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 30
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 30
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1875, L. B. Kent.
1876 and '77, S. Brink.
1878, A. C. Price.
1879, L. Springer.
THE BAPTIST CHURCH OF LACON.
The Baptist Society of Lacon was organized in February, 1855, under the ministrations of Elder I. L. Mahan, of Connecticut, who, guided by Divine influences, selected Lacon as a field for his operations.
At first meetings were held in various places. It was nearly a month
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RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
before a Baptist Society was formed, and it was not until January 4, 1856, that they decided to erect a church. Before this, however, unsuc- cessful attempts had been made to collect money by subscriptions to procure a building suitable for Divine worship. The originators and founders of the Baptist Church consisted of the following, eight in num- ber: L. Holland, B. T. Baldwin, Lucius G. Thompson, James McWhitney, Jane McWhitney, Esther A. Bauham, I. L. Mahan, H. Jane Mahow.
The latter part of the year 1857, by untiring diligence and hard labor, nearly $4,500 was raised, and with this the Society determined to erect an edifice and consecrate it to the good work, trusting in a Divine Provi- dence for aid to complete it.
The first pastor of the Church was Rev. I. L. Mahan, who succeeded in increasing the membership "a hundred fold." During his two years pastorage the number of members increased from eight to twenty souls.
During the first two years eight of the members were expelled, and three died. Notwithstanding, the Church was in a very good condition when Rev. Mr. Gray was called, after the resignation of Elder Mahan. Since then Rev. Mr. Thompson, Rev. A. P. Graves, Rev. J. P. Agen- broad and Rev. D. Shields have supplied the pulpit. Since the first steps that were taken in the foundation of this Society it clearly shows that the overruling hand of Providence prospered these few people, and made the Church what it now is.
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.
The Catholic Church of Lacon was established at a comparatively re- cent date, but previous to that time services were held and masses cele- brated at the houses of individuals, notably that of Jack Kelly. The earliest person we can identify was Rev. Father Montori, an Italian, who came once a month. A lot for church purposes was donated by the pro- prietors of the place, and a building, part frame and part log, erected thereon, and served as a place of worship several years. It now forms a part of the Jesse Whittaker residence.
Father Montori was succeeded by Father Rinaldi, likewise an Italian, through whose exertions a frame building was erected, which served the purposes of the Society until 1867. He also built the Mrs. Thompson residence, and lived there with his sisters as housekeeper. After him
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CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF LACON.
came Rev. Thomas Lynch, in December 31, 1853, who served until his death, July 15, 1856. Following him came Father Francis McGuire, and he was succeeded by Father Mehan, date unknown. To him succeded Father Thos. Ogden,
66 Walter H. Power,
66 John N. Harrigan,
66 James Wall,
$
66 E. Delihanty,
John Kilkenny,
66 P. Flanagan,
M. McDermott,
66 P. J. Campbell,
66 John F. Power, the present incumbent.
Under Father Kilkenny's administration the building of the present church edifice was undertaken and finished in 1867. It is probably the the costliest church building in the County, and cost when completed $13,000.
Rev. Father Campbell's services were terminated by death, in May, 1877. He had many friends, and died greatly regretted.
.
Under the ministration of Father Power a fine school building was erected, and a flourishing school in charge of sisters of the church estab- lished.
THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
The First Congregational Church of Lacon was organized October 1, 1865, with a membership of forty persons, viz: Mark Bangs, H. C. Bangs, C. H. Madeley, H. P. B. Madeley, E. C. Turner, Abigail Turner, William B. Thomas, C. B. Meyer, Emma M. Meyer, C. Belle Hamaker, Mrs. John M. Shields, I. H. Reeder, John Hutchins, Helen E. Hutchins. Samuel Pomeroy, Susan Pomeroy, Mrs. E. A. C. Roberts, Miss Margaret Madeley, E. F. Pomeroy, Mrs. E. F. Pomeroy, Euphemia Blodgett, Mrs. D. G. Warner, Martha Mosier, John P. Shepard, Eveline Shepard, Mrs. S. J. McFadin, Mrs. A. E. Hutchins, Miss Anna T. Hutchins, John S. Bane, Ephriam Williamson, C. C. Beadle, Mrs. C. C. Beadle, D. W. Coan, Mrs. A. Stephens, Mrs. H. F. Akeroid, Lucy A. Eckley, Millie P. Ball, Mrs. A. Page, Mrs. W. E. Cook, Minnie Ross.
They erected their Church building during the autumn of the sam
e
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RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
year, at a cost of $4,200. The lots were given by W. E. Cook, and were at that time' valued at $1,000. The house was dedicated in November of that year.
The first Deacons were Samuel Pomeroy, Edward C. Turner, Mark Bangs and Charles H. Madeley.
Trustees-Mark Bangs, John Hutchins and C. B. Meyer.
First pastor, Rev. S. S. Reeves; followed by the Rev. Mr. Stevens, now of the First Congregational Church of Peoria; Mr. Codington, a graduate of Chicago Theological Seminary, who received his first ordination here; Mr. Williams, from Boston, Mass .; Mr. Clifton, a graduate of Chicago Theological Seminary; and Rev. William Tracy, the present pastor of the Union Church.
The Church received an accession of about forty members during the first year under the pastorate of Mr. Reeves.
The succeeding Deacons were Ira Norris and John Hutchins.
In April 1879, the Congregational and Presbyterian Churches united as the Union Church of Lacon, upon a basis of Confession of Faith, com- mon to both organizations.
THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
In 1858 an Episcopal Society was organized under Rev. Mr. Lay, with about a dozen members, and a liberal attendance of outsiders. They built a church the succeeding year, and flourished for a while, but most of the leading members moved elsewhere, and services were not sustained. The building is unoccupied.
BENEVOLENT SOCIETIES.
MASONS.
Lacon Lodge No. 61 A. F. & A. M. is one of the oldest in this part of the State, having been chartered October 4, 1848. In the disastrous fire that destroyed Cook's block all its records and charter were destroyed, and the only information attainable comes from the records of the Grand Lodge. From it we learn that William Fenn, Abner Shinn, Joseph Ra-
353
EARLY NEWSPAPERS AND EDITORS.
ley and Addison Ramsay were charter members, and William Fenn its first presiding officer.
The affairs of the Society are in a very flourishing condition, and it numbers about fifty active members.
ODD FELLOWS.
This Society was organized October 17, 1851, the charter members being W. E. Cook, Silas Ramsay, Charles I. Wood and John T. Pride.
The oldest living member of the organization is George Johnson, whose membership dates from the year 1852.
There are about eighty active members, and the Society is in a very flourishing condition. In the fire that burned their hall their records and much valuable furniture were destroyed, but all their former prosperity has been regained, and contracts have been let for a new and better one, and the Society has a surplus fund on hand of nearly $2,000.
THE NEWSPAPER BUSINESS OF LACON.
The newspaper history of Lacon dates back to the year 1837, when Allen N. Ford, an enterprising young printer of Hartford, Connecticut, entered into a contract with the proprietors of the then town of Columbia to transfer himself, family and material for issuing a weekly paper to the new town. The proprietors of Columbia possessed both enterprise and intelligence, and were quick to discover that printer's ink was the talismanic "open sesame" leading to success. So early as 1836 an effort was made to start a paper in the new town, which fell through, and negotiations were then began, through the Rev. Augustus Pomeroy, with Mr. Ford, and carried to a termination satisfactory to all parties. The' conditions were that he accept a bonus of $2,000, subscribed by the citizens, and publish for them a paper at least two years. As men of all shades of opinion, religious and political, contributed to the purpose, it was necessarily non- partisan.
Mr. Ford having accepted the conditions, early made preparations to depart. An office outfit was purchased, exceptionally good for the time, and shipped via New Orleans, while the proprietor and his family, con- sisting of himself, wife, and two little boys (one of whom is now an
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RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
influential political writer and the other a practical printer), set out for the West, making the long journey by railroad, steamboat and canal.
At Alton he engaged two printers to assist on his paper, one of them a brother of the martyr Lovejoy.
It was seven weeks after their shipment before his press and fixtures arrived, and finally on the 13th of December, 1837, the initial number appeared, christened the Lacon Herald. It was a neatly printed and well edited seven column paper, and in general news compares favorably with the newspapers of to-day. There was a notable lack of local news, an entire absence of fun and facetiæ, but in solid instruction and useful in- formation it was the equal of more pretentious papers to-day. The selec- tions were excellent-particularly of poetry, most of the cotemporary gems of the day appearing in its pages. The paper was printed in a small building standing where Brereton's carriage shop now does, and appeared with greater or less regularity for two years, when the proprietor changed its name to the Illinois Gazette, and espoused the Whig side of partisan politics.
In 1858-9, owing to failing health, Mr. Ford sold the office to Joshua Allen, a young printer from Hartford, Conn., who associated with him- self in its publication J. H. Bonham. Failing in his payments, the office reverted to its former owner. When the war of the rebellion broke out Mr. Allen enlisted as a private in Captain Shaw's company of the Elev- enth Regiment, and fell at Fort Donelson.
In the later years of the Gazette, Capt. Henry Ford, a son of the pro- prietor, contributed many scholarly and well written articles, in the absence of the editor taking entire editorial charge of its pages. He is now engaged upon the Cleveland Leader, and has won a deservedly high reputation as an educator and journalist.
In 1866 the Gazette passed into the hands of Spencer Ellsworth, its present owner, who changed its name to the Home Journal, and has con- tinued its publication to the present time. The office is equipped with every appliance required in first class offices, having steam power and cylinder presses for newspaper and jobbing, and in circulation and influ- ence compares favorably with country newspapers throughout the State.
The records of the Democratic press here are vague and indefinite in spite of our efforts to obtain them. No records or files appear to have been preserved. About 1850 Jesse Lynch, assisted by the party, pur- chased a press and outfit and started the Lacon Herald. How long he
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EARLY NEWSPAPERS AND EDITORS.
continued in its charge is not known, but it afterward passed into the hands of Robert Burns; he gave place to J. W. Mason, and he in turn to Chandler & Golliday. P. K. Barrett was the editorial succes- sor of Chandler. He was a caustic writer, and long remembered by the citizens. At some time unknown the name of the paper was changed to the Sentinel, and in 1854 John Harney became its owner and turned it into the Lacon Intelligencer. Three years later Deacon Ira Norris was its purchaser, and continued its publication success- fully until 1869, when he sold to William Trench, a practical printer and editor, formerly connected with the Peoria daily press. He was a conscientious writer and an honest man, respected by all. The publica- tion was continued by him until its sale to Meyers & Bell, when it under- went another change of name and became the Illinois Statesman.
Mr. Bell was an able political writer, but neither himself nor Mr. Myers had a practical knowledge of the business, and wishing to dispose of it, a purchaser was found ostensibly in the person of J. L. Mohler, who bought it for Spencer Ellsworth, and its publication was suspended. The press and much of the material were sold to parties in Galva.
In 1867, J. G. Ford, a Kentuckian, brought an office here and started the Lacon Democrat, a very good paper, which he published one year, but not meeting the success anticipated, removed to Pontiac. An office was subsequently brought from Chillicothe and its publication continued.
The Marshall County bar has always ranked high, and individual members have won eminent positions in the judicial and political history of the State. The father of " all lawyers " in the place was clearly Ira I. Fenn, who as counselor and advocate maintained an excellent reputation. One of his first students was Silas Ramsey, and another was Mark Bangs, at one time Circuit Judge, and for four years United States District At- torney.
Another noted lawyer and upright Judge was S. L. Richmond, who wore the ermine for several years, and won a high reputation for judicial fairness and knowledge of law.
Another lawyer with a national record is the Hon. G. L. Fort, present Member of Congress and prospective Governor of the State. He has won promotion by fair and honorable service, and deserves the honors thrust upon him.
Another name "honored among the people" is John Burns. Fred.
1
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RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
Shaw was a promising lawyer, killed at Donelson; and Henry Miller, a victim of consumption, had many admirers, as likewise did Robert O'Hara, a young lawyer and printer of stainless reputation, who found an early grave.
It is safe to assert that Lacon, as insignificant a place as it occupies on the map, has contributed more public men to the service of the nation than most places of its size, and that all began life as lawyers. In proof of this, during its brief existence it has furnished one Congressman, four Circuit Court Judges, and one United States District Attorney.
During the war of the rebellion Lacon bore its full share of burdens, contributing liberally in men and means. Company D of the Eleventh Regiment Illinois Infantry was mainly recruited here, and in the disas- trous fight of Fort Donelson many of its bravest men went down, among whom were Capt. Fred. Shaw, killed upon the field, and Lieutenant Wil- cox was dangerously wounded and came home to die. Our limits will not admit a record of their names and glorious deeds, and to give it of this place alone would be an invidious distinction we care not to make. A company was raised here for the Seventy-seventh, of which Robert Brock was Captain and J. D. Shields, Lieutenant. No mention we can make does justice to their bravery and patriotism,- a volume would be required to fitly do it.
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À LOCALITY RICH IN PRE-HISTORIC REMINDERS.
CHAPTER XXXVII.
CROW CREEK AND VICINITY.
SETTLEMENT was made in the vicinity of what is known as Crow Creek at an early day, the new comers being at- tracted by the rich alluvial bottoms, the clear springs of water, and the general attractiveness of the locality. The hills widen as they approach the Illinois River, and leave an extensive tract of rich farming land in the valley between them.
The bluffs here, in addition to their beautiful con- formations, varieties of shape and commanding prominence, become inter- esting from their historical associations and Indian traditions. They are covered with timber, and the sides where not precipitious are lined with Indian graves, to which investigation has assigned a pre-historic age. Stone utensils curiously wrought and specimens of pottery have been brought to light, which scientists agree in ascribing to the artisan- ship of an unknown race of people whose rise, existence, decline and final extermination remain among the dim uncertainties of ages long since past.
When the first settlers saw this region, fifty years ago, there were indisputable evidences of long continued Indian occupation.
FIRST SETTLERS.
The first cabin on Crow Creek stood not far above the bridge, where there was a good body of timber. Daniel, the father of James Sowards, cut logs for his house there in 1833.
John Hunter lived upon a claim made by himself, where he afterward died, and near where his widow still remains, having sold his first claim to Samuel Gibbs.
Nathan Owen also lived here, and Samuel Headlock arrived in 1833
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RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
from Walnut Grove. Bird sold his claim to Obediah McCune, who after- ward removed to Tazewell County, and was buried there.
Headlock and Frazier Sowards came here together.
Among the settlers of the vicinity is James Sowards, who as boy and man has been a citizen of the locality since 1832. He drove team and made himself generally useful for several years about the mills, and still remains upon his farm. His recollection of the early settlers is that Robert Bird had a cabin up the creek where the McCune farm is, before the Owen mills were built.
In the spring of 1831 the waters of the creek and Illinois River were four feet higher than they have been at any time since that date.
The first school. house in this locality was built in 1835, about one hundred yards from Samuel Gibbs' dwelling, and Charles Richards taught school therein during the winter of that year. Messrs. Irwin, Cummings and Ogle are remembered among the early teachers.
A school house was also put up near the roadside not far from Owen's Mills, at an early day.
THE CROW CREEK MILLS.
Timothy Owen came here in 1834, and about the same time Nathan Owen, Preston Conley and William Davis made claims in the vicinity. The Owens built a cabin on what was afterward the Martin place.
In the fall of the same year and the winter and spring following, the Owens and Samuel Headlock erected a saw and grist mill not far above the present crossing. The`saw mill was first completed, and attained an excellent reputation and a large patronage. The flouring mill was completed in 1834, and did excellent work. At first nearly all the machinery in both mills was of wood, made by the Owen brothers, a third brother, Roderick Owen, who was a blacksmith, contributing such iron work as was indispensable.
The toll for grinding was one-eighth of the product.
For sawing walnut lumber the price was 75 cents per 100 feet; if the millers sold the lumber, $1.50 per 100 feet. Ash lumber was about the same, and oak a trifle less. After the grist mill was completed and in successful operation the saw mill was abandoned.
Neither of these mills proved a profitable investments. Although
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LACON TOWNSHIP-CROW CREEK AND VICINITY.
not often troubled with high water, or other hindrances, the mill running continually, there was very little ready money to be had, and the credit system which extensively prevailed everywhere required a large capital. Much of this credit was never turned into cash, either by the Owens or those to whom the mill was leased.
Timothy Owen leased his interest and settled upon his farm in Rich- land, but afterward continued a partner in the management of the mills, until in June 185-, when they burned down, and as there was no insurance, involved a loss to him of about $5,000.
Mr. Owens' brother-in-law, Mr. Headlock, made a claim on Crow Creek, at the mouth of Dry Run, in 1833.
In 1834 Joe Martin put up a mill on Crow Creek, about forty rods below Owen's Mill, but his dam backed water upon the latter, and he could get no sufficient head. A lawsuit grew out of this affair, and Martin finally abandoned his mill project here and went farther down the stream, where he began again on a saw mill, but shortly afterward sold to Samuel Headlock and he to Dr. Temple, who in a year or so turned it into a grist mill, ran it five years, sold to Temple and Hull and went to Missouri.
Part of the dam at Owen's Mill was on Congress land, and had not been included. in the lines of a tract entered by that firm, which they sup- posed enclosed their mill site. The fact of the defective title was dis- covered by an unprincipled fellow, who happened to let it leak out that le intended to steal a march on the Owens and get to Springfield and obtain the title before they knew it. A race ensued, which was won by the millers.
In 1840 Dennis Barney built a carding and fulling mill on Crow Creek, above Owens' Mills, near and below the Gibbs place, he having been burned out of a similar enterprise near Joseph Babb's.
THE CROW CREEK COUNCIL.
In May, 1827, rumors reached Washington that the Indian tribes of Indiana and Illinois were uniting preparatory to a general uprising against the whites. General Cass, at that time Indian agent for the north-west, proceeded immediately to Peoria, where he called a council of chiefs repre- senting the different tribes to learn their grievances, and, if possible, avert threatened calamity.
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RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
This council convened at the mouth of Crow Creek, June 21, 1827. General Cass made a conciliatory speech, promising them many reforms and urging them to withdraw from their alliance with the Winnebagos. Presents were distributed among the discontented savages and pledges of friendship passed. Girty, the infamous outlaw, acted as interpreter, and it is said many of the presents stuck to his fingers in passing through his hands. However, he succeeded in so favorably impressing General Cass as to receive from him a silver medal in recognition of his services in this important council. Twenty-five years after General Cass, in adverting to this council, spoke of it as one of the most agreeable events of his life.
FREE STATE.
The region round about the mouth of Crow Creek for many years bore the pompous title of "Free State." The majority of the people who first settled there were, as a class, prone to be a law unto themselves; that is, they did not puzzle themselves with poring over law-books and blindly-worded statutes to ascertain their rights or learn the technical name of their rights and grievances, but each individual took his own course, and depended upon the strength of his arms or the agility of his legs to get him out of any trouble. True, they understood themselves to be an important part of the nation on election days, and voted early and often, showing "Free State" to be generally solid for any person or party lucky enough to win its support.
They did not acquire their highly complimentary name from being above all law, however, because they took unto themselves the right to make laws and execute statutes in their own way. They elected justices and constables enough, but not so much to enforce the laws as to go through the forms, for every man of commanding muscle was his own justice and constable, judge and jury. The early justices who held high court here dispensed justice in a manner from which there was no appeal, because an attempt to appeal from their decisions was a direct insult to the court, amounting to an impeachment of the judicial purity and legal qualifications of the judge, and the penalty was invariably a fight or a foot race-the appellee pursued by an indignant judge armed with a club, lis insignia of office.
At the sittings of these early courts, black eyes and bloody noses con-
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LACON TOWNSHIP- "FREE STATE."
stituted a regular part of the proceedings, and "The Court" was usually a lively participant in these trials, frequently coming out second, third or fourth best, but never grumbling, because these were a legitimate and important part of its duties. The fees, it is said, were always payable in whisky! As an evidence of the perfect independence in these very early courts from the cumbersome hindrance and delays of the law, a pioneer Justice of the Peace once foreclosed a mortgage before himself, issued an execution, and actually sold out a delinquent debtor's farm, all in fifteen minutes' time! Where could one have found a Freer State than here?
This highly independent community had a prejudice against all gentlemen of the cloth, whether lawyers or preachers. They managed their law suits in their own peculiar way, as we have seen, When a preacher's ill-fated stars sent him here he would be allowed to eat and "bait" his horse, if in day-light, or to obtain a night's lodgings peaceably, but any manifestation of an intention on his part to preach or abide among them would be promptly met with a notice served by the authorities of "Free State," giving him twenty-four hours in which to get away! They were never known to defy such a notice!
Sometimes they did not deem it necessary, or were unwilling, to try the question of their misunderstandings even before their expeditious courts, and instead referred their causes to the ancient legal method of "a wager by trial of battle." One case, that of "Ben. Headlock vs. old Jeff Sowards," is remembered, in which the plaintiff and defendant met on the open plain, near where the present school house stands, stripped to the buff in presence of many witnesses, and argued the case for half an hour, during which three rounds were fought, and neither succeeded in proving his superior claims to a verdict in his favor. The Court, one of the Justices of the Peace, declared that they had "no cause of action," and on each party paying his own costs, i. e., the whisky, the case was dis- missed !
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