USA > Illinois > Mason County > The History and Mason Counties, Illinois > Part 18
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155.214 72.309
70.393
200
83.011
56-
531.51t
69.793
51.0%.
$9.304
Stark
13 -. 129
12 375
2.78
121.630
476.851
1.615.679
960.620 505.541 124.473
75.532
{ title
5.300
1×0.231
1.737
436 051
1.865,682
Williamson
124, 148
116,949
1.64>
1701
170.787
836.115
033.395
Peerla
31 $13
831.542
124.953
16,511 86.519
331.259
1 10,261 75.079
150.200
3.290
60,217
5.53
799.810
90,867
66,803 57.5>5
93.460
80,749
2203.464
579,599
28.117
12,620
322.510
693
217,360
1.146.990
168,784
Total
19.829.95215.061.5 **
10.133.207 19.995,195
2.456.575 129.921.395
42,65%
schuyler.
56. 221
41.633
637.812 316.726
Tazewell
61,579
40,300
34.931
450.793
36.141
14,244
75.343
334.50%
7- 1671
A. Lincoln
HISTORY OF MENARD COUNTY.
BY REV. R. D. MILLER.
Long ages ago, the worst curse that a good man could wish to befall an enemy was that he were compelled to " write a book," for good old Job cried out in anguish "O, that mine enemy would write a book;" and surely this should be enough to gratify the enmity of a much worse man than he of Uz, especially if the book written was to be one giving a detailed history of the early settlement of a central county in Illinois sixty years after the beginning of that settlement.
Immediately after the close of the war of 1812, or, at least, as soon as the news of peace was confirmed through the country, the mass of the people were siezed with a mania for Western emigration, and, although the sagacious editor of New York had not at that time given the advice to young men to go West, yet thousands of both young and old were seized with the fever, and, as a result, the Western Territories began to fill very rapidly from the older settled portions of the country.
During almost the whole of the eighteenth century, the name Illinois was applied to all the known region lying west and north of Ohio. As early as 1673, French colonists established themselves at Kaskaskia and Cahokia. Just one hundred years from the establishment of these colonies, the territory of which they were the nucleus, in conjunction with Canada, was ceded to Great Britain. This was again transferred to the United States in 1787. In the same year that this territory was acquired, Congress passed an ordinance that the territory lying north and west of the Ohio River was to be divided into not less than three, nor more than five, States. Congress also divided the region named into Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. When we remember that this legislation was less than ninety-five years ago, we may smile at the short-sightedness of our statesmen, especially when we reflect that the territory was bounded on the north by the British Possessions.
So rapidly did this Northwestern country fill up, that, in 1810, the Illinois Territory, which then included a part of Wisconsin and Minnesota, contained a population of 12,282. Michigan had been formed into a separate Territory in 1805, and Indiana in 1809. The reader is, perhaps, acquainted with the A
190
HISTORY OF MENARD COUNTY.
history of the controversy with Wisconsin concerning the northern boundary of Illinois. If the people of Wisconsin are correct in their views of the mat- ter. then Illinois has no northern limit save that first given to the Territory. and her area still extends to the British Possessions in Canada.
Illinois, like other new Territories, was at first divided into counties, cover- ing very large areas, in fact. the entire State was once " Illinois County :" but as the country became more thickly settled. these counties were subdivided, and many portions re-divided the third or fourth time. Illustrative of this fact. it inay be stated that at the time of the admission of Illinois into the Union. it comprised only fifteen counties. As the settlement of the State began in the southern portion and gradually extended northward, it is not at all surprising that in more than one case it would have been impossible to find the northern boundary of the county unless it were considered as extending to the north line of the State. As an illustration of this subdivision of counties, it may be stated that the city of Chicago, or at least the land on which the city now stands, was once in Fulton County ; whereas, the nearest point of Fulton County to the city of Chicago is now 150 miles on an air line. A further illustration of this fact may be briefly given. If the reader will turn to the map of Illinois, he will observe that Crawford County is the eighth county south on the State line from Chicago. This county at first included Chicago. When Clark was formed, it embraced Chicago : and when Edgar was cut off of Clark, the " great city " was in it: and then when Vermilion was cut off of Edgar, Chicago fell into it : so that a great many counties in Illinois can boast of at least at one time including Chicago.
In consideration of the fact that Menard County was stricken off from Sanga- mon. it becomes necessary to give a brief outline of the latter. The reader. having perused the history of the Northwest, as given in a former part of this volume, will remember that portions of Illinois were settled even before the close of the last century. Prior to the formation of the county of Sangamon. by act of the Legislature, approved January 30, 1821. the territory of which it was formed was included in the counties of Bond and Madison. Sangamon County, when first formed, included all of what is now Logan, Tazewell. Mason, Menard. Cass and parts of Morgan, McLean. Marshall. Woodford. Putnam and Christian. The boundary remained thus till the year 1824, when the Legislature reduced its limits ; it still, however, extended to the Illinois River and included all of Menard and parts of Christian. Logan and Mason. The boundaries of Sangamon County remained unchanged till the year 1839. when the Legislature again subdivided it. cutting off Menard, Logan and Christian. The name Dane was first given to the latter, but, after a few years. it was changed to Christian.
At the session of the Legislature in 1838-39, Menard County was stricken off' fron. Sangamon. and named in honor of Col. Pierre Menard. a Frenchman. who settled at Kaskaskia in 1790. Menard was so popular in his day, with the
191
HISTORY OF MENARD COUNTY.
people of Illinois, that when the Convention framed the Constitution of the State, a clause was included in the schedule to the Constitution providing that " any citizen of the United States, who had resided in the State for two years. might be eligible to the office of Lieutenant Governor." This was done in order that Col. Menard, who had only been naturalized a year or two at the time, might be made Lieutenant Governor under Shadrach Bond, first Gover- nor of Illinois, after its formation into a State.
.As Menard County was named after this popular Frenchman, it may be interesting to the reader to give a brief account of his life. Pierre Menard was born in Quebec in the year 1767. He remained in his native city till in his nineteenth year, when his native spirit of adventure led him to seek his fortunes in the Territories watered by the Mississippi and its tributaries. He was, there- fore, soon found in the town of Vincennes, on the Wabash River, in the employ of a merchant, one Col. Vigo. In the year 1790, he formed a partnership with one Du Bois, a merchant of Vincennes, and they removed their stock to Kaskaskia, in Illinois. Menard, though possessed of but a limited education, was a man of quick perception and of almost unerring judgment. He was candid and honest, full of energy and industry, and these qualities soon marked him as a leader among the scattered population of his adopted home. For a number of years, he was Government Agent for the Indians, and his candor and integ- rity soon won for him the esteem and friendship of the Indian tribes. This fact secured him great advantage as a merchant, as he could buy their peltries for half that they could be purchased by the "Longknives." He was a mem- ber of the Lower House of the Legislature while Illinois was under the Indi- ana regime, and, from 1812 to 1818, he was a member of the Illinois Legisla- tive Council, being the President of that body. He was Lieutenant Governor from 1818 to 1822, and after that he declined to accept further honors at the hands of the people. He acquired a considerable fortune, but much of it was lost through his liberality in going security for his friends. He died at the good old age of seventy-seven years, in Tazewell County. Such was the man for whom the county of Menard was named.
The boundaries of the county of Menard are as follows : Beginning at the southeast corner of Section 22, Township 17, Range 8 west of the Third Principal Meridian ; thence east to the southeast corner of Section 21, Town- ship 17, Range 6 west of the Third Principal Meridian ; thence north to the southwest corner of Section 15, Township 17, Range 6 west of the Third Principal Meridian ; thence east to the southeast quarter of Section 18, Town- ship 17, Range 5 west of the Third Principal Meridian ; thence north one-half mile ; thence east one-quarter of a mile; thence north one-half mile; thence east one-quarter of a mile ; thence north one and one-half miles ; thence east to the southeast corner of Section 30, Township 18, Range 4 west of the Third Principal Meridian ; thence north to the northeast corner of Lot 19, Township 19, Range 4 west of the Third Principal Meridian ; thence west to the southeast
192
HISTORY OF MENARD COUNTY.
corner of Section 13, Township 19, Range 5 west of the Third Principal Meridian ; thence north to Salt Creek ; thence with said creek to the north- east corner of Section 7, Township 19, Range 6, where said creek unites with the Sangamon River : thence with the river to the southwest corner of Section 10. Township 19, Range 8; thence south to the place of beginning. The county contains an aggregate of 197,975 acres. The Sangamon River is estimated to occupy an area of 700 acres within the limits of the county. This will leave the entire area within the limits of the given boundary. 198.675 acres.
The Sangamon River flows through the county from south to north, dividing it into almost equal parts. A number of small streams flowing into the Sangamon River and Salt Creek afford an abundance of pure, fresh water for every purpose. The surface of the county is gently undulating, in the main, though for a mile or two back from the river it is somewhat broken. The greater portion of the land, in its native state, was prairie, covered with a rank and luxuriant coat of grass, and interspersed with a countless variety of wild flowers.
Groves and bodies of timber are interspersed all over its entire area, in ample abundance for all purposes of manufacture and agriculture. Along the Sangamon River, for a distance of a mile and a half, on either side, there is heavy timber ; while on Rock Creek and Indian Creek. are considerable bodies also. In the eastern part of the county are Irish Grove. Bee Grove and Sugar Grove, each large bodies of good timber. On the west side of the river are Little Grove and Clary's Grove, which are also good timber. The principal kinds of timber are black, spotted, burr. white and pin oaks : elm. ash, walnut, (white and black). hard and soft maple, sycamore. linden or basswood, hickory (white and shell-bark ), cottonwood, black and honey loenst. pecan. cherry and mulberry.
AGRICULTURE.
The soil is adapted to agricultural pursuits in a very remarkable degree. Not only in the bottom and table lands is the black loam deep and rich, but the uplands are also equally productive. Of the 310.4 square miles. or 198,675 neres of land in the county, there were. in 1878. 168,282 acres in cultivation. against 134,173 acres in 1870. Of this, 63,286 acres were in corn, yielding 1.875,096 bushels. The same year, 1878, there were $.987 acres in winter wheat, yielding 125,149 bushels: 891 acres in spring wheat. yielding 6.244 bushels ; 8,352 acres in oats, producing 263,666 bushels : 10,168 acres in tim- othy meadow, yielding 14,542 tons of hay ; 303 aeres in Irish potatoes, pro- ducing 15,620 bushels ; 1.469 acres in apple orchards, yielding 56,157 bushels of apples. The acreage of grain raised in 1878 was not as large as usual, from the fact of the extreme wet weather in the early part of the season. preventing the cultivation of large amount of the flat and low bottom-land. Beside this. winter wheat has been such an uncertain erop for some years past, that little
193
HISTORY OF MENARD COUNTY.
attention has been paid to it ; but the yield per acre of what was sowed last year being so fine that the acreage the present year is almost double that of 1878, and the quality and yield are both much better. There are a variety of crops raised beside those named above, but those given are the most important.
The county is well supplied with the various kinds of stock, and for many years great pains have been taken to improve the quality by securing the best imported breeds. For a number of years, there was great profit in feeding cattle and hogs for the Eastern markets, and many of the cattle raised on the rich pasture-lands of "Little Menard" were shipped to European ports, and proved to be as rich and savory as the boasted beeves of the Old World. For a few years past, however, farmers have found but little profit in this department of labor, and raising cattle and hogs as a business is falling into desuetude. The price of pasture and the cost of raising corn, together with the Western competition in prices, render the cattle business very uncertain and dangerous, while the prevalence of hog-cholera for several years past, renders the business of hog-raising so dangerous that but little attention is given to it. In 1878, there were 5,961 head of cattle fatted in the county, the aggregate gross weight of which was 2,104,900 pounds. There were 1,089 milk-cows kept, from which was sold, beside the home consumption, 43,890 pounds of butter, 225 pounds of cheese, 15 gallons of cream and 2,300 gallons of milk. The same year, 18,902 hogs were fatted, the gross weight of which was 4,664,546 pounds ; besides these, there were 22,495 hogs, big and little, died with cholera during the same year, the aggregate weight of which was 1,514,421 pounds. The sheep of the county yielded, in 1878, 19,689 pounds of wool. Of the horses, mules and asses in the county, we have no statistics later than 1870 that are reliable. There were then 6,840 horses and 921 mules and asses. Since that time. there has been, doubtless, an increase of 15 or 20 per cent. For the last five or six years, the attention of farmers has been turned largely to the improve- ment of the breed of horses. For this purpose, large sums have been expended in importing, from various portions of Europe, studs of the finest horses. The most popular breeds are, perhaps, the Norman and Clydesdale. In this short time, a marked improvement is observable in the stock all over the county.
The total valuation of farm lands, at the last census, was $7,944,895. The total farm products were estimated to be worth $2,237,505, and the live stock was valued at $1.617,389. This gives a total of $11,899,809 as the valua- tion of real estate, farm products and live stock, leaving out, however, a num- ber of minor matters that would aggregate no inconsiderable amount. This is distributed among a population of not more than 13,000 or 14,000 (only 11,735 in 1870), of whom only 8 were colored. The reader will bear in mind that, instead of the above estimates being exaggerated, those which were not taken from absolute official statistics taken in 1878, were taken from the census of 1870 ; hence the facts will fall considerably below the above figures. From 1860 to 1870, the increase of population in the county was about 23 per
194
HISTORY OF MENARD COUNTY.
cent : but for the last decade it will fall very far below this. as the emigration to Kansas and other parts of the West will equal. if not exceed, the immigra- tion into the county, so that the population as given above may be too great .
Although this county covers but a small area of territory, yet there is no county in the State possessing finer natural advantages. As before intimated. pure, fresh, living water for man and beast, and for purposes of irrigation, is distributed in every part of the county ; while the Sangamon River and Salt Creek afford abundance of water for driving manufacturing machinery, either by steam or by water power.
Inexhaustible deposits of bituminous coal of the best quality, underlie the entire area. and at such a depth that it can be mined at a trifling cost. This coal is deposited in three layers, or strata. that have been worked. and Prof. Worthen, the State Geologist, says that the strata in this part of Illinois will all together make at least twenty-five feet in thickness. A tolerably correct idea of our wealth in this direction may be gained when we remember that miners estimate that in every foot of the vein in thickness, there are twenty million bushels. or one million tons to the square mile. Now, to say nothing of the twenty-five feet of strata of which Prof. Worthen speaks, let the reader contemplate the wealth that is hidden in the vein that is now being worked. This layer aver- ages over six feet in thickness ; but, for safety, we will estimate it at six feet. This gives us 120,000,000 bushels, or 480,000 tons to each square mile of area.
This, of itself, is a source of inexhaustible wealth. A writer in the Lon- don Quarterly Review said, not long since, that no people can succeed in the arts of Christian civilization without a supply of coal ; and as it is essential to many classes of manufacture, and to the navigation of the ocean. and conse- quently to the commerce of the world. the statement does not appear to be extravagant. The same writer says that the paddle-wheels of European enter- prise are constantly stirring up the dark waters of superstition in the East. and every Christian steamer that navigates those waters goes as a herald of Chris- tian civilization and advancement ; and that coul is thus becoming a grand and essential agent in the enlightenment of the world. Such were the stores of coal deposited in the bowels of England, and her supply so inexhaustible-as supposed-that the expression. "carrying coals to Newcastle" has long been the manner of expressing the inexhaustibleness of the deposit. But present indications bid fair for it to become literally true, and also that the " coals carried to Newcastle " shall be from America. Thus we see that in respect to this source of wealth, this little county is behind none of her neighbors. Some seven or eight coal mines are being operated successfully in the county : the most of them, in fact. nearly all, are in the immediate vicinity of the town of Petersburg. In addition to the fact that we thus keep the price of this article at home. it also affords employment for a large number of laborers, and in the same proportion, it furnishes market of our produce. The coal interests are just beginning to be developed here : but the time is not far in the future when this
195
HISTORY OF MENARD COUNTY.
will be an important branch of industry here. The first regular coal-shaft was opened by Elijah Taylor, in the southeast part of town, in the fall of 1865. Since that time, the several shafts near town, and that of Tallula have been opened.
Stone is not as plentiful in the county as could be desired, yet there are some quarries that, when fully opened, will be of great value. A large field on Rock Creek is underlaid with a fine strata of limestone, lying near the surface in many places, and is finely adapted to building purposes. These quarries have never been properly opened, though great quantities of stone have been taken out along the hillsides where the ledge crops out ; but the time is not far in the future when they will be properly opened. Limestone is also found on the Sangamon River at Old Salem, and also at Petersburg. Near the east end of the highway bridge over the river at Petersburg, is a stratum of sandstone. though it is not yet known whether it is of a good quality, or of sufficient quantity to pay for working. Some have used this sandstone for foundations and cellar-walls, but some have fears that it will not resist the weight of the walls and the influence of the frost. There is rock in small quantities in other localities, but these named are the most important and promising.
Taking all the natural advantages of this county into account, no locality possesses more or better facilities for manufacturing enterprise. Here is the timber, the stone, the coal, the water, and, as Mr. Hardin Bale has recently demonstrated, we have also a quality of clay for the manufacture of drain-tile that is equal to the best in the State, or elsewhere. Brick of an excellent quality are also made here in abundance. Taking all these facts together, it is strange that these advantages have not been utilized before the present time. The vast amount of agricultural implements purchased every year by our citizens, takes out vast sums of money, for which we have but little return made. The plows, reapers, planters, threshers, wagons, buggies, etc., that are annually purchased, cost a vast sum. If our advantages were utilized, not only would all this money be kept in our midst, but other great advantages would accrue to us. A market would be created here at home for our surplus timber, which is now rotting in vast quantities all over the county ; a demand would be made for greater quantities of coal, and this would employ a great number of laborers : the erection of these factories would create a demand for stone and brick, and sand, and lime; then all these, so well as the timber to manufacture, must be delivered on the ground, thus giving employment to a great number of men and teams ; and last, but not least, this would call together great numbers of laborers and mechanics, who, bringing their families with them, would improve our towns, and create a market at home for all the products the soil produced by our farmers. Surely our people will not remain blind to this important matter many years longer.
The raising and fatting of cattle and hogs having ceased to bring remuner- ation to the agriculturists, they must look in some other direction for a reward for their toils.
196
HISTORY OF MENARD COUNTY.
The county is intersected by two railroads, the Jacksonville branch of the Chicago & Alton Railroad, and the Springfield & North-Western Railroad. A detailed account of the erection of these roads will be given as we advance in the history of the county, as giving facts in their proper chronological order will enable the reader to understand and retain them to a much better advantage.
Having thus hastily glanced at the resources and advantages of the county. we are now prepared to enter into the history of the
EARLY SETTLEMENTS.
Considerable settlements were made in other parts of old Sangamon County before any were made in the limits of what is now Menard. The reader will bear in mind that this county had no existence till 1839, hence the history of the early settlement and development of the county is connected with the history of Sangamon.
Although the white man had frequently visited the " Sangamon country." as it was called, and had traveled over the beautiful prairies, and explored the deep woods of this locality, yet we have no evidence that any one ever settled in the area of the county prior to April, 1819. The first settler. according to the best evidence we have, was Mr. John Clary, who came with his family at the date just named. He settled in a grove in the southwestern part of the county, near the present site of the village of Tallula. This grove was ever after known by the name of its first settler, and is to-day noticed on the maps and known far and near as Clary's Grove. Mr. Clary settled on the south- west quarter of Section 32, Town 18, Range 7, the land being now owned by George Spears, Sr. Mr. Clary built what was known to the pioneer settlers as a " three-faced camp." that is, he erected three walls, leaving one entire side open. These walls were built about seven feet high, when poles were laid across at a distance of about three feet apart. and on these a roof of elapboards was laid, and these boards were held on by weight-poles laid on them. These boards were some four feet in length, and from eight inches to a foot wide, and were split out of oak timber with an instrument called a froe. No floor was laid in the camp, nor was there any such thing as window or chimney con- nected with the structure ; neither would you see such thing as a door-shutter in all this edifice. Now, these are facts, and we doubt not that the young men, who are now growing up, wonder what the people did for light, and where their fires were built, as well as how they found ingress and egress. The one side of the structure that was left out answered all these purposes. Just in front of the open side was built a large log heap, which served to give warmth in cold weather, and for cooking purposes all the year round. Abundance of light was admitted by this aperture, while on either side of the fire were ample passage-ways for passing in and out. We describe this camp thus particularly. because in such as this the early settlers spent the first few years of their sojourn in the new country. Mr. Clary had a family when he first came.
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