Past and present of Pike County, Illinois, Part 17

Author: Massie, Melville D; Clarke, (S.J.) Publishing Company, Chicago
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Chicago, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 760

USA > Illinois > Pike County > Past and present of Pike County, Illinois > Part 17

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shaw, James S. Irwin, William R. Archer, Strother Griggsby and H. D. L. Griggsby, each were devoted to this profession, and doubtless fully endorsed this, from the day when Cicero said that the law was set over the magistrate to the time of Chatham's famous declaration, that where law ends tryanny begins, and from that day to ours, great men have celebrated the con- nection of law with liberty. To lossen the re- spect for law in America, whether that respect is lost by magistrate or the people, is a poor serv- ice to our country.

Added to this list properly come the following who were well known as good citizens, whose lives added to the glory and prosperity of old Pike. They all did something for schools, churches, for charity, and generally for all the people's interests. B. L. Matthews, J. L. Metz, Rev. William Hawker, J. Cleveland, J. H. Den- nis, William Turnbull, James McWilliams, Charles Gibbs, George Pratt, J. O. Bolin, B. H. Atkinson, William Watson, Joel Pennington, Perry Wells, William Yokum, W. R. Wills, Sr .. J. G. Adams, J. D. Rupert, Samuel Taylor, Ha- zen Pressy, D. A. Shaw, Moses Easley, Joseph Strubinger, Rev. William Rose, Revs. Carter, Worthington and Barrett, William Green, Niles Kinne, Samuel Clark, Horace Horton, James Tolbert, Moses and Joel Morey, J. C. Colvin, Joseph McFarland, Alex Mcclintock, C. T. Brewster, Dr. P. M. Parker and F. M. Clyde.

OLD SETTLERS' ASSOCIATION.

It is not strange that among the pioneer settlers of any new country a deep-seated and sincere friendship should spring up that would grow and strengthen with their years. The incidents pe- culiar to life in a new country, the trials and hardships, privations and destitution,-are well calculated to test not only the physical powers of endurance, but the moral, kindly, generous attri- butes of manhood and womanhood. Then are the times that try men's souls, and bring to the surface all that may be in them whether good or bad. · As a rule there is an equality of conditions that recognizes no distinctions. All occupy a ·common level, and as a natural consequence a

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strong brotherly and sisterly feeling rise up that is as lasting as time. For "a fellow feeling makes us wondrous kind." With such a community there is a hospitality, a kindness, a benevolence, a charity unknown and unpracticed among the old- er, richer and more dense commonwealths. The very nature of the surroundings teaches them to feel each other's woe and share each other's joy. An injury or a wrong may be ignored, but a kindly, charitable act is never forgotton. The memory of old associations is always fresh. Raven locks may bleach and whiten, full, round cheeks become sunken and hollow, the fires of intelligence vanish from the organs of vision, the brow become wrinkled with care and age and the erect form bowed with accumulating years,- but the true friends of "long ago" will be re- membered as long as life and reason endure.

The surroundings of pioneer life are well cal- culated to test the "true inwardness" of the hu- man heart. As a rule the men and women who first settle in a new country,-who go in advance to spy out the land and prepare it for the coming people,-are bold, fearless, self-reliant and indus- trious. In these respects, no matter from what remote section or country they may come, there is a similarity of character. In birth, education, religion and language, there may be a vast differ- ence, but imbued with a common purpose,-the founding and building of homes,-these differ- ences are soon lost by association, and thus they become one people united by a common interest ; and no matter what changes may come in after years the associations thus formed are never buried out of memory.

In pioneer life are always incidents of peculiar interest, not only to the pioneers themselves, but which, if properly preserved, would be of interest to posterity ; and it is a matter of some regret that "The Old Settlers' Association" was not formed years before it was, and that more copious records were not kept. Such an association with well kept records of the more important events, such as dates of arrivals, births, marriages, deaths, removals, natavities, etc., as any one can easily and readily see, would be the direct means of preserving to the literature of the country the history of every community, that to future gen-

erations would be valuable as a record of refer- ence, and a ready and sure method of settling important questions of controversy. Such rec- ords would possess facts and figures that could not be had from any other source. Aside from this historic importance such associations serve as a means of keeping alive and further cement- ing old friendships and renewing among its mem- bers associations that were necessarily interrupt- ed by the innovation of increasing population, cul- tivating social intercourse and creating a chari- table fund for such of their old members as were victims of misfortune and adversity.

The subject of organizing an old settlers' so- ciety was brought up in the summer of 1869. In the Pike County Democrat of July 29, that year, the following significant passage occurs: "The time will come when the history of this county will be written. For that history, the meeting of such society will furnish the best material, and the parties now living attest the facts that will form a large portion of it." There was nothing definitely done toward the organization of this society until the summer of 1872, when some of the leading old settlers interested themselves in it. The first meeting was held on what is called Blue creek, August 21, 1872. The meeting was called to order by Wm. Turnbull, of Flint, on whose motion Capt. B. F. Westlake was appoint- ed temporary chairman. Upon taking the chair Captain Westlake stated in brief the object of the meeting, and for the purpose of effecting an organization he suggested the propriety of ap- pointing a committee on permanent organization to report to the meeting at I o'clock, p. m. This committee consisted of Col. A. C. Matthews, James H. Dimmitt and William Turnbull. The meeting was then addressed by Rev. Mr. McCoy, after which an adjournment was had until I o'clock, p. m. After the dinner was dispatched the people were called together by the choir, dis- coursing most pleasant music. After singing, the committee on permanent organization report- ed the following named persons as officers of the "Old Settlers' Association of Pike and. Calhoun counties, Illinois.

For President, Col. Wm. Ross, Newburg; Ist Vice President, Col. Benj. Barney. Pleasant Vale ;

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2d Vice President. Daniel B. Bush, Pittsfield ; 3d Vice President, Capt. B. F. Westlake, New- burg; 4th Vice President, Capt. Benj. L. Mat- thews, Perry; 5th Vice President, Jos. Brown, Chambersburg; 6th Vice President, John Lyster, Detroit; 7th Vice President, James Grimes, Mil- ton; 8th Vice President, Abel Shelley, Griggs- ville; 9th Vice President, Perry Wells, Atlas ; Ioth Vice President, Samuel G. Sitton, Hardin ; IIth Vice President, William Grammar, Hadley ; 12th Vice President,VMontgomery Blair, Barry ; 13th Vice President, John Brittain, Martins- burg; 14th Vice President, Thomas H. Dimmitt, Griggsville. Secretary, Marcellus Ross, New- burg; Ist Assistant Secretary, Dr. E. M. Seeley, Pittsfield ; 2d Assistant Secretary, William Turn- bull, Flint.

Colonel Barney presided at this meeting, Colo- nel Ross being absent on account of sickness. A communication was however read from the presi- dent. Rev. W. D. Trotter, one of the pioneer preachers of the county, spoke for about an hour, reviewing the early life of the pioneers. Hon. William A. Grimshaw delivered the address of the day. It was an ably prepared historical re- view of the county's history. Indeed, so replete is it with interesting facts of pioneer times that we give the entire address in this connection :

ADDRESS OF HON. WILLIAM A. GRIMSHAW.

Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen-Se- .

lected by your committee of arrangements to bid you welcome here to-day, I do so most cordially as an old settler myself, of, say, the second period of Pike county, coming here in the year 1833 ; that being after the winter of the deep snow, which was our early noted period in the annals of this then wild, romantic and beautiful coun- try, sparsely settled and embraced in the bounds of Pike county. That snow with us, once, was the starting point of the date of current events, although our records of the court of justice do not legally recognize that as "a day in law," yet we even in courts, in the simplicity of our early language, often heard events traced by that snow as the date point.

In the early days we all enjoyed the largest

constitutional liberty ; we voted for him we liked best, as I, a whig, did for "honest Joe Duncan," a democrat, on a deep question in those days. the Illinois and Michigan canal, "the deep cut ;" we also each worshipped God according to the dictates of our own conscience and under our vine and fig tree. When Brother Trotter, who is now present, venerable with years and revered for piety, or old Father Woolf, now gathered to his fathers, blessed for his good deeds, came around to his appointment, all, of every religion and no one religion, turned out to meeting in the woods or the log schoolhouse or at a settler's home. We had no fine churches in those days. Mormons puzzled the unwary by their startling pretense at new revelations. Or, if disappointed. by the regular minister, old Father Petty would recite in prayer Belshazzar's feast in trembling tones of piety.

Our worthy and venerable president (elect but absent), Col. William Ross, who has been often honored by the people of Pike county by their votes, electing him to high offices of public trust, could tell you much of the first period or earliest years of the settlement of your county, as he ar- rived in the county in 1820 and settled at Atlas, which was the county seat in its day, and was laid out by the Ross brothers. Atlas was yet the place at which the county records were kept in 1833, but in the spring of the year Pittsfield was sur- veyed and laid off into lots and the sale thereof made at different periods, the first sale of lots be- ing in that spring. A courthouse was built in the summer of 1833 at Pittsfield ; from that event the greater prosperity of the country and an in- crease of population began.

The terror infused into the public mind, be- yond the settlements of Illinois, by the Black Hawk war, which had retarded emigration to our State, the Indians being removed to the west of the Mississippi, the tide of emigration began to set in, and you witness to-day, in the presence here of this assemblage, the vast change in a little over fifty years since the Yankees (who came before the clock peddlers) set foot within the limits of Pike county, as it now exists. Clock peddlers were the only gentlemen in those days. as they rode in the only covered carriages.

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It is true, when you consider the rise and the growth of Chicago in our own State, and of St. Louis in Missouri, rival cities, each of nearly four hundred thousand people, we don't seem to have much to brag of as our growth. Con- sider, however, that we are almost strictly an agricultural county, that being our chief and most profitable pursuit, and then the greatest zealot for progress must admit that, from a be- ginning of a few families in 1821, we are now a county not to be sneezed at, and especially when our vote at the polls is counted. Excluding counties in which cities have arisen, we are most densely populated, more so than many in our beautiful Illinois, and yet we have broad acres of valuable lands in a state of nature.

Once our prairies were the home of the bound- ing deer in vast herds, of the prairie wolf, the prairie fowl in great flocks, the timber land abounded with the squirrel, the turkey and the pigeon, and in the hollow trees we had the beau- tiful but noisy paroquet ; as well as in their haunts numerous other birds and animals. These have in a great measure disappeared until game is a rarity. The wild fruits once abounding have been superseded by more luscious cultivated fruits. And yet, who of the old settlers does not remember with a twinkle in his eye the old set- tlers' first substitute for an apple, a big turnip : and also find a good taste in the mouth when he thinks of those nice preserved plums, crab apples and ground cherries, and the pumpkin pie, and the pork mince meat. We then think of the prai- rie and woodland each abounding in the season in beautiful flowers, rivaling in their colors the rainbow. These were the holiday delights of dame and maiden, and the husband and lover were alike made glad in their contemplation. The retrospect of nature has its beauties. The reality of the first settler's life in a new country is often full of prose and but little poetry. Compare the simple and even poor furniture of our early homes with the elegant furniture now in use, and what a contrast! But with all the drawbacks of an early settler's life few repine at their lot in this beautiful land. None can who accept with reflection and thankfulness the many mercies which crown our lives.

I am reminded by this retrospection, that yes- terday, on returning home, I found a written, kind notification from your committee, in charge of the convening of this your first Old Settlers' meeting, that I was invited and expected to ad- dress you to-day. I then took my pen to endeavor to bridle my thoughts and to bid them serve the request of the committee, that I should speak as to the "honesty, patience, industry, self-sacrifice and hospitality of the old settlers.

Honesty was the rule, crime the exception, in the early days. It would seem as if at the first mention of the honesty of the old settlers it was a sarcasm, on the idea of lawyers settling here, and as if I had some personal experience and revelation to make. Of course I know something and much of the facts, and will relate them.

It was well known that because we had no locks we never locked our houses and out build- ings ; it was proverbial that the deer skin of the door latch was never pulled in, that is the latch string was out; then we had not much to tempt people to steal ; so our things lay about loose ; our plows with wooden mold boards hung on the fences with impunity ; but at Christmas time, the plow or ox skull hung upon a tree by the way- side, reminded the passer-by of the three-year- old, riding to see his girl, that a fool's head was too soft to butt either of those pendants in the tree.

At an early day an old ax, worth fifty cents perhaps in these days being stolen, the vile thief was ordered to leave the settlement of Atlas, and did leave for his country's good. It was said that loud porcine cries were heard upon the "Sny Is- land" at times, because men would kill their neighbor's hogs; that was a trifling affair and cost only the penalty of going halves with the nearest justice; thus dividing the meat-unless the head and ears were found and those bearing some man's recorded mark; then that was a case for the grand jury. Hog stealing was said to be caused by drinking Sny water.

We have told only of the style of dishonest tricks in those days. With more facts to bear us out, we can now affirm that the general reputa- tion of our early settlers was remarkably good for honesty in general, but there was a slight

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propensity to "hook timber" to make rails and to use at house logs, and some fellows in the land, held, in fact it was "common law" that a "bee tree" even in your pasture lot was lawful plunder.

As to the patience of our people, if that means bearing up with the courage of a true man and true woman under the perils to limb and prop- erty, the early settlers were exemplary for that ; the trials of an early settler's life were legion. His resources, so far as supplies for his family were small; his debts were a great vexation, and some if not all, had these pests, until the lands were entered and paid for, the money often being loaned at interest as high as seventy-five per cen- tum per annum. Then if you went to mill, you journeyed a score, aye, three-score miles; to meeting often as far. No bridges, and but few roads existed ; the saddle, or the ox cart, or the truck, wooden-wheeled wagon, and no fine car- riages, was the mode of travel.

Corn dodger, without salt, and pork or side- meat, were great staples; vegetables and fruits, unless wild fruits, were rarely on the table, unless when company came to spend the afternoon, or to a quilting, then the best in the house or the neighborhood afforded was forthcoming for the visitor. The quilting parties were generally the resort .of young and old. Marriages were rare in those days, because bachelors were more plen- tiful than belles.

As to the industry of the old settlers, as a class, industry was to the extent of present abil- ity, implements, health and condition, and was not surpassed by the toil of men of the present day. The matron and the few young ladies had much toil and vexation, and that was often more excessive on wash day, because of having to pick up fuel as it could be gleaned, or carryng the clothes to and from the wash place, which was a branch or spring. The clothes line was a grape vine or a fence, and the hogs and calves tres- passed on that to "chaw the things," and to keep the "creeters" off old boss and the old woman (not yet twenty-five years old) often had a hard fight lest the baby in the cradle sitting near the out-door fire should be "up-sot."

Self-sacrifice was one of the many and noblest

virtues of the early settler ; in times of sickness you were free to call up any neighbor for help, to sit up with the sick, to ride twenty-five or even more miles for the doctor, and that mostly, as our doctors said, in the dead of night, to the great horror of the doctor, who had to saddle up and travel in the dead of night, to the farthest limits of his own or to an adjoining county.

Although the county of Pike was naturally healthy, the over toil, the privation, the imperfect protection from the inclemency of seasons, the water used from shallow water holes, all these tended to multiply disease and death. This county was never, as a general thing, visited so much with sickness and death as other counties in our State.

In the early day no iron horse snorted and raced over the prairies. The steamer once perhaps in several weeks dragged itself along. Twelve days was a short time for a trip from New York here, and that mostly by stage. Our mails ar- rived once a week, and a letter cost us our "last quarter." News from Europe a month old was fresh. No troublesome quotations of daily mark- ets puzzled or enlightened us. A counterfeit United States bill was almost legal tender. Hoop poles, staves and cord wood were equal at a later day to gold. Store pay was better than any of the foregoing, but often lead to heavy mortgages and secret bills of sale. The laws were quickly enforced. Once a client of a celebrated lawyer was taken out of court and the penalty of the law put on his back with stripes before the motion for a new trial was over; then the client protested against a new trial lest if convicted he would be a second time whipped.

Now how changed is everything around us! In the early day there was more variety in dress, if less taste. All dressed in their best, and some- times (if the ladies will pardon such an o'er true tale) a white satin bonnet, the worse for the wear, was seen over a blue "Dolly Varden" ruffled cap. The most distinguished man at shows for a num- ber of years, was an old, gaunt, straight man, with a bell-crowned hat, in the height of the fashion when he was young, which was nearly twelve inches perpendicular ; horses often carried double in those days, if girls were plenty, and

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about sparking and wedding time. Oh how so- ciable !. and yet all was modesty and innocence. ·

Hospitality-that signifies strictly "practice of entertaining strangers," but in its true early set- tler's ways much more was meant, intended, and done. On a journey almost every house wasa wel- come home to the weary traveler; if any charge was made for the entertainment it was very mod- erate; at times the parting word to you was, "You are welcome to such as we had, and please call again when traveling this way."

Hospitality scarce expresses the fine sensibility, the manly. Christian spirit, of many of the olden time. The pioneer feels that each and every set- tler of his neighborhood (and he does not criti- cise much as to who is his neighbor) is entitled to such help and good feeling as may be asked or should be extended.

I felt and still feel a large degree of sympathy, and that the most cordial, with the old settlers. It occurs to me that as Pike county once included Calhoun, and as some of the settlers there are contemporaries with our earliest settlers, we should include the Calhoun old settlers in our So- ciety-in fact just this week that was named to me in that county.

With great hopefulness as to the prosperity of this new society, desiring for it many happy re- unions, I offer to you the thanks of myself, an old settler, for your courtesy in inviting me to ad- dress this meeting ; and may God bless our vast population spread over our large county, which had when first known to myself about three thou- sand people, and now contains approaching forty thousand, although the hive of people has swarmed many times.

Farewell, my friends, one and all. Let us part with mutual good wishes, as we never more can all meet again in this life.

At the first meeting it was decided to invite the old settlers of Calhoun county to join with the Pike County Old Settlers' Society. In harmony with this decision Calvin Twitchell, Smith Jen- nings and William Wilkinson were elected vice presidents.

SECOND MEETING.

The second meeting of the Old Settlers' Asso- ciation was held in September, 1873. The fol-

lowing letter from Judge William Thomas, of Jacksonville, was read :

"JACKSONVILLE, Aug. 30, 1873.

"MR. MARCELLUS Ross, Secretary: Dear Sir- I have received two invitations to attend the Old Settlers' meeting in Pike county on Wednesday next. I regret that I can not accept either, for I would be glad to meet the survivors of those with whom I became acquainted forty-five years ago. I attended the circuit court in Atlas in June, 1827, which was my first visit to Pike. The court was held by Judge Lockwood, who now resides at Batavia, in Kane county. The attorneys in at- tendance were John W. Whitney, N. Hanson, and John Jay Ross, of Pike county, Gen. James Tur- ney and Alfred Caverly, of Greene county, now of Ottawa, and J. W. Pugh, of Sangamon county, Mr. Jenkins, of Calhoun county, John Turney and myself, of Morgan county. Capt. Leonard Ross, one of nature's noblemen, was sheriff. Col. Wil- liam Ross was clerk; James M. Seeley was an officer of the court. Of all these, Judge Lock- wood, Mr. Caverly and myself are the only sur- vivors. The court was in session three days, and then went to Calhoun county. It was held in a log cabin in the prairie, near which was a log cabin occupied by the grand jury. The traverse jury had the privilege of the prairies .. .

"In September afterward, returning from the Winnebago war I left the boat at Quincy, where I purchased a horse, saddle and bridle for $40. From Quincy I came to Atlas, a good day's travel ; remained in Atlas one day and two nights, and then set out for home. Passing Colonel Seeley's, I found no other house until I reached Blue river, where Van Deusen had a small grist mill, and I crossed the Illinois river on Van Deusen's ferry. That night I reached Exeter. The weather was pleasant, the roads were dry and smooth.

"Pike county was then a wilderness. I came as directed, the nearest and best route home. I could never then have been made to believe that I should live to see a population of 30,000 within its boundaries.

"Captain Ross entertained the jury and the law- yers in their double log cabin free of charge, ex- pressing his regret that we could not stay longer. I was at Atlas at the presidential election in 1824

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and voted for John Quincy Adams for President.

"Judge Lockwood, Mr. McConnell and myself, in attending court at Atlas (the year I do not recollect), passed the present site of Griggsville and saw the man, Mr. Scholl, raising the first log cabin on the hill. I suppose the land had been laid out in town lots.

"In the early settlement of the Military Tract traveling cost but little. The old settlers were always glad of the opportunity of entertaining travelers, and especially the judge and lawyers, from whom they could obtain interesting accounts in relation to what was going on in the world around them. Besides, we often had to encamp in the woods and prairies because no house was within reach at dark, and this was called "lodging at Munn's tavern," because of the large number of quarter sections of land owned by him. I have often fared sumptuously in the log cabins on bread made of grated meal, venison, honey, but- ter, and milk and stewed pumpkins, and slept comfortably and soundly on the puncheon floor.

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Past and present of Pike County, Illinois, Part 17

Author: Massie, Melville D; Clarke, (S.J.) Publishing Company, Chicago Publication date: 1906 Publisher: Chicago, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 760

Author: Massie, Melville D; Clarke, (S.J.) Publishing Company, Chicago
Publication date: 1906
Publisher: Chicago, The S.J. Clarke Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 760