History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois, Part 32

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 32
USA > Illinois > Wayne County > History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois > Part 32

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Zif occupies a most admirable position, being included almost wholly in Long Prairie, and its gently undulating surface

dotted here and there with its several large and beautiful private dwellings, presents a most pleasing landscape to the appreciative eye. The only timber within the limits of Zif, is situated in the western portion and northeast corner of the township, and is com- posed chiefly of the usual varieties of elm, oak and hickory. The soil of this township is generally of an ash-gray color, and al- though possessing less humus or organic matter than the black loamy soil of Central

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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.

Illinois, yet, is sufficiently rich to yield abundant returns under the intelligent labor of her prosperous farmers. The streams of this township are all small, yet afford a good and sufficient drainage to the whole territory embraced in it. They all flow from the cen- tral part in east and southwest directions.

The word Zif, which is a somewhat pecu- liar name for a township, was the one se- leeted by J. C. Patterson and W. R. Barker, who represented this portion of the county at the first convention held after the question of township organization had been affirmatively settled. It was patterned after the old He- brew month of the same name, and this we presume is all the significance it has. Con- cerning the early settlers, not much of the history regarding their advent into this town- ship could be ascertained. . The first pioneer to permanently locate within its limits is be- lieved to be John MeDaniel, who was an in- veterate hunter, and who raised a large fam ily here. William Tanner, Isaac Creek, John Parish and Jacob and Henry Reister were also among the first of the early set tlers. Jacob C. Williams, the oldest settler now living in Zif, came here from Ohio in 1838, and has resided in the township mostly ever since.

The little town of Zif, whose all consists in a residence or two, a store having a post office in it, all of which is owned and run by Mr. Ezra Banker, has never been laid off. The post office was established about the same time the township was organized, and the order of the successive Postmasters is as follows: J. C. Patterson, Levi Johnson, Louvina A. Sharp, and the present ineum- bent, Ezra Banker, who has had the office since 1868. He also keeps a general store, and has a large trade from the surrounding country.

The history of the early churches and 1

preachers is given at large in another por- tion of this work, and that of Zif is sub- stantially the same as that therein deseribed. The Zif Baptist Church, situated on Section 28, was the first church building erected in the township, and the church is still in a prosperous condition. The Methodists have a large and substantially built church edifice, where regular and largely attended meetings are held. It is situated on Section 20.

The cause of education has always received the studied attention it deserves at the hands of the people of Zif, and the primitive log cabin, with puncheon floors and slab seats, has been superseded by more pleasant and commodious structures, and there are now in Zif three of these latter, with other items in relation thereto, as follows, taken from the County Superintendent's report, for the year ending June 30, 1883:

Number of pupils enrolled, 113; number of teachers employed, 6; average pay of same, $25; estimated value of school prop- erty, $1,500.

As previously stated, Zif Township com- prises within its limits a seetion of country of high agricultural worth. Its farmers are generally prosperous and wealthy, and pos- sess in many instances from 400 to 800 acres of land each, which are devoted considerably to the raising of quality stock, although ad- mirably adapted to the successful production of the cereals, and, on the higher ground and ridges, to fruit culture, partienlarly that of apples, which latter has received the especial attention of the farmers for the last few years, owing to the happy discovery that a better portion of the Great West, for this purpose, could hardly be pointed out.

A brief account of a prairie fire, as given by one of the oldest residents of Zif, is here recorded. Only those who have seen the like_ can fully imagine with what terrific

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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.

rush and destruction it sweeps across the country, ofttimes distancing a horse npon the dead run, and spurred on perhaps by the frenzied anxiety of his rider to reach his dis- tant home and save his family and goods. Upon the occasion to which we refer, and it occurred in the fall of 1843 when the prairie in Zif was as yet unsettled, the wind which was in the southwest, suddenly shifted to the northwest, apparently to meet and combine forces with a huge black clond that had gathered in that quarter, and backed by this

the fire that had caught the prairie to the north came on with a terrible velocity and vengeance, sweeping everything in its path- way, and destroying game in large quantities, and also many horses and hogs that found no time to escape from its fearful onslaught. A rain, that had come up in the meantime, put a stop to the scene, and probably saved some of the lower settlements along its in- tended path from partial if not total de. struction.

CHAPTER XXIV.

MOUNT ERIE TOWNSHIP-INTRODUCTION-BOUNDARIES-EARLY SETTLERS AND INCIDENTS ALEXANDER RAMSEY-TOPOGRAPHY-CHIEF PRODUCTIONS-MILLS-THE VILLAGE OF MOUNT ERIE-WIIEN AND BY WHOM LAID OUT-ITS PRESENT BUSINESS REPRESENTATIONS-LODGES-CHURCHES-SCHOOLS, ETC., ETC.

T HE historian, to whom is ascribed the pleasant yet ofttimes perplexing task of gathering together the tangled threads from which a comprehensive recital of the historical happenings incident to the time of the conn- try's early struggle for occupation and devel- opment can be given, has to nsnally contend, among other obstacles, with that of a consid- erable lack of details and of preciseness in names, dates and early records, and these constitute the very elements of despair in his endeavor to reach a satisfactory conclu- sion of his labors. The pioneer generations have nearly all passed away, and with them has unfortunately gone a share of the inter- esting and valuable history concerning days long gone by. Such history is certainly as interesting and instructive as it is varied and strange. To sit by our firesides at the pres- ent day and be enabled by means of the im-

proved facilities in writing and printing to read the romantic story of the stanch and ad- venturous pioneer, to study his character and habits, and to learn of his manner and means of gaining a subsistence in the hitherto un- explored domain of wild men and beasts, is indeed a source of extreme satisfaction and profit. There are happily a few old settlers yet left us, whose infancy was spent amid the romantic scenes of early times, and whose memories still retain the innumerable descrip- tive stories told them in days of old at the old fireside by their fathers and grandfathers, and we snatch these as we would a child from the burning building, lest they are all con- signed to oblivion, and the future know little of the interesting past.

Mt. Erie Township, to the history of which this chapter is devoted, revels in historical occurrences of the greatest importance. The

yours truly

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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.

territory embraced within its limits comprises some of the richest farming lands in the county of Wayne, and it is no surprise that it was among the first to be settled up. The one and one half Congressional townships, Township 1 north and the south part of Township 2 north, Range 9 east, of the Third Principal Meridian, of which Mt. Erie is now composed, were formerly and previous to township organization included in Long Prai- rie Precinct, which latter was also called by some for a few years Mt. Erie Precinct.

The present boundaries of the township are: On the north. by Richland and Clay Counties; on the east, by Edwards County; south, by Massillon Township: and west, by Elm River and Zif Townships, which situates it in the northeast corner of Wayne County.

Alexander Ramsey came into the township on a prospecting tour in the latter part of the year 1818, and on Christmas night ar- rived at the foot of the hill on which the village of Mt. Erie now stands. No wonder that he paused here. A large and beautiful spring, whose crystal waters glistened and sparkled in the sunlight, sent forth a spon- taneous invitation to him to stop and freely partake of its refreshing draughts. It was situated at the foot of the hill and in the midst of a grove of the finest and most lux- uriant growth of white oak timber that his eyes had ever beheld. This, with the beau- tiful prairie which stretched for miles before his anxious gaze, so gontly undulating and dressed in the garments of nature, undis- turbed, with a broad river winding its rip- pling and solemn way through the pictur- esque scene to the north, caused him to make a halt, which he did, and here, upon the same spot, he died in 1856, at the advanced age of ninety-two years. He named the grove spoken of, and it was known by his name for upward of forty years. Mr. Ram-

sey was born in South Carolina, and when only sixteen years of age entered the service in the Revolutionary war, and served during the last two years of that memorable struggle for liberty and independence. Coming with Mr. Ramsey into the township were his son James, Alexander Nisbet, William Farmer, William McCormick, and possibly Andrew Bratton. The balance of Mr. Ramsey's fam- ily, consisting of his wife, two sons and two daughters, followed him shortly afterward, as did also the families of the others men- tioned, with the exception of McCormick, who was a single man. The old settlers were usually ardent hunters; especially was old Mr. Ramsey fond of the hunt and chase, and many a bear and deer have succumbed to his unerring aim. The last bear killed in Mt. Erie Township was shot by Alexander Nisbet. A man by the name of Thrasher came into the township from Kentucky in 1819 or 1820, and died a few years after- ward, being the first grown porson that died in the township. William Whitford and family, and families by the name of Davis and Stinson, came a year later, as did also William Fitch, who afterward moved into Elm River Township, and Anthony Street, both latter of whom came from Tennessee. John Rice located here about 1827, and died in the township. About the same year, David Ray and family came from Tennessee, and after residing in Mt. Erie about fifteen years moved into Brush Creek Township, where he died. About 1825, William Farley and family came from Kentucky, and he died here at an old age. His son, Andrew J. Farley, still resides in the township, and a daughter, Jane, is also living, the wife of John Fitch, a farmer in Elm River Township. Joseph, Hugh and James Walker, three brothers, came from Indiana here in 1832, and the following year Charles and James

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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.

Vanderveer, Larkin and Gillison Price and Jesse Williams, coming from the same State, located here also. Settlements were less rapid up to about 1850, in which and several subsequent years there arrived many families from Ohio.

Mt. Erie Township, as before stated, lies in a rich farming section of country. It is diversified between woodland and prairie, and the soil is usually light or grayish and very rich. The principal timber of the town- ship, composed chiefly of the various varie- ties of oak and hickory, is found along the course of the Little Wabash River, which en- ters the township in Section 19, Town 2 north, Range 9 east, and leaves it in Section 12, Town 1 north, Range 9 east. Miller Creek, a small stream, rises in the south part of the township, and flowing northeast empties into the Little Wabash. As pure water as is found anywhere in the county is found in Mt. Erie at an average depth of twenty feet. though there are a few wells that have a depth of sixty feet.

The chief productions of the township are the usual varieties of grain and the seed of the red-top grass, the latter being one of the chief productions of this and the surrounding country. The farmers of this section give considerable attention to stock, including principally the finer and hardier breeds of cattle and hogs.

Among the first things to claim the atten- tion of the old settlers was some kind of a mill by which their corn could be converted into meal, and this was one of supreme im- portance. The old stump mill had been su- perseded by the horse mill, and the first ma- chine of this description brought into Mount Erie Township was run by old Alex Ramsey for about fifteen years. It was located where Mount Erie Village now stands, and its suc- cessor was one put up in the east part of the

township by James Bradshaw, about 1840 and this was operated for ten years. The first steam mill was erected in the village of Mount Erie in the year 1866, by William Schwarberg; a grist mill was added, and a carding machine subsequently attached. It was sold to Price & Nisbet, who ran it for five years, when it was sold to Price, Bald- ridge & Co., who shortly afterward built a new mill, now known as the "Gem Mills," and operated by Miller, McCollum & Co.

A substantial bridge, having a total length of 140 feet, and resting upon wooden piers, was built by the county in 1880 across the Little Wabash River, in the north part of the town- ship. It was built at a cost of $1,300, and is of infinite advantage to the residents of the township on both sides of the river.

The Village of Mount Erie .- This is a most beautiful little town, situated on a consider- able rise of ground in the south part of Sec- tion 17, of Town 1 north, Range 9 east. Its corporate limits include, 240 acres of land. Seen from a distance, it presents an extreme- ly romantic and picturesque scene, reminding one of some ancient citadel, reared upon the crest of a lofty hill. The original plat con- sisted of ten acres of ground sold by Alex- ander Ramsey to Nathaniel Travers and Jon- athan Copley, with conditions in the deed that the latter two would lay out a town, which they did in the year 1853, the plat being surveyed by William Whitacre, then County Surveyor. The town was to be named Ramsey, but Mr. Ramsey himself pre- ferred "Mount Airie," and this latter name was given it. The first building erected in town was a little frame hut, put up by William Copley, and used by him as a dwelling and store. A post office was created at this point in 1856, and Andrew Crews was appointed the first Postmaster. He was succeeded in the order named: By A. F. Nisbet, Edward

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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.

Willey, L. Mayo, V. R. Price, and J. T. Price, the present incumbent. Mount Erie Lodge, No. 331, A., F. & A. M., was organ- ized in 1858, with the following charter members: E. Boor, George L. Camp, C. McElvy, J. T. Price, J. M. McCormick, Ed- ward Willey and J. C. Williams. The first officers were: E. Boor, W. M .; G. L. Camp, S. W .; J. M. McCormick, J. W .; J. T. Price, Sec. ; C. McElvy, S. D .; J. C. Williams, J. D .; and E. Willey, Treas. The present (1883) officers are: A. N. Nisbet, W. M .; M. H. Sheldon, S. W .; L. Wright, J. W .; J. W. Vanderveer, Sec .; J. T. Price, Treas. ; D. Holmes, S. D .; and F. M. Yohe, J. D. The Lodge is in a prosperous condition, owning their own property, which includes a neat and commodious hall, and has a membership of about forty. The principal business rep- resentations in the village are as follows: General stores, by J. T. Price & Co., A. F. Nisbet & Son, Vanderveer & Bradshaw, and Camp & Quinby. Hardware, Carson & Van- derveer. Milliners, Mrs. Holt and Mis. Helen Blackford. A fine saddle and harness shop, two blacksmiths, one wagon-maker's, and one cabinet-maker's shop. The resident doctors are Mundy, Blackford and Sheldon. Mount Erie supports an excellent graded school, employing three teachers. The builds ing is a large frame structure, erected in 1866, and is divided into three grades, under the management of Principal Stats, with able assistants Lillie Holmes and Ella Kron- miller. Mount Erie has two church build- ings, both frame structures, one built by the Presbyterians in 1856, with William Finley as first pastor, and the other by the Method- ists, two years later, and this latter church

is still in a flourishing condition. Rev. John Reader is the present pastor. The outlook for the little village of Mount Erie is bright. Her people are an enterprising one, and she possesses an admirable location, which, with the ample railroad facilities soon promised, bespeak for her a progressive prosperity for all time.

The early church and school history of Mount Erie Township is substantially the same as elsewhere, and receives adequate at- tention in other chapters of this work. Jacob E. Reed came through this country on his circuit at a very early day, and Alexander Blakley was the first pastor of the Methodist Church. Revs. Spilman and Bennett, both Presbyterians, paid annual visits to this sec- tion, and dispensed the Gospel to its scattered residents. The only church building outside of Mount Erie Village lies a few miles south- east of the latter, and is known as the Mc- Kendree Chapel. It was built by the people generally, but has been used principally by the Methodists.

The first school taught in the township was by a man by the name of Camp, and the lit- tle log schoolhouse was situated but a short distance southeast of Mount Erie. Russell Curry succeeded Camp, and taught in the same building. The following items regard- ing the schools of Mount Erie Township are compiled from the official report of the County Superintendent, and are for the year ending June 30, 1883:

Number of frame schoolhouses, 7; number of pupils enrolled, 591; number of teachers em- ployed, 1.1. Average pay of same, males, $35; females $25. Estimated value of school property, $4,000.

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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.

CHAPTER XXV.

ARRINGTON TOWNSHIP-BOUNDARIES-FIRST SETTLERS AND INCIDENTS-UNCLE JIMMY SIMMS- TOPOGRAPHY-CHIEF PRODUCTIONS-MILLS-SIMS-CINCINNATI AND COVINGTON -EARLY SCHOOLS AND TEACHERS-CHURCHIES-OFFICERS, ETC.

A RRINGTON TOWNSHIP has the fol- lowing boundaries: On the north, by Indian Prairie Township; on the east, by Lamard and Big Mound Townships; on the south, by Four Mile Township; and on the west, by Four Mile and Hickory Hill Town- ships. Within its limits are comprised Con- gressional Township 1 south, Range 6 east, and sixteen sections of Township 2 south, Range 6 east. The township took its name from the large and beautiful prairie included within its borders, and the prairie was named in honor of Charles Arrington, one of its first settlers. Previous to his arrival, however, there came Thomas and George Walton, brothers, and Joseph White. They were all natives of the north part of England. They had heard of the glorious land of liberty and plenty, and in the year 1818 crossed the ocean, and pushing for the far West, passing State after State, never resting their weary limbs until they reached beautiful Arrington, when they halted, satisfied that this was the place to make their homes. But poor Thomas did not have long to enjoy the expected pleasure and happiness surrounding his new abode, for in but two short years he died, his death being the first in the township. His brother and Joseph White lived here, and died many years later. Charles Arrington came from Tennessee, bringing his family with him. He resided here about twenty years, and moved to Williamson County, Ill., where he

probably lived until his death. John, a son of Joseph White, was the first child born in the township; he was born about 1824. James Simms located here in 1821, after having lived in Big Mound Prairie for a few years. He was born March 7, 1792, in Buck- inghamshire, England, and was twenty-seven years of age when he sailed for America, be- ing about five weeks in crossing the ocean. He is still living, and is yet a resident of Arrington. He still possesses a retentive memory, a strong voice, and is remarkably active for one of so advanced an age. He has several children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren living, most of whom are residents of the township. James and Lewis Warmick and Peter and Henry Ooley came from Kentucky, and located here at an early day. James Turner was also an early set- tler, and a man by the name of Dewey came about 1824. Dewey came up the creek in a boat of some kind, on which he had his fur- niture and cooking utensils, and during the trip his skillet was lost in the stream, and this circumstance, if it served no other pur- pose, gave at least a name to the creek, and Skillet Fork has retained it ever since. Will- iam Simms, a brother of James, of whom we have spoken, and his nephew William, James Edge and his two sons, John and Cornelius, all brought their families, and settled here very early. They came from Ohio. A man by the name of Eddings and his son came

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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.

from Tennessee, and located here at an early day also, but after a short residence left for some more northern county. Among other old settlers were James Cissna and Richard Grant, the latter of whom came from En- gland. Isaac Harlan and William Harlan. both of whom came from Kentucky, and a man by the name of Tubbs, who emigrated here from Ohio. After 1850, many families came here from Ohio and the Eastern States. Thomas Wilson and family, Israel Foracre and family, George Hilliard and M. M. Wheeler were among those who came abont that time. M. M. Wheeler settled in the county in 1823, and located in this township in 1852, after residing in Barnhill and Leech Townships. The settlements in Arrington have been quite rapid during late years, and the township shows a present population of upward of 1,600.

Arrington Prairie is about ten miles in length by two to three in width, and is in- cluded almost wholly by this township. The soil is somewhat varied, being loamy in some places, but is generally made up of a yellow- ish elay, possessing strong productive qual- ities, and yields abundant erops of every- thing that can be grown in this section. It is particularly adapted to wheat-growing, and to look across the prairie just before harvest. one might think that every acre was devoted to the cultivation of that staple cereal.

The principal water-course is Dry Fork, which enters the township in Section 2, Town 1 south, Range 6 east, and flows through its entire length, due south, and leaves it from Section 14. Town 2 south, Range 6 east. Its numerous small tributaries, with those of Skillet Fork, which barely crosses the corner of Section 7, Town 2 south, Range 6 east, afford ample drainage to the entire seetion. Dry Fork derives its name from the fact that there are no springs in it, and it contains

water only during wet seasons. It ofttimes overflows, however, doing considerable dam- age to erops, etc., on lands lying adjacent to its banks. The only timber in the township lies along the streams, and it consists chiefly in oak, hickory, sweet gum, elm and maple. Good water is usually found at an average depth of twenty feet, though in some places wells have to be sunk considerably deeper.

It was not long after the first settlement in Arrington that a mill was put up. Mills were among the first things claiming imme- diate attention. The early pioneers had to eat, and some kind of an arrangement by which their corn could be converted into meal was therefore a matter of supreme im- portance. The first mill in this township was put up by Jonathan Whitson. It was a horse mill, and was located a short distance northwest of the present little town of Cin- cinnati. About the same time, Wesley Staton erected a water mill on Dry Fork, and Ben- jamin Mabery built the dam. No traces of either one of these are now visible. A steam grist and saw mill was built about twenty years ago on Section 36. Town 1 south, Range 6 east, by John Walton and Alfred Denny. It is known as the Covington Mills, and is at present operated by Simms & Stan- ley.

The little town of Arrington, called also Simms, or Sims as the Post Office Depart- ment spells it, was laid off in the summer of 1882 by James Hilliard, County Surveyor, on land belonging to John Simms, and the post office took his name. The original plat consisted of about twelve aeres, and there have been no subsequent additions. The town is located on Section 9, Town 2 south, Range 6 east, and is on the line of the Louisville, Evansville & St. Louis Rail- road. A post office was created at this point in 1882, and J. M. Logan was appointed the

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HISTORY OF WAYNE COUNTY.

first Postmaster. He was succeeded by S. S. Palfreeman, the present one. There are two general stores here, kept by J. M. Logan and Bright & Burkett. Cincinnati and Coving- ton are two rival little towns situated on opposite sides of Dry Fork. Whether they will reach the proportions of the cities of the same name on the Ohio we cannot say. Cov- ington has a post office called Pin Oak, with Elizabeth Potter as Postmistress.

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History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois, Part 32

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