USA > Illinois > Bureau County > Reminiscences of Bureau county [Illinois] in two parts > Part 13
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died, and some of the party were obliged to continue the journey on foot. They bought two canoes, lashed them together, and proceeded down the river sixty-five miles, to the portage, or big swamp, five miles in length, which connected with the Kankakee river. In their canoes they passed down the Kankakee, and Illinois rivers, to the mouth of Big Vermillion, nearly opposite the present site of Lasalle. At this point they were met by their agent, Mr. Jones, who had preceeded them, and had selected what was afterwards known as Princeton prairie, for their future homes.
At that time, the settlers on Bureau, were all absent from their homes, having fled on account of Indian troubles; and to the colonists, things looked gloomy, and discouraging. The colonists remained at Baily's Point, east of the river, until a treaty with the Indians was concluded at Rock Island ; and the settlers returned to their cabins. Dr. Chamberlain, and Eli and Elijah Smith, joined in buying a wagon and two yoke of cattle, so as to move their families and house- hold goods, to Bureau. At that time, Phillips, Brig- ham, and Forristall. three single men, occcupied a cabin where Mr. Forristall, now lives, and to this cabin the emigrants were bound. Without any road across the prairie, they left Spring creek timber, shaping their course in a northwest direction, so as to strike Bureau at the desired point. In a stream on the prairie, ( sup- posed to be Brush creek), their wagon stuck fast in the mud. and as it was near night they left it and proceeded
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on their journey. Dr. Chamberlain, was riding the only horse that belonged to the party, and he took Mrs. Eli Smith, on behind him. Elijah Smith mounted an ox, with his wife behind him; Eli Smith was on another steer, with Oscar Chamberlain, riding behind him. Others of the party were mounted on the other two steers, and in this way they started for Phillip's claim. about ten miles distant. On reaching East Bureau creek, at a little grove near the present site of Malden. night overtook them, and in the darkness they found it impossible to proceed further. Here in this little grove they decided to stay all night, and without tents or bedding, they laid down among the brush to sleep. Next morning the men mounted the steers, with their women on behind them, as they had done the evening before, and returned to their wagon ; the wagon at last was extricated from the mud, and they proceeded on their way. It was late in the afternoon when the emigrants reached Phillip's cabin, and their journey to the west, was at an end.
A few days before starting for the west, Eli and Elijah Smith were married to two sisters, and their journey to Illinois, occupying about three months, which will long be remembered by them, as their wedding tour.
When the Hampshire Colony arrived on Bureau, Mr. Epperson was the only person living in Princeton township, and he assisted them in selecting their claims. The colonists surveyed the land from Epperson's claim.
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for five miles up Main Bureau timber, and staked off their claims; but few of them settled on the land assigned them. Dr. N. Chamberlin located one and one-half miles south of Princeton, on a farm now belonging to Mr. Dee. Eli and Elijah Smith built a double log cabin, on Bureau bluff, three miles north of Princeton. Among the young men of the colony, were C. G. Corss, George Hinsdale, Aaron Gunn, John P. Blake, E. H. and E. S. Phelps, Jr. Aaron Gunn made a claim on the Doolittle farm, and afterwards at La Moille, but is now living in La Salle. Mr. Corss made a claim two and one-half miles southeast of Princeton. on which he lived until his death, which occurred a few years ago. John G. Blake made a claim where Arthur Bryant now lives, but soon afterwards went east of the river, where he settled. Mr. Blake now lives in Putnam county, and for many years was county judge. E. H. Phelps is now living in Princeton, and is one among the few original members left of the Hampshire Colony Church. E. S. Phelps, Sen., also lives in Princeton, but is far advanced in life. E. S. Phelps, Jun., lives in Wyanet, and has been long known as a contributor to the public journals of Bureau county.
The settlement made by the colonists was called Greenfield, and Elijah Smith was appointed postmaster.
Their church, when organized on Bureau, consisted of only six members, and meetings were held alterna- tively at the cabins of Chamberlin's and Smith's. Before
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leaving Massachusetts, their friends presented them with a silver scarament set. This set was left during the Black Hawk war, at the house of Elijah Smith, and was stolen either by whites or Indians. Next spring after the war, when the prairie was burned, a part of this sacramental set was found on West Bureau, but was much damaged by the burning of the grass.
On account of the Indian war, the Hampshire Colony was partly broken up; many of its members left the country, and settled in other localities, which were less exposed to Indian depredations. E. S. Phelps, Sen .. and Alva Whitmarsh were members of the colony, but went south with their familes, and did not settle on Bureau, until some years afterwards.
Although the Hampshire Colony did not meet with such success as its projectors expected, still it formed the nucleus for a large New England settlement here. and many of the enterprising citizens of Bureau county came here in consequence of it. 6
CHAPTER IV.
EXPLORING THE COUNTRY.
In the summer of 1829, Henry and Ezekiel Thomas, in company with four other persons, from Tazewell county, made a tour eastward to see the country. This party were all mounted on horseback, and supplied with provisions, blankets, &c., so they could camp out at night. Leaving Henry Thomas, on the morning of a bright summer day, they followed up Main Bureau timber, for a number of miles, then made their way eastward along the north side of the Illinois river timber. Not a settler nor one mark of civilization was to be seen through the limits of Bureau county. The party followed up the river to the foot of the rapids, near Starved Rock, where they forded it and explored the country, on the east side, along the great bend of the Illinois river. On their return homeward they came to Hartzell's Trading House, which was located on the bank of the river, a short distance above Hennepin Island. At that time there was no ferryboat, and the
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party were compelled to swim their horses across the river. Ezekiel Thomas took the lead, and was followed by the rest of the party in Indian file, whose horses were soon floundering in the placid waters of the Illinois. When part way across the girth of Henry Thomas's saddle broke, and the saddle with the rider floated off by the current, while the horse continued on his way for the opposite shore. Mr. Thomas being left alone in the middle of the river, managed to keep himself and saddle afloat, until he was rescued by a man in a canoe.
The party being safely landed on the west side of the river, found their way with great difficulty through the thick timber of the river bottom. As they came nigh the present site of Bureau valley mills, they discovered a wagon track, which excited their curiosity, as no person was then living west of the Illinois river, except Henry Thomas and the Ament family. The party turned their horses about and followed the wagon track, in order to obtain a elne to this mysterous affair. The track crossed the creek, and wound along the bluff, until it came to a small opening in the timber, since known as Hoskins' prairie. Here by the side of a spring, where the family of Brown Searl now lives. they found two families encamped. The emigrants. had cut down a large tree, against the trunk of which a fire was built, and fronting the fire was a cloth tent to shield their families from the sun and rain. The women were busy with their domestic affairs, while
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the men were off deer hunting, in order to supply them with meat.
The names of these two emigrants were Amos Leonard and Daniel Dimmick, both of whom were prominent in the early settlement of this county, and a further account of them will be found in another part of this work. They were from Knox county, Ohio, and had traveled from there with an ox team. Crossing the river at Peoria, they followed up on the west side until they came to Bureau, when they stopped, with the intention of making it their future home.
SETTLERS FLEE FROM THEIR HOMES.
In the spring of 1831, the settlers on Bureau were apprehensive of trouble with the Indians, as rumors were in circulation that different tribes had united for the purpose of making war on the frontier settlement. Black Hawk, with a part of his band, had crossed the Mississippi, and had taken possession of his old village near Rock Island. Trouble existed between these Indians and the settlers, who had laid claim to the Indian cornfields and wigwams, and were unwilling to give them up, on their return to the village. In order to prevent bloodshed, Gov. Reynolds called out seven hundred volunteers, to protect the settlers, as well as to intimidate the Indians. In the later part of June, these volunteers, accompanied by Gen. Gain's with a regiment of regulars, repaired to Rock Island. to put
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an end to these disturbances. On the approach of the army, the Indians fled west of the Mississippi, and this bloodless victory was celebrated by firing of cannon. The report of Gen. Gaines' cannon was heard on Bureau, and the settlers believing that hostilities had commenced, fled from their homes. At that time. there were only sixteen families living within the limits of Bureau county, while the country north, and west. was an unbroken wilderness without one habitation of white men; so that Bureau settlement occupied a frontier position, without protection from forts, or military posts. A report was current that the Indians of Bureau had gone west to join Black Hawk, and a raid on the settlement might be expected at any time. A traveler, on the Sac and Fox trail, said he met near Bureau Grove, about five hundred warriors, going west ward ; for the purpose as he supposed, of joining the Sac and Foxes at Rock Island.
The families of Elijah Epperson, John Williams, John L. and Justus Ament, hearing these reports, and the firing of cannon at Rock Island; started to leave the country, and had procceeded as far as Round Point. where the city of Princeton now stands, where they halted, for consultation ; some being in favor of con- tinuing on their way, while others opposed it. After a long parley, it was agreed that Shaubena should be consulted in regard to their safety, in case they remained in the country, and by his decision they would abido Hezekiah Epperson and Justus Ament went to
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Shaubena's camp, which was then located on the Corss run east of the Doolittle farm, while the remainder of the fugitives, with their ox teams returned to Epperson's cabin to await events. When the messengers arrived at Shaubena's camp, they did not find him at home. having gone on business to Hartzell's Trading House, but they left word on his return to come immediately to Epperson's cabin, where his friends were in waiting for him.
Men, women and children, were collected in the door yard, fronting the cabin, undecided what to do, when in the distance they heard the clattering of a horse's feet, and in a moment, Shaubena, with his pony on a gallop, was seen coming through the timber and across the Epperson run, in the direction of the cabin. As he rode up to the settlers, he raised his hand high above his head, and addressed them with " Buzu Necons," which is in English, "How do you do, my friends." The men collected around Shaubena, to learn his opinion in relation to the war, and what he thought about their remaining longer in the country. In answer to these inquiries, Shaubena said he thought there would be trouble between the whites and Sacs and Foxes. The young men, he thought, might stay on their claims and raise a crop, but the squaws and pappooses should leave the country immediately. The oxen were again hitched on to the wagons, and they all fled east of the Illinois river. On the Ox Bow prairie, a call was made for volunteers to assist the
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Bureau settlers in taking away their property, when about fifty came forward, who marched forthwith for Bureau settlement.
A short time previous, Thomas Hartzell, and Ira Ladd, built a small boat, and established a ferry at the head of Hennepin Island. At this ferry, the rangers were taken across, which occupied several hours. as the boat could only carry six horses and their riders at a time. When the rangers were all landed on the west side of the river, they put their horses on a canter for Indiantown.
It was a bright June day, without a cloud in the sky, and the wild flowers along Bureau valley, were in full bloom ; birds were singing among the branches of the trees, and the rippling water of Bureau creek could be heard, as it glided quietly on its way to the river.
As the rangers cantered their horses up the valley, crossing and re-crossing the creek, at short intervals ; they were enchanted by the beauty of the surrounding scenery. Their loud talk and merry laugh, as well as the clattering of their horses feet. could be heard at a distance, and the sound of which was made to re-echo from the surrounding bluff's.
All was quiet at the Indian village ; athletic hunters were lazily lying around under the shade of trees. The squaws were at work in their cornfields, and scores of pappooses were playing on the green, when all of a sudden the Indians discovered this armed force
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approaching their village, and believing that they were about to be attacked, they fled in great haste. War- riors, with rifles in their hands, and squaws, with pappooses on their backs, were seen in great numbers. climbing the bluff south of the village, while others mounted their ponies, and putting them at the top of their speed, fled up Bureau bottom, and were soon out of sight of the rangers.
An old Indian, who was confined to his couch by sickness, believing that his time had come, commenced singing his death song, and was prepared to depart to the happy hunting ground.
John Griffith, one of the rangers, who afterwards owned a saw mill on Bureau creek, followed the Indians, and speaking well the Pottawatamie language, prevailed on their chiefs, and principal warriors to return. Autuckee, Meommuse and Girty, with others returned to their village and had a talk with the rangers. In this conference they stated that they had no intention of going to war, and until then they were not aware of the flight of the settlers. The rangers were now con- vinced, that the alarm was without any foundation, so far as the Pottawatamies were concerned, and they returned to their homes.
Seven young men, belonging to this company of rangers, among whom were Madison Studyvin, John Griffith, Ira Ladd, and Jonathan Wilson, being desirous of seeing the country, continued their journey west- ward, and stayed over night at Henry Thomas. Next
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day. as they were returning home, they saw, while on the Princeton prairie, three men on horseback, travel- ing westward, and being fond of sport, galloped their horses towards them. These three men proved to be Epperson, Jones and Foot, who were on their way to Epperson's cabin. Mistaking the rangers for Indians. they wheeled their horses about, and fled in the direction of Hennepin. The panic was complete. and the fugitives urged their horses forward under the whip. believing the preservation of their scalps depended on the fleetness of their steeds. Saddle-bags, blankets. and other valuables, were thrown away to facilitate their speed. On they went, at a fearful rate, pursued by the rangers. In the flight, Foot's horse fell down. throwing the rider over his head; but Epperson and Jones made no halt, having no time to look after their unfortunate comrade, but leaving him to the tender mercies of savages, they continued on their way. When the fugitives arrived at the Hennepin ferry, they were exhausted from fright and over exertion; their horses were in a foam of sweat, while loud puff's of breath came forth from their expanded nostrils. Above the snorting of the horses, and clattering of their feet. were heard the hoarse voices of the riders, crying, at the top of their voice, " Injune, Injuns." On the west side of the river were a number of people looking after their cattle, which had been driven from their claims, and on hearing the ery of Injuns, they, too. ran for their lives. Epperson and his comrade sprang from their 7
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horses, and ran for the ferry boat, saying they had been chased by a large body of Indians, who were but a short distance behind, and would be upon them in a moment. As quick as possible, the ferry boat left for the opposite shore ; one man being left behind, jumped into the river, and swam to the boat, when all were safely landed on the Hennepin side. Soon after Epperson and his comrade were landed on the east side of the river, and before the panic subsided, the sup- posed Indians arrived, when the whole matter was explained.
Foot and Jones were single men, and belonged to the Hampshire Colony, having arrived in the county a short time before. Foot had made a claim two miles north of Princeton, on a farm now occupied by John Shugart, and Jones claimed the land where James Garvin now resides. This terrible scare disgusted them with the country, and neither of them ever returned to make good their claims, but settled east of the river.
HICKORY RIDGE.
A short distance below the mouth of Bureau creek. formerly covered with thick timber, is a slight elevation. running parallel with the river, and called Hickory Ridge. In the early settlement of the country, and at times of high water, this ridge was made a place of landing for the Hennepin ferry-boat. According to tradition, this place has been the scene of a number of
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incidents, which occurred long before the settlement of the country.
In September, 1681, according to the Jesuit history, a company of French soldiers, commanded by Capt. Tonti, were stationed by La Salle at Fort St. Louis, on Buffalo Rock, two miles below the present site of Ottawa. To escape from being massacred by Indians, these soldiers abandoned the fort, and escaped at night, in their canoes, down the river. After proceeding on their way about twenty miles, they stopped at the mouth of a large creek to dry their clothing, and repair their canoes. This large creek referred to, must have been Bureau, as no other stream on the route will answer this description. With this party of soldiers were two noted missionaries, named Father Zenable and Gabriel, who had devoted their lives to the conversion of Indians. While the party were engaged in repairing their canoes, Father Gabriel, who was fond of solitude. followed down the bank of the river, wandering off into the thick timber of the bottom and was missing when the time of departure arrived. He was searched for in vain; guns were fired, and fires built along the bank of the river, but all to no purpose. After waiting many hours, they gave him up for lost, and proceeded on their journey. It was afterwards ascertained thut he was taken prisoner by a band of savages, carried off and murdered by them. The loss of Father Gabriel was much regretted, as he was an old man of seventy years, and much devoted to the work of the church.
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On the upper end of this ridge, a few rods below the mouth of the creek, a Frenchman, named Beuro, from whom the stream took its name, built a trading house, but at what period is not known. Antonia Deschamps, who for many years was an agent of the American Fur Company, and spent most of his long life at Fort Clark, said, when a boy, previous to the year 1790, he saw every spring canoes loaded with furs and buffalo robes, and other skins, pass down the river from Beuro's trading house. The Indians say Beuro died, while his agent with canoes loaded with furs, was on a trip to St. Louis, and his wife, who was a Pottawatamie squaw, put his stock of goods into canoes, and took them to her people, living at the mouth of Fox river.
After the destruction of Black Partridge's village, which occurred in September, 1812, by volunteers under Gov. Edwards, as previously stated, part of the band took refuge on Hickory Ridge. These Indians, thinking that the volunteers would pursue them up the river in their boats, tore down the old trading house of Beuro, and with the logs built a breastwork on the river bank, so they could fire on them as they ascended the river. Gerton S. Hubbard says this breastwork was still standing when he came to the country, in the year 1818 .* It appears the volunteers did not ascend
.* A few years ago, David S. Miller cut the timber off Hickory Ridge. and put the land under cultivation. On the upper end of the ridge. many relics of the past were found, showing where a dwelling once stood. Pieces of pottery, glassware and other relics of civilization, were found imbedded in the ground. On the bank of the river are still
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the river in boats, as the Indians expected. but a part of them on horseback. commanded by Lieut. Robenson, came up to Bureau creek, and from that circumstance the stream took the name of Robenson river, which appeared on the old State maps.
to be seen the signs of a breast work or fortification. Thirty years ago, Cyrus Langworthy, in cutting timber on this ridge, found a rifle ball in a tree, which, according to the growth, must have been imbedded there some seventy years before.
CHAPTER V.
SETTLEMENT OF LEEPERTOWN AND HOSKINS' PRAIRIE.
It has already been stated that Amos Leonard and Daniel Dimmick settled on the Hoskins' prairie, in the summer of 1829, and were, therefore, the first settlers. with one exception, in the eastern part of the county. A few weeks after they came to the county, Timothy Perkins and Leonard Roth, ( the latter a single man ). came to Bureau, and built a cabin near the present site of Leepertown mills. In the spring of 1830, John Hall came in the settlement, bought the claims of Leonard and Dimmick, and on them he made a large farm. In the fall of the same year Wm. Hoskins and John Clarke made claims in this vicinity, and became permanent settlers. Dimmick, having sold his claim, went to Dimmick's Grove ( now La Moille), where he lived two years, and then left the country. During the summer of 1830, Amos Leonard, who was a mill-wright by trade, built a grist mill on East Bureau, about eighty rods above its mouth. This mill was constructed with
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round logs, twelve feet square, and all its machinery. with a few exceptions, were made of wood. The mill stones were dressed out of boulder rocks, which were taken from the bluff's near by, and the hoop they ran in was a section of a hollow sycamore tree. This mill. when in running order, would grind about ten bushels per day. but poor as it was, people regarded it as a great accession to the settlement, and it relieved them of the slow process of grinding on hand mills, or pounding their grain on a hominy block. Settlers east of the river. as well as those living near the mouth of Fox river, patronized Leonard's mill, and it is now believed that it was the first water mill built north of Peoria.
In 1831, Henry George, a single man who was killed at the Indian creek massacre, made a claim, and built a cabin, on the present site of Bureau Junction. In 1833. John Leeper bought Perkins' claim, and a few vear- afterwards built a large flouring mill, which received much patronage from adjoining counties. Quite a village ( called Leepertown ), grew up at this mill : but in 1838 the mill burned down and the village went to decay.
In 1831, a number of emigrants found homes in this locality, among whom were David Nickerson, John McElwain, James Howe, Charles Leeper, and Major Wm. Shields. As early as 1832, a number of persons had settled in Hoskins neighborhood, among whom were Daniel Sherley and Gilbert Kellums, In 1834
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the large family of Searl came here. where many of their descendants continue to live.
MOSELEY SETTLEMENT.
In August, 1831, Roland Moseley, Daniel Smith. and John Musgrove, with their families, came to Bureau, the two former were from Massachusetts, and the latter from New Jersey, having met by chance while on their way to the west. The emigrants ascended the Illinois river in a steamboat as far as Naples, and finding it difficult to obtain passage further up the river, they left their families there, and made a tour through the country in search of homes. Hearing of the Hampshire Colony on Bureau, Mr. Moseley directed his course thither, and being pleased with the country, he selected a claim. At that time Timothy Perkins claimed, for himself and family, all the timber and adjoining prairie, between Arthur Bryant's and Caleb Cook's, but he agreed to let Mr. Moseley have enough for two farms, on condition of selling him some building material. A few months previous to the time of which we write, Timothy Perkins and Leonard Roth had built a saw mill on Main Bureau, a short distance below the present site of McManis' mill. This was the first saw mill built within the limits of Bureau county. and with one exception, the first north of Peoria.
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