USA > Illinois > Illinois in 1818, 2nd ed > Part 14
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United States Illinois Territory, Gallatin County, 'Know all men by these presents, that we John Morris and Isom Harrison of the Illinois Teritory and County of Gallaton, are held and firmly bound, unto Ninian Edwards Governor of the Illinois Teritory, and his Successors in Office, in the sum of four hundred Dol- lars, lawfull Money of the United States, to the pay- ment of the sum aforesaid, to be well and truly made and dun we bind ourselves our heirs Executors and Administrators and Assigns, Jointly and severally, by these presents Given under our hands and Seals this 22nd day of June 1815.
The Condition of the above obligation is such, whereas on this day an Indenture was made and entered into by and between, John Morrice [?] and silvey a Negroe Woman aged about twenty four years, and the above named, John Morrice, by which the said Indenture, the said Silvey agrees, to serve the said John Morrice the Term of forty years, pursuant to a law of the Teritory, respecting the Introduction of Negroes and Melatoes into the saim, at the expiration of the said Term the said Silvey will exceed the age of forty years. Now if the said John Morrice doth not suffer or permit the said Silvey to become a County
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ILLINOIS IN 1818
charge, after the expiration of the said Sum, then this obligation to be voide, otherwise to remain in full force and virtue in law. Given under our hands and Seals, this 22nd of June 1815.
John Morris (Seal)
I. Harrison (Seal)
Executed in presence of Samuel Omelveny ) Deputy Clark for Joseph M. Street Clark )
Indenture seems to have been recorded June 25, 1816.
From this it is seen that the price paid for the negro was equal to that paid at an out and out sale, the period of the in- denture was made to cover the lifetime of the slave, the condi- tions under which the indentured servant was obliged to work and live did not differ from the conditions of bondage south of the Ohio river. Although the indenture law made it possible for slave owners to settle in Illinois, many hesitated to do so for fear conditions would be changed when Illinois became a state, as it was bound soon to do. For that reason they preferred to cross Illinois and locate in Missouri, which was free from the restric- tion contained in the northwest ordinance. Between 1810 and 1820, according to the United States census, the slave popula- tion of Missouri increased from 3,011 to 10,222; and many settlers in Illinois regarded with jealous eyes the great economic advantage which Missouri was gaining over their state.
In 1818, then, Illinois was suffering economically from two handicaps; the lack of adequate transportation facilities and the lack of a laboring class. To the greater part of the population, however, these handicaps were of no serious concern. The frontiersman was economically independent ; he might exchange with his neighbors in a spirit of friendliness, but he did not buy or sell commodities or labor. The effort to raise Illinois to a higher economic plane was made by only a small class-those whom Fordham called the "enterprising men." "This class," he states, "consists of Young Doctors, Lawyers, Storekeepers, farmers, mechanics etc., who found towns, trade, speculate in land, and begin the fabric of Society."154 The work of this class merits consideration.
14Ogg, Fordham's Personal Narrative, 126.
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The farmer who wished to do more than produce for his own consumption turned to stock raising. It involved very little ad- ditional labor, and the only expense was the initial cost. "Cows," states one writer, "are generally suffered to run in the woods, and return to their calves mornings and evenings." "Hogs," wrote another settler, "will live & get fat in the Woods and Prairies. I have seen some as fat upon Hickorynuts, Acorns, Pecons & Walnuts, as ever I did those that were fat[t]ed upon Corn."155 According to the same writer, horses and cattle could live all winter along the rivers without feeding. Even where this was not possible, the wild grass could be gathered as hay. "The grass on the Prairies," wrote one farmer, "is now [June 2Ist] about waist high and looks beautiful we shall cut what hay we shall want whenever we get through with our corn."' Of the quality of this hay Faux says: "What is gathered, is green and fragrant, but not so sweet as fine English hay. It is hard, harsh, and dry." Yet another maintained that the cattle came out in the spring "as fat as sheep from coleseed."156
The profits to be made were temptingly large, considering the purchasing power of money at the time. Richard Flower, for instance, writes of buying bullocks at sixteen or seventeen dol- lars and selling them the next year, at the Albion market, for twenty-eight to thirty-one dollars each. The profits had to be large, however, in order to cover the heavy risks incurred in raising live stock in such a wild country. Many animals strayed away into the woods, or were shot, accidentally or maliciously, by hunters. Wolves were a constant menace, particularly to sheep and hogs. On one occasion they killed fifty of Flower's sheep in one raid, in spite of all the shepherd could do. Of con- ditions in Madison county Gershom Flagg wrote : "All that pre- vents this country being as full of Wild hogs as of Deer is the Wolves which kill the pigs when the sows are not shut up til the pigs are a few weeks old."157 Flies were more than merely a nui- sance. To quote from the preceding writer: "Cattle & horses
155Thwaites, Early Western Travels, 10:281; Illinois State Historical Society, Transactions, 1910, p. 158.
156G. Knight to C. Knight, June 21, 1818; Thwaites, Early Western Trav- els, 10:122-123; II :258.
107Illinois State Historical Society, Transactions, 1910, p. 159.
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do very well in this Country they get very fat by the middle of June. They do not gain much after this being so harrassed by swarms of flies which prevent their feeding any in the heat of the day. They were so bad upon horses that it is almost impos- sible to travel from the 15 June til the Ist Sept unles [sic] a horse is covered with blankets. Where ever a fly lights upon a horse a drop of blood starts. I have seen white horses red with blood that these flies had drawn out of him. As the Country becomes settled these flies disappear."
Even these disadvantages, however, were not severe enough to counterbalance the advantage of the slight expense; another advantage of weight was the sureness of the market. In 1818 the farmers were beginning "to raise stock for exportation . . money flowed into the country . . . to repay many fold the farmer. . . . The Ohio drovers expended considerable money in the country for cattle."158 Taking into consideration the labor conditions in Illinois it is easy to understand why the "enterprising" farmers put their capital into live stock and why Birkbeck wrote: "It is on the boundless scope for rearing and fattening hogs and cattle, that the farmers place their chief re- liance."159
A second class that Fordham included among the enterprising men were the mechanics. There seems to have been a great scarcity of skilled laborers, and many towns made strenuous efforts to attract them. In most advertisements of town lots, for instance, lower rates were offered to "skilled mechanics." During the early part of 1818, the following advertisement ap- peared repeatedly in the Intelligencer:160
Notice TO MECHANICS & FARMERS
MECHANICS of every description are much wanted at Edwardsville : more particularly the following, a Tay-
158Reynolds, My Own Times, 176.
150 Birkbeck, Letters from Illinois, 68.
160 Intelligencer, March 18, 1818.
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THE ECONOMIC SITUATION
lor, Shoemaker, Waggon Maker, Hatter, Saddler, Tanner and Currier. From four to six Carpenters and Joiners, and from four to six ax-men, and from six to eight farming labourers, will find immediate employ- ment and good wages; for further particulars enquire of col. Benjamin Stephenson and Doctor Jos. Bowers, at Edwardsville, or James Mason at St. Louis.
Edwardsville is the seat of justice for Madison county, Illinois territory, and has the land-office estab- lished there for the district of Edwardsville; and is surrounded on three sides by the Goshen settlement, which is one of the best settlements in the territory; besides the adjacent country in every direction, is equal in point of fertility of soil, to any other in the western region.
March 8
On April 22 appeared for the first time a notice to bridge builders which reads as follows :
To Bridge Builders.
A Man is wanted to build a bridge over the Little Wabash river, at Carmi, Illinois territory. The river, when low, is about 130 feet wide, one foot deep, bottom smooth rock-banks about 35 feet high, The water rises to the depth of 32 feet The above mentioned bridge will be let or contracted for on the first Monday in May next .- As a good bridge is more our object than a cheap one, a skilful bridge builder will meet with lib- eral encouragement.
Leonard White, Benja White, Will. M'Henry, Commissioners. W. Hargrave, Lowry Hay, James Casey, )
Carmi, April 2
But, as has already been pointed out, few towns had actually reached a stage of development that would attract specialized labor. Fordham advised mechanics to locate "always in the most settled parts of the Western Country, and generally in the Slave States."
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ILLINOIS IN 1818
However it may have been with mechanics, there can be no doubt that the towns were beginning in 1818 to attract mer- chants. The character of the stores can easily be judged from the advertisements. The following from the Intelligencer of January I is characteristic :
NEW GOODS
The Subscriber has just received from New York and Philadelphia A LARGE AND HANDSOME AS- SORTMENT OF GOODS,
CONSISTING OF
Superfine, Fine and
Cambrics
Coarse Broad
Fancy Muslins, lace
Cloths, Casimeres,
British Cottons,
Coatings, Flannels,
Linens, Domestic,
Hosing's,
Stripes, Plaids and
Silk Shawls,
Plains, Saddles,
Cotton do.
Bridles, Hats and
Handkerchiefs,
A Large Assortment of Ladies and Gentlemen's SHOES.
ALSO, A GENERAL ASSORTMENT OF Hardware,
Which, with his former stock he offers low for Cash, or on a short and approved credit.
He continues to receive in exchange for Goods, Wheat, Pork, Butter, Furs, Peltries, &c. &c. EDWARD COWLES.
Kaskaskia, Nov. 5
Six of the stores which advertised in the Intelligencer were located in Kaskaskia; one of them, Thomas Cox's, had goods "lately imported from Europe" besides those of domestic manu- facture. Benjamin Stephenson of Edwardsville and the Rey- nolds brothers of Goshen advertised their wares in the Intelli- gencer; Missouri merchants also thought it worth while to advertise in the Kaskaskia paper. From both St. Louis and St. Genevieve the merchants were bidding for Illinois trade. For
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THE ECONOMIC SITUATION
the eastern side of the country the advertisements appeared in the Illinois Emigrant of Shawneetown. The following is the list of goods that John Grant of Carmi, White county, presented for sale at either wholesale or retail.161
NEW STORE, Carmi, White County, Illinois.
The subscriber has opened a choice assortment of the following Goods, which he has selected with care and attention in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and which he will sell on reasonable terms, wholesale and retail :
Domestick & imported superfine Cloths and Cassimeres,
Sattinets, Cassinets, and Kerseys,
Pelisse Cloths, Lion Skins and Coatings,
Velveteens and vestings,
Printed Calicoes,
Furniture ditto.
Domestick and imported Ginghams and Chambrays-plain and twilled,
Bombazets,
White and coloured Flannels,
Rose and point Blankets,
Steam-loom and domestick Shirtings,
Sheeting Muslins and Bedticks,
Men's and women's worsted and cotton Hose,
Men's and women's Gloves,
Waterloo Shawls and silk Handkerchiefs,
Cambrick, Jaconet and book Muslins,
Insertion Trimmings and Ribbons,
Scots Thread and cotton Balls-white and coloured,
Mantuas and Sevantines,
India Muslins,
Men's, women's and children's Boots and Shoes,
Looking-Glasses and Jap'd. Trays,
Tortoise, ivory and common Combs,
Hand Vices,
Millsaw and handsaw Files,
Pitt and cross-cut Saws,
German steel Handsaws,
161 Illinois Emigrant, January 23, 1819.
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ILLINOIS IN 1818
Thumb Latches, Hinges and Locks,
Spades, Shovels, Hoes, Axes, Frying-pans, Pots, Teakettles, Dutch Ovens, Smoothing-irons, with a great variety of Cutlery, Cast, & Hollow Ware,
GROCERIES-HOLLOW GLASS WARE, of Bakewell's manufacture-Window Glass,
School Books and Stationary,
English Crowley Mellinton Steel, Juniatta Bar-iron, Sieves and Riddles,
Grind Stones of the best quality.
JOHN GRANT.
Carmi, Dec. 31, 1818 N. B. A liberal allowance shall be made to Storekeepers.
J. G.
From the wording of the advertisements, it is evident that the merchants were trying to entice the farmers into town to ex- change their produce for store goods. A Shawneetown mer- chant162 even offered to give the highest price in cash for any quantity of the following articles :
TALLOW, CANDLE COTTON, or SOFT FLAX, for
WICKS, VENISON HAMS, BUTTER, CHEESE, EGGS,
POTATOES, TURNIPS, ONIONS,
PARSNIPS,
CARROTS,
HOPPS,
SAGE,
TWILLED BAGS.
There could be no trade until the people were roused from their contentment with goods of home manufacture; an effort in this direction was the attempt to bring the market nearer to the farmer. Augusta held out this lure to merchants to influence their choice of location.163
THIS town is situate on the east side of Silver creek, Illinois territory, where the great roads cross leading from Vincennes and Shawnoetown to St.
102Illinois Emigrant, January 9, 1819.
10 Intelligencer, May 20, 1818.
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THE ECONOMIC SITUATION
Louis, Edwardsville & Boon's lick. It is an interior central point, distant from St. Louis, 22 miles, from Edwardsville, 12, from Belleville, 20, from Perry- ville 40, from Ripley, 25, and from Covington, 30, sur- rounded by a fertile country, surpassed by none in the west, and calculated to support a crowded agricultural population.
It is most probably at this time the best populated section of country in the territory, and will shortly be almost wholly under the finest state of cultivation. The distance from market, the strength and wealth of the population, the fertility of the soil, and the great mass of surplus produce of the farmer, strongly require the establishment of a place for the transaction of business, where the industrious husbandman can make sale of the rich harvest of his farm, and carry home to his family the reward of his labor without having to consume the whole of his profits in transporting to remote markets. This place then holds out strong inducements to the me- chanic, the merchant, the professional gentleman, and all the necessary branches of a well organised society.
It is fair to say that 1818 marks the beginnings of trade in Illi- nois. Reynolds is authority for the statement that "the factory goods, from New England and Kentucky, reached Illinois about 1818, and then looms, cotton &c., disappeared-spinning also ceased then."164 There can be no doubt that this change was the result of the great influx of population at that time; among the new population were many who were accustomed to buying what they needed, and furthermore, they brought with them the money necessary for trade. The change that was brought about has been depicted by Ford as follows :165 "Upon the conclusion of the war of 1812 the people from the old States began to come in, and settle in the country. They brought some money and prop- erty with them, and introduced some changes in the customs and modes of living. Before the war, such a thing as money was scarcely ever seen in the country, the skins of the deer and rac- coon supplying the place of a circulating medium. The money which was now brought in, and which had before been paid by
104Reynolds, My Own Times, 71.
105Ford, History of Illinois, 43.
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ILLINOIS IN 1818
the United States to the militia during the war, turned the heads of all the people, and gave them new ideas and aspirations; so that by 1819 the whole country was in a rage for speculating in lands and town lots. The States of Ohio and Kentucky, a little before, had each incorporated a batch of about forty independent banks. The Illinois territory had incorporated two at home, one at Edwardsville and the other at Shawneetown; and the territory of Missouri added two more, at St. Louis. These banks made money very plenty; emigrants brought it to the State in great abundance. The owners of it had to use it in some way; and as it could not be used in legitimate commerce in a State where the material for commerce did not exist, the most of it was used to build houses in towns which the limited business of the country did not require, and to purchase land which the labor of the country was not sufficient to cultivate. This was called 'develop- ing the infant resources of a new country.' "
The law establishing the Shawneetown bank was approved December 26, 1816, that for the one at Edwardsville a year later. Each was to have a capital stock of $300,000, one-third subscribed by the legislature, the rest by individuals. A share in the Shawneetown bank was put at $100, in the Edwardsville at $50. Of the $30,000 subscribed to the Edwardsville bank as the first installment, $22,625 came from Kentucky, $10,000 was given by one man, $1,800 came from St. Louis, $100 from New York. Only the remaining $5,475 came from within Illinois. The subscribers there were confined to Madison and St. Clair counties ; few contributed more than $50. The bank opened for business when the first installment of one-tenth had been paid .166 The following editorial in the Intelligencer for January I, 1817, reflects the general enthusiasm over the new enterprise.
ILLINOIS BANK.
The bill establishing a Bank at Shawnoetown has at length received the approbation and signature of the governor, and has consequently become a law. What- ever may be our opinion as to the ultimate effects that
166Intelligencer, January 15, 1817; House Journal, I general assembly, 2 ses- sion. 105, 106.
JOHN MARSHALL, BANKER AT SHAWNEETOWN [From original in Chicago Historical Society
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THE ECONOMIC SITUATION
are likely to result from the extensive banking system adopted in the United States, we are inclined to think, that much advantage will result from this particular in- stitution to our infant territory. The great scarcity of the precious metals that prevails, has rendered it neces- sary that some substituted circulating medium should be furnished; and bank paper is certainly the most conven- ient. But the remoteness of our situation, from the banks in the respective states has hither to rendered its circulation in many instances tardy and doubtful-and indeed the many frauds, and deceptions, that have been practiced in the country, by the circulation of spurious paper, purporting to be on banks at a distance, has very justly awakened the suspicion of those, to whom such paper was offered, and consequently cramped its circula- tion. But to the circulation of our own, there will not be the same objection-the people in general will soon become acquainted with it, and any attempts at fraud or imposition, will be much sooner detected. But at Shaw- noetown, a place of growing prospects characterized by its commercial activity, & the eligibility of its situation, more essentially required a bank, than we ourselves, as well as many others, at first supposed The fertility of the neighboring country on both sides of the Ohio river, and on the Wabash, gives rise to a great redundancy of produce of every description, and Shawnoetown is the only place of deposit for a considerable distance around. It is from that place that such produce must embark, for home as well as foreign markets. And it is there where the industrious farmer, will in future receive the price of his produce. Those engaged in commercial employ- ments will meet at that place, the rich crops of the yeo- manry of the country, ready to be wafted to the best markets, and the facilities of the bank, will enable them to procure on reasonable terms, the means of paying for their cargoes in advance. And thus the farmer, as well as the merchant, will experience at once the benefits of the bank.
But the advantages of the bank will be more happily felt at the present time by those who are purchasing lands from the United States; many forfeitures of in- stalments already paid will no doubt be saved by the means derivable from the banks of securing the funds
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ILLINOIS IN 1818
necessary to prevent such forfeitures. And if even for- feitures should not be prevented, it will be the means of preventing great individual sacrifices, such as would re- sult from a necessity of selling lands already entered to secure payment. And this advantage need not be con- firmed to the neighborhood of Shawnoetown, but may be co-extensive with the territory. There is also an ex- tensive and fertile country in Kentucky, that is contig- ious [sic] to Shawnoetown-and from it we may expect to derive a neighborly advantage-it will be the means of drawing its produce in a great degree to that place as the point of delivery ; indeed, as is the case in every new country where the resources of the country are not de- veloped, new advantages will be hourly unfolding them- selves. New inducements to industry will be furnished and individual wealth which always forms public wealth, will characterize the whole neighboring country. The salt trade will also be an additional source of wealth to the stockholders; many thousand bushels of salt are annually taken from the neighboring salines. And the bank will be rendered an easy means of facilitating that commerce. The local situation of the bank being thus eligible, and the prospects of its utility being thus flat- tering, we have no doubt but the whole of the stock sub- ject to individual subscription, will be immediately taken; and as the territory will not likely in any short time be in a situation to subscribe, neither for the whole nor any part of the shares reserved to itself-if the commercial growth of that place, and the demands of the country should justify it, we see no reason why the legislature might not pass some act to authorize ap- propriations of the public shares, by individuals until the territory can raise the stock for its own use.
The craze for wildcat banking did not come until after Illi- nois became a state. Into a consideration of the conditions in Illinois attending that catastrophe it is scarcely necessary to enter. But the discussion over the establishment of a state bank at the second session of the first legislature produced an editorial bear- ing so directly on the economic conditions as to merit insertion here. After announcing the passage of the bill by both houses, the editor of the Illinois Emigrant clipped from the Illinois In-
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THE ECONOMIC SITUATION
telligencer the following words of conditional approbation and then added his own scathing comment.
An act incorporating A STATE BANK, so much desired by the people, has been passed by both branches of the General Assembly upon the principles heretofore pub- lished in a former number, except the duration of the charter-which is reduced from fifty to twenty-five years. If a board of directors, known to be friendly to the institution shall be elected, we again say, as we have before said, that we believe much publick good will result from it. We believe the people will have great reason (should that be the case) to congratulate them- selves on the occasion, and to welcome home their rep- resentatives with smiles of approbation. But should the management of the institution be confided to a di- rectory unfriendly to its prosperity, the salutary exer- tions of the Legislature will have been of no avail. It will indeed be creating a light, and then putting it un- der a bushel. (ib. [Illinois Intelligencer])
Thus we see, that while the legislatures of almost every other state in the Union are taking measures to repress that species of swindling, known by the term banking, the general assembly of Illinois, (we dare say from the most considerate, pure and patriotick motives) are cre- ating a state Bank, with ten branches and a capital of three millions of dollars! It would be curious to know, what part of this stock is to be subscribed by the state, and out of what other bank it intends to borrow money to make the instalments? For is it not known that our treasury is bankrupt, and that, as a state, we have not the fee-simple of one inch of territory upon the globe- that our population (including men, women and chil- dren) does not exceed, by an unit, 40,000 souls-that perhaps one seventh part of this population may be men, above 21 years of age-and that, probably, one fourth part of this small number, may have paid for their pos- sessions, and are able to purchase stock, tho' not to a great amount! What business, then, have we, (who, in addition to all, are not a commercial people, and whose great commercial towns, Cairo and Amer- ica, to use a quaint phrase, cannot be seen for the trees) with banks? Because the constitution has given the legislature power to create a state bank, does it follow
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