USA > Illinois > Lee County > Recollections of the pioneers of Lee County [Illinois] > Part 6
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asking many questions about it. It was a turtle from which they were extracting the oil, and when told that it was for medicinal purposes, he was much interested. The Indians gathered many herbs, and roots which they washed and put up carefully to take away with them. Once, when two or three Indians called and asked for something to eat, Mrs. Hook sent out to them by her husband, bread, meat, etc., on separate plates for each, with knives and forks, just te see how they would use them. They good-naturedly laid them aside and taking the meat in their fingers and saying, "this is the way Indian eat" they ate it in their own way.
Mr. Hook's family had been accustomed to Indians, for on the Penob- scot River in Maine there have always been many of them; some beau- tiful specimens of their work in baskets and moccasins finding the way around the country, and often being for sale. Mrs. Hook seems to have had an unusually happy faculty in dealing with them. If some cf our Indian agents on the frontier might learn something from her, it would be a happy thing for both Uncle Sam's red and white children.
The first school-house was built in 1839. It was a log house not far from where Seneca Strickland now lives. Mrs. Strickland, daughter of Andrew Bainter, remembers the log threshold over which she climbed when she ran away to school at the age of two or three years. This school-house had three windows, with twelve panes of glass in each, six by eight inches, and they were put in sidewise. Long benches were placed on three sides, with a broad board back of them, fastened to the wall by a support from the under side, which served as desks for the children to lay their books on, as well as to write upon. Near the long, high benches were two or three smaller ones for the youngest children. Here they sat, holding their books in their hands while they spelled b-a, ba; c-a, ca; d-a, da; etc. A blackboard was unknown to these little pio- neers, neither were there maps or charts; only the rough, dark logs and the small, low windows; yet they were happy and faithful, and to obey the teacher was one rule seldom broken. One of the first lessons the new teacher always gave to all, both large and small, was the first part of the spelling-book. To the small ones the great puzzle was to tell diphthongs and triphthongs, interrogations and exclamations; but if they could close the book and say the words, all was well. The teachers, in those days, were thorough; for example, there were two little girls not five years old, who had to stand on the floor and study their lessons because they had misspelled "chintz" and "stiltz," almost breaking their hearts.
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CLARA WASSON. ( MRS. BACKENSTO.)
The first teacher was Miss Clara Wasson, greatly beloved by her pu- pils. Here afterwards taught Miss Lucy Ann Church, Charlotte Doan, the Misses Badger and Wasson, Ann Chadwick, and "a long line of dis- tinguished" teachers whose names we have not been able to obtain. Miss Clara Wasson, now Mrs. Backensto, writes, "I now remember my little school with great pleasure. Although quite inexperienced myself, the dear little people thought me a perfect teacher, which shows how inex- perienced the most of them were, having never attended school before. They were so quiet and obedient that the little ground squirrels would come into the school-room to eat the scattered crumbs."
Mrs. Backensto relates another incident. "Just after the Dexter chil- dren had started home from school they came running back to me saying that Thomas had been bitten by a rattlesnake. We soon found the snake and with a long switch whipped it to death, as this is the surest and easiest way to dispose of those venomous reptiles. Andrew Bainter tied his whip-lash tightly around the leg, just above the wound. I soon found some Seneca snake root, and gathering a quantity, bruised some between two stones and bound it with my handkerchief on to the wounded foot and took him, with a quantity of the snake-root, home to his mother, in- structing her to steep some of it in milk and give him to drink, and to bind some fresh root on the wound, which she did; and much to my sur- prise and satisfaction the next morning he came to school just a little lame, and soon recovered entirely. What a blessed Providence to provide an antidote for that deadly poison within our reach; and thanks to my mother's instructions, I knew just what to do "
There must be many interesting reminiscences connected with this school-house were there time and opportunity to collect them from those who participated in them. Later, when the larger log school-house was built between Col. Badger's and Mr. Wasson's, the old log house was moved farther east, near to the Lewis farm, and the new school-house was the usual place for preaching; but for some years it remained where it was first located and was the place for religious services as well as spelling-schools, singing-school, etc. Previous to the building of this, in the winter of 1837-8, religious services were held in the cabins. We hear of a Mr. Vincent, a relative of the eminent eastern divine, Rev. Dr. Vin- cent, preaching at Mr. Bridgeman's cabin. Messrs. Lumery, Smith, Gor- bitt, White and others at the Doan and other cabins. Mr. Stinson and other lay preackers and Rev. Erastus De Wolfe at the Dexter cabin; also at Mr. Benjamin Wasson's. The meetings were often on week days, the men leaving their labor to worship at this Shekinah in the wilderness;
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coming in their carts or wagons, drawn by oxen or horses; often following the Indian trails through thickets of wild fruit trees and groves of oak, all converging toward the creek and vicinity of the old encampments.
Rev. Mr. Farney preached the first sermon in the old log school-house; afterwards, Revs. Luke Hitchcock, John Cross, Charles Gardner and others supplied. At one of Mr. Gardner's meetings he had for an auditor Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonisin. Mr. Gardner invited him to close the services with prayer, which he did. He and Sidney Rigdon held meetings there, afterwards, and Smith had followers here who speak of him now with a look of reverence and sorrow as "The Martyred Proph- et." They have always been good and upright members of the community, cherishing no sympathy with Brigham Young, whom they consider as one who "defied the laws of God and man."
The old school-house was of use to all in the settlement. Some of the stories told of the spelling-schools held there are most amusing. Old and young attended, and one bright little girl of six years, who was a good speller, so interested Simon Badger that he managed to keep near enough behind her to whisper assistance when a particularly "hard word" came to her. Once when she was chosen on the other side she went with anx- iety at the loss of her gallant assistant, but it was not long before he had changed seats and she found he was at hand.
Emma Hale, the sister of Elizabeth Wasson, was born in the town of Harmony, Susquehanna county, Pennsylvania, July 10, 1804. Her par- ents, Mr. Isaac and Mrs. Elizabeth (Lewis) Hale, were pioneers of a self- reliant race, brave, honest, of unshaken fidelity and unquestioned integ- rity. She grew to womanhood amid the rural scenes, labors and recrea- tions incident to farm life on the banks of the Susquehanna River. She was a good horse-woman, and a canoe on the river was her plaything. She was a fair scholar for the common schools of the time, and a good singer and possessed of a fine voice. She was of excellent form, straight and above medium height, features strongly marked, hair and eyes brown, while her general intelligence and fearless integrity, united with her kindness of heart and splendid physical developments commanded both admiration and respect.
In 1825 Miss Hale became acquainted with Joseph Smith, celebrated in the history of the religions of the United States, as the founder of "Mormonism," "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints," to whom she was married in the town of South Bainbridge, New York, at the residence of 'Squire Tarbell, January 18, 1827. Mrs. Smith lived in
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the family of her husband's parents, at Manchester, New York, until December, when they moved to Harmony, Pennsylvania, and settled near her father's farm.
In September of this year, Mr. Smith became possessed of the plates from which he is said to have written the "Book of Mormon." These plates Mr. Smith had during their residence in their home near Isaac Hale, and of them Mrs. Smith states:
" I knew that he had them. I made a linen sack for Mr. Smith to carry them in. They lay on a stand in my room, day after day, for weeks at a time, and I often moved them in cleaning the room and dusting the table. They were of metal, and when thumbed, as one sometimes thumbs the leaves of a book, would give off a metallie sound."
A gentleman, now a resident of Amboy, who was, three or four years ago in business in Binghampton, New York, gives an interesting account of a visit which he made while there to Harmony township, Pennsylva- nia, where the plates were said, by Mr. Smith to have been found. The historic spot is on the summit of a high hill not far from the Susque- hanna river, and is still visited as a place of interest. The stones which formed the foundations of the derrick used, still surround the deep exca- vation, which, although partially filled, by the caving in of the earth, is some elghty-five feet deep. A Mr. Benson, whose farm joins the land once owned by Isaac Hale, Mrs. Smith's father, and who was familiar with the early history of both the Hale and Smith families, was the guide and instructor of our informant. Smith was about a year in reach- ing the depth of a hundred or more feet, where he claimed the Angel Meroni had made known to him the plates were to be found. He, with some of his friends, would work at the place nutil the money gave out, when the work must wait until more means to carry it on were obtained. One enthusiastic follower spent his farm and beggared himself in the search for the hidden treasure. Some people thought Smith insane, but his preaching drew to him crowds of followers.
In February, 1829, Mrs. Smith became an amanuensis to her hushand, and from his dictation she wrote much of the celebrated Book of Mor- mon; and in this year it was completed and published in Palmyra, New York, by E. B. Grandin. It was in this year that Oliver Cowdery joined his fortune and influence with the new religious movement begun by Joseph Smith.
The persecutions which followed now compelled a removal from Har- mony, and in August, 1830, the family moved to Fayette; Seneca county, New York. From there, in January, 1831, they went to Kirtland, Ohio,
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where Newel K. Whitney, one of the leading men in the Mormon society, befriended them. The sickness incidental to a new country prevailed, and Mr. and Mrs. Smith having lost their first child, adopted a little boy and girl, twin children of Mrs. John Murdock, who died, the father con- senting. September, 1831, they moved to Hiram, Portage county, Ohio, thirty-five miles south-east of Kirtland. The converts to Mr. Smith's .
preaching were constantly arriving from all parts of the country, greatly to the disturbance of antagonists to the Mormon religion, and in March, 1832, the most violent persecution followed. Mr Smith was dragged from his bed, beaten into insensibility, tarred and feathered and left for dead. A strange part of this experience was, that his spirit seemed to leave his body, and that during the period of insensibility he consciously stood over his own body, feeling no pain, but seeing and hearing all that trans- píred.
When, after returning to consciousness, he managed to drag himself back to his home, Mrs. Smith fainted at the sight; and the little adopted boy, who took cold on that fearful night, died the next week. It was a long time before Mrs. Smith recovered from the shock of all these accu- mulated sorrows. The same night Sidney Rigdon was subjected to the same treatment.
He now started on a mission to Missouri, Mrs. Smith returning to Kirtland and stopping with her friends, the Whitneys. It is here that Joseph Smith, now of Lamoni, Decatur county, Iowa, was born, Novem- ber 6, 1832.
In April, 1838, the fanily moved to Missouri, in Caldwell county. Here Mrs. Smith hoped for the quietude and peace for which she longed, but great numbers of converts flocked to their leader. The people became alarmed and violent persecutions which it is useless and painful to de- tail followed. Accusations of every kind were made, and the extermina- tion of the Mormons seemed to be determined upon. The leaders, Joseph and his brother Hiram Smith and others were imprisoned, and a sum- mary death from shooting was expected by them. Mrs. Smith was now left with her family of four children; her adopted daughter, her three sons, the oldest six years old, the youngest five months, at the beginning of winter, her husband in jail for his religion's sake, powerless to help him. What could she do? She bravely visited her husband in the jall, taking her oldest son with her, and while she was permitted but a short interview, she obtained permission to leave the child a guest of his man- acled and fettered father, until the next day.
After making such arrangements for the safety of herself and child-
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ren as she could, Mrs. Smith left the home from which she had been driven, and turned her steps toward Illinois. The winter shut in early, and when the fleeing pilgrims reached the Mississippi River it was frozen over and Mrs. Smith, weary, sad and heart-broken, crossed the mighty river to Quincy, Illinois, on foot, carrying her two youngest children, with the oldest boy and little girl clinging to her dress. She found a hos- pitable welcome at the home of a family by the name of Cleveland, where she remained during the long winter, sad, but trusting, and in faithful expectancy, waiting for her husband's relief and delivery from bonds. When, at last, he was free, she welcomed him with a wife's rapture, and was ready to begin again the life of devotion to his happiness as she had ever been.
The little town of Commerce, in Hancock county, Illinois, at the head of the Lower Rapids, had been chosen for a resting place for the refugees, and the family reached it on May tenth. A celebrated river pilot, by the name of Hugh White, owned a farm on which was a hewed log house with a clap-board annex, which Mr. Smith bought, and into which he moved his family. Yet, even here, Mrs. Smith knew not what awaited her. All her married life had been such as to call forth the strongest courage and fortitude and faith of her soul, and in none of them had she faltered. What she had and what she was, she had placed on the altar of her devotions; and if God willed, she was content.
The seasons of 1839-40, were seasons of severe trials to the new settle- ments. Fever incident to the new countries, the long exposure and cry- ing want endured by many in their forced exodus from Missouri, the fogs from the river and miasma from the swamps-all combined to make the season sickly, and hundreds became victims, many of whom died. Mrs. Smith realizing the weight of the general burden and the necessity of proper nursing of the stricken people, opened her house for hospital ser- vice. Numbers of the severe cases were removed to her home and placed under her care. She, with her family of children, took shelter in a tent in the dooryard, she, and her children under her direction, doing all that they could to minister to the suffering. At one time she had ten of these unfortunate people in her care, herself and oldest son being the only nurses that were available, the boy doing little except to carry water from the spring near the river's brink to quench the thirst and lave the hands and faces of the fever tried souls.
During a great portion of this trying time, Mrs. Smith's husband was at Washington, D. C., seeking to secure the intervention of the General Government, to obtain an official and final examination of the difficulties
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between the Mormons and their restless neighbors, and security from the Government in their rights. Mr. Van Buren's answer to their plea when obtained was, "Gentlemen, your cause is just, but I can do nothing for you." Commerce was changed to Nauvoo, the postoffice department recog- nizing the change April 21. 1840.
On June 5, 1841, Joseph was again arrested, as a fugitive from justice, by Sheriff Thomas King, and taken to Monmouth, Illinois, where the case was tried before Judge Stephen A. Douglas, on June 8th. Orville H. Browning, of Quincy, Illinois, afterward Secretary of the Interior under President Lincoln, appearing for the defence. Mr. Smith was dis- charged, the judge giving expressions of indignation at the manner the prisoner had been harrassed by his persecutors.
On May 6, 1842, Mr Smith was again arrested, tried at Springfield, and acquitted on proof of innocence.
From this time until about June, 1843, there was a season of rest af- forded to the family, which Mrs. Smith was well prepared to enjoy. She was chosen to preside over a society called "The Female Relief Society," formed of prominent women of the large and rapidly increasing city (which had reached a population of 15,000), the object of the society being to seek out cases of necessity, sickness and distress in the city, to take cognizance of and institute measures for their relief.
Mrs. Smith was chosen to preside because of her well-known probity, clearness of perception, experience and decision of character. This position she held until after the death of her husband, and the dispersion from Nauvoo took place.
Mr. Smith's father died in the fall of 1841, and in the summer of 1842 his mother became a part of his family. Of Mrs. Smith's care of her mother-in-law, that lady herself states: "Soon after I took up my resi- dence at her house I was taken very sick and was brought nigh unto death. For five nights in succession Emma never left me, but stood at my bed- side all night long, at the end of which time she was overcome with fatigue and taken sick herself. Joseph then took her place and watched with me the five succeeding nights as faithfully as Emma had done." From this sickness Mr. Smith's mother soon recovered, but she remained an inmate of the family until her son's death, after which, for some two or three years, she was cared for by her youngest daughter, Lucy Miliken, and her husband, when she returned to the home of Mrs. Smith, where she remained until May, 1855, when, in the presence of Mrs. Smith, her grand- son Joseph, and a neighbor, she passed into the great beyond. This aged mother was confined to her bed, a sufferer from rheumatism, by which
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her feet, hands and arms were distorted and mishapen for many years, during the greater part of which time she was provided for and taken care of at the home of Mrs. Smith, the widow of her son, Joseph.
On June 13, 1843, Mrs. Smith, with her husband and children, started by carriage, at that time the only mode of traveling inland, to visit her sister, Mrs. Elizabeth Wasson, the wife of Benjamin Wasson, living in Amboy, Lee county, Illinois. On the same day Gov. Thomas Reynolds, of Missouri, appointed Joseph H. Reynolds, sheriff of Jackson County, Missouri, to proceed to Illinois with a new writ to operate with Harmon T. Wilson, of Hancock county, Illinois, in arresting Joseph Smith, on a renewal of the same charge from which he had been discharged by a competent court. These two men followed Mr. Smith to Mr. Wasson's place, which they reached June 23rd, while the family were at dinner. They professed to be elders of the church, and desired to see "Brother Joseph Smith." When Mr. Smith appeared, in answer to the inquiry, these men presented their pistols to his breast, at the same time seizing him, but without stating their object, or showing a warrant or serving a writ. Mr. Smith asked what the meaning of the arrest was. To this Reynolds replied, with an oath at the beginning and end of the sentence, "Be still or I will shoot you." Wilson joined in this blasphemous threat- ening, and both struck him with their weapons, and without attempting to serve any writ or presenting any process warranting the arrest, they hurried him to a wagon near by, and would have taken their prisoner away without hat or coat but for the interference of a friend, Stephen Markham, who seized the horses by the bits and held them until Mrs. Smith ran from the house with her husband's hat, coat and vest.
Here, as in Missouri, he was taken from the presence of his wife and children without explanation and without opportunity to bid his agitated and tearful wife good-bye. His captors hurried him to Dixon, where they confined him in a room in a tavern, waiting the hitching up of fresh horses. Mr. Smith's friend, Markham, had reached Dixon and under- taken to secure legal services. Hearing of it Mr. Reynolds again threat- ened to kill Mr. Smith, to which Mr. Smith replied: "Why make the threat so often? If you want to shoot me, do, I am not afraid." When Messrs. Shepard G. Patrick and Col. E. D. Southwick, whose services Markham had secured, attempted to communicate with Mr. Smith, Rey- nolds and Wilson peremptorily refused them access to him. By this time considerable excitement had been aroused in the town, and Col. John Dixon, the founder of the town, put himseif in the front of an inquiry as to the facts of the arrest; and, learning that the sheriffs had shown no
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writ, or served any process, he became indignant and plainly notified Reynolds and Wilson, that it was possible such proceedings might do for Missouri, but that no man should be taken from the town of Dixon, with- out proper process, or without an opportunity for legal counsel and defense.
The sheriffs then allowed the attorneys to hold consultation with Mr. Smith, declaring, however, that they would only allow one half hour for the prisoner's benefit. So outrageous was the treatment of Mr. Smith, by these self-appointed custodians, that the indignation of the citizens of Dixon was roused to a high pitch; and but for the intervention of Col. Dixon and the dispassionate appeals of Mr. Smith, himself, and his attor- neys, Reynolds and Wilson, would have been lynched. During the ride from Wasson's to Dixon, they had constantly thrust their pistols against his side, with threats, until he was sadly bruised. As it was, however, the demand for proper treatment, seconded by the firmn attitude of Col. Dixon and others, secured time to procure legal action.
Col. Dixon sent messengers to the Master in Chancery and to Attorney Walker to come to Dixon at once, which they did. A writ of habeas corpus was issued and served by Sheriff Campbell, of Lee county, ordering that Smith and his captors be brought before Judge Caton, then holding court at Ottawa. Reynolds and Wilson were arrested for assault upon Smith, and for false imprisonment. The party started for Ottawa, but stopped for the night at Paw Paw, twenty-five miles on the way. Here the next morning, many having learned of the arrest and the circumstances at- tending it, gathered at the hotel, all anxious to see the "Prophet," and to hear him preach. This would not suit Reynolds, who was fearful of what the effect of a speech from his prisoner might be, so he shouted, "I want you to understand that this man is my legal prisoner, and you must disperse."
At this juncture, David Town, an elderly man, citizen of the place, who was an influential man of affairs and carried a hickory staff, ap- proached the irate sheriff from Missouri, and said to him with decided emphasis, "Sit down there!" pointing to a seat, "and sit still. Don't open your head till General Smith gets through talking. If you never learned manners in Missouri, we'll teach you that gentlemen are not to be imposed upon by a nigger driver. You cannot kidnap inen here. There is a committee in this grove that will sit on your case; and, sir, it is the highest tribunal in the United States, as from it there is no appeal." This speech caused the sheriff to remain quiet, and Smith talked to those gathered for an hour and a half undisturbed.
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It proved that Judge Caton had adjourned court, and was then on his way to New York, so the party returned to Dixon. A new writ was issued returnable to the nearest court. This was the court of Judge Douglas, of Quincy; so the party started for that place, distant some two hundred and fifty mniles. At Fox River. seven of Smith's friends met the posse, when Smith said to the sheriff: "I think I will not go to Missouri this time." This was June 27th, four days after the enforced arrest, and as yet, the sheriff had neither produced nor read a warrant, writ, or process, by virtue of which they were trying to take a citizen of Illinois out of the state with a hostile threat of evil treatment, if successful.
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