USA > Illinois > Christian County > Past and present of Christian County, Illinois > Part 10
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 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60
The wolves, other wild game and malaria were not the only things dreaded by the early settler. After the biting frosts had killed the prairie grass, then there was nothing more dreaded than the prairie fires ; it is said by some of those who witnessed them that, at times when the wind blew a good strong breeze, the fire would run so rapidly through the prairie that it would be impossible for persons caught out in the midst of the prairie to escape from the fire by running, even on horseback ; much property was fre- quently destroyed and sometimes human life by these great prairie fires, people who had
homes that were in possible range of these fires took the precaution to burn a large strip of grass around their homes to prevent their destruction. Mr. Goodrich tells me that the early settler in attempting to cross these prairies always went prepared to protect himself in case a fire should break out, and if, while traveling along in the midst of a large scope of prairie grass, he discov- ered fire coming towards him, he would be- gin where he was and burn out a large scope of grass and then when the fire came up would protect himself by standing in the midst of the tract that he had burned off ; this he says was common and proved effectual.
Major Wm. T. Vandeveer tells me that at one time just prior to the civil war there was but one Democrat in the town of Rose- mond; his name was Joshua Peffer-they were having quite a hotly contested cam- paign in the county. The Democrats pre- dominated in most of the towns; Vande- veer's father (who was then an officeholder of the county) and some of the other politi- cal leaders concluded that they would have a Democratic rally at Rosemond to please Mr. Peffer. The day was fixed and Wm. T. Vandeveer was sent by his father all over the county to notify the people of the great Democratic rally in Rosemond. The Democrats from all parts of the county gathered, with their wagons and other modes of conveyances, at a point near Rosemond, and made a grand parade, and had a big time, and while they failed to make Rose- mond Democratic, they pleased Mr. Peffer with their efforts upon that occasion, but Major Vandeveer says he never was as tired riding horseback in his life as when through his trip over the county gathering the peo- ple in, and did not care to repeat the effort to make Rosemond Democratic.
72
PAST AND PRESENT
The state road, which passed from Terre Haute to Springfield, and which passed through the town of Mt. Auburn, was one of the great thoroughfares of the travelers from the states east of Illinois to the great west ; it is said that thousands of Mormons who first went to Nauvoo and afterwards to Salt Lake City passed through the county at an early day : one of the old settlers visit- ing Salt Lake City a few years ago met while there many people who had stopped over night with him (Mr. Goodrich) and they recalled the beauties of this locality and the field that was apparently open for prosperity here.
They failed, however, to take advantage of the great opportunities offered to them here-they were religious enthusiasts seek- ing a kingdom backed by Joseph Smith and his apostles-and to live a life in conformity with the creeds of the Mormon church.
At the organization of the county the peo- ple voted viva voce : this plan by many was considered as the most independent one ; others viewed it in a different light; if the system had no other merit it certainly gave a controlling influence to intriguing politicians ; with the admission of the ballot system their power was dwarfed. While the ballot system of that day may have been an improvement, under the old mode of vot- ing, the people can congratulate themselves that the Australian ballot system of the present day is a decided improvement over the old mode of balloting.
The voter of today by the Australian ballot can absolutely vote as he chooses without being intimidated by any person or body, and when the system of voting machines is perfected, which is being done, so that the ballot can be registered as de- posited. and the dishonest and unscrupulous "ward heeler" prevented from changing the
ballot after deposited in the box, this will be an additional improvement upon our vot- ing system, and will give additional faith and credit to the ballot box. Independence and purity of the ballot should be encour- aged and the ballot box safely guarded.
The political and business interests, re- ligious and moral sentiments of the people of this country today are so diversified and so many different interests to consult the independent voter is more numerous and the difficulty of either party securing an election without reference to the qualifica- tions and standing of the candidate is be- coming more and more hazardous, but it is said "in this county at that early day there were two large family connections by the name of Durbin and Young that composed a large part of the voting population; it was not an uncommon remark that as these two families voted, so went the election.
Politically, they were in sympathy with each other, and with the Whig party. Gal- vin Ralston, a old-line Whig, and a candi- date for the office of county commissioner, being interrogated as to his prospects for election, replied : "Very good, as both the Durbin and Young wing are with me in a solid column." It is scarcely necessary to say he was elected.
Daniel Goode and Wm. O. Brents, both old settlers and political leaders, exercised great influence over the political parties.
The constitution of 1848 substituted the ballot for the viva voce system. This worked well and the people have been enabled to vote their honest convictions without being branded as turn-coats. The old parties were well disciplined and very powerful. If a member of either broke ranks he was soon hounded down.
At this remote day it is difficult to se- cure anecdotes of that early day, because
73
CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
of that generation having all passed away and for the reason we here repeat a few of the anecdotes and incidents given by Dr. Goudy in a former history of this county. and while we have not deemed it necessary to verify these, we have been told that in most instances they actually occurred as given.
In the trials before the justices of the peace in the county many amusing incidents and anectodes have occurred.
About forty years ago, in the region of Bolivia, in the northwestern part of this county, lived one John S. Thompson, a jus- tice of the peace. He was a large, stout, big-fisted Kentuckian. Sam Smith was brought before him on a charge of assault and battery. Sam soon became boisterous and began to abuse the justice. Esquire ad- monished him to keep quiet, but all to no purpose. Sam grew worse and worse, until the burly esquire's patience was ex- hausted. "Sam," said the esquire, "I know but little about the power the law confers in keeping order in court, but I know very well the power the Almighty has given me, and so shall you." Suiting the action to his words, the esquire seized a chair and sent Sam whirling to the floor, and then at the end of his boot relieved the office of his presence. Smith then went before an- other justice, filed an affidavit of assault and battery and had Esquire Thompson ar- rested. The defense set up a plea that the justice was a relative to the prosecutor. which point was adjudged well taken, and the justice entered a judgment of acquittal. Not satisfied with the decision, Smith filed another affidavit before Esquire C.
Thompson was again arrested and arraigned before the justice. He employed counsel, who moved for his acquittal on the ground that he "could not be put in jeopardy twice
for the same offence" under the constitui- tion. The esquire, after consulting various evidences, sustained the plea, and Esquire Thompson was again triumphantly acquit- ted. From that time forward there was as good order in the office of Esquire Thompson as in the supreme court room of the state of Illinois.
In another case, about thirty-five years ago, in the western part of the county, a suit was instituted before Esquire John R.
against John W. --- -, then re- siding within three miles of Hillsboro, in Montgomery county. Summons issued to Constable William Torrance, with instruc- tions to serve the same, which he accord- ingly executed, and judgment was en- tered up by the esquire for forty dollars and costs of suit.
The execution was issued in due time and Constable Torrance, who again entered Montgomery county, made a levy, took a delivery bond and in time made the debt and returned the execution satisfied, neither party knowing the force of the county line between them.
It was told the writer by an old settler that at another time an execution was is- sued and delivered to a constable in this county, whose name he did not know, and the constable was directed to levy upon a bunch of hogs but was told that a mere pen and ink levy was not sufficient ; that he must actually seize the property and do such acts as would constitute a trespass, so the consta- ble, with the writ in his hand, went to the pen, lit astride a hog, took out his execution and says, "Now, Mr. Hog, I levy on you," and so on, until he struck a male hog, which showed fight, and dangerous to catch, so the constable took out his execution and said, "Now, Mr. Hog, d-n you, I levy on you at a distance."
74
PAST AND PRESENT
It is useless to say that this levy was not questioned, and brought satisfaction to the execution.
A PATHETIC SPEECH SPOILED.
In the case of M-, arraigned for larceny, his lawyer, from Springfield, a bombastic speaker, informed his client that the case was desperate, and that he must be governed strictly by his directions. Said he: "My speech will be divided into four parts. First, historical ; second, argumenta- tive: third, the reply; fourth, the pathetic. You and your wife and children must sit quiet until I come to the fourth, or pathetic, part, and then I want you all to burst out aloud and cry, groan and take on as I pro- ceed to the close. The moment I stop, arise and throw your arms around your wife's neck and kiss the baby." The trial was opened: the jury empaneled and evidence heard. The prosecuting attorney opened the case with a speech of great power. Lawyer Bombast arose with all eyes centered on him, and began as follows: "If the court please, gentlemen of the jury, look at my client ; look at his poor wife and little babe; look at the afflicted parents, weighed down with sorrow and brief, sinking as it were to their graves. Oh, gentlemen of the jury, can you find it in your hearts to send him to the penitentiary ?"
As he uttered these last words the prisoner set up a loud howl, threw his arms around his wife's neck, and kissed the babe, while the rest of the family joined in the chorus. The lawyer was dumbfounded: the court looked in astonishment. the jurors looked at each other and wondered what it all meant, but the bombast took in the situation at a glance and explained : "Nothing only a mistake of my client, your honor and gen- tlemen of the jury. He mistook the 'his-
torical' for 'pathetic' part of my speech." The blunder lost his case.
A number of very interesting and humor- ous stories are told of William M. Thomas, J. P., two or three of which we will relate. In a trial before him a man by the name of Gunn was a witness. The man hesitated not a little and seemed unwilling, after much persistent questioning, to tell what he really knew, when the esquire became im- patient and said : "Come, Mr. Gunn, don't hang fire." After the examination closed the bystanders were convulsed with laughter by the old esquire adding, "Mr. Gunn, you can go off ; you're discharged."
The esquire is also credited with the fol- lowing decision : "The fact is, Peter Smith, the jail is an old rickety affair, as cold as an iron wedge. You applied to this court for release on bail, giving it as your opinion that you would freeze to death there. It is the desire of this court to be humane, and as the weather has not moderated and to keep you from freezing, I will direct the sheriff to hang you at 4 o'clock this after- noon."
In another case before Thomas
James Funderburk vs. Sam Brents-In trial of Right of Property. It was a jury case, composed of old Dicky Simpson and others. Capt. H- suggested to the plaintiff to take a jug of good old bourbon and treat the court and jury. Funderburk acted on the suggestion and it proved to be a happy thought. The court drank ; the jury drank; and all felt good. The esquire gave an ink- ling of his decision in advance. He said : "There's no use going into trial in this case, for the Right of Property is not in Sam Brents, and he is subject to the execution by G-d, sir."
The jury nodded assent, as they were in a nodding mood. The constable retained
75
CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
possession of the property and the plaintiff, Funderburk, got his money.
Another case before Esquire Thomas, in which Benjamin Williams was defendant. The trial did not result to the satisfaction of said defendant, and he charged that the esquire did not do him justice. His insult- ing remarks were overheard by the esquire, and on his comng out of the court house he gathered hold of a hoop-pole, exclaiming : "By God, sir, I'll give you more substantial justice," and lampooned him most unmerci- fully.
Le Roy Hill, of Sangamon, was a defend- ant in a suit instituted before Thomas. He asked for a change of venue, giving as a reason that "he didn't like to be tried by steam," over which the esquire became wrathy, and "by the eternal," swore a per- fect streak. However, the change was granted and the case taken before another justice.
THE "BULL PEN" OR PUGILISTIC TIMES.
No sooner had the county seat been lo- cated than it became a rallying point for all the belligerent spirits of the county. Ben W- and William W- had a fight a few minutes after the "locating peg" had been driven by the commissioners. This was the inauguration of affrays, which contin- med for several years at the county seat, greatly to its discredit. Persons harboring ill-feeling or any grievance against a neigh- bor would, on meeting him, throw out a challenge to meet on "muster day" or some other public occasion and settle the matter. Time did not seem to abate their hostility; the hate once engendered still rankled in their bosoms, and public opinion deferred to this mode of settling old grudges, and it required no little moral courage to with- stand it. The combatants at the appointed
time would, with their friends, be on hand ; draw their coats, gird their loins and enter the "bull pen," which at that time consisted of the public square, in the absence of a "stray pen." It was not uncommon for a half dozen such cases to be adjusted in one day. On such occasions large crowds often assembled and there was usually on hand a bountiful supply of "sod corn."
Capt. H -- was sure to be present with his two-wheeled cart, containing a cask of "tanglefoot," and his stentorian voice could be heard far and near to repeat, "Ho, all ye thirsty, come and drink. It is warranted to keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Indians say there are 'fifty fights in every barrel of fire water.'"
There were times when some of the most prominent men in the county would be engaged in these melees. It was on one of these memorable occasions when Gabriel and others were engaged that Thomas -, county collector, supposing himself clothed with the necessary authority, mounted the court house steps and in tones of thunder "commanded the peace." His admonitions not being heeded, he threw off his coat, waded in, exclaiming that he would "be d-d if he didn't have peace" and made for Gabriel, when he suddenly "right about faced" and left on "double quick," with his long ringlets streaming in the air, as the ex- cited crowd and the captain's commissary closed in the rear. These sovereigns would suffer no interference on these war-like oc- casions. It was looked upon as cowardly to use knives and pistols, and it was very seldom that such was the case.
THE MILITIA SYSTEM.
In the earlier history of the county the military spirit ran high, and many aspirants for position used it as a "stepping-stone"
76
PAST AND PRESENT
to power. Previous to the formation of the county the people had to travel fifteen or twenty miles to Rochester to do military duty. This was a great inconvenience, and at length the county was laid off into mili- tary districts. Elections were ordered in each of the company districts for one cap- tain, one first lieutenant and one ensign. Soon after the organization of the county the following order was issued :
"Militia in. Dane, Notice :
Lieut .- Col. White's regiment, including all the county of Dane, will parade for re- view and inspection at Taylorville on Fri- day, June 27, 1839. By order of A. G. HENRY. Brigade Major."
Springfield, Il1.
By this order the captains were required to be in the field with their respective com- mands, "armed and equipped as the law directs." The great and memorable day came. The parade ground was early filled with waving plumes and crowds of anxious citizens. The ground where Taylorville had been located a month previous was dot- ted with white tents. Soon the adjutant, on a splendid charger, came galloping into the field with orders: "Officers, to your places. marshal your men into companies, separating the barefooted from those who have shoes, placing those who have guns, sticks and corn-stalks in separate platoons, and then form the line ready to receive your superior officers." Thomas P. Bond had been elected colonel of the regiment. The order was executed. Col. Bond was seen coming in the distance, accompanied by the old lieuten- ant colonel, with his aides. The lines were wheeled into a column and made to perform some fine military evolutions, and , were eventually brought into position for review by the colonel and his staff.
The grand column then moved with the
colonel at its head to a field half a mile west of town, with its bayonets, sticks and corn- stalks glittering in the sunshine.
After exhibiting a fine military display they formed into line of battle, under the command of the gallant colonel, and a sham battle, with corn-stalks, was fought, with great fury, much to the delight of the by- standers.
Sam Brents was placed under arrest by his commanding officer for disobedience of orders, in not poising his corn-stalk at an angle of forty-five degrees, in accordance with military usage. . \ guard was placed over him, who was compelled to hold an umbrella over his head to protect him from the intolerable heat of the sun, then 96 de- grees F. in the shade.
A DEEP SNOW.
One of the mile-stones or epochs of Chris- tian county and Central Illinois was the period of the deep snow which fell in the winter of 1830-31. For many years the period of the deep snow was referred to for the purpose of determining who were and were not old settlers, at the old-settlers' meetings held a quarter of a century ago, the question frequently asked was, "Was you here before the deep snow?" If so, then you are entitled to all honors of an old settler. This probably more than any other event made a lasting impression upon the minds of the people who lived in Christian county and Central Illinois at that time. We have grown so far from that period, how- ever. that if the old settlers are to be desig- nated as those living here during the deep snow, then they are becoming very few, as that generation is practically gone.
From the accounts given of this period and the hardships endured by those living here at that time, it is not remarkable that
77
CHRISTIAN COUNTY, ILLINOIS.
the snow created such an impression upon the minds of the inhabitants; nothing like it has been seen since and probably not before.
It is said that the Indians had a tradi- tion that about seventy-five years before a snow fell which swept away the immense herds of buffalo and elk that roamed the prairies, but this tradition, like many others of the Indians, may have been greatly mag- nified as it was handed down from genera- tion to generation, yet the immense quantity of buffalo and elk bones found on the prairies when first visited by the white man may have been an evidence of these animals having been starved to death by reason of some calamity and it may have been a deep snow.
It is said that this snow began falling early in the autumn and continued at inter- vals throughout the entire winter. A fall of snow would frequently be succeeded by heavy sleet, forming crusts of ice between the layers of the snow strong enough in many places to bear up people and animals, and permitted them to travel on the top of the snow or crust.
It was a dark, dreary, cold winter, and so intense was the cold that the snow did not melt even on the sunny side of the buildings ; it is said by those who lived here at that time that during the winter the snow had obtained a depth of five feet on the level, and many places drifted to a depth of twenty feet or more, frequently drifting up against the house to such a depth that they were compelled to burrow out under the snow to secure a passage of ingress and egress to the house; these, of course, were seldom, but it serves to illustrate the depth of the snow fall. By reason of the depth of the snow the inhabitants, when they be- gan to travel, were enabled to drive any-
where regardless of the fences, driving over them without even knowing they were there, but for weeks the people were blockaded or housed up, and remained so until starva- tion compelled them to go forth in search of food.
In a former chapter we have given an incident of the difficulties and suffering en- dured by the settler during this snow in endeavoring to procure food for his family Before that time deer, prairie chickens, quails, rabbits and other birds and animals had been abundant and furnished the settler with a good supply of meat, but for years afterwards game of all kinds was very scarce, having perished in the snow. It is not easy to perceive why nature should re- quire a people so illy prepared to bear the burdens of such a phenomena, but it is no less difficult to determine why nature should give such a down-pour of rain as to cause the valleys of the Mississippi to overflow and the great crops growing thereon de- stroyed, and at the same time permit the plains of Nebraska, Kansas and other re- gions to be dried up and parched, but we all know such things to transpire in nature.
The period of the deep snow of 1831, with the cold and suffering following in its wake will never be forgotten by those who wit- nessed it, and it is well that an event of this magnitude should be so chronicled and in- scribed upon the pages of history that gen- erations yet unborn may know the powers of nature and learn as best they can as they journey through life to prepare for such events, for what nature has done she may again do, for according to the tradition of the Indian that a snow of this kind had fal- len seventy-five years before it may be that an epoch of snow may come upon us within a short period, not in the course of tradi- tion, but as a result of a disturbance of the
78.
PAST AND PRESENT
elements by the changes in the great plan- etary system.
THE SUDDEN FREEZE.
One of the natural phenomena that is more wonderful than that of the deep snow is said to have occurred a little after noon one day in January, in the year 1836, and is known as the sudden freeze.
A lady who is an old settler has left the following record of her recollections of this wonderful change in the atmosphere. The lady says "she and her family had finished the noon-day meal, and were sitting around and in front of the old fashioned, large, open fire-place, enjoying its generous warmth, chatting and discussing the state of the weather, as during the morning it had been snowing and raining a little; presently the lady, in looking from the window in her cabin, noticed a heavy black cloud lying off to the west, which seemed to be rapidly approaching. Needing some water, she took a bucket and went to the well, at a distance of about one hundred yards, lowering the bucket with a long 'sweep,' then used in drawing the water, filled it, and started home. Before reaching the house the wind and rain struck her; blew and upset a por- tion of the water on her clothing; the cold air seemed to cut like a knife and before she reached the house her dress and apron were frozen stiff in a solid sheet of ice. Ponds which a moment before were free from ice were frozen over in a few minutes. Many persons were frozen to death who happened to be caught away from home, and many others before they could get to a place of shelter had their faces, ears, hands and feet frozen. Immediately preceding the storm the ground had been slightly covered with snow, which from rain falling in the morn- ing had become 'slushy.' Cattle that were
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.