USA > Illinois > Marshall County > Records of the olden time; or, Fifty years on the prairies. Embracing sketches of the discovery, exploration and settlement of the country, the organization of the counties of Putnam and Marshall, biographies of citizens, portraits and illustrations > Part 17
USA > Illinois > Putnam County > Records of the olden time; or, Fifty years on the prairies. Embracing sketches of the discovery, exploration and settlement of the country, the organization of the counties of Putnam and Marshall, biographies of citizens, portraits and illustrations > Part 17
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The prisoners were escorted up town through a dense crowd of excited, scowling citizens, only waiting a leader to take the law into their own hands and give the villains the justice they richly deserved at the end of a rope. An examination was had before a Justice of the Peace, and the
195
PREVIOUS ATTEMPTS AT BURGLARY IN HENNEPIN.
prisoners placed under heavy bonds to wait the action of the Grand Jury, which they not being able to give, were escorted to the jail and a special guard put over them.
Subsequent events proved this to have been a deep laid scheme, coolly planned by the leading cracksman of Chicago, the notorious Buck Hol- brook, well known to the police and dreaded by them as a desperate scoun- drel of herculean strength, cool courage and utterly devoid of fear. Hen- nepin had no bank for the safe keeping of valuables, it was an important grain market, and they rightly considered if the haul was made it would be a rich one.
Two previous attemps had been made, both failures. In one of them they stole a couple of horses and hitched them to a sled, loading the safe (a small one) upon it with the intention of hauling it away; but in their ignorance they had harnessed an unbroken colt which refused to pull, and their plans were frustrated.
Another was upon the safe of a Mr. Atkins, which they tried with all the improvements known to burglars; but the noise alarmed a servant girl, "who frightened the robbers off. Various reasons conspired to invite an attempt of the kind. The place had no trained police, no watchmen; the town stands on the high bluff of a deep river, with its business houses near the stream; across the river a wilderness of swamps, lakes, tangled weeds, trees, underbrush etc., all afforded splendid hiding places for the thieves and their plunder.
The capture of Holbrook and his pals deeply excited his friends in Chicago, who sent messages of condolence and friends to visit the unlucky trio in the Hennepin jail. Among the latter came a richly attired female claiming to be Holbrook's wife. She was known as Mollie Holbrook, the keeper of a noted bagnio, and wore upon her person a profusion of laces and diamonds of " purest ray serene." Her will was law among her asso- ciates, among whom she ruled like a queen, and it was hinted a golden key she carried had unlocked dungeons ere now and set her friends at liberty. She played the role of an injured and innocent female, whose husband, a perfect paragon of honesty, needed no other vindication of character than her word. He was the victim of conspiracy, and should be liber- ated without a question. Failing in this mnode of attack, she grew in- dignant and threatened to burn the town and murder the citizens. She obtained permission to visit her husband, and it is believed handed him a ten dollar bill in which was hidden some diminutive tools for breaking jail.
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RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
The citizens were prepared. They had observed strange faces about the vicinity of the jail, and a class of comers and goers far different in their dress, manners and looks from their own people. The Sheriff, if not on terms of social intercourse with these suspected persons, was too con- fiding in their word of honor, too indulgent to them, so people argued, and they recommended a special police force to help guard the jail. The Sheriff became angry at this, and intimated that he would attend to his own business, and the citizens, unknown to that officer, guarded not only the jail, but the town, a precaution which, though expensive and arduous, was rewarded most amply, as will be seen.
On the night of Saturday, June 28, 1869, a guard of two citizens who had been recently placed on duty in a barn near the jail, heard a singular noise, like a cat "whetting its claws" upon a tree or fence, as the saying is. They watched intently, and became convinced it was near or under the jail. Between one and two o'clock of Sunday morning this sound ceased, and presently from a hole at the side of the jail emerged the form of a man, which proved to be that of Buck Holbrook. Standing a mo- ment, he looked cautiously around, and exclaimed in a low voice, "" Boys, the coast is clear." In a few moments one, and then the other of his companions came forth, when Buck said, "Now for Chicago!" At that instant the guard fired, and he fell, his person from the top of the head to the lower part of the stomach riddled with shot, eighty-four having been counted afterward. He never spoke or groaned, but seemed to liave fallen dead. The other two men fled; one around the building, and es- 'caped, and the other ran to the kitchen door of the jail, and begged to be admitted. The former ran across two lots, into Mr. Unthank's barn, crept in the hay-mow, and lay hid all that night and next day until evening. In the meantime the excited citizens were alert everywhere. They never thought of looking for their escaped bird so close to his cage, but sur- rounded the town, posted watchmen, and sent trusty men to guard the avenues of escape. As the bells were calling people to church in the evening, the culprit came forth and joined a throng of people on their way to the house of worship. He slipped past and struck out for Peru, and at about eleven o'clock P. M., while crossing a bridge, fell into the hands of a policeman stationed to intercept him. He was returned here, and himself and his "pal," under the names of Watson and Norton respec- tively, on the 26th of October, 1869, were tried and sent to the peniten- tiary for five years.
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DELEGATES FROM THE CANAILLE OF CHICAGO.
The morning of the shooting of Holbrook, his reputed wife was notified of the fatal affair, and at once came down, accompanied by a repulsive looking fellow, with "villain" in every feature. They proceeded to the Court House, where the dead body of the burglar lay. As they entered the room, which was crowded with people, she uttered a wail like the scream of an enraged tigress, and he, looking upon the corpse, exclaimed, while a scowl of brigand-like ferocity gleamed from his hideous face, "Eighty-four buckshot, by -! " Just then Watch- man Cassell's gun was heard to "click, click," as he raised the hammer, ready for any emergency, which the heavy villain interpreted to "mean business," and quietly left with his howling charge, making a quick departure out of the city. She caused his remains to be expeditiously boxed up and shipped to Chicago, where the demi monde, roughs and lower order of thieves of the city turned out to honor the memory of their fallen chief with a pompous funeral procession.
The frail and furious Mollie not only shook off the dust of her shoes as a testimony against Hennepin when she left it, but, between groan- ing and moaning and screaming at the top of her voice, she put in some very bitter curses and frightful denunciations against it and all who had been concerned in the death of her friend.
Since then Mollie has served a term in the penitentiary, and Hennepin, instead of suffering from the fearful imprecations which the consort of Holbrook invoked upon it, has grown and prospered, and there is not a town in the State to-day of its size where better order reigns, and none which burglars, robbers, thieves and persons of that ilk seem as by gen- eral consent so willing to avoid.
198
RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
CHAPTER XXV.
UNION GROVE.
BOUT five miles east of Hennepin, on the line of Gran- ville Township, is Union Grove, the name given to a fine body of timber that dots the great prairie extending eastward . almost to the Wabash. It early attracted the attention of settlers, and increased more rapidly in popu- lation than any other portion of the County.
The first settler was Stephen D. Willis, who in 1829 built the first cabin, opened the first farm and planted the first orchard. He was followed a few months later by James G. Ross, a brother-in-law. His cabin had neither doors nor windows when he moved in, and fires were kept up at night to scare away wild animals that prowled about.
John L. Ramsey located at the south side of the Grove in 1828 or '29; James G. Dunlavy at the west end in 1830.
Hugh Warnock made a claim on what is now a portion of John P. Blake's farm, in 1828.
John McDonald, the first Presbyterian preacher, located where Dun- lavy afterward lived, in 1829, and planted the second orchard in the township. ·
Mr. Aslı settled on the prairie between Union Grove and Granville in 1828.
Rev. James H. Dickey lived in a small log house near Mr. Blake's, ou the south edge of the Grove, in 1830, and occasionally preached for the people at the old log church.
Mr. Willis was a most industrious hunter, and carried his gun wher- ever he went. He used to say he "could raise sixty bushels of corn to the acre and never plow or tend it, and hunt all the time!"
For many years the only post office at all available for the people of Union Grove, and in fact the whole country around, was at Thomas's, on West Bureau Creek, twenty miles away and across the Illinois River.
The first temperance society was organized at Union Grove in 1832, and
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CHURCHES, SCHOOLS, SOCIETIES, ETC.
Mr. and Mrs. Jeremiah Strawn rode together on horseback to sign the pledge. Meetings were held at Nelson Shepherd's cabin also, and many joined.
SCHOOLS.
The first school at Union Grove was taught by Mrs: Ramsey, in a blacksmith shop, in the summer of 1831. The building stood about half a mile east of the brick church at the west end of the Grove.
In the fall of 1831, John P. Blake was engaged to take charge of the school, and remained until 1833. Mr. Blake's school was taught in a log cabin which had been erected by the Presbyterian Church Society in 1830. It was a tolerably good room, eighteen feet square, with the logs hewn inside. The first school under this gentleman's management was attended by the children of James W. and Stephen D. Willis, Hugh Warnock, J. L. Ramsey, Thos. Gallaher, Mr. Leech, Isaac Stewart, Wm. M. Stewart and Torrance Stewart. Among the other pupils were two colored people, a young man aged 22 and a girl aged 20 years, runaway slaves. They lived with James W. Willis.
AN EARLY BIBLE SOCIETY.
January 12, 1829, the first Bible Society in this part of the State was formed at Union Grove Church, under control of the Presbyterian society. The officers were James A. Warnock, President; Christopher Wagner, Vice President ; James W. Willis, Corresponding Secretary; James B. Willis, Recording Secretary; Hugh Warnock, Treasurer.
James W. Willis was Chairman and Geo. B. Willis Secretary of this preliminary meeting.
The boundaries of the territory over which this Society had jurisdic- tion were co-extensive with those of Putnam County, extending east to the Vermilion River, south to Tazewell County, west to the Illinois and north to the same river.
A PIONEER'S STORY.
Among the prominent early settlers about the Grove was John Pierce Blake, who made his way thither from near Detroit, Mich., in the spring of 1831. He had. heard much of Illinois, and being impatient to begin for himself, joined a company of emigrants from North Hampton, Mass., engaging to drive team. There were few roads, and great hardships were
200
RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
encountered, and when they reached the present site of South Bend, Ind., their teams were so badly used up that by the advice of some old Indian traders they concluded to make for the portage on the Kankakee, and en- gaging boats, float down to their destination. They built dug-outs, and loading their freight and getting aboard, started on their way May 1st, 1831. Their first night out was marked with an attack of mosquitoes, larger, more numerous and voracious than they had ever seen or heard before.
The stream was very narrow, and as they had lashed their boats to- gether in pairs, it was found that the narrowness and tortuous windings of the current would not always permit a passage thus, so they were separ- ated.
But new difficulties awaited them. Their meat all spoiled and had to be thrown overboard, and their meal, wet from the rains, also became worthless. There was plenty of game-ducks, geese, and even deer,-but they could not get within shooting distance of any bird or animal. They had been out of food two days and nights, save a few spoonfuls of flour to each, and were nearly famished, when a chance shot at a long distance procured them a deer, which, though old, tough and poor, was the most welcome food they had ever tasted. This, however, did not last long, and they were soon as destitute as ever.
After two days and nights travel they reached Antoine Peltier's trad- ing house at Dresden, as since called, where they rested and took in a plentiful supply of provisions, and moved on. An accident caused their boat to upset, by which their provisions were lost again. On short ra- tions, they reached the mouth of Mazon Creek, at Morris, and saw a log house in the distance. The owner had gone to Mackinaw to mill, and was expected to return that evening. The woman and a couple of child- ren were alone, their stock of provisions being a peck of corn meal and some pork, which she gave the travelers, thus affording them a comfort- able meal. They tried hunting that evening and luckily killed a fat deer and several ducks, which they divided with their hospitable hostess, and also pounded out a considerable quantity of corn, of which they left a portion with her. She told them that Walker's trading house was only twenty- three miles below, and Crozier's but nine miles farther, where they could supply all their needs, but forgot to mention the rapids at Marseilles, above Ottawa, where they were shipwrecked and some of them well nigh drowned. At length, reaching Walker's, and buying flour and meal, they
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203
THE FIRST CHURCH IN PUTNAM COUNTY.
floated on to where Utica now stands, and there left their boats to ex- plore the country and select the site for their colony, sending some men in a "dug out" to Peoria for groceries for summer use.
On the 9th of June Mr. Blake left his companions and walked to Bailey's Point, where he planted and raised ten acres of corn.
In the fall, having disposed of his crop, and having heard of Union Grove as a desirable point for new settlers, he started across the prairie to explore this region, stopping on the way at a Mr. Williams', in La 'Salle County, who pointed out the way. He found an old Indian trail and fol- lowed it across the wide extant of unbroken prairie. On the way he saw an object approaching that excited all his curiosity, and coming nearer, his fear; for it proved to be an Indian dressed in hideous war paint and feathers, armed with gun and knife.
Mr. Blake stepped aside and bade him "howd'y," but the savage never inclined his head or moved a muscle, and passed on in lofty scorn of the pale face, who felt relieved as between them time and distance, hill and valley crept in and widened into a respectable space.
On leaving the Vermilion country Blake had been directed to a lone tree, which for many years stood a mile east of Union Grove. Keeping this in sight, he reached the Grove toward evening, and found entertain- ment at the house of Mr. Willis. Here he selected his claim at the east- ern limits of the timber, which became his future home.
THE FIRST CHURCH.
[One of the oldest churches of Putnam County is located at Union Grove, but its history we have been unable to secure, and all we can say upon the subject is copied from Henry A. Ford's History of Marshall and Putnam Counties.]
The first church erected in Putnam County was put up in the Grove in 1830 - a little, rude log building in the wilderness, whither the pio- neers and their families for many miles around repaired for the worship of God. Here in the season of Indian difficulties there was an appearance of the warlike mingled with the devotional, as many settlers carried their guns to meeting, to guard against surprise from the savage foe. A strong religious sentiment pervaded the entire community, and the settlement was named Union Grove in token of the peace and harmony which
204
RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
reigned there, and which it was hoped would abide forever within its borders.
THE VILLAGE OF FLORID.
Florid is the name of a one time flourishing country village, three and a half miles north from Hennepin, laid out in 1836 by Thos. W. Stewart and Aaron Thompson. It attained its greatest growth soon after, having a store, steam mill, church, school house and a couple of dozen houses. The place has since gone to decay.
This locality seems to have attracted some of the earliest settlers of Putnam County. In 1827, Thomas Gallaher, Sr., made his claim north of, and James W. Willis put up the first cabin in the town of Florid. Thomas Gallaher, Jr., built a cabin near it, and returned for his family, who came here in the spring of 1828. Nelson Shepherd came and located a mile south of Florid in 1828. James G. Ross and Wm. M. Stewart arrived in 1832.
Another settler worthy of special notice was Samuel D. Laughlin, who made his claim adjoining that of Nelson Shepherd, south of Florid, in the spring of 1827. Stephen D. Willis put up a cabin for Mr. Laughlin, and the latter broke about ten acres of ground that season. He remained here until 1830, when he brought his family, consisting of himself and wife, and John W., James G. and his wife, and Mrs. Dr. Davis, all living in Mt. Palatine; Mary, wife of H. P. Leeper, of Princeton; Wm. M., at Granville; Sarah A., now Mrs. Wm. McCord, of Onarga; Addison, born in Putnam County, April 11, 1832, now living in Wisconsin, and Caroline, born here, but now dead.
It is worthy of mention that during this long journey Miss Mary Laughlin, afterward Mrs. Babbitt, rode on horseback all the way, and helped drive the cattle and sheep.
During Mr. Laughlin's al sence after his family, a claim-jumper named Ely undertook to "jump" his improvements, but the neighbors, at the head of whom was Jeremiah Strawn, sat down on him so effectually that he never showed himself again.
Samuel D. Laughlin remained upon his farm until his death in Febru- ary, 1849. His wife, formerly Miss Rebecca Dunlavy, died three days
205
FORT CRIBS-"RAMSEY'S INJUNS."
before him, and both lie together in the Union Grove Cemetery, which encloses the remains of Mrs. Geo. Ish, Mrs. McComas and Mrs. Hugh Warnock, the latter probably the first of the old settlers who was buried here.
FORT CRIBS.
Here in 1832 was erected one of those border forts or block houses for defense against the Indians, known as Fort Cribs, for the reason that a number of corn-cribs were in the enclosure. It was resorted to by all the settlers in the vicinity for safety, as many as ninety-eight being here at one time.
A memorable event was the birth while in this fort of Milton Shep- herd, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Shepherd.
Wm. Stewart, called "Big Billy," commanded the fort. No attack was made upon it, though an Indian was seen lurking about in the timber, probably a spy.
Among those quartered here during the scare, in addition to the fami- lies of Willis and Shepherd, was James G. Ross, Hugh Warnock, S. D. Willis, Wm. M. Stewart, William Stewart, Rev. Mr. McDonald, James Harper, Mr. Rexford, George Ramsey, William Ham, Mr. Wagner and Geo. B. Willis and their families, besides some unmarried men.
While the citizens were forted up, the school that had been carried on at the "Grove" was removed to Mr. Willis' barn, near the fort, as a place of greater safety, where some forty pupils were in attendance. One day some little girls playing in the edge of the timber imagined they saw an Indian, and ran screaming to the fort. Mrs. Willis, with motherly in- stinct, thought of the unprotected little ones in school, and at the sup- posed risk of her life ran to the barn, crying at the top of her voice, "The Indians are coming; run for your lives." The school room was emptied in a twinkling, and all were got safe inside and the heavy doors closed. The alarm proved false, but it was a terrible shock to the women and children in the stockade.
Another time the fort was thrown into the wildest alarm by Mr. Ram- sey, who was on guard, declaring he saw a whole row of Indians march- ing right towards the fort. The men got out their arms, but no enemy appearing, some over-bold volunteers investigated the matter and found his row of Indians was a row of poplars which the shadows gave a dis-
206
RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
torted "appearance, and his fears did the rest. The poplars were after- ward known as "Ramsey's Injuns."
PUTNAM COUNTY NEWSPAPERS.
The first newspaper in Putnam County was the Hennepin Journal, es- tablished in 1837 by Dr. Wilson Everett. The country was sparsely set- tled, the value of advertising but little appreciated by business men, and it led a sickly existence until December, 1838, when it gave up the ghost. The Genius of Universal Emancipation was established in 1845, but op- position to its teachings was so great that it was removed to Lowell, near Ottawa, where a more friendly population welcomed it. In 1845 Philip Lynch started the Hennepin Herald, and ran it from 1845 to 1848. After this came the Hennepin Tribune, by Birney & Duncan, in 1856, and ex- isted for three years. The Putnam County Standard was established by J. F. Grable, with Thomas Stanton editor, in 1860. In 1861 it was run by W. H. G. Birney, and in 1863 by J. S. Grable. In 1868 I. H. Cook began the publication of the Putnam Record, which still exists. It is a neatly printed seven-column paper, very industriously edited, and is well supported. The office is supplied with suitable presses, and a full outfit for all ordinary printing.
"Besides these home enterprises, the plan that finally resulted in starting at Chicago The Herald of the Prairie, afterward Prairie Herald, later and better known as the Western Citizen, was first discussed and set- tled by Zabina Eastman, Hooper Warren, and James G. Dunlavy, in the log cabin of the latter at Union Grove. This was before 1844. It appears from the facts here gathered that from 1837 to 1876 inclusive a paper has been sustained eighteen out of thirty-nine years."*
.* Warren.
207
MAGNOLIA TOWNSHIP-GENERAL HISTORY AND PRODUCTS.
MAGNOLIA TOWNSHIP.
CHAPTER XXVI.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION.
HE Township of Magnolia contains nearly forty-three sec- tions or square miles of land, or 27,520 acres, made up of prairie and timber, its southern and western portions broken with ravines and seamed with ridges. It is drained by Clear Creek and Sandy, with their numerous branches, both flowing into the Illinois. It is agreeably diversified with prairie and woodland, its surface dotted with small groves resembling an extensive park platted by the hand of nature, and much of it under the highest possible cultivation. The south- ern and western portions are rough, and until recent years unoccupied; but a large colony of thrifty Germans have taken possession, and the rough hills and deep ravines are being cleared and made into pleasant, inviting farms. This land was for many years held by speculators at high prices, under the impression that the necessities of those living on the prairies would compel its purchase. In time it was demonstrated that the farmer required very little timber, and the speculators, after waiting vainly for purchasers, concluded to accept what it was worth.
The products are mainly agricultural, and much attention is devoted to the raising of farm stock, particularly cattle. Formerly large quanti- ties of grain, principally corn, were sent to market, but most that is raised here is now consumed at home.
The town has always been foremost in religious and educational inter- ests, and a more orderly, intelligent and thinking community cannot be , found than here exists.
RAILROADS.
The County of Putnam is wholly destitute of railroads, and this want
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RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
of the means of transit has led to several expensive schemes, thus far without any result; prominent of which is the building of a line from Bureau Junction through the Counties of Putnam, La Salle, Grundy, Will and Kankakee. It was agitated in 1868-9, and meetings were held at dif- ferent points along the line in the spring and summer. Putnam County voted to subscribe $125,-000; Granville added $10,000; Round Grove, $15,000; Dwight $30,000, Tonica $50,000. La Salle and Livingstone to- gether gave $205,000, Bureau $10,000, Kankakee $165,000, making a grand total of half a million dollars. In Putnam County the first vote of $75,000 had been nearly unanimous for the stock, but when the company demanded an increase of $50,000 more, the people were not quite so eager. The question was submitted to the voters February 8, 1870, and the re- sult was: For the additional sum, 475 votes; against it, 350. February 26, 1870, the road made an assessment of three per cent. upon its capital stock, a sum that though small, was not as cheerfully paid.
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