USA > Illinois > Christian County > Past and present of Christian County, Illinois > Part 8
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A. McCaskell was admitted to the bar in 1857, and soon thereafter removed to Tay- lorville where he engaged in the practice of law until 1859, when he removed to Colo- rado, returning here in 1861, where he again engaged in the practice of law in this coun- ty, and continued in the profession until the time of his death; he was elected State's Attorney and County Judge. A more com-
W. T. Houston was admitted to the bar in 1879; practiced law at Edinburg for many years ; he afterwards moved to Spring- field, where he continued in the practice un- . plete history is given of Judge McCaskell in til his death a few years ago. another portion of this chapter.
Frank Reed is a native of Taylorville, Ill., born in 1871 ; was educated at public schools in Taylorville: admitted to the bar in the year 1893.
O. W. Reed is a native of Taylorville, born in 1860; was educated in the schools at Taylorville ; admitted to the bar in about the year 1890; shortly thereafter he accept- ed a position in the pension department at . Washington, D. C., and continued in that position for many years. He now resides in Texas.
PRESENT MEMBERS OF THE BAR.
We will not undertake to give a biograph- ical sketch of the present members of the
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bar; neither shall we unfold their greatness or expose their weakness ; we should dislike very much to tell any of their bad traits, if they had any, and to undertake to tell all of the good acts we know about them might require more space than can be devoted to this work, so we shall content ourselves with giving their place of birth, education and dates of admission to the bar, and allow the reader to follow them in their daily walk through life and judge for himself of their character and ability.
James M. Taylor is a native of Scotland ; was educated in Academy of Waukegan, Ill., and Kenosha High School; was admitted to the bar in 1868, and began the practice of law in Taylorville in 1868, and is prob- ably the oldest practitioner in the county.
W. M. Provine is a native of Illinois ; was educated in common schools, concluding at Macomb Seminary : was licensed to prac- tice law in the year 1868. Shortly there- after he moved to Taylorville and has been since that time engaged in the practice of law here.
J. C. McBride is a native of Illinois ; was educated at Earlham College and Lincoln University of Lincoln, Ill., graduating in 1869; was admitted to the bar in 1870, and shortly thereafter began the practice of law at Taylorville, and continued therein to the present time.
Wm. T. Vandeveer was born in Christian county ; educated at Shurtleff Upper Alton ; was admitted to the bar in 1871, and for a time practiced law at Taylorville; he still resides at Taylorville, but abandoned the practice several years ago.
John W. Kitchell is a native of Illinois; was admitted to the practice of law in Iowa in 1852 and afterwards in this state, and shortly thereafter located at Pana, where he has resided ever since.
J. C. McQuigg is a native of Ohio: was educated at the Fredericksburg Academy and Vermilion College of Ohio, graduating therefrom in 1865. Graduated from the law department of Michigan University in 1867. and was at once admitted to the bar and soon located in Pana where he has resided and practiced law to the present time.
E. A. Humphreys is a native of Illinois ; was educated in the schools of Christian county ; admitted to the bar in the year 1872, and shortly thereafter began the prac- tice of law at Pana, where he has continued to reside to the present time.
John E. Hogan is a native of this coun- ty. Was educated at Taylorville; admitted to the bar in the year 1888; and shortly thereafter entered upon the practice of law, and is engaged in the work of his profes- sion at the present time.
Frank P. Drennan is a native of Chris- tian county ; was educated in this county and admitted to the bar in 1881; and soon thereafter entered upon the practice of law at Taylorville, where he now resides and is engaged in his chosen profession.
R. M. Potts is a native of Christian county ; was educated in public schools; ad- mitted to the bar in 1892 ; and shortly there- after began the practice of law at Taylor- ville, where he has continued to the present time; he served one term as County Judge.
L. G. Grundy is a native of Macoupin county ; was educated at Ann Arbor; was admitted to the bar in 1893, and shortly thereafter entered upon the practice at Tay- lorville, and still resides at Taylorville. He also served one term as County Judge.
J. E. Sharrock is a native of Towerhill ; was admitted to the bar in 1886 and shortly thereafter entered upon the practice of law in Shelby county, from which place he moved to Taylorville in 1893, and has been
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engaged in the practice of law ever since ; he served two terms in the Legislature.
J. A. Merry was born in Bond County, 111. Attended the Greenville High School, and afterwards graduated at the Valparai- so, Indiana, Normal School, and pursued the law course at Hayward College, Fair- field, Ill. Admitted to the bar in the year 1893, and began practicing law at Vandalia, Ill .. and remained there until the year 1894, at which time he moved to Taylorville, Ill., and since that time resided in the City of Taylorville, and is now engaged in the prac- tice of law at Taylorville.
John B. Colegrove is a native of Illinois ; was educated in Christian county ; admitted to the bar in the year 1889; soon thereafter entered upon the practice of law at Taylor- ville and is at the present time pursuing his profession.
James L. Drennan is a native of Chris- tian county ; was educated in the schools of Christian county : was admitted to the bar in the year 1893. and has since that time been engaged in the practice of law until about two years ago, when he accepted the position of Secretary to Judge Ricks, which place he now holds.
Alfred Adams is a native of Illinois ; was educated at Fairfield and Greenville, Hay- ward and Almira colleges; admitted to the bar in the year 1893, and thereafter after his admission to the bar moved to Taylor- ville and entered upon the practice at this place, and is at the present time engaged in the practice of law here.
Edward Adams was educated at Dixon College; admitted to the bar in 1897; soon thereafter began the practice of law at Tay- lorville and continued in his profession un- til about the first of January last, when he accepted a position in the Pension Depart- ment at Washington.
F. O. Edler was born and educated in France; emigrated to Illinois about 15 years ago; shortly thereafter admitted to the bar but removed from Taylorville to Oklahoma about the first of January last, where he now resides.
W. S. Greer is a native of Illinois; was educated in Christian county, and was ad- mitted to the bar about 10 years ago; en- gaged in the practice of law at Taylorville for several years, but moved to Chicago about the first of November last, where he is now engaged in the practice of law.
Fred O. Waggoner is a native of this county; educated in the schools of this county and admitted to the bar in about the year 1890; entered upon the practice of law at Morrisonville and continued at that place until about the year 1895 when he moved to Oklahoma Territory, where he now resides.
Paul Dowdel was born and educated in Illinois; admitted to the practice of law in about the year 1895; and for awhile prac- ticed at Taylorville; afterwards moved to Assumption thence to Memphis, Tenn., where he now resides, and is engaged in the practice of his profession.
James B. Abrams is a native of Chris- tian county ; educated in the county; ad- mitted to the bar about 10 years ago, and commenced the practice of law in Taylor- ville, where he continued in the profession until about the month of November last, when he moved to the state of Washington, where he now resides.
C. E. Abrams is a native of Christian county, and educated here and Shurtleff Col- lege ; was admitted to the bar in about the year 1901 ; engaged in the practice of law at Taylorville until about the month of No- vember last, when he moved to the state of Montana, where he now resides.
Leroy Anderson is a native of this county,
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and educated here; was admitted to the bar in 1897 and practiced law at Taylorville un- til the spring of 1903, at which time he moved to Prescott, Arizona, where he now pursues his profession.
A. D. Sitler was born in Shelby county, Illinois; educated at Fort Scott, Kansas, Normal College; admitted to the practice of law in the year 1892 and shortly there- after began the practice of his profession at Taylorville, where he has since that time resided.
C. H. Shamel was born in Christian county ; is a graduate of the University of Illinois, and shortly after his graduation was admitted to the bar and immediately com- menced practicing law at Taylorville, and has been engaged in the practice ever since that time.
James H. Forrester is a native of Chris- tian county ; was educated at University of Pennsylvania and Normal; admitted to the bar in 1897 and shortly thereafter began the practice of law at Taylorville where he still resides. He is at present serving as County Judge of the county, having been elected in 1902.
Geo. Wallace is a native of Christian county ; was educated at Lincoln University at Lincoln, Ill., graduating therefrom in 1894; was admitted to the bar in the year 1899, and has since that time been engaged in the practice of law at Taylorville, where he now resides.
Walter M. Provine is a native of Illinois; was educated at the High School in Taylor- ville, graduating therefrom in 1895 and af- terwards graduated in the law department of Cornell University, N. Y., in 1897, and was soon thereafter admitted to the bar in this state, and has since that time been en- gaged in the practice of law at Taylorville.
W. B. McBride is a native of Christian
county ; born at Taylorville; was educated at Illinois University and Ada College, Ada, Ohio, graduating from the latter college in civil engineering in 1895; was admitted to the bar in 1898, since which time he has been engaged in the practice of law at Taylor- ville.
W. R. Dexheimer is a native of Christian county ; was educated at Dixon, Ill .; ad- mitted to the bar in the year 1901, shortly thereafter commencing the practice of law at Taylorville, and is still engaged in his chosen profession.
Arthur Yockey was born in Christian . county ; educated in the common schools and high school .at Taylorville; graduated at Valparaiso, Ind. Attended law school in Chicago; admitted to the bar in 1899. Been practicing in Taylorville since that time.
R. C. Neff is a native of Sangamon coun- ty, Ill .; was educated at common schools, Valparaiso, Ind .; admitted to the bar in the year 1899 and has since that time been en- gaged in the practice of law at Taylorville, where he now resides.
D. O. Potts was born in Christian coun- ty, Ill .; educated in common schools; ad- mitted to the bar in Atchison, Kansas, in 1898; recently admitted to the bar in Illi- nois, where he is now practicing.
Leslie Taylor is a native of Taylorville, was educated at Shurtleff College, Upper Alton and Jolin Marshall Law School, Chi- cago; admitted to the bar in the year 1903 and soon commenced the practice of law at Taylorville, and is at the present time en- gaged in the work of his chosen profession.
C. A. Prater was born and educated in Christian county, Ill., and was admitted to the bar in 1882, and began the practice of law at Edinburg, Ill., and since that time he had resided and been engaged in the practice of his profession at that place.
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J. H. Morgan is a native of Indiana ; was educated at Marion College, Marion, In- diana; admitted to the bar in 1895, and shortly thereafter began the practice of law at Pana, at which place he has since that time resided, and been pursuing his chosen profession.
C. E. Springstun is a native of Indiana ; was educated in Indiana and Illinois ; admit- ted to the bar in 1893, and shortly thereafter commenced the practice of law at Pana, and is now engaged in the practice of his pro- fession.
J. H. Fornoff was born in Illinois; edu- cated at Wesleyan Law School; admitted to the bar in the year 1892, and has since that time been engaged in the practice of law at Pana.
E. E. Dowel was born at Shelbyville, 111. ; graduated at Pana High School: admitted to the bar in the year 1900 and has since that time been engaged in the practice of law at Pana, where he now resides and pur- sties his chosen profession.
M. J. Fitzgerald was born and educated in Fayette county, Ill. ; was admitted to the bar about ten years ago, and practiced law for a while in his native county, but after- ward removed to Assumption, Ill., at which place he has been engaged in the practice of his profession for several years.
Frank L. Taylor was born in Macon county. Ill. Was educated at the Normal University of Varparaiso. Ind., where he was graduated on the completion of a busi- ness course ; was admitted to the bar in 1902, and immediately thereafter engaged in the practice of law at Decatur, Ill., where he continued until June, 1903, at which time he moved to Assumption, and has since then been engaged in the practice of law at that place.
A. E. Gowan was born in Jersey county,
I11. Graduated in the commercial depart- ment of the Hillsboro Academy. He read law at Morrisonville and later attended law school at Ann Arbor, Mich. Was admitted to the bar in the spring of 1883; moved to Morrisonville and there engaged in the prac- tice of law and has continued in the practice at that place almost continuously since that time.
Edwin F. O'Farrell was born and edu- cated in Shelby county, Ill. Admitted to the bar in 1901, and immediately entered upon the practice of law at Pana, Ill., at which place he has been engaged in his pro- fession since that time.
David M. Sharp was born in Christian county, Ill .; was educated at the Illinois College of Jacksonville, where he was grad- uated; he was admitted to the bar in the year 1889, and shortly thereafter began the practice of law at Taylorville, Ill., at which place he continued in the business of his profession for several years, but has recent- ly occupied his attention with farming.
INCIDENTS OF EARLY DAYS.
The early settlement of the locality now composing Christian County was com- menced as early as the year 1827, and those settling here between that date and 1848 are what in fact compose the early settlers of this locality. To appreciate the real per- ils undergone, the reader must imagine this as a locality without any houses or fields or even any signs of civilization and then take the first settler who came to this locality and see what he did after arriving here; of course he brought with him his axe and saw and such other tools as he had or could se- cure, and a small supply of provisions which could in no event be very extensive, select- ed the locality upon which he desired to build, in the timber, then the first thing he
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did was to build a house to live in; this was done by cutting logs, hewing and notching them and then laying them one upon the other in the same manner that a rail pen is built until the cabin was of the desired height, usually 6 to 8 feet. Large timbers were laid across the building, taking the place of sleepers which supported the puncheon floor when laid; in some instances floors were not laid for a long time after the building of the cabin, then on top of these logs rafters or something to support the roof were placed and the building roofed with clapboards which were rived out of the timber. A large fireplace was built in one end of the building, and the chimney built of sticks covered with mud, for plas- tering, inside and out ; clay was pounded in to form a fireplace, hearth and jambs and to build the chimneys to a sufficient height to prevent the fire from burning the build- ing. This done, then the next thing was to dig a well, and build some shelter for the stock. It frequently happened that the construction of the log cabin and the raising of a crop for feed for the next year was carried on at the same time and frequently two or three families would come and set- tle together, build a house together and live together until their buildings could be con- structed.
At the first opportunity, the owner with his axe and saw and an auger would build the furniture for the house, which consist- ed of bedsteads made of poles with one end fastened in the log of the house and the other frequently resting on a fork or bed- post constructed and extending out into the floor. These improvised beds were so con- structed in many instances that they could be taken down during the day time and readily put up at night, thereby giving more room for the occupants of the small cabin.
As soon as the cabin and the reasonable conviences of this one were constructed, then the work of constructing a cabin for a neigh- bor began. The families from this little cabin in a short time would begin improve- ments upon farms for themselves, by erect- ing their cabins, and in many instances, a neighborhood of three to half a dozen fami- lies would soon be formed consisting of those who came and located in that particular place; and for many years it frequently hap- pened that the nearest neighborhood would be from 5 to 15 miles, and in some instances the settler and his family lived alone and without any neighbor nearer than two to five miles, and thus along the timbers of Bear Creek, of South Fork, North Fork and Flat Branch, the settlements gradually grew and the distance between neighbors was within 10 or 15 years reduced to that of a mile or less.
It is related that some of the early settlers did not see the face of a white man more than once or twice during the whole year. Some of these inhabitants were without a horse, or even a yoke of oxen, and in some instances they raised the crops to feed them- selves and family with the hoe; in others they had rudely constructed plows and ex- changed work, which enabled them to more readily till the soil and get from it better results.
They were not required to raise their meat, as at that time the lands abounded in wild deer, turkey, chicken and all other kinds of game to such an extent that the pioneer was always certain of his meat at any time.
It is related by an old settler that even after Taylorville had been located and peo- ple residing here and the first courthouse constructed that Wm. Darner, an expert hunter made a "stand" for deer in a little
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grove located in about the place where the West school building now stands, and that many were the deer that he killed from that "stand." It is said that you could stand in the first courthouse and look out over the prairie and observe deer passing around the little village in herds of 20 to 50; they were indeed abundant, and the meat thus obtained by the settler was very much relished. It is also said that bees were very plentiful in this country at that time, would hive in the hollow trees and make large quantities of honey, and the early settler was able to supply himself and family with honey from the cutting of these bee trees; in many in- stances, large quantities of honey would be obtained from a single bee tree; experts in bee hunting were able to find these trees very readily. It is said of one early settler that on a trip taken by him from Campbell's Point to Buckhart Grove and Mosquito Creek that in the course of a few days they found a great number of bee trees and se- cured about 45 gallons of honey and 60 pounds of beeswax ; that at another time on a trip over on the North Fork, Okaw and Kaskaskia rivers, they found about 40 bee trees. This was as early as 1822, and it was said that this settler, Samuel Williams, in all his bee hunting found no traces of any settlers along the several streams and that he went for weeks without seeing even the face of a white man, except one man who accidentally rode into their camp in crossing the prairie. This honey was also a source of revenue for the people, as they could obtain for beeswax in the market 25 cents a pound and a fair price for the honey.
It was more difficult for them to secure breadstuff than meat; while the settler was able to raise his corn and in some instances wheat, it was very difficult to get it ground and ready for bread; it is said that in many
instances they used a mortar for powdering the grain so as to make it fit for bread; at other times they boiled the corn and grated it into meal on an improvised tin grate. Corn bread was not a luxury in those days, but was the staple bread of the early set- tler.
Later, mills were located principally for grinding corn, but in most instances they were a long way from the settler, and being practically destitute of wagons or other ve- hicles of conveyance, it was very difficult to secure a grinding of the corn, and often two or three days would be consumed in getting to mill, and when there they had to take their turn, but the sturdy miller always took out his toll, which at times seemed ex- orbitant, yet, under the circumstances, was probably not unreasonable.
Mr. J. P. Walker informs me that in 1847 the whole neighborhood in which he lived was without bread along in the spring of the year ; in fact it had been a wet, muddy winter and it was impossible for the people to have any grinding done; in many in- stances the families had subsisted upon such corn meal as they were able to obtain from boiling and grating the corn ; that in March, he in company with another neighbor went a distance of 22 miles to a horsemill owned by Lipe in Montgomery county where they obtained the grinding of two or three sacks of corn to supply the neighborhood; when they returned, half of it was loaned in less than 24 hours.
It is also related that Jesse Hinkle went to old man Traylor's over on Bear Creek about the same time to borrow some meal and Mrs. Traylor said to him, "We are out, and have been grating corn for three weeks," and Hinkle replied, "Thank God, we are all alike."
While the trip of going to mill was a long
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one and in many instances attended with hardships, yet in many cases it was an en- joyable affair, as the settler could there meet with his friends from the other parts of the country and learn what they were doing in that section, for it must be remembered that it took news a long time to travel about the circuit of even as small a locality as Christian county in those days.
From information obtained from Mr. Walker, one of the first mills built in this county was erected in about the year 1842 by Jesse Elgan on South Fork, near what is now known as the Ralston Bridge, and what was generally known as the Elgan set- tlement ; this was a water mill, and built for grinding wheat, corn and sawing lumber.
Levi Henkle built the next mill near where Willowford Bridge is now, but the exact date the mill was built is not known, but erected prior to 1846.
Dr. Goudy also built a mill in the south- west part of Taylorville in 1850. At an early day, the people of the northern part of the county went to what was known as the Archer mill just across the line in San- gamon county, and on the north fork of the Sangamon River. We are also informed that in other places there were constructed what is known as horse or cog mills built of wooden rollers with wooden cogs, and so constructed as to be operated by means of levers to which horses were attached.
This was of course all in a rude form, but was very acceptable to the people of that day; it supplied them with bread.
While it is true that these mills were very rudely constructed and of limited capacity, they were sufficient, however, for the time, and essential in sustaining life while the settler strove to improve his home.
The demand for these mills was so great, that in a comparatively short time they were
constructed in the different localities all over the country, and some of them were con- structed carlier than some of the mills men- tioned above, so that in time it became much more convenient for the settler to obtain his grinding and his lumber.
The more difficult problem, however, was that of marketing the products raised and purchasing supplies for the family. The people of this locality usually in the early day marketed their products at St. Louis; after hauling their wheat that distance, were only able to procure from 40 to 45 cents a bushel for it, and usually could haul not to exceed 25 to 30 bushels at a time; there were regular stopping places on the road, but most generally the farmer would camp out during this trip. The expense of the trip was com- paratively light; it required many, some- times 7 or 8, days to make it, but he would usually return with groceries, tobacco and not unfrequently with a little Old Bourbon as that was one of the necessaries of those days to cure snake bites, and most every- body used a little of the cure. Hogs were driven to the same market and hog driving time was always regarded as a holiday occa- sion ; the people of the neighborhood would bunch their hogs, drive them to St. Louis. and then realize only from $2 to $2.50 per cwt. after they were dressed-but the drivers had a good time; told of the fine country they lived in and many interesting stories incident to the early settlement of the coun- try. Some of them even told Indian stories and their narrow escapes from scalping; it all had a kind of wild, romantic atmosphere that, notwithstanding its perils, was exciting and being of that adventurous cast, was very alluring, but wherever the lot of the early settler was cast, you always found that free hearted hospitality that comes to people who are depending one upon the other and
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