History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois, Part 47

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 47
USA > Illinois > Wayne County > History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois > Part 47

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though the more skillful turned it in the water. If it was done on the land, the neighbors were invited. and all joined in Ifting the wooden leviathan and letting it fall on brush heaps and a multitude of hoop- poles, somewhat inclined, to break its fall. This was at endel with considerable risk of JEnarra, and the other way was preferred. This was to place a temporary board noning on one side and the ends Against his an (Oban \ment of earth wesen wed of the boat, and mus prepared it was lattened Int) the stream and owed by awls or sma ier boats into deep water. Wie sich. of the boat weighted with earth was placed across the current up the stream, and warum he I in this position the embanan ent of earth was broken in two places to allow De woer o run over the top. The weigh of the earth hold one side considerable lower than the other, and on being broken down the current got such hold of it as to turn it ri cht under the s ream. Great care was necessary to preven he em- bankment from being broken prematurely, and for those who managed the turning to escape a serious wetting by leaping into a small boat kept near a hand. When turned. it was hauted to shore by a cable previously fastened to it, and then completed. The "g uwales " we e trimmed off a. the prow to give it a proper "rake." Sides about four feet high were added by nailing elapboards on studding framed in the sills or " gunwales," and then the whole was roofed over with inch boards projecting over the sides to shed water perfectly, and rounded from one side to the other. the center being about six feet high. The sides of the boat and main part were made out of the very best white oak. About six feet of the stern was boarded off for a cabin, provided with bunks on either side, and a stone fire-place with "cat and clay " chimney. Sometimes three feet of the

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

front end was left inclosed to prevent the greater danger of snags, and when provided with sweeps on each side and a steering oar in the rear, the craft was complete. These boats varied in size, and would carry from 2,000 to 5,000 bushels of grain. At first each man was his own pilot, but as the busi- ness increased there were those whose fre- quent trips down the river gave their judg- ment a money value. These men, especially on the larger rivers, provided themselves with charts of the river, and set up as pilots. They were subsequently hired to navigate the boats, and were paid from $50 to $75 a trip, and later, according to the length of the boat, $1 per linear foot. From three to eight hands were employed as crew, at about $30 to $35 per trip, all employés being boarded on the trip, and all paying the entire expenses on their return. The whole cost of such a trip, including boat, was from $300 to $400, though a part of this was recovered by the sale of the boat in New Orleans, their destination, which lessened the net cost by some $25 to $75. or more provided the material was of carefully selected lumber and the market favorable.

The average trips took from three to six weeks, depending upon the weather. The start was generally made upon the spring flood, and, if the nights were clear and light, no snags encountered and no delays oc- casioned by "tying up" to the bank at night as a matter of prudence, quicker time than the above mentioned could be attained. But many favorable combinations of circum- stances were seldom known. These trips, though accomplished by men unfamiliar with the science of navigation, were not free from serious risks of personal danger or financial embarrassment. After steam- boats began to ply the Mississippi and Ohio, the danger of being run down by them, was

very great in dark nights, and the general practico was to lie by on such occasions. At first the only signal lights were torches, and, later, lanterns.

An experience is related: When one of these boats had entered a chute near one of the islands in the Mississippi, the crew heard a steamer coming up the stream. The channel ran close to the island, and the night being dark there was the greatest danger of a col - lision. A man was placed on the bow with a lantern, but the steamer seemed to be coming directly on the boat. The lantern was waved and everything possible was done to indicate the location of the boat to the steamer's pilot. but seemingly of no avail; but just at the point of contact the steamboat sheered off, but with so small space that the name of the boat could be read by the light of the lantern. On another occasion, a snag struck the rake of the boat so far back as to let the water into the cargo and as it could not be reached the boat began to sink. Fortunately it was loaded with corn in the ear, and after set- tling down more than half way, the boat floated and was subsequently saved. Though such incidents were common, the voyagers from Louisville never suffered any serious losses or accidents. In those days, a boat was finished near the mill, then towed up the river two miles and sunk to be raised again in the spring, but when the spring came the boat was found filled with sand and conse- quently could not be raised.

The crews of the boats would return home by way of St. Louis, the trip being made on steamers and costing $3. The trip from St. Louis to Louisville was made by stage and cost $1.50. Therefore, about $25 could be cleared each trip. This was good pay in those days, and as these trips were fraught with danger, they just suited the early set- tlers who rather enjoyed them. It was there-

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

fore always easy to get a crew. The first flat- boat was built by Dr. Green, Peter Sur- rells, George Goble and others, who took it down the river. The enterprise was watched with much interest, and on their safe return, new boats were built each year, till the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad was built in 1854, when W. H. Hudleson built and took down the river the last of these flat-boats, the first having been built about 1842. About three boats were sent down the river each year.

Wherever there is any business activity, the development of a village is certain. Be- fore the shipping business was started, a vil- lage had been made. A town was platted by Dr. Peter Green, J. L. Wickersham doing the surveying. The main part was situated on the south half of the southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of Section 23. The streets of the old town, and also the new one, at present run north 36° west and south 54° west. The street running parallel with the river was called Water street, and the second Sycamore street. Dr. Peter Green was a physician of more than ordinary ability, and an active, enterprising man, who realized the central location of the place, and, probably with a view of having the county seat relo- . cated in the future, he began early to buy up land around the town and promote its inter- est.". He was a native of Kentucky, and lived many years near Salem, in Indiana, where he ran a furniture shop, ox mill and distillery, on account of which latter occupa- tion he was expelled from the Methodist Episcopal Church. His fondness for liquor, or at least his persistence in having it around him, caused him much family trouble, and has cast a shadow over the otherwise com- mendable carcer of a man who has done much for Louisville, in fact more then any other man. While in Indiana, he also read medicine and practiced it with Dr. Harris for

two years before he came to Clay County, which was in 1829, locating in Maysville, then the county seat. The Doctor was mar- ried twice. His first wife, Mary Britton, who died in Indiana, was the mother of four children, viz., George, Margaret Sullivan, Mary Johnson and Rachel, who are all dead, but their descendants are yet living in this county and in Indiana. His second wife, Ann Jean, was a native of Indiana, but died in Louisville. She was the mother of five children, viz., Martha (wife of William Stoker, a prominent lawyer in Centralia), Sarah (deceased, former wife of Dr. J. Hal- lam, of Centralia), Adeline (deceased, former wife of M. Griffin, once a prominent lawyer of Louisville), Helen (wife of Dr. Allen Barnes, now a resident of Bloomington, Illinois), and Thomas (deceased). While Dr. Green lived in Maysville, he followed his profession mainly. In 1838, he . bought forty acres of land from Crawford Lewis, on which stood the old Goble Mill, whose one-half interest he sold to Morgan. On this land, the old town was laid out. Two houses were already standing; one was used by Morgan as a residence and the other by George Green for a store; this was the first regular store. In this building was after- ward held the first court since the relocation of the county seat.

About the time the old town was laid out, Capt. William Linn came here from Vandalia, then the capital of the State, and bought one-half interest in the town and mill of Dr. Green, the firm being known as Linn & Green. They brought on a heavy stock of gouds, astonishing the old settlers by their enterprise and their large variety of goods, keeping almost everything. They built an addition to the old store, and also built a pork house and began shipping produce down the Little Wabash River to New Orleans

HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

on flat-boats, doing a prosperous and well- paying business. The next store was built by Anthony Hobbs, who also kept a general store. He was finally bought out by his father-in-law, Isaac Coleman, who eventual- ly moved his store to Blair Township, on the Little Wabash, where he died. A mill that was erected by him there was well known as Coleman's Mill. Near it one of those bloody tragedies occurred which were too common in that township, and which is recorded in its annals.

The first dry goods and grocery store was put up by Jacob May, from Lawrence County, but now Richland County. He had run a store a long time in Claremont, on the old trail between Vincennes and St. Louis. He kept a fine stock of goods. The next store was kept by Alexander L. and Robert Byers, who kept in May's old store. John Mellrose kept a harness shop; William Levitt a black- smith shop; Star Parvin was a good carpen- ter and cabinet-maker, and Peter J. G. Terry made shoes for the people. This was the extent of the business men of the old town of Louisville, and though everything was in a primitive state, it was yet thought good enough, and suited the style and tastes of our old-timers. Dr. Green invested in land in and around Louisville, and at one time owned 600 acres. He was quite a leader in an early day, and a politician of some note. He was elected to the Legislature from this county, and while there presented a petition to relocate the county seat from Maysville to Louisville, and through his influence the Legislature passed a bill aud the county seat was relocated. The first court was held in George Green's former store room, and the prisoners were kept in another store building till the old jail was brought from Maysville. This was quite an affair, and more secure than almost any county jail of the present

day. It was made out of hewn oak timber. It had three thicknesses on the sides. It was in the form of a blockhouse, minus doors and windows, only one little hole at each end six inches square. Around the first layers of logs was put a second, with a space between, in which were put hewn logs upright, so that if the second, wall was cut through the logs would slip down continually. The top and bottom only had one layer of logs, but at the bottom was a thick layer of rocks. It was two stories high, but the top had doors and windows, and the prisoners were put in the lower part through a trap door, and were let down with a ladder, which was drawn up afterward. But no prisoners could live long . in the dark, dismal hole, and when they got sick were sometimes placed in the upper room, which was not as secure, and from which prisoners would sometimes escape, but never from the lower part. It was used till the new jail was built; the outer part of the old jail is now used as a stable by Dr. Boyles.

John Trapp, Sheriff of Effingham County, Faris Foreman, an attorney from Vandalia, and Bowman, Sheriff of Jefferson County, were appointed by the Legislature to re- locate the county seat as near the center of the county as would be convenient. They having chosen Louisville, it was platted by Blackburn, from Vandalia. The first addi- tion to the old town was surveyed by John Johnson. The streets ran in the same direc- tion as in the old town, north 36 degrees west and south 54 degrees west. The large blocks east and west of the public square are 80x834 feet, and the blocks north and south of the public square are 92 feet square; the others are in lots 92x833 feet. There is a stone planted on the southeast corner of the public square, also another on the northeast corner of Lot 89, and another on the south- west corner of Lot 1.

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

The house of Crawford Lewis was already standing when the new town was surveyed. It was then occupied by John W. Sullivan, Sr. The second house was built by Samuel Slocumb, who kept a liquor store. He and Jesse Surrells afterward kept a grocery store in the same building. This house was after- ward bought by Dr. Green, who built to it and put it in the shape it is to-day. He kept a very respectable hotel, and also used part of the building for a general store, including drugs. This was one of the best stores that was ever in Louisville; John W. Sullivan acted as clerk for many years.

The building was afterward sold to James David, whose widow married Judge L. S. Hopkins, who now keeps the Hopkins Hotel in it. The third building was put up by Peter Surrells; its weather boarding was made out of inch walnut, plowed and dropped; in it he kept a grocery store. It is yet standing on the southeast corner of the public square. In 1851, Hungate & Neff put up and kept a store in the north- east corner of the square. Teril Erwin was the first wagon-maker; his brother, Jarret Erwin, was the first blacksmith; another brother, named John, camo afterward and was a carpenter by occupation. Isaac Ed- wards kept the first regular drug store where Muench store now is. He was succeeded by Dr. Winans. The first hardware store was kept by Morey & Phifer, succeeded by John Erwin, who is yet in the business. Dolph Steinbrick kept the first harness shop. Charles Riggs, the first butcher shop, suc- ceeded by Darling Long. Joseph Holt was the first rogular brick mason, and it is said built the second brick house in Louisville for Allen Davis; it is now tho residence of Rob- ert McCullom, the present Sheriff. The cost of the building was very little, as Davis, who kept a saloon, got most of the work done

for whisky. The first brick building ever erected in Louisville was the old court house. A man by the name of Samnel Slocumb had the contract to build it. Ho was a stylish, fine-look- ing man, a good talker, and as unscrupulous as he was brilliant. His wife was a fine- looking woman, and pretended to keep a boarding house. He always had and made lots of money; betting was one of his mild vices, and on one of the Presidential cam- paigns won between $1,000 and $2,000. Of William Lewis, he won a span of fine black mares with silver mounted harness and a buggy, and also $500 in cash. James Mc- Cullum held the stakes. He was always well dressed, and almost constantly wore a plug hat. He had a novel and cheap way of getting the court house built, which was put up on the south part of the square. He paid the most of his men in whisky, and gener- ally the men were just a little overdrawn. Sometimes a man would fall out with Slo. cumb and quit, but as soon as he would get dry he would resume work on the old plan. Drinking whisky was hardly considered a vice in those days, when even women would go to horse-races and bet.

Johnny McCoine operated a distillery about one mile southeast of town. This was about 1845-50, but ho made hardly enough to supply the thirsty neighborhood. He kept it up only a few years. The name of " moonshiners " was unknown, nor did the United States Marshals have occasion to make raids, as every one could make as much whisky as he chose. It was made out of corn costing 123 cents per bushel, and would sell for 17 or 18 cents per gallon. The few old landmarks of those good old times who are judges of this beverage, and who are yet liv- ing, claim that it was superior to anything made now.

John MeGahan, from Kentucky, put up a 22

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

distillery two miles east of Louisville, where he made whisky about three years. After- ward Alfonso Erwin put up another distillery in town, but broke up after running it a few months. These distilleries were often the resort of the people, the majority of whom drank, and who would often indulge in a free fight in which pistols and knives were un- known.

McCoine also manufactured crockery on a small scale and of poor material. It looked very yellow, making mainly crocks, jugs and jars. Some of our good old dames who are yet living claim that that kind of ware was su- perior to our present ware, but it is only one of those ideas which is characteristic to the whole human race, namely, to cling fondly to those things that existed while we were chil- dren, and think of them as being superior. McCoine died here, and has descendants liv- ing in the county.

Louisville increased in population slowly, and the free and easy ways people had of buying and selling liquor continued till 1854, when the " Good Templars " started a society; the movement was fought with bit- terness; but they increased, and the next year selling whisky was prohibited, and W. H. Hudleson was appointed by the corporation of Louisville to act as agent, and authorized him to sell whisky for medicinal purposes only. He kept two barrels about three months. During that time he often had to get up two and three times in the night to fill a doctor's prescription for men who never got hurt, and, as he often strongly suspected, filled the saine bottle three times in one night, got disgusted and quit.

About this time, a " blind tiger" was start- ed southeast of town, so called on account of the blinds hung up in front of the door, be- hind which the dandies, business men, hunt- ers, farmers and loafers drank their toddies.

This saloon was afterward called "King Fish," it being situated near the bank of the river. The name afterward changed to " Horned Rooster," because John W. Sulli- van, Sr., had bought a rooster that had a horn on his head, and put it in the house. The price of admission to see the rooster was 10 cents, and a glass of whisky was thrown in. It afforded considerable amuse- ment, and was a financial success. Finally the temperance zeal abated and a saloon was started again in Louisville, only to be again driven out at the revival of the temperance cause.

Agricultural Societies .- It must not be supposed that the men of Clay County lacked business enterprise or were be- hind in promoting the interests of their county; this will be seen by the efforts that were made to foster agriculture and hor- ticulture, and establish societies and hold fairs. As early us 1858, a society was formed at Xenia, on the O. & M. Railroad, and a fair was held for several years. No grand dis- play attended this first effort, yet it was the starting point of a good enterprise. A space of about 100 feet was inclosed by bolts of brown cotton goods, better known as " do- mestic," which was kindly furnished by the merchants. Encouraged by the success which attended this small undertaking, the people of Louisville and vicinity organized an agricultural society in 1860. A stock com- pany was formed, who issued $1,000 worth of stock at $5 per share, nearly all of which sold readily. Messrs. H. R. Neff, J. P. Hungate, Dr. Green and M. H. Davis, who were all prominent men at that time, were the instigators and leaders in the enter- prise. In the fall of the above year, the com- pany bought four acres of land two blocks east of town, inclosed and improved it, and held a fair the same year, which was largely

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

attended, it being a novel feature to quite a number of farmers who had never been at a fair before in their lives; everything was done to interest the people, and to promote the interests of agriculture. As the popula- tion of the county increased and greater in- terest was manifested by the farmers, the old grounds were deemed too small, and in 1871 the society was re-organized and increased their stock to $2,000, and added a horticult- ural department. The new fair ground was situated three-fourths of a mile southwest of town, where the society had bought fourteen acres of land, which it improved. But it seems that with a change of location came a change of fortune, and although the first two fairs were a financial success, the next three were failures, and the society having to bor- row money from W. H. Hudleson, amount- ing to $600, with which to pay the prem- iums, which money Mr. Hudleson subse- quently lost, as the society, becoming dis- couraged, was disorganized and its property sold to pay a part of its debts. This ended the Clay County Agricultural Society, only to be revived again in after years at Flora, which being more of a business center, in- sures greater financial success. Another un- successful enterprise was started in 1856 by G. S. Wooden, who came from Ohio. He in company with John Colclasure and N. L. Martin built a steam saw and grist mill two and one-half miles north of Lonisville, on the Little Wabash River, which they operat- ed two years; but it did not prove a success, and was sold and moved away. G. S. Wooden afterward disposed of his property during the war, and in order to avoid the draft went to California, accompanied by his brothers- John, Elias and Joshua.

Among those things in Louisville Town- ship that are fast passing into oblivion we must here record the resting place of our

dead, the old Louisville Cemetery, situated four blocks south of the public square. People would bring their dead here from a distance of fifteen miles. About 300 are buried here. Grissom Lee was the last one interred. No tombstones of any kind exist tu mark the places of those that have passed away. Four Revolutionary soldiers - are buried here, among them was George Goble, Sr. At one time a man plowed up a good part of the cemetery, but when threatened with arrest, he desisted. A fence incloses a part of the ground which has grown up in brambles and berry bushes. A small Indian burying ground also exists in the south west part of the township, which was often visited by the red man of the woods, who, though untutored, yet obeys the voice of nature, and reveres his beloved dead. The new cemetery at Louisville is just outside of the corpora- tion adjoining the southwest corner of the town. It was located by Dr. Peter Green, who owned several hundred acres of land at that time around Louisville. A daughter of Dr. Green was the first person buried in it; and J. J. Spriggs dug the first grave.

Scoret Societies .- The A. F. & A. M. fra- ternity has a number of adherents in and about Louisville. They had a charter granted October 6, 1856. The following were char-

1 ter members: S. C. Sparks, W. J. Steven- son, Wyatt Cook, Isaac Martin, J. A. Apper - son, William McCracken and John Wooden. The lodge was named Louisville Lodge, No. 196. First officers were S. C. Sparks, Mas- ter; W. J. Stevenson, Senior Warden; Wyatt Cook, Junior Warden. Present officers: W. R. Whitman, Master; John Erwin, S. W .; G. A. Henry, J. W .; E. H. Hawkins, Treas .; G. W. Mills, Sec .; John W. Sullivan, S. D .; G. K. Johnson, J. D .; B. F. Surrells, Tiler. The present membership is about forty. Their meetings are held in J. C. MeCollumn's

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

Hall on Thursday night on or before each full moon. It is the oldest lodge in the county. Its present financial condition is good.

The I. O. O. F. fraternity also had a lodge here a short time, the history of which is re- corded in ths annals of Bible Grove Town- ship.

History of the Louisville Baptist Church. -This church was organized in the year 1841, by Rev. Thomas Vandinier, formerly of Washington County, Ind. This man of God had considerable ability as a preacher, whose history and labors belong to Indiana. There is but little known of this church from this date up to January 22, 1848. From that day to the present, the church has kept a rec- ord of all her proceedings. On the above date, the brethren met at the house of Deacon John Connely for the purpose of organiz- ing a Baptist Church. Rev. George Stacy was chosen Moderator, and Stephen Blair, Clerk. The minutes show the names of twelve persons who were recognized as mem- bers of the church. This church was called "Hoosier Prairie Regular Baptist Church." From this day the good Lord seemed to bless our brethren abundantly. Many precious souls were converted and added to the church as the fruit of the faithful labors of Rev. M. Stacy. He was the companion of Rev. J. M. Peck, formerly of New York, but sent to Illinois as a missionary by the Home Mission Society. He preached one year, and during this time the church prospered in faith as well as in numbers. About this time Rev. Blair was moved to exhort the peo- ple to flee from the "wrath to come." He had uncommon powers as a speaker, and in 1849 the church called for his ordination. On the third Sunday of July, 1850, Brothers I. H. Elkin and Blair commenced a pro- tracted meeting in Louisville, which contin-

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History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois, Part 47

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