Past and present of the city of Quincy and Adams County, Illinois, Part 3

Author: Collins, William H. (William Hertzog), 1831-1910; Perry, Cicero F., 1855- [from old catalog] joint author; Tillson, John, 1825-1892. History of the city of Quincy, Illinois. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1228

USA > Illinois > Adams County > Quincy > Past and present of the city of Quincy and Adams County, Illinois > Part 3

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the selection of a county seat which should be south of the base line. Calhoun county was subsequently eut off from the lower portion of Pike with Cole's Grove ( Gilead ) as its county seat, while the county seat of Pike was estab- lished at Atlas. forty miles south of Quincy, which thus became the legal centre of this part of the county for the next three years.

CHAPTER V.

1823.

JEREMIAH ROSE. PIONEER HOSPITALITY. FIRST STEAMBOAT TO LAND. FIRST PASSENGER. STEAMBOATS DESCRIBED. SALE OF LANDS IN "MILITARY TRACT" FOR TAXES. KEYES BUYS A HALF SECTION.

The legislation bearing especially upon this section (what is now Adams Connty) during the year 1823, was not extensive or important. On the 28th of January. Fulton County was formed by detaching that portion of the mili- tary tract lying east of the Meridian; and on the 18th of February, as stated in the preced- ing chapter, by the aid of Shaw, the bogus rep- resentative from Pike, the call for a conven- tion to revise the Constitution of the State. passed the General Assembly, and thereupon, commenced the fierce political struggle, which raged throughout the Farthest bounds of the state and was ended by the decisive result at the polls eighteen months later.

In March of this year, Major Jeremiah Rose. with his wife and danghter. moved up from the lower part of Pike County, where he had been residing, and commenced "housekeeping" in Wood's cabin, its proprietor boarding with them.

The same spring, Wood and Rose broke and put under tillage about thirty aeres of the land on either side of State street, just east of 12th, which Wood had enelosed during the winter, this being the land bought by him of Flynn. and the first cultivated ground in the vicinity.

There was very little immigration during the year, though a few settlers dropped in at seat- tered points throughout the county. Tyrer, on his land in Melrose, southeast of the city. Major Campbell and the Worleys in the Rock Creek section, and perhaps half a dozen other fami- lies. or, generally, single men, settled in other localities. The little family of four monarchs of all they surveyed plodded diligently on

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PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY.

through the monotonous time, gradually sur- rounding themselves with more and more of the comforts of home, plain as these comforts were, and extending the sphere of their farming la- bors as the months rolled along. An occasional land hunter; a straggling squad of Indians: the monthly passage by of the military mail carrier from below to Fort Edwards ( War- saw ) : now and then a United States Army offi- cer on his tour of duty; these were the ran- dom links that gave them some connection with civilization.

Whoever came, stepped at once into the hos- pitalities he sought without doubt as to wel- come or waiting for an invitation.

Hotels were unknown, or rather it might be said, that every cabin, tent. or camp was a free hotel, a "lodge in the wilderness" open to the unasked use of all. Those were the days when "every stranger seemed a friend and every friend a brother." and the traveler more than repaid the care he caused when he opened his budget of news and gossip from the far-off world.

Snch was the social condition throughout the whole frontier of the west here and elsewhere, and this, like some others, from location or ac- cident, became one of the noted stations for the traveler's hospitable welcome. Statelier strne- tures have since arisen, from which reach out more tempting offerings of luxury and style, but never has the wearied wayfarer been sol- aced with truer comfort and rest, than in the rongh-hewn huts of onr pioneer sires. Rugged as might be the outer seeming, welcome smiled on the threshold and plenty crowned the board, and in the little clean-kept cabin, from stranger and sojourner faded away all thought of home- ly cheer while partaking of the kind hospitality of their hosts.

A salient episode in the monotony of the time, was the appearance of the "Virginia, " the first steamboat that attempted the naviga- tion on the upper Mississippi. It was a stern wheeler with a eabin on the lower deck, and no upper works, not even a pilot house. It was steered by a tiller in the hands of the pilot, as are canal boats at the present time. It was 118 feet long and 22 feet beam, and drew six feet when moderately loaded.

The "Virginia" passed up in May of this year with the object of demonstrating the feasi- bility of navigation by stream of the Missis- sippi from St. Lonis to its junction with the Minnesota (Fort Snelling). This, though the first boat that passed over the lower rapids, was but the second that had ascended to that point. Three years before, a government steam- er. the "Western Engineer," commanded by

or under the direction of Major S. II. Long. an army officer eminent for his acquirements as a discoverer and civil engineer, steamed up as high as Keokuk. This was in the summer of 1820 or 1821: authorities disagree upon the precise date.

On its downward trip, Mr. Asa Tyrer, who afterward located, lived and died east of what was long known as Tyrers' (now Watson's) Spring, happened to be on the river bank, hav- ing roamed here to examine his land. Ile hailed the steamboat, was taken on board and thus the Engineer became the first steamer that landed at Quiney, and Mr. Tyrer the first passenger therefrom. It was many years before another was seen.

Before this time, and for many years after- ward, transportation on the river was carried on by keel boats, which made their periodical trips from St. Louis to Fort Cranford, Prairie Du Chien or Fort Snelling, laden with sup- plies for the army and the Indians, and what- ever else of freight might be picked up. The ordinary speed of these boats was from eight to twelve miles a day, by being cordelled or poled along the banks except when, with a favorable south wind, sail could be raised, when their progress was greatly accelerated.

Freight usually had a fixed price, that is, the charge was as great to any intermediate point as throughout the whole distance unless the shipper would guarantee that when his way freight was taken out an equal amount should replace it. Then rates proportionate to dis- tance would be charged.

The construction of the Engineer "smoke boat" or "fire canoe," as the Indians termed the steamboat, was peculiar enough to warrant deseription. Authorities differ somewhat as to the detail of appearance, one writer says that "on the bow running from the keel, was the image of a huge serpent, painted black, its month red, and tongue the color of a live coal ; the steam escaped through the month of this image. The Indians looked upon it with great wonder and astonishment. They declared it was the power of the great Spirit : and said the big snake carried the boat on its back. Some were afraid to go near the machinery. The steamer was in command of Lieutenant Swift, but the vessel was not very swift. but as a means of exploration, the boat was a success. She was a side-wheeler, and the first to ascend the Upper Missouri, and Mississippi." Another and more reliable authority. the Rev. John M. Peek, who writes from his personal observa- tion, says "the boat was a small one with a stern wheel and an escape pipe so contrived as to emit a torrent of smoke and steam through

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PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY.

the head of a serpent with a red forked tongue projecting from the bow."

A steamer. however, was a curiosity in those days. It was not until about the year 1830 that steamboats fairly superseded the keel boats on the Upper Mississippi, and not until a later period, that their business became gen- eral and regular. The reasons were manifold.

One was the light amount of business that offered either way up or down, and unless steamboats had a shipment of government stores for army or Indian use. it did not pay to steam into the wilderness, and again the con- struetion of boats in those days precluded nav- igation of the upper rivers except during for a short period of the year.

They were built shiplike on ocean models, round bottomed and deep. drawing more water light. than the largest packets now draw loaded. .

The steamers of "old times." as recollection pietures them. contrast strikingly with the floating palaces of to-day. They were short, blunt, broad, with small wheels; the wheel- house rarely rising above the level of the cabin floor. The ladies' cabin was located at the stern of the boat as now, the gentlemen's cabin was below and in the rear of the wheel houses. The sides of the cabins were filled with two and sometimes three tiers of berths, with long curtains that during the day were drawn aside. State rooms were much later inventions; not until about 1836 were these in use, and only then and later. was the enstom of making the «abins all lined with staterooms, general.

The space now occupied by the main cabin was unfinished and used by the half-fare or "deck" passengers. The roof did not, as now, extend forward over the boiler deck. It ran about two-thirds the length of the boat with the little pilot house standing on its forward edge. There was no cover to the boiler deck and up through it ran the two chimneys. A single engine only was used with one escape pipe and especial care was taken to have the escape of the steam as loud as possible, so that it might serve as a note of warning to the country for ten miles or more around.

A howsprit from six to ten feet long pro- truded at the front on the end of which the flag staff rested. Some of the earlier built boats made use of the bowsprit as a scape pipe for the steam as depicted in another part of this chapter.

Some of these seekers for land during this and the following year returned and settled in various directions but they were few and scat- tered. Only those who, as soldiers, had drawn land or those who had bought of the soldier.

could legally occupy the government land, for, as we have stated, it did not come into market until about 1830.

The bounty lands were first offered for sale, under state laws. for taxes, in December of this year at Vandalia, when all the lands granted by the government to soldiers lying between the two rivers where default to pay taxes had occurred, were put up for sale and this sale attracted a great representation of settlers and speculators. So extensive, however, was the amount of land offered in contrast with the number and means of the attendant purchasers that little or no competition occurred, the buy- ers formed in a circle on the day of sale and the lots were bought in turn, and subsequently divided by the purchasers. Mr. Keyes (who up to this time remained at the old residence in five south, six west ) and Mr. Wood, attended this sale and purchased sundry lots in the vicin- ity of Quiney, trusting to their intended ocen- paney and the chance of obtaining the other title if their tax purchase was not redeemed. At this time Mr. Keyes purchased the half sec- tion north of Broadway and West of 12th street. for the amount of taxes and costs amounting to about eleven dollars, the complete title of which he acquired at a later day.

Atlas was now and for two years after the nearest postoffice. To that place a weekly mail carried on horseback was brought.

CHAPTER VI.

1824.

CABINS OF WOOD. KEYES. DROULARD. FIRST BLACKSMITH. FIRST PHYSICIAN. PRO-SLAV- ERY AGITATION. TIN TEAPOT FOR A BALLOT BOX. FIRST PRESIDENTIAL ELECTON. GOV- ERNOR CARLIN. ROLL CALL OF ARRIVALS.

In the spring of 1828 Willard Keyes, who two or three years before had been keeping "bache- lor's hall" with John Wood, about thirty miles south of where Quincy now is, came up to the "bluffs, " following his old "pardner." Wood. and built for himself a cabin some twenty feet square, and rather larger and more pretentious than that of Wood's. It was located near what is now the corner of First and Vermont streets. This"settlement" of Keyes' was a"squat." the term in those days, applied to a location or residence on government land not vet subject to entry, and was in opposition to the laws which forbid such settlement and ocenpation. Mr. Keyes hoped, however, to obtain a pre-

PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY.

emption under the law which would entitle him to priority in purchase when the land became subject to sale. But the fact of its being frac- tional and the subsequent taking it for the county seat under the provisions of a law which reserved any quarter section from private entry that had been selected as a county seat, before its offer for sale, spoiled the hopes of the pio- neer. Ile cared little about this, because it was mainly through him that the county seat was located where it now is to the sacrifice of his immediate interests in the land on which he lived. This rough, little cramped cabin be- came a prominent building, beeanse put to many publie uses in those early days. It was the "temple of justice" where the first court was held. It was the place for public assem- blages, where the carly officials met and the primitive organizations were matured, some- times it served for religions meetings (like Wood's cabin, a half a mile sonth) ; it was a general free hotel for the wanderer and the wayfarer, and the temporary stopping place of the immigrant with his family until he could make his permanent location in the neighbor- hood. This was the second house built in Quincy.

In the fall of this year came John Droulard, a Frenchman, and a shoemaker by trade, who had served in the army. He became the owner of the northeast quarter of section two, town- ship two south, range nine west, the 160 acres now in the center of the city lying immediately east of the fractional quarter on which Keyes had settled ; bounded by Broadway and 12th streets on the north and east, on the west by the alley, running from Maine to Hampshire, between 6th and 7th. and on the south by a line nearly half way between Kentucky and York streets. This was a choice piece of prop- erty, which, in a few years, Dronlard frittered away. He erected a cabin near the northeast corner of what is now Jersey and Sth streets, a little west of where the gas works are situ- ated. These three houses, Wood's. Keyes' and Dronlard's, were the only buildings in the place in 1824. This same season, Asa Tyrer, who had visited the place some years before, came again and set up a cabin and blacksmith shop about a mile sontheast, near what was long known as Tyrer's Spring, since called Watson's Spring, named for Ben Watson, the son-in-law of Tyrer, who long lived there afterward. A Dr. Thomas Baker, the earliest physician in the county, came also during the summer and es- tablished himself about two miles south. below the bluff. He was a learned and skillful man. A few years later, he moved north into what is now Mercer county, and shortly after, was

accidently killed-kicked by his horse. The three families first named, Wood, then unmar- ried, with whom was Major Rose and family, Keyes also a bachelor and Droulard with a family were the people of Quincy. Their spe- cial pioneership may be stated thus: Wood first came, built and settled; Rose then fol- lowed, took Wood's cabin, kept house for him and brought hither the first family ; Keyes was next in the order of coming, and the first to settle on what became the original town of Quiney, and Droulard was the first resident land owner. Keyes, Wood and Rose were liv- ing on land to which as yet they had not ob- tained title. They were "squatters" in fact, as were many of our early settlers at first, but they were the possessors of the entire area, and their apparent ownership "fenced in," as it were, the locality so that there seemed "no abiding place" for anyone else until the fol- lowing year, when the establishment of the county seat on the fractional northwest quar- ter of section two, threw the land open to set- tlement. There were a few settlers around within a range of thirty miles or more. less than a hundred in all, men, women and chil- dren. The census of the following year gave 192 as the population of Adams and Hancock. Quiet and monotonous was the life they led on this edge of civilization; devoted to their sim- ple daily task, gathering the news from the onter world that came through the meagre monthly mail or was brought by the occasional traveler or the incoming settler, who were cer- tain to be thoroughly pumped of all the news they contained. Yet their isolation and dis- tance from older communities did not prevent their taking interest in public affairs and the growing future of the great state whose for- tunes they had linked with their own. And the time soon came for this little community to play a not unimportant part in the movements permanently shaping the destiny of Illinois. During this year, there came up and was set- tled the most exciting and vital political strug- gle that ever affected the social, political, moral and material interest of the state.

Illinois six years before had been admitted to the union with a free constitution, but was in many respects, practically a slave state. Her early settlers were mainly from the south, and most of her publie men were of southern birth and proclivities. Slaves had, without restrie- tion, been brought here during territorial times and even later, and they remained here as slaves. Again, by stipulation in the treaties which transferred all of the Louisiana terri- tory, embracing the valley of the Mississippi, negroes belonging to the French and Span-

PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY.

ish owners remained slaves for life, and the children of such slaves so continued until they became twenty-eight years of age. Thus a large slave element and interest existed.

The election as governor in 1822 of Coles, an avowed emancipationist, who had brought hither his own slaves from Virginia and given them their freedom, aroused all the latent dis- agreeing elements on this subject and stimu- lated a struggle as bitter and fierce as always characterized contests over this issue during the after years when the pro-slavery interest attempted to dominate the nation. It was es- sential to the introduction, and sustaining of slavery, such as existed, that the constitution should be changed. To do this a convention must be called. In the legislature of 1822-23 one vote was needed to pass the law calling for a convention to be voted for at the next elec- tion. It was furnished from the "military tract."

The scheme by which a majority in the legis- lature was seenred in favor of the convention. has been related. The measure was adopted by a majority of one.

From this time. the spring of 1823. for eight- een months. until the August election of 1824, the state was stirred up with great excitement. Voting for a convention, meant and was reeog- nized as voting for slavery. If a convention was called, the apportionment in the state was such that it would have a majority of pro- slavery members, and there was the certainty that a constitution recognizing slavery would be framed and adopted without submission to a popular vote, just as the constitution of 1818 was adopted.

There were but four votes in Quiney, and in what is now Adams county there were perhaps a score or more, but they were earnest and ac- tive. The county, which was then Pike, as far north as the base line six miles above Quincy, was canvassed thoroughly, so was all the conn- try north as far as Rock Island. The voters turned ont en masse, and on Sunday morning, the day before the election, nearly fifty had gathered here at the "Bhiff's, " as the place was then called. They rode to Atlas, forty mmles south, swimming the ereeks which were "bank full." and plumped their votes on the follow- ing day. Of the one hundred votes cast at At- las, ninety-seven were for "no convention" or a free state, and three were "for the conven- tion." The "no convention" ticket swept the state by about 1,800 majority, and Illinois was preserved to freedom.

At this same election. Nicholas Hanson, who had been so unceremoniously ejected from the previous legislature, was re-chosen by a most

deeisive vote. Hle resigned before his term expired and was succeeded by Levi Roberts, of Fulton county. Fulton and Pike were then a representative district. Thomas Carlin (after- ward governor ) was elected state senator. Dan- iel P. Cook was elected again to congress over his competitor, ex-Governor Bond. Illinois was entitled to but one representative, Ninian Ed- wards, U. S. senator, having resigned. John Mc- Lean was chosen as his successor.

The presidential election in November, which resulted in the success of John Quincy Adams, was marked by a feature which is said to have had some bearing upon the name given to the connty and town in the following year. At this time the whole country between the rivers, north of Pike county, was attached to that county, and ealled, from its extent. the "King- dom of Pike." As there were no organized or anthorized voting places north of Atlas the settlers concluded to try their own hands in- dependently at electing a president. Accord- ingly on the day of election some twenty or more of them assembled, and organized a poll by electing judges and elerks and made use of a tin teapot for a ballot box and voted. John Wood came up from Atlas the day before with a list of the Adams electors. Nobody knew the names of the Clay or Crawford electors. They all wanted to vote. So, though many of them thought that Jackson or Crawford or Clay was the better man, they unanimously voted the Adams ticket.

At this presidential election in November. 1824, twenty votes were said to have been east. This number is not improbable. as men were then allowed to vote, away from home. any- where in the state at general elections, and the qualifications of the voters as to age, eitizen- ship, ete .. were rarely inquired into. Indeed. some of the voters on this occasion were resi- dents of Missouri, but who could not find any other place in which to exercise their free- man's privilege. There is one point in this old and oft told story of their making use of an old teapot for a ballot box which is of more than doubtful validity, and which rather tends to cloud the whole transaction with some nn- certainty. The manner of voting then in this state was viva voce, and not until twenty-four years, was the ballot box system adopted as the law. Why or how a teapot should have been needed is somewhat of a puzzle. Still, as all the parties are dead and the story now can neither be refuted nor proven, it is well enough to let it stand and not be too critical in the vin- dication of the truth of the story.

The presidential election had no political character. The contest between General Jack-

PAST AND PRESENT OF ADAMS COUNTY.

son, Henry Clay, John Quincy Adams and Wm. Il. Crawford for the presidency was almost en- tirely personal, and based, mainly, on individ- mal preferences or local Feeling. These men had all been more or less closely associated with the late administration of President Mon- roe and entertained nearly the same general political ideas. This was also the case in re- gard to the local elections and officials.

Hanson and Carlin-representative and sen- ator-represented no party, for there were no parties nor party names, to serve under. They were of general agreement in public mat- ters but of different stamp of character and training, and would have drifted into opposi- tion over the strong political lines that formed a few years later. These two were important men in their day. Hanson was possessed of more than ordinary ability, and had a great deal of influence in the legislature and at home. AAfter he resigned his seat in the house, during this session, he returned to New York, his na- tive state. Carlin filled a large place in the his- tory of this section and the state. Ile was state senator for eight years, soon after came to Quiney as receiver of the land office, and in 1838, was chosen governor. He was a man of limited attainments, of rongh appearance and habits, but had force of character, good judg- ment and personal integrity, qualities which se- cured him public confidence and success.

Settlers came slowly drifting into the viein- ity during the year; perhaps a dozen or more families settled in what afterward became Adams county, most of them in the southern portion. None came to Quiney, or the "Bluffs." as it was then called. These settlers were either soldiers who had come to take possession of the land which they had drawn as bounty, or par- ties who had purchased of the soldiers. No other than the military bounty lands had, as vet, come into market. These settlers passed directly on to their lands and commenced and were kept busied with their rude improve- ments. During the year there moved into the county, Levi Wells, Orestes and Zephaniah Ames, Amos Bancroft, Rial Crandall, James Pearee, L. Budkirk, the Sechorns, Elias Adams. Lawrence Cranford, Daniel Moore, Peter Jour- ney and perhaps half a dozen others. There was but little intercourse because the people were few, were busy clearing their lands and lived far apart. There was no trading because there was nothing raised to sell, and but little was wanted. Supplies, such as could not be raised at home and were needed, were obtained from Clarksville or Louisiana or sometimes, from St. Lonis. Clarksville, Missouri, was then the post- office. Afterward a postoffice was established at

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Past and present of the city of Quincy and Adams County, Illinois, Part 3

Author: Collins, William H. (William Hertzog), 1831-1910; Perry, Cicero F., 1855- [from old catalog] joint author; Tillson, John, 1825-1892. History of the city of Quincy, Illinois. [from old catalog] Publication date: 1905 Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Pub. Co. Number of Pages: 1228

Author: Collins, William H. (William Hertzog), 1831-1910; Perry, Cicero F., 1855- [from old catalog] joint author; Tillson, John, 1825-1892. History of the city of Quincy, Illinois. [from old catalog]
Publication date: 1905
Publisher: Chicago, S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.
Number of Pages: 1228