USA > Illinois > Whiteside County > History of Whiteside county, Illinois, from its first settlement to the present time, with numerous Biographical and Family Sketches > Part 31
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DAVID PARKER was born in Wells, Rutland county, Vermont, December 12, 1811, and came with his father, Abel Parker, to Whiteside county in 1836. He was married to Miss Elizabeth Shurtleff, in Garden Plain, the children of the marriage being: Charles D., Henry L., Lizzie, and Herbert. Charles D. married Miss Amanda Sutherland, at Fulton, January 6, 1876, and lives on the old homestead at Garden Plain Corners; Henry L. is dead, and Lizzie and Herbert live at Fulton. At the death of Abel Parker, David, being the eldest son at home, took charge of the estate. He was always a careful manager, a thrifty, hard working man, and during his lifetime accumulated a large property, owning at the time of his death four hundred and eighty acres of finely culti- vated farm land, and seventy-four of timber. Mr. Parker could not be induced to accept office, preferring to attend strictly to his private business. He died February 10, 1875.
ISAAC CROSBY is a native of Shrewsbury, Worcester county, Massachusetts, and was born March 11, 1805. He came to Garden Plain, then Albany Pre-
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cinct, Whiteside county, in May, 1838, and settled first on the farm now owned by Mrs. S. M. Kilgore. Here he remained until 1844, when he purchased his present farm, situated on section 14, on the Albany and Morrison road, a little east of Garden Plain Corners. When he purchased the land it was all wild prairie, and the hard work of breaking it was done by himself. He has now one of the most beautiful farms in the township, and upon it one of the largest and most thrifty orchards. Mr. Crosby was married to Miss Lury B. Knowl- ton, at the town of Grafton, Worcester county, Massachusetts, December 2, 1830, the Rev. Otis Converse, a Baptist clergyman, tying the nuptial knot. Mrs. Crosby is also a native of Shrewsbury, Worcester county, Massachusetts, and was born January 31, 1810. There are no children to bless this union, as there ought to have been, for a more amiable couple do not reside in Whiteside county. Mr. Crosby has followed farming since his residence in this county, and has held no office, always saying, when he was solicited to accept one by his fellow-citizens, that he would rather pay a fine than be troubled with the duties of a public position. It is needless to say that he has never been troubled in that respect, nor been called upon to pay a fine, as office-seekers and office- holders are not rare birds in any community. He states that in going from Albany to his first place on the Kilgore farm, he hitched a yoke of oxen to a tree and had it dragged there, so as to make a trail by which he could return with- out getting lost. For three weeks, during the year 1839, he did not see a living person, except his wife, and was on his bed sick at that. Mr. Crosby is one of the hale, genial pioneers of Whiteside county.
JOHN W. BAKER is a native of Queen Anne's county, Maryland, and was born on the 26th of April, 1812. He came to Fulton in December, 1836, being attracted thither by the glowing accounts of the wonderful Mississippi Valley, sent to him by his uncle, John Baker, the first settler in Fulton and in White- side county. These accounts were so seductive that he bid good-bye to " My Maryland," and, with his wife, three sisters, and a niece, undertook the labori- ous journey to the then far West. Arriving in the winter and finding only a small cabin on the Cattail creek in which to place his family and household goods, he made up his mind that " Uncle John " had drawn considerably upon his imagination when he wrote about the beauty and delights of the great Mis- sissippi Valley. Added to his other troubles was the death of his niece during the winter, an account of which is given in the history of Fulton township. But with the advent of spring things began to look more cheerful, and it was not long before he, too, began to chant the praises of the beautiful valley. Mr. Baker was married to Miss Mary H. Wright, in Queen Anne's county, Ma- ryland, on the 24th of December, 1833. Their children have been as follows : Annie, died in 1836, in Maryland; John T., died in Fulton, in 1843; Albert J., married, and lives at Denver, Colorado; John W., Jr., living in Oregon; Ellen, married, and living in Marshall county, Iowa; Thomas, living in California; William H., living in Utah; Edward M., Ramsay M., Mary, and Lizzie E., all living in Garden Plain. Mr. Baker remained in Fulton until 1843, when he purchased his present farm in section 11, in Garden Plain township, where he has since resided. He also owns land in sections 3 and 10 in the same town- ship. During his residence in Fulton he was one of the Constables of the Pre- cinct, and in Garden Plain township he has held different offices. He was elected School Director in 1845, with David Parker and David Mitchell, the three being the first School Directors of Garden Plain. Mr. Baker is one of the famous Garden Plain missionaries, and is one of the most zealous and effective temperance workers in the country.
WILLIAM MINTA was a native of England, and came to Garden Plain in
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1839, and settled on section 33. He had a large family of children, thirteen in all, but all are dead except two sons, Dixon and Wesley, and one daughter, Julia, who are in California. Mr. and Mrs. Minta both died of consumption, as did the ten children. Those now living are afflicted with the same fell disease. When the Methodist Episcopal Church was erected in Garden Plain, Mr. Minta generously donated the land upon which it is built, besides donating freely toward its construction. He was a fervent Christian, and a man of irre- proachable reputation.
ALPHEUS MATHEWS is a native of the town of Hector, Tompkins county, New York, and was born January 12, 1812. He lived at his old home until September 12, 1837, when he started for the West, and arrived in Whiteside county in October of that year. In the spring of 1838 he commenced improv- ing a small farm in Garden Plain, which he sold in 1844 to Joseph Snyder, and purchased his present farm on sections 2 and 11. On the 10th of November, 1839, Mr. Mathews married Miss Abyleen Bethea, in Lee county, Ilinois. Their children were: Mary, born August 20, 1840; William, born March 3, 1842; Carrie, born May 27, 1843, and one who died in infancy. Mrs. Mathews died in October, 1844. Mary married Samuel Montgomery, and died in May, 1872. Carrie married Daniel George, and died in March, 1877, in Kansas. In 1846 Mr. Mathews married his second wife. Mrs. Louise Patrick. Mr. Mathews was Justice of the Peace of Garden Plain township from 1864 to 1872.
DAVID MITCHELL was born in Sciota county, Ohio, October 7, 1804. and moved from his native place to Putnam county, Illinois, in September, 1835, settling on what is called Round Prairie, six miles east of the town of Lacon, on the Illinois river. In 1838 he came to Albany, being one of the earliest set- tlers of that place, where he remained until he purchased his farm in Garden Plain. Mr. Mitchell married his first wife, Miss Harriet Murphy. in Sciota county, Ohio, May 31, 1827. The children by this marriage were: Thurmuthie Amanda, born May 6, 1828; Mary Jane, born December 12, 1829; William Lu- ther, born September 23, 1831; Abraham David, born January 10, 1834. and John Calvin, born February 12, 1836. Mrs. Mitchell died December 21, 1837. On the 25th of September, 1838, Mr. Mitchell married Miss Isabella Work. his second wife, the children by this marriage being: Margaret Elizabeth, born Oc- tober 19, 1842, and Martha, October 21, 1844. Of the children by the first marriage, Mary Jane died November 14, 1863, aged thirty-four years. Thur- nınthie Amanda married John Hudson, at Lacon, Marshall county, Illinois, De- cember 12, 1848, and resides in Fulton; Mary Jane married Daniel F. George, at Garden Plain, in September, 1851, and died as above mentioned. The hus- band and children are living in Garden Plain. William Luther married Miss Margaret E. Blean, December 13, 1859, and resides in Newton. Abraham D. married Miss Mary Murphy, at Garden Plain, December 11, 1867 and resides in Fulton. John C. married Miss Carrie Van Etten. of Sidney, Iowa, August 22, 1864, and resides in Fulton. Of the children by the second marriage, Margaret Elizabeth died August 19, 1845. Martha married Dr. Alex. Cozad, December 11, 1867, and resides at Andnlasia, Rock Island county, Illinois. Mr. Mitchell died December 27, 1850, and his widow in January, 1864. During his lifetime, Mr. Mitchell took a very prominent part in the affairs of the county, being the first County Treasurer, serving from 1839 to 1841, and was afterwards for a number of years a member of the County Commissioners' Court. In both of these positions he displayed an ability of a high order, and in the latter, especially, aided very much by his clear judgment and keen foresight in placing Whiteside county in a condition to ensure the future growth and prosperity which it has attained, Such men are needed at the helm at the incipient stages
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of a municipality, county or commonwealth, to steer clear of the breakers into which reckless or misguided hands are sure to run the governmental craft. Mr. Mitchell was also engaged in connection with his brother Samuel, for quite a period, in conducting the ferry between Albany and Camanche. His farm in Garden Plain was situated on section 9, on the Fulton and Albany road, and is now owned by his son, Ald. A. D. Mitchell, of Fulton. His death, occuring as it did when he was in the prime of life, was widely mourned.
JACOB PARKER, TRUMAN PARKER and FRANCIS PARKER, all sons of Abel Parker, the first settler of Garden Plain, still reside in the township, and rank among its most substantial farmers and citizens. P. B. VANNEST, who settled in Albany at an early day, has resided in this township for a good many years. CAPT. A. M. GEORGE, JOSEPH SNYDER, ITHAMAR JOHNSON, DR. E. D. STONE, RICHARD STORER, ELISHA LOCKHART, SAMUEL MONTGOMERY and DAVID MIL- LER, are among the prominent citizens of the township.
CHAPTER XII.
HISTORY OF GENESEE TOWNSHIP-BIOGRAPHICAL-COLETA.
HISTORY OF GENESEE TOWNSHIP.
The township of Genesee comprises Congressional township No. 22 north, range 6 east of the 4th principal meridian. Previous to Whiteside county com- pleting its full organization, Genesee formed first a part of Crow Creek Precinct, then of Elkhorn Precinct, and afterwards was laid off as a Precinct by itself, and called Genesee Grove Precinct, and in 1852 was made a township by the Commissioners appointed by the County Commissioners' Court to divide the county into townships, and give each its name and boundaries, under the town- ship organization law. The township is divided into timber and prairie land. A grove in the northwest part, called Genesee Grove, is about six miles long and three miles broad. The balance is a beautiful, rich, rolling prairie. It is watered by Spring creek, which has its rise on the lands of W. Wetzell, on sec- tion 10, and also by branches of Rock creek on the west, and a branch of Otter creek on the north. The government survey of the township was made in 1842, by Mr. Sanderson, and now, in 1877, it is all in cultivated fields and pasture land. The lands were brought into market and sold at public auction by the Govern- ment, at Dixon, in 1843.
Among the early settlers of Genesee, Jesse Hill, Sr., Adam James and John James, came in 1835; John Wick, William Wiek, Eli Redman, Mark Har- rison, Joseph Mush and Samuel Landis, in 1836; Ivory Coleord, Pleasant Stan- ley, Isaac Brookfield, James McMullen and Jacob Huffman, in 1837; Levi Mar- ble, Edward Richardson, Mr. Carr, Harvey Summers, John Thompson Crum, Martin D. McCrea, William Crum and Henry H. Holbrook, in 1838; James Seo- ville, R. Tilton Hughes, Ezra R. IInett, Rensselaer Baker, Israel Reed, Marvin Chappell and Watson Parish, in 1839.
The first school taught in what is now the township of Genesee, was in the house of William Wick, and the sessions held during the evening, Ivory Col- cord being the teacher. This was in the winter of 1837-'38. Some of the young men of that time commenced there to learn their alphabet, and after- wards obtained sufficient education to enable them to conduct business. Fol- lowing this was a school taught by Dinsmoor Barnett, near the residence of Mr. Wick. It is related that at this school, just before one Christmas, the scholars, following the usage of primeval days, barricaded the door and kept the teacher outside until he agreed to treat them with apples and pies. After the compact had been entered into, the door was opened and the teacher came in and resumed his authority, when the school work went on as though there had been no interruption. At the appointed time the apples and pies were forthcoming as per stipulation. Another instance of the same kind occurred at a school near the Grove. Here the doors and windows were barred, and the teacher denied admittance unless he would promise to furnish cake and pies for a Christmas treat. Unlike the other teacher, he protested against the extravagance of the demand, contending that he was unable to purchase the pastry for the reason that his pay was only ten dollars per month. Ile finally
[27-Y.]
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effected a compromise, however, by agreeing to supply whisky and sugar. The result was that some of the pupils became intoxicated, and had to be taken home to their mothers in a lumber wagon drawn by oxen. A school was also taught about this time by Nelson Fletcher, near Prospect Grove. Mr. Fletcher afterwards resided in Carroll county, and for a portion of the time was County Superintendent of Schools of that county. Log school houses were built in the township as soon as four or five families settled near each other. In those early days the school house was used for holding religious services, and was free to all denominations alike. The first school house was erected in 1837, near the creek north of William Wick's residence, and within a few rods of Walter Doud's. Soon after another was built on the north side of the grove, near the Hill residence. Genesee now boasts of her fine, commodious structures for school purposes.
The first church society organized in the town was that of the Methodists. This was about 1838. The next was by the Christians, in 1839, and consisted of twelve members. The first church edifice was erected by the United Brethren.
During the winter of 1835-'36, grists had to be taken to Morgan county, one hundred and fifty miles south, to be ground, and all the other necessaries of life had to be brought from that place. There were no bridges, and but few fer- ries across the streams, so that the crossings had to be mainly made by swim- ming or wading. Early settlers were, therefore, obliged to live frugally. Pork was worth only from 75 cents to $1.50 per hundred; corn 8 to 15 cents per bushel, and wheat 30 cents per bushel. Boots, shoes and clothing had to be bought on long time, and paid for out of the products of the farm, and when the prices were low, or the crops failed, the constable's fees would often be added to the debt. Sometimes the store bills had to be closed up by giving promis- sory notes at a high rate of interest.
All the north half of the timber and the adjoining prairie of Genesee Grove, were in early times claimed by the Hill family, and the south half by the James brothers, and their assignee, William Wick, hence every settler who came to the grove was compelled to purchase timber and prairie claims from one or the other of these land jobbers. Some plucky settlers, however, refused to buy claims. This being a violation of the claim laws, messengers, young men mostly, were dispatched on swift horses to convene the members of the Claim Association, and in great emergencies the members of other Associations. Upon coming together the members would proceed to hear the proofs and allegations on both sides, and then decide the matter by a vote. If the decision was in favor of the "jumper," he was seenre in his title, but if adverse a semi-military organization, properly officered, would be effected, whose duty it was to proceed at once to the cabin of the trespasser, and remove his goods and family there- from, and then either tear the building down or burn it. In all these contests about claims the alleged trespasser always had friends, and sometimes they would constitute the majority of the meeting. In such an event victory would perch upon his banner. As an instance of how the matter worked at times, we give the following which occurred in Genesee : Three brothers went to the land office at Dixon, and entered claims upon which four of the actual settlers had built cabins and made improvements. As soon as this was ascertained a meetingof the members of all the adjoining Claim Associations was called, the number present being vari- ously estimated at from two to three hundred. The first thing decided upon at the meeting was, to turn out with axes and wagons and cut and haul the timber from the lands of these brothers to the land belonging to other parties. This was done, but the "jumpers " did not budge. A subsequent meeting was then
·
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HISTORY OF GENESEE TOWNSHIP.
held, and the brothers arrested. This time a demand was made of them to eon- vey the lands to the first claimants, but plucky still, they refused to comply. The question then arose as to the kind of punishment which should be inflicted upon them, three modes being discussed, to wit : drowning, shooting or whipping. After mature deliberation the whipping method was adopted, and two members of the Association were selected to carry the verdict into execution. The decree was that two of the brothers should be punished, the third one be- ing let off as an innocent party. The number of blows was not to exceed thirty- nine, and an umpire selected to decide as to the number each of the parties could endure. Two stakes were driven into the ground, and the brothers tied to them. The first one whipped exhibited pluck, and did not flinch, although he received nearly all the blows before the umpire interfered, and prevented further pun- ishment. The second one received only a few blows when he was taken with palpitation of the heart, and they were stopped. All the parties have long since left this county. To prevent these claim disputes and their attendant conse- quences, the Legislature of the State, at the session of 1837-'38, passed an act limiting claims to one hundred and sixty acres of timber, and three hundred and twenty acres of prairie, but order was not finally restored until the lands had been purchased at the Government land sales.
The Winnebago Indians remained to hunt and fish in and around Genesee until 1839, and were generally quiet and peaceful, although they would occasionally steal horses and provisions. During that year, a party of them borrowed some of the cquines without consent, and were followed and overtaken by the settlers. They were so indignant at this proceedure that they threat- ened to scalp every white person in the settlement before morning. The alarm was soon carried to every family on the north side of the grove with the word to hasten to the house of William Hill, where a general headquarters would be made, and after all had assembled there, the men barricaded the doors and windows inside and outside. After finishing the work outside, they entered the house through the gable window by means of a ladder, and upon being safely entrenched, drew the ladder up after them. Their weapons of warfare included everything from a rifle to a pitchfork. One man, a Methodist minis- ter, was armed with a table fork, having heard that there was a tradition among the Indians that a stab from such an instrument always proved fatal to them. During the night one of the settlers in the neighborhood came home from the mill, and, finding his cabin deserted, went to the residence of Mr. Hill, but was unable to arouse the inmates. After laboring a long time he finally tore down the barricades, entered the dwelling, and found the garrison asleep on their arms. In the morning it was found that the Indians had all decamped during the night, but their trail was followed by some of the more adventurous settlers, and they were overtaken on an island in the Mississippi river, near Fulton, and the stolen horses secured. When this had been effected they were promptly punished by receiving a sound whipping.
In early times the prairie rattle snakes were plenty, and always expressed a willingness to bite by rattling. On one occasion, when some of the pioneers of the township were reaping wheat on the land of one of their number as was the eustom then, one of these "sarpints" was discovered, and sounding the tocsin of war, threw itself into a coil ready for a strike. The reapers fell baek in good order, and suggested various modes of attack, but before a determin- ation was reached, Mr. Parish came to the rescue and cried out in a stentorian voice "Boys, stand back, and I will show you how we kill snakes in Tennessee." The order being promptly obeyed, he approached the enemy and when within three feet of the snake sprang into the air with the intention of landing on it
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with his feet close together, thereby crushing it, but he made his calculations wrong and came down on the opposite side. In his attempt to save himself he fell flat on his back across the snake, very much scared, as was also the snake. The unengaged parties came to his aid, and separated the belligerents without either having received any injury. The snake was finally killed with a club.
The first Postmaster in what is now Genesee township was Edward Rich- ardson, who received his appointment in 1839. Shortly afterwards a postoffice was established at Prospect Grove, and called Prospect Postoffice, James Hank- ie, an Englishman, receiving the first appointment as Postmaster, who was suc- ceeded by Ira Seoville. This office has long since been abolished. The post- office at New Genesee was established a number of years ago, William Taylor being the present Postmaster.
The first birth in the township was that of a daughter of William Wick, which occurred in 1836. She was named Louisa Wick.
The first prize obtained by the grim destroyer was the life of Mrs. James, mother of George O. James, now of Mt. Pleasant township. Mrs. James died in 1838. The rider of the white horse commenced holding his fairs early in Whiteside county, and tied the ribbon on the door of many a cabin. The doomed ones were rudely, but sacredly, buried in the grove or on the prairie, and the summer winds sang as soft a requiem over their lowly graves as it would have done had the elegant tomb-stones and imposing monuments of to-day marked their last resting-place.
Unhappily we have been unable to ascertain the name of the lady who first shuffled off the coil of single blessedness and entered into the blissful state of matrimony. The first marriage in a new settlement is always blissful, and for miles and miles around the happy couple are congratulated. In more senses than one it is an era for the neighborhood. The name of the fortunate groom, however, is preserved, and it is written George Huffman. The hope at the wedding undoubtedly was that many little Huffmans would grace the theater of action, and that if of the male persuasion they would have more of the man than the huff. Among the first marriage licenses issued after the organization of the county in 1839, one was granted to Harvey Preston, of Grant county, Wisconsin Territory, and Jane Hall, of Genesee Grove Precinct, who were mar- ried at that time.
The first town meeting, under the township organization law, was held on the 6th of April, 1852, when the following officers were elected : Ivory Col- cord, Supervisor; Abram H. Law, Town Clerk; JJohn S. Crum, Collector; Will- iam Crum, Assessor; John W. Lowery and James D. Law, Justices of the Peace. The following have been the Supervisors, Town Clerks, Assessors, Col- lectors, and Justices of the Peace from 1852 to 1877, inclusive :
Supervisors :- 1852-'53, Ivory Colcord; 1854-'55, Andrew S. Ferguson; 1856-'57, Charles Lineroad; 1858-'59, C. W. Sherwood; 1860-'63, Andrew S. Ferguson; 1864-'66, Ephraim Brookfield; 1867, David Anthony; 1868-'70, Andrew S. Ferguson; 1871-'72, Wm. H. Colcord; 1873-74, Cephas Hurless; 1875-'77, Ira Scoville.
Town Clerks :- 1852, Abram H. Law; 1853, John Yager; 1854, Abram H. Law; 1855-'58, William Crum; 1859, R. B. Coleord; 1860-'62, William Crum; 1863, David Anthony; 1864, R. B. Coleord; 1865-66, David Anthony; 1867-'70, William H. Colcord; 1871-'73, A. S. Ferguson; 1874, S. S. Cobb; 1875-77, A. S. Ferguson.
Assessors :- 1852, William Crum; 1853, R. B. Colcord; 1854-'56, J. M. Griswold; 1857, James Rodman; 1858, John Clark; 1859, Cephas Hurless;
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