USA > Illinois > Clay County > History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois > Part 45
USA > Illinois > Wayne County > History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois > Part 45
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In the same year and in company with Thomas Elliott, came Matthias Misenheimer, who settled on what is now known as the Seth T. Hinkley place. He first built a log cabin, and in 1820 he erected a hewed-log house. This house now stands on the hill just east of Raccoon Creek bridge, where it was removed a few years ago by its present owner. Mr. Misenheimer was a prominent citizen of the county, and was highly respect. ed by all who knew him. He died in 1845 on the farm he first settled. His sons Levi and John I., and his daughter, Elizabeth, wife of Thomas Golden, still live in this county.
There seems to have been but few addi- tions to the residence of the township until about 1829-30. In the former year Russell T. Logan settled in the north part of the township, on Buck Creek, and Johnson Furr, who came with him from Indiana, made his home just west of where Flora now stands. They both married daughters of Thomas Elliott. In 1840, Furr left this county, and finally went to Texas. Soon after this Logan settled on Section 21, on the farm which af- terward was the home of Allen Landreth, and is now owned by E. J. Bowen. Logan was a good farmer, and traded extensively in cattle and hogs.
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
In an early day, probably in abont 1836, Robert Bryant settled on the old State road west of Flora, near where the flax mill now is. He was particularly noted as a horse-thief catcher. It was a very common thing for those who had horses stolen to go for old " Bobby " Bryant, and it is said that he scarcely ever failed to get the horse or thief, one and frequently both.
In 1839, James Jacobs came to this coun- try from Indiana, and settled in Songer Township, near the line, and in 1842 his son Isaac married Abbey Colelasure and settled on Section 18, in this township, where he lived till a few years ago he moved to Flora, and is now one of the Justices of the Peace. In 1840, Ephraim Jenkins settled in the north part of the township, and is still one of our most respected citizens. Another of the old pioneers was William Nichols, who settled on the old State road between the El- liott and Misenheimer farms. Later came the Andersons, the Whites and many others who are still living and are among our wealthiest and most honored citizens.
The township was not closely settled at an early date, but the entries of the public lands were quite rapid as the following partial list will show, and had each entry represented a settler the population would have been quite large.
In 1820, entries were made by Matthias Misenheimer on Section 5, and by Thomas Elliott on Section 27. In 1836, by James McGrew on Section 16; on Section 12, by Isaac Halfacre; on Section 13, by Russell T. Logan; and by Jeremiah Vincent on Section 35. In 1837, by Robert Skuggs on Section 1, and by Elizabeth Halfaere on Section 12. In 1838, the following entries appear: Abraham Colclasure on Section 8, Micajah Brooks on Section 7, Silas G. Carter on Sec- tion 12 and Jacob Calclasure on Section 17.
In 1839, Martin Delaney entered land on Section 5, David Golden on Section 7. Thomas Golden on Section 17, John Thompson on Section 18, Merrit Young on Section 27, Harmon Mills and William Nichols on Section 31, and Robert Bryant on Section 34. In 1840, by Mckendree Thropp on Section 6, by John M. Griffith on Section 18. by William Young on Section 19, and by Ephraim Jenkins on Section 1. In 1841, by Thompson Miller on Section 1, by John Pettyjohn on Section 13, by James Jacobs on Section 17. and by Isaac Misenheimer on Section 32. In 1843, entries were made by James Sheller on Section 2, and by James Cook on Section 13. In 1844, by George Harter on Section 12, and by Moses Kerr on Section 13. In 1845, by Henry Furgeson on Section 27, and by James H. Sorrey on Sec- tion 31. In 1846, entry was made on Section 5 by Thomas Anderson, and on Section 11 by Peter Harter. In 1851, Daniel Gregory made a large number of entries in the town- ship, and William Topping made an entry on Section 11. In 1852, John Hitch, Allen Landreth. Samuel White. Wyatt S. Berry, Jones Talafora, Samuel J. Kinaman. Joseph Anderson and many others made entries in different parts of the township. In 1853, entries were made by Colson Chandler and N. B. Russell, and a large slice of the township seems to have been gobbled up by John S. Hayward and Robert H. Ives.
It has always been one of the character- istics of the American people in going into a new country to provide for the education of their children as soon as possible. This our people did to the full extent of their ability. In 1840, a small log house was built in the west part of the township for school purposes. This is believed to be the first schoolhouse in the township. Caleb McDaniel was the first teacher. About two years after this, a school-
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
house was erected on the State road this side of the Hinkley farm. Adam Curry taught the first school in this house. In 1846, a log schoolhouse was built on Section 18, where Felin Poe, who combined the two professions of teaching and preaching, taught the first school. He was a Kentuckian by birth, was considered a good educator, though a man of not much education. He believed, however, more in concussion than discussion, and did not spare' the rod when necessary. The first schools were generally subscription schools, and the teacher " boarded around " as part pay.
In 1852, a frame building took the place of the log schoolhouse in Section 18, which was the first schoolhouse in the township heated with a stove. In this house our hon- ored citizen, Judge R. B. Henry, wielded the birch for several terms. This house soon became too small for the rapidly growing district, and was replaced by what is now known as the Golden School, which, owing to the liberality and intelligence of its inhab- itants, has for several years been recognized as one of the best schools in the county.
From this small beginning our public schools have grown till, to-day, we have eleven schools in the township, employing twenty-one teachers, an average daily attend- ance of nearly 1,000 children, and school property valued at $50,000.
From the old elementary speller of then, we have to-day public schools with a course of study such as but few colleges possessed at that date. May our schools continue to grow till our children may be trained and educated in those sciences which must be . understood in the every-day business of life. Give the young people a taste for true knowledge, and you make each one capable of investigating facts and forming his own opinion, and thus he will be full of self- reliance in all the relations of life.
What account in life are purposeless, vacil- lating people, who adopt opinions and act upon them because adopted and proclaimed by others? How much do they add to the social, moral and political power of a com- munity? What better are they as voters than if they were so many baboons trained to the wonderful skill of dropping a furnished printed ballot into the hands of the judges of our elections ?
Any one can see that the leading features in the world's future history are to be dis- coveries and great inventions. In the future legends there will stand forever recorded as the foot-prints which mark the tread of the people of the last half of the nineteenth century.
Human labor will he made to yield ten times the product it now does. The work of unfolding nature has just begun, and our public schools are the foundations of all these; so cherish them for the prosperity of ourselves and for those who will soon take our places.
Bigotry and ignorance must not quench the fires of truth and true discovery. But few of the younger generation who live here now can realize that a few years ago this country was thickly inhabited by all kinds of wild animals. The buffalo, which once roamed all over this country in countless thousands, have not been seen here since the first settlement. But deer were here in large numbers as late as 1855, and even later than this some wandering ones were seen. Often the midnight-like stillness would be broken by the howlings of hundreds of hungry wolves, who would hold high carnival over the re- mains of one of the noble animals. Bears were found in the bottoms. Wild-cats, rac- coons, skunks, otters, mink, groundhogs, squirrels, opossums and rabbits were found in large numbers. The bloodshot eyes of the catamount might be seen glaring through
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
the foliage. Serpents were here in great profusion; copperheads, black snakes, blue racers, moccasins and adders predominating, with hundreds of rattlesnakes as an adjunct to this horrible scene. But they are nearly all gone now, and will soon exist only in the memory of the past, and thus will forever perish the game which to our forefathers were objects of mutual pleasures and dangers.
Squire Asa Sullivan informs ns that he killed three wolves one morning near where the depot now stands. in Flora, without mov- ing from h's trucks and i was wot but a few minutes till he hol to fly fo . his life. as the howler Ing" finds berat in col at all aron isUn One of the mostrecent al things a pioneer possesso i was his gun which every one he would A was his constant companion when away From home Tie pi so er wonki no more think of leaving las _ me without his gun than we would of going to church without a cart. All were hunters and this largen add hm imagens their families It might not be out of place at this point to give one or two hun ing inci- dents to illustrate how it was done in those days. In the winter of 1841-42, Mr. Asa Sullivan, who was a great hunter, and a man by the name of Miller left their homes one morning, went down on " Coon " Creek south of where Flora now is, selected a camping spot, erected some poles and small logs, which they covered with deer-skins, and stopped the holes with dry leaves. A "creep- ing hole" was left at one end, which. after getting inside, they would stop with a deer- skin. Thus arranged, they had comfortable quarters for the winter, but only remained two days, in which time they killed eleven deer, and cut one bee-tree which yielded over 100 pounds of honey.
When the Ohio & Mississipi Railroad was being built through this township. one of
the construction trains was in charge of a man by the name of Parsons. Now Parsons knew more about railroading than he did about hunting the wild beasts of the field; nevertheless he was exceedingly anxious to kill a deer. So, securing the services of one of the most noted hunters in this vicinity, he started out, resolved to do or die.
As soon as they reached "Coon " Creek timber south of Flora, they separated. It was not long before Parsons' gun was heard and he immediately set up a yell for his companion, who immediately repaired to his relief. think n.5 something had gone wrong; on reaching Mo and nqu ring the cause of so much disturbance, the conductor replied "By ginger, I've hi lad a sorrel hog." He was very andhis to pay for prsaily nog or the soret as a callar bu was informed that ne meei co do le him to further about it son al gore hogy scrape, a ' three- spiked 1 00 1 w them and was ur la o parefeu by the " old han des rige in The ands of Parsons' companion. Parsous coveted the honor of killing a deer, and being very donotful about performmy sua an mpo. tant piece of work, he offered his partner $10 to permit him to tell that he killed the deer. This kind offer was declined, but it was finally agreed that the hunter was to tell that Parsons killed the deer and Parsons was to tell that his com- panion killed the hog. With matters thus arranged, they placed the buck on a pole and with each end of the pole on their shoulders, they returned to the town where Parsons swore with all his power that the deer was killed by himself. This his fellow-railroad- ers were loath to believe, but as they could not prove otherwise the matter was dropped.
At the meeting of the County Court in September, 1861, a petition signed by Rich-
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
ard Talaford and fifty others was presented to the court praying them to submit to the legal voters of the county at the November election the question of township organiza- tion. A majority of the voters was in favor of the proposition, and at the December meet- ing of the court, Henry R. Neff, Daniel L. McCawley and Ethelred Nixon were appoint- ed commissioners to divide the county into towns or townships. And as a result of their labors, we have Harter Township, named in honor of George Harter, a prominent business man of Flora at that time.
The first town meeting after the adoption of township organization was held on the 1st day of April, 1862, at the residence of Samuel A. Stanford. Fred Pearce was the first Moderator and C. H. Murphy the first Clerk. At this meeting, N. A. Eddy was elected Supervisor, receiving 120 votes to 90 for Jeremiah Billings.
C. H. Murphy was elected Town Clerk; F. W. Poe, Assessor; James M. Haines, Col- lector; Noah B. Russell, Overseer of the Poor: N. E. Dye, Isaac Jacobs and J. L. Colclasure, Commissioners of Highways; E. B. Turner and James T. Shore, Justices of the Peace; D. L. Melton and James Porter, Constables. But little business seems to have been done at this meeting. A motion to hold the next annual meeting at the school- house in District 3 was lost, and it was de- cided on motion of Mr. A. R. Kenner to hold it at Flora, where it has been held each year since. The oath of office administered to those officers was not calculated to be favor- able to the formation of dueling societies, and such a clause seems altogether uncalled for in a State that can boast of but one duel and in that the challenged party was killed and the survivor hanged.
The following is the clause referred to:
"I do solemnly swear that I have not
fought a duel nor sent or accepted a chal- lenge; the probable issue of which might have been the death of either party, nor in any manner aided or assisted in such duel, nor been knowingly the bearer of such chal- lenge or acceptance since the adoption of the Constitution." And the unlucky official was further required to solemnly pledge himself that he would not be guilty of so gross a violation of his country's laws during his continuance in office. Probably the fear of violating their official oath caused some of them to offer their resignation, as we find that on the 5th day of August, 1862. E. P. Turner resigned the office of Justice of the Peace, and at a special election held Septem- ber 5, J. W. P. Davis was elected to fill the vacancy, receiving 49 votes to 37 for B. F. Cunningham. The voters of Harter seemed to be well satisfied with the workings of the system of township organization, for at the annual meeting in 1865, when the question was again submitted, the vote was 183 for and 19 against it.
February 3, 1865, an informal meeting of the citizens was held at the Christian Church to devise means to raise volunteers to fill the quota of the township under the President's last call. T. P. Vandaveer, President, and Daniel Gunn acted as Secretary. A com- mittee was appointed to solicit subscription for a bounty fund, and to report at an ad- journed meeting. On February 9, the com- mittee reported that twenty-five men could be induced to enlist for $100 each. The sub- scription not reaching this amount, it was agreed to submit a proposition to raise a bounty fund of $2,500 by a tax to the voters at the April town meeting.
It appears from this vote that 133 persons in the township were in favor of hiring some one to go to war, and that sixty seven were too old, or in some way not subject to military
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
duty, as that was the vote for and against raising the bounty fund. If voting on the question had been the only thing necessary, there would have been no further trouble, but unluckily for the majority, the funds had to be raised by taxation. At a meeting of the Board of Auditors, held June 8, 1865. it was ordered that a tax of S5 cents on the $100 be levied in accordance with the vote. Some of the citizens who had opposed this matter se- cnred an injunction to prevent the levy, and as it went before Judge Shaw, who at that time was strongly opposed to raising money to carry on the war, the township was for- ever enjoined from levying this tax.
Our people have always seemed very anx- ions to vote money whenever an opportunity offered. November 10. 1868, the township. by a vote of 300 to 42, donated to the Springneld & Illinois Sontheastern Railway, the sum of $20,000. Not having the $20, - 000-if they had it would not have been so easily voted- an election was held May 20 to decide whether bonds should be issued, or a special tax levied. The vote stood seventy. nine for issuing the bonds, and none against. The majority was not so large as in the orig- inal proposition. but more decided. The bonds were issued and delivered to Thomas S. Ridgeway, and the township still holds his receipt for the same. These bonds were funded May 17, 18S1, by a vote of eighty- four for to one against, at an election called for that purpose.
The new bonds run for twenty years, and are payable in five years at the option of the township, and bear six per cent interest.
Our township has been remarkably free from crime, only a few cases occurring to leave a black spot upon her fair name. These we will not attempt to describe, as they are mentioned in another part of this work. The original town of Flora was laid out, sur-
veyed and platted in February, 1854, by Ethelred Nixon. County Surveyor, John Brown, Trustee for Songer, Camp & Co., and Samuel White, and embraced eighty five acres of the west half of Section 25, Township 3 north, Range 6 east. White, who had en- tered and still owned the land, deoded ono- half interest in forty acres of land to John Brown, Trustee, with a view of securing the town and depot, as an effort had already been made to establish a town ono mile west called Mooresville, where over 100 lots had been sold and some building done. After the col- lapse of this town, the principal business house was removed to Flora, and is now known as the " Commercial House."
Messrs. White & Brown sold their lots at private sale, and among the first purchasers were Sol Finch, George Harter and George Gunn. One of the members of the firm of Songer. Camp & Co. had a very lovely daugh- ter named Flora, and this name was suggested for the infant town, and as the town was al- most completely taken by the large number of wild flowers, the name seemed to be ap- propriate, and was readily adopted, hence we have the name which is applied to our city. White's cabin, which stood upon the forty I acres, may be called the first house in Flora. It has long since disappeared. The old frame building adjoining the bank, and now occupied by W. C. Chaney as a residence and meat market, was the first house erected after the town had been laid out. White soon after put up a shanty, long since re- moved, in which he placed a stock of goods of general merchandise, which was the first of this kind in town. Ho soon after sold to Sol Finch, who took George Harter in as a partner. They continued in business till the death of Finch, when White became a partner in the store with Harter, with whom he did a successful business till the war.
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
Their first opposition was John Sheaffer; next, the firm of Gunn & Sons, Kenner Brothers, and later, Robert Medley, who kept the first exclusive grocery store.
The Gunns did business on the corner now occupied by Warner & Luse, in the frame building standing just west of there, used now as a carpenter shop, in which the first pro- tracted meeting Flora ever had was held.
In about 1855, the old Major House was built by Mr. Samuel White. It was first kept by Dr. Rinard, who was succeeded by Alex Dye; then Jeff Murphy had charge of it for awhile, and next Press Turney, and in 1859 it fell into the hands of the Majors, who kept it till 1872, when they built the large three-story brick which is now known as the Major House, where the hotel busi- ness is still carried on by Mr. S. J. Major and his sister, Mrs. M. A. Graham. Their business increased so that in 1882 they were compelled to build a large addition. The Whites kept the first boarding house and livery stable in Flora; they also own the first blacksmith shop.
The town of Flora was incorporated under the general law in about 1857, and in 1867 it received a special charter from the Legis- lature, by which the town has been governed since. In 1857, a small mill was built by N. A. Eddy, which supplied the wants of the people who were compelled to go to Louis- ville previous to this. In 1866, A. K. Tate, James Join, J. F. Adduddell and P. J. Ray- mond formed a partnership, and built the brick mill now owned by Mr. C. T. Johnson; owing to recent improvements and additions, this is now one of the best mills in Southern Illinois.
In 1866, a small flouring mill was built by the Pearce Brothers, and in 1880, Messrs. Cook & Chidister purchased the mill from Pearce Brothers, and ran it successfully till
July 24, 1882, when it was totally destroyed by fire. Mr. Cook went to work with his well-known energy, and on January 28, 1883, the Farmers' Mill was in full operation on the ground formerly occupied by the Pearce Mil!, and under the management of Cook & Snyder has been making money ever since.
In 1872, Mr. T. E. Hayward built the Oak Mills, and they have been under the manage- ment of him and his son, L. R., ever since. It has been a profitable investment to the owners. When the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad was finished. Flora became the principal shipping point for the country both north and south, the merchants of Fairfield, Jeffersonville and Johnsonville on the south, and Louisville, Bible Grove and Hord on the north, receiv- ing nearly all their goods from this place.
The building of the Springfield & Illinois Southeastern Railway brought the country on both sides of us in direct communication with the railroad, and the effect was noticea- ble among our merchants in decreased sales. What Flora lost, however, in the country trade was amply made up in railroad business.
When the Ohio & Mississippi took con- trol of the "Branch," the train dispatcher's office was moved to this place, and all trains are now run on orders issued from this office. When Flora was made a " station," George Harter was appointed the first agent. He was succeeded by H. G. Gunn, who had been the Adams Express agent, for some time. The office of agent at that time was a responsible one, as the depot was scattered all over the prairie, freight was unloaded wher- ever the train happened to stop, and the agent might find it if he could. The next agent after Gunn was A. R. Kenner, who was succeeded by J. F. Adduddell. Addud- dell did not have store room sufficient to store all the freight, whereupon he conceived the idea of building a depot.
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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.
This was done by subscription, and what is now used for the freight house was Flora's first depot, and was built by the liberality of her citizens. It was afterward purchased by the company. Adduddell was succeeded by W. G. MeCollough and he by the present popular agent, Del Beecher.
Nothing contributes so much to the life and prosperity of a place as good schools. This Flora has, and her energetic, liberal- minded people will always maintain to its fullest extent.
The first schoolhouse was built in 1856, on the lot just west of the Methodist Episco- pal Church. It was a small frame building, and the first pedagogne who presided there was Claib Brashew. School facilities were very limited till the old brick school- house was finished. May 26, 1865, a con- tract was entered into between the Board of Directors and John J. Simons, to build this house at a cost of $7,000. The contract to plaster and paint the house and fence the lot was made with Isaac Dye for $4,500. This building was a monster piece of rubbish and but few schools were taught in it before it was condemed by the directors. For sev- eral years the schools were almost entirely neglected; occasionally a room was rented and school was had for a short time.
May 29, 1875, an election was held to vote on the proposition to build a new school- house. It was carried by a good majority, and after considerable squabbling, which is very common upon such matters. The contract was let to L. L. Leach. Work commenced about the middle of August.
Our present magnificent school building was completed and received about the middle of November. It is one of the finest school buildings in the State, and is one of the first objects that attracts the attention on coming into town from any direction.
The first week in December, 1875, Mr. C. C. Hutchinson organized the first school. He was ably assisted by A. H. Moore. Mr. Hutchinson was followed after one year's work by Mr. B. F. Conner, who in time was succeeded by Mr. J. T. Hall.
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