History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois, Part 55

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 55
USA > Illinois > Wayne County > History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois > Part 55

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and Margaret (Brewner) Blair, died here, leaving six children-Margaret Richardson, Rebecca Conley, Stephen. Fountain, Adeline Nash and Nancy Hodge. His present wife is Mrs. Nancy T. Waterbury, who is the mother of several children. The parents of Theodore and Thomas MeKnelly were John and Rebecca (Pridemore) McKnelly, who came to this township later in the same year that their sons did. John McKnelly and wife died in this county He was a native of Ireland, and she of Scott County, Va. She reared nine children-James, Daniel, Polly Rhoda, Catharine Hoskins, Thomas, Theodore, John, Peggy, Martin and Susannah Shields. Of these, only Theodore is now living. Jesse McGee, the father of the Mc- Gee families in this township, came here in 1839. His father was Henry McGee, a na- tive of County Tyrone, Ireland, from which he was brought to this county by his father, John McGee. This was before the Revolu- tionary war. . Jesse McGee brought his wife, Elizabeth (Kellum) McGee, and five children to Blair Township -- Henry, Eliza- beth Brocket, Jane Blair, Miranda Blair and William; three other children were born here-Ann Brocket, James (deceased) and John; these children are all living in this county except Ann Brocket, who lives in Effingham County. Henry McGee, the old- est and most wide-awake of these children, is married to Lonisa J. Evans, daughter of Ransom and Anna (Morris) Evans, and. is the mother of five children-William T., Anna E., Emma J., Louella and Martha M. Crawford Lewis was another old settler; he lived in Louisville, which was named in his honor, but sold out to Dr. Green and came to Blair Township, settling in Section 3; he died in Clay County, Ill. He was a native of Floyd County, Ind., and was married to Elizabeth (Neal) Lewis, a native of Indiana.

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

She was the mother of seven children-Lydia A. Colburn, Priscilla Hord, William, Adeline Blair, Levina E. Bland, Caroline Evans and Elizabeth Compton. Crawford Lewis is mentioned in another part of this work in connection with the history of Louisville. He was a great hunter and one of the better class of the Lewis family.

The Blairs, after whom the township was named, were among the first to settle here. Several sketches of descendants of the old families appear in the biographical depart. ment of this work. They all have descend- ants living in this township. James Blair, a brother to Jesse and Josiah Blair, Srs., came here in the fall of 1839, two years later than the main body of Blairs; he also came from Indiana, and settled on Section 15. He brought his wife and nine children; his wife's maiden name was Margaret Hughes. The children are Elizabeth A., Irena, Solo- mon, Stephen, David, Nancy, William, Susan- nah and Samuel. Emily, another child, was born here. James Blair was a farmer by oc- cupation, and died here. The coming of the Blair family added materially to the pros- perity of the township, and was an aid to all moral and religious undertakings, as schools and churches were fostered by them.

Levi Ooton came here from Indiana about 1840. He settled in Section 21, and died here. His wife, Alpha E. Ooton, was the mother of eleven children, of whom five are now living in this township. viz .: Jeremiah, Silas, Elizabeth Beal, Nancy Johnson and John. Levi Ooton had many odd ways, but was a good man withal. John A. McCau- ley, a native of North Carolina, came to this township from Indiana in 1841, and settled in Section 34; he afterward moved to Section 21, and finally bought eighty acres in Section 22, where he died in 1851. His wife, Indi- ana (Shirley) MeCanley, a native of Ken-

tucky, is yet living. She is the mother of six children, viz .: Sarah J. Brewer, de- ceased; William, at present Supervisor of the township; Harriet Beal; Mary A .; Amanda, deceased, and Margaret C. Burnsides. Will- iam MeCauley is married to Mary E. Willis, a native of Indiana, a daughter of William and Nancy C. (Eytchison) Willis, and is the mother of six children. John Freeman also came from Indiana, and died here. Hecame here about 1841, and was then an old man. His children-Samuel, William, John, Ruth Hord, Minus, Mark, Lemons, whose daughter is yet living in this township; Anderson and Rebecca Johnson are either dead or living in other countries. George Hord settled in Blair Township about 1841; he died here. He came from Indiana, and is a native of East Tennessee. The following children are now living in this township: John, Caroline Davis, Thomas B. and Cynthia A. Roberts. Of the following old settlers but little is known, except that they at one time lived in this township: Louis Ford, Zack Spurling (lived here in 1839), William Edwards, John Conley, Vinsen Krouse and Dowthard.

As early as 1840, the people of Blair Township became interested in educational matters, and tried to secure its advantages to their children. In the above named year, . William Williams built a dwelling house on Section 34, and taught three months' school, on the old subscription plan, the tuition averaging about $2 per pupil. The next year, in 1841, a man by the name of Laws taught another three months' school in a log house, with a stick and clay chimney on Sec- tion 23, the schoolhouse being built by vol- untary support. Joel Yancy Rhodes taught the next school in the same building, after which it burned down. After that, several like the above-named schoolhouses were erected in different parts of the township, the tuition

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

being $2 per pupil, and they had to carry their own wood and water. A schoolhouse was put up in Section 34, in which Joel Y. Rhodes taught, who was succeeded by Martin Krouse, who was succeeded by Asa Sullivan, after which the house burned down. About this time the free school system was intro- duced, and the old log schoolhouses became a thing of the past. There are now five frame schoolhouses in the township, costing $2,500. School statistics of last year: Number of pupils of school age, 328; males, 166; females, 162; enrollment, 262, males, 139; females, 123: number of teachers. 7; males 6; females, 1: salary, males, $30.13; females, $20 per month. Total expenditures, $1,757.62.

Joel Y. Rhodes, one of the early teachers, was a famous scholar, a descendant of one of the best Old Virginia families, but he was a confirmed drunkard and a dangerous man; he made himself infamous by beating his scholars in a brutal manner, and for brutality exercised in his own family, for which latter offense he was sent to the penitentiary for ten years. He had been two years in the penitentiary of Indiana for killing a man. He afterward returned to this country, but wandered off, no one knew whither and no one cared.

Churches .- The light of the Gospel is shed over a portion of Blair Township fro the Second Little Prairie Baptist Church and Union Chapel, also called New Light Church. Meetings were held in an early day in the homes of settlers, at which traveling min- isters officiated. As early as June 23, 1855, a Christian Church was organized in the north part of Blair Township, by Elder Stephen J. Williams, who continued to be their minister as long as the organization lasted. The first members were Stephen J. Williams and wife, Augustus F. Bougher and wife, George Kirkpatrick, William N.

Blair and wife, Nancy M. Adams, Henry Vandyke and wife, Alpha Ooton, Francis Jordan, James Ooton, Sarah E. Dunbar and Harmon Spriggs. Very little of the workings of this church is known, yet considerable good was done. The Lucas Creek Church was organized September 5, 1861, by Elder S. J. Williams and Elder Nathan Wood; the latter being chosen pastor. A number of the old members were present, and the meet- ings were held in H. Vandyke's Grove in good weather, and in his house in bad weather. Nathan Wood continued to be their pastor till 1867, when Union Chapel was built on Section 14. The building is a frame and cost $1,342.36. Since the com - pletion of the building, Rev. M. G. Collins has been the main minister, at times assisted by Rev. Nathan Wood. Two other denomina - tions, the Campbellites and Baptists assisted in the building of Union Chapel, hence its name. At present the Now Lights or Chris- tians, Campbellites and Baptists hold meetings in this church. A Sunday school is held at this church, of which Mr. William McCanley is Superintendent; William Beal, Assistant Superintendent; A. Beal, Secretary ; and P. R. Brewer, Treasurer.

The Second Little Prairie Baptist Church was organized May 28, 1870, by Rev. G. W. Borcus, who acted as Moderator, and by the following members: Lewis A. Tolliver, Fran- cis Tolliver, W. G. Tolliver, C. A. Tolliver, G. W. Tolliver, M. E. Tolliver, Lewis Ed -. wards, R. E. Ranes, C. A. Monroe, Susan Monroe, R. Blair, Martha Blair, John Ooton, Jane Ooton, Jesse F. Eytchison, Jerry M. Tucker, Elizabeth Tucker, William Tucker, Mary J. Tucker, Elizabeth Banks, Nancy Kellums, Sarah E. Cogswell, Eliza J. Burton, James H. Ranes, Sarah J. Ranes, Mary J. Tolliver, Sarah F. Cogswell, Lona Monroe, Elizabeth Carter. Ruth E. Richards, Allen

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

Monroe. George Blair, Maranda Blair, Emily Stallcup, Harden Burton, Elizabeth Monda Burton and Eliza J. Hartsey. The first min- ister called was Elder W. C. Mitchell. The next, Elder W. B. Lively. Elder E. Patton, Elder J. H. Elkin. The church building is a frame, and is situated in Section 34.

Counterfeiters .- About the years 1863 and 1864. a number of men on the west side of Little Wabash made counterfeit money. They had long been snspected by the better citizens of Blair and adjoining counties, and a surprise party was arranged for their spe- cial benefit. George W. Sturdivant, from Bible Grove Township, M. H. Davis, from Louisville Township, and L. A. Tolliver, from this township, were among the leaders. The last two, especially, were conspicuous in those days of unrest to bring criminals to justice, Mr. Tolliver being a member of the Decatur Detective force, and at present holds a commission of the American & European Secret Service Company as detective. About a dozen men collected one night in the win- fer of 1863, at the residence of Mr. Davis, and, headed by the above-named gentleman, made their way cautionsly to the house of Daniel Pugh, and, after watching him quite awhile through the cracks of the log house, made a rush into the house, and caught him while in the act of making silver money of a poor quality. He made half dollars and quarters. The molds, which he attempted to hide, but which were found, were com- posed of plaster of Paris. One of the cap- tors, who was an old Californian, exclaimed, when he saw Pugh's money scattered around in every direction, because in the darkness he had emptied his pockets, "That he had been in many a digging, but that Pugh's digging was the richest and best he had ever been in, because the precious metal was al- ready coined." Three men, Daniel Pugh,

Andy and Matthew Roberts were sent to the penitentiary for five years. A number of others were suspected, but before they could be ar- rested left the country, to the infinite relief of the settlers.

In the winter of 1866, Zimaria Lewis passed counterfeit paper money, and was sent to the penitentiary for a number of years. He was a hard citizen, fond of stray pork and other things. Getting his thigh broken while in the penitentiary, he was per- mitted to come home to his family, which lived on the west side of the Little Wabash, but while at home he drew a weapon on his bet- ter half and otherwise abused the family, and therefore was sent back to the penitentiary. The old fellow returned to Blair Township after serving his term, and was drowned while attempting to cross the Little Wabash River, across which the people claim he had guided many an unsuspecting porker.

Many relics of a mining camp were found in Sections 6, 7 and 1S by the early settlers, and some are yet in existence. A more ex- tended history of them will be given in the general history of Clay County.

Among the many curiosities are an abun- dance of mounds, rude ovens used probably for smelting, and large trees grafted together. Also abundance of petrified bones are found.

Six sections in the northwest corner of the township are a mere wilderness, the land yet belonging mainly to the Illinois Central Railroad Company. The land is heavily tim- bered, and old settlers often lose their way in the dense woods. It is here that the sup- posed silver mine in Clay County is located. The carliest settlers remember of people com- ing from Tennessee with way-bills in their pockets, which were probably sold to them by designing scoundrels. And now our township can show up men who were attract- ed here by the silver excitement. At times,

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

several hundred people would roam through the woods, expecting to find something that would make them rich in a short time. Even people from St. Louis came here, but after the ore had been thoroughly examined by as sayers, the excitement subsided, much to the regret of the superstitious and greedy people, some of whom yet believe that silver can be found in great abundance.

Copper is found in different places, and it is supposed that Dr. Wallace, who was also a blacksmith, made money out of it, and then whitened it with arsenic. The Doctor lived with his family in Section 6, and died abont 1853. At one time, about 200 men went to his house to rout him out, thinking that he made counterfeit money, and that the silver mine was located under his house. But the Doctor kept the men at bay with his ferocious gun, defending perhaps more his dies than his supposed silver mine. Levi and Wilburn Jones were very intimate with Wallace, and were suspicioned as his accessories.

One man, generally known as old Bill Herald, undoubtedly went crazy over the sup- posed silver mine. He was a well-to-do farmer in Wayne County, this Stato, and was attracted here by the excitement. He built a honse near the river, and for two years worked with little intermission. He some- times had as many as ten men working for him. One night, he worked all night with a lantern near the bank of the stream. He finally took sick, and was taken back to Wayne County to die.

Blair Township has a post office known as

Hord Post Office, named in honor of the Hord family. It is located in the northeast corner of Section 15. The first Postmaster was Jolın Beal, and then the office was called Jordon, after William Jordon, who owned the land on which several stores were put up. The first general store was put up by Dr. A. Bougher, who came here about 1853. Blair & Krouse put up the next store, and Bailey & Brooks kept the first blacksmith shop. Con- siderable business was done at one time in Jordon as it was then called. The present Postmaster is John Willis; James H. Blair keeps a drug store; John D. Beal, a general store; and John Bass a blacksmith shop.

Township Officers. - The records of Blair Township like the records of most townships were poorly kept, and we have been unable to go into details as regards the transactions of the township or even a complete list of of. ficers. The first officers were: J. C. Eytchi- son, Township Supervisor; John Beal and William Willis, Justices; Dr. J. Anderson, Township Clerk; A. T. Conley, George Kirkpatrick and -- Smith, Township Com- missioners; J. F. Eytchison, Assessor; Henry Vandyke, Collector; John Jones. Overseer of the Poor; James Hord, Constable.

Present township officers: William Mc- Cauley, Supervisor; Jesse Blair and L. H. Tolliver, Justices; John C. Willis, Township Clerk; Henry Vandyke, James Connerly T. G. Williams, Township Commissioners; S. Blair, Township Assessor; George A. Vandyke, Township Collector; John W. Blair and John McGee are Constables.

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

CHAPTER XVII.

HOOSIER TOWNSHIP-ITS TOPOGRAPHY AND PHYSICAL FEATURES-FIRST ENTRIES AND EARLY SETTLERS-CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, ETC., ETC.

H OOSIER TOWNSHIP. or Town 4 north, Range 7 east, is bounded on the north by Bible Grove, on the east by Pixley, on the south by Stanford, and on the west by Louisville Townships. The early settlers of this locality were mostly from Indiana, and as they settled in the prairie west of the Little Mnddy Creek, it was called Hoosier Prairie in honor of their native State. This prairie occupies the greater portion of the township, and when the present system of township organization went into effect in 1862, Town 4 north, Range 7 east took the name of Hoosier Township. Its surface is diversified, about two-thirds of its area be. ing rolling prairie land, and the remainder, principally along the streams, originally had a good growth of timber, which included the various kinds of oak, hickory, walnut, etc., etc. Besides Hoosier Prairie, which lies on the west of Little Muddy Creek, there is another prairie of considerable extent -Lev- itt's Prairie, lying on the east of the Little Muddy. The soil in each is very similar, though not quite as productive in Levitt's as in Hoosier Prairie. The soil of the prairies is of a light or ashy color, and is especially adapted to the growing of wheat and grass, while the soil near the creeks in the timber is more of a black loam, and adapted to the production of corn. Fruit does well in each, as the many good orchards throughout the township indicate. Although Hoosier is found near the head of the list of townships in point of agriculture, yet it is only eighth

in population, containing according to the census of 1880, but 1,136 inhabitants. The drainage of the land is so complete that there is scarcely an acre but what can be put into cultivation. The Little Wabash River enters the township in three places, and as often flows out after traversing but a short distance in as many sections. Section 31 first receives its waters, but after several bends, Sections 32 and 33 are also watered by the Little Wabash. In the opposite cor- ner of the township, the Big Muddy Creek flows through a small portion of Section 1. The main stream which flows for any consid- erable distance through the township is the Little Muddy Creek, which enters from the north at Section 4, and after a tortuous course leaves the township from the south- east corner of Section 36. Besides these, there are many other smaller streams which make a complete system of drainage.

Although this township was not settled as early as many other portions of Clay County, it had a number of settlers previous to 1830, but the first entries of land were made in 1833, and were as follows: By Jarrett L. Erwin, southwest quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 15, and southwest quarter of the southeast quarter of Section 10; by William Erwin, east quarter of the northwest quarter of Section 15, and east quarter of the southwest quarter of Section 15; by John Ditter, the northeast quarter of the northeast quarter of Section 25; by Thomas Rogers, the northeast quarter of the southwest quar-

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

ter of Section 36. In 1836 and 1837, the following also entered .and in this township: John Maxwell, Constantine Connelly, Eli Erwin, John Connelly. Caleb Stansbury, Jes- se Dodds, Isaac Berry, John Kenley, Jesse Williams, Henry Kenley, Moses Johnson, William D. Maxwell, Benjamin A. Venator, Alfred J. Moore, Joseph Maxwell, Benjamin Douthit, Robert Fields, Hiram Coffey, John Callihan, Jesse Copper, John Davis, Solomon B. Curbow and William A. McKnight. Some of the above-named enterers of the land never became residents of the township, and still another class are more properly consid- ered in other parts of the history. This sec- tion of the county was not an exception to the general rule; it had to be prepared for the permanent settler, and even many of those who became permanently located here had to first make the money before they could enter their homesteads; consequently long before 1833 we find the hunter and hardy pioneer at work opening the way for future developments. Among those who came and went were John and Dave Simpco, of Tennessee. They settled on Little Mud- dy, and were principally engaged in hunting; one of them, however, was a soldier in the Black Hawk war. Hock Sams was another settler from the South, probably from Ten- nessee. He first built his cabin on the pres- ent site of Sailor Springs. Sams had a wife but no children. From some cause he be- came insane, and was confined in the old jail at Maysville, but after some time he was released, and left the country. Joseph Rog- ers and his sons, Thomas, Isaac and Israel, moved here from Edwards County at an early date, and settled on Little Muddy. Joseph lived for some years and died; Isaac and Israel died without families, but Thomas lived to a good old age, and died on his farm in the south part of the township, and left

descendants in the county who are among its worthiest citizens. William Blakeman set. tled on Section 10, where he resided for some time, and then sold his claim, and but little is known of him after this. John Ditter, a native of Tennessee, was the first to have a deed to what is now known as Sailor Springs. Ditter is now a resident of Pixley Township, where his settlement will be treated more fully. Caleb Stansbury, an early settler, al- so owned the springs at one time, and died there. Henry Kenley, who entered land in 1837, is still living, and a resident of the township. Judge William Erwin and his sons, Jarrett L., David and Crawford, came from Indiana, and settled on Section 15. William Erwin, Jr., the oldest son of the Judge, never came to the county. The Er- wins were influential citizens, and did much toward building up schools and churches, and developing the county. William Erwin was a member of the County Board in 1834. Da- vid built and ran a saw and grist mill on Lit- tle Muddy, on Section 15, but no traces of the mill can now be seen. Crawford is the only one of the older members of the family now living, and is a successful farmer on Section 4, near the old homestead of his father. Jo- seph and John Maxwell, and their cousins, William D. and Eli Maxwell, came from In- diana with the early settlers of the prairie, but only their descendants now remain to tell of the hardships their parents endured.

James Williams and Josse Williams, rela- tives, were also Hoosiers, who came to the county in about 1836 or 1837. James was the father of a large family, but only two of his sons, Benjamin and Lancaster Williams, are living. Jesse Williams married a daugh- ter of John Connelly, and died childless. John Connelly and family were also from Indiana at an early date. William A. Mc- Knight, a native of North Carolina, came to

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HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY.

Clay County in 1835, and settled in Hoosier Prairie. An account of his life will be found more fully in the history of Bible Grove Township. Alfred J. Moore was one of the early settlers in the county, but now lives in Oskaloosa Township. The sons of Robert Fields now reside on the farm which he settled and where he died. Hiram Cooper resides near Sailor Springs, where his father, Jesse Cooper, lived and died. Cooper came to the county in about 1828. In all ages and in all countries, we find that man wants something without giving adequate return. Such being the case, many of the early set- tlers in a country lose years of hard labor, which have been applied on their claims mak- ing them at all inhabitable, by some specu- lator entering the land and driving the real owner from his own. John Lewis had for some time been improving a claim which he intended to enter as soon as he could, but before that time came Benjamin A. Venator, and entered the land and also that of James McCollum. He did not dare to come here for some years, as Lewis was ready to protect his property with powder and ball. Venator afterward sold out to another party, and Lewis moved onto land adjoining. Venator now lives on the Illinois River. James Mc- Collum came to this township from Ken- tucky in 1833, and brought a wife and one son, Robert. James McCollum died in Octo- ber, 1857, in the township, leaving a large family, of which four sons and three daugh- ters are now living, and the oldest son, Rob- ert, is present Sheriff of Clay County. The history of many of the early settlers will be found more complete in the biographical department of this history, and others in the general history, but space in any one work is too limited to devote to each the attention that he deserves.

Hoosier Township is strictly given to agri-

cultural industries, and has not a laid-out village in its limits; however, its citizens have good mail facilities. In about 1872, Mr. John Erwin circulated a petition, and secured an office on Section 15, which is known as Hoosier Prairie Post Office, and has a daily mail. Dr. D. H. Chase was first Postmaster, and was succeeded by the present incumbent, Dr. E. P. Gibson. Sailor Springs Post Office was established in 1881, and has a daily mail. Mr. Frank Smith is present Postmaster.

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History of Wayne and Clay counties, Illinois, Part 55

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