Illinois, Crawford County historical and biographical, Part 128

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1058

USA > Illinois > Crawford County > Illinois, Crawford County historical and biographical > Part 128

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Lindley, Malin Voorhees and Aaron Bell were among the notable arrivals between 1818 and 1821, the first two coming from New Jersey and the last from Virginia, making the journey in three-horse wagon. In 1826 came Nathan Musgrave, a North Carolina Quaker, together with Mrs. Zylpha Cox, a widow, and her son William, John R. Hurst, Benjamin Dunn, A. B. Raines, Joseph Green and James Boswell. Will- iam Cox was the first man to open a store in Hutsonville. John R. Hurst and his faithful wife continued to live until sometime in the '80s. The Gyers, a Quaker family from North Caro- lina, settled near what is now Hutsonville about the year 1826, the father, Aaron Gyer, dying in 1840, and another early settler was Bryant Cox, who arrived from the same State on June 1, 1831. All were men of sturdy hab- its and resolute character, anl lived arduous lives, confronting the perils of the wilderness, which abounded in wild beasts, clearing spaces for habitations and tillage and, in course of time, the children recited their lessons to the subscription teacher.

LICKING TOWNSHIP.

In the northwest corner of Crawford County, extending eight miles north and south and seven miles from east to west, is situated Licking Township, its surface being for the most part rolling prairie, with a soil well adapted to tillage. It contains fifty-six square miles of territory, the greater part of which is along the water course. Its timber includes the same varieties noted in the townships already described, to- gether with some ash, locust, persimmon and sassafras, and the under-brush is mainly wild plum, grape. sumac, hazel, paw-paw, spice-bush and dogwood. Muddy Creek runs southwesterly through the northern portion of the township and is fed by Maple's Branch and Willow Creek, into which flow two small streams. As far back as 1820, there were some squatters on public land in the southern part of the township, but they did not long remain. Among these was John Miller, who came from Philadelphia, lo- cated near the southern border of the township and led a hunter's life until he left for Califor- nia in 1824. Returning several years later, he entered up a tract of land, on which he raised hogs until his death in the early '60s. About 1823 William Johnson drove from Indiana with an ox-cart and lived in the township a few

years, devoting his time to hunting. In 1826 John Howard brought his family in a wagon from Kentucky, and after living a while near Palestine, moved to Licking Township, where he took a prominent part in local affairs until his death in 1849. Emsley Curtis and James Cox came from North Carolina and Indiana, respectively, in 1836, and making their homes near the center of the township, followed hunt- ing and trapping. Cox disappeared, with a cloud on his reputation, in 1843. Among other arrivals in 1836 were William Maples, who settled in the northern portion of the township; William Cooley, of North Carolina, who located where Portersville now stands, and William Goodwin, formerly of Indiana, who made his home near Hart's Grove, which was named after John Hart, who arrived from Kentucky somewhat later. He was a Virginian by birth and a suc- cessful farmer, both in Kentucky and Illinois, and his son, who finally settled on Willow Creek, was a prominent resident of the township for many years.

In 1837 the population of the Licking settle- ment was increased by the addition of "Rick" Arnold, Sargent Hill, James Hollowell, William Dicks and John Tate. Hill, a North Carolinian and a leading citizen, entered land in Section 25, Tate, in Section 34, and Dicks, in Section 11, where he took a conspicuous part in local affairs, dying in 1857. James Hollowell, a Vir- ginian, and one of the most energetic and re- spected of the pioneer settlers, made a home for his family in Section 11, and the fine farm which he developed from a wild condition was inher- ited by his son Silas, equally worthy and a long time resident of the township. "Rick" Arnold, a man of superior intelligence, who first located in the central portion and afterwards moved to the southeastern part of the township, was twice elected Sheriff of Crawford County, his first term beginning in 1838. An old bachelor named Landern joined the Licking community about the same time, and raised large numbers of hogs in the woods of the northern portion of the township, making and hoarding considerable profits. In 1840 he sold the last of his swine and started for New Orleans on a flatboat, after which no tidings of him were ever heard.

Among the early settlers of the western part of Licking Township were John White, Jackson James, James Metheney. Tobias Livingston, Mor- timer Parsons and Elijah Clark. John White.

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who first lived near Palestine, fought in the Indian battle there, his body being pierced by an arrow. Although left in the field as dead, he recovered and made his home near Bellaire until 1849, when his death took place. Other residents of the township previous to 1840 were Henry Kerby and Thomas Boring, in Section 3; Daniel Coate, Ezekiel Rubottom and James Dixon, in Section 2; B. Clark, William B. New- lin and Jacob Mullin, in Section 25; James Boyd and R. G. Morris, in Section 1; John Bonham and James Netherby, in Section 24; Jeremiah Willison, in Section 6, and Uriah Hadley, in Section 20. Izel Beeson also had his home in the southwestern part. One of the first mar- riages in the township was that of John Kerby to a daughter of John Howard. Between 1840 and 1850 a number of families from Licking County, Ohio, joined the community, and thus originated the township name.

Corn was the main crop raised by the pioneer farmers, and this to a limited extent by reason of the scarcity of implements and the wet ground. The first crops of wheat were not more than two acres in extent. After a while patches of buckwheat were common, for which there was a good demand in the markets of Terre Haute, York and Palestine. Neighbors helped each other in harvesting, using the old-fashioned sickle and reaping hook. Wild honey abounded in the woods and was eagerly gathered to exchange in the markets for household provisions, and deer- skins, venison and beeswax were staples in trade. Flour and meal were hauled from points in the eastern part of the county, as the first mill with- in its limits was not built until 1848. This was done by Henry Varner, the location being on Wil- low Creek. It was one-story high, 18 by 20 feet in dimensions, and had one set of burr-stones, oper- ated by water-power. A few years afterward an ox-mill was built on the Tregul farm, which was run night and day to keep up with the needs of the farmers. Five years later Holmes & Doty built a two-story frame steam flouring-mill just west of Annapolis village, which was destroyed by fire in 1858. In the latter year a saw-mill, driven by water-power, was built in the central part of the township by J. Wardy, and the An- napolis steam flouring-mill was erected by J. Reese in 1867. at a cost of $9,000.

The earliest regular highway in Licking Town- ship was that laid out by John B. Richardson in 1842, and called the Stewart Mill and York

road. The Palestine and Bellaire road, run- ning east and west through the central part of the township, was made in 1845. The road from Bellaire to Hutsonville was laid out by County Surveyor Fitch in 1846, and the Robinson and Martinsville road was established about the same time. This highway, which has been much changed from its original course, was made to run irregularly from north to south, and to cross the Hutsonville and Bellaire road at the village of Annapolis.

PRAIRIE TOWNSHIP.

By act of the County Board of Supervisors of Crawford County, on June 19, 1903, a new town- ship was created under the name of "Prairie Township," out of portions of Hutsonville and Licking Township, embracing a division from the western portion of the former and a division from the eastern portion of the latter, formal or- ganization taking effect in July following. The new township embraces an area of about 40 sec- tions, of which 18 sections are in Town 8 North, Range 12 East ; 3 sections in Town 7, Range 12; 15 sections and a fraction in Town 8, Range 13, and two full sections and a fraction in Town 7. Range 13. The villages of Annapolis and Eaton are located within the new township.

OBLONG TOWNSHIP.

In the western part of Crawford County stretches a prairie, which was called Oblong by the first settlers in that region, and this name was subsequently given to the township division within whose borders it was included. This township has an area of 56 square miles, lying in the middle of the western portion of the county, extending seven miles east and west and eight miles north and south. It is bounded on the north by Licking Township. on the east by Robinson, south by Martin and west by Jasper County. Muddy Creek, Big Creek, Willow and Dogwood Creeks, and North Fork are the water courses running through the township. In its wild state nearly half of the township was wooded, heavy timber bordering the creek, and now the land, which is very productive, is di- vided into farms, moderate sized. Lot Watts. who came from Tennessee to Illinois early in the '20s, first buying a tract of eighty acres In the vicinity of Robinson, made the first entry of land in the township, locating on Section 6 in 1830. He was the first Justice of the Peace in

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the township, and subsequently served as one of the County Judges. His death took place in 1854, and that of his brother, Robert Watts, who settled in the township in 1831, occurred in 1871. James Watts, Robert's son, was a venture- some hunter and trapper, and became known as a daring backwoods fighter. He married a daughter of William Wilson and lived in a small cabin, devoting the latter part of his life to trapping, whereby he profited much. Together with Robert Watts, arrived Jeremiah and Jesse York, cousins, and later, in 1831, Jesse Eaton. In the humble dwelling of Jesse York, a very worthy and influential man and a devout Meth- odist. were held the first religious services in the township. Jesse Eaton lived a while on North Fork, moving then to the northeastern part of the township, which was his home until 1863. He was an Old School Baptist minister, and preached throughout the township. Ezekiel and Arch York developed good farms in the southern part of the township, clearing the ground in 1834. In the same year George Mil- ler, a successful hunter and trapper, but a bully and frontier marauder, "squatted" on North Fork, where he died in 1863.

In 1836 the community received additions through the arrival of John Smith, Elijah Smith, Greenberry Eaton and John Salisbury, with their families. Mr. Eaton entered up land in Section 36, near the present village of Oblong, and being a cooper by trade, supplied his neighbors with buckets, tubs and barrels, of which they had much need. Mr. Salisbury came from Indiana, locating in Section 19, where he became the own- er of considerable land. The Smiths, who came from Kentucky, were men of unsettled habits and rambling tendencies, having no definite abid- ing place, and earning their living by hunting. Their brother, James, whose advent was some- what later, was a man of different mold. He located a little east of the site of Oblong vil- lage and acquired forty acres of land. He was one of the first constables of the precinct out of which Oblong Township was created. Con- spicuous in the early history and progress of Oblong was Joseph Wood, who became a resident of the township in 1839. He was a native of Virginia, whence he journeyed to Indiana on horseback in 1809. After living a short time in Vincennes, he came to Illinois, locating near Palestine, and serving as a "ranger" during the Indian trouble. After these were ended he

changed his location to the vicinity of the pres- ent village of Robinson, and next made his home in Oblong Township, entering land in Section 3, a little way from Big Creek. He continued tak- ing up more land until he acquired over 2,000 acres, and was the most prominent and prosper- ous farmer in the township. His death occurred in 1866. Other early settlers were Richard Lecky, Wood's son-in-law, who made his home in Section 2, near the eastern township line; D. F. Hale (of New York) and Abraham Walters, who located north of Lecky ; John Hollingsworth, who settled in Section 32, and Reiley York, whose home was in Section 18 to the south. Still later came George Jeffers, settling in Sec- tion 27; James Boatright, of Tennessee, in Sec- tion 23; Ira King, a New Yorker, in Section 27; William Wilson, in Section 31; and John Mc- Crillis, from Ohio, in Section 32. The last named developed a fine farm east of the site of Oblong and was also engaged in tanning. All these arrivals preceded 1850, the larger portion being from Indiana and Ohio, and by the end of the first half of the century the public lands were all taken up. But a few years have elapsed since the passing away of the last of the pio- neers, who were accustomed to recount to their children (some of whom are still residents of the township) tales of the savages and wild ani- mals, of the lack of provisions (excepting game) and most of the comforts of life, of the crude log shelters with puncheon floors and stick chim- neys, and of spinning wheels and looms in the humble abodes.

Near its northern line, in 1832, was built the first mill in Oblong Township, the owner being George Miller. It was run by horse-power, its utmost capacity being 15 bushels of corn per day. In 1833 Richard Eaton put up on North Fork, a frame water-mill of two stones, 20 by 30 feet in dimensions. It had a saw attachment, and besides its flour and meal output, turned out a large amount of lumber. In the eastern part of the township, in 1840, Joseph Wood built a combination mill, two stories high and 20 by 32 feet in size, the capacity of which was about 100 bushels of grain per day. Big Creek supplied the water-power of this mill, which was con- ducted for sixteen years. The Oblong steam flouring-mill was erected by John Miller. It covered 30 by 40 feet of ground and was two and a half stories high. In 1881 it was entirely remodeled and equipped with new machinery,

RBradbury

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sufficient for the handling of fifty barrels of flour daily.

Two of the early enterprises in the township were a distillery built in the northeast corner of the township about 1849, and a wagon shop which stood two miles east of Oblong. The first blacksmith shop was built by Jesse Barlow in the northern part in 1852, and a tan-yard was started on the farm of John McCrillis in 1857.

The Vandalia State road, laid out about 1831, was the first legally established highway in Ob-

long. Another highway at an early period, from east to west. In 1852 the range line road was made, running through the township north and south, and crossing the former road at Ob- long. Another highway at 'an early period, and leading through the eastern part, is the Stewart's Mill and York road, and still another is the Henry road, crossing the northern portion, and made to connect the town of Robinson with Hammer's Mill in Jasper County. The Indiana & Illinois Southern (Narrow-Gauge) Railroad, completed in 1880, runs through the central part from east to west. It is now a branch of the Illinois Central.

MONTGOMERY TOWNSHIP.

This township, bordering on the Wabash River and constituting the southeastern division of Crawford County, is one of the most pro- ductive agricultural districts in the State. One of the earliest events recorded in the history of this region, is that of a hurricane which swept through what is now the northwestern part of the township about the year 1811, pros- trating the heaviest timber in its pathway for half a mile in width.

The township was first settled about the close of the War of 1812, although tradition has it that James Beard came from Kentucky to what is now Montgomery Township in 1810. What- ever may have been the date of his arrival, it is certain that he was killed by the Indians. Eli Adams, his nephew, accompanied him in the journey to Illinois, and they lived in a log hut in the southeast corner of the township. An- other pioneer, also from Kentucky, whose advent occurred about the same time as that of Beard and Adams, was Thomas Kennedy, the Baptist preacher heretofore mentioned in these pages. Andrew Montgomery, after whom the township was named, and who in his day was a promi- nent character, was among the first settlers,

coming from Ireland. Other pioneers were Jesse Higgins, Gabriel Funk, Sr., John Cobb, James Allison, Joseph Pearson, John Waldrup, James Shaw, James Brockman and Ithra Brashears. Gabriel Funk, Sr., who was a skillful hunter, came in 1815. Pearson came from Indiana. Brashears, whose former home was in Ken- tucky, was one of the inmates of Fort Lamotte, and at the end of the war received a grant of 100 acres of land from the Government for meritorious service against the Indians. He built one of the first mills in the township, and Jesse Higgins, whose log cabin was demolished by the tornado previously alluded to, built an- other on the site of the present village of Morea. Mills were also put up by Allison, Brockman and Brashears. John Cobb cleared a farm in 1820. The first blacksmith in the township was a man named Hatfield, and the second William Edging- ton, who kept also a sort of gun factory up to the '80s. Distilleries of a primitive description were set up by Shaw, Adams, and a Mr. Veach, the distilling business forming not the least among the early industries of the locality.

The early settlers had an arduous existence, times being stringent, and produce. even as late as 1845, bringing low prices. Between 1840 and 1845 corn was sold at 614 cents per bushel, at Vernon, in the northern portion of the township. to which point it was necessary to haul it for marketing. In trade for salt, wheat was figured at about 39 cents per bushel, after being hauled to Evansville, Ind., and pork brought from $1.50 to $2 per hundred. Four-year-old cattle were sold for $7 a head. Only home-made clothing, and that of a coarse and inferior kind, was in use in the farming districts, and many of the men wore buckskin.

The Vincennes and Chicago road, an improved Indian trail, surveyed in 1835. was one of the earliest public thoroughfares in Montgomery Township, the regular State road, running from Vincennes to Palestine, and known as the "Pur- gatory Road," on account of the large marsh through which it passed. It was laid out in 1836. The roads of the present day arc of good quality, as are also many of the bridges spanning the creeks.

SCHOOLS-Schools were started in Montgom- ery Township as early as the number of chil- dren warranted their establishment, and the peo- ple have always taken an earnest interest in edu- cational matters.

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MARTIN AND SOUTHWEST TOWNSHIPS.

The divison of Crawford County comprising the townships of Martin and Southwest contains fifty-six square miles of territory, and is bound- ed north by Oblong Township, south by Law- rence and Richland Counties, east by Robinson Township, and west by Jasper County. In 1869 the part of the original township of Martin lying south of the Embarras River, was organ- ized as Southwest Township, by petition of its residents, alleging, among other reasons for the separation, the impediments in reaching the vot- ing place caused by high water at certain pe- riods. The two townships have had precisely the same historical development, and will be treated in this narrative as one. Between the divisions runs the Embarras River, and the drainage of the locality is further dependent upon Dogwood Branch, Honey Creek and Big Creek, with some smaller streams. The surface is generally level, and about three-quarters of the area was originally woodland, sycamore, elm, walnut, maple, ash, oak and hickory being the principal varieties. Although containing some productive farms, the soil is especially adapted to pasturage and fruit culture. Daniel Martin. a native of Georgia, made the first entry of pub- lic land in Martin Township in 1839, having moved from Kentucky to Illinois about the year 1810. He first located at Palestine, having made the journey through the wilderness with his household effects on one horse and his wife and child on another. He was a brave Indian fighter and a skillful hunter. After remaining about twenty years in his first location, he sold his farm there and took up an 80-acre government land-claim in Section 34, T. 6 N., R. 13 W. After building a log cabin measuring 20 by 18 feet, he betook himself to hunting, leaving his daugh- ters, who were of stalwart physique, to clear, plow, and cultivate the ground, while he kept the family supplied with fresh meats. He died in 1863 when seventy-six years old. having made his home on this place for thirty-three years. Abel Pryor, the next settler of whom there is any record, came from Kentucky and established himself at an early period in the vicinity of the fort at Palestine, moving in 1831 to Martin Township, where he located in Section 26. He was also a great hunter, but acquired a great deal of very desirable land. He died in 1875, having been the father of sixteen children.

About the same time as Pryor, came a man named Huffman, who made some improvements . on land entered up two years later by Absalom Higgins. In 1831 William Wilkinson cleared a small farm in the Dark Bend on the Embarras River, and his marriage to a daughter of Daniel Martin is believed to have been the first wed- ding in the township. The second matrimonial venture was made by William Shipman, a native of Indiana, who located near the site of the village of Hardinville in 1831, and whose bride was also a daughter of Daniel Martin. Mr. Shipman entered land in Section 34, and helped to lay out that village. The year 1832 added to the population Absalom Higgins (previously al- luded to), Zachariah Thomas and Hezekiah Martin, with their families. Higgins was a hunter of note, and with his numerous dogs, did much to rid the county of wolves. On one oc- casion he killed a panther after firing seventeen shots, three of his dogs being sacrificed in the encounter. Among the best remembered of the early settlers was Thomas R. Boyd, a Ken- tuckian, who located at Palestine when that place had but two dwellings, moving thence to Martin Township in 1836, and being followed by his brother, Samuel R. Boyd, the next year. The former, who died in 1877, was a successful farmer and stock-dealer. amassing a snug com- petency. Among other arrivals in the course of the ensuing ten years were Robert Boyd, John Thomas, Benjamin Boyd and Alfred Griswold, the last named entering up a large tract in Sec- tion 15.

Previous to 1840 land entries were made in the township by Foster Donald, Bethel Martin and William B. Martin, who settled in Section 22; Robert Goss, in Section 25, and Benjamin Myers, in Section 30. This portion of the county was peculiarly infested with wolves, making it a hard task for the farmers to protect their stock. To remedy this evil Sunday hunts were resorted to, all the good marksmen for miles around ranging themselves in a wide circle and grad- ually closing in on the concentrating animals. Crows were another obstacle to the success of the farmers, eating up whole fields of corn, and premiums were paid for their destruction.

The flour and meal in the region were at the outset obtained from the crude mills at Law- renceville and Palestine, the first mill in Martin Township being built in the southwestern part,

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on the Embarras River, in 1840. It had two run of burr-stone and subsequently a saw at- tachment, and was a profitable venture. A steam flouring-mill was built in 1848, at the village of Freeport, and ten years later the Ruby distil- lery was erected a little east of Hardinsville, having a capacity of 100 gallons per day.

HONEY CREEK TOWNSHIP.

This township is bounded by Robinson Town- ship on the north, Montgomery Township on the east, Lawrence County. on the south, and Martin and Southwest Townships on the west. The Embarras River touches a point on its south- west corner, and Honey Creek runs through the northwest corner, Brush and Sugar Creeks flow- ing through the southeast part. The land is largely timbered, and while there are a few good farms, the soil compares rather unfavorably with that of other portions of the county. Sev- eral villages sprang up soon after the Wabash Railroad was completed, but the population is still small.

The pioneer settlers of this township were John and Samuel Parker, whose arrival took place in 1816. In 1820 came George Parker from Kentucky, settling on the "Range road" near the site of Flat Rock. Other early residents were Seth Lee, John Hart, the Seaney family, Levi Lee, William Carter, and Jesse and James Higgins. The advent of these men soon followed the establishment of the Government Land Office at Palestine. Aaron Jones, a Virginian by na- tivity, came from Butler County, Ohio, and lo- cated in Honey Creek Township in 1832, having journeyed along Indian trails and paths made by hunters through the wilderness. The first land entered west of the "Range road" (running from Mt. Carmel to Chicago) was taken by Asa Jones, and he was shortly afterwards followed by Jacob Blaythe. Richard Highsmith, another pioneer, helped in constructing the fort at Rus- sellville, and slept in it with a few others as soon as it was finished. Leonard Simons came from Tennessee to Crawford County at an early period, and after living awhile at Palestine. established his home in Honey Creek Township. Samuel Bussard went from Maryland to Ohio at an early day, and thence moved to this town- ship where he reared a large family. Peter Kendall and Robert Terrill located in the town- ship in 1842.

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Illinois, Crawford County historical and biographical, Part 128

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn Publication date: 1909 Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1058

Author: Bateman, Newton, 1822-1897. cn; Selby, Paul, 1825-1913. cn
Publication date: 1909
Publisher: Chicago : Munsell Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1058