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 36
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 36
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THE OLD SETTLERS.
The first settlers of the township of Belle Plain, and some of them
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THE PIONEERS OF BELLE PLAIN TOWNSHIP.
among the first that ventured into the unbroken wilderness of this County, located at the grove at the head of Crow Creek, which for years was known as Martin's Point. These pioneers came about as follows: James Martin in August, 1829; Samuel Hawkins, 1830; Thomas Bennington, 1831; Jerry Black, Pierce Perry, Joseph and Robert Bennington, 1832; Daniel Hollenback, 1833; Nathan Patton, 1834; John Willson, 1835; Forsythe Hatton and James Clemens, 1836; David Hester and William Hendricks, 1838; Levi Wilcox and Wm. Hester, 1844. ,
John Skelton made a claim in 1835 and lived upon it several years but left for Iowa in 1845.
Nathan Patton bought part of his claim of Thomas Bennington which had been secured of Hawkins, who built one of his peculiar cabins upon it. In 1831 he entered from Government the remainder.
Forsythe Hatton settled here with six sons, three of whom, William, John F. and Andrew, soon made claims, the former on section 30, fol- lowed by John F., who located near the town of the family name of Pat- tonsburg, on section 36. The latter was an expert hunter, and bears a scar on his right arm, the result of an encounter with a wounded buck.
Daniel Hollenback came in 1833 and settled in the border of the grove to which he gave a name, his sons George, Jacob and Daniel, Jr., making claims in the vicinity as they became of sufficient age.
Mark Hatton, a brother of Forsythe Hatton, settled here in 1840. He was a soldier of the war of 1812, serving under Gen. Jackson at New Orleans.
Nathan Patton's sons were John, who died in 1875, and James, who died when twenty-one years old. His daughters were Mrs. Porch, Mrs. William Hester, Mrs. McCann, Mrs. James Shankland, and two unmar- ried daughters, living in Pattonsburg.
Perry's farm was partly improved by a man named Bland, who lived here in early times, and selling to the former, returned to Kentucky.
Robert Bird, Sr., made a claim in 1831, which he afterward sold to Nathan Patton.
James Martin first settled on the Hollenack place, but sold his claim to James Bird, who subsequently transferred it to Robert Bird, and he to Henry Miller. This was previous to 1832.
In 1836 John Winter, who had lived on Reuben Bell's place, moved
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RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
to the western border of the grove and began the improvement of his farm, on Section 35.
THE FIRST SCHOOLS.
The first school house at the grove or timber at the head of Crow Creek was built in the fall of 1836, and school taught that fall and win- ter by Geo. Van Buskirk. Miss Mary Jane Hallam managed the school the following summer, and among the early teachers were John Burns, James Clemens, Samuel Ogle and Mr. Wilcox. The school house was built of logs, after the manner of all such buildings in early days, and stood near the site of the residence of Geo. D. Hodge. Prior to the erec- tion of this building school was taught in the neighborhood by a Mr. Baxter.
The first school at Cherry Grove was taught about 1840, when a school house was built.
LA ROSE.
The village of La Rose was laid out September 18, 1870, by Moses A. Gulick and wife, and has had a slow but substantial growth until the present time. It contains a fine town hall, built by taxation, several fine residences, stores, shops, etc., with elevator, station house, mill, churches and postoffice. It is the principal shipping point for the Township, and annually sends to market large quantities of grain, stock and produce. The country surrounding it has no superior in the County.
The town was first christened Montrose, then changed to Romance, and subsequently to La Rose.
The village boasts a very beautiful church building, not elaborately elegant, but of modest, fresh and inviting appearance,-that of Trinity Society. This organization was effected in 1867, with about twenty- five members. The church edifice was built in 1872, at a cost of $1,500, and in the following year a parsonage was purchased for $1,100.
The first preacher was Rev. Mr. Johannes, who delivered a discourse June 14, 1872 in the new church.
In 1876 the Society built a neat school house.
PATTONSBURG.
Pattonsburg is the name of a small hamlet laid out March 13, 1856,
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RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS OF PATTONSBURG.
and named after its proprietor. It contains a good school house, post office, blacksmith shop, churches, etc.
Thomas Bennington came to the grove in the fall of 1831, buying his claim of Samuel Hawkins. He brought his family in the fall of 1832, and his widow still lives upon the old homestead. Hawkins was addicted to strong drink, and one cold night when half delirious from the effects of liquor he wandered from home and was found dead in the snow near Washington, Ill.
Settlements were begun in the western part of the Township in 1833, when Robert F. Bell built a cabin on Crow Creek. He had nine children, several of whom made claims in the vicinity-one, George F., still living there. Colonel Bell's military title was won in the war of 1812, when he served under General Harrison.
Other settlers in the vicinity were Wm. Mills, who came in 1840; John Wilson at Cherry Grove, in 1835; Wm. Hendricks, 1838, on the John Brown place, now owned by Wm. James; Samuel Rogers, in 1840; Thomas S. Dobson, on the Feazle claim, about the same date; Allen Gray and Jesse Perkins, both north of Crow Creek, in 1840 or '41; Jacob Fetter, on the south side of Crow Creek in 1842; John Brevoort, 1845.
BAPTIST CHURCH.
This Society was organized in 1857 by Rev. Mr. Ellis. The leading members were Rolan Davidson, Milton Davidson, John P. Davidson and their wives, Robert Raines, and later John and Lewis Wineteer, Mrs. Mary Perry, John Bell, Mr. Bocock, Thos C. Spencer and Sarah Spencer. Elder Wm. Brooks, who took part in the organization also, was the first minister who regularly visited the flock. Among the other ministers were Elder E. D. Merritt, Wm. Parker, Mr. Sampson and Elder Sands.
A good meeting house, large but not ostentatious, was built in 1858, about a half mile west of Pattonsburg.
PATTONSBURG M. E. CHURCH.
This Society, the first organization of this denomination at Pattons- burg and in Belle Plain, held a quarterly meeting at the place named, in Daniel Hollenback's barn, in July, 1839. S. W. D. Chase, Presiding Elder of the Lacon District, attended, and the preachers were Rev. Zadock Hall and Rev. R. H. Moffit.
-
428
RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
The organizers and leading members were John Wilson, Martha Hol- lenback, Charles Gulick, Dr. Levi Wilcox, Mrs. Nancy Wilcox and John Rogers. Services had previously been held at the old school house, and in barns as was found convenient, as was the case afterward, until 1859, when the first meeting house, a small frame structure, was put up. This lasted until the winter of 1867-8, when it' was burned down. It stood about one-fourth of a mile north of the village. The new one is in Pat- tonsburg, and is a neat frame structure, capable of seating 300 persons, has a good organ, comfortable pews and tasty church furniture.
Among the early ministers who held forth here was one named Wheat, succeeded by another named Stubbles, from which peculiar circumstance the good people were wont to say: "First came Wheat and then Stub- bles." Among other noted preachers of the Gospel who visited this Society at different times were Revs. David Blackwell, Daniel Dickinson, Mr. Babcock, "Father Cumming," G. M. Irwin and A. C. Price.
Two miles east of Pattonsburg is a small body of timber known to the settlers as Wildcat Grove. It received its name from the number of wild- cats captured there one winter by a Mr. Lucas, of the vicinity.
The first cabin at the Grove is supposed to have been built by James Martin, and the first sermon was preached by the Rev. Mr. Palmer, in a log cabin at the head of the Grove in 1832.
The first school house was built in 1836, and stood near the residence of Geo. Hodge.
Jas. Dickey preached here in 1836, at the house of Nathan Patton. The Christian Church was organized about 1845.
BIRTHS, DEATHS AND MARRIAGES.
The first birth in Belle Plain Township is believed to have been that of Nancy Jane Bennington, now Mrs. William M. Hatton. She made her first appearance March 22, 1833. Robert Bennington's daughter Eunice, died about the same time, and her's is supposed to have been the first funeral.
The first wedding in the vicinity was probably that of Daniel Hester and Miss Hallam, when James Martin tied his first official matrimonial knot as Justice of the Peace. He says he will never forget the occasion, as there were present nearly all of his neighbors large and small, beside a number of strangers dressed in " store clothes," and he was so terribly
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A HORSE IN THE ROLE OF A DETECTIVE.
"flustrated " that he hardly knows what he said or how he got through with it. He was at first somewhat encouraged when he observed that the bride and groom were both very nervous too, but when he came to hear the tremulous tones of his own voice in the awful stillness, he felt weak and faint-like and devoutly wished he had never in his life consented to be an Esquire. But he adds with commendable pride, "The job was sufficiently good, as the marriage proved a happy one and no divorce court ever overhauled my work or picked flaws in it."
THE INDIANS.
Indians occasionally came about the Grove, but their homes were nearer the river where fish abounded, and they seldom disturbed the settlers. Once three or four strapping fellows came to a settler's cabin and wanted food and lodging. His meal chest was pretty low, but his wife cooked and set before them enough for double the number of white men, which they ate, and then, like Oliver Twist, wanted more. In the morning they asked for breakfast, but the good wife declared another such a raid would produce a famine, and they were refused, whereupon they got very angry, but mounted their ponies and rode away.
During the war Samuel Hawkins and a man named Black were plow- ing when the report of a gun set them frantic with fear. Quick as their legs could carry them they made for shelter, leaving their teams in the field. The man for whom they worked came soon, and though he hallooed and yelled and shouted their names, he could not bring them back. They plainly heard him but mistook the voice for that of an Indian, and stuck close until hunger and mosquitos drove them out.
A HORSE PLAYS DETECTIVE.
On the 26th of February, 1847, a man named Thos. Dobson, who lived near Hollenback's Grove, came to Lacon one afternoon, and proba- bly became somewhat intoxicated. Dobson was noted as a fast driver. He had a splendid span of well-matched horses, and made it a point to race with or run past every team he encountered upon the road. He drove a spring wagon, one of the first used in the section. On the day referred to he was returning, and when near Colonel Strawn's residence he saw ahead of him Mr. Harrison Hollenback, a respectable young farmer, his neighbor, and with whom, so far as known, he was on the most
430
RÉCORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
friendly terms. Dobson, as was his custom when approaching a team, gave the rein to his horses when they had approached close to Hollen- back's wagon, and tried to pass hin. The result was that a collision ensued, his wheels catching Hollenback's wagon and overturning it, the doomed man falling under the box, the edge of which crushed his skull. Hollenback was carried back a short distance to Colonel Strawn's house, and in a short time expired.
Dobson was arrested and bound over to appear at court on a crim- inal charge. He gave as sureties Daniel Hollenback, Jackson Parker, and another person, and was released from custody. Some time after, the term of court approaching, Dobson's conduct did not please his bail, and he receiving word that they were about to deliver him up, concluded to escape and "leave them in the lurch." Taking one of his horses he fled across the prairie, but encountered a man who recognized him and informed his bondsmen of his flight.
They immediately started in pursuit, and in the vicinity of Blooming- ton were passing a dense thicket, when the neigh of a horse was heard, which was immediately replied to by the horse Dobson had left behind and upon which one of the party rode. By some unknown equine tele- graphy it had recognized its mate, and in this manner betrayed its master, who was stopping at a house in the vicinity. Perceiving their approach he started for a slough close at hand and endeavored to escape, but seeing them gaining upon him, drew a razor and cut his throat, dying three days after.
DEATH FROM HYDROPHOBIA.
A most sad and pathetic incident occurred, at Bennington's Grove, in the fall of 1838. John Bennington, a son of Thomas Bennington, a young man just entering upon the threshold of active manhood, had attended a singing school not far from his father's farm, one evening, and . was returning home, when a dog, belonging to a neighbor, sprang upon him without warning and bit him through the hand. He was alone, and the brute would not let go, nor could he release himself, and it was not until two comrades came with guns and shot it dead that he got away.
The young man was in a sad condition, his hand fearfully lacerated and bleeding, but such treatment as could be was given, and by the advice of friends, he was taken to Lincoln, Ill., to have a "mad stone" applied. It seemingly worked well, and the party returned in light
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HYDROPHOBIA -HORSE STEALING.
spirits, but in a short time grave symptoms appeared and the feeling of security gave way to dreadful apprehensions. He became uncontrollably nervous, and subject to short spells of insanity, increasing in severity with each attack. .
At intervals there was a season of rest, when he would speak of his approaching end and give such directions as seemed necessary. Again he was taken to Lincoln, but without avail. The paroxysms returned with greater severity, and while they lasted he would froth at the mouth and try to bite his attendants. During these attacks he had to be chained to the bedstead, and that to the wall. The sight of water turned him into convulsions, which lasted until all spent and worn out, when a few moments of brief rest was obtained.
Not long before his demise he asked for water, remarking as he drank that it tasted as natural as ever; but soon there came another terrible spasm, followed by a gentle sleep, and his life went out forever. .
It is a little remarkable that the same dog bit his master the morning in which Bennington was attacked, and no harm whatever resulted from it, the wound rapidly healing.
CHASING A HORSE THIEF.
One of the Reeves gang once bought a horse of a citizen of the town- ship, paying for it in counterfeit money. Its spurious character was soon discovered, and John Myers, assisted by a man named Patterson, started in pursuit. At Hollenback's they heard of their man, and Pierce Perry joined in the pursuit.
Not far from Mackinaw they overhauled the rascal, and to prevent escape he was chained to Myers and both put to bed together. Myers slept the sleep of the just, but awoke to see his comrade escaping through the window. Chase was given again and they came upon him once more, when his friends interfered and compelled them to wait and take out papers of arrest. This gave him another start, but ultimately he was caught and turned over to the authorities of Pekin, from where he again escaped and left the country.
ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS.
The people of the Grove were at one time greatly excited by the mysterious disappearance of Mr. William Wineteer, a well known citizen,
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RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
who took it into his head to run away. He left his family, and nothing having been heard of him for several weeks, general anxiety pervaded the community. Some one coming across the prairie from the south-east reported that he had seen a new-made grave out ten or twelve miles from the Grove. On the following Sunday, it being pretty well settled that his grave had at last been discovered, a large delegation of volunteers, mounted and on foot, scoured the prairie all day, but found no grave, and the fate of Wineteer remained as much a mystery as before. In the fol- lowing fall, to the joy of his family and the surprise of the public the long lost gentleman came walking in as though he had merely been out for a morning walk. He made no explanation of his absence, and those who knew him best never asked, while those who made so bold as to in- terrogate him upon the subject received no satisfactory response.
In 1850 Mr. Elijah Van Dement's dwelling house caught fire and burned down during his absence from home. His own household goods and those of two other families stored for safe keeping were destroyed. Mr. Robert S. Hester, who lived a half mile away, ran to the scene, and reached there so exhausted that he could do nothing for some time. He left saddled and bridled at his door his fleetest horse, but in the excite- ment forgot all about his steed, and went on foot.
Milford Gray, a lad about fourteen or fifteen years of age, was killed by an accident in 1840. He was on a sled going for a load of hay. The handle dropped through the rack while the sled was moving, and the tines being uppermost were plunged into the boy's left side to his heart.
His brother once had a narrow escape from death from the tines of a fork. He had been looking at a new pitch-fork, and having stood the handle upon the ground with the tines up, was carelessly leaning with his whole weight upon it, when the handle slipped and he fell forward, one tine of the steel instrument running up through his lower jaw into his mouth, and to add to his suffering the prong broke off. It was with great difficulty that the piece of steel was extracted.
In 1863 Young Davis, a brother of Mrs. George Hollenback, having been a prisoner at Andersonville, was released and taken to Annapolis, Maryland, where he died from the effects of starvation,
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INCIDENTS AND MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.
Game was exceedingly numerous in the vicinity, a noted hunter one day killing five deer, and another day capturing three wolves. Once he had a narrow escape from being killed by a deer. He had run it nearly down on horseback and was about to strike it with a club, when the dog let go his hold, whereupon the deer sprang toward the hunter, who, in trying to escape by stepping backward, tripped and fell, but before the deer reached its victim the dog came to the rescue, catching the deer and holding him until despatched.
He saw no bears in the vicinity, and no opossums until several years after his arrival here. Rabbits appeared in 1833 or 1834. It is likely that up to this time the wolves kept them cleaned out, but as white men began to make farms rabbits found hiding places from their destructive foe and increased in numbers.
Coons wers always plenty and fat, and formed a staple article of diet with the Indians.
In 1848 a Mr. Van Scoyt undertook to ascertain whether his gun was loaded. Not being able to make the examination satisfactorily by looking down the muzzle, he blew into it, raising the hammer with his foot, which of course slipped off. The gun was discharged, and the ball passed through his head, killing him instantly.
Robert Hester was the first to brave the terrors of a prairie home, and in 1848 built a residence a mile east of Pattonsburg, where he lived for more than thirty years, when it gave way to the finest house in the township.
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RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
BENNINGTON TOWNSHIP.
CHAPTER XLII.
ORGANIZATION AND TOPOGRAPHY.
HIS is one of the younger Townships of Marshall County, named from a numerous family of early settlers here. It was once a portion of Belle Plain, but after the prairies east and north-east of Martin's Grove had begun to fill up, it desired independence, and was set apart as a sovereign Township. Bennington is a full Congressional Township, containing thirty-six full sections. The territory is mostly prairie, and not very well supplied with streams, though beneath the surface everywhere there is an abundance of pure water to be had by digging from ten to thirty feet.
The only water courses in the Township are the East and North Forks of Crow Creek, the former of which rises on Section 33, runs north a couple of miles, then west, then south and west upon Section 3, with some smaller streams feeding it. Originally this prairie region was covered with chains of ponds or narrow sloughs. These ponds have since disappeared and the connections dried up or dwindled into little depres- sions, and the extensive use of drain tile of late years will soon transform them into solid, dry ground. The North Fork or Branch of Crow Creek commences in Section 25, and runs north. westerly to Section 7, where it enters the adjoining Township. Along this Creek are a few branches, but neither the principal stream nor its tributaries are of much importance.
Bennington Township lies in the south-east corner of Marshall County, bordering on Woodford on the south and La Salle on the east. The Illi- nois Central Railroad, which passes close to the eastern line, enters it at Rutland, passing to the north upon Sections 1, 12 and 13, affording direct communication with Chicago. On the north the Western Division of the Chicago & Alton Railroad passes at a convenient distance, afford-
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THE VILLAGE OF RUTLAND.
ing them the advantage of competing lines. The Township stands upon an extensive coal basis, which future ages may find profitable to tap and work.
RUTLAND.
A small fraction of the village of Rutland lies within the limits of Marshall County. This is comprised in Burns' addition, laid out on parts of Sections 12 and 13, Town 29, Range 1, East, Third principal meridian, with a dozen or so of houses upon it.
The village is pleasantly located on a somewhat level prairie, but in the midst of a highly cultivated and exceedingly productive farming region.
The place was called into existence through the necessity of a station for the Illinois Central Railroad, and has achieved a reputation as one of the best shipping points along the road.
On the prairie westward vast quantities of corn, cattle and hogs are raised for shipment, and enterprising men at an early day built extensive warehouses to accommodate the trade.
It contains five churches, viz: Christian, or Campbellite, Adventist, Methodist, Congregationalist and Catholic. Each of these societies has a good, substantial building and a residence for a pastor, Also stores, shops, a grist mill, elevator, etc. The population of the place is about six hundred.
The first house in the town was put up by John Wadleigh, Novem- ber 1, 1855. He hauled the lumber from Wenona Station. For several years there was no house but this, and the railroad "grub " or boarding house.
Some years later a building was put up here for a saloon, and the business carried on successfully until the excited people turned out and demolished the establishment. Prosecutions followed and several persons who were identified as being among the mob were fined.
As some indication of the business done during the year ending December 1, 1879, there were shipped from this point sixty-one car loads of cattle and hogs, and 464 car loads of grain! Allowing 400 bushels of grain to a car this would make 181,600 bushels - a splendid testimony of the richness of the country around.
Until the survey and location of the Illinois Central Railway, Ben- nington Township was a terra incognita, considered of little value except
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RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
for grazing. A few venturesome settlers made improvements, and the large returns that rewarded them proved the extraordinary richness of the soil, and their experience demonstrated that the prairies for residences were actually preferable to the timber. Lands were rapidly entered, and in a very short time there was not an acre of Government land to be had. Here was begun the custom of open fields, the farmers finding it cheaper to herd their cattle than fence their farms-a system that still prevails to a greater or less extent. The country, originally low and flat, is being drained, the first built cabins are being replaced with better houses, and the Township is coming to the front as one of the finest in the county.
ANTIOCH CHURCH .- CHURCH OF CHRIST.
This church was organized June 4, 1864. Previous to this date there . had been a small congregation of disciples of this sect in the north-eastern part of the town of Bennington for several years. They met occasionally for religious worship at the houses of the brethren, but had been unable to sustain regular services and had no stated preacher.
On the day named a large congregation, including many who held membership in the church at Pattonsburg, met at the Palmer school house and organized, by choosing A. H. Trowbridge and John Q. A. Houston as Elders; Joel Skelton, Everett Pomeroy and L. A. Watt, Deacons. Sixty-six names were enrolled in the original membership, and 211 mem- bers have since been added.
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