USA > Illinois > Williamson County > History of Williamson county, Illinois, From the earliest times, down to the present, 1876, with an accurate account of the secession movement, ordinances, raids, etc., 1914 > Part 7
USA > Illinois > Williamson County > History of Williamson county, Illinois, From the earliest times, down to the present, with an accurate account of the secession movement, ordinances, raids, etc., also, a complete history of its "bloody vendetta," including all its recondite causes, results, etc., etc. > Part 7
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I have now come to those troubles which were known as
"THE BLOODY VENDETTA,"
And first, I will give an account of the families that have been suspected of 'belong- ing to the Vendetta. And first of the Rus- sells : Philip T. Russell, who settled on the Eight Mile Prairie in 1817, brought with him three sons, James, Samuel and Jeffer- son. Jefferson Russell's family consisted of himself and wife, and eight children: Harriet, Winifred, Scott, Nancy, Adelade, Mary, John R., Thomas J., and Hope. Four of these girls are married, but none of this family have been implicated in the Vendetta but Thomas .They are among our wealthiest and most respectable farmers, possessing good intelligence and education, and none of them ever did anything to bring reproach upon themselves, except it was Thomas. They live in the center of the Eight Mile, on the west side of the county, in a large
WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 113 residence, surrounded by the conveniences of life.
The Sisney family consisted of George W., who first married Panina Brown, and had four children who are now living: Win- field S., John, George W., Jr., and Martha Jane. The latter is now eighteen years old. Mrs. Sisney died in 1863, and Sisney then married Miss Fredonia Williams, who now has four small children. Winfield married Miss Malissa Williams; John Miss Molie Higgins; George, Jr., Miss Hannah Tippy. Sisney was a man of more than ordinary ability; was medium size and compactly built, dark complexion, a very passionate and fearless man, but high-toned, generous and open-hearted. He served as captain in the Eight-First Illinois Volunteers, and was one of the number who volunteered to run the 'blockade at Vicksburg. In 1866 he was elected Sheriff, and again ran in 1874, but was defeated. At his death he had accumu- lated property to the amount of several thousand dollars. In 1872 he wrote some sensible articles against the stock law, and argued that it would benefit him, but would be a hardship on the poor farmers. The young Sisneys received common school edu- cations and stand well in this county for honesty and fair dealing.
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Of the Hendersons, Joseph Henderson of Kentucky, had three sons who came to this county : William, Joseph W., and James. William has seven children: Felix, James, Pad, John, Emma, Margaret and Nancy. Margaret and Nancy are married. Joseph W. has six children: Samuel, William, Thomas, Synoma, Lucy and Dike. James had but one child, Granite, eleven years old. Joseph W. came to this county in March, 1864, and William, March of 1865. Samuel and James, Jr., served four years in the Twentieth Kentucky Union Volunteers. James, Sr., the leader, was born on the head-waters of Blood River, Kentucky, and was forty-four years old when he was killed. He was raised on a farm, but never worked one until he came to this state. When a boy, he drove a team, and one day got drunk, and from that day until his death he never drank a drop of liquor. He then went to Missouri, and then to Texas, and back to Kentucky, and lived with his 'brother William. In 1851 he went to California, and remained seven years, and came back to Kentucky with $6,000, and followed buying and selling notes until 1860, when he went to peddling tobacco; his brother John manufacturing it. Felix G. traveled with him all over the Southern States. In Guntown they saw sev- en men hung for opinion's sake. James' in-
WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 115
dignation was excited, and he declared he would go home and join the Union army. He left his bills uncollected, and went to Pa- ducah and got permission to raise a com- pany. This company he raised by going around in the bushes at night. The gun- boats met him, by agreement, up the river, and took his company to Paducah, and he joined the Twentieth Kentucky Infantry. He then went up the river and captured the Agnew ferry-boat, which he piloted down the river himself. But, not being a pilot, it sometimes took the brush on him. After four months' service, he procured a substi- tute and started out with five men as a spy. On this raid he captured eleven rebels, and among them, Captain Bolen, who now lives in Paris, Henry County, Tennessee. He next acted as guide, and conducted General Smith's brigade to Fort Henry. After this he left the army, and moved into Massac county, Illinois. Here he remained one year, and then joined the Fifth Iowa Cav- alry as guide, in which capacity he served for eight months, and was then guide for General Lowe. He was in a skirmish at Clarksville, and in chasing one man whom he knew, shot at him, and cut a lock of hair from his head, which he picked up and kept. The man came to Marion with Hendricks, from Kentucky, when he had a suit against
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Henderson, and they had a hearty laugh over it. While he was with the Fifth Iowa he took a few men and went out from Fort Henry where a man was harboring five reb- els. When Henderson got there they were all in the lot but Captain Ozburn, of Calla- way County, Kentucky, who was standing at the gate. Henderson told him to surrender, Ozburn said nothing, but drew his revolver, when Henderson shot him, and walked up to him, and Ozburn fell into his arms. Hen- derson not thinking he was hurt, again call- ed on him to surrender. Poor Ozburn sur- rendered his life to his Maker, and sank, and died at his feet. He came to this county February 1864, and in October 'bought the land, then in the woods, on which he died. Henderson was a large man, weighing over two hundred pounds, and without doubt the most powerful man, physically, in this coun- ty. He could not read, but was a coherent thinker; shrewd, cunning, and cautious; a man of but few words, but pleasant and child-like in manners, making him a very safe friend, but a dangerous enemy. Such is the man who was the reputed leader of the Russell side of the Vendetta. Felix al-
ways lived with James until within two or three years before his death. Some of the Henderson girls are very handsome, and are excellent school teachers. The men are
WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 117 mostly illiterate, but shrewd and cunning. They have dark skins, coal black eyes and raven hair, and some of them are fine-look- ing men. They are men of few words, and are not the kind of people that turn over mountains, but a braver set of men don't live on earth. With the exception of Pad, they are considered honest and fair in all their dealings.
This comprises the leading families on the Republican side of the Vendetta. Many others are implicated in the bloody feud with them but I will describe them as they come upon the scene.
The Bulliner family consisted of George Bulliner, his wife and eleven children. Eliza- beth, Mary, Nancy Emeline, Rebecca Ade- line, David, John, Monroe, George, Eman nal, Amanda Jane and Martha Lane. The youngest is now sixteen years old. Elizabeth married Jordan C. Halstead; Mary, John Gamble; Nancy, W. N. Berkley; Rebecca, Aaron Smith; Amanda, Pierce Crain; Mon- roe married Miss Josephine Council, a very handsome and accomplished lady; Emanuel married Miss Mary Tiner, and David, at his death was engaged to Miss Cornelia O'Neal, of Tennessee. George Bullner lived in Mc- Nair county, Tennessee, and was a man of considerable means and influence. At the breaking out of the war, he was a loyal man,
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and in September 1862, raised what was al- ways after known as "Bulliner's Company," They first served as state guards, and fin- ally entered the Union Army. Bulliner serv- ed without pay. He came to this county on the 28th day of January, 1865, and bought a farm from Arthur Blake, two miles south- east of the Egiht Mile, on which stood a two-story brick residence. In 1876 he put up a horse-mill and a cotton-gin. His son, David, first kept store with F. M. Sparks, a half-mile north of his house, and then put up a store at home. This he kept a few years, and then moved to Crainville, and went in with Wm. Spencer, to whom he afterwards sold out, and with whom he had a little suit, but not one that generated ill-feelings. The other boys worked on the farm, and are young men of fine personal appearance, light complexion, dark hair, social, jovial and very pleasant in their manners and address. George Bulliner was a man of more than or- dinary ability, a large, stout-built man, of homely appearance. He was noted for his zeal for what he regarded as right, for his sterling honesty and boldness in asserting and maintaining his opinion, and defending his principles. He was energetic, and a shrewd business man, and was kind and len- ient to the poor, buying what ever they had to sell; and in building up the country, and
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WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
helping his neighbors, he not only became wealthy, 'but built up a character that was conspicuous and honorable. To a stranger he appeared like a cross, ill-natured man; but that was not his nature. He was not a religious man, and sometimes resorted to rough sports and amusements. At the time of his death he was sixty-one years old.
The Hinchcliff family consisted of Wil- liam Hinchcliff, who settled here in an early day and died in 1858, his wife and three sons : Vincent, Robert and William. As a family, they are very intellectual, and noted throughout this county for integrity and his social qualities. They live on a farm on the north side of the Eight Mile, a half-mile from Russell's. They used to keep store there, and Vince was a physician, a good mu- sician and a man of fine ability, but of a very violent temper. He was agreeable and social to his friends, but unpleasant and of- fensive to his enemies, growing out of poli- tics. Robert is a man very different in tem- per. Educated, refined, a splendid musi- cian, sociable, honest, and a gentleman from the ground up. He is also an artist, and paints with great skill. He lives in a lovely little cottage amid bowers where roses, honeysuckle and jessamines mingle their colors and rich perfumes with the po- seys and daisies. A meadow in its green
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THE HISTORY OF
livery, with tall, wild flowers oscillating in the breeze, and fields and forests so bend- ed as to make a landscape of every varying beauty, surrounds his house, where the song of the little bird is pouring forth, and in- sects sport playfully in mid-air, which makes their bright hues appear more resplendent by the sun's golden rays. Near the cottage is a flower-garden, containing every thing that can charm the eye or delight the senses. I will not attempt to describe the little flo- ral world, for there is no end to it. This is a picture of his home, and imagination can furnish nothing more delightful than a life gliding away amid a scene like this. Robert and William have never had anything to do or say in the Vendetta, but both have been studiously exonerated from all suspicion by all parties.
The Crain family is a very large one. Spencer and Jasper Crain settled in this county in an early day. Spencer had sev- eral children; among them was Jasper, U .; Jasper, Sr., had several, among them was William and Spencer, Jr. William Crain had eight children: Nancy Ann, George F., Terry, alias "Big Terry," Noah W., alias "Yaller Bill," William J., alias "Big Jep," Warren, Marshal T., Wesley. Jasper U. Crain has seven children: Terry, Samuel R., Lorenzo, Alonzo, Mary, Pierce, Eva.
WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 121 Spencer Crain, Jr., had three living children, Wm. J., alias "Black Bill," Martha, and Elizabeth.
The other families are too numerous to name. Then, in fact, it would be useless, as only five of those I have mentioned have been implicated in the Vendetta. Most of the Crains are religious, and live honest, pay their debts, and deal fairly with their neighbors. William and some of his boys would often get into rough-and-tumble fights; but never used weapons. "Big Ter- ry," now dead, was a powerful man. Aside from this, there was nothing to distinguish them from the rest of our citizens. George F. is a Justice of the Peace, and one of the most respectable and honorable citizens of the county. The same could be said of sev- eral others of them. They received common school educations, and none of them are very wealthy; but all are good livers, and farmers, and live three miles east of the Eight Mile. They belong to the sanguine temperament (excepting Black Bill who is bilious) and are social and agreeable men to meet. These are the leading families on the Democratic side. I will give account of oth- ers as they appear on the scene. The first difficulty in the Vendetta occurred on Sat- urday, the 4th of July 1868, in a saloon one and a half miles east of Carbondale; 'but it
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THE HISTORY OF
is right to say that there is not a drunkard, excepting Samuel Music, in all the Vendetta. Felix G. Henderson was on his way from Carbondale, about 4 o'clock p. m. It was raining very hard, and he stopped in the saloon, where the Bulliners, for the same reason, had stopped a few minutes before. The Bulliners were playing cards. After a while George Bulliner bantered "Field" for a game. They went to playing. Presently George Bulliner, Jr., (a son of David Bullin- er) of Tennessee, commenced by betting on the game, and got to putting in. Field told him to shut up, that it was none of his busi- ness. Young George said Bulliner was six and "Field" five. "Field" said he was six and Bulliner five. Bulliner said "Field" was right. "Field" then got up and called young George a dam lying son of a
Young George first got a chair, which was taken from him, and then they clinched. George broke away and got some bottles "Field" drew his knife, and George Bulliner, Sr., struck him with a bottle, and knocked him six or seven feet. A general fight fol- lowed, in which "Field" was badly 'beaten up. The bar-keeper's wife and James Rus- sell parted them. At this time, "Field" did not know the Bulliners, and asked who they were. In the fight, "Field" had cut David Stancil on the arm. Next day Stancil sent
WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 123 Eli Farmer to Henderson to apologize for him. When Farmer came James Henderson cursed "Field," and told him that a saloon was no place to be in. After the fight was over, "Field" fearing the Bulliners would follow him, went an unusual route to Wil- liam Hindman's in this county, where George Sisney washed off the blood. "Field" did not feel satisfied, so next week he went to where young George was plow- ing in David Stancil's field. They spoke, and Bulliner asked him how he was getting, and if he was hurt. "Field" said:
"I am bodily hurt. I was overpowered the other day, and if you want to try it over I am willing, any way you want to." Bul- liner said that he did not want to fight. "Field" told him that he had an equal show now, and that he himself had been mobbed. Bulliner, fearing that Henderson was going to shoot him, broke for a tree and called for his pistol. Henderson told him that he came to offer him a fair fight, and rode off home. In the September following, Bulliner had three ricks of hay burned. The tracks of two persons were observed leading in the direction of Carterville. The next week his cotton-gin was 'burned and had at the time one hundred thousand pounds of cotton in it, fifteen thousand pounds of which were taken out of ruins, a week after the fire.
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Suspicion was thrown by some on Felix,but a large majority at that time supposed it was incendiaries from Tennessee, and it is not known to this day who did commit this arson.
In 1872 Thomas J. Russell and John Bul- liner commenced going alternately with Miss Sarah Stocks. They soon became cool rivals. Bulliner finally succeeded in mak- ing himself the most acceptable visitor. Envy seized Russell, and they became ene- mies; but other than a few short words, had no difficulty until the riot at Crainville.
In 1869, a man by the name of Samuel Brethers, who lived at Bulliner's, cultivat- ed a part of Sisney's farm, which joined Bulliner on the east. He raised a crop of oats, and after they were thrashed, he left them on Sisney's farm. He then sold the oats to Sisney to pay the rent, and also sold them to David Bulliner, to pay a debt, and went to Texas. Bulliner claimed the oats, and replevied them from Sisney, but got beat in the suit. On the 26th day of April, 1870, they met at Sisney's blacksmith shop to settle. They differed about each other's account, and Sisney said, "If we can not agree we will leave it to our 'betters." David said, "I tried you in law once." Sisney re- plied "Yes! and I beat you." David said "Yes! and you did it by hard swearing;"
WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 125 and Sisney knocked him down with a shovel. David ran home, got his father, John and Monroe with their pistols, and started back. Sisney, on seeing them coming, re- treated out the back way, from his house, with a Henry rifle. John fired on him, near the house, at about 15 yards. David fired with a gun, and again at 250 yards, just as Sisney went behind an old tree that stood in the field. Four of the balls took ef- fect in his leg and hip. Sisney then asked for quarters, and George Bulliner stopped his boys, Sisney was carried to his house, and Bulliner waited on him faithfully for several days. They were all indicted in Sep- tember following, and four of the Bulliners and Sisney each fined $100. This was the only difficulty that occured between the Sisneys and the Bulliners.
I have now given the three orginal caus- es of the Vendetta; first a deck of cards; second a woman; third, oats. The Crains next came into the scene in a fight against the Sisneys. Marshal T. Crain and John Sisney had had a fight eight years before, but had made it up. Still later, they had another fight, at Mrs. Clements, about some "tales." John was accused of striking Marshal with brass knuckles. They, at this time, agreed never to be friends again, yet not to fight any more; but in Novem-
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ber, 1872, they got at it again, with "Big Jep" and Wash, (George, Jr.,) Sisney, thrown in for strikers; but nobody was hurt.
About the 15th day of December, 1872, James Henderson went into the Company store, in Carterville, and bought a pair of boots, and a dog fight occured at the door, in which the Crain 'boys had a dog. "Big Terry" was cursing Elijah Peterson for in- terfering. Henderson thought that they took the other dog to be his, but he said nothing, and started off. "Big Terry" said:
"I would like to knock that dam black rascal."
Henderson, not thinking the remark in- tended for him, walked on, when Terry ad- ded,
"That rascal with the boots."
James told him it was a good time, to "lam in." A few more words were passed, but no fighting. This affair threw the Hendersons and Crains into line against each other. The Crains, now being enemies of the Sisneys and Hendersons, become pliant allies to the Bulliners.
On the 25th day of the same month the Carterville riot occurred. John Sisney, Wesley and Marshal Crain were in the Com- pany Store, when Sisney threw out some banter to Marsh, who struck him three times with a weight. Milton Black started
WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 127 towards them, and "Big Terry" told him not to interfere, that they were boys. Black said he would not. Then Terry said:
"I am a better man than you, Black." Black said, "That is untrue."
Terry said, "I am going to whip you."
Black replied, "You ain't done it."
Terry started at him, and Black knocked him down three times, and it was supposed with brass knuckles. The other Crain boys started towards Black, and George Sisney cried out :
"Give Black fair play."
Just then some one knocked him (Sis- ney) senseless to the floor, and Warren Crain fell on him. They fought around for a while, and then got outside; the fight stopped, and, after a few words, Wesley Council struck Sisney on the forehead with something in his hand, supposed to be a weight. After that the Sisneys and Blacks went into Black's grocery, when Terry again came on to Black, but George Bulliner interfered, and said Black should not be im- posed upon, and there it had to stop. Sis- ney and Black went to the hotel to wash, when Terry and posse came in to arrest Black for using knuckles. Black resisted, saying that a private citizen had no right to arrest him. This ended the riot. Some of the parties were arrested, and their trial
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set for December 30th, at Crainville. The Hendersons had heard that the Crains had said, if any of them came down on that day they would be to haul home. So, on that day all the Hendersons, Sisneys, Bulliners, Crains, Council, Thomas Russell, some of the Stotlars, and several others, were on hand, and, in place of a trial by law, they had a trial by wager of battle. Russell rais- ed a difficulty with John Bulliner. They commenced fighting on the east side of Wm. Spence's store, and fought around to the south door, John with a little stick, and Tom with his fist. James Henderson told Tom to get a brick, which he did and threw it at Bulliner, who then drew his pistol. Rus- sell then drew his. At this instant David Bulliner came out of the store, and James Henderson drew a revolver about a foot long, and said no man should touch him. The Bulliners then went into the house, where some of the Crain boys were. Sam Hen- derson struck the house with his fist, and asked :
"Where are those God d-n fighting Crains that were going to whip the Hen- dersons ?"
James H. said :
"I can whip any man on the ground."
George Bulliner, standing in the door, said :
WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 129
"Henderson, I don't know so much about that, that is hard to take."
Henderson told him to come out and fight like a man. Bulliner said he had noth- ing against the Hendersons. James said :
"I have against you; you beat my neph- ew."
"Field" spoke up and said:
"I am the one; come out and fight a man of your size."
Bulliner started out, 'but was caught by Wm. Spence, who shoved him back and shut the door. Henderson cursed around for half an hour, calling the Crains traitors, cow- ards, &c., and then went home, alleging that the Bulliners and Crains were so thick in Spence's cellar, that when they drew their breath the floor raised. Marshal Crain was indicted for an assault with a deadly weapon on John Sisney, but never had a trial. The State's Attorney filed an information against about twenty of these fellows for riot, and at the February term of the County Court, 1873, they were all in Ma- rion. The information was quashed. Thom- as Russell went back to Crainville, and at Spence's store he met with three of the Bulliner boys. They soon determined on a fight, but Russell ran off to Carterville, a half mile, where he found the Hendersons.
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He told James to go back with him and see him a fair fight. James started back in a wagon, and they met George Bulliner com- ing down. James got out of his wagon and said :
"Bulliner, you are the cause of all this trouble; why don't you make your boys 'be- have, and let people alone ?"
Bulliner said he could not control them. James said :
"That's a lie; get down and let us stop it, for you are heading it; let's fight it out between me and you, and stop it, or, stop it without fighting, just as you want to."
Bulliner said he was for peace. So they agreed to have no more fighting.
Soon after this Henderson was driving along by Vincent Hinchcliff's with a load of rock, when Bulliner overtook him and they had some very hot words, Bulliner threatened to kill him on the spot, and Hen- derson challenged him to fight. Behind Bulliner was a wagon with five others in it, but they said nothing. Henderson drove on. He always contended from that day that he was waylaid. And it is almost certain that Bulliner had been before this.
Along in the summer of 1873, Marshal Crain and John Sisney met in Carterville one night, and talked about shooting each
WILLIAMSON COUNTY, ILLINOIS. 131 other, but put their pistols away without firing.
Jennings, the State's Attorney, had these rioters arrested four times, and the information for riot was as often quashed. On the fifth trial, some of the rioters on the Crain side were convicted; those on the other side changed venue to Jackson county, where they were acquitted. At one of these attempted trials George Sisney got mad at Jennings, and was cursing him to me, in the County Clerk's office, when Wesley Council stepped in at the door. Sisney call- ed him a "hell cat." Council drew his revol- ver, and I caught him and told him he should not be hurt. Sisney drew his revolver, but could not shoot without striking me, which he would not do. Wash Sisney was present, and did some talking of a threatening character. Council behaved himself with remarkable coolness to be in the presence of a man of the nerve of Sisney. I got him out
of the door, and he went into an adjoining house. After the danger was all over, there were some wonderful exhibitions of bravery among the outsiders. The next difficulty in the Vendetta was Nov. 6, 1873, at the elec- tion in the Eight Mile, when Thomas Rus- sell, David Pleasant and David Bulliner got into a fuss over an old feud, and James Nor- ris, a new actor on the stage, (as was also
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