USA > Illinois > Vermilion County > History of Vermilion County, Illinois : a tale of its evolution, settlement and progress for nearly a century, Volume I > Part 8
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54
THE WOODIN HOUSE IN CATLIN
59
HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY
was made by Lewis Bailey. Bailey sold this land to Harvey Luddington in a short time. The little stream nearby was known as Luddington's branch for years, but afterward, as Stony Creek. Later, when Mr. Walker opened a farm up the creek near the present town of Muncie, the place became known as Walker's Point, but was never a promising settlement. The same year James D. Butler built the first cabin which was the beginning of Butler's Point. Henry Johnson began a settlement two miles west of present day Georgetown by build- ing a cabin on section 36 (18-12), afterward calling it Johnson's Point.
Henry Johnson was a man of sterling character and, as a neighbor always held out a helping hand. Absolom Starr, Henry Johnson's brother-in-law, joined him the following year. Also another brother-in-law by the name of Barnes came to this settlement. Jotham Lyons took up land just west of Johnson's and John Jordon settled a little to the east. Absolom Starr came from Palestine, Illinois, where the land office was located. He selected a piece of ground which he thought he wanted and went back to Palestine where he raised corn and wheat enough in the season of 1821 to last him and his family as flour and meal for a year. Few pioneers came into a new country better equipped for the first year's living. He brought his wife and four children to Johnson's Point and built them a little cabin. A letter written by Henry Johnson addressed to William Lowery, the member of the legislature from Clark County at that time, and yet preserved, fixes the date of the beginning of this settlement beyond a doubt. The letter is dated "Achilles Township, November 22, 1822." In it the statement is made that Johnson "had a knowledge of this township since October, 1820." This letter goes on to describe "Achilles township," which evidently embraced the whole territory of Clark County watered by the two Vermilion rivers, and ex- tending as far north as the Kankakee river.
John Hoag and Samuel Munnell began a settlement north of the Little Ver- milion, the year Henry Johnson settled south of that stream. This settlement was just southwest of the present village of Indianola. William Swank came to this section in 1820 and his farm embraced a part of the present town of Indianola. Alexander McDonald came here in 1822. He, with his father-in-law entered much land around here and this place was long known as the McDonald Neighborhood. A settlement was begun at what was long known as Brooks' Point, the same, or the year following the beginning of Johnson's Point. Benja- min Brooks came from Indiana and chose a place on the Little Vermilion for his future home. Returning to Indiana for his family, a Mr. Spence took this land in his absence. Mr. Brooks was very much disappointed, and had it not been for Benjamin Canady, who had just come from Tennessee, he would have been in a sorry plight with his family and no land upon which to build a cabin. Benjamin Canady was a tinker and peddler and had land further north which he let Mr. Brooks have, and this point of timber became the well known Brooks Point during the first years of the life of Vermilion County. The site of old Brooks Point is now known as Kelleyville. While Benjamin Brooks was in Indiana, Bob Cotton and Thomas O'Neal came to this same section. Thomas O'Neal came from Nelson County, Kentucky, and lived at Brooks Point. His son James O'Neal was the first white child born in the territory that is now Ver- milion County. It, however, was a part of Edgar County at that time,
60
HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY
and for three years afterward. He lived in the Brooks Point neighborhood for three years and then entered 80 acres of land on the Big Ver- milion, near where the Kyger mill was later a landmark. A neighborhood, first called Morgan's, and afterward McHenry, was settled south of Brooks' Point. Subel Ellis, James Ogden and John and Lewis Ritter, were in this neighborhood. Jacob Brazleton settled just north of them. Achilles Morgan, with his son-in-law, Henry Martin, came into what is now Vermilion County five years before it was organized as such, and after stopping at one or two points, located about three miles west of Georgetown. They came from Virginia and his other daughter with her husband George Brock visited them shortly and also located at the same place. The name of Achilles Morgan is associated with public affairs of the county in the '20s and '30s, and his descendants have left their impress upon its development. He was one of the first three county commissioners.
Soon after the first settlement at the Salt Springs, Mr. Starr, an uncle of Absolom and Barnett Starr, who were well known and pioneers of the county, bought land in the then northern part of Edgar County, but later he came to the southern part of Vermilion County. He bought eight hundred and eighty acres of land through which the Little Vermilion river flowed. Mr. Starr lived in Palestine where the land office was located and he bought much land for specu- lative purposes. This particular land he traded to John Myers for the eighty acres of land he had in Ohio. John Myers was better known in his day as "Injun John" and was, as may be inferred from his nickname ,a man of strong characteristics. On his way out here Myers offered his brother-in-law a quarter section of this land if he would come with him. This his brother-in-law Joseph Frazier agreed to do. The particular tract which Frazier received is now a part of the well known Sconce farm. 'A' year later Simon Cox came to this section and took up land. This was in 1822. Later he and Myers, commenced to build a mill. First they tried a water mill, and they put in steam, but as neither were practical millwrights, they did not succeed in this enterprise. Peter Summe assisted in building this mill. It was located about a mile south of what today is Indianola and formerly was Chillicothe. Moses Bradshaw came to this neighborhood about the time Myers and Frazier came. He stayed here but a short time, however. The Richmond family lived here one winter and summer and then moved on.
The beginning of the settlement of Vermilion, now known as Vermilion Grove, was the cabin built by John Malsby in 1820. To be sure he abandoned the house and returned to his old home in Richmond, Indiana, so that the fol- lowing winter, when Mr. Haworth came with his young family he found shelter already provided. Mr. Haworth had left Tennessee three years before to get away from the institution of slavery which he hated, and had spent the interim in Union County, Indiana. He entered several hundred acres of land about Vermilion, but did not hold it for himself nor sell it at high price; rather, when anyone came along whom he thought would be a desirable neighbor, he sold his land cheap and on time payments, if so desired. In this way he lay the foundation for a community of good people. His uncle, George Haworth, soon
THE BOGGESS HOUSE IN EARLY TIMES
61
HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY
came to this neighborhood, and together with his brothers and their descendants, have made the name a familiar and respected one in this part of Illinois.
Henry Canady with his five sons came from Tennessee in the autumn of 1821, the same year that Mr. Haworth came. But they became discontented and returned to their old home in the Spring. They did not stay, however, but by Fall they were all back this time to locate permanently. When land came into market Mr. Canady entered about two sections and sold it out at congress prices with interest. This selling of small tracts of land to different owners by such men as Mr. Haworth and Mr. Canady, cut a part of that section of the county into small farms which could be cultivated more thoroughly than larger farms, and opened that region more quickly than any other. These small farms were later bought up by John L. Sconce, John Sidell and other large owners who have turned them into vast estates. These first settlements in what is now Vermilion County, but which were made before the county was organized as such were few and all lay along the two Vermilion rivers, the Middle Fork and Salt Fork of the Big Vermilion and the two Stony Creeks. Along the Little Vermilion the points of timber running out into the prairie were first chosen, and Yankee Point, and Quaker Point, became well known settlements. The first named set- tlement, that of Yankee Point, was so named because Mr. Squires settled here at an early day and being from the east his "yankee" ways were more noticed since he was the only man who had not come from the South.
Quaker Point was settled by those who belonged to the society of Friends or Quakers. This settlement was also called Bethel. The early settlers clung to the timber for a decade. They were afraid of the prairie, were sure no one could live away from the timber, and that the prairie was fit only as a range for their cattle. The early settlements were all made about the same date, that is, in 1821, or 22, or 23. They were at the Salt Springs, Butler's Point, Johnson's Point, Brooks' Point, Vermilion, Elwood, Yankee Point and Quaker Point. The Mc- Donald neighborhood, Morgan's and near what is now Indianola. The settle- ment at the mouth of the North Fork of the Vermilion river was not made until after the county was organized and a county seat was contemplated. There was not any settlement at this place but land had been entered, and the location of the county seat was desired and secured in spite of the fact that promising set- tlements had been made in other parts of the newly organized county. It was not until January, 1827, that the selection was made of the land donated at the mouth of the North Fork of the Vermilion river, as the future county seat of the newly formed Vermilion County and its settlement begun. This was two years after a settlement had been made to the north by John LeNeve, and a number from Ohio and Kentucky. The beginning of this settlement was made by Obadiah and John LeNeve, who came from Lawrence County (it was then Crawford County), Illinois, provided to make their future home in this section. Their first house was primitive in the extreme, being but a square laid up with logs and one half covered with puncheons, although the entire structure was chinked and well filled with pulled grass. This cabin was built in the winter of 1824 and 1825. In 1828 Samuel Copeland began a settlement west of here and the same year Mr. Partlow, with his family of four sons came to the Middle Fork of the Big Vermilion river to make a new home. He came from Kentucky.
62
HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY
The majority of the settlers of Vermilion County came from the South. Some came from Ohio and a few came from further east yet, but they were not many. Those who came first and settled Salt Springs developing them were from the North Arm Prairie, and those following and settling in other sections came from that section, and yet further South. Unlike many new countries the most of these pioneers were law abiding men and developed into good citizens. The large numbers of adherents of the faith of Friends made the material from which to secure the very best people possible for a growing country.
Many of these pioneers came from Tennessee and North Carolina, because they were anxious to escape the hated institution of slavery. Many came from Ohio where they had paused for perhaps a generation on their way west from Virginia or some other eastern locality. Many others came directly from Vir- ginia. They came by way of the Ohio and Wabash rivers and they came through the country on horseback or with ox teams. The motives which brought them were as various as were their direction from their old homes. Not all came to escape a hated institution in their old homes as did the Haworths and the Can- adays who settled and developed the peaceful valley along the Little Vermilion river; some saw a future through the salt industry or the fur trade and later in the fertile land that was theirs for little more than the taking; and yet others were filled with the passion for adventure alone. Such was the diverse material which went into the foundation of Vermilion County and made indelible im- press upon its institutions.
CHAPTER X.
TRAILS AND EARLY ROADS.
ORIGIN OF THE MODERN ROAD- FIRST THE BUFFALO, THEN THE INDIAN, THEN THE PACK-HORSE-THE DANVILLE & FORT CLARK ROAD-THE OTTAWA ROAD-HUB- BARD'S TRACE.
The modern road, which leads from place to place and makes speedy travel possible, is an evolution of the trail of the Indian which, in turn, was the evolu- tion of the track made by some wild animal. The instinct of all animals is to go from one feeding spot to another, and to the best and nearest drinking place, with as little expenditure of time and energy possible. To this end there is no forest so dense, nor plain so wide, that does not show the paths of the wild beasts which inhabit it. The buffalo made the first roads, or paths, or trails, as you choose to call the tracks he left as a guide to his almost equally untamed successor in ownership of the wilds-the American Indian. Before the time roads were determined by legal proceedings, convenience in travel directed them. The Danville and Fort Clark road was surveyed and laid out as a legal road about 1834 by an act of the Legislature, but it did not owe its origin to this legal action, for it was traveled many years previous to this date.
In 1828, at its September session, the Board of Commissioners entered an order appointing "Runnel Fielder Supervisor of the Fort Clark road from the Salt Fork to the western line of Vermilion County." The same order allotted all the road work due from residents in townships 19 and 20, in Range 9 and 10, to this piece of road. But even this order, of a date so early as it is, was not the origin of this well known road. The exact origin will ever remain unknown, but it is safe to surmise that, as long ago as the buffalo roamed this country it was his path leading from river and grove to the East to river and grove to the West, passing the spot where his need for salt was met in the springs located near the Salt Fork of the Big Vermilion river. Later the Indian followed the same path for the same purpose. Indian villages were located along the lower Ver- milion river, the inhabitants of which were intimate friends of the Indians in the Kickapoo village at what is now known as "Old Town Timber" in McLean County. These Indians chose frequent intercourse and naturally made a trail along the old buffalo track. Indeed, this tract must have been used before these Kickapoo villages were located, because the Piankeshaws probably knew of the direction of the salt water, when they were in possession of this territory, and
63
64
HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY
were attracted thither, while their village was located at the mouth of the North Fork of the Vermilion. This trail was probably followed by Gen. Hopkins and his soldiers, and maybe by the Spanish troops, although that is not credited by many. This was by no means the only, nor the first trail which went through Vermilion County. The oft times traveled trail which led from Kaskaskia and Fort Chartres to Detroit, passed across the southwestern part of the county. This trail can yet be discerned in Edgar County, to the south. The region of Vermilion County was the center of Indian trails, diverging to the south, the west, the southwest, the east, and to the north. The early comers into this sec- tion found a well defined road from east to west, crossing what is now Vermilion County, which each year showed more and more evidence of travel, as it was used by pioneers in going from Ohio to the then "West." This road crossed the Big Vermilion river at near the mouth of the North Fork, and crossed the county, leaving it at where the line of Champaign County makes the eastern boundary. At the point of leaving the county, the Salt Fork of the Vermilion river crosses the line a little to the northeast of the present village of Homer. The highway was the well known "Fort Clark Road," over which the great tide of immigra- tion passed from the states east of the Ohio to the section known as the "Military Tract," the name of the lands lying in the western part of Illinois, between the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. This "Military Tract" comprised the lands given the soldiers of both the wars of the Revolution and that of 1812. There are places along this long since abandoned road that yet show its direction. These are great gullies, which were worn, first by the hoof of the buffalo, and afterward by the oxen and wagon of the pioneer, but it takes the practice eye to distinguish these places and the old Fort Clark road is practically lost. It long ago was changed from the northern route to the southern way, and the highway going in the same direction, is known as the Danville and Urbana road.
This road runs to the south of the old one but is very much the same which was traveled in the long ago through Vermilion County and which is referred to in the following description of a traveler in the early twenties: "After safely crossing the state of Indiana, then a wilderness, I entered Illinois where Dan- ville now is near to where I found a small settlement and some friends. I made a short stay at these Salt Works and then took a more northwest course, to strike the Illinois river, my map and compass my only guide. I put up usually, where night found me. Striking a light with my flint, steel and punk, I wrapped myself in my blanket, and with the broad earth for a bed, slept soundly. My horse became very cowardly so that he would scarcely crop the grass, which was his only sustenance; he would keep close to me, following me wherever I went and sleeping at night by my side, and would not leave me at any time. With no well defined road, only the Indian trail through high grass and bushes, over the broad limitless prairie, or along the timber belts, occasionally meeting a party of Indians with whom I conversed only by signs, it is not surprising that horse and rider should be lonely, suspicious and fearful." Such was the way along the afterward "Fort Clark" road which was the most direct connection of the east and the west. The writer of this experience goes on to tell of his leaving the Salt Works of the Vermilion, and finding no white man until he reached Dillon's Grove in Tazewell County. Later, a road from the east to
65
HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY
Ottawa, called the "Ottawa road" was built through Vermilion County, passing to the north of Danville on the way to Chicago. It was a state road and within the memory of many citizens, it was marked with milestones. This road went direct from Danville through Denmark and had a branch to the east, north of Danville which led through Newell township and carried trade to Covington, Indiana. This road was probably the developed trail from Fort St. Louis to Vincennes and Fort Detroit which converged at Danville. The north and south road known as the "Hubbard Trace" was a very important highway for years.
The American Fur Company had stations along the way of the country between the Illinois and Wabash rivers as early as about 1785. They had trading posts on the Iroquois, the Little Wabash, and the Embrass rivers. In 1824 Gurdon Hubbard was put in charge of the company's trade in this section and soon abandoned the trading posts on the Illinois river, doing away with trade by the river and introduced pack horses to cover the way between Chicago and the southern extreme of the territory. This way or trail from Chicago went directly to the Salt Works and thence south, so it is seen that the Hubbard Trace (as it was called) was to the west of Danville, instead of being the old direct state road. This road was the one most frequently traveled to the north or the south, and the old "Fort Clark" road was the one used in going to the east or west, during the early days of Vermilion County. And together with the Ottawa road met all the requirements of travel of that day.
Round on Lowery land
CHAPTER XI.
PIONEER LIFE IN VERMILION COUNTY.
FOOD-SHELTER-CLOTHING-EARLY CONDITIONS AND CUSTOMS-MEANS OF TRAVEL-SICKNESS-PROVINCIALISMS.
When the pioneer came to this section of the country he found an abundance of food, which could be secured with little effort upon his part. Wild turkey, prairie chicken, quail and deer were plentiful and so tame as be to shot from the cabin door. The rivers were stocked with fish, and the wild ducks and other water fowl frequented their banks. Although mills were not numerous, the corncracker mill of James Butler's was not out of reach of anyone in the county, and it was in operation as early as 1823.
The ingenuity of the early settler, however, was great and even could over- come the scarcity of mills and produce material from which to make the ever- present corn cake, and the "journey board" was given use in the baking of the "journey (johnny) cake." There was an abundance of wild fruit-berries, grapes and plums-and along the Little Vermilion, persimmon and pawpaw trees. All this for the first year's of coming. It was not long before the grains and cultivated fruits were a part of the daily food, since the fertile land re- sponded quickly to cultivation. The pioneer woman responded with as ready service in the preparation of this food. There was much rivalry in the skill of the women who came to the county in these early days and excellence was coveted and secured by the most of them. To be called a good cook was praise that was appreciated, and to be the best cook in the neighborhood was a dis- tinction devoutly to be desired. The abundance of food naturally led to, perhaps, over-feeding, but it also developed the talents of the women in providing their tables with a quantity that has made Illinois and Indiana famous for many and varied dishes. Each woman vied with her neighbor to have more food upon her table and the gatherings of any kind were opportunities to exhibit her power to this end. Where there was such an abundance there was little suffering from lack of food as in sometimes the case in new countries.
Corn was eaten in various ways. The cake then served was "pound cake" with cornmeal used instead of wheat flour. Mush and milk was a common dish for supper; an old settler in telling of this once said, that one should have one foot in bed and the other ready, so that as soon as he had finished his supper he could go to sleep. Green corn was boiled and roasted, and frequently consti- tuted the entire meal. Hominy, known as lye hominy, was prepared by soaking
66
67
HISTORY OF VERMILION COUNTY
the corn in lye made from the wood ashes, until the husk would readily leave the grain, when it was pounded in a mortar and thoroughly broken. The mortar was made by hollowing a solid, dry stump or log, either with adz or by fire. The pestle was made of wood. The cracked corn was of two grades, large hominy and small hominy. Add to the large hominy and small hominy, the large pone and small pone, Johnny cake, hoe cake and dodgers, dumplings and fried cakes, and the use of corn is not yet exhausted. For drink the pioneer sipped his bread coffee, crust coffee, meal coffee, and potato coffee, sassafras tea, spicewood tea, beech leaf and sycamore-chips tea. Their vegetables were potatoes, pumpkins, turnips and for early use, greens or weeds.
A description of the way in which the women prepared a meal as given by Judge Davidson, in telling of early times many years ago, is interesting. He says : "The fireplace was about eight feet in the clear. The kettles were hung over the fireplace to a strong pole, raised so high above the fire as not to ignite, from heat and sparks, and whose ends are fastened in the chimney. The kettles were sus- pended on trammels, which were pieces of iron rods, with a hook at each end. The uppermost one extended from the pole nearly down to the fire, and with one or more short ones, the kettles were brought to their proper height above the coals. Wooden hooks were used until iron ones were obtained. A long handled frying pan was used in which to fry meat. The women held the frying pan while the meat cooked and she cooked also. A more convenient utensil was a cast-iron, short handled, three legged spider, or skillet which was set upon the coals on the hearth. Turkeys and spare-ribs were sometimes roasted before the fire suspended by a string, a dish being placed underneath to receive the drip- pings. To care for this meat was often the man's work on a day when he was not otherwise busy, and it is told by a devoted daughter who loved to recall his doings how he (father) would attend to the roast on Sunday."
There was little greater effort required to furnish shelter. All material was easily procured. To be sure, these houses were of the most primitive character. A very common style of house, and one that could be easily constructed with tools no more complicated than an axe and, perhaps, an auger, was the cabin built wholly with the material to be found in the timber. A description of a house built of such material is given by Judge Cunningham in his History of Cham- paign County, and as it is as good a picture of a dwelling on that side of the county line and is painted with well chosen words, it serves this county as well. "Small logs, or poles, suitable to build a house large enough to accommodate the family needing it, were cut and hauled to the site chosen for the future home. Notching the ends of these logs, with the help of his neighbor or, maybe, an In- dian, they were rolled the one above the other on the four sides of the building, until the suitables height of wall was obtained. Across the building at intervals of three or four feet, other logs or poles were laid, until a foundation for the roof of the loft had been prepared, having in view, all the time, symmetry and smoothness of the upper room. The ends of this building were then carried up a suitable height, for the upper room, when they were, by shortening each suc- cessive log, gradually drawn to an apex. Again, logs or poles were laid from gable to gable, for the support of the roof, to be made of boards or 'shakes,' of suitable length, split from some nearby oak tree. In the absence, or impossibility
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.