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 25
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 25
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On the 16th of April, 1870, Esq. Childs, living at Granville, was noti- fied by A. J. Carroll, Constable, that Ramsay had been caught stealing goods, and an excited mob had gone to wreak summary vengeance upon the perpetrator. Mr. Childs went down to Ramsay's dwelling, where he found a crowd of men rehearsing his crimes. The old man had gone to Peru, and his family had determined on his return to effect his arrest. The Justice questioned the inmates, and Mrs. Patterson with many tears told the story of her degradation. From a child she had been compelled by threats and punishments to submit to his lusts, nor did they cease after marriage with her husband. Her health had been wrecked, her life embittered, her home, which she dare not leave made a hell of. Then the younger daughter told her pitiful tale. If possible it was more
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A MONSTER IN HUMAN FORM.
harrowing than her sisters. She too had been compelled through fear of her life to submit to his desires, and when she rebelled had been whipped nearly to death, with dreadful threats that it would be worse if she dared reveal the awful secret.
As the law required that two justices should attend the. preliminary examination, Thomas Ware was notified and requested to give his imme- diate attention, so that the matter might be disposed of before the fast gathering crowd took it out of their hands. They were soon ready, and when Ramsay returned the warrant was read, court convened, and the witnesses for the State were asked to come forward and be sworn. Up to this time Ramsay had shown an air of bravado, but when his daughters appeared his courage failed, for he saw the game was up. His crimes had run their course and reached the inevitable end when concealment was no longer possible. His victims were his equals now, and his brutality was no longer feared, his presence no longer inspired terror. He saw the odds were against him, and, changing tactics, said he would waive an examination and enter into bonds for his appearance.
His intentions probably were to compel the witnesses to deny in court all previous assertions, and secondly, if this failed, to forfeit his bail, take vengeance on those who had thwarted his plans, and leave the country. The Judges, after consultation, fixed the bail at $5,000.
To this Ramsay strongly protested, for he foresaw he must go to jail, and his chances for vengeance and escape would be greatly lessened. In the meantime events outside were transpiring which excited the fast gath- ering crowd to frenzy.
The story of his crimes was repeated from mouth to mouth, and as the stricken, helpless wretches, the victims of his lust and brutality, were pointed out, deep oaths were registered that found dread fulfillment.
One of the sons told how his father had been stealing the grain, cattle and hogs of his neighbors, compelling his family to assist when necessary. For years they had lived in deadly fear, and he added, "if father goes to the penitentiary for this, one of us will die when he gets out, for he will kill me or I must him."
It was charged too that Ramsay had purposely burned his own barn to secure the insurance, and worse than all, he had murdered their mother, compelling her children, who were unwilling witnesses of the act, to re- main silent.
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A warrant for his committal to jail was made out and handed to the officer. Ramsay, at first so unwilling to go, was now anxious, for a look at the dark faces about, convinced him his safety was inside of strong walls where he could not be reached, and signifying his readiness to go begged Mr. Childs to accompany him. The latter at first refused, but yielded to the request, and along with the Constable, the prisoner and Mr. D. Ham got into a buggy and started. It was now about seven o'clock p, m. The crowd had pretty much all left, a cheerful circumstance to the prisoner as he viewed it, but one not without serious apprehension to the officers.
The party drove about a mile at a brisk trot, on the road to Hennepin, when suddenly about fifty masked men appeared, and with weapons drawn demanded a halt. Ramsay was taken out, his hands tied, and he was told if he had any prayers to make now was the time, for his stay on earth was short.
Evidently he was too dazed to comprehend the situation, and believed their intention was to extort a confession and compel him to leave the country. A rope was placed around his neck, and at the words "hang him" a violent jerk was given that lifted him from his feet, when it either broke or was cut and let him down. For the first time he felt that things were serious, but no signs of repentance came. He still thought to deceive by an assumption of the piety that had befriended him so long, and raising his hands and eyes in a sanctimonious manner he prayed with the Savior, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
This blasphemous appeal was all that was needed to nerve his execu- tioners to duty. The rope was quickly re-tied, and one end being thrown over the limb of a tree, fifty strong arms raised the trembling wretch and left him hanging by the neck until dead.
After the body had remained a sufficient time some of the actors cut it down, and carried it home, tumbling it out in the yard, very much as one might a dead hog. It was duly interred, but a few nights later some en- terprising students resurrected the remains, and they now ornament the rear room of a doctor's office.
The hanging of Ramsay created intense excitement and the Governor offered a reward of $1,000 for the arrest of the perpetrators, but no one so far as known, attempted to earn it. The majority of the people, while
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ANOTHER VICTIM OF THE RELENTLESS LYNCH LAW.
disapproving the method, felt that justice had been done the criminal and refused to assist in their punishment.
Thus terminated the career of as sanctimonious a scoundrel "as ever stole the livery of heaven to serve the devil in," as sleek and unctous a villain as ever disgraced the human form.
The tree whereon he was hung was, so long as it remained standing known as the Ramsay tree, and for years bore this inscription :
" Here the carcass of Ramsay lies, Nobody laughs and nobody cries. Where he's gone to none can tell, But all suppose he's gone to -. "
In 1879 it was mysteriously cut down and even the roots dug out, leaving not a vestige remaining. By whom it was done is not known. Some of his children live in the vicinity and others have gone west. The girls were well spoken of and led reputable lives.
LYNCHING OF "JOE. SMITH."
Prior to 1858 the bottoms of the Illinois River near the County line, in Granville Township, had been infested by the presence of "Old Joe. Smith," as he was called, though not the famous Mormon Prophet of that name. This particular member of the multitudinous family of Smith, was a man of exceedingly vague notions as to the right of property, possession with him not only being the nine points of the law, but conclusive evi- dence of absolute ownership! In his peculiar view the manner of getting possession was of little consequence; to possess was to own, with all the term implies.
He was charged with having long been a thief on general principles, and specifically a thief of everything of a portable nature. He had a special propensity for cattle and hogs, and what was particularly aggra- vating in his conduct was, that, though a butcher who supplied the people with fresh meat, he never was known to buy any cattle. He stole his beeves from the farmers, and sold to them again at full prices. He also stole their hams, shoulders and poultry. The hams and shoulders from neighboring smoke. houses found a tolerably secure place of concealment in his barn, where, among so many samples from all over the country,
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RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
individual property could not easily be selected. His depredations, too, were extended to neighboring Counties and across the river. He would capture, also, newly washed shirts, male and female garments, sheets, pil- low cases, and stockings long and short, masculine and feminine! Farmers missed their plows and harrows, and though tracked to Smith's all absorb- ing ranche, no sign of them could be discovered there!
At length people became so incensed that they determined to inter- view Smith and force from him some sort of explanation of the singu- lar spiriting away of their goods and chattels .. Accordingly a large number of farmers, who had been victims of the aforesaid Smith, met at the domicile of the culprit and demanded certain goods, among them two plows and a harrow, and other articles, and no satisfactory response being made, proceeded to administer to the reticent witness three separate and distinct horse-whippings, well laid on! But he would not confess, and, despairing of such gentle means of obtaining information, a clothes-line was brought into play, and he was hung up three times, the last well nigh choking him "for good," when he yielded and told them where some of the missing property could be found. From one plow he had taken the stock and had it re-wooded at Peru. Some of the plow irons he had burned so as to prevent discovery when hot pressed for a safe hiding place ; others had been buried and the ground plowed over them. Some again had been secreted in a similar manner in the neighboring woods and fields, and what was remarkable was, all the goods that Smith had hidden were so securely and cunningly concealed that it is doubtful if any of them could ever have been found by any one except himself or "pals," unless by the merest accident.
He had burned up clothing, hams, smoked and dried meat to prevent their discovery. On his confession and pointing out where the articles were hidden, a considerable quantity of goods were recovered. He was given a day or two to get out of the county, a trip which he made with commendable speed. Several suspected accomplices, taking the hint, left at the same time, and since then the stealing business has had a long, and, to the people, most satisfactory rest.
THE MURDER OF DOWHOWER.
November 22, 1867, Aaron Sherman killed Samuel Dowhower, both residents of Granville, under the following circumstances :
LOST ON A TRACKLESS PRAIRIE. 295
The two named and a Mr. Wedgewood had been to Peru, and on their way home fell into a quanel, which ended in Sherman being ejected from the wagon. The latter swore revenge, and going to the home of a Mr. Walker, borrowed a gun, with which he hurried to the dwelling of Dow- hower. It was night and the family had retired. He rapped at his vic- tim's door, and Mrs. Dowhower arose, lighted a lamp, and opened it. Dow- hower had previously told her of his quarrel with Sherman, and as the knock was heard, exclaimed, "There he is now!" Dowhower went to to the door and was instantly shot dead.
Sherman was tried, convicted and sent to the penitentiary for twenty- five years. He served about five years and was pardoned out by the Gov- ernor. It afterward transpired that the principal getter up of these petitions was hired to obtain them and paid liberally for the service; and it is also charged that influential names on the petition were placed there by others than themselves. Sherman went out West, and is said to be now living in Texas.
LOST ON THE PRAIRIE.
The following incident, which happened in 1829, will bring to the recollection of old settlers many similar experiences, doubtless, of which they were personally cognizant :
In November of that year Jeremiah Strawn and three others, after- wards residents of Magnolia Township, traveled from the "Wabash country " westward, heading for Putnam County. They had no map of the route, and there was practically neither roads nor trail, so that when they lost sight of the settlements they were as much at sea as if sailing in the broad Atlantic. Strawn had traveled over a portion of the route, understood the topography of the country in general, and believed that by travelling due West they would strike the Illinois River. They were provided with a pocket compass and a small supply of provisions.
For twenty miles or more traveling was passable, but here they struck one of those vast sloughs for which the country is noted, and came to a halt. Far as the eye could see the country was one vast sheet of water, whose depth none of them knew. Hoping to "head it off " they traveled northward some miles without success, and then retraced their
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steps south, until despairing of finding a passage, they returned to their resting place of the night before.
In the morning they took a new direction toward the south-west, fol- lowing an old buffalo trail all day, and at night coming upon a party of Kickapoo Indians destitute of supplies.
The travelers were without provisions, their horses jaded and worn down, and the grass all dead. The Indians could speak but little English, but they pointed to a certain star in the north-west and indicated that a white man lived there, and with this vague direction the wanderers resumed their journey. One man was to watch the star and see that their direction did not vary. After some hours of travel it grew cloudy, and fearing the direction might be lost, they concluded to encamp. The night was bitterly cold, and to keep from freezing they beat down the tall grass and ran foot races. In the morning they took their bearings with the compass and found they had become completely turned about. They now resumed their journey, plodding wearily along all day with nothing to eat. Late in the afternoon they were delighted with the sight of a settler's cabin. The inmates had corn and pork, and the wayfarers had to pound the former and wait for its cooking before their hunger was sat- isfied, but all agreed in pronouncing it the best meal they ever ate. After a while the owner came in with a fat deer, and insisted upon their eating again, to which they readily assented. They remained all night, and the next morning were directed on their route, reaching their destination with- out further adventure.
ANECDOTES, INCIDENTS, AND MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.
Granville was a popular stopping place on the underground railroad for colored men and women who were seeking to free themselves from the galling chains of bondage. The people generally sympathised with them, and if there were any who were not active in aiding the fugitives forward, they remained neutral. On one occasion as many as sixteen negroes were seen in the village at one time, having come in on the "night accommoda- tion train." They had made their way from St. Louis without money or molestation.
In 1835 two negro women, who were pursued by their owners and
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ACTIVE SYMPATHY FOR FUGITIVE SLAVES.
were likely to be captured, were hidden in the cellar of James T. Laughlin's house (where S. Harrison now lives), and there remained a night and a day. The weather was exceedingly stormy and cold, and the pursuers were kept in a continual dance from one place to another on false scents and rumors, until they were nearly dead from fatigue and ex- posure. The citizens, while pretending to help the confiding slave-catch- ers, were deluding them all the time, and the fellows finally gave up their job and returned home. Of course the poor fugitives were sent'in the opposite direction as fast as possible, until they were safe among the friendly Canadians.
Harvey B. Leeper was a very active conductor on this underground road, and a well known citizen of Granville, who devoted much of his time and means to the cause of freedom.
The massacre of the Hall and Pettigrew families has been referred to before. They had lived in Bureau County, not far from Hennepin, and when they were on their way in 1830 to their proposed new home at Fox River, passing through Granville, they stopped several weeks at the resi- dence of George Ish, and enjoyed his hospitality. It was during this visit that William Pettigrew courted and won the hand and affections of Mrs. Campbell, a young and handsome widow living in the neighborhood. A : wedding day having been appointed, invitations were sent in to the neigh- bors to come and assist at the festivities. They came, and a good, jolly, old-fashioned time they had, and many were the wishes made for the fu- ture welfare and happiness of the newly married pair.
The bride accompanied her husband to their new home, where we may imagine their lives passed like those of most other settlers in a new country. But this happiness was not to be of long continuance. About two years after they had reached their new home the Indian war broke out, and they were barbarously murdered as related in the story of the Hall family.
The saloons of Peru have been hotbeds of vice, prolific of crimes whose consequences were severely felt in Granville Township. It is safe to assert that scarcely an outrage mentioned as occurring here but had its incep- tion in some quarrel instigated by poor whisky, or the perpetrators were habitual drinkers whose supplies came from over the river. There be-
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ing no saloons in the Township, they must necessarily come from else- where, and in Peru they were mainly obtained. In addition to the long series of crimes already scored to this cause must be added the Gallaher homicide and the killing of De Long. This latter occurrence took place about 1844 or later. De Long and a brother-in-law named Osborne were returning from a turkey-raffle at Peru, where both had imbibed freely, and was into a quarrel in which De Long got badly cut, and died a few days after. Osborne was arrested and placed in jail, but managed to escape and was never seen in the country again.
In June, 1866, Mt. Pleasant was the scene of a most dastardly out- rage. A sprightly young German girl, whose name it is not necessary to - give, had been for some time employed in the family of a man named Droll, also a German. She was an unusually bright young woman, and, besides being a neat housekeeper, had a general business turn, which made her useful to her employer as an accountant. He was not much of an English scholar, but had considerable business with his Yankee neighbors, and her services were indispensable as an interpreter. Mr. Droll had two daughters, one older and one younger than the subject of this sketch, but they took no particular interest in their father's business, and neither had the will or ability to learn it, and left it all to the servant, who managed everything in her own way. She was the good genius of the household, and the family felt for her all the regard they could for a sister. Although quite pretty, she was not infatuated with the young men who sought her company, and seemingly found more pleasure in attending to business affairs than in their conversation. On the occasion referred to, at the hour of midnight the Droll family were awakened by an alarm at their door, which the old man answered. He found there a man whom he did not recognize, and who told him there was something wrong at the barn with the horses, and to come and see. Droll went with him. No sooner had he reached the barn than a handkerchief was forced into his mouth and he was tied to the manger. The girl, hearing an unusual noise, came out in her night clothes to see what was the matter, when she was seized, gagged and put into a wagon, which was driven off to the prairie. There were seven or eight persons engaged in this infamous pro- ceeding, but being unable to speak, and in great fear of her life and of a fate more to be dreaded by a pure woman than death, she could but weep
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A DASTARDLY AND CAUSELESS OUTRAGE.
in silence. About two miles from the village, in a south-westerly direc- tion, the wagon was stopped; the crowd of ruffians gathered around the terrified girl, cut off her hair, removed her from the wagon, stripped her of her scanty garments and deliberately covered her body with tar and feathers.
This infamous performance having been completed, though shocking in itself, was a relief to the mind of the poor girl, since it assured her her that only this indignity was in store for her. When these cowardly scoundrels had finished their valorous performance they got into their wagon and drove off. Covered with feathers and without clothing, at a dead hour of the night, two miles from any house, the villains left her, gagged and insensible. How long she lay thus is not known, but the bit- ter cold restored her senses, and after several hours' wandering about she reached the house of a kind neighbor, who cared for her distresses.
The terrified old man after some delay was able to attract the atten- tion of his family, and was released. . The abduction of the girl was not known until they went to her room to tell about the strange event. The astonishment of the household knew no bounds when her absence was dis- covered.
In the morning a messenger came for the girl's clothes, and when the story of her wrongs became known the people were justly indignant and excited. As soon as she was sufficiently recovered from the shock she went before Esquire Laughlin to tell all she knew which might throw light upon the matter and lead to the arrest of the wretchies. But her evidence was insufficient. They had not spoken a word, and of course she. could not identify them by their voices. There was nothing by which they could be distinguished, or that gave her the slightest clue to the cause of the fearful indignity. Mr. Droll and his wife and daughters came and bore witness to the uniform good conduct of the girl. They had known her from childhood, and for years she had been an inmate of their family, and during all that time she never had in the slightest degree departed from the strictest rules of propriety, nor in any way deviated from the most ex- acting laws of correct deportment or maidenly modesty. She was a model of frankness, diligence, good sense and excellent temper. Her conduct toward young men had been extremely reserved; in fact, she had avoided rather than encouraged their society. In this latter fact there seemed the only possible clue to the mystery. Was it possible that certain young
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men whose advances she had met with indifference or coldness, and whose addresses she had refused, could have committed this dastardly outrage in revenge? Inquiry around the neighborhood satisfied Mr. Laughlin that none of the American or Irish boys of the settlement were absent from their homes on the night in question, but there were a few young Germans who could not or would not explain their absence from their beds at about the time when the wrong was being perpetrated. These fellows were promptly arrested, and several long and tedious trials re- sulted, but there not being sufficient evidence against them to convict, they were all acquitted.
The young woman continued to live in the family of Mr: Droll and manage their affairs as usual for some time after this, until she married a respectable young man living in a neighboring county, where she yet lives, respected by all who know her. The affair is only remembered as one of those outrages which innocent people sometimes suffer, and for the per- petration of which the guilty escape richly merited punishment.
One of the denizens of the settlement about Granville was a Mrs. Cresswell, a virago of Amazonian strength and warlike propensities. She was the governor of her household, her husband meekly accepting the second position in family affairs. She "wore the pants," not only figura- tively, but literally, being frequently seen dressed in her meeker half's unmentionables, astride an old horse, going to market. She made her thoroughly subdued husband cook, wash, iron and do the housework, while she bossed the outside of the ranche to suit herself. Besides other eccentricities, she was a sort of "yarb doctor," and pretended to know many hidden virtues' in various barks, weeds, roots and flowers, and is accredited with having first introduced " gympson weed" into the country. Her nag usually wore a bell, and its familiar tinkle, indicating her approach to the village, repressed all unnecessary gaiety and subdued any approach to merriment, for the masculine members shared with her timid spouse a well guarded respect for her muscular arms and number ten boots.
On one occasion Mr. Wafer and James Laughlin desired to cross her field, it being the shortest route to their destination, and asked permission as gently as possible, but the female, with arms akimbo, gave a fierce re- fusal. They held a council of war, and concluded, as the case was urgent,
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INCIDENTS AND MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.
to force their way, while she brandished a formidable bunch of "fives" and dared them to come on. The battle began, one of the men attacking in front while the other by a flank movement reached the rear, and grasp- ing her arms, held them as in a vice while his companion let down the bars, and driving the team through, replaced them and signalled his com- rade, who then turned and ran. Our informant avers the magnitude of her curses has ever since prevented anything but the detested gympson weed from growing on the spot.
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