family in this region. At the head of the fly-catchers is the king-bird, the crested fly-catcher and the wood pewee.
Of the sub-order of singers there are the following: The robin, the wood thrush, Wilson's thrush, the blue-bird, the ruby-crowned and the golden-crested wren, tit-lark, the black and the white creeper, blue yellow-backed warbler, yellow-breasted chat, worm- eating warbler, blue-winged yellow warbler, Tennessee warbler, and golden-crowned thrush. Shrike family. - This family is represented by the great northern shrike, red-eyed fly-catcher, white-eyed fly-catcher, the blue-headed and the yellow-throated fly-catcher. Swallow family. - This family of birds are very
274
HISTORY OF TAZEWELL COUNTY.
numerous in Tazewell county. Among them are the barn swallow, white-bellied swallow, bank swallow, cliff swallow, and purple martin. War-wing family .- The cedar bird is the representative of the wax-wing in America. Mocking-bird family .- The genera of this family are the cat-bird, brown thrush, the house and winter wren. Finch and Sparrow family .- The snow bunting and Smith's bunting appear only in winter. The purple finch, the yellow bird and the lark finch inhabit this county. Of the passerine genus of this family are the Savannah sparrow, the field and the chipping sparrow, the black snow-bird, the tree sparrow, the song sparrow, the swamp and the fox-colored sparrow, the black-throated bunting, the rose-breasted gros-beak and the ground robin. Titmouse family -are represented by the chickadee and the tufted titmouse. Creep- er family .- There are two specimens of this family,-the white- bellied nut-hatch and the American creeper. Skylark family .- This melodious family is represented here by only the common skylark of the prairie. Black-bird family .- The rusty blackbird, the crow blackbird, the cow-bird, the red-winged blackbird, the meadow lark, the orchard and the Baltimore orioles of this family, are the most beautiful and brilliant of birds that inhabit this region. Crow family .- The blue-jay and the common crow comprise the species of this family.
Birds of Prey .- This order of birds comprises all those, with few exceptions, which pursue and capture birds and other animals for food. They are mostly of large size, the females are larger than the males, they live in pairs, and choose their mates for life. Most rap- torial birds have disappeared. Among them are the golden eagle, which was always rare but now no longer seen here; the bald eagle, or properly the white-headed eagle, once quite common, now scarce. Some well preserved specimens of this genus are in the county. This eagle enjoys the honor of standing as our national emblem. Benjamin Franklin lamented the selection of this bird as emblemati- cal of the Union, for its great cowardice. It has the ability of ascend- ing in circular sweeps without any apparent motion of the wings or the tail, and it often rises in this manner until it disappears from view ; when at an immense height, and as if observing an object on the ground, it sometimes closes its wings, and glides toward the earth with such velocity that the eye can scarcely follow it, causing a loud rustling sound like a violent gust of wind among the branches of the forest. The Hawk family are eight or nine species, some but
275
HISTORY OF TAZEWELL COUNTY.
seldom seen, others common. The turkey-buzzard has almost, if not quite, disappeared. Of the owl genera are several species, though all are but seldom seen because of their nocturnal habits. Among them are the barn owl, the screech owl, the long and the short-eared owl, the barred owl, and the snowy owl, the latter being the rarest.
Climbers .- But few of this order remain in the county, the most common of which are the woodpeckers. Of the various kinds are the golden-winged, the pileated, the hairy, the downy, the yellow- bellied, red-bellied and the red-headed. At an early day the Car- olina parrot was often seen, but he has now entirely deserted this section. The yellow and black-billed cuckoos are occasionally seen.
Scratchers .- This order contains but few genera in this county. The wild turkey, the choicest of game, has almost entirely disap- peared, and was the only one of its family that ever sojourned here. In an early day they were in abundance. Grouse family .- The chiefest among this family is the prairie chicken, which, if not care- fully protected, must ere long follow the wild turkey, never to re- turn. The ruffied grouse, wrongfully called "pheasant," has of late made its appearance. It is quite fond of cultivated fields, and, if properly protected and encouraged until it becomes fairly settled, will make a fine addition to the game, and fill the place of the prairie chicken. Partridge family .- The fate of that excellent bird, the quail, is only a question of a short time. The Dove family .- The wild pigeons continue to make their semi-annual visits, but not in such vast numbers as years ago. Acres of forest were so often filled at night with these birds that the breaking of boughs and the flying of pigeons made a noise that could be heard for miles, and the shot of a sportsman's gun could not be heard at a distance of ten feet. Highly interesting is the description by Audubon of the enormous flights which he observed on the Ohio in the fall of 1813; they obscured the daylight and lasted three days without interruption. According to a very moderate estimate of his, each flight contained the stupendous number of one billion, one hundred and fifteen thousand million, one hundred and thirty-six thousand pigeons. These flights caused a general commotion among the entire rural population. Desirous of booty and anxious lest their crops should be spoiled, the farmers, arming themselves with rifles, clubs, poles, torches and iron pots filled with sulphur, proceed to the resting-places of the birds. The work of slaughter being accomplished, every-
276
HISTORY OF TAZEWELL COUNTY.
body sat down among mountains of dead pigeons, plucking and salt- ing the birds which they selected, abandoning the rest to the foxes, wolves, raccoons, opossums and hogs, whole herds of which were driven to the battle field. The plaintive notes of the Carolina dove, commonly known as the turtle-dove, are still heard.
Swimmers .- This order of birds, which formerly frequented this county in large numbers, have almost disappeared. They are mi- gratory, and in their usual season would appear coming from the north or south, as winter passes into summer or summer into winter.
Diver family .- The great northern diver or loon, sometimes visits this section, but inhabits the frigid zone. Gull family .- Of this family are Wilson's tern and the silvery gull. Pelican family .- The rough-billed pelican was the only genus of this family that ever stopped in Tazewell county, and it has now altogether ceased to make its visits here. Cormorant family .- The double-crested cor- morant, or sea raven, has been seen here. Duck family .- This family of migratory birds visited the ponds and streams of this county in large numbers before it became so thickly settled, both on their northern and southern passage, but now mostly confine themselves to the Illinois, where large numbers are found. This family furnishes most game for sportsmen and for the table. There are the wood duek, the big black-headed duck, the ring-necked duck, the red- head, the canvas-back, the dipper, the sheldrake or goosander, the fish duck, the red-breasted, and the hooded merganser, the mallard and the pintail, the green-winged and the blue-winged teal, the spoonbill and the gadwall, the baldpate, the American swan, the trumpeter swan and the white-fronted goose.
Waders .- Probably less is known of this order of birds than of any other, because of their slyness and solitary habits. They fre- quented the marshes, but cultivation has drained their favorite haunts. Crane family .- The whooping crane, always rare, is now never seen. The sandbill cranes stop on their journeys north and south. Heron family .- The great blue heron or crane, least bittern, the green heron, night heron and the American bittern, compose those of this family visiting this region. Ibis family .- The glossy ibis has been seen here. Plorer family .- The golden plover, the killdeer and the king plover comprise this family known here. Phalarope family .- The Wilson's and the red phalarope have fre- quented the swamps of this county. Snipe family .- Various birds 'of this family have been common in and around the swamps of this
277
HISTORY OF TAZEWELL COUNTY.
county. Among them were Wilson's snipe, gray or red-breasted snipe, the least and the semi-palmated sandpiper, the willett, the tell-tale, the yellow-leg, the solitary sandpiper, the spotted sand- piper, the field plover, long-billed curlew, the common rail, the clapper rail or mud hen, and the coot.
Reptiles .- All of the species of this class that ever inhabited this region are still to be found here except the poisonous snakes. The rattlesnake, of the genus crotalus, is of a yellowish brown color, and has a series of horny joints at the end of the tail, which make a rat- tling sound. These were the most venomous of all snakes found here, and were numerous in the early settlement. There are two kinds, the bandy or striped and the prairie rattlesnake, the latter be- ing still occasionally found. The copperhead was always rare. Among the harmless snakes are the water-snake, the garter-snake, the bull-snake, the milk snake, the black-snake, and the blue racer.
Many reptiles found here are erroneously called lizards, but are salamanders and other like innocent creatures. Lizards are never found in this county. Among the tortoises or turtles are found the map turtle, the snapping and the soft-shelled turtle. Of the batra- chian, or naked reptiles, there are a few, and, though loathsome to sight and touch, are harmless. The toad, the bull-frog, the leopard frog, the tree toad, with some tailed batrachia, comprise the most of this order.
FISHES.
Although fishes are the lowest class of vertebrates, their varied forms and colors, which often rival those of precious stones and burnished gold, the wonderful power and velocity of some, the wholesome food furnished by many, and the exciting sport of their capture, combine to render fishes subjects of great interest to the casual observer, as well as to the amateur and professional naturalist. The number of known species of fishes is about ten thousand. The waters of this county are quite prolific of the finny tribe. The commerce in fish has become quite extensive along the Illinois. Sickle-backed family .- This family furnishes the game fish, and are never caught larger than four pounds in weight. The various genera found here are the black bass, goggle-eye, the croppy, or big black sun-fish, and the two common sun-fish. Pike family .- There is but one species of this family, the pickerel, which is caught weighing from five to twenty-five pounds. Sucker family .- Of this
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