USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > History of Whiteside county, Illinois, from its first settlement to the present time, with numerous Biographical and Family Sketches > Part 13
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Early Votes.
The following is the official vote of Whiteside County for county officers and Representatives to the General Assembly, held on the 3d of Angust, 1840 : For County Commissioner, Hosea Jacobs, 462 votes; For Sheriff, John W. Me- Lemore 452 votes; For Coroner, Ivory Colcord, 352, and Brainard Orton, 77 votes; For Representatives to the General Assembly, Thomas Drummond, 313, Hiram W. Thornton, 306, Thompson Campbell, 222, and Thomas Van Valzah, 225 votes.
At the election held on the 7th of August, 1843, the official count gave Joseph P. Hoge 270, Cyrus Walker 297, and Mathew Chambers 20 votes for Congress ; Hiram Harmon 320, and Henry Boyer 253, for County Commissioner; John Roy 296, and Albert Plympton 254, for County Commissioners' Clerk; Robt. L. Wilson 321, and Erastus G. Nichols 236, for Probate Justice ; Wil- liam W. Gilbert 429, W. W. Gilbert 107, and Augustine W. Newhall 4, for Re- corder ; David Hazard 202, David Brooks 161, and Augustine W. Newhall 128. for County Treasurer; Wm. Nevitt 382, G. Buckingham 128, and John C. Pratt 5, for School Commissioner ; W. S. Wilkinson 336, and James McCoy 220, for County Surveyor.
The following is the vote by precinets in the county, cast at the Presiden- tial election, November 9, 1844: For the Whig candidate Lyndon cast 24 votes; Fulton 32, Rapids 4, Union 36, Portland 24, Sterling 55, Albany 82, Round Grove 18, Prophetstown 47, Genesee Grove 26; total, 348. Democratie candi- date: Lyndon 23, Fulton 18, Rapids 7, Union 45, Portland 32, Sterling 57, Albany 30, Round Grove 30, Prophetstown 34, Genesee Grove 17; total, 289. Abolition candidate: Lyndon 30. Fulton 2. Union 12, Portland, Sterling and Albany 1 each; total, 47. But 684 votes were polled in the county at that exciting and memorable contest, while at the last Presidential election a total
[HI-II.]
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HISTORY OF WHITESIDE COUNTY.
of 6,115 votes were polled, showing the rapid growth of the population of the county in thirty-two years.
At the election for a member of the Constitutional Convention, on the 19th of April, 1847, three candidates, Aaron C. Jackson, Jonathan Haines and D. B. Young, were in the field, Jackson receiving 322 votes, Haines, 304 and Young 53.
At the election for Senator and Representative, held August 7, 1848, Whiteside gave Capt. H. H. Gear 422 votes, L. P. Sawyer 370, and A. W. Ben- ton 63, for Senator; Joseph Crawford 434 votes, Thos. J. Haines 355, and J. Baker 63, for Representative.
At the election for District Judge on the 29th of April, 1851, James McCoy received 202 votes, Ira O. Wilkinson 191, John Wilson 92, and W. W. Heaton 89.
Railroads.
The railroad era for Whiteside County commenced in 1850 with the com- pletion of the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad to Rockford. In 1852 the road was finished to Freeport, these places being then substituted for Chicago as market places. The next departure was when the Dixon branch of the Galena & Chicago Union railroad, now the Northwestern, was finished to Dixon, which point then became the shipping point and remained so for nearly two years. The road was finally finished to Sterling and Morrison, and thence on to Fulton, on the Mississippi river, in 1856. The construction of this modern channel of commerce and civilization, did away at once and forever with the old method of transportation by the ox and horse. The Rockford, Rock Island & St. Louis railroad, running through the Rock river valley; the Western Union, traversing the western part of the county; the Mendota and Prophetstown branch of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad, traversing the southern part of the county, and what is now called the Rock Falls branch of the latter road, terminating at Rock Falls, have been built since the year 1856. Upon the lines of these different roads are thriving cities and villages, affording a sure market for everything the farmer and producer can raise. They need no longer undertake long journeys at cost of time and inconvenience, and then get starva- tion prices for their loads. But a few hours now, and over good roads at that, will bring them to a market where the highest ruling prices are paid.
Claim Societies and Their Objects.
During the seasons of 1837, '38, '39, '40 and '41, claim disputes, or "fights" as they were called, were of frequent occurrence in this county, and in their nature not determinable by any recognized system of eivil or criminal jurispru- dence, hence claim laws had to be enacted by each settlement. The first meet- ing for that purpose was held at the store of Barnett & Mason, in Chatham, now Sterling, May 13, 1837, at which a constitution and by-laws were adopted for protecting the claims of actual setlers against non-resident claim holders, and claim "jumpers." Similar organizations were effected soon afterwards in different parts of the county, and as all of them adopted about the same con- stitution and by-laws as the one at Chatham, we give the preliminary steps taken, and the constitution and by-laws adopted at that place as a sample of the whole. They are as follows:
" At a meeting of the settlers of Rock River Rapids and vicinity, held at Barnett & Mason's store, to take into consideration the subject of the protection of claims to actual settlers, and to devise means by which the rights of the same shall be respected and secured, it was moved and seconded that a commit- tee of five be appointed to draft a constitution agreeable to the instructions
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EARLY LIFE OF PIONEERS, AND INCIDENTS.
given at this meeting. The following persons were chosen by ballot as said committee: Jason Hopkins, John W. Chapman, Wyott Cantrall, Nelson Mason and Elijah Worthington.
Instructions: Ist, This society to be known as the Association of the Rapids of Rock River. 2d, Each settler shall be entitled to hold 640 acres of prairie, and 120 acres of timber. 3d, A secretary shall be appointed whose duty it shall be to record, on application being made by the owner of a claim, the description of the claim, which shall be given to said secretary. 4th, The book of the records shall be open to the inspection of any one requesting the privilege. The secretary shall receive for each claim so recorded the sum of twenty-five cents.
Meeting adjourned until the last Saturday in May at the same place, to hear the report of the committee. Meeting met pursuant to adjournment. The committee reported the following constitution, which was adopted:
We, the undersigned, inhabitants residing at and near the upper rapids of Rock river, having formed ourselves into a society to be denominated the Rock River Rapids Association, which has for its object the defense and protection of individual claims upon government land, do adopt and establish the following constitution as embracing the laws and regulations by which we pledge our- selves to be governed.
Article 1. Each and every settler who has or shall hereafter become an actual settler within the limits of this Association, and who shall have pre- viously subscribed his name to the constitution, shall be entitled to hold and claim 120 acres of timber and one entire section of prairie.
Article 2. And it shall be the duty of every settler who has made or shall make a claim upon government land, whether the same be more or less than the amount above specified, to designate the same by plowing or staking around, and if the latter, the stakes shall be permanently placed at least 80 rods apart; and, further, the validity of any claim shall not be affected by being in detached eighties or quarter sections, but on the contrary, the individual who makes his claim on separate pieces shall be entitled to the same number of acres as though the claim were in one tract. The boundaries of cach tract must be definitely described: Provided, nevertheless, that where the settler can make his claim compactly, or in one body embracing the whole number of acres allowed by the constitution, without trespassing upon the claims of others, he is compelled to do so without taking advantage of this article of the constitution.
[Articles 3 to 12 are omitted, as not material here.]
Article 12. Immediately on the adoption of this constitution a secretary shall be elected by ballot, whose duty it shall be to file and record all ac- knowledged claims within the limits of this society, and for his services thus rendered he shall be paid the sum of twenty-five cents, to be paid by the person having such claim recorded; and it is incumbent upon every person who claims the protection of this Association to furnish a statement of his claim, contain- ing the number of acres of timber, also of prairie not exceeding in amount 640 aeres, to the Secretary within sixty days after the organization of this Society and the adoption of this constitution.
Article 13. If any member of this society encourages any person or per- sons to settle upon any claim, unless forfeited according to the constitution. he shall be expelled and no longer receive the protection of this Society.
Adopted May 27, 1837.
JOHN D. BARNETT, Sec'y."
Growing out of the enforcement of the claim laws, a great many "claim fights" took place. The claims as a general thing were large, and often when a
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HISTORY OF WHITESIDE COUNTY.
stranger came into the country, and upon looking over the broad prairies selected a place that pleased him, would find that his choice was the claim of some other party, but as there was no person living on it, and often no evidence of being claimed, he concluded to "jump it." The next thing would be an order from the settler who had made the claim, and had it recorded in the books of the Association in whose territory it was, for the jumper to depart from that "neck of land" in double quick. Sometimes the order would be obeyed, but it frequently occurred that the jumper had made up his mind to stay where he had driven his stakes, settler or no settler, Association or no Association. In that case he would not have to wait long for the peculiar writs of ejectment used by the Association, to be served upon him. He might marshal his friends, if he had any, and face the foe, but in nearly every case it was useless, for what could one man, or a dozen men, do against the entire force of an Association when it came swooping down upon him, or his party, with every conceivable kind of weapon from a trusty rifle, to the old fashioned pitch fork? His family, horses, cattle, wagons, farm implements, and household goods, were removed from the claim, and the cabin taken away and either destroyed, or used for some other purpose. Often these fights would partake of the ludicrous as well as the terribly real. More than one Bull Run occurred on the prairies of Whiteside, the fugitives from which are, like those of the famous Bull Run of the late war, if living, undoubtedly running yet. The jumper would be brave, and as he fondly congratulated himself even unto death, in the defence of his cabin and claim, but no sooner did the warlike members of an Association, armed to the teeth with flint locks, hay forks, and pot hooks, appear in the tall grass than he would fly as though "Auld Sootie" was after him with a summons to appear forthwith in the land of fire and brimstone. Others more stubborn would make a lusty fight, and when defeated on the field, commence an action of trespass in the Circuit Court against all the parties they knew who had been engaged in ejeeting them, but none were ever tried. At the first term of the court held in this county quite a large number of these cases were on the docket.
These Associations undoubtedly answered their purpose well, and protect- ed many a worthy settler from being dispossessed of a claim which he had in good faith made, and upon which he meant to build a home for himself and family. Their existence terminated in 1839 in some parts of the county, and in 1840 and '41 in others. In these years the land was placed in market by the government, and sold either at Galena or Dixon. At these sales the proper Association would have some one or more of its number on hand, who would bid off the claim of each member in his own name, and immediately afterwards execute a deed of the same to the claimant. After these sales there was no further "jumping," and each settler could plant his vine and fig tree on his own undisputed domain, and sit under them when they grew large enough, with none to molest or make afraid.
The Tornado of 1860.
Whiteside has been visited several times since its settlement by violent tornadoes, but with the exception of the one commonly called the "Great Tor- nado," which occurred on the evening of Sunday, the 3d of June, 1860, their ravages were confined to some particular locality, such as those at Tampico, Portland, Garden Plain and Union Grove, descriptions of which will be found in the histories of those townships.
The one on the 3d of June, 1860, swept a path over the whole county from Albany to the southeastern line, carrying death and destruction throughout its
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EARLY LIFE OF PIONEERS, AND INCIDENTS.
entire course. The storm commenced near Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and was described at the time by those who saw it, as a gathering of the clouds in separate masses with fearful outlines, and their opponent concussion and mingling together in one rolling, sweeping mass, with accompanying terrible thunder and lightning, more resembling a set battle and charging armies, than spirits of the air. These mingling masses of clouds came to the earth in the shape of a whirlwind, cover- ing a strip of country about eighty rods wide. It appeared to be hollow in the center, of transparent blood-red color, while the two sides were black and thick with all conceivable sorts of floating matter which had been torn from its path.
Before crossing the Mississippi river into Illinois, the most fearful destruc- tion took place at Camanche, a village on the river almost opposite Albany. At that place ninety dwelling houses, all occupied, besides a large number of stores and business houses, with some churches and hotels, were totally destroyed. Twenty-nine persons were killed and many badly injured, some of them being maimed for life. The destruction of life and property at De Witt, and other places in Iowa, was also great. In Camanche alone eight hundred and sixty persons were left homeless. As the tornado reached the river at the latter place it struck a raft upon which were twenty-four persons, all of whom were blown into the river and drowned.
At Albany, people were preparing to attend the Sunday evening services at the different churches, and some had actually started from their homes. Look- ing over toward the Iowa side of the river, however, they saw a sight in the air which struck terror to their hearts, and caused them to hasten back and attempt to close the windows and doors of their houses. In many instances this precau- tion against the danger of a fierce wind had not been completed, before the ter- rible ærial visitor took possession of the town, and with a remorseless power and ferocity demolished the homes of the people, with their business houses, churches and schools, and killed five of their number, besides seriously injuring many others. Those who witnessed the scene next morning represent it as beg- garing all description. The town was literally blown to pieces and scattered in every direction, not more than half a dozen houses remaining uninjured, and not over fifteen or twenty left standing on their foundations. But one business house was left in which business could be done at all.
Some of the effects of the tornado were very curious. Upon the roofs of several buildings the shingles were stripped off in fanciful shapes, leaving upon some a single covered spot. Others were entirely unshingled. In some cases every clapboard was torn from houses, and the sides of others literally perfora- ted with boards, splintered timbers and sharp stakes. The lower stories of some were blown out entirely, leaving the upper story upon the ground .. Other buildings slid from their foundations and were carried along for several feet. One small frame house was lifted from its foundation and carried about a square, around another building which was torn to pieces, and let down within six feet of it without apparent injury. The bell from the brick church was swept out of the belfry and taken near the corner of Union and Main streets, where it was landed on the walk uninjured with the exception of a small piece which had been knocked from the base of the rim. Heavy brick and stone walls were lev- eled to the ground with apparently as much ease as the lightest wooden struc- tures. Trees were torn from their roots and denuded of their branches, and in some instances literally twisted to pieces. Horses, cattle and hogs were killed on the spot, and chickens, geese and turkies either killed, or stripped of their feathers, and left as bare as if ready for market. On each side of the path of the storm-fiend the evidence of his power was visible in the shape of fragments of buildings, lumber, goods from the stores, household furniture, valuable papers,
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HISTORY OF WHITESIDE COUNTY
books, etc. Many of these were afterwards picked up but were found useless for any purpose, save some of the papers and books.
It is wonderful when we consider the terrible and swift destruction of buildings and other property by this tornado at Albany, that so few lives were lost, there being, as we have mentioned, only five out of a population of eight hundred. The storm gave no time for escape, not even to the cellar, a place to which many flee at times of fierce winds. Their buildings were crashing around their defenceless heads; timbers, stones, brick, and missiles of a hundred descriptions were being hurled along the ground and through the air, and yet nearly all of them escaped with their lives. Those killed were Duty Buck, Ed. Efner, Mr. Sweet, Mr. Riley, and one other whose name we have been unable to learn. All this destruction of property, injury to person, and death, was the work of only a minute or two, and then the destroyer passed on to other parts.
The news of this direful calamity was soon carried by telegraph and mail to all parts of the country, and created the most intense excitement, as well as awakening in every heart the deepest feelings of sympathy and commiseration for the sufferers. Open hands and warm hearts at once responded to their needs, the offerings coming up from far and near. These contributions were gratefully appreciated by the stricken ones at Albany, the remembrance of which remains yet green in the memory of those living.
The following is a list of those who suffered by the tornado, with the esti- mated loss of each, and was prepared and published at the time, and then pro- nounced as correct as could possibly be made:
Win. Slocumb
$ 600
B. S. Quick
$3,428
S. Gillett ..
$ 100
Foundry
Soo
Mr. Stagg
400
John Q. Adams
300
S. B. Myers
700
Asa Langford
700
Smith Cole
200
Steam Mill.
8,000
Crow's Tin Shop
1,000
G. Langford.
200
Duty Buck
400
E. JI. Nevitt
2,000
Jas Hugenin .
300
Mr. Bradley
Soo
W. Y. Wetzell
2,000
John Slocumb 100
Wm. Ewing
Soo
S. Hoskins ..
600
Cheney Olds
50
D. McMahan
950
R. C. M. Black.
400
A. Mitchell.
100
Mitchell & McMahan
2,500
John Cook.
50
Mr. Robinson.
100
Dr. A. T. Hudson
200
James Clough
300
Warren Olds.
100
Riley's House.
250
Boice, Ewing & Co.
1,400
Henry Pease.
500
W. A. Chamberlin
3,500
M. E. Church ...
600
Alfred Haines
200
Thos. Brewer Mrs. Winans
500
Presbyterian Church.
4,000
Mrs. Darrow.
50
Ed. Efner
1,000
Happer, Nevitt & Co 7,000
McIlvaine
70
M. E. Parsonage.
500
Chas. Nevitt.
600
Saml. Gilbert.
400
Mr. Van Bebber
100
C. G. Nevitt ..
700
Ezekiel Olds.
150
L. Sweet ..
500
Anson Williams.
600
T. Slaymaker
50
Mrs. Crippin
400
A. Slocumb.
1,190
Cyrus Wilson
1,000
Mrs. Lusk
700
G. Buckingham
300
Thos. Stagg.
250
Mrs. Yopts.
100
S. Porter.
100
Happer & McIlvaine
1,500
Steam Planing Mill.
2,000
Ira Short.
100
Saml. Happer
600
Chas. Lusk. .
5,000
Jno. Adams
500
J. D. Mcilvaine
600
Isaac Crosby
400
E. G. Boyce.
150
D. S. Efner
100
Walker Olds
500
Mrs. Townley
175
Stockton & Booth.
500
Mr. Bothwell 2,000
Moses Bishop
150
Jos. Miller
150
150
W. W. Durant.
1, 100
W. S. Barnes
600
Total damage to houses, barns, etc., $73,715; to personal property, $10,000; tofences, out buildings, etc., $6,000; to vegetables and fruit trees, $4,000. Total $93,715.
After leaving Albany the tornado passed through the county in a course a little south of east, destroying trees and fences in its way, until it reached the house of Mrs. Senior, on the Baird estate, in Garden Plain, the upper story of which it severed completely from the rest of the building, and scattered it in a thousand fragments. The next house struck was that of R. C. Adams, also in Garden Plain, which was lifted bodily from its foundation, and moved a distance
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EARLY LIFE OF PIONEERS, AND INCIDENTS.
of some four or five feet, racking it considerably. From there it passed along without doing material damage to the line of Mt Pleasant and Lyndon town- ships where it played the serious prank of hoisting the large two story frame residence of Thomas Smith from its moorings, turning it one-quarter around, unroofing it, carrying it a rod from its foundation, and leaving it almost a wreck. There were seven persons in the house, but strange to say all escaped unhurt. The house of Draper Richmond further on met with a more serious fate. This was a frame building of medium size, and could not have been more badly seat- tered had a barrel of gunpowder been exploded within its walls. After the storm had passed Mrs. Richmond was found about twenty rods from the house so badly injured that she died in an hour afterwards. Mr. Richmond was also seriously hurt but recovered. George Digby's dwelling a little north of east of Richmond's was carried at first south a short distance, then taken north-east about fifty rods through a wheat field, when it was lifted high in the air and whirled into fragments. An apple tree ten inches in diameter was torn from its roots, stripped of its branches, and the body of the tree split into two nearly equal parts. The residence of Mr. Digby's father was partially destroyed. Further east the storm struck the house of Mr. Dow, removing it west several rods, then raising it into the air shattered it to pieces, while the barn which stood near by, was taken about the same distance east, and disposed of in a similar manner. Neither of the families of these gentlemen suffered much injury, the wind storm being content to demolish their habitations. From here the tornado proceeded to the township of Montmorency, leaving only a few traces of its passage on the way. The residence of Alonzo Golder was the first one assailed in that township, and although not destroyed, considerable of it was badly punished. A great deal of the furniture was destroyed, and in the kitchen and dining-room nearly all of it. In the dining-room was a large, old fashioned mirror, which amid the wreck of the other furniture was found un- broken, although carried completely across the room. Some of Mr. Golder's family were injured, but not seriously. A little school house near Mr. Golder's was literally blown into fragments. On its track eastward from here it turned Joel Wood's house entirely around, besides unroofing and otherwise damaging it. It was left in such a condition that it had to be rebuilt. A. J. Good- rich's dwelling was blown entirely to pieces, as were also Mr. Pike's and Capt. Doty's. Levi Macomber's house was badly racked. At Mr. Pike's a young girl had her leg broken. Capt. Doty's son had his collar bone broken, and some of the rest of the family were slightly injured. Without doing further damage the tornado passed out of the county, and pursued its eastward way.
Many of the calamities caused by this terrible visitation never reached the public car. The sufferers, whoever they were, either did not care to have their misfortune appear in print, or in the hurry and excitement of gathering facts were overlooked by the writers for the public press. Neither has there been, nor can there be, a full and adequate description written of the frightful scenes, the pain, the sorrow, and the loss occasioned by the ferocious storm as it sped on its way on that memorable evening. Seventeen years have passed since then, but its results remain. It is hoped that Whiteside county may never see the like again.
Strump Land Matters.
Whiteside, together with other counties in the State, acquired title to the swamp and overflowed lands within its limits by an act of the General Assem-
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HISTORY OF WHITESIDE COUNTY.
bly entitled "an act to dispose of the swamp and overflowed lands, and to pay the expense of selecting and surveying the same," approved June 22, 1852. The act provides that all these lands granted to the State of Illinois by the act of Congress entitled "an act to enable the State of Arkansas and other States to reclaim the swamp lands within their limits," approved September 28, 1850, be conveyed to the counties respectively in which the same may be situated, for the purpose of constructing the necessary levees and drains to reclaim them, and the balance, if any there be, to be distributed in each, county equally among the townships thereof for the purposes of education, or applied to the construction of roads and bridges, or to such other purposes as may be deemed expedient by the Courts, County Judge, or Board of Supervisors, as provided in the act.
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