USA > Illinois > Coles County > The History of Coles County, Illinois map of Coles County; history of Illinois history of Northwest Constitution of the United States, miscellaneous matters, &c., &c > Part 28
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
Gideon S. Bailey were early settlers, but of them not much could be obtained. Bailey married the widow of James P. Jones, and moved away from the town- ship. Robert Lightfoot came from Kentucky, and settled in the town in 1836, and was an honest, upright man in the community. He died some three or four years ago.
John Veach, the father of Jesse Veach, a well-known citizen of this town- ship, and a soldier of the war of 1812, settled here in 1828. He bought a claim of James Riley, who had settled here a year or two before. Riley was from Crawford County, and removed to Texas about 1833-34. Mr. Veaeh came from Crawford County, but was born in Maryland, had been a resident of Ken- tucky in the early days, and removed to Crawford County in 1814, when the people, for the sake of protection, were compelled to live in forts. He was some- time a resident of old Fort La Motte. After two years' residence in this town- ship, he removed into La Fayette, where he is noticed in the early settlement of that town. Jesse Veach, one of the honored citizens of Charleston Township, settled here in 1831, but his acquaintance with this section extends back to 1825. In that year, he "moved " a family from Crawford County to this township-Mr. Bates, who is mentioned as the first settler in this neighborhood. At the time of his first visit here, in 1825, there was not a family living on this side of the Embarrass River, the whole country around the present beautiful little city of Charleston was a wilderness untrodden by the white men. He is still living, a hale old gentleman for one of his years, and with an excellent memory of the early days and hardships of this country. H. Gregg settled here in 1827, but remained in the neighborhood but a short time, when he removed to Edgar County.
This concludes the early settlement of the township, and a history of the old settlers, so far as we have been able to learn their names. Possibly, many names have been omitted that deserve special mention, but with more than half a cent- ury between " then and now," and many of the early settlers "gone home," and the memories of those still remaining clouded by age, renders it impossible to get a history of every one. This must be our excuse for any omissions that have been made.
MILLS, STORES AND OTHER IMPROVEMENTS.
The first mill in Charleston Township was a small horse-mill erected by Charles Morton, soon after his settlement in the neighborhood. After its erec- tion, it was patronized extensively by the people in the vicinity in preference to going to the mills on the Embarrass River. At this little corn-cracking estab- lishment the pioneers used to congregate, and while waiting their " turn," would amuse themselves playing marbles, running foot-races, jumping, pitching quoits and other innocent amusements ; in cold weather they would parch corn in the ashes. But with the building of other mills of greater capacity, and of water and steam power, horse-mills became obsolete, and, at the present date, it is prob-
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able that at least one-half of the population of Coles County never saw a horse- mill. After the laying-out of Charleston, Morton moved his mill in the village, where it figured as the first in the village as it had in the township.
The first store in the town was opened by Charles Morton the same year of his settlement. He brought a stock of goods with him when he moved here from Kentucky, and as soon as he could erect a pole cabin to shelter his family, he opened out his goods in one room of it: And when Charleston sprang into existence, he moved his store to town, where, like his horse-mill, it became the first store in the village. This mercantile effort of Morton's was perhaps the only one in the township outside of Charleston, from the first settlement to the present time. As the village was laid out so soon after settlements were made in the township, there was little necessity for stores outside of the village. And hence the mercantile trade centered in it in an early day.
The first road through Charleston Township other than the pioneer's wagon trails, was the State road from Shelbyville to Paris. It was surveyed and located by John Flemming, Thomas Sconce and Thomas Rhodes, according to the following act of the Legislature, approved January 28, 1831 : "SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the people of the State of Illinois, represented in the Gen- eral Assembly, That John Flemming, of Shelby County, Thomas Sconce of Coles County and Thomas Rhodes, of Edgar County, be, and they are hereby, appointed Commissioners to view, survey, mark and locate a road from Shelby- ville, in Shelby County, to the seat of justice in Coles County, and from thence to Paris, in Edgar County, to be located on the nearest and best route, doing as little damage to private property as the public good will permit.
" SEC. 2. The said Commissioners, or a majority of them, shall meet at Shel- byville on or before the 15th day of October next, and after being duly sworn by some Justice of the Peace of said county of Shelby, faithfully to view and locate said road, without partiality, favor or affection, shall immediately there- after proceed to discharge the duties required of them by this act, placing in the prairie, through which the same shall pass, stakes of a reasonable size of durable timber.
"SEC. 3. As soon as practicable after said road is located, said Commission- ers, or a majority of them, shall make out a report, accompanied by a map or plat of said road, denoting the courses and distances from point to point, with such other remarks as they, or a majority of them, may deem necessary and proper, and transmit the same to the Secretary of State. And they, or a ma- jority of them, shall make a map or plat of so much of said road as lies within the respective counties and transmit it to the Clerk of the County Commission- ers of the respective counties through which the same may pass, which shall be filed and preserved in the office of said court.
" SEC. 4. When said road shall be located, it shall be to all intents and pur- poses, a State road, four poles wide, and shall be opened and kept in repair as other roads are in this State.
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
"SEC. 5. The County Commissioners' Courts of each county through which the said road may pass, are hereby authorized and required to allow said Commis- sioners one dollar and fifty cents per day for the time necessarily employed in locating the said road in each of their respective counties ; Provided, that noth- ing herein contained shall be so construed as to create any liability on the part of this State to pay said Commissioners for their services, rendered under this act. This act to be in force from and after its passage."
Before the laying-out of this road, the people meandered over the prairies and through the openings in the timber, wherever they could get through best and easiest. Often, when they went to mill, they would do as the Rev. Peter Cartwright did in the Astor House when they put him in the fifth story. He went to the office and asked for a hatchet. When asked what he wanted with a hatchet, replied, to blaze his way so that he could go to and from his room without getting lost. So, would the people take their hatchets with them to mill, and blaze the trees so they could find their way back home. The same session of the Legislature at which the foregoing act was passed, another was passed requiring every able-bodied male citizen, under fifty years of age and over twenty-one, to perform three days' labor on the public highways, under the superintendence of the Supervisor of the district. An interesting feature of this act was, that when the labor provided in the act (three days of each able- bodied, etc.) was insufficient, the Supervisor might call on " every taxable male inhabitant " in the district to perform labor on the road at the rate of one day for " every $100 worth of real and personal property he may possess in the county." The township, at the present day, is well supplied with roads and bridges; of the latter, however, there are a few eligible sites still left, where they might be located with advantage to the people.
One of the early industries of the township was a tan-yard, upon which, or in which, or at which, was manufactured the material for the understanding of the pioneer inhabitants. This primitive institution, now long obsolete, was opened by David Eastin, and the spot whereon it was located is now inside of the corporation of the city of Charleston. It finally became the property of Richard and Thomas Stoddert, who operated it until the people became too proud or too enlightened to wear home-made shoes, when they, like Othello, found their occupation (in that line) gone, and the establishment was closed. Another useful industry of those days were carding machines. John Kennedy built one in this township about 1830-31, which carded the wool of the settlers (or that of their sheep, rather) into rolls, when they were spun and woven into cloth, and manufactured into clothing by the industrious ladies. But these, then useful establishments, like the tanyards, have "gone where the woodbine twineth." Owen and Harman were the first blacksmiths, and sharpened the old Cary and barshare plows for the early farmers. These smiths were "mighty men," with "large and sinewy hands " and " muscles like iron bands," and left their imprint upon many of these rude old implements of the early husbandmen.
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
The first orchard in the township was set out by Benjamin Parker about 1830. Before the bearing of this and other orchards, set out soon after, the people had to content themselves with wild crab-apples and such other fruits as grew in the country. Strawberries, we are informed, grew wild in great abun- dance, and of an excellent quality.
EDUCATIONAL AND RELIGIOUS.
The first schoolhouse in the township was built near what is called the Decker Springs, about a mile north of the city of Charleston. It was the type of the pioneer schoolhouse, which has already been described in these pages. and was built in 1828. John McCombs taught the first school in this humble temple of learning. A Mr. Collom, brother of William Collom, who built the first house and kept the first tavern in Charleston, was another of the early school teachers of this township. It would be an interesting history to trace the schools of the town from this puny commencement to their present state of perfection, but we have not the space to do so, and as we shall allude to the sub- ject again in the chapter devoted to the city of Charleston, we will pass on now with the remark, that Charleston Township is laid off in convenient districts, all of them having comfortable school-buildings, wherein schools are maintained from six to nine months during the year. None but competent teachers are employed, and hence the schools flourish accordingly.
The first preaching in the neighborhood was by the Parkers, as noticed in the general history, several of the family being preachers of the " Hardshell" persuasion. Rev. Mr. Newport was another of the early divines of that faith. The Methodists and Presbyterians also were early in the field, and established classes and societies, which have continued down to the present day. But as the first church in the township was erected in Charleston, the church history will be given under that head.
The first white child born in Charleston Township is supposed to have been George W. Odell, a son of Isaac Odell, in 1830. A son of David Eastin was born in 1832, which was the next birth recorded in the neighborhood. The first wedding remembered was Dr. Ferguson and a daughter of Charles Mor- ton. We are unable to give a description of the ceremonies attending this early marriage in the wilderness, the wedding presents, appearance of the bride, etc., but as she is still living, our young lady readers, who always take an interest in such matters, can probably learn all the particulars of her. The first death is not remembered, but the "well-peopled " grave-yards tell that death has been here.
Charleston Township lies a little southeast of the center of the county, and is bounded on the north by Hickory Township, on the west by La Fayette, on the south by Pleasant Grove and on the east by the Embarrass River. It is described as Township 12 north, Range 9 east of the third principal meridian, and contains a few sections more than a regular Congressional township. The
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
surface is generally level, with slight undulations, except along the Embarrass, where it is rather broken and hilly. The town is pretty well watered and drained by the small streams flowing to the Embarrass River, among which we may note Kickapoo, Riley and Cossell Creeks, and with the Embarrass on its eastern boundary, it lacks neither drainage nor irrigation. The Indian- apolis & St. Louis Railroad crosses from east to west through the north part of the town, thus affording excellent means of shipping the great amount of grain and stock annually produced. The history of the above railroad has been so fully given in the general county history that we shall not repeat it here, but refer the reader to that part of this work.
POLITICS AND PATRIOTISM.
The township and city of Charleston, taken together, are Democratic in politics by a small majority. Being pretty evenly divided in point of numbers, usually calls forth from both sides considerable wire-working and " log-rolling" whenever an important election is pending, and neither party leaves a stone unturned to accomplish success ; hence, exciting episodes sometimes take place between them and humorous stories are told on each side. The following is narrated at the expense of the Republicans, and is supposed to have occurred about the time of the organization of that party in the State. We do not vouch for its truth, but give it, subject to any criticism or correction it may deserve. A little party was formed, consisting of seventeen individuals, to go into one of the rural towns to organize the sturdy yeomanry, and they contributed $1 apiece for the purpose of providing a lunch for the occa- sion, as they contemplated being out all day. One of the number was ap- pointed to procure the lunch, and well knowing, perhaps, the appetites of the party, he invested $16, of the $17 appropriated, in whisky and $1 in crackers. They proceeded on their mission, and, as they performed their very " arduous labors," had frequent recourse to the bottles of the " all-healing bal- sam of life and comfort." Toward evening, one of the party came to the " butler," with a hungry, thirsty look upon his alabaster countenance, and wanted " some more that 'ere liquor." He was informed that it was nearly out, and he would have to cut down his potations, to some extent, and take crackers instead. After deliberating over the matter a moment, he looked up and remarked, "Wh-what in the - did ye (hic) git so many crackers for ?"
The following illustrates the other side pretty well : " Uncle Billy Hughs," as everybody called him, was a blood-red Democrat. He lived in Pleasant Grove Township, and, every time he came to Charleston, was sure to get drunk, on the principle that that was one of the first duties of a Democrat. One day, he came to town in his wagon, with two large, fine horses harnessed to it, and, as usual, got " tight as a tick ; " and, as he started for home, his horses ran away, threw him out of the wagon, in the outskirts of the town, and knocked the old fellow senseless. Several persons, both male and female, saw the acci-
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HISTORY OF COLES COUNTY.
dent, and ran to his assistance and found him apparently dead. The ladies set up a lamentation, and all expressed the strongest pity : for the old man was much beloved, and, aside from his love of drink, had few faults. In the mean time, a physician arrived, felt his pulse, and observed that he was not dead, but would be all right soon. Finally, his shoulders moved, his lips quivered, and, with a gasp, he opened his eyes and looked around. Feebly he inquired where he was, when some one volunteered the information that his team had run off and thrown him out of his wagon. " Uncle Billy " raised up on his elbow and looked around for a moment, and then observed : "Well, by -, I am (hic) the best Democrat (hic) in Coles County, anyhow !"
But those times are past, and we will observe, right here, that there is not a licensed saloon in Charleston Township nor city, a fact that is highly creditable to their citizens.
In the late war, Charleston bore no inconsiderable part. Many of her citi- zens left their homes, kindred and all that was dear to the heart, and went forth to battle for the Union that they loved better than all things else. Several from this township laid down their lives in its defense, and their bones lie mingled with the dust of the far-off Southern fields where they met the foe. It is no reproach to their valor that they fell before a foe as brave as themselves. We give the names, herewith, of all now living in the township who served in the late war, so far as we have been able to get them : W. E. Robinson entered the army, in 1861, as Captain of Company E, Fifty-second Illinois Volun- teers. James M. Ashmore entered the army as Captain of Company C, Eighth Illinois Volunteers; wounded at Shiloh. G. M. Mitchell, in June, 1861, as Captain of Company C, First Illinois Cavalry-the first three years regiment to leave the State; promoted to Lieutenant Colonel of Fifty-fourth Infantry in Feb- ruary, 1862, and in October, 1863, promoted to Colonel ; re-enlisted as a veteran in 1864, and in the fall of that year was brevetted Brigadier General. H. A. Neal, in fall of 1864, enlisted in Company K, First United States Heavy Artillery, and served until the close of the war. W. E. Adams, in 1862, as Captain of Company I, One Hundred and Twenty-third Illinois Volunteers, and served to the close of the war. A. M. Peterson enlisted in Company K, Twenty-first (Grant's old regiment) Illinois Volunteers, July, 1861; rose to the rank of Captain, and resigned, in 1862, on account of ill-health. Isaac Vail enlisted Angust, 1862, in Company E, One Hundred and Twenty-ninth Illinois Volunteer Infantry ; was Orderly Sergeant, and was with Sherman in the march to the sea. Charles Cleary enlisted in Company C, Twelfth Kentucky Cavalry ( Union); promoted to Orderly Sergeant, and then to First Lieutenant, and was detailed as Acting Assistant Adjutant General ; was on Col. Crittenden's staff, and served until close of the war. J. A. Connely enlisted, in 1862, as Major of the One Hundred and Twenty-third Illinois Volunteers ; served until close of the war, two years of the time as Inspector General of the Fourteenth Army Corps, and was on the "march to the sea." Joseph F. Goar enlisted, in 1862,
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in Company D, One Hundred and Twenty-third Illinois Volunteer Infantry, and served until close of the war. Eli Huron enlisted in Company A, Fifty- third Indiana Volunteers ; promoted to Orderly Sergeant, and lost right arm in the second battle of Corinth. E. E. Clark enlisted in Company E, Seventy- third Ohio Volunteers, and served about two years ; and also in Adjutant Gen- eral's office. Thomas A. Marshall entered the army as Colonel of First Illinois Cavalry, and served until the muster-out of the regiment. T. E. Tillotson enlisted in Company H, Fourth Ohio Volunteers, in April, 1861 ; assisted in raising a company, and was appointed Orderly Sergeant : commissioned Sec- ond Lieutenant before leaving the State ; was promoted to First Lieutenant in 1862, and to Captain in 1864; after the battle of Peach-Tree Creek, was brevetted Lieutenant Colonel by President Lincoln for meritorious service, and, after the close of the war, was brevetted Major by President Johnson. John H. Clark enlisted in Company E, Fourteenth Illinois Volunteers, and promoted to Orderly Sergeant. C. Swarts enlisted in Company D, One Hundred and Six- teenth Indiana Volunteers, in the summer of 1863. Adam Metzler enlisted, in the fall of 1862, in the One Hundred and Eighty-seventh Ohio Volunteers, served nine months, and then enlisted in the regular army (Fourth United States Cavalry), and served three years on the frontier. R. P. Hackett enlisted in Company K. One Hundred and Twenty- third Illinois Volunteers, and served three years ; severely wounded at Milton, Tenn., and still carries the ball. Christian Schytt enlisted in Company E, Thirty-second Illinois Volunteers. J. W. Evans, enlisted in Company K, First Tennessee (Union) Volunteers. Robert L. Reat, Company A, Seventy-eighth Indiana Volunteers. William A. Jeffries, Company C, Eighth Illinois Volunteer Infantry, three-months men : re-enlisted in Sixty-third Infantry, and was chosen Second Lieutenant of Company K. Dr. W. M. Chambers, appointed Brigade Surgeon by Presi- dent Lincoln in 1861, and served until 1865. Brevetted Lieutenant Colonel, and then Colonel, for meritorious services. As will be seen from the above list, many of the men there mentioned enlisted in other States, but are now resi- dents of Charleston (town and city) ; while many of those living here at the time of enlistment, having removed to other sections, we have been unable to learn their names.
BLOODED STOCK.
In the general county history we noted the fact that considerable attention was being paid to the breeding of blooded stock in the county, and mentioned the names of several parties who are engaged in improving different breeds of animals, viz. : W. A. Whittemore, J. W. Wright, H. M. Ashmore and I. U. Gibbs engaged in breeding fine horses; William Miller, S. C. Ashmore, Ambrose Edwards, Isaac Flenner, R. L. Reat and R. S. Hodgen, fine cattle : and Shepard & Alexander, Poland-China hogs. The fine herds of this excel- lent stock of hogs, owned by Messrs. Shepard & Alexander, deserve more than a mere passing notice. In a pamphlet which they have published, descriptive
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of the Poland-China stock, for gratuitous distribution among their patrons, we make some extracts, which will be found of interest to hog-raisers generally. In this pamphlet, they take up the history of the hog, almost from the time Noah let him out of the Ark, and follow it in a concise manner to its "culmi- nation of perfection " in the Poland-China stock. Speaking of this fine breed of hogs, they say : "The Poland-China is a breed established in the Miami Val- ley, as early as the year 1835. The direct and careful history of some of the original breeds from which this splendid animal was derived, cannot be given as fully and as particularly as its present importance and fast-growing popularity demand. As early as 1820, the farmers of Ohio obtained some hogs of an improved breed known as the Poland, and crossed upon the common stock of the country, and upon this question of the Poland hog several bitter controversies have arisen ; but that such a breed of hogs existed at that day, and long since, we have not the slightest doubt. * The Poland hog used by these farmers and stock-raisers is described as a large lop-eared, dark colored hog, attaining great weight, but slow in maturing. This cross produced by the Poland was again crossed by the Byfield, a breed originating in New England ; but being of mixed breed itself, produced but little change; and not satisfying their standard of a practical hog, they in a few years introduced the big spotted China, imported from England. This last was an English breed, the result of crosses with the original Chinese. The infusion of the blood of this spotted China produced very marked and important changes in this famous hog, decreasing the size and increasing the fattening qualities, refining the bone and perfecting the symmetry of form, etc." By other crosses, as given in this history, with the Wobum, Irish Graziers and Berkshires, has resulted the formation of a breed of hogs of the most desirable qualities, and since 1834-35, no new blood has been infused into this breed of Poland-China. Messrs. Shepard & Alexander conclude their history of this famous breed as follows : "They have been fully tested in all the various climates of the United States, and, under all circumstances, have proved themselves hardy, prolific, free from disease, with great action and constitutional vigor, and always bring the highest price as porkers in the markets. They can be made to weigh, at ten months, 350 to 400 pounds ; at eighteen months, from 500 to 940 pounds. The best average fat hogs made in the United States have been of this breed. One lot of forty head, raised by one man, averaged at twenty-two months, 613 pounds. In color, they are spotted black and white, with occasionally a sandy tinge, varying, however, according to the peculiar fancy of the breeder, from almost white to nearly black."
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