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 42
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 42
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Joel D. Forbush settled near the north-east corner of La Prairie in 1851. He had been a resident of Lacon, coming to that place in 1846.
EDWIN S. JONES.
None of the early settlers of Marshall County are better known than "Squire Jones," a title he is justly entitled to, having been Justice of the Peace for about forty years. He is a native of Pennsylvania, born in 1805, but was brought up in Ohio. He came to Chillicothe November 9, 1831.
He recollects the winter of 1831 as being very cold and long. It began in November, about the 17th, and remained intensely cold, with but a slight "let up" in January, until the latter part of March or first week in April.
Another ancient settler is Lucas Root, who came from New York in 1830, and was one of the first settlers on La Salle Prairie. He has seen greater changes in his lifetime than is often given to man to witness, and bears the burden of his years well. He came to La Prairie in 1841 and performed his full share in developing the country and making the wilderness to blossom as a rose. We are indebted to him for many of the incidents here related.
THE U. P. CHURCH.
The United Presbyterian Church of this Township was organized in about 1845, but for the first thirteen years of its existence the records it seems are lost, the oldest sessional records known being dated April 1, 1840. Up to this year there were no church organizations of any kind in La Prairie, nor nearer to the south than Peoria. The Scotch Presbyter- ians, among whom were the Scotts, Smiths and Davidsons, soon began to
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come in, but they were without pastors and their flocks were tended by wandering shepherds. Among those were Father Weed, John Wallace, J. C. Porter and John McMasters, D. D.
In March, 1844, Rev. John L. Freetly was appointed by the Presby- tery to preach here, and on the first Sabbath of June, 1844, the Society was duly constituted. He was accompanied by Thomas Smith, from Peoria. The services were held in a barn belonging to Samuel McCoy, one-half mile west of Samuel McLaughlin's. James Ross and George Davidson were the first Ruling elders. These, together with George Scott and wife, John Davidson and wife, Mrs. George Davidson and Mrs. Wilhelmina Smith, eight in all, constituted the organization.
The second communion was had at the barn of George Scott, where services were conducted by Rev. John Pinkerton.
They had no house of worship in those days, meeting at the houses of the brothers, and their spiritual wants attended to by different ministers. A prominent place of meeting was at Archie Riddle's barn. On one occa- sion the people had gathered there, when a snow storm prevented the expected arrival of a minister, and Mr. William Bryden read a discourse from a volume of sermons.
About the 1st of April, 1849, Rev. N. C. Weed moved into the bounds of the congregation from Indiana County, Pa.
The Society was first designated as the Chillicothe congregation, then as the Senachwine Congregation, and lastly it assumed the name it now bears, the "Fairfield Congregation of the United Presbyterian Church." This was adopted in the expectancy that Fairfield would become the name of the town.
Father Weed was the first stated or located minister, continuing his ministrations twelve years.
The roll of his congregation in 1849, was as follows: Thomas Scott, Jenet Scott, Henry Scott, Wilhelmina Smith, William Smith, John Wylie, Jennie Wylie, John Davidson, Jennie Davidson, George Hastings, Helen Hastings and Jenet Riddle.
The Ruling Elders were: James Ross and George Davidson.
Father Weed was the regular supply here until the spring of 1850, when he divided his time between his flock here and a church on Spoon River until August 8, 1853.
Previous to the date when Father Weed became the pastor, the con- gregation had worshiped in an old school house near the north-eastern limits
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THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
of the town, and sometimes at Northampton or at Yankee Street school house, but their most usual place of meeting was at the school house first named. Here they suffered from cold in winter, the wind howling through the crevices of the house, and in summer wicked boys would dis- turb the people within by pitching quoits, throwing stones down the wide mouthed chimney &c.
Once after Mr. Smith's family had taken their places in the wagon to go home, the keen eyes of "Grandmother" Smith detected something wrong. It was discovered that one of the linch pins had been removed. The good old pastor was sometimes moved to remonstrate with the scamps, and once when interrupted by a ball of mud thrown through an open window at his venerable head, threatened the penalties of the law upon the offenders.
The place of worship followed the progress of the settlers out upon the praries and for a time they met at the Hull school house.
Father Weed after twelve years labor surrendered his charge of Fair- field Church, April 4, 1864, and on that day preached his farewell sermon from Cor. xiii, 2, "Finally brethren farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace shall be with you."
During his ministry here eighty-eight persons were received into the followship of the church-thirty-three on profession of faith and fifty-five on certificates.
During the closing year of his pastorate, arrangements had been made to build a house of worship, and a sight selected and accepted, for which the Society was placed under obligations to Mr. John Currie who donated the ground. Two acres were devoted to the purposes of the church, and the contract of putting up the building awarded to Robert Turnbull.
During the next two years and two months the Society had no stated minister, Rev. D. C. Cochran once in that period visiting the congregation and administering the rights of communion, at which time five persons were added to the church on certificates.
Rev. John F. Graham became thesecond pastor. The church build- ing was completed in September, and cost $1,600. The first services were held within its walls on the first Sabbath of October, 1863, when it was delivered to the Society free from debt.
Brother Graham labored two years adding twenty-four to their num- bers. His health having failed he was compelled to resign.
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RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
For the next six months the Society had no minister. In January, 1866, Rev. Martin Morrison was called as their regular pastor and had charge of the church five years during which time forty-three people were added to the rolls of membership. Seventeen children were also baptised and thirteen marriages were consumated.
During the succeeding four years the Society had no stated minister, though many preachers came at irregular times and conducted services.
The Board of Home Mission appointed Rev. H. H. Houston as pastor who began his services in this congregation in January, and was ordained and installed March 2, 1875, and has been in charge of the church since that date.
A good Sabbath School has been conducted in connection with the church ever since the Society was able to muster a sufficient attendance of pupils, and is now in a flourishing condition.
THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCHI.
This Society wes organized at Blue Ridge January 16, 1846, by the Rev. L. N. Parker, of Galesburg, through the joint exertions of Nathaniel Smith, Ebenezer Stowell and Dr. Wilmot. The first sermon was preached by Rev. R. C. Bristol. The preamble to the articles of faith adopted re- cited as follows:
" Whereas, Amid the light now shining, the manufacture, use and sale of intoxicating liquors, as well as the holding of slaves or apologizing for slavery by enacting pro-slavery laws, are sins against God and these covenant vows, etc."
As this was a time when slavery had not been largely agitated, and the majority of men preferring peace and quietness to turmoil were averse to raising questions involving peril, and an abolitionist was looked upon as little better than a horse thief, it will be seen it required no small degree of courage to thus put one's self upon the record, yet the brave little band were prepared to assume the responsibility of their actions, and this advance ground has been maintained by the congregation to this day. No member was admitted without assenting to this article, and no one re- fused to join on its account, but a good old Elder from abroad, publicly reading the articles of faith once on a time, came to this clause-hemmed hawed, and jumped it. But, as was quietly remarked, his race has long since passed away.
The Society grew and flourished, and in 1856 constructed a very neat
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TRAVELING AND MAIL FACILITIES.
church for the times, which two years later was demolished in a wind storm and soon after re-constructed. The present fine edifice -one of the best in the county -was built in 1876.
THE M. E. CHURCH AT LA PRAIRIE.
A Methodist Society was organized in 1850 by Rev. Samuel Smith. Thomas Huff was the first class leader. He suffered from consumption, and after a time was succeeded by Anios F. Leigh. About eight or nine persons constituted the class. They were: Amos F. Leigh, Thomas Huff and wife, Mrs. Hay, Mrs. William Hart, William Hancock and wife, and Nancy Hull. The result of this Society was the building of La Prairie Center Church in 1859, costing $1,825 when complete, of which amount the Leigh family contributed the sum of $900.
In 1860 a famous revival took place in the church, Rev. Samuel Smith officiating, and one hundred converts were added to the member- ship. The church was dedicated in the spring of 1861, by Elder Ritchie.
Rev. George Irwin was the last minister in charge.
THE TOWN HALL.
In the center of the Township stands a large public hall built by tax- ation, for public purposes, at a cost of $1,800. Here the elections are held, public meetings lectures, etc., and all business of a public nature transacted.
THE STAGES.
The first stage line through La Prairie Township, and the western por- tion of Marshall County, was established in about 1830. John P. Win- ters had the mail contract over the route from Peoria to Galena up to 1831 or later, and ran his stages from Northampton through the south-eastern corner of the Township, thence to Boyd's Grove. A man named Crane drove stage for the contractor, going clear through to Galena, in the sum- mer in a light two horse wagon and in winter in a sled.
The mail ran from Peoria to Meredith's cabin, a distance of twenty miles, where the horses were changed, and thence to Boyd's Grove, twenty miles further. Afterward, in 1832, the stages stopped at Coulson's, near Jones' farm.
Later the conveyances increased to a four-horse turn out, and the coaches aspired to considerable style, and as a consequence more in keep-
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RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
ing with the growing aristocracy of the travelers. They were hauled off in about 1840 or 1841.
LAWN RIDGE.
This pretty little village is located in the extreme south-west corner of the Township, as well as of Marshall County, on the dividing ridge between Spoon River on the west and the Illinois on the east, the water flowing in opposite directions from this elevation. Its streets are straight, laid out at right angles, and land being plenty and cheap, the lots are roomy. As this was a broad prairie, and shade a necessity, the people at an early day turned their attention to shrubbery, and now shade trees everywhere line the walks and tall hedges border the fields. The town was laid out by Mr. Gilman, but never platted, the lots having been sold by metes and bounds.
Mr. Ordway, the first postmaster, named the post office, and the name was adopted for that of the village. The first mails were carried by a small boy on a pony, to and from Northampton.
In 1880 its business consisted of a post office, two drug stores, one grocery store, one general store, a harness shop, three blacksmith shops, two restaurants, two shoe shops, two wagon shops, a cabinet ware store, a barber, two hotels, etc., etc.
The place has a public hall, which, though small will accommodate all demands upon it for some time. The public school building is 35 by 70 feet, and has room for many pupils more than its present attendance, which is 125. It is conducted on the graded plan, and a creditable institution. The building cost $5,000. The village also has two churches, the Metho- dist and Union Presbyterian, both creditable frame structures of neat ap- pearance and ample capacity.
The Masons of the vicinity obtained their charter, October 5, 1864, and were installed at once as Lawn Ridge Lodge No. 415. The charter members were H. A. Barry, Amos F. Leigh, John B. Phillips, Stephen Trial, Robert Will, Wm. E. Smith, Richard Davidson, Loring C. Rogers, Isaac F. Bailey, W. H. Wilmot. Their first officers were H. A. Barry, M .; Amos F. Leigh, S. W., and J. B. Phillips, J. W. They have a neat Lodge room in the upper portion of Powell's building, and a good mem- bership of active, influential men.
The village not being located upon or very near any stream, is sup-
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PAPER CITIES-LOST IN THE SNOW.
plied with water for all purposes, by wells, digging from fifteen to twenty feet below the surface, where an abundance is found.
CHAMBERSBURG.
The long lost town of Chambersburg, in La Prairie Township, cover- ing a half section of land, being the south-west and north-west quarter of Section 12, Town 8 east of the 4th principal meridian, was laid, out by John T. Shepherd and Jesse J. Cox, August 13, 1836. For several years it occupied a conspicuous place on the records, and made much work for the assessor and collector. The owners finding its prospects as a city to be of an entirely unpromising character, plowed the city under in disgust, and put it to raising corn. It was situated on the farms of R. Scoon and James Doran.
TROY CITY.
Another extensive paper town was laid out by Sanford Klock, Sep- tember 30, 1836, on Section 22, and called Troy City. Years ago it was transformed into a couple of good farms, and dropped out of municipal existence.
MEN LOST AND FROZEN IN THE SNOW.
During the winter of 1830-1 two men, a Mr. McMillan and a Mr. Franklin came to Simon Reed's, on La Salle Prairie, with two sled loads of goods, chiefly "Mackinaw blankets," en route to Prairie Du Chien, Wis- consin. To each of these sleds were attached three yoke of oxen. They had encountered the deep snow of that remarkable season at North Hamp- ton, and were obliged to wait a few days for it to pack. While waiting they concluded to expedite their journey by making another sled and dividing the two loads into three, putting two yoke of oxen to each conveyance and hiring Mr. Cooper, a resident of the locality, to drive one of the teams. This arrangement perfected they renewed their journey, aiming to cross the prairie and reach Boyd's Grove, twenty miles distant, the first day. Hour after hour they plodded their weary way across the trackless snow-covered plain, and at about three o'clock in the afternoon the jaded cattle were unable longer to face the inclemency of the storm, and the men, benumbed with cold, finding their lives in danger, thought it better to unhitch the oxen and leave them to combat the elements
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RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
untrameled by yoke or chain, while they themselves walked on as best they could.
Franklin appears to have left before the loads were abandoned and gone in advance. His companions saw hini struggling onward, but before they came up he had fallen in the snow never to rise again.
After a half mile or so Cooper gave out, being unable to proceed further, and McMillan made a hole in the snow, covered him up with blankets and started alone. Looking back he saw Cooper coming forward, rising and falling in the snow, making a last struggle for his life. Not daring to risk his little remaining strength by going back, he pushed on, and after an hour's travel, during which he remembers little, he staggered against a cabin door at the long looked for Grove, and fell down com- pletely exhausted.
The house was full of weather bound travelers, who rubbed him with snow, administered stimulants and finally succeeded in restoring him.
A relief party was organized, who for hours scoured the trackless expanse of snow. At length Cooper's. body was found. He had fallen on his hands and knees, his face buried in a drift, and completely ex- hausted and unable longer to battle with the blinding snow and sleet, had succumbed to the fury of the merciless storm.
It ivas afterward learned that Cooper's father perished in a similar manner, in 1821, among the mountains of an Eastern State.
Mr. Franklin's body was not found until the following spring, the melting of the snow leaving it exposed to view, perfect in every feature, his winding sheet of snow protecting his remains from the ravages of the wolves, the dreaded scavengers of the plain.
THE MYSTERY OF MIKE WYLEY.
In the summer of 1861 an Irishman named Mike Wyley, residing on .- the Weaklam place, disappeared under circustances strongly indicative of foul play. He was an industrious, hard working farmer, who had acquired a comfortable property and was generally respected by all who knew him.
In early life he had been a laborer on the canals of Pennsylvania and in a fight was nearly killed, his jaw being broken and his face crushed in. An ordinary man would never have survived, but an iron constitution brought him through with a partial loss of his teeth and his lower jaw
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THE MYSTERY OF MIKE WYLEY.
slightly misplaced, there having been some defect in uniting the parts, which was concealed by the heavy beard he afterward wore. He was a man of convivial disposition and disposed when among friends to drink to excess, which single bad habit had been the occasion of frequent and bitter quarrels with his wife. He was wedded to a vindictive, passionate woman, capable of bitter revenges if provoked, who had been known to threaten him if his drunken sprees were not discontinued.
Not long before his disappearance he came to Amasa Garratt and ob- tained a load of oats, promising to pay for them when he hauled off his corn, saying he required a sum of money in a few days, which he should then like to borrow. Mr. Garratt knowing the man promptly said he could have it. The next day he visited Sparland, where falling in with some convivial companions he drank to exceess, and left for home in the evening considerably intoxicated. That was the last seen of Mike Wiley. It was several days before his absence was noted, for from the unsociable character of the woman few visited the locality, and when inquiries were made she turned them aside like one who did not care, and made different and conflicting explanations of the matter.
About two weeks afterward Mr. Griffin, living near 'Wyley's farm, received what purported to be a letter from him, dated Peoria, instructing him to see Mrs. W. and assist her in selling the corn on hand, and with the proceeds build her a new house. He (Wyley) was not going to return immediately, as he had business in Omaha that would require his absence till fall. When this was shown Mrs. W. she manifested no surprise and subsequent events proved it was written in La Prairie, carried to Peoria and there mailed.
Early in the morning succeeding the disappearance of Mr. W., Mrs. W. with the team and a hired man were seen coming from the direction of the river, and the wagon was tracked to a place near the bank where it had turned round, but though close search was made no traces of the expected body was found, and replying to inquiries on the subject she answered that they had been to the bluffs to gather sassafras. We do not know that the matter was even legally investigated, but she was strongly suspected of being guilty of the murder. So soon as may be she settled up the business and administered upon the property, and then left, with public sentiment very much against her. Not long after the house was mysteriously burned down.
These events occurred in 1865, and for thirteen years the question of
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RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
Wyley's disappearance was not solved. In the spring of 1878 a person saw at the top of the bluff, where an old road running past Wyley's cabin descended to the river, some bones protruding from the side of a rut worn down by travel and washed out by rain's, and investi- gating the matter, found an entire skeleton that seemingly had been doubled up and hastily buried. At first they were believed to be the missing remains of Washington Orr, but when viewed by Mike Wyley's friends were unmistakably identified as his. The fracture in the jaw, and its permanent displacement were plainly visible. The mystery was at last cleared up, but the circumstances of his death it is probable never will be. It is supposed that on his return a high quarrel ensued, and in a drunken sleep he was murdered by the woman, who, with the aid of con- federates removed the body and buried it where found. The spot was right beside a public road, and apparently the last place to be chosen, but really the very best for concealment, for the alluvial soil being washed away, any new disturbance of the earth did not change the general ap- pearance of the ground.
Mrs. Wylie did not long remain about the neighborhood, and was last heard from in the vicinity of Bradford.
SAD DEATH OF WIDOW EVANS.
Squire Jones relates the sad death of a lady, who with her family was moving to Wisconsin, in the fall of 1846. She came from St. Clair County, Illinois. She had a covered wagon, in which was her family- herself and six children, the eldest a boy about sixteen years old.
She arrived at Mr. Jones' house on a Thursday, quite sick. Mr. and Mrs. Jones did all in their power for her relief, and on the following Sunday morning she appeared to be better, and despite the remonstrances of her new friends insisted upon continning her journey.
The country north was then one wide expanse of prairie, with only two or three houses in twenty-five miles. Midway across she was taken worse, and after a few hours' suffering, in that solitary wilderness alone save the presence of her sorrowing little ones, she died. The poor child- ren, overwhelmed with grief, did nothing for a while but cry over their sad bereavement, but finally the boy not knowing what else to do drove on with his dead mother and grief stricken brothers and sisters, in hopes of finding assistance. At last, after a weary drive, a house was
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ANOTHIER MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE.
reached, but alas! the people had gone to church. He went on again to miles to find another house, and that, too, was without an occupant!
In his sad distress he thought of their kind friends Mr. and Mrs. Jones, and turning his course drove back that long and weary way, ar- riving at Mr. J's. about two o'clock in the morning. Knocking at the door, between grief and utter prostration he broke into heart-rending sobs, exclaiming, "Oh! Mr. Jones, you have been so very kind to us, and we know you will not refuse us help now. Poor mother is dead !""
The good people arose, and admitted the sorrowing and exhausted family of little ones, and learning that all that day they had not taken a mouthful of food, a good supper was soon provided for the orphaned wanderers.
Mr. Jones notified the neighbors and the dead mother was decently buried. After a week's stay, provided with a little money and plenty of food, the brave boy took his little family under his care and resumed his journey.
MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE OF WILLIS.
In 1840, a man supposed to be named Willis came along and stopped at Brewer's cabin, on the place where Esq. Jones now lives. Jones, then a Justice of the Peace of Peoria County, had been to Coleson's on horse- back and returning, was hailed by Brewer, in front of the latter's house and called in. He was taken up stairs by B., who seemed to be strangely excited, and without much preliminary explanation, the Justice was shown some things which Brewer said a traveler who came there the night pre- vious had left and had gone off mysteriously. These things consisted of a man's pocket book, beautifully inlaid and fastened with a silver clasp, which on being opened disclosed bills, notes and accounts of various kinds, worth $2,500 or more. Some of the papers seemed to be claims against the city of New York. Willis, for that appeared to be the name of the person who left these valuables, had come on foot, Brewer said, and he never was heard of afterwards, nor did any one come to claim the valuables, and B. kept them. Some time afterward Brewer and his boys were hunting in the neighborhood, and he sent to Jones for water, the latter then living in the same house. Jones thought it strange that any one should prefer sleeping out in a cold night, when his hospitable doors were ever open, and freely offered Brewer's boys the best they had if they chose to accept it. In declining, one of the boys remarked, with
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