USA > Illinois > Bureau County > Reminiscences of Bureau county [Illinois] in two parts > Part 11
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On the public square, now occupied by the Court House, stood the Hampshire Colony Church, which was at that time the important land mark of Princeton. Situated, as it was, out on the green, open commons -- elevated high above the ground on wooden blocks- painted white, with a projecting cornice, which was in strong contrast with the small unpainted buildings in the surroundings. This notable structure attracted the attention of Girty ; probably it was the first painted building that he had ever seen, and pointing to it, he said, "Big wigwam; great chief lives in it, I 'spect." Mr. Templeton told him it was a church. Never having heard of the name church before, Girty paused
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TWO GREAT PAPER CITIES.
a moment, and then continued. " I 'spect he is a big warrior, a great brave." At Girty's last remark, Dr. Chamberlain laughed long and loud, when he was reproved by Mr. Wiswall, who said to him, "Now what is the use of laughing at the poor, ignorant creature." Mr. Templeton explained to Girty that the building was not a wigwam, as he had supposed, but a place where white people went to pray to the Great Spirit. On receiving this information, the sad face of Girty was changed to mirthfulness, and he laughed heartily at the fanaticism of white people. Going to so much trouble to build a fine wigwam to pray in. appeared to him ridiculous, and he pitied their igno- rance. Slowly and feebly, while bending under his burden, Girty continued his way toward Indiantown. On Bureau bottom he passed the cabins of Robert Clark and Michael Kitterman, the sight of which must have brought fresh to his mind a conspiracy which he entered into a few years before, to murder these families.
TWO GREAT PAPER CITIES.
If Girty was surprised on seeing Princeton, he must have been more so on his arrival at Indiantown. In- stead of finding a quiet Indian village, containing the wigwam of his squaw, and those of his friends, which he had left a few years before, he found strange buildings and strange faces. All was now changed : V
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REMINISCENCES OF BUREAU COUNTY.
every relic of the Indian village had disappeared, and on its ruins stood the great city of Windsor. Rip Van Winkle, after sleeping twenty years, found things very much changed; but with Girty the same had been done in one fifth of the time. Here was a great city, which extended for a long ways, up and down Bureau bottom. including within its boundaries, timber, prairie, Indian village, cornfields, dance grounds, caches, &c. Running up and down the bottom, and crossing each other at short intervals, were many wide streets. Here, too. were boulevards, connecting together important places. and intended as great arteries of the city. At the crossing of these were large public parks, to which the inhabitants could retreat from the crowed streets of the city. Near the center of the city was the great county square, intended for the court house, jail, and other county buildings. To the left of the County square. was Market, and to the right was Liberty square. both of which were intended for public parks. In various parts of the city, were reservations for churches, cathedrals, seminaries, colleges, and other public build- ings, all of which had been donated by the generous proprietor for public use. Passing through the northern wards of the city, and following the windings of the Bureau creek, was the great ship canal, connecting the Illinois with the Mississippi river. By the side of this canal, was a large haven, or harbor, which was intended to hold much of the shipping of the west. and around it was room for large business blocks. State roads
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TWO GREAT PAPER CITIES.
branched off in various directions, by which Windsor was connected with all the principal cities of the west.
Adjoining Windsor, on the west, and including that part of Tiskilwa, which lays in Indiantown, was another great city called [West Windsor. Its boundaries ex- tended from the bluff, on the south, to the Kinney farm, on the north, and at the west far up Rocky Run. Many of the streets of this city were named after the Presidents-great statesmen and warriors of past ages. It also contained many parks, the most conspic- ous of which were, Judicial and Pleasant, intended no doubt, as breathing places for its (prospective) crowded population.
We have described these cities'as they appeared on paper ; but their real appearance was different. In West Windsor, south of Rocky Run, in a double log cabin, lived Sampson Cole, and boarding with him was R. R. Pearce, who was a cabinent maker, a surveyor, a justice of the peace and post master. Close by Coles' residence, Rodrick Owen, had a słab blacksmith shop, and these constituted all the buildings, and all the inhabitants of West Windsor. This city existed only a few months, its proprietor, J. W. Kinney, having mortgaged it to the state bank for money, and in order to beat the mortgagee, had the town plat vacated, when it fell into ruin and nothing more was heard of it.
In Windsor proper then were two log cabins, and
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REMINISCENCES OF BUREAU COUNTY.
two board shanties, and its inhabitant were Dr. Lang- worthy, Amariah Watson, and Ferrill Dunn. This town was laid off a few months before, by Dr. A. Langworthy, and stakes, marked at the top with red keel, and with the few shanties above referred to, was all that could be seen of this great paper city.
Such was the appearance of Indiantown when Girty returned to it; wigwams and cornfields were no longer to be seen ; even the great council house, where chiefs and warriors had met for deliberation, had disappeared. The little green knoll by the creek bank, which had for ages been used for a dance ground, where young warriors and timed maidens, at the sound of drums, or rattling gourds, had danced around their trophies of war, was now fenced in by Mr. Watson for a goose pasture. With a sorrowful heart, Girty passed through the town; his old haunts were scarcely recognized by him, and not one familiar face could he see. His worst tears were now realized; sick and alone, he found himself a stranger at his own home. At a spring, near the foot of the bluff, Girty camped for the night, being overcome by sickness and fatigue, he gave himself up to feelings of despair. The smoke of his camp fire, and his loud coughing, attracted the attention of Dr. Langworthy, who visited his camp, and offered him provisions, as well as medical treatment. Out of curiosity others visited Girty's camp, and tried to learn something of his story; but he appeared sullen and
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THE LAST OF GIRTY.
morose ; to all their inquiries he would only shake his head. Probably the murder of Simmons, Sample and wife, Phillips, and other victims, were still fresh in his mind, and if known he could expect no mercy from people who had suffered so much at his hands.
THE LAST OF GIRTY.
On the third day after Girty arrived at Indiantown. he was seen to take up his line of march for the west. still carrying his camp kit on his back. Near the present site of Sheffield, he was met by Caleb Moore. slowly and feebly plodding his way westward. About one week after Girty started west, a man, while traveling on the old Sac and Fox trail, saw on the prairie, north of Barren Grove, two wolves eating a carcass. Out of enriosity he rode out to see what they were eating. and found it to be the remains of an Indian, partly devoured. Near the remains were found a gun, knife, tomahawk. two blankets, a small copper kettle, and a pot. Around the neck of the remains, which was almost a skeleton. was a large buckskin cord, to which was attached a silver medal. This medal was taken off by the traveler. and the other trinkets, with the remains, were left on the prairie where they were found.
This was the last of Girty ; although his crimes were great, the retribution was equally so.
THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY
ASTOR, LENOX TILDEN FOUNDATION
JOHN H. BRYANT.
PART SECOND.
HISTORICAL SKETCH
OF THE
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
IBLIC LIBRARY
XONIT'WOLF DLOEN FOUNDATIONS.
CONTENTS.
PAGE.
Arrival of Emigrants, - - 251 -
Bureau County Organized, 33-1
Banditti, - -
- - 341
Civil Authority Superseded by an Armed Force. 356
Churches and Schools, - - -
375
Chenoweth Prairie and Lone Tree Settlement.
- 380
236
Destruction of Black Partridge's Village, - Dave Jones, - -
- 296
Exploring the Country, 266
Early Settlement, - 237 Early Settlement in the North part of the County, 388 Early Settlement of La Moille and Perkins' Grove, 326 Early Settlement of Princeton, - - 393
First Settlers, and Old Uncle Peter, - 247
False Alarm, - -
304
Geography of Bureau County, - 231
Hampshire Colony, - 261
Hickory Ridge, - - 274 Indians of Bureau, 241
Jerro and Friends Saved from Starvation, - 308 Justice Court, 348
Lost Grove Settlement, - 385
Little Johnny, the Indian Captive, - 310 Moseley Settlement, - - 280 -
Marriage under Difficulties. - 295 - Mirage and Sounds, - - 318
Murder of Rev. John Williams, - 319
Murder at Lost Grove, - - 342 - -
Meteorological Table, - - 374
Miscellaneous, - 400
Old Putnam County, - 233
Putnam County Organized, - 287
Peoria and Galena State Road, 291 Providence Colony, - - - 331
Progress of Settlement, 396
Politicians on a Rampage, - 353
Roads at the Time of Early Settlement, 343
Settlers Flee from their Homes, - - 268
Settlement of Leepertown and Hoskins' Prairie, 278
Settlement in the East part of the County, - 328
Settlement at Boyd's Grove, - 323
Settlement on Green River, - 383 -
Settlement on Main Bureau,
- 388
Settlement east of the River-First Steamboat, 282
Settlement of Princeton Prairie, - 374 - Settlement in the North part of the County, - 391
The Magician, 371 - -
Third Indian War, -
- 301
Underground Railroad, 360
Wild Animals, - - 313
West Bureau and Center Grove Settlement, - 329
INTRODUCTION TO PART SECOND.
It could not be expected that a full and complete history of the county would be given in a book of this size, consequently no attempt of the kind has been made. The main object has been to collect and preserve facts connected with the early settlement, that were about to be lost, leaving things of a more recent date, and that which is a matter of record, for a subsequent publication. The political, commercial. financial and social history, as well as that of towns and villages, may, however, appear in another volume at some future day.
In the carly settlement of the country, there was a class of people called squatters, who kept in advance of permanent settlers, making claims, and selling them at the first opportunity. These frontiersmen, who were fond of border life, obtained their living by making and selling claims, hunting, trapping, &e., and would go westward as soon as people settled around them. Some of this class had temporary residences in this
county, but their history is so obscure as to bear no part in this work.
Many persons, no doubt, will be disappointed to find no mention of their names, claiming priority to others whose names do appear, but they must recollect that all necessary facts were not in possession of the writer, and names, in a few instances, may have been omitted by accident.
It is to be expected that some persons will criticise the statements herein made, point out errors (or sup- posed to be such), but it must be remembered that many conflicting accounts were given, and to throw out the spurious, and retain the genuine, was a difficult matter to do. The collecting of facts connected with the early settlement, has been the work of years, and the statements herein made are not based on the sayings of a few persons only ; but different accounts have been compared and revised, by which correct conclusions have been arrived at. It would be too much, however, to presume that no errors have escaped detection.
CHAPTER I.
GEOGRAPHY OF BUREAU COUNTY.
This county contains twenty-three whole, and two fractional, towns; eight hundred and sixty-four square miles, making five hundred and fifty-three thousand acres of land, about one-ninth of which was originally timber. The land throughout the county is neither hilly nor flat, but undulating, and raises in the north part, where the waters between the Illinois and Mississippi divides, to near three hundred feet above the Illinois valley. Bureau county contains no high peaks, capped with overhanging rocks ; no deep, narrow valleys: no roaring cascades, nor mountain torrents, shrouded in foam; still it is not without picturesque scenery. The high. rolling prairie, which extends through the towns of Bureau, Walnut. and Ohio. affords a view of landscape scenery probably unsur passed by any in the State. This prairie overlooks Bureau timber on the cast, and Green river timber on
2
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REMINISCENCES OF BUREAU COUNTY.
the west, and presents to the eye a beautiful prospective view of the surrounding country, for many miles in extent.
On the elevated land, near Providence, called at the time of early settlement, " High Land Point," the surface of nearly half of Bureau county is visible. When the atmosphere is favorable Buffalo Grove, north of Rock river, forty-six miles distant, can be seen. The Illinois river forms fourteen miles of its eastern boundary : Bureau creek, with its tributaries, waters the central portion, while Green river, and the head waters of Spoon river, flows through the western part. Coal banks and stone quarries are found in the central part of the county, while peat and mineral paint abounds in the northwestern towns.
The old Indian Boundary Line, which extends from Lake Michigan to the Mississippi river, passes through the northern towns of this county, running almost in an east and west direction. This line was surveyed in the spring of 1819, in accordance with an act of Congress, and it was made one of the standard lines in surveying the military district. Wisconsin, in 1840, made a claim under the ordinance of 1787, to all that part of Illinois lying north of this line. The surveys south of the Indian Boundary Line, were commenced in 1816, and completed in 1823. The surveys north of this line were commenced in 1834, and completed in 1843. South of the boundary line, the land came into
233
OLD PUTNAM COUNTY.
market in 1835, and north of it, in 1844. The land office for this district was originally at Galena, but was afterwards removed to Dixon's ferry.
The line that bounds the Military District, com- mences at the great bend in the Illinois river, near the mouth of Lake Du Pue, and runs due west until it reaches the Mississippi river, a short distance from New Boston. The towns of Wheatland, Macon. Milo, and Neponset, had in them a large quantity of military land. but the towns of Arispie, Leepertown, and Indiantown. which lay within the military district, contained none of these lands.
OLD PUTNAM COUNTY.
In January, 1825, a bill passed the legislature for dividing the military district into counties, and provided for their organization, as soon as they contained a suthi- cient number of inhabitants. Putnam, being the most northern of the new counties, was made to include within its jurisdiction all of the northeast portion of the State, and was bounded as follows: Commencing on the west bank of the Illinois river, at the north line of town eleven, following up the Illinois and Kankakee rivers to the Indiana state line, thence north along the western shore of Lake Michigan to the north east corner of the State, thence west to range four, thence south to town eleven, thence east to the place of beginning.
231
REMINISCENCES OF BUREAU COUNTY.
This territory, at the present time, contains twenty- seven counties, or parts of counties. The act provided. as soon as this county contained three hundred and fifty inhabitants, they were authorized to organize, and elect county officers, for which the Circuit Judge of the district was directed to issue his order. Chicago was the only village in the new county, and outside of which it is believed there was not a white person living. with the exception of Indian traders along the Illinois river and its tributaries.
Five years after Putnam county was set off, it was found to contain about seven hundred inhabitants, the most of whom lived on Bureau, about the mouth of Fox river, and at Chicago. These settlements being so far apart, scattered, as they were, over a territory more than one hundred miles in extent, made organization impracticable, and for six years all the legal business of Putnam county was transacted at Peoria. The settlers on Bureau had but little to do with legal matters, as they had no titles to real estate to look after, and no law suits to prosecute or defend. One marriage license only was issued at Peoria to settlers on Bureau,-that being to Leonard Roth, who married a daughter of Timothy Perkins. In the spring of 1831, Charles S. Boyd paid seventy-five cents tax to the collector of Peoria county, which was the only tax collected of settlers within the limits of this county, previous to the organization of Putnam.
DESTRUCTION OF BLACK PARTRIDGE'S VILLAGE. 235
A short distance below the present site of Henry, formerly in Putnam, but now in Marshall county, once stood the village of Black Partridge, a celebrated Indian chief. The destruction of this village, and the killing of many of its inhabitants, I believe has never fully entered into history, and but few people are familiar with the facts therein connected. An account of this affair was communicated to the writer thirty-six years ago, by the "Old Ranger," Gen. Whitesides, who was one of the attacking party, and was acquainted with all the facts. In September, 1812, Gov. Edwards fitted out an expedition against the Indians, on the Illinois river, in order to avenge the massacre of the troops at Fort Dearborn, which took place a short time previous. The volunteers, under Edwards, were on horseback, and pursued their way through the unsettled country from Bellville te Fort Clark, where they were met by their comrades, who had ascended the river in small boats. From Fort Clark the volunteers went up the river for the purpose of attacking the village of Black Partridge. In their march, they used great caution, so the Indians would be taken by surprise, and unprepared to make a defense. When they arrived within four miles of the village, Whitesides, with three other young men, volum- teered to go forward and reconnoitre the position, Here the army remained over night, the soldiers sleeping on their arms, so as to be prepared in case they should be attacked. Next morning, at daylight, Gov. Edwards ordered the troops forward to attack the village, before
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REMINISCENCES OF BUREAU COUNTY.
the Indians were aware of their presence. Capt. Judy's company of spies, to which Whitesides belonged. was leading the van, and had proceeded but a short distance, when they came suddenly upon two Indians. on horseback, who raised their hands in token of sub- mission. Capt. Judy raised his rifle to fire on them, when some of his companions begged for mercy ; but the captain replied that he did not leave home to take prisoners, and in a moment the dust was seen to raise from the Indian's buckskin hunting shirt, as the rifle ball entered his body. The Indian fell from his horse, and being mortally wounded, commenced singing his death song, while the blood was streaming from his mouth and nose. The rangers rode up to the dying Indian, who was reeling to and fro, under the torture of pain, when all of a sudden he presented his rifle to shoot. The rangers sprang from their horses to escape the shot, but one of their party, by the name of Wright. not being quick enough, was badly wounded. The other Indian, who proved to be a squaw, set on her horse, spell bound, making no attempt at defense or escape. Many shots were fired at her, none of which. however, took effect, when she commenced crying, and was taken prisoner.
The Indians at the village were unaware of the approach of the army; many of the warriors were off on a hunt, the squaws were busy preparing breakfast. while the papooses were playing on the green, uncon- scious of danger. The rangers pushed forward in great
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EARLY SETTLEMENT.
haste, shooting down squaws and papooses, as they fled panic-stricken from their homes. But little resisistance was made by the Indians, who fled up the river, leaving behind them their ponies, camp equipage, and every- thing valuable. Some of the Indians, being badly wounded, were unable to make their escape; these. together with a number of small children, were butchered in cold blood.
The village, with all its contents, was burned and the ponies, about one hundred in number, were taken off by the rangers, who considered them trophies of war. While the village was burning, an Indian, said to have been Black Partridge himself, walked boldly along the bluff, within one hundred and fifty yards of the soldiers. and fired his gun at them, after which he laughed long and loud, as he walked slowly away. Many shots were tired at this Indian, but without effect. and some of the rangers started in pursuit, but he made good his escape.
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
But few people, at the present time, are aware of the hardships that were endured by the early settlers of this county. Deprived of every comfort of civilization. without schools, churches, and almost without society. in many cases, having only the Indians for their neighbors and associates. Their dwellings were rude cabins, with a puncheon floor, and clapboard door. hung on wooden hinges. Some were obliged to live in
238
REMINISCENCES OF BUREAU COUNTY.
a tent until a cabin could be built; others lived for months in a pole shanty, without a floor, chimney or door, a bed quilt supplying the place of the latter. Their living, too, was also plain, being deprived of almost every luxury of life; for weeks at a time without bread in their house, living on hominy and potatoes, while their supply of meat was obtained from wild game. The place for getting milling done, was at a horse-mill near Peoria, where some of the pioneers went, and waited days for their grist. Many of the settlers pounded their corn in a hominy block, and ground their wheat in a coffee mill, taking out the bran with a common meal sieve.
Three years in succession, the early settlers of Bureau were driven from their homes on account of Indian hostilities, leaving their farms to grow up in weeds, and their horses and cattle to run at large on the prairie. Living in constant fear of the Indians, not knowing at what moment they would be attacked and murdered by them. Sometimes they would carry their guns with them while working in the field, and at night leave their cabin to sleep in the grove, so they might escape should their dwellings be attacked.
Ague and intermittent fever were very common in the early settlement of the county, some seasons the inmates of almost every house would be down sick. one not being able to assist the other. For the first three years of the settlement, there was no physician in the county, and the sick were obliged to rely on such
239
EARLY SETTLEMENT.
remedies as they could obtain. An old lady, by the name of Archer, living east of the Illinois river. practiced midwifery on Bureau, and in some instances attending patients who lived twenty or thirty miles from her residence. James G. Forristall being afflicted with the ague, went to Peoria for medical treatment. and received of Dr. Langworthy, the only physician of the place, a prescription which was intended to last him three months, and with this prescription in his pocket he returned to his cabin.
William Hoskins, one of the early settlers of this county, came here with his family late in the fall of 1830. and during the greater part of the cold winter that followed, he lived in a cabin without door or window, a bed quilt supplying the place of the former. After moving here. Mr. Hoskins had but fifty cents in money left, and for the first six months the family lived on hominy and meat ; but one peck of meal was used, and that was ground on a hand mill.
Instances without number might be recited, showing the hardships endured by the early settlers, but these can be supplied by the reader's imagination.
More than forty years have now passed away since the settlement of Bureau was commenced, and great has been the change in the country during that time. The early pioneer-the hunter, and Indian fighter. with a few exceptions, have passed away -- the report of 3
240
REMINISCENCES OF BUREAU COUNTY.
their rifles, and the barking of their dogs, are no longer heard in Bureau timber. Their rude log cabins have gone to decay, and their places supplied by fine build- ings, in which people live in the enjoyment of the comforts and luxuries of life.
CHAPTER II.
INDIANS OF BUREAU.
The number of Indians that lived within the limits of this county is not known: but it is estimated, by those best posted, to be about fifteen hundred. all of whom were Pottawatamies. The line between the country of the Pottawatamies and Winnebagoes, was the Old Indian Boundary Line, which passed through the northern portion of this county. In the timber of main Bureau and Green river. the Indians had land marks designating this line-the Winnebagoes hunting north, and the Pottawatamies south of it, and they seldom trespassed upon each other's rights. Their principal chief was named Anturkce, and he lived most of his tinn at Indiantown. He was a tall, athletic man, with great physical powers, and exercised much influence over his tribe. There was another chief. known by most of the early settlers, whose name was Menmuse; he was a thick, heavyset man, and spoke the Engli-b language very well. This chief, with his
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