History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois, Part 31

Author:
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : Globe Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 704

USA > Illinois > Clay County > History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois > Part 31
USA > Illinois > Wayne County > History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois > Part 31

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undoubtedly render hundreds of acres capa- ble of successful cultivation, and it is prob- able that they will be applied before many years. The township includes, however, sev- eral large prairies, known as Six Mile, Long, Brush and Elk, and upon these are many beautiful farms. The soil is sandy and loamy in some parts, but it is more inclined to be clayish than in some parts of the county. It is generally rich, and gives good returns for the labor of the intelligent farmer. The principal water courses are the Skillet Fork and Four Mile Creek, each of which have numerous small tributaries. The former enters the township in Section 14, Town 2 south, Range 5 east, and flowing southeast leaves it in Section 36, Town 2 south, Range 6 east. Four Mile comes in at Section 30, Town 2 south, Range 5 east, and, flowing east, empties its muddy waters into Skillet Fork in Section 2S, Town 2 south, Range 6 east. Along the Skillet Fork, iu former days, the finest and most luxuriant growths of white oak timber grew there in great abundance. The principal timber at the present day, con- sisting chiefly of the many varieties of oak, hickory and gum, are found in the bottoms along the water-courses, but there are also a few high ridges on which good timber is found iu considerable quantities. The water of this portion of the county is unusually good, and is struck at an average depth of twenty feet, but in some parts borings have been made for upward of 100 feet in depth, without success.

The main productions of the township are the usual cereals, red-top grass seed and ap- ples. The considerable boom which the lat- ter have taken during the past few years has resulted in the setting out of many hundreds of young trees, mostly of the Ben Davis and Rome Beauty varieties, and this boom is far from being a spasmodic one, for the incom-

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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.

parable adaptability of this section of the State to fruit culture has already been clear- ly established. Several years back, the at- tention of the farmers of Four Mile was di- rected almost wholly to the raising of castor beans, and quite a reputation was gained on account of the large quantities raised and shipped, but somehow they seem to have got enough of the oily article, and the cultiva- tion of them is now not very extensive.

What is now, and has for a long time been known as "Frog Island," is a por- tion of land situated in the southeast part of the township, and extending into Hamilton County. During periods of high water, it is entirely surrounded, although several small streams, gulches and swamps materially assist in making it an island proper. The " island " contains some rich farming lands, and although not having as large a population as New York. it is, nevertheless, a very important " deestrict," and one that is heard from pretty loudly sometimes on election days. It is some seven or eight miles long, east and west, by four or five north and south.

To particularize each early settlement in a township, or to give the exact date and de- tails of the arrival of each old settler, is a task not easy of accomplishment. John R. Smith was the first man to settle in what is now Four Mile Township, about whom much is known. He came from Kentucky, but in what year we could not learn. He was the biggest man in the county, weighing up- ward of 300 pounds, and was fond of per- forming a variety of feats requiring great strength and nerve. He always claimed to be very illiterate, but was brimful of jokes, and was marvelously well posted on points of Scripture. He could not only quote profuse- ly from any writer in the Book of books, but was able, if some passage was read to him,

to immediately tell the verse, chapter and author with remarkable precision. He raised a large family here, and died here himself at a good old age. Two sons, Will- iam H. and Daniel, and a daughter, Betsey, are yet living, the latter the wife of William Collins, a resident of Hamilton County.

A remarkable character came into Four Mile about the same time as Smith. It was William Hetherly, but more commonly known as the " Wild Man." He came from Tennessee, and after living here a few years, went -- nobody knows where. He received the name of the "Wild Man " from his in- satiate delight in hunting and tramping the wilderness from one end to the other. Fre- quently has he been seen to start out with his own " big self," his boy and his dog -all upon the same old bob-tailed tilly. The boy would keep an eye out for bee-trees, while the old man would cast suspicious glances at every thicket for a deer, and the dog-the dog-yes, he probably had his hands full watching the old man, and was brought into service when the deer came out. The old hunter fed his family on wild meat and honey, and clothed them with the proceeds arising from the disposal of the hides. John, Henry, Martin, Jacob, Abram, Polly and Sally Myers, all brothers and sisters, were early settlers in Four Mile Township. They came from Kentucky, and many of their de- scendants are yet living here and in the sur- rounding country. Polly Myers married John R. Smith. of whom we have already spoken, and Sally married Martin Sewell, an old settler here. After his death, she mar- ried Asel Cross, who came here from Tennes- see at an early day. The only one of the old Myers yet living is Winnie, the widow of Henry. She is a daughter of Bart Atchison, who was an old settler in Moore's Prairie, Jefferson County. Previous to her marrying

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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.

Myers. she was the wife of a man by the name of Farnsworth.

David Garrison and Charles Trotter came into the township at an early day, and lo- cated on Frog Island, and many of their de- scendants yet reside in that neighborhood.

Solomon Boyd located in Six Mile Prairie early, after having been in Hamilton County for a few years. His family consisted of fivo sons-Henry, Lyle, John, William and Mil- ton, and three daughters-Catharine, Lizzio and Mary. Mr. Boyd had the reputation of being the greatest rail maker in the country.

Andrew Davis came from Tennessee here about 1836, and is yet living in Four Mile. From the same State came James P. Boswell, and his children, as follows: William, Joseph, James, John, Washington, Timothy, Sally, Phœbe and Cynthia. Upon certain occasions, the old man would style himself "Jimmie Pepper," and many will remember him bet- ter by that name. Joseph is now living in Mount Vernon, Ill., and William, Timothy and Sally in this township, the latter the widow of Richard Jenkins, who came here among the first, and whose chief character- istie was that of whistling, of which recrea- tion he was never tired. Among other early settlers are mentioned Solomon and Richard Mandrill, Calvin Shell, the latter of whom came in 1838 from Tennessee: Ennis Mal- den and his son-in-law, George Mabery, and the Austins; John Mateer, his wife Peggy, his fonr sons -Robert, John, An- thony and Montgomery, and his daughter, Rosanna, wife of Knight Reed, came from Pennsylvania about 1840.

The township since 1850 has settled np gradually bnt steadily, and has a present population of about 2.000 souls.

Township 2 south, Range 6 east. It was laid out in 1881, by Hilliard, County Sur- veyor, and incorporated the following year. But a few years ago there was nothing here but two or three little log cabins, a black- smith shop and an old saw mill. But in the short time since elapsed, it has taken a con- siderable boom. and grown to very promising proportions. It has general stores by J. B. Sendamore, who was her first merchant, and is the Postmaster; John Chandler, Augustus Smith and Reid Bros .; John Tyler, hard- ware; Charles Jacobson, drugs; harness and furniture. L. Knowles; City Hotel; and Drs. Garrison, Bristow and Branson. The village supports were excellent graded schools, with able teachers in the Misses Bran- son and Staton. A fine merchant flonring mill was erected here in 1882, by Robert Ellis, and does a thriving business. Wayne City Lodge I. O. O. F. was organized in 1875, and was moved to the village in 1881. It has a membership of about thirty. The fol- lowing are the first and present village offi- cers: Board of Trustees, J. B. Scudamore, President, C. R. Ellis, J. R. Chandler, J. M. McRill, E. B. Reid and L. Merritt; Police Magistrate, A. R. Robinson; Village Clerk, Dr. B. E. Garrison; Marshal, A. C. Boswell; Street Commissioner, George Hollinger.

Middleton, a small town, situated on Sec- tion 5, Township 3 south, Range 5 east, was laid off in 1854 by William Whitacre, County Surveyor. It has not grown much in size since the first, as it has never had the advantages of any railroad facilities. The post office at this point is called Long Prairie post office, and mails come by way of Keen Station on the Air Line. Middleton had a Ma- sonic Lodge organized there before the late war, but it was afterward moved to Bell Rive, Jefferson Co., III. Asbury Lodge, No. 2.18,

The little village of Wayne City is situated on the Air Line Railroad, in Section 13, Township 2 south, Range 5 east, and IS, I. O. O. F., was organized about 1854, and is

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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY,

in a prosperous condition. In 1861, the Methodists built a church at this place, but it was subsequently torn down and a more substantial one erected, at a cost of $1,300. It is situated on Section 9, near the Farns- worth Graveyard, one mile southeast of the town. The first doctor to locate in Middle- ton, was Daniel Wingate, and he represented this district under the " Five Horse Act."

Keen Station is a small town situated on the Air Line three miles west of Wayne City, and consists of two general stores, and one grocery. It has a good school, and a substan- tial church building is being erected by the Missionary Baptists. A grist mill was put up there in 1881, and there are also two saw mills at this place.

The first mill of any description in Four Mile Township was put up by John R. Smith, and was situated on Section 35 or 36. It was the old stump arrangement, with horse-power, and it ground meal for all the surrounding country for many years. After this, a water mill was put up on Skillet Fork, by Ennis Malden and George Mabery. It was a grist and saw mill both. There is now no trace of it left. William Boswell had a stump mill also, and after that Martin Myers built a horse mill on Frog Island. The people of this section would also go to the Leech Mill on the Little Wabash River in Leech Township.

The vast benefits to be derived from schools were not overlooked by the old settlers of Four Mile Towuship. Schools claimed their attention next to that of their families and their immediate wants. There were many little log cabins put up here and there over the township very early, but the exact loca- tion and the names of their first teachers could not be ascertained. An early school was kept on Frog Island by Thomas Gibbs, but we could learn no further details regard-

ing it. Another one was situated in Long Prairie, on the land of Richard Jenkins, and this was used for religious purposes also. The following items represent approximately the status of the schools of Four Mile at the present writing: Number of pupils enrolled, 750; number of school buildings, 11; num- ber of teachers employed, 21; average pay of same, males, $30 per month; females, $25. Estimated value of school property, $10,000.

The church history of Four Mile is brief, although by this we do not mean to say that she is behind in her religious duties. All the preaching that the early pioneers enjoyed was done by traveling ministers of the Gos- pel, whose large circuits would not permit of visits more frequent, generally, than once or twice a year. Charles Koker and Thomas Cottonham, both Methodist preachers from McLeansboro, Ill., visited the people here in an early day, and they organized the first Methodist Church, and preached at the house of Ennis Malden, which was located on a spot now included within the limits of Wayne City. William Finn, a man by the name of Fox, John Gillum and John Gill were all early preachers, and of the Meth- odist denomination. The Regular Baptist preachers came in later, and preached first at a schoolhouse in Long Prairie, and built a church building near there, which was sub- sequently replaced by another one on the same place.

We will here insert a few items worthy of record. The political parties in Four Mile are about equally divided, and many of the election contests in the township have been more a fight for politics than for men. They have had what they called the " Convention Ticket," the " People's Ticket," the " Bolter's Ticket " and all other kinds of tickets, but in later years the right man wins, as he should, be his politics what they may.

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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.

The last bear killed in the county was killed in 1877 in this township. A man by the name of Jones was the slayer, and the bear, which was a black one, weighed after being dressed, 450 pounds, including the hide. The bear had probably taken a notion to tramp. and had wandered up here from the South.

The following is a list of some of the offi- cers of Four Mile since 1865:

Supervisors-C. C. Myers, 1865-66; Dan- iel Wingate, 1867-71; J. B. Scudamore, 1872-75; John Robinson, 1876-77; William Mabery. 1878-79; J. W. Jenkins, 1880; Samuel Keen, 1881; O. P. Nesmith, 1882-83.

Town Clerks-W. H. Clendenin, 1865-66; S. Farnsworth, 1867-68; A. J. Slaton, 1869; J. R. Boswell, 1870-71; S. A. Long, 1872- 73; J. W. Roark, 1874; J. B. Brooks, 1875; S. Farnsworth, 1876; George Draper, 1877;

B. M. Garner, 1878; W. H. Clendenin, 1879; W. W. Coffee, 1880; J. W. Ellis, 1881; V. Hagarty, 1882; Daniel Ballard, 1883.

Assessors-C. C. Hopkins, 1865; J. F. S. Hopkins, 1866; W. J. Myers, 1867; N. M. Williams, 1868; Joseph Boswell, 1869; N. M. Williams, 1870; J. D Sewis, 1871-72; N. M. Williams, 1873; A M. Bruce, 1874; H. M. White, 1875-76; Thomas Burgan, 1877; W. T. Faulkner, 1878; S. Boswell, 1879; John Robinson, 1880; G. W. Draper, 1881; William Gray, 1882; P. Buffington, 1883.

Collectors - Knight Reed, 1865; E. H. Chase, 1866-77; Thomas Scudamore, 1868; James Maulding, 1869; John Robinson, 1870-75; J. S. Austin, 1876; W. T. Faulk. ner, 1877; S. Boswell, 1878; S. L. Austin, 1879; Samuel Wood, 1880; S. L. Austin, 1881; P. Buffington, 1882; J. K. Wright, 1883.

CHAPTER XXII.

ELM RIVER TOWNSHIP-BOUNDARIES AND SETTLEMENT-PIONEER INCIDENTS-POPULATION- SURFACE AND WATER-COURSES-ENTERPRISE-EDUCATION AND SCHOOL STA-

TISTICS-CHURCHIES AND PREACHERS, ETC., ETC., ETC.

E ILM RIVER TOWNSHIP is bounded as follows: On the north by Zif Township, on the east by Mount Erie Township, on the south by Jasper and on the west by Bedford Township. Its position, as laid down by the Congressional survey, is Township 1 north, Range 8 east, of the Third Principle Me- ridian. The name given it at the time the county adopted the plan of township organi- zation, was that of Newton, but the name was subsequently changed to the present one, after Elm River, its principal stream, and the latter owes its cognomen, it is said, to

the largo quantities of elm timber that for. merly grow along its banks.

This township was not settled up as early as some others in the county, inasmuch as it comprised within its borders a large propor- tion of timber land, and consequently was not so easily accessible, nor so favorable to speedy cultivation and improvement; and furthermore, the early settlers, coming as they mostly did from Kentucky and Tennes- see, struck the southern and the eastern por- tions of the county first, and so the first settlement made in Elm River was several

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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.

years subsequent to the earliest in some other townships. Samuel McCracken is credited with having been the first one to settle with- in its present limits. He came it is be- lieved in the year 1823, from near Hopkins- ville, Ky., and he lived and died upon the place he first located. He first penetrated the township upon a mere venture, and was greatly surprised at hearing, when near the spot he afterward concluded to make his home, what sounded to him like human voices, and he soon discovered them to be such. A band of Government surveyors were on the ground, busily engaged in their " mysterious " work, and the meeting of all hands was very hearty and enthusiastic. Mr. MeCracken erected the first horse mill in the township, and it was operated for several years, supply- ing the all-important meal to the residents of the surrounding country. Jesse Fly and his five sons -- John, James, Jackson, Perry and Columbus, and his three daughters-Eliza, Sarah and Martha-came about the same time as McCracken, as did also Thomas Mayes, the latter the grandfather of T. J. Mayes, who was born in the township December 27, 1828, and is yet a resident of it. Jesse Fly also put up a horse mill in an early day, and ran it for several years. It was situated on Section 24. John McCracken, a brother to Samuel, followed the latter into the township but a few years later, and his eldest child, now Mary J. Cross, was the first child born in it. She is still living and yet resides near the place of her birth. William McCormick, William Fitch, Daniel Kelley and Aaron Flat followed the McCrackens and Flys but a few years subsequently, and the township settled upgradually up to 1850, during which year the population was materially increased by the arrival of many German families, and the German element is now numerically in the ascendency in the township; in fact

there are more in Elm River than in the balance of the county. In 1853, several fam- ilies came from Ohio and Indiana, and the arrivals from this date on became more rapid, giving the township a present population of 1,100.

The surface of Elm River Township is di- versified between woodland and prairie, and the soil which is of the dark grayish order is sufficiently rich to give abundant returns for the labor of the farmer. Good water is found at an average depth of twenty or twen- ty-five feet, although some wells in the town- ship are sunk as deep as sixty feet. The principal water-courses are Elm River and Deer Creek. The former winds its course across the township, nearly diagonally from northwest to southeast, and with its numer- ous small tributaries, affords ample drainage to a large scope of country. It is, however, subject to overflows to a considerable extent at nearly all times of the year, and some damage has been thereby done to the crops, etc., on land lying adjacent to its banks. Deer Creek enters the township in Section 31, from the west, and flows in a southwest- erly direction, leaving the township near the corner of Sections 34 and 35, and loses its name at its junction with Elm River in Jas- per Township.

Enterprise .- This little town is situated in the north part of Section 18, and stands upon land formerly owned by Jacob Bartlett, who was an early settler in the township. Bartlett sold the farm to Benjamin Cobourn, who a few years later disposed of the same to Jacob H. Biddle, who had the town plat- ted, named it Enterprise, and put up the first store in it. A post office was created at this point in 1852, and Henry Farnsworth was appointed the first Postmaster. He was suc- ceeded by the following in the order named: R. B. White, David Faurat, J. B. Tidball,

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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.

J. W. Ingram, T. J. Mayes, Jeremiah Mur- phy, William Zindle and L. D. Barth, the present incumbent. John Rinard, F. A. Kutz, B. Cooper, T. J. Mayes and J. W. In- gram have all merchandized in Enterprise successfully, as the town commands the trade of a large scope of country. The business references at the present time are a general store, L. D. Barth, proprietor; a blacksmith and wagon shop, by Louis Frehse, and G. W. Rucker, physician and surgeon.

In the matter of education, the early pio- neors were disposed to give this supreme subject the attention it deserved. They clearly perceived the inadequateness of the school facilities of their day, and they at once set about to improve them for the bene- fit of the following generation. The first schoolhouse built in Elm River was an or- dinary log hut with puncheon floors and slab seats, and it was taught by Russell Cur- ry. The following items, regarding the status of the schools of this township, are taken from the report of the County Super- intendent, and are for the year ending June 30, 1883:

Number of school buildings. frame, five; brick. one, and log, one. Number of pupils enrolled, 299. Number of teachers employed, 10. Average pay of same, males, $30; fe- males $22. Estimated value of school prop- erty, $3,000.

The church history of Elm River is short and easily told. There were no churches for several years after the earliest settlements, and religious meetings were in those days held in privato cabins and the early school- houses. The circuits of the pioneer men who labored hard and earnestly for the cause of Christ were very extensive and embraced a large scope of territory, and their visits at a place were seldom more frequent than once or twice a year. Rovs. Bennett and Spil-

man, both of the old Presbyterian school, were the first to dispense the precious Gospel truth to the scattered inhabitants of this town- ship. A man by the name of Griffy was an early Baptist preacher, and afterward taught school here, but 'left the country, it is re- ported, under circumstances reflecting little credit upon his morals. There are now three church buildings in Elm River, one a Bap- tist Church made of brick and called the Brick Church, situated on Section 24, and was erected in 1873 by the people of all de- nominations, but it has been principally used by the Baptist people. About the same time, the German Albright Evangelical Church was erected in the town of Enterprise, but was superseded in 1883 by a larger and more substantial structure, and the old build- ing is used as a storehouse in connection with the business house of L. D. Barth. This church is composed of the German residents, and a large and prosperous Sunday school is maintained, of which L. D. Barth is Super- intendent. The Brown Church, named so after the color of its paint, is a frame struct- ure, located on Section 23, and is used by all denominations.

The following is a list of the officers of Elm River since 1860:

Supervisors .- Henry Holtzhouser, 1860- 61; John Rapp, 1862; Henry Iloltzhouser, 1863-64; J. W. Atteberry, 1865-66; Henry Holtzhouser, 1867. From this time to 1873, the county was governed by what was called " The Five Horse Court." A. A. Campbell 1874-75; John Mann, 1878; A. A. Camp- bell, 1877; John Mann, 1878-79; A. 1. Campbell. 1880-81; Milton Holmes, 1882, and L. D. Barth, 1883.

Town Clerks. - T. J. Mayes, 1860-61-62; M. J. Morris, 1863-61; R. B. Wright, 1865; Richard McClure, 1866 67; A. Berninger, 1868; Richard McClure, 1869; J. W. Ingram,

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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.

1870; Peter Lewis, 1871: M. J. Morris, 1872-73-74-75; T. J. Mayes, 1876; J. T. Hendershott, 1877; J. T. Mayes, 1878; M. J. Morris, 1879; T. J. Mayes, 1880; O. S. Brown, 1881-82; L. E. Frazier, 1883.

Assessors .- Calvin Keeton, 1860; Joseph Fitch, 1861; R. B. Wright, 1862; Calvin Keeton, 1863; S. W. Trotter, 1864-65; Cal- vin Keeton, 1866; J. R. Shelton, 1867; Cal- vin Keeton, 1868; Milton Holmes, 1869; Cal- vin Keeton, 1870; J. S. Morris, 1871; George Marvel, 1872; S. W. Trotter, 1873; Calvin Keeton, 1874-75; John A. Russell, 1876; M. J. Morris, 1877; B. J. Smith, 1878; N. C. Phelps, 1879; M. J. Morris, 1880-81-82; and T. H. B. King, 1883.

Collectors .- P. Rogers. 1860; David Holmes, 1861; M. J. Morris, 1862; R. B. Wright, 1863; A. B. Rogers, 1864-65; T. J. Mayes, 1866; David Holmes, 1867; A. B. Rogers, 1868; P. Rogers, 1869; S. W. Trotter, 1870- 71; R. F. Atteberry, 1872-73; L. E. Fra-

zier, 1874-75; Calvin Keeton, 1876; Milton Holmes, 1877-78; J. A. Rogers, 1879-80; William McCracken, 1881; L. D. Barth, 1882; and Jasper Trotter, 1883.

Commissioners of Highways .- Anderson, Cox and McCracken, 1860; Trotter, Walker and Marvel, 1861; Laird, Rogers and Shel- ton, 1862; Laird, Rogers and Sharp, 1863; Laird, Walker and Johnson, 1864; Trotter, Walker and Fitch, 1865; Laird. Johnson and Jones, 1866; Walker, Stein and Best, 1867; Atteberry, Holtzhouser and Shelton, 1868; Atteberry, Laird and Walker, 1869; Johnson, Campbell and Marvel, 1870; A. A. Campbell was elected in 1871; J. Marvel in 1872; J. Vanfossen in 1873; A. A. Camp- bell, 1874; Joshua Graham, 1875; L. E. Frazier, 1876; Charles Mott, 1877; John Mc- Cracken, 1878; A. Holman, 1879; W. W. Laird, 1880; T. H. B. King, 1881; James Padget, 1882; and David Billington, 1883.

CHAPTER XXIII.

ZIF TOWNSHIP-BOUNDARIES AND SURFACE-ORIGIN OF NAME-FIRST SETTLERS-ZIF-RELIGIOUS AND EDUCATIONAL NOTES-AGRICULTURE-MAIN PRODUCTIONS- THE GREAT PRAIRIE FIRE, ETC., ETC.

THIS beautiful little township has the following boundaries and position- Clay County on the north, Mt. Erie Town- ship on the east, Elm River Township on the south, and Bedford Township on the west, and is designated as Town 2 north, Range 8 east, but includes only the southern half of this Congressional township.

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History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois, Part 31

Author: Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Chicago : Globe Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 704

Author:
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : Globe Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 704