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 45
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 45
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79
. Sophronia is wedded to A. D. Jones, the founder of Omaha. He laid out the town and was its first postmaster. She is wealthy and respected, and moves in the first society. Mrs. Reeves still lives (November, 1879), and resides with her daughter. Her life is above reproach, and she is a noted mid-wife and doctress.
THE MURDER OF JAMES SHINN.
A brutal murder took place at the lower end of the Township, on the
·
536
RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
farm of Geo. Bonham, March 18, 1854. A public sale was being held, and liquor brought by the parties attending freely drank. When the supply was exhausted a purse was made up for some more. It was soon imbibed, and its effects at once became apparent. John Organ, a brother of the murdered man, became specially noisy, and his brother William Organ, who was perfectly sober, strove to quiet him. While thus en- gaged, James Shinn got out from the wagon where he sat, and drawing a long sharp-bladed knife, rushed into the crowd, striking the first man he met, which proved to be William Organ, who fell to the ground dead. The murder was most unprovoked and brutal, Organ being engaged in quieting his brother. Shinn escaped, but was caught and lodged in jail, from which he broke out. He was again captured, and after a long and tedious trial was sentenced to the penitentiary for three years and six months. This may have been the first, but it was not the only time jus- tice has been cheated of her dues in Marshall County.
INCIDENTS.
The first birth in the Township was that of John Hoskins' son Leonard, in 1835.
The first wedding of any Whitefield citizen was that of Jeriah Bon ham to Miss Sarah Atwood in 1839, at the house of the bride's father," Mr. Timothy Atwood.
The land of the Bonham grave-yard was never conveyed or dedicated to the public and no lots were ever sold, but a burial place is freely given to any neighbor of the family.
While the Reeves gang infested the country, more or less counterfeit money was in circulation. A few years ago a boy while hunting cows in the vicinity discovered a bottle hidden beside a tree containing $1,000 in new bills dated 1842 and 3. They were on the Hudson River Bank, and were undoubtedly "planted " by some member of the gang.
When Mr. Bonham and his sons-in-law located on the bottoms they went into sheep raising pretty extensively, but this venture did not prove fortunate. The wolves were numerous, and often came in broad daylight
537
INCIDENTS AND MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS.
carrying off young lambs and pigs from the very cabin doors. They would prowl around in gangs, and making an apparently concerted plan of attack, would carry it out with perfect success. One would amuse the dogs, another would threaten to break into the back door of the stable or hen house, a third would worry the old sow, while the fourth and fifth would get a pig each and start for the swamps and jungles of the river bottom, to be joined by their comrades in a few moments. The ex- asperated woman of the house would hear the pig squealing, loud and direfully at first, then fainter and more faint until the captors had reached some favorite retreat, beyond the reach of dogs and men. They would capture sheep by a different stratagem. This was to stampede the flock, and getting them scattered in the woods kill them to eat at their leisure. If the shepherd was not on the constant lookout for these marauders they were sure to take advantage of his negligence by sweeping down upon his helpless flock.
There was but little demand for more wool than home consumption required. Some of the farmers who did not raise sheep had looms and spinning wheels, and managed to buy wool from those who grew the article.
Snakes were plentiful and venomous. A visitor at Frank Drake's, in 1847, avers that he saw them thrust their heads through cracks in the floor, and they sometimes entered the house. In 1844 the high water drew them from the bottoms and they swarmed on high grounds. A little child whose parents name was Long, was bitten while playing in the yard, and when taken up by its mother the snake clung to the child and was lifted up with it.
The father of Warner Combs was building a house for John King, and hearing the prodigious snake stories told by certain men engaged in breaking, was induced to go and see for himself, and counted seventy-five killed in a comparatively small space, most of them of the most venom- ous kind.
Harmon G. Andrews was one of Whitefield's best citizens. He served in the Mexican war, and at the opening of the rebellion volunteered in the three months' service. Coming home he raised a company for the Forty-Seventh Regiment, and was chosen Captain, serving in the Mis- souri campaign under General Fremont; also at Island No. 10, the capture
538
RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
of Forts Henry and Donaldson, Iuka and Corinth, when he was wounded and taken prisoner.
After this he resigned, and coming home raised Company A, of the Fifteenth Illinois, and was elected Captain. They were ordered to Georgia, where they received the surrender of the rebel General, Walker, with 10,400 men. The war was virtually over, and they were mustered out January 24, 1846. He was twice elected Treasurer, and was uni- versally regretted.
539
TOPOGRAPHY OF STEUBEN TOWNSHIP.
STEUBEN TOWNSHIP.
CHAPTER XLVIII.
HOW NAMED.
OME of the earliest settlers of this Township came from Steu- ben County, New York, named in honor of Baron Steuben, a distinguished Prussian soldier and intimate friend of Gen- eral Washington, with whom he served in the war of the Revolution. The name commemorated their former home and a gallant soldier likewise, and at the suggestion of Tim- othy Atwood it was conferred upon their chosen future home. The Township lies along the Illinois River, extend- ing westward to La Prairie, and is broken and cut up by ravines, but there is much valuable land within its borders, and numerous finely cultivated farms.
The river bottoms are low and subject to overflow in seasons of high water; the bluffs rise abruptly, affording excellent pasturage, but seldom susceptible of cultivation.
These bluffs are filled with coal, easily and extensively mined; like- wise fire clay, lime and sand stone. In the vicinity of the bluffs the soil is mostly clay, which becomes black loam as you travel west, producing heavy crops easily cultivated. The bluffs and ravines are covered with timber and and an undergrowth of oaks, etc., indigenous to the soil and valuable for fire wood and other purposes. The principal and only outlet for the products is the village of Sparland, lying along the Bureau Valley Branch of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad. It enjoys a healthy trade with the country. west, and is one of the best shipping points along the road. Beside its extensive yield of coal, it is the out- let for a large portion of the agricultural products of La Prairie and por- tions of Whitefield and Saratoga.
Two and a half miles below the village attempts were once made to open up extensive coal mining operations, and a company from Chicago
540
RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
expended large sums in buildings and improvements, naming the station Grantville. Subsequent investigations proved that either the coal did not exist in paying quantities or it was of too poor a quality to market suc- cessfully, so the enterprise was abandoned. Of the houses erected several have been blown down, and the rest are going to swift destruction.
Two miles above town a company from Rock Island began extensive works, and after the expenditure of several thousand dollars, suspended labor and abandoned their improvements.
The village was laid out by the Sparr family, June 13, 1855, and embraced a few lots lying along the tract, but since then numerous addi- tions have been made giving it all the territory required. It contains a fine hotel, elevator, passenger building, etc., with several fine stores, shops and dwellings, two churches and one of the finest public school buildings in the . county.
THE EARLY SETTLERS OF STEUBEN.
Franklin Ward Graves was the first known resident of Steuben, com- ing to Sparland in 1831. He bought of the Indians the land on which the town stands, and built a cabin at the foot of the bluff, near Dr. Tes- mer's residence.
The next settler was John Ridgeway, married to Ann McGee, who came in the fall of 1832, and settled where Grantville stands. They were accompanied by Jeremiah Cooper and family, who settled beside him. Mr. Ridgeway died in 1852, and his widow, since Mrs. Pursell, still sur- vives, (1880.) Mr. Cooper died in 1843, leaving six children. James Hammett also came to the locality that year, and died long ago. He raised John and William Ray. Beside him on the north lived William Eads, who served in the Black Hawk war. His wife died here, and he remained in the vicinity until 1862 or 3, when he went into the army as a teamster, and was killed by accident.
George Reddick came in 1833, and built a cabin not far from the Fos- bender warehouse, where himself and wife subsequently died.
Hiram Mclaughlin is an old settler who made a farm in the Town- ship at an early day, and raised numerous descendants.
John Cornell came to Chicago, and fell among thieves who stole his money and clothing. He worked his way to Putnam County, thence to- ward Sparland, and finally made a claim on the bluff back of the village in 1839, where the brick school house now stands, and also started his
541
EARLY SETTLERS AND THEIR DOINGS.
home farm on the south-east quarter of Section 9, where he still lives. He moved upon it in 1850.
Wm. Armstrong settled on Big Senachwine Creek in 1839, in the vicinity of Drake's Grove, having married a Miss Welch, who lived above Sparland in Whitefield, on the river bottoms to the south of the timber. He died during the late war-a soldier in the Union army, and his family removed to Kansas.
S. E. Thompson and George B. Drake came here in the fall of 1834, and built cabins at the head of Gimlet Hollow, where Sargent's brick house now stands. Drake remained there till the next spring-1835, when Francis B. Drake, Sr., and family came, and moved to the timber since known as Drake's Grove.
Frank Drake, Sr., had five children, of whom George was the eldest. His second son and namesake lived here until 1877, when he removed to Texas and is still living. His daughter Sally married Samuel Ellis Thompson, and still survives. His daughter Cynthia died September 13, 1835; and his daughter Delia married Thomas Doran, and lives on the old homestead. George first settled in the bottoms east of the County poor farm, and lived there until 1855, when he emigrated to Texas. He was a brick mason by trade, and erected most of the early brick houses of this section.
Joseph Thompson came in 1834, accompanied by his sons Asa and Samuel Ellis Thompson. He possessed considerable ready money and made considerable improvements. The first religious meetings were held at his house, and the first Society was organized there.
When lands came into market he journeyed to Quincy to make his entries, where he was attacked with measles and died. Mrs. F. returned and resided with her son Ellis until her death, March 10, 1843, aged seventy-two years. Their eldest daughter was wedded to George B. Drake before their arrival here, and their second daughter married the Rev. John Brown. She taught the first school in the Township.
Samuel Ellis Thompson married Sally Drake on the 4th of July, 1836, going to the wedding on horseback, and immediately after they began housekeeping in a new cabin, where they live to-day.
Mrs. Drake died in February, 1847, and Mr. Drake one year later, of cancer, aged sixty-nine.
Asa Thompson married Miss Nancy Watkins, before coming here. She died February 23, 1837, and together, with their infant daughter
542
RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
Mary J., who died October 3, 1836, sleep in the Sparland cemetery, the latter being the first interment.
Mr. Thompson was a wagon-maker by trade, and first settled at Chillicothe, but considerable sickness prevailing, he removed here and made his home with his brother. In February, 1844, he was married to Mrs. Smalley, daughter of James Orr, of Lacon, and moved into his cabin, where he lived happily until February 25, 1874, when he died, at the age of sixty-four years.
Their children were William E., born December 26, 1844, present County Treasurer of Marshall County; Margaret Jane, born May 24, 1846, married to Charles Boys, living in Livingstone County, Illinois; Asa, born August 23, 1849, dead; Asa Ellis and Elizabeth, twins, the former dead and the latter still living at home; Milford, now at Blandins- ville, Illinois; Joseph, a farmer in Steuben.
Mr. Thompson was a man of more than average ability and acquired a large property. Mrs. T. resides upon the old homestead, enjoying the respect of all who know her.
Mrs. Mary Wathins came from Ohio and settled north-west of Spar- land in 1835. She died in 1865. Her son Jehiel settled near her and David lives on the old place. Her daughter Mary Jane wedded Isaac Tanquary ; Lucinda married the Rev. Mr. Blackwell, and after his death wedded James Tanquary, Jr.
James Tanquary, Sr., died many years ago, and his wife became Mrs. Abram Tanquary. After his death a land shark from the vicinity of Quincy came along with a prior claim upon her land, and to save herself from being turned out of doors she was compelled to pay him five hundred and fifty dollars. Mr. Tanquary was long a class leader in the church and a useful citizen.
John S. Hoskins came on to the prairie at an early day and made a claim, where he lived until his death.
Josiah Hoskins settled on Hard Scrabble at an early day. He had three sons, John S., Henry and Thomas. John S. is dead, and the others still live in the Township.
John Power settled upon what was long known as the Fenn place, at Drake's Grove, in the fall of 1837. He came from Virginia, and had ten children, himself, wife and son-in-law. He died upon the place.
One of his sons fell from a wagon and broke his neck, near Allen
. 543
EARLY SETTLERS AND THEIR DOINGS.
Hunter's, on Yankee street. Subsequently the land passed into other hands, and is now owned by Mrs. Fred. Gage.
David W. Bates, with his wife and son L. M. Bates, settled upon the Bates farm, three miles north-west of Sparland, in the spring of 1837. The old man died upon his farm, and a son started to California during the time of the gold fever and died upon the way.
L. P. Bates, a younger brother, was for some time a citizen of Spar- land and now lives in Iowa. A half sister lives in Chillicothe.
Benjamin Allen opened the well known place, now the County poor farm, in the fall of 1837.
Timothy Atwood came to Steuben in 1835, from the town of that name in New York. He served in the war of 1812, and acquiring several soldiers' titles to land came West to locate them. He had eight sons and daughters, four of whom accompanied him and the rest soon followed. . He broke fifty acres that fall, and the next year fenced in three hundred and twenty acres of land. He was a surveyor, a prominent Mason, and a leading member of the church. He died September 6, 1837, aged sixty- five years. His son William succeeded him on the old place, which after- ward was sold to Samuel McCoy.
Allen Hunter came in 1837 and occupied a cabin built by Mr. Atwood. He succeeded to the Atwood homestead. Yankee street was a nickname attached to it by the rule of "contraries." It is one of the garden spots of the County. The public road from Peoria to Galena was laid out through there in 1835. One locality in the neighborhood was called Hickory Point.
Other settlers of early days were Thomas Miner, who came in 1837, John Webster, Russell Frisbie and Joel Fosdick.
Charles and James Doran came with their mother to the vicinity of Drake's Grove in 1837, and began improvements on what is since known as the Fisher place.
George Mead came upon the Powers' farm in 1840.
Levi Fosdick settled one-half mile east of Drake's Grove, and planted what is known in Steuben as the "big orchard," in 1844 and '45.
Cornelius Tanquary settled north of Bethel Church in 1840, and still remains there.
Among the prominent settlers of this Township is Amasa Garrett. He came to Putnam County with his parents in 1836, and subsequently
544
RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
moved to his farm at Thompson's "four corners," west of Spailand, before he had attained his majority.
His father at an early day settled at Cole's Grove, in Bureau County, twenty-five miles from Winnebago swamp, in the midst of the Indian country. For many years he was the only white inhabitant of that re- gion, and his house was frequently a stopping place for the old settlers of the country south, on their way to and from the land sales at Galena. He died at the age of eighty-seven years and his wife at eighty-one.
In 1836, when Amasa came to Steuben, times were good and money plentiful, but from 1837 to 1840 they were hard indeed.
Mr. Garratt, Sr., wishing to stock his farm, went to McLean County and purchased three-year old steers for $4.50 and $5.00; heifers $1.00 to $2.00 less; two-year olds, $3.00 and $4.00; yearlings, $2.50 and $3.00, and cows, $7.00 and $8.00. At Chicago, during these years, beef brought when dressed only 2} to 3 cents per pound by the quarter. Here on the prairies the best cattle brought only one cent per pound on foot.
The first laid out public thoroughfare in this Township was the State road from Peoria to Galena, used by the settlers in their travels to Galena to enter land and visit the lead mines, and by the stage line, commencing in about 1836.
The first precinct election held in the Township was at the dwelling house of Thomas Miner, who settled in 1838, on the farm now owned by William Ford, on Yankee Street. The place was known as Hickory Point, from a grove of hickory timber extending further out upon the prairie. The election precinct then embraced what is now Steuben and La Prairie. At this election it was agreed that the region should be formed into a town and named Steuben.
In early times the settlers found markets at Chicago or Galena. Long journeys were made to these places, and when it was known that any one was meditating a trip, he was besieged to do errands for neighbors, who came far and near.
Samuel B. McLaughlin is another old settler, descended from good old Scotch-Irish parentage, who was born in Kentucky in 1813, and when 19 years old came to Illinois and located on Senachwine Creek, above Peoria, in 1833, wedding Rachel L. Hammett, who bore him thirteen children, four of whom have died. He lived there four years, and then moved to where he now resides. He was alwas a hard worker and economical, and made money, as the saying goes, "hand over fist." When markets did
545
EARLY SETTLERS-SCHOOLS.
not satisfy him, he went to Chicago, driving an ox team. He has sold wheat in that market as low as 373 cents per bushel. Our limits will not permit a detailed sketch of what could be made a valuable article. He has a finely improved place, a well finished house, and owns 1,200 acres of land. Mrs. McLaughlin's parents were among the first settlers of Chil. licothe Township.
Among the settlers not previously named were:
James Douglas, who came in 1840 and located upon the prairie in Watkins' neighborhood. His farm was two miles west, on the Samuel Blackwell place.
John Black settled on what is now the Fort farm about the same date.
George Scott came in 1839, settling in the lower end of the Township. He afterward returned to Scotland, and died in the West Indies.
James Sumner settled on "Hard Scrabble," where L. B. Thomas lives, · in 1837.
Washington Bailey came at the same time, and settled in the edge of the timber. He left the country between two days for his country's good.
Patrick George and John Smith also lived in the vicinity.
The Sparr family came at an early date, but we cannot say when.
H. R. Cassell tells of buying lime of George Sparr, at Sparland, in 1834.
THE OLD SCHOOLS.
One of the first schools in the Township was taught by Miss Elizabeth Mead, in 1835, in a log building north of Asa Thompson's farm.
Joseph Thompson furnished the land, and, together with his son Elias, helped to build the first school house in the Township, in the winter of 1837-8. It was made of logs, 16x18, with two windows, each having six panes of 8x10 glass, and a stone fire place. The floor was made of split logs or puncheons. The first teacher was Miss Margaret Thompson, afterward wife of Rev. Mr. Brown, who taught in the summer of 1839.
The present brick school house, north of the four corners, near Asa Thompson's residence, was built in 1853. The old log school house stood upon a knoll on a cleared space in the timber, near the present tile factory. Among the early teachers here, besides Miss Thompson, were Lyman Drake, Franklin Bates, Robert Wills, Jason Truey and Young
546
RECORDS OF THE OLDEN TIME.
Dodge, afterward Major General. . Succeeding these were George Drake and Delia Drake, both spoken of as excellent teachers.
RELIGIOUS.
The house of Joseph Thompson was freely thrown open to religious meetings, and therein was organized the first meeting to form a society in the summer or fall of 1837. Zadoc Hall officiated, and he and Rev. Mr. Moffatt being on the Kickapoo Circuit, frequently preached there, Elder John Sinclair being the first Presiding Elder for this section.
Rev. Enos Thompson, a brother of Joseph Thompson, came here occasionally and held forth at the house of the latter and in the school house; in 1836.
Old Bethel Church was built near Asa Thomspon's, on his land, in 1849, by Ellis Thompson and others, and in 1875 moved out further West upon the prairie, its former location being not sufficiently central for the convenience of its congregation, which now embraces over a hunded families.
A Sabbath School was organized at Bethel Church many years ago, and prayer meetings were held there and at the old log school house.
The first Sabbath school at the log school house was held in 1838, and was comprised of children of every Protestant denomination, their parents acting as teachers, using such text books as they could procure. In the sanie way a small library was formed, each settler furnishing from his own collection such religious books as he happened to have, making a curious collection. Among the liberal donors to this library were the ladies of Lacon, who gave a miscellaneous collection of Baptist, Metho- dist, Presbyterian, Campbellite, Episcopalian and other denominational books.
The preachers here after Zadoc Hall were Elder Moffatt, Rev. George Briggs, Rev. Mr. Jordan, and afterward again Mr. Hall.
The first Methodist class was formed iu the spring of 1837, by Rev. Zadoc Hall. The' members were Mrs. F. B. Drake, Sr., Sallie Thomp- son, Mrs. Tanquary, Mr. Henderson and wife.
Old Mrs. Watkins and Mrs. David Watkins were afterward added to the membership. The first regular preacher was Rev. Mr. Fitzpatrick,
.
1
549
A MODEL FIELD OF CORN.
who inaugurated the movement which resulted in the erectiou of Bethel Church in 1849.
INDIANS OF SPARLAND AND VICINITY.
Among the white settlers none had better facilities for observing the manners and customs of the Indians than Mr. John Hammett, who settled on Senachwine Creek, above Chillicothe, in 1830, and had frequent inter- course with the red-skins.
His first experience here was during the winter of the deep snow, and having secured but little hay, Mr. Hammett had to resort to various expedients to keep his stock from starving. He cut down maple sugar trees, the tender shoots of which afforded sustenance for his cattle. His corn, which he planted about the 10th of June, was killed by frost. The Indians, having about that time left their Chillicothe village and located at Sparland, Mr. H. turned the abandoned site into a farm.
One day he rode up to the village at Sparland, which contained a hun- dred or more wigwams, built in the bottom below the present site of the village. They had about thirty acres of corn and pumpkins, the finest he ever saw. The corn was planted in hills, like sweet potatoes, the hills being arranged in perfectly straight rows and squares, while the several grains in each hill were placed with like geometrical pre- cision. These hills were circular, two feet in diameter, and one foot high, the top being flat, and they stood about six feet apart. There were . thirty to forty stalks in each hill, planted in circles, the stalks being about six inches apart. It was the small eight-rowed variety, was carefully cul- tivated by hand, and thus tended grew to monstrous proportions and matured early, escaping the fall frosts which nipped later varieties. They also raised squashes, beans and pumpkins. All the field work was done by squaws, the lordly warrior scorning to turn his noble mind to servile labor. Sufficient corn for winter use was gathered, exposed for a time to the sun or smoke and heat of the wigwams, and then buried in caches or holes in the ground in dry, elevated localities.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.