USA > Illinois > Menard County > Past and present of Menard County, Illinois > Part 19
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rode with all haste to the scene of the murder. When they arrived they found the babe lying in the cradle with its face and clothing cov- ered with the dough and the mother lying dead on the bed. Miss Williams cared for the child and other neighbors came in and a runner was sent to Springfield and the sheriff came ont. and the next morning VanNoy came in and gave himself up. He stated that he could have taken one of his horses and left, but soll strange fascination compelled him to linger around the place where he committed the awful crime. A special grand jury was at once called by Judge Sawyer and a term of the circuit court was called. The grand jurors called. from territory now in Menard county. were James White. Robert White. John N. Moore, Robert Conover and Aaron Honghton. I bill of indictment was presented and a petit jury was called. some of them of Menard coun- tv. namely: Bowling Green. foreman. Jesse Armstrong and Levi W. Gordon. The jury was sworn in and the trial was begun on the 29th of August. only two days after the crime was committed. The attorney general of the state acted as prosecutor and two Springfield lawyers. James Adams and Jonathan II. Pugh. defended the prisoner. A verdict of guilty was rendered on the 30th and on the same day -en- tence was passed on the prisoner and the even- tion set for the 26th of November. 1526. The excention took place at the appointed time in the hollow just east of the new capitol in Springfield. The execution was public and the citizens of the whole country turned out to the show. It is said that it was the largest gathering that. up to that time. had ever met in central Illinois, it being estimated that at least five thousand people witnessed the death strng- gles of the heartless wretch. Among those present was Miss Williams. afterward Mrs. Samuel Moore. She was a sister of Colonel Williams, who, in his day, was one of the lead- ing financiers of Springfield. Just before his execution the culprit sent for one Dr. Addison Philleo, or. as some write it. Filtro, and wanted to know of him if he thought a man could be brought to life after being hanged. The learned physician opined that if the neck was
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not broken and the subject had not been bang- ing too long, that there was a possibility that a strong galvanic battery might bring the pil- grim back. Van Noy they told the doctor that if he could bring him back to this world he would be willing to remunerate him quite lib- orally for his trouble, or, if in case he failed in this benevolent effort. he would generously donate to him his body for dissection in the interest of science and human advancement. Executions were performed at that time by placing the victim in a cart. fastening one end of a rope to a beam and noosing the other end around the victim's neck and pulling the cart from under him. The doctor advised Van Noy to lean as far forward as he could at the erit- ical moment and thus preserve his neck intact. if possible. He followed the doctor's kind advice and his neck was not dislocated. but the sheriff heard something of the arrangement between the two and. fearing some mishap. al- lowed the body to remain hanging over an hour. and as a consequence the doctor's battery failed to have the desired effect and poor Van Noy's sonl never got back to its tenement of clay, but Dr. Philleo was not to be cheated out of doing good in one way or another, so he began right there to dissect the body of VanNoy, but the citizens of Springfield indignantly resented any such barbarity and compelled him to seek a more secluded place for his scientific investiga- tions than the open common. But Dr. Philleo's notoriety did not end here. He removed to Galena. Illinois, and entered the editorial pro- fession. When the Black Hawk war broke out he went with the army as newspaper corre- spondent. Ford. in his history, relates that on the chase of Black Hawk by General Henry. "on the third day out. about noon. also, the scouts ahead came suddenly upon two Indians. and as they were attempting to escape one of them was killed and left dead on the field. Dr. Addison Philleo, coming shortly after. scalped the dead Indian and for a long time afterward exhibited the scalp as an evidence of his valor."
We said above that vast crowds attended the hanging of VanNoy. AAmong these was Miss Williams -- afterward Mrs. Sammel Moore-and many thousands of others. One scene con-
nected with that hanging was never forgotten by those who witnessed it. On the scaffold the murderer, who was a most excellent singer, asked permission of the sheriff to sing. Being granted the privilege. he stood on the platform. or cart, and sang in full. round tones that old hymn, composed by Dr. Watts, the first verse of which is:
Mark from the tombs a doleful sound. My ears attend the cry : Yo living men come view the ground. Where you must shortly lie.
He sang the entire hymn and then the cart was drawn from under him.
WAR TIMES IN MENARD.
Menard county was headquarters during the Civil war for Missouri refugees. They invari- abdly found not only a refuge, but a hearty welcome among Republicans as well as Deto- crats. Hundreds, yes, thousands of Missouri- ans. for every reason, were compelled to leave home, property, family and everything else and. without money or friends. seck a more genial climate. In thousands of cases men who had done nothing disloyal were compelled to leave there in order to secure a living for their families. Nothing was doing there: life was in danger every hour, and all the father could do was to leave his dear ones in the midst of pil- lage. bushwhacking and bloodshed and seek a place where he could make enough to feed and clothe them and send it back to them. Many pitiful cases of this kind could be related. but out of dozens I select just one case, and I bey the reader's indulgence while I relate it just a- briefly as I can. and I pledge the writer's honor that it is every word true. just as related. for the writer has means of knowing it> truth. A young man, not more than twenty-five years of age. having a wife and two little girls. found that he must emigrate or see his family suffer. Missouri was then under martial law and any man found outside of his own county wa- liable to arrest and imprisonment in a mili- tary prison. perhaps for a long time. He had to cross the entire state in order to get to Illi- nois. To get a pass was out of the question-
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it was impossible. To leave his family there without ant friend would be heartless and cruel. What should he do? He had a neigh- bor who had always been kind to him, so he told him the secret of his intended effort to get. to Ilinois. So, raising what little money he could, he gave half of it to his wife, kept the other half and started on the perilous trip. At St. Joseph he waited till the ten o'clock train was just ready to start. then he rushed np to the ticket-window in great haste and said : "Aren't you going to give me that ticket at all ?" "What ticket ?" the agent said. "Why. that ticket to Quiney," he replied. Hurriedly the agent gave him the ticket and he as hur- riedly gave him the exact change, and in a mo- ment was on the opposite side of the train from the depot. The night was intensely dark and in consequence he was completely concealed. squad of soldiers had gone through the train. requiring every passenger to show his pass. He stood on the platform till the train got under good headway and then he went into the car. but at every station of any size a squad of blue-coats came into the cars, going to every one and requiring each one to show his pass. and if he happened to have none he was hustled off in short order. and God only knows where he finally brought up. But the subject of our story. by some strange fortune, was never seen by a soldier on the entire trip. Twice the train was wrecked and they were belated twelve hours and arrived at the Mississippi river at one o'clock a. m. The ice had been strong and teams had been passing over it safely, but it had become so dangerous that rigs were afraid to risk it, and ferry-boat- could not get through the ice, so the only way to cross was for several to club together and hire some one who knew the ice to pilot them over with a lantern. But when our friend started down to the edge of the ice to join a club he saw. to his ntter dis- may. that the ubiquitous blue-coat was there also, to demand the fatal pass. This was de- spair. indeed. So he backed off into the dark. to meditate and pray. Yes, pray: for he has been often heard to say that he never did pray more desently and earnestly than then. He often said that he thought if he was doing right God would take care of him : if not. he had bet-
ter and all his troubles in the bottom of the Mississippi river. So he boldly marched out on the ice. In places the water was more than two inches deep on the ice; other places he could hear the water gurgle in open places in the ice, and these he went around. At last he landed on the Hlinoi- shore and dropped on his knees and gave devout thanks to God. But it is a remarkable fact that one of those who were following a lantern broke through and was with difficulty saved from being drowned.
Hle wandered around. looking for work that he felt able to do. but finding nothing he en- gaged to ent cord-wood. lle had not per- formed one day's hard labor in years, having been engaged in school-teaching. He engaged to cut wood at a dollar and a quarter per cord. He bought an ax. on credit. for three dollars and engaged board at four dollars and a half per week. At noon the boss started him into some old. knotty sugar trees and he went at them with a will, thinking all the time of the wife and babies so far away. First his hands blistered: then the blisters broke: then his head began to ache dreadfully. Before night he went to the hotel with a raging fever and in a few hours he was in a wild delirium. Three long weeks he lay there. expenses going on and not a cent coming in, but the Good Father always provides a way. While he was sick some friend- learned that the stranger had been teaching a short system of practical arith- metic, and by the time he was up they had made up a school that would pay five dollars per evening. In twelve evenings he had money enough to pay all his bills, send his wife ten dollars, make a present of ten dollars to a Mis- souri refugee there, who was blind. and to have a little change left. From there he went into Mason county, taught night-school there some, but did not succeed very well, and about February 15th he found himself without a cont. Wishing to go to Menard county and not having the dirt to pay the ferriage. he joined a visiting party with two wagons. Dick Witt and George Carpenter, who were on a visit to their kinsman. Creet Stith. But let me go back a little, as I wish to tell the bad as well as the good. On Sunday evening. Decem- ber 25th. 1861 (many will remember that
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Christmas foll on Sunday that year). after walking over thirty miles, that day, he and a buy from Missouri began to try to get lodging for the night, but they were invariably told that they would each have to pay a dollar and a half, an amount they did not have. So they traveled on, trying to get cheaper rates. After dark they approached a nice looking farm- house, in which they heard the sound of an organ and a number of voices, playing and singing Sunday-school songs. This, said the boy, is the place: these are Christian people. for they are singing Sunday-school songs. So they called the man of the house out and made their wants known. He said they could stay. "What will you charge us?" they inquired. "A dollar and a half each." was the reply. One of them explained they had only a dollar and thirty cents between them, and he refused to let them stay. They plead that it was night and cold, and they had walked over thirty miles and had had no dinner. No, that was his price and he could keep them for no less. Finally, the older man offered him one dollar to allow them to sleep in the house. This he was about to refuse also, when the wife, who had been listening at the door, interposed and bogged him to let them stay. "Well, I suppose von can rome in," he said gruffly, and led the way into the house. A number of young people were there, singing and playing, among them a red-haired lady, who presided at the organ. After playing and singing quite a while, the dining-room door was thrown open. revealing a long table loaded with all the luxuries of the land: the family and guests, all except the strangers, were invited ont. but they were left to their own uninterrupted thoughts. After supper and more singing the man of the house. addressing the strangers. said that they were in the habit of having family prayers, and if they so desired they could remain up with them, or if they wished to retire they could do so. They chose to remain up for prayers.
They occupied a very poor bed, but being tired and not troubled with an over-gorged stomach. they slept sweetly. Before going to sleep, the boy said to the older man: "Why did you not tell the old skinflint that you are a preacher : maybe he would have given us a
snack to eat." The other replied that he did not want the old miser's grub. The next morn- ing the boy arose betings and when the other came down the stairs he was met by the host. who was all >miles, and asked to lead the morn- ing's devotions, but this was declined. The de- votions were very brief and all were invited out to breakfast. The boy went and did ample justice to the meal, but the other firmly refused to go. After the meal the older man tendered the rumpled dollar bill, which the host made a show of refusing, but the traveler said a bar- gain is a bargain and. laying it on the stand- table, bid them good morning, and the two went on their way. Our devout host will appear again in this true story.
By going in the wagon the traveler got across the Sangamon river without paying ferriage. They arrived at Stith's after dark and the stranger was going on, but Witt and Carpenter insisted that he must stay: that Stith would not take pay, no matter how much money he might have. So. finally, but very reluctantly. he agreed to stay. Arising early in the morn- ing he noticed that the clock on the mantle was not running. He asked Mr. Stith if he might repair it. The reply was that it was old and the jeweler had worked on it time and time again. "but if you think you can help it, pitch in." So by the time breakfast was called the ald clock was ticking away on the shelf. having heen boiled in ashes, rubbed up and thoroughly put in order. (It ran without repairs for thirty-two years after that fixing.) On Sunday after this, February 19th, our stranger con- (Juded to attend the dedication of a church. which was to take place in the neighborhood. The clothes he had on were mere tatters and rags, but be determined to go any way. The congregation was a very large one and a very finely dressed one. He succeeded in finding a very obscure corner and was observed by Init very few. After service he was invited to dinner with one of the old brethren, riding in the back of the spring-wagon, his legs hang- ing over the hind-gate, the minister who had preached the dedication sermon. riding in one of the seats. To his surprise, when dinner was announced, he was invited to the table with the rest. By some means, some one had learned
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that he was a preacher, and the minister in- sisted on his preaching that evening, but he ex- cused himself on account of the condition of his clothes. The man of the house offered to loan him a suit, but this he declined. His clothes were in perfect tatters, but he finally consented to preach, and in that suit of clothes. To his dismay a larger crowd was present than in the morning. When he arose in the pulpit to announce the hymn many in the audience dropped their heads for shame, but he went on and preached the best he could. and at the close of the service he invited the anxious. A large number came and some were converted. The people gathered around him. insisting that he should continue the meetings, and twenty-nine dollars were voluntarily handed to him by all classes. laving nothing else to do. he agreed to continue the meetings. The women gath- ered in. the next morning. sent him to town for material. and by the time for service that night they had him a new and decent snit of clothes to preach in. The meetings continued five weeks and resulted in thirty-six profes- sion- and thirty-two additions to the church. Before the meetings closed he was employed to preach to that congregation for one year. and had money to send to Missouri for his family and met them in Jacksonville the night that Booth murdered Lincoln. Now. the sequel to this, regarding the man who prayed but would not feed the hungry: In June, following the event, just related, our stranger and the la- mented Rev. Hardin Wallace were invited 10 speak at a Sunday-school pienie at Pecan Grove, in Case county. A very large concourse of people attended. for Brother Wallace always drew large crowds. Brother Wallace and the stranger were sitting in the stand. the stranger on the lookout. Soon the sound of music was heard : then a banner came in sight. carried by none other than the -andy-complexioned host of the memorable Christmas eve. Just behind him was the red-headed organist, whose foa- tures the stranger could not forget. They both certainly recognized the stranger's features. for they eyed him furtively all the time. By and by it came the time for the stranger to speak. He made a very passable speech to the children : then at the close he gave them a lesson in prac-
tical Christian kindness, charity and benevo- lenee, and in this he gave an illustration, tell- ing them that not a thousand years in the past. nor a thousand miles from where they were then assembled, two men were traveling and. unfortunately, they were out of money. He went on and told the story in all its details. just as it was. No words can describe the looks of those people during the relation of those lit- tle events. They glanced at each other. they grimmaced, they blushed and scowled. And when the gentleman. the former host. was called to speak-for he was on the program- he made a complete failure, although usually a good speaker. Although it was in the midst of the war and men's passions were at burning heat. yet all parties gave the stranger a warm welcome and gave to him every assistance in their power. If he should ever forget their kindness or cease to love all alike of all parties. he is an ingrate and should never again ask the sympathy of any man. We often talk about the sociability. kindness and benevolence of the southern people, and it is true they are kind. but the people of Menard county can not be surpassed by any people in any land. Menard county will always live, green and fragrant. in the memory of the Missouri refugees and their children, for not only Democrats, but Repub- lieans as well. vied with each other in the dark days of their trial. and they will never be for- gotten for it. That war was a horrid thing. but it leaves a green spot in memory when our minds run back to those dark days and romem- her the kindness of those who might even have been our foes. When the writer is dead and gone. write on his tomb: "Befriended by Menard." This is the sentiment of a sincerely grateful heart.
WAR OF ISI.
Of course. Menard sent no soldiers to oppose the British in the war of 1812, but as this part of the state began to settle up soon after the close of that struggle it would be strange if none of the survivors of these troubles did not settle here and there were a large number of them who made this their home, but they have all. long since, gone where they will never more hear the signal sound of strife. It is but just
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to their memory to mention them here. Twen- ty-odd years ago the form of old Captain Rodgers was laid to rest under the leaves and flowers of Rose Hill cemetery after he had reached the age of one hundred and one years. At this great age. if the war was mentioned and inquiry was made as to the trials and suf- ferings of the war. the old martial fire would come back to his eye and his frame would straighten up and for a few moments he was almost the soldier again. But when the theme was changed he lapsed into the apathy and listlessness of age again. When he died he was buried with the military honors that were his. Tarleton Lloyd was also a soldier in this war. lle was born somewhere about the year 128t and came to Illinois and settled on Rock creek in 1820, among the first settlers who came. A full account is given of him in another place. Ile died in 1885. William Estill was a soldier in the war of 1812 and some time after its close he came to Illinois and settled down some five miles east of Petersburg, where he lived and died. His first wife was a sister of Colonel John Williams, one of the wealthy men of Menard county. Captains William J. and Sammel and Lieutenant Isaac Estill wore his sons : one son, Joseph, lives in Petersburg: and one daughter. Mrs. Luther Jennison, is still living in the vicinity of Greenview. "Uncle Billy." as he was called, was an earnest Chris- tian, an older in the Cumberland Presbyterian church and loved by all who knew him. He lived to be well up toward ninety years of age and quietly and peacefully passed away at the home where he had lived so long. Other soldiers of this war lived and died in this county. but. unfortunately. we have not the means of knowing the facts to give in this connection. It is a great mistake for people to fail to put in permanent form the record of the lives and history of its leading citizens. We give one more name: Lewis MeKay was born about the year 1495 or 196 and came to Illinois a great many years ago. He lived on Rock creek in the same neighborhood with Tarleton Lloyd, some seven miles south of Peter burg. Hle enlisted as a soldier when a mere hoy to serve in the second war with En- gland. He served till the close of the war and
afterward settled in Illinois. He lived well up in the eighties, was well preserved, and after he had passed the four-score mark was straight as an Indian. his faculties well preserved. ex- cept some deficiency in hearing, and was an un- compromising Democrat to the last. Unfor- tunately, we have not a connected history of his experience as a soldier. He died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Golden, in Peters- burg. June 6, 1884.
There is Imit one soldier of the war of 1812 still living in the United States and that is Hiram Kronk, of New York, now one hundred and four years old. How we should revere the memory of those men who, through privation and suffering, fought the battles of the coun- try and made possible the liberties and other blessings that we enjoy. But one soldier of the Mexican war still lives in this county. A short time back there were several of these veterans here, but now the only one left is George W. Denton. of Greenview. One soldier of the Revolutionary war. old Mr. Nance, lies buried in the burying-ground at Farmers Point.
"They sleep their last sleep. they have fought their last battle.
They can not be waked by the loud cannon's roar .* ..
MEXICAN WAR.
We have not space to give the entire record of all the wars in which the citizens of Menard county have taken a part, for there are ser- oral of them. Abraham Lincoln was captain of a company which was raised in this section of country for service in the Black Hawk war. This company, which contained a number of men from the territory of what is now Mo- nard county. went to the theater of war. but was never in an engagement. All of these men are dead and gone, long ago. Hlad we the space. We would be glad to give a full roster of their names.
When the war with Mexico opened. congress passed an act authorizing the president to ac- copt the services of fifty thousand men and ap- propriated ten million dollars to proscente the war. At the beginning of this war we were engaged in a dispute with England about the boundary of Oregon. our motto being -51. 10
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or fight." but as we had one war on our hands, margo. This was a terrible march, the climate and did not then wish to get into trouble with Great Britain, the boundary was agreed to at the 10th parallel. north latitude. When the call was made for volunteers, the requisition on Ilinois was for "three regiments of infantry or riflemen." The call of Governor Ford was issued on the 25th of May. for the organiza- tion of the three regiments. At once the whole state was echoing with the notes of martial music and the whole land was ablaze with wild military enthusiasm. The very first man to enroll as a volunteer was the well known J. J. Hardin, a brave soldier-as he afterward proved. In ten days thirty-five full companies were raised and by the middle of JJune there were forty companies raised. in excess of the rall. After these three regiments had rendez- voused in Alton and had been sworn in. Hon. E. D. Baker, member of congress from the Sangamon district, was authorized by the sec- rotary of war to raise another regiment in Illinois. This regiment was promptly and easily raised and was composed of two com- panies from Sangamon and one company from each of the following counties: Maeon, Mc- Lean. DeWitt, Logan, Tazewell. Edgar. Perry and " Little Menard." Hon. Thomas 1. Harris was tacitly recognized as captain of this com- pany, though no election was held till some time later. The regiment was taken to Jef- ferson Barracks, twelve miles below St. Louis, and there an election of regimental officers was held. E. D. Baker was elected colonel, former Lieutenant Governor of Illinois JJohn Moore. of MeLean, was chosen lieutenant-colonel, and WAAR OF THE REBELLION. Thomas 1. Harris, of Petersburg, major. The Menard county company had eighty-two men. Major Harris promoted making the eighty- third. A. D. Wright was elected captain : Wil- liam (. Clary. first lieutenant : Shelton John- som. second. and Robert Scott, third lieutenant. All this company. except William Phillips, who returned home on furlough, and did not return. and Elias Hohimer, who. at New Orleans ro- ceived permission to return home, the remain- ing eighty-one men boarded the brig, Mary Jones, and were landed at the mouth of the Rio Grande, in Texas. From here the com- pany marched up the Rio Grande toward Ca-
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