Portrait and biographical album of Henry County, Illinois : containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 110

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 850

USA > Illinois > Henry County > Portrait and biographical album of Henry County, Illinois : containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county > Part 110

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strange world indeed to them-with even less of the necessities of life than they had in their old homes, it is not strange that here their sufferings were ex- tremely severe. The few who had possessed prop- erty and were better trained to care for their physical wants, had precipitately fled from the land of oppres- sion, leaving their property or selling at such sacri- fices as soon made them as poor as their poor companions, and whose sufferings were intensified by the greater change in their lives. But one or two in the colony understood or could speak a word of English, and hence, as they knew nothing of the language of the country, the climate, soil or its agri- culture, commerce, wants, or its diseases and reme- dies, they were as completely lost to all these things that are imperative to a people to know as if they had been suddenly transported to one of the distant planets.

In their favor was the fact that the Swedes are a people trained through generations to the practice of pinching frugality and untiring industry. They are docile, moral and law-abiding; accustomed to se- vere taskmasters, they plod in silence, and bow in humblest respect to those in authority. Their country of rigorous climate ; their long line of tyrants and cruel rulers have through many generations af- fected the whole people physically and mentally, and the sudden transplanting of a large body of such people to this genial climate and yet more gen- tle and genial government, with no previous prep- aration for the change, was like overfeeding the shipwrecked and starving when found ready to die of hunger and thirst. Therefore, of the great change, the squalor and ignorance of the colonists, came sickness and death, stalking the fold in horrid carni- val.

This certainly is no overdrawn picture of the sad condition of the colonists when the cholera broke out among them in 1849. The scythe of death then literally mowed a fat harvest. Strong men and women were stricken, and in a few hours were in their coffinless graves. So swiftly did the grim reaper work, that no effort was made to procure coffins or boxes for the dead; relays of men were night and day digging shallow graves, in which the bodies, wrapped in a blanket or scanty cloth, were thrown and in solemn silence covered. A one-horse cart was the hearse that was used to gather the bod-

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ies, singly and in numbers, and haul them to the graveyard. For many weeks this horse was not ún- hitched for a moment from his vehicle, night or day ; and it is a well authenticated fact that two men dug their own graves-working hard in the forenoon in the very graves in which they were sleeping peace- fully and forever in the afternoon! Here was the sad reality, the hideous carnival of death, surpass- ing in horrors the imaginings of the painter, when with a free hand he caused to stand out upon the canvas that startling and repulsive picture, "The Dance of Death."

Another incident in the history of the colony, not so horrible in its aspects, yet more lasting in its ef- fects, occurred in 1850.

Eric Jansen was shot to death by John Root, in. May, 1850. Eric Jansen, "the Prophet," was the founder of the new religion, the head of the Colony Church, and their supreme ruler in temporal as well as spiritual affairs. He was a man of courage and strong convictions. He ruled his people absolutely, and he did not delegate or divide his power with any of his subalterns. The designation of "Eric John- son, the Prophet," is a key to his character as a leader-a religious enthusiast, stern, inflexible and bigoted. Had he lived in the days of the crusades he would have organzed his army, and led them, if necessary, into the jaws of death, and with his flashing sword have literally hewn his way to the Holy Sepulcher. One of the tenets of Jansen's new faith was that all property should be held in com- mon, and was subject always to the rule of the Church leader only, and that the Prophet should pro- tect all the female of the order.

Root, the man who killed Jansen, came from Stock- holm and joined the colony in 1848. He married a cousin of Eric Jansen. The key to the tragedy that followed this marriage is given by the solemn and curious marriage contract that Jansen had the par- ties enter into. It provided that if Root should ever leave the colony he should go alone, leaving the wife to enjoy in the colony all the rights and immu- nities of the church and colony. What would any intelligent man in this day and age think if his in- tended preacher presented him such a marriage con- tract to sign? But to Jansen the first and supreme thing in temporal matters was to secure every right of his Church, and before these-the interests of his

close church corporation-even the solemn and sa- cred rights of the marriage state must give way. Thus, before Root and Jansen's cousin were mar- ried, there was a way provided for their separation. The command, "Whom God hath joined together, let no man put asunder," was provisionally provided for, and under the cruel words of that contract- words that would eat, like the tightening irons into the victim's flesh, and become an endless torture that could only be cured by the sufferer being set free and his marriage shackles stricken from him. It was thus this foolish couple entered into the bonds of marriage. After a short time he tired of Jansen's religion, and his rigid iron rule, and Jansen was as soon, probably, tired of Root's presence in the flock over which he kept guard. Jansen evidently regarded Root with disfavor, and this grew to be mu- tual between the two men. Root abjured the faith and left the community. He returned in a short time and claimed his wife and newly born child. The wife objected to going with him, and the Church peremptorily objected to her going. Root at one time got her into a wagon and was fleeing when he was overtaken, and the woman and child were taken from him by force and carried back to the col- ony. Again he got her away and took her to Chi- cago, and Jansen's men brought her back. Root talked to all who would listen to him, and told his story that Jansen had kidnapped his wife-had sep- arated them. Root evidently brooded over the mat- ter, and made up his mind to wreak a terrible re- venge for his real or imagined wrongs, and he pre- pared himself and came to Cambridge at the com- menceirent of the May term of Court in 1850, and just as Court adjourned for noon, he walked up to Jansen and without a word shot him down, -- firing two shots, but one taking effect, the first, and Jansen fell dead.

Root was arrested, took a change of venue to Knox County, was there tried, convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to the penitentiary for the term of two years. He was pardoned by the Governor and re- turned to the county, and went to Rock Island, and then to Chicago, where he died.

Jansen was an impracticable fanatic, very religtous and severe and unrelenting; and his death freed the the Colony from his rule and also from his Utopian ideas of the rights of property and government.

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Root was both a foolish and a vicious man, and the shot that killed Jansen wrecked his own life -- wrecked it to that degree that the grave must have come to him in the prime of life as a welcome refuge from this breathing world.

We have told of this tragedy simply to indicate its great effects upon the Swedes who composed Jan- sen's Colony. Soon after Jansen's death there was an improvement in the credit and standing of these people ; property no longer was held in common, and gradually the people became as other citizens, each practicing his chosen religion without let or hindrance, and the process of becoming real and val- uable Americans characterized the whole member- ship of the Colony, until now their neighbors in the county willingly testify that they constitute a body of our best citizens and are noted for less of the baneful, clannish spirit than probably any other body of for- eign people in the country.

The Colonists first settled along the south bank of the South Edwards Creek. The site was a beau- tiful one. It was covered sparsely with a small growth of oak timber. In 1849 they erected a four- story brick building, 100 x 45 feet. This was a col- ony-house, and here the afflicted and helpless were more comfortably housed than they had been in the mud caves and ragged tents.

A large frame building was soon after erected for a church. Such was their religious zeal that a house . of God was to be provided before they had made shelters for themselves.

To the credit of the people it must be stated that they established an English school as early as Jan- uary, 1847, thus showing that they came to America to be Americans. A Presbyterian clergyman, Rev. Talbot, taught some 35 scholars in a mud cave from January to July. At times he was assisted by his daughter, Mrs. Pollock, afterwards the wife of Eric Jansen and now his widow. Talbot taught the sec- ond school, and Nelson Simons, M. D., was employ- ed about one year as their third schoolmaster.

The progress of improvement was steady, and a grist-mill on a small scale was soon in operation on the Edwards Creek, at the Hill. Two saw-mills were also soon under way on the same stream. One of them they purchased. The construction of a steam grist-mill was commenced in 1849, under the direction of Eric Jansen, but not completed till after his death.

The high moral conduct of these people soon con- vinced those living nearest them that nothing was to be apprehended from them, as their creed was es- sentially harmless to all outsiders. And in the hour of need the Colonists found fast friends in the major- ity of those near them. By the year 1851 they had grown and strengthened, and had built a first-class steam flouring-mill, which turned out a large sur- plus of flour beyond the wants of the Colony.

From living in such poor habitations at first, and from being unaccustomed to the climate, great num- bers sickened and died. Especially among the children was the mortality fearful.

From the terrible mortality caused by cholera and the leaving of those in fear of the disease, the Col- ony was at one time reduced to 414 souls. These survived the plague and had the hardihood to re- main. At the time Mr. Jansen was murdered, in May, 1850 (an account of which is given elsewhere), they were suffering from sickness, desertion and death ; and the fact that these had the fortitude to remain amid such a multiplicity of discouragements, was proof conclusive of the earnestness of their con- viction that they were called to suffer, and, if need be, to die in demonstrating the true methods of Christian fellowship. In erecting the large build- ings for dwellings, in the manufacture of cloth, in the erection of large mills, in their frugal industry, and in their honest endeavors to promote their wel- fare, spiritually and temporally, during all these trials of poverty, sickness, death, desertion and strangers in a strange land, a lesson of commenda- ble zeal may be learned and an example of fortitude which has few equals in the history of the country.

By the year 1853 or '54 affairs were brightening and prospects grew better. Other emigrants came, other buildings were erected and the hopes of the early Colonists began to be realized.

Brick buildings, capable of accommodating from eight to double that number of families, were erected. In these each family had one or more rooms. All worked together, and at meal time repaired to the large dining-rooms and partook of food provided for all. Each one was required to labor, and after re- ceiving sufficient clothing and food from the pro- ducts, the remainder was used to purchase more land or erect additional buildings. Human nature is the same in all ages and among all people, and

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here, as well as elsewhere, were those who would not perform their share of the labor or provide for the common good. By the year 1860 it was found that the theories of Mr. Jansen would not prevail in practical life, and a division occurred.

By this year all the large brick buildings spoken of were erected. At this time they were divided into two parties, known as the Johnson (Jansen) and Ol- son parties. The former being more numerous, ob- tained about two-thirds of the property ; the latter the remainder. No serious difficulties arose from this division, and the individual affairs were conducted on the same plan heretofore pursued.

The following year the Olson party were divided into three divisions or parts, and the Johnson party made an individual distribution of their lands and town property.

It was soon found that it was better for all to be thrown upon an individual responsibility, and a dis- tribution of all property belonging to this party was made. To every person, male or female, that had attained the age of 35 years, 22 acres of land, one timber lot (nearly two acres), one town lot, and an equal part in all barns, horses, cattle, hogs, sheep, or other domestic animals, and all farming imple- ments and household utensils were given. All under this age received a share corresponding in amount and value to the age of the individual, no discrimina- tion being shown to either sex. The smallest share was about 8 acres of land, a correspondingly small town and timber lot, and part of the personal prop- erty.

The same year, in April, the town was laid out by the Trustees, Olef Johnson, Jonas Erickson, Swan Swanson, Jonas Olson, Jonas Kronberg, Olef Sten- berg and Jacob Jacobson. In 1861 the Olson party, being divided into three factions, continued to prose- cute their labors under the colony system. One year's trial, however, convinced them of the results. These factions were known as Olson, Stoneberg and ,(Martin) Johnson divisions, which, at the close of the year 1861, divided their property to the individuals comprising each faction, on the basis adopted by the Johnson party in 1860. The shares were, however, not quite so large. The large brick buildings are now principally owned by the old settlers.

After the establishment of the colony the school- room was removed from the cave to any vacant

room which could be utilized for that purpose. The school-room was therefore constantly changing until the erection of the large frame building spoken of, when the upper room in it was occupied for a num- ber of years. In 1858 or '59 a school-house was erected. It contains four rooms for school purposes and a library.

Village of Bishop Hill.

HE village of Bishop Hill is a prosperous station on the Rock Island & Peoria Rail- road, occupied almost entirely by Swedes, foreign-born, and the younger generation of them born in this county. Here, among the old, you will hear only the Swede language, and among the young, a curious mixture of Swede and English. They are all, however, educated in Eng- lish, and it is but a few years until this will be prac- tically the only language spoken among them. The town has a population of 350 souls, and excellent school and church buildings.

The Swede Methodist Episcopal Church was or- ganized in 1864, with twenty members, the principal of whom were: Eric Bengtron, Jonas Engstrom, Eric Soder, Jons Watstrom, George Ericson. Meet- ings at first were held in the Bishop Hill School- house, and in private residences. Soon after the organization a wagon-shop was bought for $400, and Church services were held in the second story of this building until 1868, when a church building was erected, at a cost of $3,500. In their order the preachers were N. O. Westergreen, Peter Challman, A. J. Anderson, Eric Shogren, W. K. Eklund and J. E. Bergren.

There are over 200 in the congregation, with a flourishing Sunday-school. A few years ago several of the members of this Church emigrated to Kansas, where they now reside.

WESTERN TOWNSHIP.

A NOTHER plan of colonizing, that was almost an exact pattern of the New York Colony, before described, was the La Grange Colony, which first settled in Western Town- ship. The company, in July, 1839, through their authorized agents, Killbourne and Buel purchased in townships 15 north, I east, and 16

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north, I east, and 16 north, 2 east, about 18,000 acres of land, and after the New York Colony plan, laid out a big town, divided it up, and sold preference for choice at public auction, receiving as premiums about $7,000. Kilbourne and Buel were paid $25 for each quarter-section, and the premium money was then to build a hotel, a seminary and a slush fund, to lobby through the Legislature a charter for a seminary, and also procure a charter for a Beet- Root Sugar Company, as well as have a State road located and made from the mouth of Rock River to Hennepin. Mr. Kilbourne lobbied two seasons at the Legislature. These brilliant schemes came to naught. A wing of the great public house was put up in township 16 north, I east, in 1836. Afterwards it became the home of Mr. Denton. Some of the timbers of the main building (30 X 40), were got out and hauled to the ground from Richland Grove, a distance of seven miles, and they lay unused on the grounds for a few years, and were finally sold to J. B. Trego, who used them in constructing a barn. The colonists were to come out, and each was to build on his piece of land. Alfred Buel built his house near the company's hotel, and some one erect- ed another frame house, but never occupied it. These were the entire improvements of the new town, and in after years they were sold to the Bishop Hill Colony, of which a full account is given in an- other place.

In the fall of 1837 M. B. Lloyd purchased of the La Grange Company 240 acres, paying $3.33 per acre. He could have got thousands of acres in the county just as good for $1.50 per acre. He built the first house outside of the town, about two miles dis- tant. Albert and Francis Wells bought of the com- pany a half-section in 1838. They were from Sing Sing, N. Y. Francis Wells came out and brought a large lot of Berkshire hogs, and fenced his farm with a sod fence, and entered upon raising hogs for the New York market. He raised quite a crop of corn, and had to carry water to his hogs. They became diseased, many died, and a part he slaughtered, took to Knoxville, and sold at $1.50 per 100. He sunk about $4,000 in his hog speculation, and having a horse and $to left he mounted and turned his horse to the East, and left the country. His abandoned house was divided out piece-meal among the neighbors, and when last heard from Francis was in California in the hot pursuit of wealth. He was a man of edu-

cation, a lawyer by profession, but, like the majority of graduates who came West, with only the bright but superficial ideas of the school-room, are signal failures nearly always, the only exception being those young men who are enabled to throw off the education that has cost them so much time and money as though it was a loose-fitting cloak, and as quickly learn that practical education of life that adapts men to their surroundings.

William Blackfan removed from Pennsylvania and settled two miles west of La Grange in 1839. Dr. Alfred Trego soon followed, and two other families from Bucks Co., Pa., came in 1840. This last named was known as West La Grange. These con- stituted the settlements in this part of the county for ten years. Dr. Robert D. Foster bought 1,100 acres of the company's land in 1847, and the next year sowed 200 acres in wheat. This crop and his improvements, and all his lands, he sold to the Bish- op Hill Colony. Buel removed to Galena in 1844 and died there. Blackfan died on his farm in 1841. Dr. Trego removed to Mercer County.

Orion.

HENRY County has numerous wide-awake, enterprising villages, but one of the pleasant and most enterprising is Orion. It stands almost in the center of Western Township, is surrounded by magnificent farming country, has excellent railroad accommodation, and is looked upon by the people, for miles around, as an excel- lent trading point. It is on the Rock Island Divis- of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, at the junction north of the Peoria & Rock Island Railroad, 18 miles south of Rock Island, and 12 miles from Cambridge.

Mahlon B. Lloyd, the first settler to locate in Western Township, came as early as 1837. He was an enterprising business man, and did much to ad- vance the interests of the township. His son Charles was the first white male child born in the township, and a daughter of William and Elizabeth K. Blackfan was the first female child born in the township. Dr. Alfred Trego came in 1840, and a year later the Blackfan family came in, and by 1852 there were but five families living in the township. These were M. B. Lloyd, H. B. Engle, Edward

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Blackfan, George Anderson and Elizabeth Blackfan and her family. The latter was the widow of Will- iam Blackfan, who died in 1843. This lady, though so early left a widow with a large family upon her hands and in a new country, displayed rare business ability, and succeeded in gaining considerable prop- erty, as well as to prove an earnest worker for the moral growth of the place.

As early as 1850 a postoffice was established in the township, called Orion. Mrs. Blackfan was ap- pointed Postmistress, and held the position until it was moved to Orion in 1853. In December of that year Charles W. Dean laid out Orion, which for some time was known as Deanington. In 1867 it was christened its present name. Mr. Dean immediate- ly erected a store-building, and embarked in the grocery business. But little growth, however, was at- tained until the completion of the railroad, which was in the autumn of 1870. The coming of the iron horse awakened many new enterprises. Buildings went up on every hand, stores and shops were opened, and the business of the place soon quad- rupled. There are excellent schools at this point, three prosperous churches, a bank, a weekly news- paper, and all the necessary appointments for a first-class town.

In 1852, when there were but five families in the township as above mentioned, it was determined to erect a school building, and a tax was therefore voted. The school-house was erected on Mr. Lloyd's farm, the site of which is at present almost within the corporation of Orion. Charles Dean erected the building, at a cost of $140. In 1854, it was moved to Orion, and the following year the first school at this place was opened by Charles Moon. Great progress has since been made in the facilities for accommodating the children in this place, and to-day Orion can justly boast of one of the best schools in the county.

In 1853, the Methodist Episcopal Church was or- ganized in the school-house above mentioned, while it was standing on Mr. Lloyd's farm. John and Mary McHenry, Henry and Mary Kyle, and Eliza J. McWhinney were among the first members. Rev. G. W. Brown was the first appointed minister. Meetings were held in the school-house until 1867, when a commodious church building was erected, at a cost of $3,500. Rev. F. M. Chaffee was the first resident Presiding Elder of the Methodist Episcopal

Church of Henry County. He lived at Orion in the parsonage that was built here in 1873, at a cost of $3,000. Rev. A. R. Morgan is the present Presid- ing Elder of this district, and he also resides at Orion.

The Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church is one of the oldest religious organizations in the county. On the 21st of November, 1843, a few earnest members of this denomination met at the house of V. W. Washburn, in Colona Township, and effected an organization. Among those present were Luke C. and Mrs. Mary A. Sheldon, N. W. and Mrs. Eliza- beth Washburn. It received but few additions for many years. Meetings were, however, held in school- houses, and finally the congregation moved to Orion and erected a good house of worship, costing about $5,000.

The Swedish Lutheran Church effected an organi- zation May 26, 1870, having at the time 30 members. For a time the meetings were held in the Baptist Church, when they erected a large house of worship, costing $4,500, and later erected a good parsonage.

The United Brethren Church, known as the Eden Church, located on section 16 of this township, was organized in 1867. Meetings, however, were pre- viously held, under the charge of Rev. St. Clair Ross and Rev. D. F. Blair. There were 28 persons present at the organization. Shortly afterwards a pleasant church structure was erected, costing about $2,000.

The business men of Orion are worthy the liberal patronage they receive from the farmers of the sur- rounding country. They display commendable enterprise in looking after their trade, as well as hold- ing out inducements to a good class of people to come and locate here. Personal sketches of the leading business men of the place, as well as its most prominent citizens, are given in the biographical part of this ALBUM.

WETHERSFIELD TOWNSHIP.

HE delegated agents of the colony which located here, E. Goodrich and Col. S. Blish, entered land in township 15 north, range 4 .east, for the colonists, May 12, 1836. William and Samuel Carson entered lands in the same vicinity, August 8, and Ed. C. Dele- van August 12th following. The next spring Jacob

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Portrait and biographical album of Henry County, Illinois : containing full-page portraits and biographical sketches of prominent and representative citizens of the county, Part 110

Author: Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co. Number of Pages: 850

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Chicago : Biographical Publishing Co.
Number of Pages: 850