USA > Illinois > Montgomery County > Past and present of Montgomery County, Illinois > Part 59
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
about three miles southwest of Hillsboro. This town was to be known as Hamilton. It must be kept in mind that the commissioners were not unanimous in the selection of this place as the county seat, for Joseph Wright, the commissioner living in the Hurricane settle- ment, was much opposed to its selection and refused to sign the report as commissioner. Wright drew up a minority report, in which he set forth the fact that the site so selected was neither the geographical center of the coun- ty nor the center of population. So bitter be- came the controversy over the matter that the legislature passed an act in the year 1823 creat- ing a new commission to relocate the county seat, and on this new board were appointed Elijah C. Berry, Silas L. Wait and Aaron Armstrong. The new commission met in pur- suance of the provisions of the act creating it and chose the present site of Hillsboro. The following incident is told in connection with the location of the county seat: It was dis- covered, after the location had been made, that the land had not been entered from the government, so it became necessary to find some one who had sufficient money to make the entry, and after a canvass of many of the citizens one Newton Coffey, living down in the Hurricane settlement, was found who had fifty dollars in money-something unusual for an early settler at that time. Mr. Coffey was sent for, and after much persuasion was in- duced to make an entry of the land necessary to the location of the county seat. He made a donation of twenty acres for public buildings and laid out the beginning of the present lown of Hillsboro. It is a matter of history that the town of Hamilton had really been projected, so far as having been laid out, lots sold, streets and alleys surveyed and all the requirements necessary to the building of a town. but that no public buildings had been erected. The re- location of the site to Hillsboro seems to have
paralyzed any further effort on the part of
the promoters to build a town at Hamilton. T have not been able to secure information rela- tive to why the earlier county seat was to have been called Hamilton, but I surmise that the habit so strong upon the public men of that
would especially honor led the first commis- sioners to name their town in honor of Alex- ander flamilton, and if I might conjecture fur- ther I would say that possibly Joseph Wright was a disciple of Thomas Jefferson and his opposition was as much to the name, and possibly more. than to the fact set forth in his minority report. This suggestion. which is not warranted by the evidence, is only as- sumed by a knowledge of the political acerbi- ties of the times. It has been said that the faithful chroniclers of events will not color the facts of history by too much suggestion. But in a study of the times we are often tempted to express an opinion that is war- ranted by attendant circumstances and con- ditions. These circumstances and conditions are unknown to the reader, and consequently he may conclude that the writer presumes too much upon his credulity. It has been an ob- servation, however, that the matter thrown in to illume is oftentimes the more faithful part of the story. The first court of Montgomery county was held at the home of Joseph MeAd- ams, at what is now known as the old Med- ams place. The Hon. John Reynolds presided over this first term of the circuit court and Hiram Rountree acted as recorder. The grand jury selected to serve at this first term of the circuit court were John Seward. James Black. George W. Shipmen. David Bradford, William MeDavid. John Beck. James Card, George Davis. Elisha Freemen, Henry Ilill, Louis Seribbner, Hiram Reavis. James Walker, Newton Coffey, Jarvis Forchand. John Yoa- kum, John Elder and Thomas Robinson. The connty commissioners' court was held in the spring of 1821 and consisted of John Beck, John Seward and John MeAdams as county commissioners. The county officers who were appointed at this term of court were Hiram Rountree, clerk; John Tilson, treasurer ; Joel Wright, sheriff: L. M. Townsend. probate judge: and James Wright and Daniel Mere- dith, first constables of the county. Thus we have by appointment to the various offices probably the most available that could have been selected at this time. Joel Wright, the first sheriff of the county. we learn, was not
day to reflect credit upon those whom theyof the same family as Joseph Wright who was
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one of the first commissioners appointed to fix the county seat, neither the James Wright who was appointed as one of the first constables re- lated to either of the others. Many of the de- scendants of Joseph Wright are Living in Fill- more township near where their ancestor made his settlement more than eighty years ago. John Tilson, whose name appears as the first county treasurer, was a man of more than usual ability, and it is said that he kept the first store at Hillsboro as early as 1821 and was appointed as first postmaster at the coun- ty seat. Mr. Tilson came to Illinois from Massachusetts and brought with him that spirit for education and general progress that has marked the people of his native state. The moral and educational interests of Hillsboro owe to Mr. Tilson much that has been accom- plished along these lines, as we shall have oc- casion to note in the chapter relating to edu- cational interests. Mr. Tilson built the first brick dwelling in the county. It was a large two-story dwelling. but, owing to the poor quality of the brick out of which it was made. it has long since been torn down. It is claimed that the first settler upon the site of Hillsboro was one John Nussman. but as he had not on- tered the lands upon which his cabin stood he did not derive the benefits that came from the location of the county seat in his immediate neighborhood. Nussman's cabin was located near the late A. H. H. Rountree's residence. Nussman, according to the custom of all the earlier settlers, raised a large family of chil- dren. Some of the descendants of Mr. Nuss- man are yet to be found in the vicinity of Hillsboro. The Nussman wagon shop was the first of its kind in the county, and some are vet living who remember the old mechanic who kept in repair the linch-pin wagons and ox- carts. vokes and bows so necessary as a part of the pioneer home. The first tavernkeeper was James Rutledge, whose tavern, or inn, was located in the south part of town. James Rutledge was the father of the late Thomas J. Rutledge. once a prominent attorney of the Montgomery county har, and also of Dr. II. R. Rutledge. for many years a dentist in Hills- boro and identified with much of the church interests of the town. Dr. Rutledge has not
lived in Montgomery county for some years, Joel Wright, who was the first sheriff of the county, Ike Mr. Tilson was also an eastern man. He held the office of sheriff from t821 until 1826, and we are not informed that Joel Wright left any representatives of his family, for it seems that tradition is silent regarding him; at least we have been unable to discover what Lecame of him. As we have stated that John Tilson created the first brick house in Hillsboro, it might be of interest to further state that David B. Jackson, father of W. K. Jackson, erected the first frame house in our county seat. Mr. Jackson was one of our early merchants, a tavernkeeper, county sur- veyor, and withal a very useful man in the community. In 1825 John Prentice came to Hillsboro and opened up the second general store in the village. Mr. Prentice was fairly successful in his venture, and in addition to selling goods succeeded, by dint of energy and economy, to raise quite a family of children. We will have more to say concerning the carly settlers of Hillshoro on the chapter set apart especially for the city of Hillsboro and community. The rugged virtue of the carly pioneer settlers is shown by a rather peculiar incident in the life of one of their number. Nicholas Lockerman was among the earliest of our settlers, and he had brought with him from his former home a mistress rather than a wife. In other words, there had been no legal marriage between Lockerman and the woman who hore his children and claimed a place of wife in his home. So indignant were his neighbors at this infraction of the moral law that Lockerman was notified that he must either marry the woman who lived with him as his wife or move to some other locality. Lockerman chose the former alternative, and, as the story goes, was married by the Rev. James Street out in the open field where he and his wife were hoeing corn. To-day, un- der circumstances of such character, men might take refuge under the "common law marriage agreement" and thus avoid possible scandals such as our fathers could not condone in their time. Wiser. perhaps. in our generation than they. yet have we not lost attachment for that robust sense of virtue that prevailed among
A
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the pioneers? The next couple married in Montgomery county was David McCoy to a Miss Kirkpatrick. The marriage ceremony was performed by the Rev. James Street, but the first marriage license ever returned in Montgomery county was that of William H. Brown to Miss Harriett (. Seward by the Rev. T. S. Townsend. It has been contended that the wife of the Rev. T. S. Townsend taught the first school in 1823. but this honor without doubt belongs to Mr. Brazzleton, whose first school session precedes this some two or three years. The first physician that ever prac- tived medicine in the county was Dr. Garner, who had married Martha Kilpatrick, danghter of David Kilpatrick, who had settled about two miles west of Hillsboro. Whether Dr. Garner was successful as a practitioner i do not know, but as the man of medicine years ago was com- pelled to search for his remedies among the herbs of the field and the roots in the valley we are led to suppose that Dr. Garner knew them all by name and was able to dispense them so as to alleviate the ague-ridden popu- lace. At least no evidence of mal-practice ap- pears against him in the records. Contempo- rary with Dr. Garner was Dr. Boone. one of the early physicians. lle was a man of much intelligence, personally very popular and re- lated directly to Daniel Boone, the Kentucky hunter. Dr. Boone commanded a company of Montgomery county boys in the Black Hawk war, and when he had served out his term he re-enlisted as surgeon in Captain Rountree's company and served to the end of the war. Later Dr. Boone removed to Chicago and in the course of years served that city as mayor. The doctor's sympathy for the south during the rebellion led him into some trouble. His effort to provide for the comforts of some of his oldl Kentucky friends who were confined as prisoners in Camp Donglas led to his arrest. Later, however. he was released. no charges having been preferred against him. Under the townships we shall have occasion to notice in a more extended manner those who have con- tribnted to the history of these separate see- tions. For convenience the county was early divided into voting previnets, which later, un- der the constitution of 1848, were changed into
civil townships. These precinets, however. did not conform to the present civil township, for in some instances the voting precinct was much more extended than the civil township. Mont- gomery county did not adopt township organi- zation until a great majority of the counties throughout the state had taken advantage of this constitutional provision. There is much in township organization to be commended, as it brings the government of local affairs to the immediate direction of the people, the board of supervisors, in a sense corresponding to the legislative body, or, in other words, bearing the same relation to the county that the general assembly does to the state, in so far as provid- ing for public expenditures on improvements for the public good. Space will not permit a review of all the county officials whose names might be of interest in a work of this kind, and while it would afford us much pleasure to present that honored roll to readers of our story, yet we must forego that pleasure and content ourselves with casual notice of those who, from time to time, have come more promi- nently into notice. Among those who have filled the office of sheriff, and whose names are well remembered by our older citizens, we find that of John Fogleman, John Corlew and John McDavid. We mention these specifically because these octogenarians vet remain with us. John Fogleman resides on his farm near the city of Litchfield and is nearly eighty-five years old. Unele John Corlew yet resides on his farm at the good old age of ninety years, while Unele John MeDavid lives in the suburb of Irving, quite hale and strong for a man of eighty-two. Soon these landmarks of bygone generation will be removed, and only a few vars at most will it be possible to receive at first hand stories of pioneer times. John Fo- gloman is a son of Melcher Fogleman, men- tioned previously in this article, and John MeDavid is a son of Uncle Billy MeDavid. who settled near Coffeen. on MeDavid's branch, in the year 1820. Of the elder MeDavid wo shall have something more to say when we take up the history of East Fork township. Among the circuit clerks we might mention that Hiram Rountree and Charlie Jenkins were the most conspicnous occupants of that office,
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but no more efficient clerk of the circuit court has ever occupied the position than the present incumbent. Duncan C. Best. In the office of county clerk the names of Shirley, Raymond. Keethly, Hendricks, Seymour and Shoemaker form a list of able and courteous officials. George Raymond died suddenly and unex- pectedly. While a Republican in politics, yet he was elected to the office of county clerk by good majorities. B. A. Hendricks, a very affa- ble gentleman, and during his first term in office a most efficient clerk, died by his own hand. leaving a testimony in this rash act that wine is a mocker and that strong drink is raging, and he that is deceived thereby is not wise. At the time of B. A. Hendricks' election to the office of county clerk no young man had brighter prospects than he, and his friends cherished the hope that at some future time, in positions of greater trust than that of county clerk. he might aspire, and the anthor well remembers that in private conver- sation he had admitted that he had hopes of something greater. In an evil hour the demon of strong drink exerted a mastery over the man and led him captive to his own destruc- tion. These remarks are made out of the kindest feeling for the dead, but if we find some unpleasant things to chronicle whose narration will sound a warning to others. we shall feel that the story told is not speriligeous nor is it unkind to the memory of the dead. John Shoemaker, who is serving his second term. is a most faithful servant of the people. I failed to note in my remarks three of our late sheriff's, notably Henry N. Randall. Ben Cassiday and the present sheriff. John Miller. Montgomery county has reason to congratulate herself that she has been served by a trio of snch excellent officials. The long line of coun- ty judges who deserve mention would form quite a list. From among them we enumerate the following: Lane. Kingsberry. Phillips. Miller. Allen. Cooper and MeMurray. In this Montgomery county has been especially favored, for her judges have been men of character, and in no instance can we recall any dereliction to duty. Our state's attorneys have been force- ful proscentors, and most of them have been promoted to higher positions, notably Miller
and Allen to the judgeship and Thomas M. Jett to congress, and in our young and ener- getic present prosecuting attorney we are well pleased and hope for him a wider sphere of usefulness at no distant day. Mr. lill en- joys and deserves the confidence of the peo- ple as a public official. The county treasurer's office has been ably filled by such men as "Jim" Haynes, Columbus Freeland, John Green and Dan Brown, the present incumbent, all of whom were most excellent men and public servants. Dan Brown, the present treasurer, is the son of Martin Brown, who has lived in Harvel township for many years. Dan is a rugged, stanch young Democrat and a worthy son of Uncle Martin, who has been dubbed "King of the Irish." We expect greater things vet from our young friend "Dan." The earliest school commissioner of the county was Butler Seward and after him we have few names that are remembered until we reach that of Jesse C. Barrett. This able and efficient county su- perintendent did as much, and possibly more than any other, to elevate the standard of pub- lie instruction in Montgomery county. His long period of service enabled him to accom- plish certain ends that a short period of years could not have done. Mr. Barrett was virtu- ally superintendent of the county schools for a period of thirteen years. During the first four years he was assistant superintendent to Thomas E. Harris. but the direction of the affairs of the office devolved upon him. At the close of Mr. Harris' term. Mr. Barrett was elected and re-elected so that he was able to accomplish much good in the system which he had adopted for the management of the district schools. No superintendent of this county ever enjoyed the confidence of the teachers to a greater degree than did Jesse Barrett. This the writer can affirm, because it was his prov- ince to be one of the profession during Mr.
Barrett's administration. Succeeding Mr. Barrett was the writer of this article, and if there was anything commendable in his admin- istration. it was the fact that the stato course of study was adopted thronghont the county during his term of office. A strong corps of teachers lent their support to his administra- tion and whatever of success attaches to it
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PAST AND PRESENT OF MONTGOMERY COUNTY
came by reason of their loyal support. We the south part of the county, one of his dates should like to give a list of the names of those was sure to include "Traylor's store," and here, from the old porch as a rostrum, it is said that the flon. E. Lane made his first political speech. James Davis and later his son Robert W. Davis were wont to address the voters of this section from the same rostrum, Edward Lane was next to serve Montgomery county and the district as representative to congress. Mr. Lane was elected to several terms in the popular branch of congress, and during his in- cumbeney of that office he won a national repu- tation. Mr. Lane is an especial friend of W. J. Bryan and the soundness of his Democracy has never been questioned. We regard Judge Lane as the ideal lawyer. His life has been one of struggle and his indefatigable energy has won for him a competency and to-day he is reckoned one of the solid financial men of our county. Thomas M. Jett. the younger of the trio, also served several terms in the national congress, Mr. Jett. by his forceful- ness, won his way to congress while but a young man, and though by the ro-districting Mr. Jett was thrown in the same district with Ben Caldwell of Springfield, it is probable that had he cared, he might have secured the nomination over that gentleman. That Mr. Jett has a bright outlook for the future. his friends are glad to believe. That he is de- serving the people of Montgomery county, rr- gardless of party, are free to acknowledge. Mr. Jett, associated with Mr. Kinder, consti- tutes one of the strong law firms of the county. It might be well at this time to consider the topography of the county in general. Nearly every grade of soil is to be found in the county. In the extreme northern part. which in the carlier settlement consisted of wide stretches of flat bog lands unsuited to any purpose known to the carly settler, and the south part consists of rolling prairies, which loose them- selves in the hill sections along the ereeks, In the eastern part, especially in the south part of Andubon township and southeast Fillmore much hill land, that is suited only to orchard and grazing purposes. The land in these ser- tions has a good clay sub-soil. which renders them especially adapted for apple, peach, pear. plum and small fruit growing. In many parts teachers, but space forbids and lest we might forget to mention some one of the more worthy, we must be content to refer to them as a body of men and women who honored their profes- sion and the superintendent whose good for- tune it was to labor with them. Succeeding to the superintendeney was W. H. Groner, of Litchfield. Mr. Groner had been one of the leading teachers of Montgomery county for many years and his election to the superin- tendency was a fitting recognition of the serv- ices which he had rendered as a teacher in the public schools. Mr. Groner's administration was eminently successful. He saw to it that the state course was applied to all of the schools in so far as it was practical and the system of graduating under the state course that had been adopted during the previous ad- ministration was carried out and gradually the objections which had been urged against the state course during its early adoption disap- peared. At the close of his term Mr. Groner did not care to stand for re-election and W. J. MeDavid. the present incumbent, succeeded to the office of county superintendent of schools, Mr. MeDavid has made a faithful and efficient officer and so far as we are advised. is main- taining the high standard of efficiency in our public schools. His re-election last year evi- dences the esteem in which he is held and the satisfaction of the people with his administra- tion. The men who have been signally hon- ored from Montgomery county by election to federal offices present but a short list. No- tably Judge E. Y. Rice, Edward Lane and Thomas M. Jett. Judge Rice served this con- gressional district as its representative in the early tos. Prior to his election he lived in the city of Hillsboro, and the old Rice home is one of the landmarks of that city. Situated in a beautiful forest of virgin oaks and ehns, it presents rather a pastoral appearance and it was here that Judge Rice passed the closing years of an eventful and useful life. Although but a youth at the time. I can well remember the speeches made by Judge Rice in his canvass for congress, and my father's country store lwing quite a rendezvous for the citizens in
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we find most excellent springs that provide living water throughout the year. In the south part of East Fork and in much of Gris- ham, Irving, Walshville and South Litchfield are found extensive tracts of what is known as post-oak flats. These sections, which have been universally regarded as the poorest soil, are under the superior class of cultivation that is being given by some of our German farmers that they may be made very productive. This grade of soil seems to respond more readily to fertilization than any other. The close and compact nature of this soil makes it necessary to use some means by which it may be made more porous. The use of the cow pea and red clover as plant fertilizers are admirably adapted to post-oak soil. Most of the hill land is of a reddish cast, and by careful manage- ment to prevent washing, is among the most fertile soils of the county. The writer was pleased to observe some upland of this char- acter. belonging to Jacob Booer, which this year will undoubtedly yield from sixty to eighty bushels of corn per acre. When it is remembered that this land has been in culti- vation for a period of seventy-five years, we are lead to conclude that soil does not wear out. but that by intelligent and careful manage- ment, that all grades of Montgomery county soils may be made more productive. The virgin timber has almost disappeared, but much of a younger growth is yet to be found in the south part of the county. Only a few years ago it was not difficult to find oak. syca- more and cottonwood three feet at least in di- amcier, but to-day one might travel many miles without ever discovering a single representative of the virgin forest. Originally the timber growth of our section consisted of white oak. post oak, black oak. Spanish oak and pin oak. the white and scaly bark hickory. the white and the red elm. the wild cherry, the hack- berry, the black walnut, and along the streams many very large sycamore and cottonwood trees. Among the different growths not suited to the use as lumber were the crab apple, prickly ash, black haw. red haw. mulberry. persimmon, redbud and various other shrub- liko trees. It was not difficult thirty years ago for boys in their jaunts through the forest to
supply themselves with berries, nuts, grapes, plums and such other fruits as grew in abun- dance over the hills, and to-day the men and women of forty-live and fifty years old well re- member when, as little tots on their way to school. they stopped to gather the will straw- berries in the spring or to gather in the au- tunm the hickory nuts, black haws and per- simmons. We well knew that the wild crab, after it had laid through the winter covered by the leaves, was not bad to the taste when all other apples were gone, and you boys who are older, that chance to read this sketch, will understand what I mean by sweet root time. The boys in our schools to-day would laugh at the expression, but to the boys of thirty-five and forty years ago, the sweet root was sought after and much prized by them. Oftentimes. in company with others, we have played hookey at school in the spring when the frost had gone out of the ground and sweet root time was at hand. For the information of present day boys. ] will state that the tap root of the small hickory was the article after which we spent so much time to secure. Quite a good many medicinal shrubs and plants were to be found growing in different parts of the timbered sec- tion of the county. The sassafras, shumach, alder. prickly ash, bitter-sweet, red root. sarsa- parilla. yellow root, bone set, black cohosh. gin- seng. sweet ennis and many others with which the local doctor alone was acquainted. The ecology varies in different parts of the county. In the south part, after passing through the soil. we come to a light colored checked clay formation. This is succeeded by several feet of yellow granular clay, which in turn is un- derlaid by a bed of sand. which contains a good quality of hard water. Underlying this first bed of sand is a calcareous deposit which undoubtedly gives to the water its lime-like nature. Underneath this lime rock is a blue clay formation, which varies in depth with lo- cation. This is again succeeded by a bed of quicksand in most parts of the southern sec- tion of the county. The water from wells which tap this second bed of sand is not usually of such hard quality as water furnished from the first strata of sand. In different parts of the county we have chalybeate springs. some
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