USA > Illinois > Adams County > Quincy > History of the city of Quincy, Illinois > Part 2
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35
The natural drainage of the city was defee- tive entailing no small amount of difficulty and expense in providing for needed sewerage. The
reason of this is that along the river front the ravines which ran up into the bluff. were extremely short, scarcely draining as far east as the Public Square. A larger portion of the city, especially that most easily settled, was drained to the east.
By far the largest portion of the water that fell ran in the water shed inclines toward the east instead of direct to the river, and found its way there finally through the great ravines that seamed the eastern and central portion of the place.
The rest of the bluff immediately overlook- ing the river, scolloped as it was on the western face, by these scant ravines was yet highest about the line of Second and Third Streets and thenee toward the east the land descended for some distance. The average height of the bluffs above low water mark was 126 feet. The crest occasionally rose into little conical peaks, in many of which bones, weapons, and other re- mains of the Indian race have been found.
The highest among all these was "Mount Pisgah." It stood on the south side of Maine, near Second, and was much the highest peak on the bluffs, commanding a most attractive view of the river and our rich surroundings in every direction. Its name was earned first by the promising prospects it offered, and after- wards was kept and claimed, so it is said, from the many promises there made, when, in later years, it became the trysting place of negotiat- ing lads and lassies during the dnsky hours.
The streets have shorn away its northern and western face, the vandal grasp of improvement toppled its high head to the dust. the very heart of the hanghty hill has been washed into the waves of the river on which it had frowned for centuries but there is many a peruser of these pages who will always cherish pleasant and regretful remembrances of the venerable mount.
CHAPTER HI.
1821.
BIOGRAPHICAL. JOHN WOOD, WILLARD KEYES, THE FIRST INHABITANTS OF QUINCY. THEIR EXPLORATIONS, LEGEND OF "TREASURE TROVE." PIKE COUNTY ORGANIZED.
Pioneer history must be mainly biographical. It is the record of the actions of individuals. Often seemingly insignificant, they lead to re-
IO
PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY.
sults of high importanee. The pioneer goes into the wilderness, often prompted by a restless- ness of temperament, and unconsciously with his axe and rifle, help lay the foundations of city and state. He builds more wisely and broader than he knows.
But the founders of the city of Quincy. laid its foundation with clear conception of, and a confident faith in the future of their enter- prise. The actions and the utterances of our pioneers, so far as we have any record of them. bear testimony to their firm confidence in the ultimate growth and prominence of the city. Fortunate it is, that in the later period of their lives, they have found solace and satisfaction for the trials and hardships of frontier life. in the realization of the prosperity for which they had long looked and labored. They founded one of the most prosperous and beautiful cities in the State of Illinois.
To Governor Wood belongs the distinction of having been the first actual settler of Quincy. A native of Cayuga County. New York, coming to Illinois in 1819. in search of a location. he met in the winter of that year with Mr. Willard Keyes. a Vermonter who. like himself, a single, young and adventurous man, was on the look- out for a fitting place in which to "settle down for life."
They established themselves in all the royal independence of a log cabin in the "bottom." some thirty miles south of where QUINCY now is and resided there for two or three years on the northern skirt of settlement, in what was then Madison, now Pike County.
Before anchoring themselves. these two men. with others. on the tenth of February. 1820, started on an exploring expedition through the southern part of the Military Traet. This journey occupied several weeks and carried them along the sections next the Illinois River as far north as the base line and thence east and south towards the junction of the two rivers. Wood and Keyes wanted to visit and inspect this place. The published maps of the country, defective as they were, all showed that here was a bluff bank on the east side of the river, the only really available point north of the mouth of the Illinois for a town. that would always be above overflow. It so happened. that these poor boys. Wood and Keyes, rode borrowed horses, and although anxious to go. having at last got in its neigh- borhood. to the bluffs of the river which their imaginations and conversations had fixed upon as the site of a future city. could not persuade the older heads of the party to go there, and hence. passing through about where now is Camp Point. then only a point of timber, jutting
into the prairie and known as Indian Camp Point, and coming in their travel. within about twelve miles of QUINCY on their southern re- turn, they "put for home, " which they reached on the first of March, having been eleven days on their tour of exploration. This little episode indicates how nearly our pioneers came to fixing their location some years prior to the period of their permanent settlement. Still «linging to their original thought, awaiting the fitting chance for its development. they oc- eupied themselves with farming and occasional explorations with seekers for land, whom their knowledge of the country and skill in wood- craft enabled them to efficiently aid. From a private journal kept by the father of the writer. describing a business tour he had made in 1821, from his residence in the southern section of the state through the military tract. we copy the following allusion to our future city fathers.
"Passed the night with two young bachelors from northern New York. Wood and Keyes by name. These young men propose to be perma- nent settlers and have all the requisites of char- acter to make good citizens, much as will add to the character of a community and the de- velopment of landed values about them."
It was on one of the land-seeking excursions, as above named, in February, 1821. that Wood at last struck upon the long-thought-of El Dorado. Piloting two men, Motfatt and Flynn. in search of a quarter section of land owned by the latter. it proved to be the quarter section immediately east of and adjoining his present residence, on the corner of Twelfth and State Streets. The primitive beauties of the location tonched his fancy; and he determined that it was just what he desired and should be secured, if within his power. The locality we have de- scribed in our second chapter. It was a dis- appointment to Flynn. who was impressed with its loneliness. and said he would not have a neighbor in fifty years. He carried away with him these feelings of dissatisfaction. On Wood's return to his cabin he lost no time in pouring into the eager ears of his partner his enthusiastic impressions; and his intention of returning to plant himself for life. Catching the infection which so blended with his own predilections and desires. Keyes, at his first con- venience, borrowed a horse from his nearest neighbor, eight miles distant. and going up alone to look at the promised land and see for himself : needed but a single glance to become convinced that he need seek no further. or. to use his own words, that "not the half had been told." Ile laid out for the night at the foot of the bluff near the river, returned on the following day, and thenceforth. the purposes
PAST AND PRESENT OF AADAMS COUNTY.
of the young adventurers were fixed. Their home was chosen, the site of the future eity was selected and they waited only the opportunity to establish themselves.
These details are given as indicative of the ideas that stimulated our ancestors in their settlement of the place. Circumstance, as has been seen. conspired to lead them to conceal the profound satisfaction which they entertained respecting their future home. Wood. it will be remembered. was "tongue-tied" by the pres- ence of parties from whom he expected to pur- chase, and before whom it was not judicious to too strongly express himself, and whatever Keves may have said or thought. could hardly have been remembered and brought away by his sole companion. another man's horse.
The primitive appearance of the place has been heretofore portrayed. It was an un- broken wild with no evidences of past perma- nent ocenpation, save the remains of a few rude stone chimneys or fire-places on the river bank about the foot of Broadway and Delaware streets. These were known to be the vestiges of the huts erected by French traders who in past years had occasionally wintered here, or some- times made it a temporary rendezvous in their occasional dealing with the Indians.
There was a tradition connected with the locality current among the Indians and fron- tiermen. of a "treasure trove" that may yet start up to the enrichment of some child of fortune.
The story, fully as well authenticated as the legends of ('apt. Kidd and Aladdin. is, that a wealthy Indian trader by the name of Bauvet, who lived here about the year 1911, buried two keys of French crowns and was shortly after- ward killed by the Indians. leaving the seeret of his deposit unrevealed. The proof of this story will be established by the finding of the crowns.
The site of Quincy was at this time in Madi- son County.
The Legislature on the 31st of January. 1821. formed the county of Pike. embracing all the territory between the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, reaching on the north to the Wisconsin line. Cole's Grove. now in Calhoun county. and since called Gilead. was the county seat. At the same session. February 14th, a legislative ap- portionment law was passed making Pike a rep- resentative, and Pike and Greene counties a senatorial district. So numerous and sometimes so conflicting were the applications for new counties, that on the 30th of January. a law was passed requiring that all intended applica- tions to the General Assembly for the forma- tion of counties must be previously published
twelve times in a newspaper. The only news- paper in the country was published at Ed- wardsville. John Wood led the movement, which after a few years resulted in the forma- tion of Adams County.
CHAPTER IN.
1822.
JOHN WOOD'S LOG CABIN THE FIRST BUILDING IN QUINCY. SIXTY DOLLARS FOR ONE HUN- DRED AND SIXTY ACRES. DANIEL LISLE AND JUSTU'S PERIGO. THE FIRST SETTLERS IN ADAMS COUNTY, THEN PIKE). FIRST STATE ELECTIONS. EFFORT OF THE PRO-SLAVERY ELEMENT TO CHANGE THE CONSTITUTION.
Wood and Keves had but little difficulty in securing from Flynn the "refusal" of the land whose fertility and surroundings had so fast- ened upon their fancy. Flynn was as zealous to get rid of. as they were to acquire it. There was. however, a difficulty of another nature and one equally important to overcome. It took money to buy the land, and the enormous price asked by Flynn of sixty dollars for these 160 aeres. was a fabulous sum to our young ad- venturers. They had, however, twenty dollars of their own and a neighbor forty miles away, happened to have the forty more to loan them and the trade was completed, to the satisfaction of all parties, in the summer of 1822. In the fall of this year. Wood came up and making "camp" on the bank of the river near the foot of Delaware street, commenced the erection of the first building within the limits of the pres- ent city. Not very pretentious was this lone structure. no architectural skill elaborated its style. no "sealed proposals" heralded its con- struction. no scheduled "estimate or written contracts." formalized its birth. It was a log cabin of the most primitive sort. 20 by 15 feet in size, built withont the use of a single nail. a stranger to the aristocracy of "sawed huber." clay chinked, with puncheon floor, rough stone fire place and chimney built of sticks bedaubed with clay. It was truly a wooden structure both in material and maker. With occasional aid from his distant neighbors in Pike, especial- ly at the "raising." Mr. Wood was enabled to complete his home sufficiently to warrant mov- ing in on the eighth of December. 1522. This cabin. long since destroyed. is remembered by some of the old settlers. It stood on the sonth- east corner of Front and Delaware streets,
.
I2
PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY.
facing west. Constructed with more care than was usual in those early days, subsequently, with additions made, a porch attached, white- wash liberally used and surroundings attended to, it became noted for an appearance of com- fort and taste superior to most of the houses in the conntry.
For the first seven years, its ownership was a divided or doubtful one between two claim- ants, John Wood, the constructor and occupant, and the United States, in which rested the ownership of the land. For a while, the gov- ernment claim was the only valid one. Although Mr. Wood at this time owned the land which he had purchased from Flynn and which he was now preparing to farm, the first soil, in this section broken, by a plow (he was a "squat- ter"') was on the spot where he lived. Then and for some years later, the squatter on unsold government land was an intruder, (in law, a "trespasser.") Subsequently, a judicious and liberal reversal of the government policy, gave to the squatter a color of prior claim to the ownership of the land on which he had located whenever it came into market through the oper- ation of the pre-emption laws. Excepting the patent on bounty lands, all the land in this sec- tion south of the base line was not subject to entry or purchase, until 1829.
At the time of Wood's settlement there were but two other white residents within the limits of what now constitutes Adams county. These were Daniel Lisle (afterwards County Commis- sioner) who lived a short distance south of where the town of Liberty now stands; some of whose descendants are yet residents in that neighborhood, and Justus I. Perigo, an old sol- dier who had settled in Section 9. 3 S. 8 W. on the quarter seetion which he had drawn. This land joins the well known "Chatten" farm in Fall Greek township and was probably the first improved. or perhaps we had better say culti- vated land in the county. Taking the statement reported to have been made by its owner in the early times, it must have been in a singularly advanced condition of culture for those days.
The story is that Perigo, practically con- scious of what Adam had been told that it was "not well for man to be alone." went for a wife in the southern part of the state. and suc- cessfully dazzled the fancy of a "confiding fe- male" by the representation that he owned a farm of one hundred and sixty aeres, on which he had two thousand bearing apple trees. Rec- ord has not perpetuated Mrs. Perigo's com- ments. when. on coming up to the farm, she found that the two thousand apple trees were wild crabs.
Throughout the succeeding winter. Wood.
with an occasional assistant, found ample em- ployment in clearing the premises about his cabin, "mauling rails," ete., preparatory to his farming operations in the coming year, keeping "bachelor's hall" in the single tenement of which he was the sole occupant in 1822.
The elections in August, 1822. had generally a fortunate result. Edward Coles was chosen governor over three contestants. receiving a minority vote. but a larger one than any of his competitors. A. T. Hubbard was chosen Lieu- tenant Governor. He afterwards resided in Quiney and his remains lie in the "old grave yard" now called JJefferson Square. Daniel P. Cook was again elected Representative to Con- gress by an increased majority over John Mc- Lain. his opponent, in 1820. Thomas Carlin. afterwards Governor, was elected State Sena- tor from the Pike and Greene District, embrac- ing what is now Adams, and Nicholas Hanson, representative to the General Assembly. The election of Coles and Cook was an advantage to the cause of freedom that can never be over- estimated. They represented, the former es- pecially. anti-slavery element in the state and to Governor Coles, his position, example. en- ergy and efficient action perhaps more than to any other man, is due the redemption of Illinois from the designs of the slavery propagandists. Now. for the first time, fairly entered this fire- band into the political arena which it inflamed with intense excitement. to the exclusion of all other issues, throughout the two succeeding years, absorbing all minor questions and draw- ing a line of division through the political ele- ments on which the political organizations of all subsequent time have stood and still exist.
Jesse B. Thomas was re-chosen United States Senator by the Legislature this year.
Two questions of exciting nature came before the General Assembly in 1822 and 1823, and in reference to them. the representatives from the "Kingdom of Pike," as our huge county, three hundred miles long and with an average width of fifty miles, was called, became part of a "en- rions piece of political history, which has oc- casionally been published as an illustration of sharp practice in the early days. The seat of Nicholas ITanson, representative from Pike. was contested by John Shaw. and after an exami- nation into the question, Hanson was allowed the place, as was proper, he having. undoubt- edly, been elected. The election for United States Senator came on soon after and Jesse B. Thomas, the former member. was re-elected. Hanson voted for him. The other issue to which allusion was made above, then came forward. An organized effort was made to in- troduce slavery into Illinois.
13
PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY.
Forbidden in the Constitution of 1818, it could only be legalized by the revision of the constitution and in that instrument it was pro- vided. that. to call a convention for such pur- pose two-thirds of each branch of the legisla- ture, must order an election and the people then vote in favor of such call and then the legislature order, etc. The senate had a two- third majority of pro-slavery men, so that there no difficulty was found; while in the House they lacked just one of the requisite two-thirds. But where there is a will there is a way to shape desired ends. Wrong never knows scruples. Consistently with the policy, it ever after possessed, of defying law, right and de- eeney when its interests demanded, slavery re- solved upon its course. Shaw, a coarse. pliant and not serupulous man, the unsuccessful con- testant of Hanson, was sent for and he agreed if the seat would be given to him that he would vote for the convention. So the question de- eided ten weeks before was reconsidered. Hau- son, who had been admitted and held the office for ten weeks. was turned out. Shaw was voted in, and casting his vote for the conven- tion. it carried, and three days after Shaw's admission the General Assembly adjourned. These facts have been heretofore published, but usually with an important error. Probably to give piqnaney to the story, it has been said that Hanson was admitted to vote for Thomas, which Shaw would not have done, and that Shaw was afterward brought in to vote for the conven- tion as Hanson would not do. This is not cor- reet. The senatorial election had no influence in determining Hanson's claim to a seat. It was decided on its merits. The turning him out was an after-thought. resorted to, when it was found, towards the close of the session, that one vote was needed. and Shaw's pliability and general views were known to be just what was required. Shaw was a rough. course natured man, of some means and more notoriety, of a most suspicionsly contraband complexion and appearance, and not burdened with any amount of seruples to unload, that would have pre- vented him from voting any way on any sub- jeet (or promising to do so) to get his seat. He was known as the "Black Prince" of Calhoun.
The etfeet of this high-handed defiance of rule and propriety, was most seriously damaging to the cause of the pro-slavery men, and was a charge during the succeeding canvass which they could not deny or defend.
At this session. December 30th. 1822, the boundaries of Pike County were more complete- ly defined. the base line six miles north of Quincy being the northern limit, all above, be- ing "attached." Provision was also made for
the selection of a county seat which should be south of the base line. Calhoun county was subsequently ent off from the lower portion of Pike with Cole's Grove (Gilead) as its county seat. while the county seat of Pike was estab- lished at Atlas, forty miles south of Quincy, which thus became the legal centre of this part of the county for the next three years.
CHAPTER V.
1823.
JEREMIAH ROSE. PIONEER HOSPITALITY. FIRST STEAMBOAT TO LAND. FIRST PASSENGER. STEAMBOATS DESCRIBED. SALE OF LANDS IN "MILITARY TRACT" FOR TAXES. KEYES BUYS A HALF SECTION.
The legislation bearing especially upon this section (what is now Adams County) during the year 1823, was not extensive or important. On the 28th of January, Fulton County was formed by detaching that portion of the mili- tary traet lying east of the Meridian; and on the 18th of February, as stated in the preced- ing chapter, by the aid of Shaw, the bogus rep- resentative from Pike. the call for a conven- tion to revise the Constitution of the State, passed the General Assembly, and thereupon. commeneed the fierce political struggle, which raged throughout the farthest bounds of the state and was ended by the decisive result at the polls eighteen months later.
In March of this year. Major Jeremiah Rose, with his wife and daughter. moved up from the lower part of Pike County, where he had been residing, and commenced "housekeeping" in Wood's cabin, its proprietor boarding with them.
The same spring. Wood and Rose broke and put under tillage about thirty aeros of the land on either side of State street, just east of 12th, which Wood had enclosed during the winter, this being the land bought by him of Flyn. and the first cultivated ground in the vicinity.
There was very little immigration during the year, though a few settlers dropped in at seat- tered points throughout the county. Tyrer. on his land in Melrose, southeast of the city, Major Campbell and the Worleys in the Rock Creek section, and perhaps half a dozen other fami- lies, or. generally, single men, settled in other localities. The little family of four monarchs of all they surveyed plodded diligently on
If
PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY.
through the monotonous time, gradually sur- rounding themselves with more and more of the eomforts of home, plain as these comforts were, and extending the sphere of their farming la- bors as the months rolled along. An occasional land hunter: a straggling squad of Indians: the monthly passage by of the military mail carrier from below to Fort Edwards (War- saw ) ; now and then a United States Army offi- cer on his tour of duty; these were the ran- dom links that gave them some connection with civilization.
Whoever came. stepped at once into the hos- pitalities he sought without doubt as to wel- come or waiting for an invitation.
llotels were unknown, or rather it might be said, that every eabin, tent. or camp was a free hotel. a "lodge in the wilderness" open to the unasked use of all. Those were the days when "every stranger seemed a friend and every friend a brother," and the traveler more than repaid the eare he caused when he opened his budget of news and gossip from the far-off world.
Such was the social condition throughout the whole frontier of the west here and elsewhere, and this, like some others, from location or ac- cident. became one of the noted stations for the traveler's hospitable welcome. Statelier struc- tures have since arisen, from which reach ont more tempting offerings of luxury and style, but never has the wearied wayfarer been sol- aeed with truer comfort and rest, than in the rough-hewn huts of our pioneer sires. Rugged as might be the outer seeming, welcome smiled on the threshold and plenty erowned the board, and in the little clean-kept eabin, from stranger and sojourner faded away all thought of home- ly cheer while partaking of the kind hospitality of their hosts.
A salient episode in the monotony of the time, was the appearance of the "Virginia," the first steamboat that attempted the naviga- tion on the upper Mississippi. It was a stern wheeler with a cabin on the lower deck, and no upper works, not even a pilot house. It was steered by a tiller in the hands of the pilot, as are canal boats at the present time. It was 118 feet long and 22 feet beam, and drew six feet when moderately loaded.
The "Virginia" passed up in May of this year with the object of demonstrating the feasi- bility of navigation by stream of the Missis- sippi from St. Louis to its junction with the Minnesota (Fort Snelling). This. though the first boat that passed over the lower rapids. was but the second that had ascended to that point. Three years before, a government steam- er. the "Western Engineer," commanded by
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.