History of White County Illinois, Part 10

Author: Inter-State Publishing Company
Publication date: 1883
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 831

USA > Illinois > White County > History of White County Illinois > Part 10

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

New Harmony was reached, it being the first town on the Wa- bash and a place of much importance. It had been the headquar- ters of Rappe and his community, but had become peopled by the Owens and their followers -- with such men as Jo Fontleroy, James Sampson, Geo. W. White, N. G. Nettleton and General Swift as the principal business men. From New Harmony we proceeded on our way, arriving at the town of Bonpas (now the farm of George Webb), which was then a village comprising about a dozen fami- lies. Geo. Webb, Sr., was the Postmaster; Edmund Covington, Abram Payne, Jesse Coulter and Mr. Finney resided in the place, with their families. Captain Robert Coulter lived on his farm ad- joining the town. A tenant of his, one Orlando D. Lindsay, was a brother to one and brother-in-law to the other of the owners of our boat.

Remaining here two or three days, we again started for our in- tended destination-Palestine, Crawford Co., Ill. Upon reaching the Grand Rapids, to our great consternation, our boat drew more water than the river afforded, and with heavy hearts we dropped down the river to Mount Carmel, the Plymouth Rock of the Wabash Valley. It is with no criticism that I use this term to-

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ward Mount Carmel, for its citizens at that time would have done honor and added respectability to any community in the civilized world. Here two horses were procured from the late Thomas S. Hinde, and the heads of the families made the journey through the country to Palestine for the purpose of viewing the country and obtaining assistance from their friends in Crawford County, to transport their goods and chattels to the place of destination. On returning to the boat, dissensions had set in and divided coun- sels prevailed, as one of the heads of families could see no al- lurement in the inviting fields of Palestine-" Too much ague, too much milk-sickness and bad water;" while the other family was bent on reaching their intended destination. The scriptural example was then followed out: "As the land was not able to bear them that they might dwell together in Palestine, and as Abram said unto Lot, Let there be no strife, I pray thee, between me and thee," one family went to the north and the other to the south. The two hired men, Milton Dodd and Alex. Lawrence, re- mained with the boat. She was then headed down stream and des- tined for the mouth of the Bonpas Creek for winter quarters.

We made the landing within two days' run. We found Gray- ville at that time (November, 1830) to consist of the following: A small, white frame house, standing upon the site now occupied by the storehouse of Carey, Stewart & Lanterman, owned by James Gray and Robert C. Walden, and used as a storehouse. About five rods east of this was a log cabin, occupied by Henry Hardin and his young bride. Just south of where now stands Wm. Car- rother's saloon, a small log cabin stood, occupied by Gray & Wal- den's negroes; and on the hill, about eighty yards southeast from the Grayville house (Mitchell), stood a log cabin, occupied by Richard Mckinney and family. John Bell, a bachelor, had a cooper shop on the site now occupied by Mike Smith's saloon. The only road leading to this point was from Albion. It termi- nated at the mouth of the Bonpas. One mile west of the latter place, Henry Hardin had a cabin, on Congress land, now owned by Fifer.

We abandoned our boat and lived in the last mentioned house until spring. Milton Dodd settled just below New Haven, in Gallatin County, and died many years ago. Alex. Lawrence settled in Lawrence County.

At that time but a very small portion of the land was owned by its occupants. The western portion of the present corporation

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of Grayville was then Congross land, and all east of Main street was covered with a thick forest to the river front. The entire clearing away of the timber would not have embraced two acres, all told.

Gray & Walden's principal trade was exchanging their goods for venison hams, deer, coon and mink skins-summer coon, opossum and rabbit not in the market-with some mast-fed pork, then worth $1.25 per cwt. Calico was thirty-seven and a half cents a yard, brown sheeting twenty-five cents a yard, and every thing else in proportion.

During the winter of 1830-'1, while we occupied the log cabin on the Hardin claim, we made the acquaintance of our neighbors. Just to the west of us, on the farm now owned by Arthur Steele, there lived in a small cabin in a thick forest, Jacob Vineyard, a Prussian. His only companions were two large cur dogs and a tom-cat. Here he remained until 1836, when James Higginson entered the land and he left for Missouri. Williamn Hallam then resided on the hill further west, a place still known as the William Hallam farm. William Bryant resided on the land since occupied by Samuel Hallam. These were our neighbors on the west. On the north Thomas Kellet, in Edwards County, occupied the farm known to this day as the Kellet homestead, and where his son, John A. Kellet, resides. Our nearest neighbor to the south was Richard Davis, a fine old Virginian, who lived in the same house now owned and occupied by Biral Crawford. William Dunlap lived just to the west, and still farther west was Peter Kershaw, who taught school for a living. He was a one-legged man, and a fine old English gentleman; was Justice of the Peace many years, and a leading man in the country. The Shawneetown and Vincennes State road passed by his house. He had a horse-mill, stood a stallion, furnished entertainment for both man and beast, and always stood on his side-board, as indispensable, a large, well filled, "big bellied " bottle of pure whisky. You could drink, or not, just as you pleased.

To the east was the settlement around Gray & Walden's store; and William Martin (Buck) was residing on his farm which now is that portion of Grayville lying in Edwards County. At that time he was the wealthiest man in all that section of country.

In February there was a total eclipse of the sun. It was so dark at 1 P. M. that one could not distinguish a white man from a negro fifty feet away.

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When spring opened we became the tenants of Captain Robert Coulter, a man small in stature, but large in heart. A better man never lived in White County. At his house Major James Stephen- son then made his home. Before commencing to put in our crop, my uncle (Thorn) hitched to the wagon a yoke of oxen and we set out on our journey to mill. At that time grinding was done at Bedell's mill at the Grand Rapids, at Schree's mill at the foot of Harmony cut-off, on the Indiana side. at Leach's mill in Wayne County. or at the mill of Lowry Hay at Carmi. We decided on Hay's mill as the place to get grinding.

In April, 1831, I first saw Carmi. While waiting for our turn at the mill, we came over to town, as the mill was situated on the same site now occupied by George S. Staley's mill. We crossed the river on a ferry-boat run by Richard S. Graham, at the present iron bridge. While in town I bought a pocket-knife from Samuel D. Ready, a merchant. At that time Carmi did not contain more than 400 inhabitants all told. The most prominent in the place were James Ratcliff ("Old Beaver"), who was then Probate Judge, Circuit Court, Recorder of Deeds, Clerk of the County Commis- sioners' Clerk, and United States Postmaster. " Old Beaver " was the father of the whole county, and was a noble old Virginia gen- tleman. General John M. Robinson, another, was then a Senator in Congress. He took his seat the day that General Jackson delivered his inaugural address, and retired March 4, 1841. He sat in coun- cil with Webster, Clay, Wright, Calhoun, Benton and Felix Grundy. Colonel W. H. Davidson, Hon. Edwin B. Webb, Dr. Thomas Shannon, the Weeds and Wilmans, and I think Thomas and Elliott Kerney, were also here at that time.

Carmi did not then present a very business appearance, but it was famous for the hospitality of its people. A large portion of the male population was in the habit of putting themselves outside of a good deal of whisky,-no doubt to prevent the ague, etc. ; and, in short, Carmi was inhabited by a very intelligent community, possessing some of the most brilliant intellects in the State. She could boast of her Wilson, Chief Justice of the State, Robinson, Webb and Davidson, all distinguished men in their day, and would not suffer by comparison in the present time with their suc cessors in position.

In 1831 there were but few honses on the road from Bonpas to Carmi. The farm now owned by John Cleveland was then owned by John Taylor, a Revolutionary soldier, who was wounded at

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Camden. He was drawing a pension at the rate of 88 a month. He died in 1837, and was buried some 200 yards east of where Mr. Cleveland's house now stands, and within eighty feet of the Cairo & Vincennes Railroad track. No stone marks the spot where that patriot rests in the mother earth. James B. Davis lived on the farm now owned by Wm. Rudolph. The next was Richard Davis, and " Uncle " Sam Potter had just located on his present home- stead. Jesse Lay lived on the farm which is now the home of G. P. Calvin. Ben Anderson lived on the hill just opposite J. Ack- man's house. Abner Driggers lived on the hill north of the Drig- gers' branch, and on the right of the road, near the creek, Wm. Whitnall, Sr. On the hill south lived James Davenport, and next came Samnel Hughes, whose house stood some 200 yarde south of the present school-house. The next place was Jack Mc- Cown's, since the home of the widow of George Clark. On the farm now the home of Solomon Charles, was then the home of James John- ston, Sr., " Leghorn." His house stood on the left of the road some 200 yards south of the present residence of Solomon Charles. John Hasty lived on the right of the road, on the place now the home of Stephen Fitzgerald. Major Alex. Phillips then lived in the house now known as the Clifford homestead. John Graham re- sided on the farm now owned by William Whiting, and Walter Higdon on the farm now owned by the heirs of James Endicott. At the farm of James Peacock, then to the right of the road, lived Brad. Randolph, a deaf and dumb man.

The next evidence of living humanity was the farm now owned by Buck Kuykendall, then occupied and owned by Aaron Will- iams. One of the Joneses occupied a house on the farm of North Storms. John Jones lived where William Jones now lives. A Mr. Giles lived on the farm then owned by James Gray, now the property of Geo. S. Staley.

The foregoing were all who lived in 1831 on the road from Bon- pas to Lowry Hay's mill, to the best of my recollection.

COLD WINTER OF 1830-'1.

This winter, proverbial for deep snow and cold weather, was of course much more severe in the northwestern portion of the Uni- ted States than here; still, it was definitely one of the hardest win" ters ever experienced here. Snow was deep, and a crust was formed upon its surface so strong that a man could walk on it with- 19

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out breaking through. In some places it was easy to chase wild animals down, the snow being so deep and the animals so exhausted by hunger. Very many were thus caught and killed. The ground, before the snow fell, was frozen to the depth of three feet.

The summer of 1831 was pleasant, and people made good use of the time cultivating the rich soil, and they were rewarded with a bountiful harvest in this section of Illinois. But very little wheat was then planted. It was a rarity to see biscuit on the table. The more wealthy could afford wheat bread Sunday morning at break- fast, and on important occasions a chicken pie or a peach cobbler would grace the table for dinner; but the great mass of people were content with hog and hominy, corn dodger, bacon and beans, with milk or rye, coffee or sassafras tea, and those that desired, if good marksmen, could have fresh venison, wild turkey or squirrels at all times with but little effort, and wild honey was within the reach of all, both rich and poor. Everybody was honest and happy.

In July I was present and witnessed the first wedding that took place in the neighborhood after our coming to Illinois. The high contracting parties were Edward Feverston, of Edwards County, and Miss Sallie Kelly, of Kelly's Kingdom, on the east side of the Big Wabash. At that day Jacob Kelly had built himself a log house in the thick cane-brake on the river bank. He claimed all the domain from the mouth of the bayou at Webb's Ferry to the head of said bayon, near the island that stands on the Wabash to this day, to mark the original boundary of his domains. Miss Sally was his oldest child, a sweet maid of eighteen. On the day the wedding took place, the groom with his escort from Edwards ap. peared on the west bank of the river in the valley under the large overcup trees that then held undisputed dominion over the south- east portion of John B. Jolly's Oxford farm, with Elder Charles M. Whiting, the officiating clergyman, ready at hand. Two well-laden canoes shot out from the kingdom, with the bride and her attend- ants on board. A landing was effected without accident. The beautiful Sally ascended the bank with unfaltering step, looking more charming than Diana. She walked straight to the mark, and in the presence of a large concourse of people, Elder Whiting joined this young couple in the holy bonds of matrimony. Imme. diately after the closing ceremony, Jacob Kelly announced in a clear Kentucky style: "Everybody cross the river to my house, where you will find plenty of whisky and something to eat. Come one, come all, and let no one stay back. " The canoes were kept busy

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transporting the large crowd from the Illinois to the Indiana shore for some time, and while this was progressing, a foot race was run, two gallons of rum being the stakes. Robert Williams and Sam- uel Potter were the contestants. The ground selected was the sand- bar opposite George W. Webb's farm, 100 yards the distance, to start at the drop of a hat. When these two gladiators stripped for the contest, I was delighted with their giant forms and manly bear- ing. At the starting time it was about twelve o'clock, and the sun came down on that sand-bar with fearful heat. They put their backs to the sun and ran to the north. At the drop of the hat off they shot like two mighty race-horses. Sam Potter came out four feet ahead and won the race.

I thought then, and still hold to the opinion, that he owed his success to retaining his shoes, while Williams ran in his bare fee and consequently sank deeper in the soft sand. By the time th race was over the rum was on hand. having been brought from Gray & Walden's store. We all took a drink and passed over the river to dinner. A general good time was had in that cane-brake that afternoon; it was impossible for half the women to get in the house. A platform was laid with plank in the yard. Steve Her- ring was there with his fiddle, and he and Bob Williams furnished music for the dance. It would have delighted any one to witness Zack Boultinghouse, Robert D. Walden, Solomon Charles, Major Stephenson, Samuel Potter, Robert Coulter, Noah Davis, John Webb, James Calvin, and other men of their times, stepping time to the music with their partners in the mazy dance. I shall not personate any of the ladies who took part in that dance. Suffice it to say, their spotless fame stands out in bold relief as a rich legacy to the present generations. Mr. and Mrs. Feverston are living to-day in Southeast Missouri, in good standing both in re- gard to wealth and reputation. They have a large family, now useful men and women, and they add no discredit to their noble father and mother.

Some time in October. just before the election, the Whigs held a grand mass meeting at Carmi. A very large crowd assembled. Among the speakers who addressed the people on that occasion was Abraham Lincoln, he being one of the electors on the Harri- son and Tyler ticket. The Whigs were very much elated over their success at the August election, having elected their entire ticket in White County, from State senator down to coroner, and from the outlook then, certain of electing Harrison and Tyler, be

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came very arrogant and aggressive, and showed the utmost con. tempt for Democrats. On the night after their grand meeting, a drunken Democrat by the name of Hoskins was found in the streets dead drunk. He was stripped, tarred and feathered, and his clothes suspended high in the air upon the Whig pole, which occupied a place in the public square. The man was found naked in the streets nearly dead. By the efforts of Dr. Shannon his life was saved. Not a few Democrats in White County, when they heard of this great out- rage committed upon a poor, helpless drunken man because he was a Democrat, swore by the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob that they would never cease their efforts until the Whig party of White County was sent up as high as Iloskin's clothes; and well was that resolve kept-by men who dared to do right and vindicate their principles at any cost.

In June, 1837, a melancholy accident occurred, which cast a gloom over White County. While George W. Webb with his wife and child were returning home in their buggy from a drive out to Judge Wilson's, the horse took fright and came dashing furiously down Main street in Carmi; when reaching the public square the animal dashed madly in the direction of the country, and when opposite the residence of Hon. E. B. Webb, the carriage was upset and the occupants precipitated with terrible force to the ground. All were taken up, apparently lifeless; but Mr. Webb and his little child rallied and were restored to life, while Mrs. Webb lost her life from that terrible ride. I well remember plow- ing that same gray horse until noon on Saturday, when I rode him and led a horse by his side from Bonpas to Carmi, put him in G. W. Webb's stable, remained all night and returned to Bonpas the next day. I never handled a more gentle horse in my life; and by the time I reached my home, this same horse had broken up one of the happiest families I ever met.

The year 1842 will long be remembered as a period of great suf- fering by the people of the whole country; and none were more pressed than the people on the Wabash. Three fourths of the business men had failed and gone into bankruptcy, turning over to their assignees a very large amount of debts due from their cus- tomers and debtors for collection. The result was, nearly every person was sned and their property sold under the hammer for whatever it would bring. Good farms would be sold and bid in at the face of the judgment without regard to value. There be- ing no homestead law then in force, the result was, but few ever

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redeemed their farms; and no personal property being exempt caused great suffering with the masses of the poorer people. Good working horses have been taken from the plow and sold at consta- ble's sale for eight and ten dollars. The price bid was owing to the liberality and mercy of the plaintiff in execution, as there was no competition at constable's sale. for the reason that no person had money to invest. It was a square fight between debtor and creditor, and as a result, many a foul blow was ruthlessly struck beneath the belt at these sales by the creditor. Many a poor wo- man's children, when their last cow was driven from the door to satisfy some execution, were heard crying for milk by the creditor in execution as he was herding his cattle to drive home.

But with all the distress and sacrifice endured by the hardy men, to their everlasting credit, but one sentiment seemed to be the de- termination of all, that to work hard and raise good crops would bring relief. A fine crop was raised, and the farmers built flat- boats and floated their crops South to market. True, they received low prices, but they had something to show for their hard earnings, -gold and silver worth 100 cents on the dollar, not shin-plasters or Illinois money, worth thirty or forty cents on the dollar, or a note ou some broken merchant then going through bankruptcy. On their return these flat-boat men brought sugar, molasses, rice and coffee in large quantities, and supplied themselves and neigh- bors, and bid defiance to the merchants in the grocery line. The women, always willing to do their part in providing for the wel- fare of mankind, were nobly doing their whole duty, producing with their own hands good home-made clothing for the men, them- selves and children. They furnished full suits of jeans for the male portion of their families, and good linsey or cotton clothing for the females. But little business was done by the storekeepers, for the hard times had educated the people to live within their re- sources.

In 1840, throughout the entire Union, every branch of business was depressed; banks breaking; manufacturing in all its branches, closing up; merchants, wholesale and retail, were driven to the wall; farin products were without a market, unless on credit and at starvation prices; no demand for labor, skilled or unskilled. Lam- entations of distress were heard on all sides, and the cry of the people was, " What shall we do to be saved from our sore afflic- tion?" The farmers of White County raised a splendid crop, the great bulk of which was sold to failing merchants, and the farmer

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had for his reward a note on some merchant, who in due season canceled the note by presenting to his former customer and friend a bankrupt certificate, made out in due form as provided for by an act of the Congress of the United States. There were a few farm- ers in this county who took upon themselves the responsibility of sending their products down the river by fiat-boat to a Southern market. They did not receive a fine price, but they had something to show for their labor, provided they had not received in exchange for their cargo wild-cat paper, such as Brandon, Miss., shin-plaster, or red-dog, or blue-pup, etc., as at that time the whole county was flooded with a worthless currency called money. The finale was that this great crisis carried down ahnost all the business estab- lishments in White County. It struck Carmi with crushing force. Out of some dozen or more business firms, only G. W. Webb & Co. and Samuel D. Ready were left standing in good fighting con- dition; William H. Davidson was still in the field, but sadly wounded. Major Daniel Powell, at his farm in Indian Creek pre- cinct, stood the storm like the forest oak, bold and defiant, ready to say, " Lay on Macduff, and damned be him who first cries Hold, enough. "

At Phillipstown, Kellogg & Co. were driven into bankruptcy, and went to Texas to grow up with the country. At Grayville, it looked as though a cyclone had passed over the place with fearful force. Not one business house was left to tell the tale. On the shelves of all the business houses, enough dry goods could not be found to wad a shot-gun; and worst of all, the dram-shops went clean dry ! The only show for a Grayvilleite, to wet his whis- tle, was to visit the distillery at New Harmony, or go to Carmi; for at either place whisky was at that time a legal tender for all commercial purposes or social gatherings, and the result was that Grayville men formed quite an attachment for Carmi and New Harmony. Liberty (Burnt Prairie) yielded to the storm, and petered out, while New Haven (then a part of White County) was gun-shot and died hard, but finally gave up the ghost in 1842, Jesse Kirkham hauling the colors, while one general wreck of busi. ness met the eye, look which way you would.

There was a silver lining to all this woe. A great revival of the Christian religion was manifest throughout the country. All the meeting houses were run to their full capacity, and the ministers of the gospel were not allowed to let the grass grow under their feet, but kept busy in the service of the Lord. The result was that

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a large addition was made to the various churches throughout the county.

The year 1844 will long be remembered as the wet season. All the Western rivers overflowed the bottom lands and caused a great loss of growing crops and domestic animals-horses, cattle, sheep, etc. Still the Wabash Bottoms escaped the deluge without a total loss of crops, and not much loss of stock. The dead town of Grayville showed some life in business. Samuel Lichtenburger and William Stone were each running a light dry-goods store, and Samuel T. Mills (brother of Deacon John Mills, of Carmi) and Thomas Mat- thews were each running a liquor shop or grocery where a square drink of whisky could be purchased for five cents, and Daniel G. Hay and William Weed were running Elliott Kerney's steam saw- mill and turning out large quantities of fine poplar lumber. Gray- ville was taking new life and bid fair to regain her lost laurels in the business world.

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History of White County Illinois, Part 10

Author: Inter-State Publishing Company Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Number of Pages: 831

Author: Inter-State Publishing Company
Publication date: 1883
Publisher:
Number of Pages: 831