USA > Illinois > Lee County > Recollections of the pioneers of Lee County [Illinois] > Part 41
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The barking of the wolf and scream of the panther, which struck terror to the hearts of timid women are replaced by the shriek of the locomotive and the cow-bell.
Only recently has the old Indian trail across the township been oblit- erated. Their dusky forms have long since disappeared from our midst, but children still love to gather about the grandmother's chair and hear the "Indian stories" of the early days.
MINNIE COBB.
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The Townsip of Willow Creek.
Willow Creek Township.
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T HE historian who writes up the reminiscences of Lec county and leaves out the township of Willow Creek is not going to get credit for doing a first-class job, so I will come to the rescue and tell something about this beautiful prairie and woodland section-this north- cast corner of Lee county. In the first place I will describe the country by saying there are four groves in the township. Allen's Grove is the largest, the next in size is Smith's Grove, and then there are the Twin Groves-they derived their names from their location, standing as they do side by side, one is a little larger than the other, but they are twins.
Allen's Grove took its name from the first man who settled there, and likewise Smith's Grove was named after one of the numerous Smith fam- ily, who came west long years ago and became a settler at the grove. Willow creek takes its source in Wyoming township and flows north in a circular course, passing through Twin Groves. Native Willows found growing upon the banks of this creek suggested a name for it, and when the township was organized people named it after the creek that ran through it. The first road that ran through this township was the In- dian trail that ran from Ottawa north to the hunting grounds in Wis- consin. The Indians were once paid their annuities by the government at this place.
F. A. Parker, attorney-at-law living in Pawpaw, said his great-grand- father was living at Wedrun some time after the massacre at Fort Dear born (he could not give the date), and his son, Mr. Parker's grandfather, lived a few miles nearer to Ottawa. One day Shabbona came riding his pony at great speed and warmed them that the Indians were liable to kill them. He waved his tomahawk above his head three times and said to them they must "pack-a-chee!" He was terribly in earnest and he warned all the white people in that vicinity, and they were not slow to act upon his advice. There being Indians between there and Ottawa the y could not go to the fort for protection, nor even get word to the old
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man's son, but they hastily packed up their bedding and some provisions and loaded it on the horses' backs; and his grandfather carried Mr. Par- ker's mother from there to Allen's Grove in his arms. She was about five years old at that time. And his grandmother, who has told him the story, said she walked by his side and carried all she could of their cloth- ing. Quite a number of families joined them who had been warned as they were. They started after dark and got to Allen's Grove a little after sunrise-walking all night and leading the horses; they followed the Indian trail, as that was the only road. They corraled their horses around in the timber and banded together to protect themselves if need be, but they were undisturbed by Indians and returned home in a few days. Mr. Parker's grandfather's name was Edward Saunders and he belonged to the United States regular army. He assisted in building old Fort Dearborn, in fact superintended building it, being the only carpen- ter among the company of men that was stationed there in that very early day.
The earliest settlers in Willow Creek township took up their abodes at the groves. Peter Gunzalus, a Frenchman from Duchess County, New York, came to Allen's Grove in the fall of 1836 and made a claim of the Shandy farm, and after staying two years lie sold his claim to Richard Allen. This was the first farm that was iniproved and had a comforta- ble house built on it in the township. In 1837 a family of Smith's came to this township from Argyleshire, Scotland. The father's name was John Smith. He settled near Allen's Grove and built his cabin. The claim he bought of Armour included a grove which has since been called Smith's Grove. His son, David Smith, still lives close by the spot where his father's log cabin was built. John Smith's cabin was the second house built in the township and it was the first one that burned down. Its roof was made of the long prairie grass that had been niowed down and dried and fixed to shed water, but the fire caught in the dry hay and soon burned down in the cold December; the family lost most of their . clothing and bedding and some valuable books. A new house was soon built near where the first one stood. Death entered the household soon after they came to the Grove, and John, the second son, was the victim. This was the first death in the township. His grave may be seen in the family burying ground. John Colvill came from Scotland with the Smith's and made his home with them for a time. Robert Smith, now living at Dixon, is a brother of David Smith.
The first settler at Allen's Grove kept a sort of tavern where food and shelter could be had. After Allen left the Grove a man by the name of
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Price took the claim. Israel Shandy camc in 1844 and bought the claim of Price and it is his home yet in his old age. In 1839 Horatio G. Haw- lett came from Dixon and settled at Allen's Grove. He had lived at Dixon two years; he lived at Allen's Grove until he died at a good old age. His son, James Hawlett, is still living on the old farm at the Grove. William Moore was the first settler at Twin Groves. James Thompson and Levi Lathrop came together in 1842 and bought Moore's claim in - partnership. They paid $30 for the timber claim. Thompson bought out Lathrop's claim. Robert Blair, a brother-in-law to Mrs. Thompson, bought a claim to part of the north grove. His son, Robert Blair, was the first white child born at Twin Grove in 1846; at that time and for three years their nearest neighbors were at Malugen's Grove. These earliest settlers lived in log cabins and endured many privations.
George Wise, Isaac Gardner, Mark R. Averill and Jacob B. Fisher all lived for a time at Twin Grove. In 1846 Cummings Noe came to the Grove. He lived for a number of years on land at the south grove.
Shabbona and his tribe used to go through the country and they often visited the early settlers. The first school in the township was taught by Miss Martha Vandeventer, sister to . Christopher Vandeventer. The school was held in one of Israel Shandy's log houses. Mr. Shandy used to keep tavern at that time. A Miss Nettleton and a Miss Brace kept school in the same place afterward. The first school ever taught at Twin Groves was in a log cabin in James Thompson's dooryard. The teacher was a widow Stubbs.
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The Township of Wyoming.
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The Gifmore Family. 1
N EAR the close of a cold, rainy day, on the 4th of June, 1835, on the hill about half way between Paw Paw and Melugin's Grove in this (Lee) county, a team of two horses, facing west, became exhausted and refused to go any further. In the wagon were Mrs. John Gilmore and five children, the eldest being nine years old, and beside the team walked the husband and father, and a friend, Mr. William Guthrie; rain was falling steadily, night was approaching, and the only house between them and Dixon's Ferry, was that of Zachariah Melugin, three miles away. A consultation was held and Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore and the child- ren started on foot in an endeavor to reach the shelter of Mr. Melugin's house, which they did, late at night, drenched with the rain and thoroughly exhausted. Mr. Guthrie remained with the team, and help being sent to him they were brought in the next day-thus came the second family in all that empty waste, now so filled with population, wealth, and all that goes to make up the sum of a prosperous and refined society. Guthrie had passed over this country as a soldier in the Black Hawk war, and it was owing to his enthusiastic description that this beautiful spot was chosen for their future home.
They were true pioneers, and within a few days a claim was selected, the walls of a log cabin twelve feet square and seven feet high were erected and covered with shakes, held in place by "weight poles," and the family nioved in. No door, window, chimney or floor, but it was the foundation of a happy, prosperous home, still lovingly remembered in all that vicinity. A puncheon floor was soon added, a "stick chimney" and a shake door, and soon the little cahin was made hospitable and comfort- able, but when it was finished not a board or nail or a pane of glass had been used in its construction. In this cabin, on the 8th day of Novem- ber, 1835, was born to Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore, a son, W. W. Gilmore, still living, a retired merchant in Compton, near the original home. Soon after this event, finding that work (to be paid for in provisions) could be
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had at Ross' Grove, twenty miles from home, Mr. Gilmore left his family, and accompanied by his friend Guthrie, went to Ross' Grove and worked most of the winter. They came home on Saturday night on foot,' often carrying a part of their week's wages on their shoulders, and walked back to their work on Monday. The Indians had not yet been removed, and day and night they swarmed around the little cabin beg- ging, and often impudently demanding food, which, from her scanty store, Mrs. Gilmore was unable to supply. She has often said that she suffered more from fear of the Indians that winter, than from all other causes combined.
Sometime in the fall of that year Mr. A. V. Christeance and wife had erected a cabin about a mile distant and were living in it. About Christ- mas there came on one of those terrible sleet storms, still remembered by · all old settlers, and the ground was soon covered with one continued glare of ice. About midnight the family were awakened to find the cabin filled with stifling smoke. The stick chimney had taken fire and the house was in great danger. Mrs. Gilmore being alone with her children, hastily dressed herself and tried to put out the fire. The spring of water was some twenty rods away and everything so covered with ice that she could walk only in her stocking feet, and in this way went sev- eral times to the spring and brought water, but did not gain on the fire. In this emergency she started her nine-year old boy (now A. P. Gilmore, of Compton, ) after help. Mr. Christeance, the nearest neighbor, was a mile away, through the woods with only a dim path, which was easy enough to follow in daylight, but in a dark and bitterly cold and stormy night it was doubtful if the boy could find the way, or endure the cold if he did. But it was the only chance, and whistling for his faithful dog he started. He has often spoken of that midnight tramp as one of the most perilous experiences of his life. But he succeeded and returned with help, and by their united efforts the house was saved, though great ly damaged ..
Game was plenty, but amunition was scare. During the first winter a party of hunters camped near the grove and killed a great many deer, which they hung on the trees until they should get a wagon load. One day Mrs. Guthrie, in passing through the grove, came across a large buck hung up, and after considering the matter a little, she shouldered it and carried it home. She used to say that she always felt a little guilty in appropriating the venison, but it seemed to be a matter of necessity. After they became prosperous and well off she used to say that she would like to see that hunter and pay him for the deer. J. K. Robinson taught
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1
the first school in 1837, with eight pupils. Settlers now began to come in and the county filled up quite fast. O. P. Johnson located at the west end of the grove and opened a tavern, which many of the old settlers will still remember. We were boys and girls then-our heads are white now. The first death remembered, was a Mr. Little, a Scotchman, the first one to be buried in the little cemetery. The first marriage in the eastern part of Lee county (it was Ogle ceunty then) was that of J. K. Robinson and Polly Melugin, which took place in 1836.
William Guthrie located a claim in 1835 at what was afterwards known as Guthrie's Grove, near his friend Gilmore, and in the fall of 1836 was married to Miss Ross, at Ross' Grove on Indian Creek, a distance of twenty miles. Transportation in those days was a matter of serious difficulty, but the wedding was an event that must be duly celebrated. So Mr. Giimore yoked his best pair of oxen to the wagon, took his wife and the younger children, two lady friends and the groom, and by mak- ing an early start accomplished the journey in a day. The wedding was celebrated with real new country hilarity, and the bride and groom re- turned to the cabin which he had prepared. Mrs. Guthrie used to say that they commenced housekeeping with her wedding outfit- a straw tick, a tea kettle and a frying pan. The struggle for life was sharp, and sometimes the larder was nearly empty, but when spring came and the flowers bloomed the hardships of the winter were soon forgotten.
Sometime in the summer of 1836, on a trip to Troy Grove after pro- visions, Mr. Gilmore come across a Methodist preacher, (it is thought that his name was Lummery) and invited him to come to Melugin's Grove and hold meetings, and an appointment was made for the next round of the circuit which would be in six weeks. At the appointed time the preacher came and held service in the little Gilmore home, at which every man, woman and child in the settlement was present, and room to · spare. A church was organized and a class formed, which has never ceased to exist to this day. Then the seeds were planted which in due time have produced the beauties of culture and religion which we enjoy.
REBECCA GILMORE FROST.
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SHABBONA.
SPOTKA.
Shaubena.
W HO was Shaubena-or Shabbona-as I have always been accus- tomed to write and speak the name? He was an Indian, and a good Indian, too. He was born in the year 1773 at an Indian village on the Kankakee river, now in Will county. His father was of the Ottawa tribe and came from Michigan with Pontiac during the year 1766, being one of the small band of followers who fled from their coun- try after the defeat of that great chief. He was a war chief also, and from a speech of his that has been preserved by tradition he is judged to have been a person of more than ordinary ability.
While Shabbona was an infant or a little pappoose his parents went with him to Canada and stopped at an Indian village twenty miles east of Detroit. They lived there till Shabbona was seven years old, when they returned to their old home on the Kankakee river, and he lived there until he was a man grown, when he married a daughter of a Potta- watomie chief, named Spotka, who had a village on the Illinois a short distance above the mouth of Fox river. At the death of this chief, which occurred a few years afterwards, Shabbona succeeded him as head chief of the band. Soon after this the band left the Illinois river on ac- count of sickness, and they took up their abode in a lovely grove about thirty miles north of their former home. This grove is situated in De- Kalb county and the band of Indians was found there by the carly white settlers. The grove still bears the name of the kind old chief who did so much for the white people in the carly pioncer days. Shabbona and his band lived in this grove-that is situated at the head of Big Indian creek -nearly fifty years. His first wife, Spotka, is buried there and two of his children are buried beside her. A huge stone marks the spot-or did in days gone by-and a fence of poles surrounds the place; I remember visiting the place years ago after the Indians had gone and their land was sold and eagerly sought after by the white nien, who wanted the wood
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for fire and for building purposes. My father bought the old Indian council ground and my uncle, Michael Clapsaddle, who came to the Grove soon after the Black Hawk war, was personally acquainted with Shab- bona. The old Indian used to visit at his house quite often and he was never tired of telling of the brave deeds of the great warriors who had lived and fought and gone hence to their happy hunting grounds, but he would never tell these things over before my aunt. He would want to go out and sit down on the ground under the big shade trees, then he would tell all the war stories one would care to listen to.
One day he came while the family were at dinner and sat down on the ground out in the door yard under a large oak tree to wait for my uncle to come out, as he had told him the day before that he and his family must leave the grove in a very few days. It was not their home now, the white men had cheated him out of his home. They called it lawful and right, but said he, "It is just like steal, me Shabbona tell them when to run from Indian tomahawk.". He told my uncle how the Pottawato- mie and Winnebago chiefs denounced him as a traitor to his race for having warned the white people of their danger. They met in council and said in their speeches that he had forfeited his life, and that both tribes demanded his death because he was the white man's friend. In the spring of 1833, after the council on Green river, near what is now called New Bedford, two warriors volunteered to kill him. One morn- ing, while he was out hunting, passing through the timber just back of my uncle's house (he pointed out the place to him as he told him this) two shots were fired at him from a cluster of bushes. "The bullets went whiz! whiz! by my head just so," (motioning with his hands close by his ears) "but they hide in the bushes, me see nobody." On the same day two mean-looking Indians were seen skulking along the edge of the grove trying to hide themselves from sight. An old Indian who knew they were trying to kill him went to a half-breed who had charge of a trading house a few miles from where the council was held and told Louis Ouilmette, the trader, that the two warriors were on their way to kill him. Ouilmette sent a young Indian who was friendly to the whites and Shabbona to warn him of his danger. He said, "I loved my white friends; I risked my life to save them from the scalping knife and I ex- pected to die by the hand of my enemies for trying to save the lives of my white friends and their children. I mounted my pony and rode to Bureau settlement and I did not return for many weeks, but went to Rochell's village south of the Illinois river and hid away from my ene- mies."
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Shabbona was pleasant in his manners and had many warm friends among the white people and Indians also. He always kept his promise; he was never known to do a mean dishonest act. My uncle said in speak- ing of him his knowledge of the western country seemed to be extensive. He talked about Galena and Chicago as we now talk about going to Shab- bona or Pawpaw, and yet the Indian trail and the fleet-footcd pony helped him to cover the distance from Chicago to Galena in those days when the whole state of Illinois was in two counties-St. Clair and Ran- dolph-the northern portion, including Wisconsin, being under the juris- diction of St. Clair. What a frec wild life the Indians must have led be- fore the palefaces came to disturb them.
Shabbona said, "Black Hawk did not expect to conquer the whites, but thought if the different tribes joined him the government would be willing to treat on favorable terms and return to him his village," which the government had sold while he and his band were away on a hunt dur- ing the winter of 1830. In the spring when they returned to their vil- lage, as they had been in the habit of doing, they found people living in their wigwams and that the white men had possession of their corn- fields.
Black Hawk called on the Indian agent, Thomas Forsyth, at Rock Is- land, and also on his friends, for counsel and advice, and they all advised him to abandon his village and go west of the Mississippi river. He al- ways contended to the day of his death that he had never sold his village, and to regain possession of it seemed to be the one great object of his life.
Shabbona and Black Hawk had always been on friendly terms, al- though Shabbona could not be induced to join him in a war against the whites. He told my uncle about the last tinie they visited together. Black Hawk's band was camping about twenty-five miles above Dixon's Ferry in a grove on a stream that has since been called Stillman's Run. Black Hawk sent a message to Shabbona and to Waubansic, who had a village at Pawpaw Grove, to nieet him there. They mounted their ponies and started for his camp. They were met by the whole band of chiefs, warriors, squaws and pappooses. They had a good dinner at Black Hawk's wigwani, over which waved the British flag, the one presented to Black Hawk two years before by the commanding officer of Fort Walden. A company of young squaws serenaded them with music of drums and rattling gourds, songs and dances while they ate their dinner.
After dinner Black Hawk took his company off in the grove where they could be alone for a little confidential talk. The three chiefs seated themselves on a fallen tree and Black Hawk sat between Shabbona and
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Waubansic and told them the story of his wrongs. He told them how he was born at Sac village and how he loved the place and that his father and mother and some of his children were buried there and how he ex- pected to live there and die there and be buried by their side, and he said, "But now in my old age I have been driven from my home and dare not look again upon this loved spot." HIe hid his face in his blanket and was silent for a long time. After wiping away his tears lie said, "Before many moons you too will be compelled to leave your homes, the hunting grounds you have roamed over in your youth; the corn fields and your villages will be in the possession of the whites, and the graves of your fathers and loved ones will be plowed over by them, while your people will be driven toward the setting sun, beyond the 'Father of Waters.'" Black Hawk stood up before the chiefs and said, "We have always been as brothers, have fought side by side in the British war, have hunted to- gether and slept under the same blanket; we have met in council and at religious feasts, our people are alike and our interests the same." Then Black Hawk said he was on the warpath and urged his friends to join him. Shabbona said no! he could not raise the tomahawk against the white people who had always been kind to him. Waubansic heard what was said by both and smoked his pipe in silence. After hearing Shab- bona say "no" to the urgent pleading of Black Hawk, he too refused to take part in the war that Black Hawk was anxious to stir up against the whites, but he promised to be present at the council of chiefs; but Shab- bona refused to be present. He urged Black Hawk to go west of the Mississippi to save his people-and the two chiefs parted to meet no more.
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Waubansic and his band came to Pawpaw Grove during the summer of 1824 and lived here until the government moved them west of the Mississippi river. Shabbona told my uncle that he sent to Pawpaw for Waubansic's band to come and stay at Shabbona Grove, so each band would be a protection for the other after the commencenient of hostili- ties. They stayed there for a number of days; afterward they sent their squaws and pappooses and the old and infirm Indians to Ottawa and the warriors joined Atkinson's army at Dixon's Ferry. A short time after Waubansic went west he was killed by a party of Sacs and Foxes for hav- ing fought against them during the Black Hawk war. His scalp was taken and his body left on the prairie to be caten up by wolves, while his beautiful pony was ridden away by one of his murderers.
Shabbona said he was acquainted with Tecumseh, and he used to tell how Tecumseh visited his village. He said: "On a warm day in Indian summer, while me and my friends were playing ball, Tecumseh and three
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chiefs, each riding a fine black pony, arrived at my village. The next day a favorite dog was killed and a feast made for the great Tecumseh and the chiefs that accompanied him, and night was spent with songs and dancing. Shabbona went with his visitors to a number of villages on the Illinois and Fox rivers and listened to the great Tecumseh's speeches in behalf of lis scheme of uniting all the tribes of the west in a war against the whites that they might repel the encroachments of the white men, and retard the march of civilization, which meant the extermina- tion of the Indian. The next summer Shabbona accompanied Tecumseh to Vincennes to meet Gen. Harrison the second time in council, and lis- tened to their angry speeches. Neither Tecumseh nor Harrison were willing to make any concession, and the council ended without reconcil- iation. Shabbona was Aid to Tecumseh, and stood by his side when he fell at the battle of Thames. The old chief liked to tell about the battle of the Thames, and describe every detail. Shabbona said he was standing by the side of Tecumseh when he was shot by the man on a white horse (Col. Johnson) and with a shrill whoop he fell to the ground.
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