USA > Illinois > Mercer County > Past and present of Mercer County, Illinois, Volume I > Part 2
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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
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MERCER COUNTY
time. At Keithsburg (not known by that name yet) were John and Benjamin Vannatta and their families. The above named persons were the only residents of the county at the time of the Black Hawk war, 1832.
About a year before the conflict actually broke out, mutterings of discontent, anger and war came from the Indians, but were not regarded seriously by the whites. Finally friendly Indians of Keo- kuk's band warned the settlers at New Boston and Keithsburg to leave, or suffer barbarous tortures and deaths at the hands of the war parties if they remained. Black Hawk was the war chief of the Sacs and Foxes, but Keokuk was the peace chief and did what he could not only to prevent war but to protect the white settlers. He offered the Denisons a temporary home at his village on Iowa River until all danger was over; but as the whites believed the war would be avoided, or believed that they could find safety at the nearest white settlement, they concluded to remain. Finally the captain of a steamboat from Rock Island brought the news to New Boston and Keithsburg that an outbreak was certain to occur, whereupon all · boarded the vessel and went down to the settlement at Nauvoo, and there remained about two months and then returned, the danger seemingly being over. This event occurred in the summer of 1831. Witter and Twist did not return, but took claims elsewhere. While the Denisons were absent nearly all of their movable possessions were carried off by the Indians-chairs, dishes, books, soap, chickens, etc. They complained to Chief Keokuk who saw that a portion of the damage done was repaired. It is probable that the Vannattas also left their home in 1831 until the danger was over.
The name Upper Yellow Banks was an Indian term applied to the yellow bluffs at New Boston. It was a conspicuous landmark along the river and as such had been used by the Indians as a rallying and landing point for many years. Upon the return of the Denisons ('and probably the Vannattas) they found their corn crop had been destroyed, so they resumed their occupation of getting out cord-wood for the steamboats; the price received was about three dollars per cord. The Indians were numerous, often stopped at the settlement, were friendly, but their manner showed that the trouble was not over. They were Sacs and Foxes, though occasionally a Winnebago and Pottawatomie was seen here. The Denisons spoke the Indian tongue fluently, but the Indians generally could not speak nor under- stand English. The winter of 1831-2 passed with hundreds of natives present in the vicinity, but without any further danger or outbreak.
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Early in 1832 Black Hawk, the War Chief, and his followers came down the Mississippi from Rock Island to hold a pow wow with Keokuk, the Peace Chief, who came with his followers down the Iowa River, New Boston or Upper Yellow Banks being the chosen point of conference. In all about three thousand Indians attended this meeting. Chief Keokuk counseled peace and depicted what the result of a war with the whites would mean to the Indians. While he was addressing the assemblage Black Hawk closed his ears with his fingers, refusing to listen to the plea for peace. When it came his turn to speak, he openly and boldly advocated war and gave a vivid description of the wrongs that had been inflicted upon his band on Rock River. It at once became manifest that a large majority of the Indians present sided with Black Hawk and favored speedy hostilities. While it is true that Keokuk was a peace advocate he might have taken a different view if he and his band had lived on Rock River and had suffered the indignities that had been visited upon the band of Black Hawk, instead of living up Iowa River far from the aggressive and grasping squatters and pioneers. Circum- stances alter cases. If Black Hawk and his band had lived on Iowa River and Keokuk and his band had lived on Rock River, the history of the Black Hawk war might have been altogether different, but it is doubtful. The records show that invariably the whites were wel- comed and treated royally by the natives and were attacked and slaughtered only after they were guilty of swindling and other forms of wrong and injustice. The band of Keokuk placed under the same wrongs and outrages as the band of Black Hawk would no doubt have resented the injustice and taken up the tomahawk.
The Denisons, Pentacosa and probably the Vannattas were present at this conference and at once realized from the temper of the natives that war was a certainty and that they should adopt imme- diate measures for their own safety. The friendly Indians warned them to depart at once. Chief Keokuk, large and fine in person, noble in bearing and dressed in broadcloth like a white man, promised them protection if they would come and live with him. Black Hawk, short, heavy, muscular, threatening in appearance and robed in a blanket, was given command of the war movement. An Indian known as Captain Pepo urged the whites to depart, declaring that the young warriors would barbarously slaughter them if they remained, and stated further, when the settlers announced that they would not leave, that he and his friends would come and kill them decently rather than see them abused, tortured and butchered by the uncontrollable young braves. Apparently this statement settled the
THE INDIAN CHIEF KEOKUK "THE WATCHFUL FOX"
This half-tone portrait is from a daguerrotype taken in 1847, when the great chief was 67 years of age. This has been generally accepted by historical writers as a faithful likeness of that celebrated lowa chief.
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matter, because the Denisons prepared at once to leave for Pence's Fort which consisted of several blockhouses and a stockade and was situated about three miles northeast of Oquawka. The stockade enclosed about seven hundred square yards of land and was made of split logs about twelve feet long planted upright and close together in the ground. This fort and the one at Monmouth were the refuge sought by the white settlers of this whole region in this emergency. Though urged to depart at once the Denisons delayed going for several days, not wishing to experience again the losses of the previous year-ruined crops, stolen household goods and no positive necessity for leaving. Their numerous friends among the Indians became so urgent that they finally concluded to depart when told that to remain longer meant their early and certain deaths. Evi- dences of enmity among the war advocates here added to the con- clusion of the Denisons to go without further delay. They lived at the old woodyard about half a mile down the river from the con- ference grounds. They left one morning taking as much of their goods with them as possible and going direct to Pence's Fort. At this time they had on hand about one hundred and fifty cords of wood ready for the steamboats. They had worked hard to prepare this wood for the spring vessels and were willing to sacrifice considerable rather than lose it, as the cutting was worth about four hundred and fifty dollars, a large sum for that day. It was finally concluded that two of the sons of the father William-Erastus and James- should remain to cord up what was not piled and sell as much as they could to the steamboat captains before the storm of war should break forth. After the departure of the Denisons the two young men went up to remain with Pentacosa, but during the first night the trading house was attacked by a band of hostiles, though the inmates succeeded in making their escape out of the back way. They moved cautiously down to the river and followed its banks southward, but were followed by the whooping savages. They ran rapidly to the Edwards River which they forded near its mouth and then struck for a footbridge over Pope Creek about five miles away. Here they were overtaken by an Indian dog which was shot by Erastus Denison. The Indians who could be heard about a quarter of a mile back now abandoned the pursuit and were heard of no more. The whites continued their rapid flight, but owing to Pentacosa's giving out, the young men were obliged to secrete him in the tall grass and continue their journey alone. They reached Pence's Fort about 2 o'clock in the morning, having covered sixteen miles since nightfall. At daybreak a band of men at the fort went back and brought in the
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Frenchman and then all went up the river in boats and returned with all the goods of the trading post. At the building were found two squaws who had been stationed there by the friendly Indians to prevent the store from being sacked. After a few days the Deni- sons went to Monmouth and there John Denison bought a house and remained through the summer. In the fall they all returned to New Boston in time to put up wild hay, the war having ended. Before the end a party of seven hostile Indians killed a young man named Martin near Little York. A company of rangers raised at Monmouth scoured the country from that point to New Boston and pursued the hostile band so closely that they fled across the Mississippi and gave no more trouble.
It is probable, as before stated, that the Vannattas went with the Denisons down to Nauvoo during the Indian scare in 1831 and returned when all danger was over. In 1832 they refused to leave when the Denisons did, but instead went out secretly and hid in a low place on the prairie and the following day cautiously advanced to Pence's Fort where they found a number of refugees from over a wide section of country. After the danger was over the Vannattas returned to what is now Keithsburg where Benjamin Vannatta had a preemption claim to the southeast quarter of Section 22, Town- ship 13 north, Range 5 west, or where that town in part now stands.
The Indian trail over which the army marched extended across Ohio Grove, Abington, Millersburg and Perrytown townships, touch- ing also the northwest corner of Mercer Township. In Perryville Township it extended across Section 31 ; thence ran along the divide to Camp Creek and crossed that stream at a ford on Section 19; thence along the ridge through Sections 20 and 17 and diagonally through the north half of Section 9 and diagonally through Sections 4 and 3. In early times the trail was plain in the other townships, particularly in Sections 5, 6 and 7 in Ohio Grove Township. It seems to have followed quite closely the line dividing Ranges 3 and 4, touching all six of the townships in this county separated by that line. Other Indian trails ran along the ridges dividing the principal streams and occasionally wound along the creek and river bank. The remains of their old camps were to be seen in early times on every considerable stream. For ten or fifteen years after the Black Hawk war bands of Indians wandered over the county, begging of the settlers, hunting and fishing, and camping on the old familiar spots near the stream banks.
Several collections of prehistoric mounds have been found in this county. A group was located on Section 4, Millersburg Town-
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ship, many years ago. Another large one was in Eliza Township. They were from three to six feet high and on several of them grew large trees. When opened these mounds were found to contain human skeletons, arrow heads, stone tomahawks, etc. It is not believed that they were built by the real Mound Builders who were related to the Aztecs, Toltecs, Cliff Dwellers and Peruvians, but were built by Indian tribes that imitated the burial customs of the ancient inhabitants.
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CHAPTER III
MERCER COUNTY AS PART OF THE UNITED STATES
After the Revolutionary war what is now Mercer County passed to the possession of the United States partly as a result of that con- flict generally and partly through conquest by the expedition of Col. George Rogers Clark under the orders of the Virginia colony. This independent military movement by Virginia had for its object the acquirement of a large tract of land in the West and Northwest in case the colonies should succeed in the struggle. Although the colonies were bound together during the Revolution by the Articles of Con- federation, which document was primarily and distinctly a war meas- ure, it was presumed that when they should attain their independence by such concert of action each would become an independent sov- ereignty. It is a fact that even before the war ended the colonies were envious of each other and were on the watch for advantages in the territory that would pass to the united colonies as a result of the war. Virginia even tried to wrest Pennsylvania west of the Alle- ghanies from the latter colony by sending an expedition to Fort Pitt, now Pittsburg, at an early stage of the war, but did not succeed. The expedition of Col. George Rogers Clark to Kaskaskia and Vincennes in 1777-8 was really a movement of the Colony of Virginia to secure possession of a large tract of land in the Northwest, so that upon the conclusion of peace it would hold the advantage when it came to a division of the territorial spoils of war. This success gave Virginia the presumptive right to claim ownership by conquest of what became the Northwest Territory; but this claim was disputed by several of the other colonies, particularly by Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware, which maintained that Virginia could not fairly demand as exclusively hers property which had been secured by the united efforts and sacrifices of all. It required several years before the rights of the several colonies to tracts of land in the Northwest Territory were clearly defined, set forth and accepted. These claims of the young states were threshed out from 1784 to 1788, and no little unfair- ness and ill-will are shown in the records of the controversy. All in the end ceded their claims to the general government, but were granted large tracts for their soldiers and sailors.
Vol. 1-2
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As it originally stood, the Northwest Territory embraced the present states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and all of Minnesota east of the Mississippi River projected to the Brit- ish line, which was undefined. The first plan for the disposal and management of this great area was proposed by Thomas Jefferson in 1784, but failed to meet the approval of Congress. Three years later the justly celebrated Ordinance of 1787, creating the Northwest Territory, became a law. It prohibited the extension of slavery to any of the region north of the Ohio River and was strict in its re- quirements and broad and high in its purposes and principles. A territorial government was established, but was limited in power, because the movement was tentative, the outcome was uncertain and Congress was in doubt as to the best course to pursue.
While the Revolution was still raging and immediately after the conquest of this region by George Rogers Clark, the Virginia colony, in pursuance of its plans to secure all of the Northwest Territory as a part of its domain, set up the first civil government in that region under the name "Illinois County, Virginia Colony," and appointed Col. John Todd of Kentucky County lieutenant or commandant in chief. Patrick Henry, governor of the Virginia Colony, became ex- officio governor of the new county. Colonel Todd entered upon the discharge of his duties in May, 1779, by organizing the militia, ap- pointing deputy commandants for Kaskaskia and Cahokia and order- ing a general election of civil officers, the first ever held in what is now the State of Illinois. He continued to serve until 1782, when he was killed in the battle of Blue Licks, Kentucky. Others succeeded him, but after 1783 and until the Northwest Territory was duly organ- ized under the Ordinance of 1787 this vast territory had merely a semblance of government and was practically without law and order.
Early in 1788 the Northwest Territory was duly organized under the Ordinance of 1787 by the appointment of Gen. Arthur St. Clair as governor; Winthrop Sargent, secretary, and Samuel H. Parsons, James M. Varnum and John C. Symmes, judges. The following year, immediately after Gen. George Washington was sworn in as first President of the United States, all of the above officers were reappointed. The territorial government was organized at Mari- etta, Ohio, July 15, 1788, though Governor St. Clair did not arrive at Kaskaskia until March 5, 1790. At this time the county of St. Clair was organized and embraced all the territory between the Wa- bash and Mississippi rivers, including what is now Mercer County. The first court in St. Clair County was held at Cahokia by Judge
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Turner in 1795. Both Cahokia and Kaskaskia had been assigned as the county seat of St. Clair County by Governor St. Clair, which fact occasioned a contest between the two towns with the result in part that Randolph County was soon formed with Kaskaskia as the county seat. What is now Mercer County remained a part of St. Clair County. In 1796 Judge Symmes held court at both county seats and Governor St. Clair was present.
On November 4, 1791, Governor St. Clair was badly defeated in the western part of the present State of Ohio by a large force of Indians under Little Turtle. He thereupon resigned his command of the army and was succeeded by Gen. Anthony Wayne, who over- whelmed the natives near Fort Wayne, Indiana, and effected the treaty of Greenville on August 3, 1795, by which large tracts of land were secured and the submission of the natives was accomplished.
In 1798 a Legislative Council and a House of Representatives were elected under the provisions of the Ordinance of 1787. They met at Cincinnati February 4, 1799, and elected Gen. William Henry Harrison, the new secretary of the territory, as delegate to Congress. In this assembly Shadrach Bond represented St. Clair County and John Edgar represented Randolph County.
On May 7, 1800, Congress divided the Northwest Territory into Ohio and Indiana territories, what is now Mercer County falling under the latter. William Henry Harrison became first governor of Indiana Territory and St. Vincent (Vincennes) became the capital. While he was governor many treaties with the Indians were con- cluded by General Harrison, the one of November 3, 1804, embracing Mercer County, which thus was freed from the Indian title. In 1803 all of Louisiana was purchased from France and the following year for a short time was attached to Indiana Territory.
The election of a territorial Legislature for Indiana . Territory occurred in 1804, on which occasion a total of 81 votes were polled by St. Clair County and 61 by Randolph County. St. Clair gave a majority of 37 against the measure and Randolph a majority of 19 in its favor. The other counties, of which there were four, gave a sufficient majority to carry the measure.
In the Legislature Shadrach Bond, Jr., and William Biggs rep- resented St. Clair County in the House and Shadrach Bond, Sr., and John Hay in the Council. George Fisher represented Randolph County in the House and Pierre Menard in the Council.
By act of Congress February 3, 1809, Illinois Territory was cre- ated and Ninian Edwards became first governor; Nathaniel Pope,
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secretary and Alexander Stuart, Obadiah Jones and Jesse B. Thomas, judges. Stanley Griswold soon succeeded Alexander Stuart. The population of Illinois Territory at the outset was about nine thou- sand, and the two counties, St. Clair and Randolph, embraced all the settled portions. A code of laws was at once prepared and the officers previously appointed by Secretary Pope were confirmed. Governor Edwards did not reach Kaskaskia until June, 1809. Ben- jamin H. Doyle became the first attorney general, but was soon suc- ceeded by Thomas T. Crittenden.
In 1811 the New Madrid earthquake gave southern Illinois a severe shaking. This year also occurred the battle of Tippecanoe in which four Illinois regiments participated. The following year the war with Great Britain began and the massacre at Fort Dear- born, Chicago, occurred. In 1813 and 1814 various engagements with Indians under the orders of British officers took place in this state-two at Rock Island, where in one Gen. Zachary Taylor with regulars cooperated with the Illinois militia. In 1813 Fort Clark was erected at Peoria and the following year Fort Edwards was built at Warsaw opposite the mouth of the Des Moines River. . At a confer- ence on the Mississippi River a short distance below Alton in July, 1815, peace with the Indian tribes was concluded. During the con- tinuance of the war boats loaded with soldiers or with hostile In- dians passed up or down the river quite often and no doubt landed frequently at the Upper Yellow Banks, New Boston, which was a conspicuous land mark.
On May 21, 1812, Illinois Territory was authorized by Congress to elect a territorial Legislature and three new counties were estab- lished-Madison, Gallatin and Johnson-and at the election in Oc- tober the following five councilmen (to represent the five counties) and seven representatives were chosen : Council-Randolph County, Pierre Menard; St. Clair, William Biggs; Madison, Samuel Judy; Johnson, Thomas Ferguson; Gallatin, Benjamin Talbot. House -- Randolph County, George Fisher; St. Clair, Joshua Oglesby and Jacob Short; Madison, William Jones; Gallatin, Philip Trammel and Alexander Wilson; Johnson, John Grammar. This Legislature met at Kaskaskia on November 25th and the Council elected Pierre Menard president and John Thomas secretary, and the House elected George Fisher speaker and William C. Greenup clerk. This Legis- lature sent Shadrach Bond as first delegate to Congress. At the second session of the Legislature Pierre Menard was reelected presi- dent of the Council-in fact was continued in that position until the
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state government was formed in 1818. George Fisher was continued as speaker of the House for the same period, except for one session. In 1814 Edwards County was organized; in 1815, White; 1816, Jackson, Crawford, Monroe and Pope; 1817, Bond; 1818, Franklin, Union and Washington.
The enabling act passed by Congress April 13, 1818, authorized the people of Illinois Territory to take the preliminary steps neces- sary for the formation of a state government. An election of dele- gates to a convention to frame a state constitution was held July 6th to 8th, inclusive, and thirty-three from the fifteen counties were chosen. This convention assembled at Kaskaskia on August 3d, elected Jesse B. Thomas, president, and William C. Greenup, secre- tary, and continued in session until August 26th. The constitution prepared was not submitted to a vote of the electors and its adoption encountered considerable opposition in Congress on two grounds : (1) That the population was insufficient; (2) that the article con- cerning the prohibition of slavery as required under the Ordinance of 1787 was not sufficiently pronounced and explicit. However, the instrument finally passed Congress by the vote of 117 for and 34 against.
The debate on the provisions of the enabling act by Congress is extremely interesting. The Ordinance of 1787 provided that the southern tier of territories or states to be carved out of the Norhwest Territory should be bounded on the north by an east and west line extending through the southern point of Lake Michigan, thus leav- ing Indiana and Illinois without any frontage on that body of water. Indiana had succeeded in having this line extended northward to its present boundary, and now in 1818 Illinois endeavored to secure a similar northward extension. At this time Wisconsin was a part of Michigan Territory and was represented in Congress by the Michi- gan delegates. Hon. Nathaniel Pope, the delegate to Congress from Illinois, made an able, adroit, continuous and strenuous fight to se- cure this extension and succeeded finally in having the northern boundary located fifty-one miles farther north at the 42 30' parallel of north latitude. His proposition was ably, persistently and almost savagely opposed by the Michigan delegate, who represented what is now Wisconsin, but without avail. The debate reveals that the congressmen generally accepted the view that, notwithstanding the provisions of the Ordinance of 1787 that the boundary should be on the parallel of the southern point of Lake Michigan, the states of Indiana and Illinois were entitled to a water outlet on Lake
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Michigan, owing to the fact that at that date the absence of railroads made navigable waterways all important in the interest of commerce and that both Michigan and the probable Wisconsin terri- tories could well afford to spare Indiana and Illinois a portion of the Lake Michigan coast. But although Congress granted the extension, both Michigan and Wisconsin, particularly the latter, employed their greatest endeavors in after years to have the boundaries changed and located eastward and westward from the southern point of Lake Michigan as provided in the Ordinance of 1787, but without avail. It was many years before Wisconsin accepted the inevitable and gave up its attempts to secure the change. Now, it is hardly necessary to point out the importance of the establishment of the boundary at the 42 30' parallel to Illinois. The citizens of this state have con- gratulated themselves to this day on this achievement and never fail to thank Nathaniel Pope from the bottom of their hearts for the result. It is safe to conclude that all future generations in Illinois will entertain the same feelings of thankfulness and gratitude.
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